BY THE REV. THOMAS MANTON, D.D., PURITAN DIVINE.
Preached, 17th August, 1662.
“Wherefore, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.”—HEB. xii. 1.
(Continued from page 52.)
(2) The next thing to be laid aside is sin, which doth so easily beset us. As we must guard against things without, so we must mortify our corrupt inclinations within; or else it will soon make us weary of our heavenly race or faint in it. Sin, you know, is twofold—original and actual. Actual sin is not meant primarily, for that is not peccatum agens, the sin that easily besets us; but peccatum transiens, the sin that passes from us. And original sin is that which is emphatically called “sin” (Romans vii. 8). Now this original corruption may be considered as merely native, or as acquired and improved into evil customs and habits; for according to men’s tempers and constitutions—as they are severally disposed—so by the corruption of nature they are inclined to one sin more than another. As the channel is cut, so corrupt nature finds a vent and issue. In every man there is some predominant sin, and in every regenerate person some relics of that sin, from whence is the greatest danger of his soul. Thus David speaks of his iniquity (Psalm xviii. 23). Well, then, this is that “sin that doth so easily beset us”—original sin, improved into some tyranny or evil custom, which doth increase and prevail upon us more and more. Now this is said—“easily beset us”—for three reasons. Partly because it hath a great power and restraint over us, and implies the whole man—the members of the body, the faculties of the soul. So great an interest hath it acquired in our affections that it doth “easily beset us”; it hath great power and command over us. Partly because it sticks so close that we cannot by our own strength lay it aside. “Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots?” (Jer. xiii. 23). A man can as soon change his skin as lay aside his customs, that are so deeply engraven as the blackness of an Ethiopian or the spots of the leopard. And partly because it mingles itself with all our motions and actions (Romans vii. 21, etc.). It easily besets us. ‘Tis present with us; it impels us, and solicits us, and draws us to sin further and further, and doth make us negligent in what is God’s. We cannot do or speak anything but it will infest us in all our duties of piety, charity, justice. On every side it is interposing, vexing, thwarting the motions of the Spirit; and so abates our strength, vigour, and agility, and retards our course towards heaven and glory. Therefore, lay aside, as every weight, so every sin, etc.
Question.—Now, what is it to lay aside, or how can we lay aside, since sin sticks so close to us and is engraven in our natures?
Answer.—Certainly something may be done by us, for this is everywhere pressed as our duty. “Put off the old man” (Ephes. iv. 22, and 1 Peter ii. 11). We may put it off more and more, though we cannot lay it aside. Then we are said to “lay aside the sin that so easily besets us” when we prevent and break the dominion of it, that it shall not reign over us. “Let not sin reign,” etc. (Romans vi. 12). Though it dwells in us, lives in us, and works in us, yet it should not overcome us and bring us into bondage, and so it will not be imputed to our condemnation. And at length, when the soul shall be separated from the body, we shall be wholly free from it.
Question.—Aye, but what must we do that we may repress it—the question returns—that we may break the dominion of it?
Answer.—I answer, this is the work of the Spirit of God. But we must know the Spirit of God doth work the work of mortification two ways—by regeneration and after regeneration. By regeneration and so He doth immediately, without any co-operation of ours, mortify the deeds of sin—gives sin its death wound. That which is left is as a thing mortified; ’tis broken. The Scripture often speaks of this first work of regeneration (Romans vi. 6; Colos. ii. 11). (1) When we are planted into Christ then we put off the body of sin; and though it doth not presently die, yet ’tis weakened that it cannot reign, though it be not destroyed. (2) After regeneration the Spirit doth more and more destroy sin, the relics of sin, this crucified body of sin, till it dieth wholly away. This He doth in us, but not without us. “Through the Spirit, mortify the deeds of the body” (Romans viii. 13). Not the Spirit without us, nor we without the Spirit, but ye through the Spirit. What is then required of us?
- Seriously purpose not to sin, and promise to God to yield Him unfeigned obedience. Especially should we make this promise in the use of those solemn rites by which the Covenant between God and us is confirmed. Take up a solemn purpose not to grieve the Spirit nor to break His law. “I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments” (Psalm cxix. 106). This purpose of heart is the root of all good actions; therefore in the confidence of God’s help, in the sense of thy own weakness (Psalm cxix. 32), we cannot lay wagers upon our own strength. Yet ’tis our duty to engage our hearts to God. To sin against the light of our own conscience, and illumination of the Spirit, and the chastening and instruction of our own reins, that aggravates our sin; but to sin against and besides our fixed purpose of not sinning, that lightens sin; for then ’tis a sin of weakness and infirmity, not of wilfulness and malice. And then we can say, as Paul, when the heart is fixedly bent towards God, “The evil which I would not, that do I” (Romans vii. 19). Two
ways may we be said to sin against purpose—either when we are overborne besides our purpose, or our purpose still remains to please God. As when the water breaks over the bank—the bank remaining—in such a case the fault is not in the bank, but in the violence of the flood. Or, second, when we break off our purpose or consent to do evil; as when we cut through the bank, the water may easily make through. There’s a great deal of difference between sin dwelling in us and sin entertained by us; between sin remaining and sin reserved. When you have a firm purpose against all sin, there is sin remaining, but ’tis not reserved, ’tis not kept and allowed.
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Watch over thyself with a holy suspicion, because thou hast sin within thee that doth easily beset thee. Therefore “consider thy ways” (Psalm cxix. 59); “guard thy senses” (Job xxxi. 1); but above all, “keep thy heart” (Proverbs iv. 23). Conscience must stand as porter at the door, and examine what comes in and what goes out. Watch over the stratagems of Satan and seducing motions of thy own heart.
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Resist and oppose strongly against the first risings of the flesh, and the tickling and pleasing motions of sin that doth easily beset us, when it doth entice us away from God, or do anything that is unseemly and contrary unto the duties of our heavenly calling. Oh, remember we are not debtors to the flesh (Romans viii. 20). Thou art tied to the Lord by all obligations and indulgence. Therefore break the force of sin by a serious resistance; check it; and let thy soul rise up in indignation against it. My business is not to pleasure the flesh but to please the Lord.
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Bewail thy involuntary lapses and falls with penitential tears, as “Peter went out and wept bitterly” (Matt. xxvi. 57). Godly sorrow is of great use for laying aside of sin, as salt potions kill worms. When children are troubled with worms we give them salt potions. So these bitter penitential tears are the means God hath appointed to mortify sin; that’s the reason the Apostle saith, “Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation, not to be repented of” (2 Cor. vii. 10). ‘Tis not only a part of repentance, but worketh preserving durable resolutions—a walking closely with God. ‘Tis a means God hath blessed to this end and purpose.
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Recover from thy falls; renew thy combat. As Israel, when they were overcome in battle, would try it again and again (Judges xx. 28). Take heed of ceasing for the present; for though thy enemy seems to prevail—though the flesh seems to prevail against the spirit in the battle—yet thou shalt have the best of it in the war. By the power of grace thou shalt have the victory.
Thus I have gone over the privative part of our duty: “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin that doth so easily beset us.” I should have come to the positive: “Let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” There is the duty—”Let us run the race that is set before us”; and there is the manner of the
duty—” Let us run with patience.” I should have shown you that a Christian’s life is like a race from earth to heaven, in a way of holiness and exercise of grace. This race continues as long as we continue in the world—from our nativity to our death. After death the strife is ended. Now, in this race we must run, and “so run that we may obtain the crown” (1 Cor. ix. 24). Running is a motion, and a speedy motion. There is no lying, sitting, or standing, but still there must be running. We must make a further progress in the way to heaven, “forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before” (Phil. iii. 13).
The runner was not to inquire how much of the way already was past, but to strain himself to overcome what was yet before. And so should we consider what sins are yet to be mortified, what duties yet untouched—almost untouched, what hard conflicts are yet to be undergone, and still to hold on our way without winning aside or halting because of difficulties, discouragements, stumbling-blocks. And there are fellows and co-partners with us, that run this race, with whom we may strive, in a holy emulation, who should go forward—who should be most forward in the course of pleasing God. O Christians, there are many contentions amongst us, but when shall we have this holy contention (Heb. x. 24)?
In a race there is the Agonetheta, the judge of the sports. So here God observes all. No matter what the standers-by say, the Judge of the sports must decide who must have the crown (1 Cor. xiv. 3, 4). And then at the end of the race there is the crown. “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness” (2 Tim. iv. 7, 8). In a race there are spectators. So there are here God, angels, and men. “We are a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men” (1 Cor. iv. 9).
Thus for the similitude of our race in our way to heaven. Now, wherein it differs.
This is a race not undertaken out of wantonness, but out of necessity. God hath called us to this course, and if we run not in this race we are undone for ever. And in other races but one had the crown; here all are crowned (2 Tim. iv. 8), though they be not so eminent as the Apostle; here all are crowned that run in the manner God hath required. “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto them that love his appearing.”
For the manner—with patience: “Let us run with patience.” Patience is necessary—
(1) Partly because of the length of the race and the distance between us and the promised reward. Our race cannot be ended but after some degrees of time. Long waiting is troublesome to the flesh, and therefore we have need of patience.
(2) Because we meet with many impediments, troubles, and temptations by the way; there are spiritual adversaries with whom we must fight. For we go on; we not only run, but fight. Therefore “run with patience.”
(3) Because the spectators will be ready to discourage us. We are set forth not only as a spectacle to God and angels, but to the world, and they will be ready to deride, scorn, and oppose us for our zeal to God and our forwardness in the ways of God, and to discourage us by bitter mockings, etc. Therefore “let us run with patience the race that is set before us.”
“I will feed my flock.”
(Ezek. xxxiv. 15.)
A NOTE FROM J. C. PHILPOT, M.A.
I. “I will feed my flock.” This implies that the flock is hungry; nay more, that it hungers after that peculiar food which alone can satisfy it. Spiritual hunger is a sure mark of life. The Lord’s own words are, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness.” Hunger, we may observe, has a peculiar relation to suitable food. The lion does not hunger for the food of the lamb, nor the dove for that of the eagle. “Feed me with food,” prays Agur, “convenient for me” (Prov. xxx. 8), literally, “appointed,” that is, suitable to my appetite, ordained by Thyself to satisfy it. Thus, a soul spiritually hungry cannot eat trash. God’s own mark against “a deceived heart” is, that it “feedeth upon ashes” (Isa. xlv. 20). A living soul cannot, then, feed upon the ashes of its own righteousness; for ashes, indeed, they will be found when the lightning stroke of God’s righteous law has burnt up all creature comeliness. Nor can it feed upon superstitious ceremonies, or the mummeries of Popish Paganism, either in the full court dress of the Catholic chapel, or the undress of the Puseyite church. Nor can it feed upon the “form of godliness,” upon the barren mountains of dead, dry Calvinism, any more than as it grows on the heaths and wilds of flat Arminianism. Nay, the Bible itself, that sweet and sacred record, that blessed revelation of the mind of God, even upon the letter of that the soul cannot feed unless God Himself turn it into food. For the promise runs, “I will feed my flock.” The food, the only real food of the soul must be of God’s own appointing, preparing, and communicating. The babe on the mother’s lap must be fed spoonful by spoonful, and that by the hand of the parent. The food must be put into the mouth, and such food only as is suitable for the growth of the babe. You can never deceive a hungry child. You may give it a plaything to still its cries; it may serve for a few minutes; but the pains of hunger are not to be removed by a doll. A windmill or a horse will not allay
the cravings after the mother’s breast. So with babes in grace. A hungry soul cannot feed upon playthings. Altars, robes, ceremonies, candlesticks, bowings, mutterings, painted windows, intoning priests, and singing men and women—these dolls and wooden horses, these toys and playthings of the Puseyitish baby-house, cannot feed the soul that, like David, “cries out after the living God.” Christ, the bread of life, the manna that came down from heaven, is the only food of the believing soul: “He that eateth me,” says the Lord, “even he shall live by me.” “I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world” (John vi. 51). A living soul knows when it hungers as much as the babe in the mother’s arms knows when it hungers; and knows, too, when it drinks down the pure milk of God’s word as sensibly and as truly as the natural child knows when its hunger is allayed by the mother’s breast. The Lord says, “I will feed my flock.” They shall, indeed suffer, first, the pangs of hunger to teach them to value it; for “the full soul loatheth the honeycomb.” Nay more, generally speaking, a certain painful experience is required to produce this appetite. Look at the labourer. What an appetite he has! How he relishes his food, coarse though it be! What gives him this appetite? Why, hard work. He is not your delicate invalid, or your fine lady, that lolls upon the sofa all day long, and whispers at dinner, “I think I can just pick the wing of a chicken;” but he has well earned it, for he has been working while you have been sleeping. So with the spiritual labourer, for such they are in the kingdom of God. “Come unto me, all ye that labour.” “Labour not for the meat that perisheth, but for that which endureth unto everlasting life.” “In all labour there is profit.” To labour under a burden of sin against powerful temptations, a body of sin and death and a whole host of lusts and corruptions will make a man hunger after a righteousness better than his own. We rarely cry out for the living bread till brought down to the starving point. Then, when nothing will satisfy but Jesus, God steps in with this word, “I will feed.” Sometimes it shall be a promise, sometimes a glimpse of Jesus, sometimes a sweet assurance of interest in His blood and righteousness, sometimes a smile, sometimes a sip or taste of His mercy, goodness, and love. When any gospel truth is applied to the heart; when faith embraces it, hope anchors in it, and love flows toward it, then the soul is divinely fed. Hunger is then sensibly allayed; the word of God tastes sweet; Jesus is received into the heart; and as the sheep lies and chews the cud, so the soul meditates and ruminates on the truth of God and enjoys it over and over again.
WE regret that a notice of the late Mrs. Davidson, Tomatin, Inverness-shire, is unavoidably held over till next month.