By Faith: Sermons on Hebrews 11 (eBook)

by Thomas Manton

in ePub, .mobi & .pdf formats

Sixty Five Sermons on Hebrews 11:1-31

Manton holds a somewhat peculiar place among the Puritan divines. He has pre-eminently a style of his own, and a style very unlike that of most of his school. I will try to explain what I mean.

Manton's chief excellence as a writer, in my judgment, consists in the ease, perspicuousness, and clearness of his style. He sees his subject clearly, expresses himself clearly, and seldom fails in making you see clearly what he means. He has a happy faculty of simplifying the point he handles. He never worries you with acres of long, ponderous, involved sentences, like Goodwin or Owen. His books, if not striking, are generally easy and pleasant reading, and destitute of anything harsh, cramped, obscure, and requiring a second glance to be understood. For my own part, I find it easier to read fifty pages of Manton's than ten of some of his brethren's; and after reading, I feel that I carry more away.

Manton was a Calvinist in his theology. He held the very doctrine which is so admirably set forth in the seventeenth Article of the Church of England. He held the same views which were held by nine-tenths of the English Reformers, and four-fifths of all the leading divines of the Church of England down to the accession of James I. He maintained and taught personal election, the perseverance of the saints, the absolute necessity of a regeneration evidenced by its fruits, as well as salvation by free grace, justification by faith alone, and the uselessness of ceremonial observances without true and vital religion. As an expositor of Scripture, I regard Manton with unmingled admiration. Here, at any rate, he is 'facile princeps' among the divines of the Puritan school.

- J.C. Ryle

You are here presented with a third volume of the works of the late reverend and learned Dr Thomas Manton, whose great name is sufficient to recommend it to thy perusal, when thou art assured it is his own. These sermons and treatises were either written from his own notes, or carefully compared verbatim with them, and amended by them; and whosoever were acquainted with the spirit and preaching of the author will find he hath no cause to suspect being imposed on herein. His copious invention, clear and succinct opening of gospel mysteries, close application to the conscience, with that admirable variety of handling the same subject which sometimes occurs, are scarce imitable by any. It were needless to add anything to the testimonies that have been given him by those who have published his former works. 

What the author's opinion about publishing posthumous works was may justify what of this kind hath been already done and is now tendered to thee, which I shall give you in his own words in his epistle before Dr Sibb's 'Comment on the 1st. Chapter of the 2d Epistle to the Corinthians:'—'Let it not stumble thee that the work is posthume, and cometh out so long after the author's death; it were to be wished that those that excel in public gifts would during life publish their own labours, to prevent spurious obtrusions upon the world, and give them their last hand and polishment; as the apostle Peter was careful to write before his decease, 2 Peter 1:12–14; but usually the church's treasure is most increased by legacies. As Elijah let fall his mantle when he was taken up into heaven; so God's eminent servants, when their persons could no longer remain in the world, have left behind them some worthy pieces as a monument of their graces and zeal for the public welfare, whether it be out of a modest sense of their own endeavours, as being loath upon choice, or of their own accord, to venture abroad into the world, or whether it be that being occupied and taken up with other labours, or whether it be in a conformity to Christ, who would not leave his Spirit till his departure, or whether it be out of a hope that their works would find a more kindly reception after their death, the living being more liable to envy and reproach; but when the author is in heaven, the work is more esteemed upon earth. Whether for this or that cause, usually it is that not only the life, but the death, of God's servants hath been profitable to his church, by that means many useful treatises being freed from that privacy and obscureness to which by the modesty of the author they were formerly confined.' 

To all this may be added that not many days before the author departed this life he declared his intentions of publishing something himself but his sudden death prevented him. 

And let none wonder that in the author's so constant course of preaching the same matter may sometimes recur. In some places thou wilt find notes of reference; in others the same matter is handled with such variety as to prevent tediousness, in which the author had a singular excellency. However, repetitions of the same truths have their use. 'To write the same things to you,'saith the apostle, 'to me is not grievous, for you it is safe,' Phil. 3:1. Our knowledge is imperfect, and needs a continual increase; our memories are slippery and frail, and need to be refreshed; our attention is dull, and many truths slip by us at the first hearing without regard; our hearts are backward to our duty, and we need frequently to be excited. We more blame a dull horse than the rider, who frequently quickens him with a spur. It savours too much of pride of knowledge, and a curious itch of novelty, when we cannot endure to hear more than once of the same truths; and such a humour is not to be gratified, but mortified. But though some may quarrel, I doubt not but the serious christian will receive benefit by what is here offered, which, that it may be thy lot, is the earnest prayer of 

Thy affectionate servant in the work of the gospel,

WILLIAM TAYLOR. 

Table of Contents

Epistle Dedicatory

To the Reader

SERMON I. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for,"  ver. 1
SERMON II. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for,", ver. 1
SERMON III. "And the evidence of things not seen," ver. 1
SERMON IV. "And the evidence of things not seen," ver. 1
SERMON V. "And the evidence of things not seen," ver. 1
SERMON VI. "For by it the elders obtained a good report," ver. 2
SERMON VII. "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word,", ver. 3
SERMON VIII. "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word,", ver. 3
SERMON IX. "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word," , ver. 3
SERMON X. "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word,", ver. 3
SERMON XI. "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word,", ver. 3
SERMON XII. "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain,", ver. 4
SERMON XIII. "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain,", ver. 4
SERMON XIV. "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain,", ver. 4
SERMON XV. "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain," , ver. 4
SERMON XVI. "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain,", ver. 4
SERMON XVII. "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain,"., ver. 4
SERMON XVIII. "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain,", ver. 4
SERMON XIX. "By which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts," ver. 4
SERMON XX. "By which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts," ver. 4
SERMON XXI. "By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death,"  ver. 5
SERMON XXII. "By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death,"  ver. 5
SERMON XXIII. "For before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God," ver. 5
SERMON XXIV. "But without faith it is impossible to please him,"., ver. 6
SERMON XXV. "But without faith it is impossible to please him,", ver. 6
SERMON XXVI. "But without faith it is impossible to please God," ver. 6
SERMON XXVII. "But without faith it is impossible to please him," ver. 6
SERMON XXVIII. "But without faith it is impossible to please him," ver. 6
SERMON XXIX. "For he that cometh to God must believe that he is," &c., ver. 6
SERMON XXX. "For he that cometh to God must believe that he is," ver. 6
SERMON XXXI. "For he that cometh to God must believe that he is," ver. 6
SERMON XXXII. "For he that cometh to God must believe that he is,", ver. 6
SERMON XXXIII. "And that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him," ver. 6
SERMON XXXIV. "And that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him," ver. 6
SERMON XXXV. "By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet,", ver. 7
SERMON XXXVI. "By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet," ver. 7
SERMON XXXVII. "By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet," ver. 7
SERMON XXXVIII. "Prepared an ark," ver. 7
SERMON XXXIX. "By the which he condemned the world, and became heir,", ver. 7
SERMON XL. "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place,", ver. 8
SERMON XLI. "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place," , ver. 8
SERMON XLII. "By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country,", vers. 9, 10
SERMON XLIII. "By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country," , vers. 9, 10
SERMON XLIV. "Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed,"., ver. 11
SERMON XLV. "These all died in faith, not having received the promises," , ver. 13
SERMON XLVI. "These all died in faith, not having received the promises,", ver. 13
SERMON XLVII. "These all died in faith, not having received the promises,", ver. 13
SERMON XLVIII. "These all died in faith, not having received the promises,", ver. 13
SERMON XLIX. "For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country,"  vers. 14–16
SERMON L. "Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God,", ver. 16
SERMON LI. "By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac," vers. 17–19
SERMON LII. "By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac,", vers. 17–19
SERMON LIII. "Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead,", ver. 19
SERMON LIV. "By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come," ver. 20
SERMON LV. "By faith Jacob, when he was a-dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph,", ver. 21
SERMON LVI. "By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing,, ver. 22
SERMON LVII. "By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents," ver. 23
SERMON LVIII. "By faith Moses, when he was come to years," ver. 24
SERMON LIX. "By faith Moses, when he was come to years," ver. 24
SERMON LX. "Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God,", ver. 25
SERMON LXI. "Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt," ver. 26
SERMON LXII. "Through faith he kept the passover and the sprinkling of blood,"., ver. 28
SERMON LXIII. "By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land,", ver. 29
SERMON LXIV. "By faith the walls of Jericho fell down,"., ver. 30
SERMON LXV. "By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not," ver. 31

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