Manton - BX8915 M26 1684 v1

6 SERMONS upon Semi. XXX. r. An earneft and defirous expectation of what is to come ; therefore faid to look and long for it ; Tit. 2. 13, looliiag for the bided hope. And Heb. 9. 28. to them that look for him. 2 Tim. 4.8. and to them alfa thayfive his appearing. 2. A patient fubmiffion toGod for what is prefent; patience of hope, r Thef. 1.3. and Pfal. 37. 7. refs on the Lord, and waitpatiently for him. Our happinefs is delayed, and in the mean time we have many trials; our eftate to come is excellent and.glorious,nd Our prefent eftate is miferable and defpicable: 'Tis offered to us upon fare and gracious terms, therefore we wait; but in the mean time -we conflia with difficulties, and there- fore we groan : So that as thefe two duties refpet our different eftate, fo they chiefly exprefs our apprehenfion and refped to our finful eftate. 'Tis Earnefl, 'tis Patient, abet Subtpiffive. Firfi, 'Tis earnefi for we groan; as a woman with child doth exadly count her time, or the Ifraelites in bondage did wait for the year of Jubilee, or the Hireling when his covenanted time will expire. Secondly, With patience and, fiibmion to God's pleafure and leifure, Rom. 3. 6. pofeffing their fouls in meeknefi. And obferve the mo- tive; This waiting is earneft and defirous ; for the godly have not only a fence and feeling of the miferies and calamities of this life , but a fervent delire of the joys of Heaven : the miferies and troubles of the prefent world, are matters of fenfe; we need not Scripture to tell us, that we are burdened, and pained, and conflict with divers E- vils, our flefh feeleth it and we know it to our grief, that here is little elle bur dif- quiet and vexation 5 fenfe can difcover what fhould drive us from the world ;but fenfe cannot difcover what{hould draw our delires after a better eftate ; that we learn by faith; the joy is fet before us in the promifes of the Gofpel, Htb. 6. 18. that me might have prong confolation, who have fled for refuge, to lay hold on the hope that is fet before as an eb. ,12. 2. looking unto "fur the author and firsifber of cur faith, who endured the croft, defpifid the flume, and is fit down at the right hand of the throne of God. The pro. mifes fet it in our view, that we may eye it much, that we may ofien look upon it,prefs earneftly towards ir. Groaning is furred upby fenfe, waiting by faith. 3. This better eflate is called Adoption, and the redemption of our bodies, 'Tis called A- doption ; We are now taken intò Gods Family; but our prefent Adoption is imper- fee, and inconfpicuous, Fir(t, 'Tis imperfetl, as all our priviledges by Chrift are ; We have not yet our full liberty from the bondage df corruption, nor poffeffron of our bleffed inheritance ; then we {hall be coheirs with Chrift, ver. 17. brought into the , glorious liberty of the children of God, ver. 21. 2. 'Tis tnconfpicuons, 1 Joh, 3.1, 2. Therefore the world knoweth us not, becaufe it knew him not. Behold, now we are the funs of God, and it doth not yet appear what we (hall be ; but we know, that when he (hall appear,we (ball bé like him; and ver. t9, waiteth for the man:feflation of the foss of God. It then appeareth to all the world who are -the children of God, and what happinefs is provi- ded for them. 2. The redemption of our bodies. By Redemption is meant our full and final deliver- ance; and'sis applied to the body, becaufe death remaineth upon that part, until God tedeemeth us from the hand of the grave. Pfal. 49. 15. But more diftindly, Redempti- on is taken either for the impetration, or application. Firft, The Impetration is by the merit Of Chrift and fo we were redeemed when the ranfomeand price was paid fortis, or the blood of Chrift flied for our fins, then he obtained eternal redemption for us, Heb. 9.12, riot for the foul only, but for the body alto, as appeareth 1 Cor. 6. 20. For ye are bought with a price, thereforeglorie God in your hody, and in your fpirit, which are Gods: Secondly, The application is our actual deliverance and freedom by virtue of that price, which is either begun, or perfected. Begun,when our bonds aré in part loofed, Eph. 1. 7. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgivenefi of fins. And per - feded in the other world ; therefore the day of Judgment is called the day of our Re- demption, Eph.4.3o. when the loft enemy is deftroyed, namely, Death; and our bodies are railed up in glory, then we are actually free from all evil; and becaufe this is done by ,virtue of that price and ranfome which Chrift paid for us, 'cis called Redemption ; and the redemption of our bodies, becaufe the body, which was fown in corruption, is railed in incorruption ; and that which was fown in di{honour, is railed in glory; and that which was fown in weaknefs, is railed in power, 1 Cor. 15. 42, 43. rho the price Was paid long ago, the full fruit is not enjoyed till then ; for then we have our final and compleat deliverance from all fin and mifery, vanity and corruption; in this life we are not free from thofe things which lead to corruption, that is, from fin, mifery, and a{fli &ions; at death the foul is made perfect, but the body is in the power of the grave; but then thebody enjoyeth a glorious relurreûion. 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