Thomas Manton · 54 of 57

The Twelfth Verse. · Part 2

4. The flesh. Corruption is a bosom-enemy, that insinuates with us, and worketh upon us in our most pleasing desires: Rom. viii. 7, ‘The carnal mind is enmity to God;’ and Gal. v. 17, ‘The flesh lusteth against the spirit.’ It is a great trouble to a gracious heart. Though it be flesh, as dear to us as our own skin, yet it is a thorn in the flesh, a great cumber to a gracious heart. Nehemiah was very much troubled with his adversaries, because divers about him that abode with him held secret correspondence with his enemies, Neh. viii. 18. So we carry somewhat about us that complies with Satan. Rebellious lusts, and vicious affections, and proud thoughts swarm in our hearts, to the disdain of the yoke of Christ: 2 Cor. x. 5, ‘Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.’ But it is said, Rom. viii. 3, ‘God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh.’ O beloved! sin in your flesh is rooted in your corrupt desires; but it is a condemned thing, and it will be executed. Mat. xii. 20, ‘A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he bring forth judgment unto victory.’ He will make the cross triumphant.

5. The world,—take it either for the baits and allurements, or the concernments and interests of it, anything that may be dangerous to us in the work of our salvation. But Christ hath overcome the malignity of it. Christ would put all out of doubt and danger: John xvi. 33, ‘Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.’ Height shall not separate no more than depth, neither favour nor frowns. Christ hath taken away the noxiousness and harm of everything that may be propounded to us.

6. All the adverse powers in the world. Stubborn enemies are sometimes armed with power: Rev. xvii. 14, ‘These shall make war with the Lamb;’ that is, the kings of the earth. This is a great terror, when a man seeth all the combined force of a nation, all the force, authority, and strength combined against Christ: Ps. cx. 6, ‘He shall wound the heads over many countries, and strike through kings in the day of his wrath;’ and Ps. ii. 10-12, ‘Be wise now, therefore, O ye kings; be instructed, ye judges of the earth: serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.’ A little wrath will destroy a great person. Sometimes our enemies are enraged with malice. Herod being vexed at the wise men’s words, he vowed revenge; but, alas! he could not overcome Christ in his cradle. What will they do now he is in heaven, out of their reach? Ps. cxxiv. 3, ‘They had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us;’ that is, when their courage is heightened by wrath. Ps. lxxvi. 10, ‘Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee;’ i.e., shall keep an holyday. This wrath shall serve the design of Christ, for God will make every stiff knee to bow, Phil. ii. 10. Alas! fear surpriseth us when a provoked enemy cometh with rage and fury, as if like a flood he would bear all before him. But this may occasion a day of praise to God. And then sometimes your enemies are advantaged with wit, wealth, and all outward sufficiencies and supplies: Luke xvi. 8, ‘The children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light;’ that is, more dexterous in the course of their affairs. And Mat. xi. 26, the things of Christianity are ‘hidden from the wise and prudent, and revealed unto babes.’ So Ps. lxiv. 6, ‘They search out iniquity, they accomplish a diligent search; but the inward thought of every one of them and the heart is deep.’ They may be men of great parts, pregnant invention, full of politic enterprises; ay! but all this is nothing: Job v. 13, ‘He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.’ Christ hath died to recover the truth, and to free the souls of his servants from such kinds of assaults as these. These are the enemies that are most stubborn, but they are forced to stoop, though they are advantaged with power, armed with malice, and stored with all outward sufficiencies.

Thus you see the enemies whose opposition adds to the glory of the conquest: the devil, the law, death and hell, the flesh and the world, and all the adverse powers and dominations that are combined against Christ. Christ can have no spoil, no prey, no kingdom, no saints, till he had combated with these enemies; their opposition addeth to the renown of the conquest.

Secondly, Let us look to the means. The weapons of this warfare are not carnal; that is, there is little pomp and appearance in them. Look upon them, and the matter will be the more wonderful.

1. As to his death. His very conflict was his triumph. The Lamb overcometh, and Christ conquered Satan, and sin, and the law, when they seemed to have most power upon him; like angry bees that sting others and disarm themselves. When Satan had the greatest hand over Christ, Christ overcame him: Heb. ii. 14, ‘That through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.’ Satan lost his life in his sting. It is observable, that the scripture twice or thrice mentioneth it as a remarkable circumstance that Christ triumphed in his cross: Col. ii. 15, ‘Triumphing over them in it.’ So Eph. ii. 16, ‘Having slain enmity thereby;’ that is, the cross spoken of before, when he was slain himself. His cross is in two places expressed by lifting up: John iii. 14, ‘Even so the Son of man shall be lifted up;’ and John xii. 32, ‘And I, if I be lifted up from the earth.’ Indeed it was his preferment and exaltation.

2. By the word of the cross, called the foolishness of preaching: Ps. viii. 2, ‘Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou hast ordained strength.’ Weak men, whose strength is in their Messiah, may bring men upon their faces by a sermon: 1 Cor. xiv. 25, ‘And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and falling down upon his face, he will worship God, and report, saying, God is in you of a truth.’ And recover the world unto his obedience by these arts: Mat. iv. 23, ‘Jesus went about preaching the gospel of the kingdom.’ And his kingdom is gained by that, and it maketh much for the heightening of the conquest.

3. By his Spirit: Zech. iv. 6, ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.’ A great force, but secret and undiscerned; mighty to humble, mighty to comfort, mighty to convert and save. The little finger of the Spirit is heavier than the loins of our reasoning, and debates with our souls. Jerusalem is purged by the Spirit: Jer. iv. 4, ‘Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem, lest my fury come forth like fire.’

4. By his prayers and intercessions: Zech. iii. 2, ‘And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan, even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem, rebuke thee.’ Christ prayeth Satan into nothing. All the merit of Christ is made effectual by his prayers, and all the efficacy of Christ’s death and satisfaction is applied and conveyed to us by the Spirit; and thereby we have the spiritual virtue of Christ’s prayers: John xiv. 16, ‘I will pray the Father, and he will send you another Comforter.’ All the actual application is by the power of the Spirit, obtained by the intercession of Christ: Luke xvii. 20, 21, ‘The kingdom of God cometh not with observation, neither shall they say, Lo here, lo there: behold the kingdom of God is within you.’ Well, then, these are the arts and engines that Christ useth for the gaining of the world and spoiling of his adversaries; his death, his word, his Spirit obtained by his prayer. Some take in other things, sometimes God ruineth them by themselves,. Satan by his own instruments, by their subtilty, and sometimes other ways; but the cause and ground of all are the death, and prayers, and Spirit of Christ; there lieth his strength, and this is a strange and glorious conquest.

Thirdly, The manner or nature of the conquest, how it is achieved and accomplished. See what a conquest it is.

1. The enemies are overcome and terribly broken; there is a total dissipation of all the powers of darkness. It is expressed in scripture by bruising the head of Satan,. Gen. iii. 15, Christ received a slight hurt in the conflict; his heel was bruised, but the serpent’s head is broken: 1 John iii. 8, ‘The Son of man came to dissolve the works of the devil.’ All the fabric of iniquity is analysed and dissolved,—all the webs and plots of wickedness are unravelled. The dragon is cast out, Rev. xii. 9, being combated by Michael and his angels. Sin is condemned in the flesh, Rom. viii. 3. Corruptions captivated, 2 Cor. x. 5. The world overcome, John xvi. 33. Wicked and adverse powers and dominations in the world broken to pieces and grounded to powder, or else gained and forced to yield to the uses and glory of Christ.

2. Not barely overcome and dissipated, though that were much, but spoiled and rifled. Christ hath divided the prey: Col. ii. 15, ‘And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.’ They are spoiled by disarming the strong man, and dividing his spoils, Luke xi. 22. God hath spoiled and dispossessed Satan of the souls that were taken captive by him at his pleasure; they are recovered into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. The nations are got from under his obedience, and subdued to the power of the gospel. So death and hell are under his power; they are, as it were, under lock and key, Satan had the power of them heretofore, and then men were always under bondage: Heb. ii. 14, 15, ‘That through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage.’ They durst not think of judgment and hell, because Satan had them in his power as God’s executioner; but now, saith Christ, ‘I have the keys of death.’ The world is despoiled of all its wit, wealth, glory, and power; these are made to serve the uses of Christ, being recovered out of the chains of wicked men: Micah iv. 13, ‘And thou shalt beat in pieces many nations, and shalt consecrate their gain unto the Lord, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth;’ Zech. xiv. 14, 20, ‘The wealth of the nations shall be gathered together. . . . And upon the bells of the horses and the pots in Jerusalem there shall be written, holiness to the Lord.’ All this is done so clearly to the eye of faith, that they do even see Christ triumphing: Isa. lxiii. 1, ‘Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.’

3. Such a victory as endeth in a solemn triumph; as conquerors in public view carried their spoils and their enemies tied to their chariots, so Christ would expose them to open shame. Therefore, it is said, Eph. iv. 8, ‘He led captivity captive,’ as it were in triumph, as you do manacled prisoners. So Col ii. 15, ‘He made a show of them openly;’ he put them to open shame. How so?—before God and the eyes of believers. We may see the triumphant chariot of Christ, and Satan, hell and death, and the world haled after it. As soon as the soul is possessed of Christ, and beginneth to have some interest in him, it feels this benefit, and seeth how these things are captivated by the death, Spirit, and power of Christ. Christ doth, as it were, call upon your souls, Come, look! here is Satan disarmed, death unstinged, hell shut up, and I have the keys; sin is manacled, wrath satisfied, the law’s curse and rigour taken out of the way, heady enemies despoiled and discouraged, the world subdued and brought to my obedience, or forced to serve my glory. So that you see the conquest is full and absolute.

Object. But you will say, I feel none of these things; why are these enemies so busy and cumbersome about my soul, if totally dissipated by Christ?

I answer briefly in these considerations:—

1. It is true in faith, though not in sense and feeling, that these adversaries received their death’s wound at the death of Christ. This was done in the merit of Christ, and in God’s decree and ordination. Christ was possessed of this promise of having a portion with the great, and to divide the spoil with the strong; all things were put under his feet. The crown was put upon the head of Jesus Christ, though it be not effectually made out to sense. There is the objection from sense: Heb. ii. 8, ‘But now we see not all things put under him.’

2. Though it be so that these things are left for a while, it is partly to exercise our souls, and to draw forth the life of our graces. Opposition keeps the soul humble and wakeful. Paul had a thorn in the flesh, and a messenger of Satan to buffet him, lest he should be exalted above measure, 2 Cor. xii. 7. It is partly to prove us, to see if we will enter into the battle, and powerfully maintain it, and combat against the enemies of Christ; and partly to make us the more thankful for our deliverance by Christ. Christ was tempted like us, that he might be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, and that we might be touched with a feeling of Christ’s sufferings, and the greatness of Christ’s love to us. Experience maketh us the more sensible how it would have been with us, if we had not been freed by the Son of God. Oh, when we are a little scorched with wrath, when we tug with sin, we may begin to think what it is to dwell with everlasting burning. How would it have been if Christ had not died for us? So when there are difficulties abroad, what should we have done with these mountains, if it had not been for our Zerubbabel? Experience giveth us the best sense of things, therefore the Lord saw fit to continue these things for a season. As it is said of Daniel’s beasts, Dan. vii. 12, that their ‘dominion was taken away,’ though their ‘lives was prolonged for a season.’ So their power to hurt or endamage our salvation is gone: 1 Peter iii. 13, ‘And who is he that will harm you?’ Nothing ‘shall separate you from the love of God,’ Rom. viii. 33. Neither death, nor hell, nor sin, shall prejudice the salvation of the elect; Satan can not ruin, death cannot disannul it; hell hath no right, and sin hath no reign; the world may kill us, but they cannot conquer us.

3. Though continued, they cannot harm us, rather they may do us good. Even sin and Satan may give us cause to glory in infirmities, 2 Cor. xii. 10, to boast of our weakness: they may occasion such supplies and comforts from God; but certain we are they cannot hurt our souls nor hinder our salvation.

4. The work will be thoroughly and completely done ere long; our comforts and hopes in Christ will prove sure: Rev. xii. 11, ‘They over came by the blood of the Lamb.’ ‘We do not as yet see all things put under him.’ Heb. ii. 8. Mark, that as yet implies it is at hand. We do not as yet see the god of this world fully cast out and falling as lightning from heaven; we do not as yet find sin fully mortified, Satan subdued, Christ exalted among all the nations; none of these things are as yet completely done. But here is the comfort of believers: Horn, xvi. 20, ‘The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.’ All this will be done, and will not you tarry a little while? As the church saith, Micah vii. 8, 9, ‘Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy; when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me. I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall be hold his righteousness.’ Times will be better and hearts better.

5. If we do find and feel no benefit by the conquest of Christ, it is through our-own corruptions. God hath not left us for the present with out some sense of it. You will have some rule over your hearts and spirits, more grace to resist Satan, more comfort against the fear of death, and less trouble about the difficulties of obedience: 1 John v. 4, ‘Whosoever is born of God overcometh the world.’ Thus you see we have gone through the third part, that is, a complete victory, even to the spoiling and triumphing over Satan, who shall be totally subdued.

Fourthly, The next and last thing proposed was the fruits and effects, or what special benefit we have by the conquest of Christ.

I answer—It is hard to mention all the rich communications of grace that we enjoy by it. Those that are most proper are these:—

1. The banishment of distracting fear: holy fear remaineth, but that natural fear which would distract and perplex the soul is gone. The apostle speaks, Heb. ii. 15, of some ‘who, through fear of death, were all their lifetime subject to bondage.’ There is a natural fear in us; though not always felt, yet it is easily awakened, so as we could not think of death, or hell, or judgment, but it filled us with a great deal of terror. But now a child of God hath a great deal of courage and boldness; he may remember it to increase his joy and praise; he can play upon the hole of the cockatrice; death and hell may aggravate his mercies, but cannot increase his fears; so that they are fitted for the worst condition and the greatest duty: Ps. xxiii. 4, ‘Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.’ They are fitted for the sorest suffering and the greatest service. In the sorest affliction they may be comforted; hell-gates are shut, and Christ hath locked them up. So for the greatest service: Luke i. 74, 75, ‘That being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, we might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life.’ It is a mighty weakening to the hands of the soul in duty, when we ponder upon the danger and difficulties, and the powerful opposition we shall meet with in the ways of grace. Ay! but now we may serve him without fear; Christ hath conquered death and hell, lusts and fears. We can the better bear afflictions now they are unstinged, and their venom taken away. We can the better go through duty; the joy of the Lord may be our strength; the enemies are fallen before us.

2. It is an encouragement to the spiritual conflict. The difficulty of things amuseth the heart, and causeth the spirit to faint and melt within us. Thus vigorous opposition within, without giants and the sons of Anak, Satan and wicked men, our own hearts and all are against us. Oh! but be not dismayed, you are sure to overcome; you fight against a manacled enemy, a naked enemy, a vanquished enemy. Mice may trample upon a dead lion, and the feeblest creatures insult a dead carcase. Will you fear Satan in chains? He is bound up; he was let loose upon Christ, and hath been bound up ever since. ‘Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.’ Eph. vi. 10. God is at our right hand, and he will assist us in our endeavours against Satan; yon may go on with hope and resolution: Ps. cx. 5, ‘The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath.’ Hope of success is a strength and encouragement to an undertaking.

3. Here is joy unspeakable and glorious. Christ’s triumphs are our joy. Oh, what a triumph, even to exaltation, is it to see Satan despoiled and trampled upon, sin disarmed, and hell locked up! Luke i. 47, ‘My spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.’ Oh, you may triumph over the powers of darkness: Isa. li. 11, ‘Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion, and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.’ Why? because the Lord hath smote Rahab, and wounded the dragon. Spiritual enemies being destroyed, we may make our boast of Christ all the day long.

4. Hopes of glory: we shall conquer with him, and we shall reign with him. There is nothing that can be noxious and hurtful to our salvation. Christ will not leave till he hath settled us upon his own throne: Rev. iii. 21, ‘To him that overcometh, will I grant to sit with me on my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father on his throne.’ We shall have fellowship with Christ in his glory, as Christ as Mediator had fellowship with the Father’s glory; we shall have the throne of Christ, as Christ has that of his Father. He led captivity captive, and then ascended; so he will cause us to conquer and overcome: Eph. ii. 6, ‘He hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.’ Conquerors enter after the spoil into the secure possession of their kingdoms; so did Jesus Christ, and so shall we.

5. Great comfort accrueth and redoundeth to us by it; the very exaltation of Christ is a great comfort to us. We are happy in the success of our Prince, and we have interest in a great conqueror, in Michael, the great prince, Dan. xii. 1. As Joshua put his feet upon the necks of the kings, Josh. x. 24; so our Joshua, our Jesus, calleth to the captains and men of war with him, to come and set their feet upon the necks of their enemies. Nay, the apostle seemeth to express it, as if he did invest us in a surplusage of privileges: Rom. viii. 37, ‘We are more than conquerors, through him that loved us;’ and 2 Cor. ii. 14, ‘Now thanks be unto God, who always causeth us to triumph in Christ.’ We have such a glorious Saviour as can help and stead his followers. Therefore, you maybe always boasting.

6. There is this fruit and effect of Christ’s conquest; it is a token, earnest, and pledge of our victory. Everything is first done in Christ, then in us; he died, rose, and conquered as our common person: John xvi. 33, ‘Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.’ What is that to us? Christ hath overcome, and that is a sign you shall overcome too: 1 John v. 4, ‘For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world; and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.’ First Christ, and then your faith. There will something be done proportionably in your souls. God chose him, therefore he is called his ‘Elect servant,’ Isa. xlii. 1. And he hath chosen us, John xv. 16, ‘But I have chosen you.’ He calleth him. Christ took this honour when called, then we; Christ dieth, and we die; he was justified in the Spirit, then he riseth and ascendeth, so do we; he conquereth, so do we.

7. What Christ did in this conquest, he did it for our sakes. He will have nothing but we shall share in it. If God give him a portion with the great, he will divide it with the strong: Luke xxii. 29, ‘I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me.’ Mark, Christ would have you have the same privileges as he hath: John xii. 30, ‘This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.’ Christ eyed us in his actions: John xvii. 22, ‘And the glory which thou gavest me, I have given them, that they may be one, even as we are one.’ Christ would have you come and ride with him in his triumphant chariot, and spoil principalities and powers.

8. Another benefit is usefulness and serviceableness of all that befalls us. Christ doth so effect it that all things work together for good, Rom. viii. 28. The crooked sticks help to make the faggot the more decent. You do not only get a prey from Satan and your sins, but they yield you some good, and you may glory in infirmities, and desire to close with him, and cleave to him.

Use. I did here and there interpose matter applicative, but now I shall come to it more formally. The uses concern the people of God, or the adversaries of Christ.

1. To the people of Christ: Behave yourselves towards him as a conqueror.

[L] Get an interest in him. Oh, who would not strive to get an interest in Christ, that he may have a share in his spoils? Who would not be one of the angels and followers of Michael, the great prince? ‘He preserveth the souls of his people,’ Ps. xcvii. 10. There is safety under the shadow of his wings. Therefore, apply your souls to this matter. You that think of Christ for a Lord, get your interest cleared. The soul is encumbered with fears for want of clearing up its right in Christ, and entertains these comforts with a loose heart for want of that. The soul is apt to say, Oh, if I were Christ’s, then the matter were at end, and therefore, get it cleared up. How sweetly then can you reason and argue, This is my Christ, this is he that died for me: whilst others must be persuaded to seek Christ, and to cleave to him. We all desire to be of the strongest side: consider it, Jesus Christ is a glorious conqueror.

[2.] Believe in him, and depend on him to possess your souls of these glorious privileges. Luther saith, carnal men hear these comforts quasi somniantes—like golden dreams, rare things, but presented to fancy rather than faith. Oh, stir up the large and sure apprehensions of faith. These things require a wakeful and believing soul, to see Christ conquering, triumphing, and spoiling the powers of darkness. Spiritual conquests must be discerned with a spiritual eye: Luke viii. 10, ‘To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom.’ Other men may hear them, but you know the mysteries. Oh, it is a great privilege vouchsafed, that when others only hear the voice, you see the glory; you see him leading captivity captive. It is in your eye that the powers of darkness are put to an open shame. You see the conqueror coming from Bozrah, the blood of his garments that cutteth off his enemies; all this is easily made out to your faith. Oh, therefore, depend upon him in all your assaults and straits; do not think to help and relieve yourselves by your own wit and parts; put forth endeavours, but do not rest in them; disclaim your own strength: Isa. xxx. 15, ‘For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, In returning and rest shall ye be saved, in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength.’ The less the creature bustles, and the more it believeth, the more safe. Pray and wait in quietness and confidence that you are safe. The Philistines placed much confidence in their Goliah: oh! what hopes will you pitch upon Jesus Christ, the great conqueror!

[3]. Check vain fears of death and hell, Satan, lusts, and the world. Alas! there is no more spirit left in these things; they are like the Canaanites which were stung by God’s hornets before the Israelites conquered them: ‘I will send my hornets before you.’ Fear possessed them, and then they were easily vanquished. Christ hath not only stung them, but broke them in pieces. Will you fear shattered forces? Nay, Christ hath not only broken them, but disarmed them, and not only disarmed them, but bound them; and who would fear naked and chained enemies? Children are frightened at the sight of enemies, though bound. Oh, be not such children in grace! You shall find often in scripture that this is brought in as a just inference out of Christ’s conquest: ‘Fear not, I have overcome the world.’ Some are careless, and fear nothing; others, that mind the danger of their souls, are very apt to be surprised with carnal trouble when they think of death, and hell, and wrath; and altogether it proveth a great consternation to their thoughts: but be not troubled, ‘Ye believe in God, believe also in me,’ John xiv. 1. When you think of God and Christ together, God satisfying, and Christ suffering, oh! what an amulet is there, what a cordial for fainting souls! Timorousness in a Christian is a disgrace to Christ. Understand what fears I mean; not a cautelous fear to avoid sin, to shun danger, to put us upon seasonable provisions against evil, but a perplexing fear, such as filleth the soul with amazement. Cautelous fear maketh the soul run to Christ, like chickens under the hen’s wings; but the other fear undervalueth the conquest of Christ, as if there were no hope for us in our God, and no hope for us in our Saviour.