Thomas Manton on Tribulation

So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God, for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: 

Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: 2Th 1:4-5 

 

 

The purpose of trouble

Tribulations and persecutions often befall God's dearest and choicest servants (2Ti 3:12; Act 14:22). It is—

I. That we may be conformed to our Lord and pledge Him in His bitter cup (Col 1:24). The sufferings of Christ personal are complete and meritorious; they need not to be filled up; but the sufferings of Christ mystical (1Co 12:12) are not complete until every member of His body have their own allotted portion and share. Christians should be animated to suffer patiently by the fact that the Captain of our Salvation was made perfect through suffering (Heb 2:10). Those who will partake with Christ in His kingdom must share with Him in sorrows. Paul counted all things but dross that he might know the fellowship of Christ's sufferings (Php 3:10).

II. For our trial (1Pe 1:7). A man may be deceived at other times, and think that faith strong which a trial discovers to be weak: as Peter (Mat 26:35). A man may doubt, and think his faith weak, which a trial discovers to be strong (Heb 10:32; Heb 11:34).

III. That the excellency of our spiritual state may appear. What can be more excellent than that which affords joy under the saddest temporal condition (Joh 16:33; 2Co 1:5). This will sweeten the bitter waters, like the wood in Marsh. A drop of this honey will make our bitterest cup agreeable.

IV. Because we need them (1Pe 1:6).

1. To modify our pride.

2. To keep us close to God.

3. To tame our flesh. Great prosperity perverts the best.

Conclusion:

1. With what thoughts we should take up the stricter profession of Christianity, viz., with expectations of the Cross, Many think they may be good Christians, yet all their days live a life of ease. This is just as if we should enlist as a soldier and never expect battle, or as if a mariner should go to sea and always expect a calm.

2. What fools they are that take up religion expecting honor, ease, and plenty. You may do so for a time, but the trials will come. The summer friends of the gospel, or those painted butterflies that flutter about in the sunshine of prosperity, must expect that a winter will come.

(T. Manton , D. D.)

 

 

Faith and patience

I. What is patience? A contented endurance of painful evils. It is a moral virtue when by the argument of human prudence we harden ourselves to bear the evils that befall us. The spiritual grace is the fruit of the Spirit, and we bear these evils from Divine principles to Divine ends. The latter as it is wrought in us by God (Rom 15:5) so it fetcheth its strength from God's Word (Rom 15:4). Now scriptural arguments are fetched either from the will of God who appoints us to this conflict (1Th 3:3), or from the glory of God, which is promoted thereby (Php 1:20), or else our final happiness (Jas 1:12) or from the example of Christ (1Pe 2:21). This grace of patience may be considered—

1. Barely as tried. Some give up at the first assault (Mat 13:21). Others hold up against the first brunt, but begin to be tired and wax weary in their minds (Heb 12:3).

2. As tried with many and long afflictions (Heb 10:32; Col 1:4). Many cannot bear any evil; they have no faith. Some hold out in slighter temptations for a while; they have weak faith. But the constant and unconquered patience is the fruit of strong faith.

II. What of faith is manifested by it?

1. Assent, for we must believe the truth with a Divine faith before we can suffer for it. How can we endure afflictions for supernatural things, which merely depend on revelation, unless we are firmly persuaded of their truth? (Act 14:22).

2. Consent, or fidelity to Christ in our covenanted duty (Mat 16:24). In great afflictions we are tried whether we love anything above Christ (Mat 10:37). The resolution of this consent is the thing tried, i.e., whether we are prepared to endure anything for Christ's sake (Act 21:13). It is easier to discourse of patience than to practice it, as it is easier to build a castle in time of peace than to defend it in time of war.

3. Confidence, or relying upon God's promises, which are our support. There are two sorts of promises.

(1) That God will enable you to bear them (2Ti 1:12; 2Ti 4:18; 1Co 10:13).

(2) That He will graciously reward them (Rom 8:18; 2Co 4:17).

III. The reasons.

1. Faith is the grace that is most struck at in our tribulations (Jas 1:3); therefore if a man know the strength of it in time of tribulation, then ordinarily he has a clearer proof of the truth and strength of that grace than at other times.

2. It is the grace that is of most use to us at such times (1Pe 5:9; Eph 6:16). Three benefits we have by it—

(1) It keeps us so that we do not for these things question the love of God (Isa 49:14; Psa 77:9; Heb 12:5).

(2) So that we take no sinful course for our escape (Psa 125:3; Psa 125:5). It should not shake our constancy and persuade us to do as the wicked (Isa 28:16; Heb 11:35).

(3) So that we may not faint and grow weary of duties, even of life itself, as Jonah (4:8; see Psa 27:13; Psa 42:5).

3. In such times faith is manifested. The true and sensible discovery of faith is patience under manifold tribulations.

(1) Because then we have nothing to stick unto but the comforts and supports of faith.

(2) Its proper, genuine effect is then produced to the view of both conscience and the world. What courage our belief in God's promises has produced in us sensibly appears by enduring the greatest extremities rather than forsake the way of the Lord.

(T. Manton , D. D.)