It is the honour of the evangelical ministry, that it was
principally instituted for the service of God, not as he is the governor of the
earth, but the Lord of heaven, and to prepare men by holiness for his eternal
kingdom. And it is an excellent favour of God to his ministers when their
labours are eminently useful for this blessed end. This singular grace and
privilege God was pleased to confer upon his faithful servant Dr Manton, whose
life was spent in the most precious work of converting souls to Christ, and
preparing them for the celestial paradise; and since his retiring from the
world by death, his soul now enjoying the blessed rest above, yet he remains
with us in what was most valuable of him, his excellent sermons, the
productions of his holy mind and heart; and the pen having a larger extent than
the tongue in communicating them, may be more beneficial to the church than
before.
The following sermons were preached by him in his usual course of three times a
week, which I do not mention to lessen their worth, but to show how diligent
and exact he was in the performance of his duty. Indeed, his ordinary sermons,
considering the substantial matter, clear order, and vigorous full expressions,
may well pass for extraordinary. I cannot but admire the fecundity and variety
of his thoughts, that the same things so often occurring in the verses of this
psalm, yet by a judicious observing the different arguments and motives whereby
the Psalmist enforces the same requests, or some other circumstances, every
sermon contains new conceptions, and proper to the text. Some few verses were
not handled by him. I earnestly pray that those who shall read these sermons
may taste the sweetness of the divine truths opened in them, and may be
transformed into the spirit of David, by an inward feeling of the affections,
and verifying in their own breasts the words of the holy prophet.
W.BATES
Christian Reader, - It is somewhat difficult not to applaud that excellency
which has first approved itself to our judgment. Hence is it that, though this
work needs it not, I will so far gratify my own affections, and comply with
obtaining custom, as to acquaint thee that, if thou hadst my eyes and taste,
thou must admire its beauty, and confess its sweetness; much more when thou
shalt use thy own more discerning eye and judicious palate.
The matter of these sermons is spiritual, and speaks the author one intimately
acquainted with the secrets of wisdom. He writes like one that knew the
Psalmist's heart, and felt in his own the sanctifying power of what he wrote.
Their design is practice; beginning with the understanding, dealing with the
affections, but still driving on the advancement of practical holiness. They
come home and close to the conscience; first presenting us a glass, wherein we
may view the spots of our souls, and then directing us to that fountain wherein
we may wash them away. They are of an evangelical complexion, abasing proud
corrupt nature, and advancing free and efficacious grace in the conversion of
sinners. The exhortations are powerful, admirably suited to treat with
reasonable creatures, yet still supposing them to be the vehicle of the Holy
Spirit, through which he communicates life and power to obey them.
The manner of handling is not inferior to the dignity of the matter; so plain
as to accommodate the most sublime truths to the meanest spiritual capacity,
and yet so elevated as to approve itself to the most refined understanding. He
knew how to be succinct without obscurity, and where the weight of the argument
required it, to enlarge without nauseous prolixity. He studied more to profit
than please, and yet an honest heart will then be best pleased when most
profited. He chose rather to speak appositely than elegantly; and yet the
judicious do account propriety the choicest elegancy. He laboured more
industriously to conceal his learning than some others to ostentate theirs and
yet, when he would most veil it, the discerning reader cannot but discover it,
and rejoice to find such a mass, such a treasure of useful learning, couched
under a well-studied and artificial plainness. But let the reader take a taste
of, let him concoct and digest, these spiritual discourses, and he shall say
with the Sabean queen, 'It was a true report I heard in my own land; but behold
the one-half was not told me!' Or with the men of Sychar, 'Now we believe, not
because of thy saying, but because we ourselves have proved and experienced'
their delicacies ; as one taste of honey will more effectually commend its
sweetness than the most elaborate oratory.
Those ancients that had seen the first temple wept bitterly when they saw the
foundation of the second laid. And perhaps some pious souls who have 'sat with
great delight' under the author's ministerial 'shadow, and have found his fruit
sweet to their taste,' may secretly shed a tear, that though they here meet
also the same divine truths, the same spiritual matter, yet they want the
living voice, the grateful elocution, the natural eloquence, in which that
heavenly matter dropped, or rather flowed, from his gracious lips. But let the
same consideration which quieted the spirits of those Jews of old satisfy
theirs: God can fill this house also with his glory; and though the second
edition of the temple fall short of the former in the beauty and symmetry of
the structure, yet can the Spirit flow from the press as well as the pulpit;
with this advantage, that they may here in safety read what with great danger
they formerly heard.
I have admired, and must recommend to the observation of the reader, the
fruitfulness of the author's holy invention, accompanied with solid judgment;
in that whereas the coincidence of the matter in this psalm might have
superseded his labours in very many verses, yet, without force or offering
violence to the sacred text, he has, either from the connection of one verse
with its predecessor, or the harmony between the parts of the same verse, found
out new matter to entertain his own meditation and his reader's expectation;
nor do I observe more than twelve verses in this large psalm wholly omitted, if
at least they may be said to be omitted, whose subject-matter is elsewhere
copiously handled.
Had the reverend author designed these papers for public view, he could not
have flattered himself, in a cavilling age, that he should escape the severe
lashes of envy and malice (those fiends that haunt all things and persons
excellent); he must have expected a snarl from the wolf's black mouth, or a
kick from the dull ass's hoof. Yet on his behalf I demand this justice, that he
be not condemned for the printers crimes. Their venial errors will receive a
pardon of course from the ingenuous reader; and for their mortal
transgressions, whereof they are sometimes guilty, either clouding, altering,
or perverting the scope of the author, enjoin them, gentle reader, a moderate
penance, and then receive them to full absolution, who have voluntarily offered
themselves to confession.
Thus much, Christian reader, it was thy interest and mine to have spoken; the
rest must be to the God of all grace, that he would give thee and this book his
blessing; which is the prayer of thy affectionate friend and faithful servant
in our Lord Jesus,
V. A. (Vincent Alsop), December 13, 1680.