Dr Manton wrote a very ingenious and serious preface to Mr
Case's Meditations, drawn up when he was prisoner in the Tower, and published
under the title of 'Correction, Instruction;' which is a very useful practical
book upon the subject of afflictions.
He also wrote a preface to the second edition of 'Smectymnus;' to Mr Clifford's
'Book of the Covenant;' to 'Ignatius Jourdain's Life;' Mr Strong's 'Sermons of
the Certainty and Eternity of Hell Torments;' and to the second edition
(1658), in quarto, of the Assembly's 'Confession
of Faith,' etc.
His works were published by several principal ministers of that
time, and it will entertain the reader to see the high apprehensions they
had of him, and the beautiful variety in which they represent them. They have
indeed drawn their own character, as well as his, in the different turn of
their mind and manner of expression.
The first which came out was 'Twenty Sermons,' in quarto, in the year 1678.
Dr Bates gives this fine and beautiful account of them: 'The main design
of them is to represent the inseparable connexion between Christian duties and
privileges, wherein the essence of our religion consists. The gospel is not a
naked, unconditionate offer of pardon and eternal life in favour of sinners,
but upon the most convenient terms for the glory of God and the good of men,
enforced by the strongest obligations upon them to receive humbly and
thankfully those benefits. The promises are attended with commands to repent
and believe, and persevere in a uniform practice of obedience. The Son of God
came into the world, not to make God less holy, but to make us holy; and not to
vacate our duty, and free us from the law as a rule of obedience, for that is
both impossible, and would be most infamous and reproachful to our Saviour. To
challenge such an exemption in point of right is to make ourselves gods; to
usurp it in point of fact is to make ourselves devils. But his end was to
enable and induce us to return to God as our rightful Lord and proper felicity,
from whom we rebelliously and miserably fell, in seeking for happiness out of
him. Accordingly, the gospel is called the law of faith, as it commands those
duties upon motives of eternal hopes and fears, and as it will justify or
condemn men with respect to their obedience or disobedience, which is the
proper character of a law. These things are managed in the following sermons in
that convincing, persuasive manner as makes them very necessary for these
times, when some who aspire to extraordinary heights in religion, and esteem
themselves favourites of heaven, yet wofully neglect the duties of the lower
hemisphere, as righteousness, truth, and honesty; and when carnal Christians
are so numerous, who despise serious godliness as a solemn hypocrisy, and live
in open violation of Christ's precepts, and yet presume to be saved by
him.'
'I shall only add further, they commend to our ardent affections and endeavours
true holiness, as distinguished from the most refined unregenerate morality.
The doctor saw the absolute necessity of this, and spake with great jealousy of
those who seemed in their discourses to make it their highest aim to improve
and cultivate some moral virtues, as justice, temperance, benignity, etc., by
philosophical helps, representing them as becoming the dignity of our nature,
agreeable to reason, and beneficial to society, and but transiently speaking of
the operations of the Holy Spirit, which are as requisite to free the soul from
the chains of sin as to release the body at last from the bands of death; who
seldom preach of evangelical graces, faith in the Redeemer, the love of God for
his admirable wisdom in our salvation, zeal for his glory, humility in
ascribing all we can return in grateful obedience to the most free and powerful
grace of God in Christ, which are the vital principles of good works, and
derive the noblest forms to all virtues. Indeed, men may be composed and
considerate in their words and actions, may abstain from gross enormities, and
do many praiseworthy actions, by the rules of moral prudence, yet without the
infusion of divine grace to cleanse their stained nature, to renew them
according to the image of God shining in the gospel, to act them from motives
superior to all that moral wisdom propounds,- all their virtues, of what
elevation soever, though in a heroic degree, cannot make them real saints. As
the plant-animal has a faint resemblance of the sensitive life, but remains in
the lower rank of vegetables, so these have a shadow and appearance of the life
of God, but continue in the corrupt state of nature. The difference is greater
between sanctifying saving grace, wrought by the special power of the Spirit,
with the holy operations flowing from them, and the virtuous habits and actions
which are the effect of moral counsel and constancy, than between true pearls
produced by the celestial beams of the sun, and counterfeit ones formed by the
smoky heat of the fire.'
No doubt the proper Christian graces require the influence of the Divine
Spirit, and are the effect of nobler motives than mere pagan morality.
ln 1679 was published, in octavo, 'Eighteen Sermons on the Second Chapter
of the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians, containing the Description, Rise,
Growth, and Fall of Antichrist; with divers Cautions and Arguments to establish
Christians against the Apostasy of the Church of Rome.' This was well fitted
for common use, and very seasonable at that time.
In the preface to this volume, Mr Baxter says of him, 'How sound he was
in judgment against extremes in the controversies of these times ; how great a
lamenter of the scandalous and dividing mistakes of some self-conceited men;
how earnestly desirous of healing our present breaches, and not unacquainted
with the proper means and terms; how hard and successful a student; how
frequent and laborious a preacher; and how highly and deservedly esteemed, is
commonly known here. The small distaste which some few had of him, I took for a
part of his honour, who would not win reputation with any by flattering them in
their mistakes, or unwarrantable ways. He used not to serve God with that which
cost him nothing; nor was of their mind who cannot expect or extol God's grace
without denying those endeavours of men to which his necessary grace exciteth
them. He knew that, 'without Christ we can do nothing ;' and yet that, 'by
Christ strengthening us, we can do all things' which God hath made necessary to
be done by us. He was not of their mind who think it derogatory to the honour
of Christ to praise his works in the souls and lives of any of his servants;
and that it is for the honour of his grace that his justified ones are
graceless, and that their Judge should dishonour his own righteousness, if he
make his disciples more righteous personally than the scribes and pharisees ;
and will say to them, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been
faithful over a few things, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.' He knew how
to regard the righteousness and intercession of Christ, with pardon of sin and
divine acceptance, instead of legal personal perfection, without denying either
the necessity or assigned office of our faith and repentance, and evangelical
sincerity in obeying Him who redeemed and justifies us. He knew the difference
between man's being justified from the charge of being liable to damnation as
Christless, impenitent, unbelieving, and ungodly; and being liable to damnation
for mere sin as sin, against the law of innocence, which required of us no less
than personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience. He greatly lamented the wrong
which truth and the church underwent from those who neither know such
difference, nor have humility enough to suspect their judgment, nor to forbear
reviling those who have not as confused and unsound applehensions and
expressions as themselves.'
In the year 1684 Dr Bates published his 'Exposition of the Lord's
Prayer,' in octavo.
In 1685 Mr Hurst published, in octavo, 'Several Discourses tending to
promote Peace and Holiness among Christians;' and dedicated them to Arthur,
Earl of Anglesea, to whom he was chaplain. In the same year was published,
'Christ's Temptations and Transfiguration explained and improved; and Christ's
Eternal Existence and the Dignity of his Person asserted and proved, in
opposition to the Socinians,' in octavo. Dr Jacomb, who published this
volume, says of him, 'That he did not so much concern himself in what is
polemical and controversial; but chose rather, in a plain way, as best suiting
with sermon-work, to assert and prove the truth by scripture testimony and
argument; and that he has done to the full.
In 1703 was published, 'A Practical Exposition of Isaiah liii.' This, though
published last, was earlier written than any of the other; for so he speaks in
the preface to the Exposition of James, 'I have the rather chosen this
scripture, that it might be an allay to those comforts, which, in another
exercise, I have endeavoured to draw out of Isaiah liii. I would, at the same
time, carry on the doctrine of faith and manners, and show you your duty,
together with your encouragement; lest, with Ephraim, you should only love to
tread out the corn, and refuse to break the clods. We are all apt to divorce
comfort from duty, and content ourselves with a barren, unfruitful, knowledge
of Christ; as if all He required of the world were only a few naked, cold,
unactive apprehensions of his merit, and all things were so done for us, that
nothing remained to be done by us. This is the wretched conceit of many in the
present age; and, therefore, they abuse the sweetness of grace to looseness,
and the power of it to laziness. Christ's merits, and the Spirit's efficacy,
are the common places from whence they draw all the defence and excuse of their
own wantonness and idleness.'
Besides these lesser volumes, there are five large volumes in folio. The first was, 'Sermons upon the 119th Psalm,' published in the year 1681. Dr Bates says, 'They 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 performing his duty. I cannot but admire the fecundity and variety of his thoughts; that though the same things so often occur in the verses of this psalm, yet, by a judicious observing the different arguments and motives whereby the psalmist enforces the same request, or some other circumstance, every sermon contains new conceptions, and proper to the text.' Mr Alsop says of them, 'The matter of them is spiritual, and speaks the author one intimately acquainted with the secrets of wisdom. He writes like one who knew the psalmist's heart, and felt in his own soul the sanctifying power of what he wrote. Their design is practical, beginning with the understanding, dealing with the affections, but still driving on the design of practical holiness. 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; which knows how to be succinct without obscurity ; and, where the weight of the argument requires it, to enlarge without nauseous prolixity. He studied mote to profit than please ; and yet an honest heart will be then best pleased when most profited. He chose rather to speak appositely than elegantly, and yet the judicious account propriety the greatest elegance. He laboured more industriously to conceal his learning than 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 and treasure of useful learning couched under a well-studied and artificial plainness. 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 connexion of one verse with its predecessor, or the harmony between the parts of the same verse, found out new matter to entertain his own meditations, and the reader's expectations.'
The second volume was published in 1684, and contains sermons on the whole
of the 25th of Matthew and 17th of John, and the 6th and 8th of the Romans, and
the 5th of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians. Dr Collings, who seems
to have written the preface to this volume, says, 'In all his writings one
finds a quick and fertile invention, governed with a solid judgment; and the
issue of both expressed in a grave and decent style. He had a heart full of
love and zeal for God and his glory; and out of the abundance of his heart his
mouth continually spake. So frequent, and yet so learned and solid, preaching
by the same person was little less than miraculous. He was a good and learned,
a grave and judicious, person; and his auditory never failed, though he
laboured more than most preachers, to hear from him a pious, learned, and
judicious discourse. He is one of those authors upon the credit of whose name
not only private and less intelligent people, but even scholars, may venture to
buy any book which was his.'
The third volume was published in 1689, and contains sermons upon the 11th
chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews; with a treatise of the Life of Faith,
and another of Self-denial; and some preparatory sermons for the Lord's Supper,
and sermons before the Parliament. It was dedicated to King William, soon after
the Revolution, by Mr Howe, in as noble and masterly a preface as is, perhaps,
anywhere to be met with.
The fourth volume was published In 1693, and contains sermons upon several
texts of scripture. It is directed to the Lord Philip Wharton, by Mr William
Taylor, who was many years my lord's chaplain, and transcribed a great part
of the doctor's notes for the press, and was himself a person of great
integrity and wisdom. He tells my lord, 'Though his preaching was so constant,
yet in all his sermons may be observed a solidity of judgment, exactness of
method, fulness of matter, strength of argument, persuasive elegance, together
with a serious vein of piety running through the whole, as few have come near
him, but none have exceeded him.' Mr Alsop says of this volume :-
'Acquired learning humbly waits upon divine revelation; great ministerial gifts
were managed by greater grace. A warm zeal, guided by solid judgment; a fervent
love to saints and sinners, kindled by a burning zeal for the interest of a
Saviour; and a plain elegance of style adapted to the meanest capacity, and yet
far above the contempt of the highest pretender.
The fifth volume was published in 1701, and contains sermons on the 5th chapter
to the Ephesians, on the 3d of the Phihippians, on the 1st chapter of the
Second Epistle to the Thessalonians, and on the 3d chapter of the First Epistle
of John, with one hundred and forty sermons on particular texts. This volume,
though it appeared last, and after so many others, is so far from running
dregs, that, in my opinion, it contains some of his ripest and most digested
thoughts; and is preferable, both for the subject and management, to any one of
the former. This was directed to the excellent Sir Thomas Abney, then Lord
Mayor of London, and to the Lady Abney, by Mr Howe; in which he
expresses his sense of Dr Manton in this remarkable paragraph: 'And that an
eminent servant of Christ, who, through a tract of so many years, hath been so
great and public a teacher and example of the ancient seriousness, piety,
righteousness, sobriety, strictness of manners, with most diffusive charity
(for which London has been renowned, for some ages, beyond most cities in the
world), should have his memory revived by such a testimony from persons under
your character, and who hold so public a station as you do in it, can never be
thought unbecoming, as long as clearly explained and exemplified religion,
solid useful learning, and good sense, are in any credit in the world.
There are some sermons of his in the several volumes of the 'Morning Exercises;' for Dr Manton was too considerable to be missed in any design which was set on foot for the public good. There is one in that at St Giles's, on 'Man's Impotency to Help himself out of the Misery he is in by Nature;' another in that at Cripplegate, about 'Strictness in Holy Duties;' a third in the Supplement, concerning 'The Improvement of our Baptism;' and a fourth in that against Popery, upon 'The Sufficiency of the Scripture.' There is also a funeral sermon for Mrs Jane Blackwel, upon 'The Blessed Estate of them who Die in the Lord,' in the year 1656. These sermons, with the two before the House of Commons,(One is 'Meat for the Eater; or, Hopes of Unity in and by Divided and Distracted Times,' on Zech. xiv.10. The other is 'England.s Spiritual Languishing, with the Causes and Cure,' on Rev. ii.3.) and one on the death of Mr Love, including the Exposition on James and Jude, were all he published himself ; and are written with a correct judgment and beautiful simplicity. His other works were all printed from his sermon-notes, prepared for the pulpit; and whosoever shall consider the greatness of the number and variety of the subjects, the natural order in which they are disposed, and the skilful management; the constant frequency of his preaching, and the affairs of business in which he was often engaged, will easily be able to make a judgment of his great abilities and vast application, and to make the requisite allowances for posthumous works ; especially when he tells us that he was 'humbled with the constant burden of four times a week preaching ;' and to the last, three times; and that where 'the style seems too curt and abrupt, know that I sometimes reserved myself for sudden inculcations and enlargement.' And though, as they now appear, they have been well received, and very useful to younger ministers and Christian families, yet I believe I might safely venture to say, that if he had had the same leisure to compose and polish, he was capable of equalling any performances of that kind of the celebrated writers of the age ; and that hardly any, under his disadvantage, and so constantly employed, would have exceeded his. As no man of the age had a greater number of his sermons published after his death, perhaps it will not displease the reader to see his own judgment of posthumous writings. 'Let it not stumble thee,' says he, 'that the piece is posthumous, and comes out so long after the author's death; it were to be wished that they who excel in public gifts would during life publish their own works, to prevent spurious obtrusions upon the world, and to give them their last hand and polishing, as the apostle Peter was careful to write before his decease (2 Pet. i. 12). 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 this world, have left behind them some worthy pieces, as monuments of their graces, and zeal for the public welfare. Whether it be out of a modest sense of their own endeavours, as being loth, upon choice and 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 conformity to Christ, who would not leave his Spirit till his departure; or whether it be out of 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, usual it is that not only the life, but the death of God's servants have been profitable to the Church. By that means many useful treatises have been freed from that privacy and obscurity to which, by the modesty of their authors, they had formerly been confined.' (Quotation from: Epistle to Dr. Sibb's Comment on the First Chapter of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians).