DR. MANTON was born in 1620. In 1635 he was placed in Wadham College, Oxford; where he made such proficiency, that he was ordained, at the age of twenty, by the excellent Bishop Hall; who took particular notice of him, as likely to prove an extraordinary person. He himself, however, ten years afterward, lamented his entrance on the ministry so early, as a rash intrusion. The times were then perilous, and he was confined in Exeter, when it was besieged by the king's forces. After being sometime unsettled, he was chosen at Colyton in Devonshire to preach a weekly lecture; and was much respected. On coming to London he was soon noticed, and frequently employed. His first settlement was at StokeNewington in 1643. Here continued seven years, and was often engaged not only in preaching, but on other affairs in the city. The second of the sermons before the sons of the clergy was by him. He delivered several before the Parliament, in which he discovered great prudence, particularly in that preached after he had borne his testimony against the death of the Vol. II. No. 10.

he

king. This, however, gave great offence, and some in the house talked of sending him to the tower, when his friends advised him to withdraw; but he never flinched, and the heat abated.

Mr. Sedgwick of Covent Garden, London, being disabled for his work, several persons were proposed to succeed him, but he would not resign, till Dr. Manton was mentioned, and then he readily yielded. He was pre

sented to this living by the Duke of Bedford, who esteemed him highly to his dying day. In this situation he had a grand and numerous audience; among whom frequently was the excellent Archbishop Usher, who used to say, "he was a voluminous preacher;" not that he was tedious for length, but because he reduced the substance of volumes of divinity into a narrow compass. Dr. Manton had a great respect for Mr. Love, who was beheaded in 1651 for assisting the royal family, and attended him on the scaffold. The government, finding that the Dr. intended to preach his funeral sermon, expressed displeasure, and the soldiers threatened

to shoot him. But he was undaunted, and preached at Mr. Love's church, in St. Lawrence Jury, to a numerous congregation, though without pulpit, eloth, or cushion. Though he was far from courting the favour of that government, they professed to esteem him; and Cromwell sent for him to Whitehall on the morning of his installment, telling him, not before he came, that it was to pray on the occasion; and when he begged to be excused, urging the shortness of the notice, he said, that such a man as he, could not be at a loss to perform the service; and put him into his study half an hour to premeditate. The protector made him one of his chaplains. He was also appointed one of the committee for trying ministers; and he seldom absented himself from that troublesome service, as he was heard to say, that he might do all in his power to prevent matters from running into extremes. One instance of his kindness is worth recording. A clergyman of respectable aspect, somewhat in years, appeared before the commissioners, when Dr. Manton called for a chair; at which some were displeased. This minister, after the restoration, was preferred to a bishopric in Ireland; and he retained so affectionate a remembrance of Dr. Manton, that he charged Bishop Worth, when he went to London, to visit the Dr. and tell him, that, if he was molested in his preaching in England, he should have liberty to preach in any part of his diocese in Ireland undisturbed. His interest with the protector, which was very great, he never applied to

any sordid ends of his own, but for the benefit of others, royalists not excepted. Accordingly he applied for the life of Dr. Hewit, who was condemned for a plot against the government; and, had it not been for the peculiar aggravations of guilt in the case, the protector declared he would have yielded to the Dr.'s intercession.

In 1660 he was very instrumental, with many other Presbyterian divines, in the restoration of Charles II. He was one, who waited on the king at BREDA, and was afterward sworn one of his chaplains. He was also appointed one of the commissioners at the Savoy conference, being the first to receive the commission from the Bishop of London, who wrote him a most respectful letter on the occasion. In the interval between the restoratian and the fatal Bartholomew day he met no molestation, being well respected in his parish. He was also greatly esteemed by persons of the first quality at court. Sir John Barber used to tell him, that the king had a singular respect fo him. Lord chancellor Hyde was highly obliging to him, and gave him free access to him on all occasions; which he improved, not for himself, but for the service of others. But after the Dr. refused to conform in 1662, so fickle is the favour of the great, that he fell under his lordship's displeasure, who accused him to the king of some treasonable expressions in a sermon. On which his majesty sent for him, with an order to bring his sermon. On reading the passage referred to, the king asked him, whether, upon his

whole people, who were full of the strongest prejudices against him and in regard to the latter, the question may be asked with great propriety, whether such another man ever existed among all those, who have inherited the corrupted nature of Adam? He had evidently a soul large and capacious, and possessed of those seemingly contradictory excellencies, which, whenever they appear in combination, fail not to form an extraordinary character. But not on-ly his talents were great and various, his learning also was profound and extensive; and many persons with far inferior abilities and attainments have effected national revolutions, or otherwise distinguished themselves in the history of mankind. His consummate fortitude was tempered with the rarest gentle ness, and the most active chari ty. His very copious and vivid imagination was chastized by the most accurate judgment, and was connected with the closest argumentative powers. Divine grace alone could compose so wonderful a temperature; insomuch, that for the space of near thirty years after his conversion, this man, whose natural haughtiness and fiery temper had hurried him into a very sanguinary course of persecution, lived the friend of mankind; returned good for evil continually; was a model of patience and benevolence, and steadily attentive only to heavenly things, while yet he had a taste, a spirit, and a genius, which might have shone among the greatest statesmen and men of letters that ever lived.

Hist. of the Church of Christ, vol. I. p. 127, 2d ed.

OLD DIVINITY,

The following are the sentiments of the British divines at the synod of Dort, on some interesting points of divinity.

(Translated for the Panoplist.)

of the power of the will in cor rupt man.

THESIS 1. The will of fallen man is destitute of supernatural and saving endowments, with which it was enriched in a state of innocency; and therefore without the energy of grace, produceth no spiritual acts.

2. In the will of lapsed man, there is not only the power of sinning; but a strong inclination

to it.

Of works preceding conversion.

THESIS 1. There are certain

external works, ordinarily requir ed of men, before they are brought to a state of regeneration or conversion, which are, them, and sometimes freely omitsometimes, to be freely done by ted; as to go to church, hear the preaching of the word, and such like.

2. There are certain internal

effects previous to regeneration or conversion, which, by the power of the word and Spirit, are excited in the hearts of those, who are not yet justified; such as a knowledge of the divine will, a thoughts of being set at liberty, sense of sin, fear of punishment, and some hope of pardon,

3. Those, whom God thus affects by his Spirit through the

The divines sent from Great Britain to the synod, were George Bishop of Landaff, John Davenant, D. D. Samuel Ward, D.D. Thomas Goadus, D. D. Walter Balcanquallus, B. D.

medium of the word, he truly and in good earnest calls and invites to faith and conversion.

4. Those, whom God thus influenceth, he doth not desert, nor cease to move onward in the true way to conversion, until they desert him by their voluntary neglect, or repulse of this ini tial grace.

5. These preceding effects, produced in the minds of men by the word and Spirit of God, may be and often are, by the fault of rebellious will, suffocated and entirely extinguished; so that some, on whose minds, by the power of God's word and Spirit, was impressed some knowledge of divine truth, some grief for their sins, some desire and earnestness to be set free, are evidently changed to the contrary, reject and hate the truth, give themselves up to their lusts, become hardened, and die in them, without any anxiety.

6. The elect themselves do never, in these acts preceding regeneration, so conduct themselves, but that, on account of their neglect and resistance, they might justly be deserted and wholly given up of God: but there is such special mercy of God towards them, that, although they may for a considerable time repel or stifle exciting and illuminating grace, God urges them again and again, nor ceases to influence them, until he has ef fectually subjected them to his grace, and placed them in the state of regenerate children.

7. As to the non-elect when they resist the divine grace and Spirit, in these acts preceding regeneration, and, through the corruptness of their own free will, extinguish the same initial

effects in themselves, God, as he sees fit, justly deserts them: these we pronounce deserted through their own fault, remain; ing hardened in the same, and unconverted.

Concerning conversion, as it im plies the immediate work of God regenerating man.

1. The minds of the elect excited by the aforesaid acts of grace, and being prepared by a certain inward and marvellous operation, God regenerates, and as it were creates anew, by infusing a quickening spirit, by furnishing all the faculties of the soul with new qualities.

2. To this work of regenera tion man holds himself passive, neither is it in the will of man to hinder God thus regenerating.

Concerning conversion, as it de

notes the action of man, turning himself to God by faith and sav ing repentance.

THESIS 1. Our actual conver sion follows that above stated, while God draws forth from the renewed will the act of believing and turning, which will, being acted upon by God, itself acts by turning itself to God, and by be lieving, i. e. by drawing forth at the same time its own vital act.

2. This divine act does not injure the liberty of the will, but strengthens it: neither does it totally extirpate the vicious pow er of resisting; but efficaciously and sweetly communicates to man, a firm will to obey.

3. God does not, at all times, so influence a converted and be lieving man to subsequent good actions, as to take away the will to resist ; but sometimes permits

London, from which he was ejected. He was a worthy, humble, eminently pious man, of sober principles, and of great zeal and diligence. He had the whole of the New Testament and Psalms by heart. He took this pains (as he often said) not knowing but they, who took from him his pulpit, might in time demand his Bible also." Even Wood says, "He was always held in great esteem for his piety by those of his persuasion." But his eminence and usefulness were not acknowledged by a particular party only, but by all sober persons, who were acquainted with him. He was one of the few ministers, who had the zeal and courage to continue in the city amidst all the fury of the plague in 1665; and he pursued his ministerial work in that needful, but dangerous season, with all diligence and intrepidity, both in public and private. He had been for some time employed in assisting Mr. Doolittle at Isling, ton in giving young persons an academical education; for which service he was thought well qualified. Upon the progress of the distemper in the city, he acquainted his good friend and colleague with his design to quit that employment, and to devote himself chiefly to the visitation of the sick, and the instruction of the healthy, in that time of pressing necessity. Mr. Doolittle endeavoured to dissuade him, by representing the danger he must run; told him, he thought he had no call to it, being then otherwise employed; and that it was rather advisable he should reserve himself for farther service to the rising age,

in that station, wherein he was then so usefully fixed. Mr. Vincent not being satisfied to des sist, they agreed to request the advice of their brethren in and about the city, upon the case. When Mr. Doolittle had represented his reasons at large, Mr. Vincent acquainted his brethren, that he had very seriously considered the matter, before he had come to a resolution. He had carefully examined the state of his own soul, and could look death in the face with comfort, He thought it was absolutely necessary, that such vast num. bers of dying people should have some spiritual assistance. He could have no prospect of usefulness in the exercise of his ministry, through his whole life, like that which now offered itself. He had often committed the case and himself to God in prayer, and upon the whole had solemnly devoted himself to the service of God and souls upon this occasion; and therefore hoped none of them would endeavour to weaken his hands in this work. When the ministers present had heard him out, they unanimously declared their sat, isfaction and joy; that they apprehended the matter was of God, and concurred in their prayers for his protection and success. Hereupon he went out to his work with the greatest firmness and assiduity. He constantly preached every Lord's day through the whole visitation in some parish church. His subjects were the most moving and important, and his manage ment of them the most pathetic and searching. The awfulness of the judgment, then every where obvious, gave a peculiar