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 w^ay, 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 Chi'ist ; 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
OF THOMAS MANTON, D.D. XXvii
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 ; tliat 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 cir- cumstance, 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 wis- dom. 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 more 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 Komans, and the 5th of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians. Dr CoUings, 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