3. As a theologian, I regard Manton as a divine of singularly well- balanced, well-proportioned, and scriptural views. He lived in a day when vague, indistinct, and indefinite statements of doctrine were not tolerated. The Christian Church was not regarded by any school as a kind of Pantheon, in which a man might believe and teach anything, everything, or nothing, so long as he was a clever and earnest man. Such views were reserved for our modern times. In the seven- teenth century they were scorned and repudiated by every Church and sect in Christendom. In the seventeenth century, every divine who would achieve a reputation and obtain influence, was obliged to hold distinct and sharply-cut opinions. Earnestness alone was not thought suflficient to make a creed. Whether Episcopalian or Presbyterian, whether Conformist or Nonconformist, whether an admirer of Luther, or Calvin, or Arminius, every divine held certain distinct theological views. A vague, colourless, boneless, undogmatic Christianity, sup- plying no clear comfort in life, and no clear hope in death, was a Christianity which found favour with none.
Now, 3Ianton was a Calvinist in his theology. He held the very doctrine which is so admirably set forth in the seventeenth Article of the Church of England. He held the same views which were held by nine-tenths of the English Reformers, and four-fifths of all the leading divines of the Church of England down to the accession of James I. He maintained and taught personal election, the perseverance of the saints, the absolute necessity of a regeneration evidenced by its fruits, as well as salvation by free grace, justification by faith alone, and the uselessness of ceremonial observances without true and vital religion. In all this there was nothing remarkable. He was only one among
AN ESTIMATE OF MANTON. Xvil
hundreds of good men in England who all taught these truths. But in Manton's Calvinism there was a curiously happy attention to the proportion of truth. He never exalts one doctrine at the expense of another. He gives to each doctrine that place and rank given to it in Scripture, neither more nor less, with a wisdom and felicity which I miss in some of the Puritan divines.
Manton held strongly the doctrine of election. But that did not pre- vent him teaching that God loves all, and that His tender mercies are over all His works. He that wishes to see this truth set forth should read his sermon on the words, " God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son" (John iii. 16), and mark how he speaks of the world. ,
Manton held strongly the need of preventing and calling grace. But that did not hinder him from inviting all men to repent, believe, and be saved.
Manton held strongly that faith alone lays hold on Christ, and appropriates justification. But that did not prevent him urging upon all the absolute necessity of repentance and turning from sin.
Manton held strongly the perseverance of God's elect. But that did not hinder him from teaching that holiness is the grand distinguishing mark of God's people, and that he who talks of " never perishing," while he continues in wilful sin, is a hypocrite and a self-deceiver.
In all this, I frankly confess, I see much to admire. I admire the scriptural wisdom of a man who, in a day of hard-and-fast systems could dare to be apparently inconsistent, in order to " declare all the counsel of God." I firmly believe that this is the test of theology, which does good in the Church of Christ. The man who is not tied hand and foot by systems, and does not pretend to reconcile what our imperfect eyesight cannot reconcile in this dispensation, he is the man whom God will bless. Manton was such a man ; and because he was such a man, I think his works, like the " Pilgrim's Progress," deserve the attention of all true Christians.
4. As an expositor of Scripture, I regard Manton with unmingled admiration. Here, at any rate, he is "facile princess" among the divines of the Puritan school.
The value of expository preaching is continually pressed on min- isters in the present day, and not without reason. The end of all preaching is to bring men under the influence of God's Word ; and nothing seems so likely to make men understand and value the Word as lectures in which the Word is explained. It was so in Chrysostom's days ; it ought to be so again. The idea, no doubt, like every good theoiy, may be easily ridden to death ; and I believe that with
VOL. II. J
XVUl AN ESTIMATE OF MANTON.
ignorant, semi-heathen congregations, a short pithy text often does more good than a long passage expounded. But I have no doubt of the immense value of expository preaching, when people will bring their Bibles to the service, and accompany the preacher as he travels on, or go home to their Bibles after the service, and compare what they have heard with the Avritten Word.
The readers of Manton's works will find in them a very large supply of expository sermons. Few, probably, are aware of the enormous quantity of exposition which his writings contain. They will find full and complete sets of sermons on Psalm cxix., on Isaiah liii., on 3Iatthew xxv., on John xvii., on Komans vi., on Komans viii., and on 2 Corinthians v. ; besides regular commentaries on James and Jude. In all these works they will find every verse and every sentence ex- plained, expounded, and enforced, plainly, clearly, and usefully, and far more fully than in most commentaries. Indeed, I defy any one to preacli a sermon on any text in the above-mentioned chapters, and not to find some useful thoughts in Manton, if he will take the trouble to consult hira.