the king's restoration. He was one of the divines appointed to wait upon the king at Breda, and afterwards sworn one of the king's chaplains by the Earl of Manchester, Lord Chamberlain, who truly honoured him. He was one of the Savoy commissioners, and very earnest in his endeavours to get the King's Declaration passed into a law, which would have gone a great way towards uniting the principal parties in the nation, and laying the foundation of a lasting peace, and would have determined him in accepting the deanery of Rochester, that was then offered him.

He might have accepted the deanery, as, at that time, there was no assent or consent imposed, and have held it till the year 1662, with great pecuniary advantage; but he refused it upon principle, probably foreseeing how matters were likely to turn. When he saw the endeavours of mild and moderate men, through the violence and ambition of others of a different stamp, availed nothing to the peace of the church and the happiness of the nation, he sat down under the melancholy prospect of what he lived to see come to pass; namely, the decay of serious religion, with a flood of profaneness, and a violent spirit of persecution. The greatest worth, and the best pretensions, met with no regard, where there were any scruples in point of ceremony and subscription: And upon this the breach grew wider and wider. In the interval between the restoration and his ejectment, he was greatly esteemed by persons of the first quality at court. Sir John Barber used to tell him, that the king had a singular respect for him. Lord Chancellor Hyde was always highly civil and obliging to him. He had free access to him upon all occasions, which he always improved, not for himself, but for the service of others. We shall only trouble the reader with a single instance: Mr. James of Berkshire, who was afterwards known by the name of Black James, a very worthy man, was at the point of being cast out of his living, which was a sequestration. He came to London to make friends to Lord Chancellor, but

could find none proper for his purpose. He was at length advised to go to Dr. Manton, to whom he was as yet a stranger, as the most likely person to serve him in his distress. He came to him late in the evening, and when he was in bed. He told his case to Mrs. Manton, who advised him to come again in the morning, and did not doubt but the Doctor would go with him. He answered with great concern, that it would be too late; and that if he could not put a stop to it that night, he and his family

must

must be ruined. On so pressing a case the Doctor rose, and went with him to the chancellor at York House; who spying the Doctor in the croud, called to him to know what business he had there at that time of night. When he acquainted him with his errand, his Lordship bid him not trouble himself, his friend should not be molested; and immediately put a stop to the making out of the seals to pass away the living to another. Upon the Doctor refusing the deanery, he fell under' Lord Clarendon's displeasure so fickle is the favour of the great; and he once accused him to the king, for dropping some treasonable expressions in a sermon. The king sent for him, and ordered him to bring his notes; which when he read, the king asked, Whether, upon his word, that was all that was delivered ?' And upon the Doctor's assurance that it was, the king said no more than, Doctor, I am'satisfied, and you may be assured of my favour; but look to yourself, or else Hyde will be too hard for you.'

In the year 1662, he was deprived of his benefice, and imprisoned for his non-conformity, and was many ways a sufferer; yet kept up a considerable interest at court,. and with men of note. The noble Earl (afterwards Duke) of Bedford, who had been his parishioner at Covent-Garden, was his cordial friend to his death; so also was Lord Wharton, and many other persons of considerable quality. Mr. Baxter gives this character of him: Doctor Manton, says he, who lately lay six months in prison, is a man of great learning, judgment, and integrity; and an excellent, most laborious, unwearied preacher, and of moderate principles.' He generally sat in the chair in the meetings of the dissenting ministers of the city, who found the want of his prudence, activity, and interest joined together, when the Lord was pleased to call him from the world. His discourses were clear and convincing, so as to be effectual through grace, not only to raise a short commotion in the affections, but to make a lasting change in the life. His doctrine was the truth, according to godliness. He did not entertain his hearers with impertinent subtilties, empty notions, intricate disputes, &c. but preached as one, who had always before his eyes the glory of GoD and the salvation of men, both in respect to his matter and his expression, in which he had a singular talent. Dr. William Harris relates the following anecdote of him while he was at Covent-Garden: Being to preach before the Lord Mayor, the Court of Aldermen, and the Companies of the city, at St. Paul's, the Doctor

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chose a subject, in which he had an opportunity of displaying his judgment and learning. He was heard with admiration and applause by the more intelligent part of the audience. But as he was returning from dinner with the Lord Mayor in the evening, a poor man following him, pulled him by the sleeve of his gown, and asked him if he were the gentleman that preached before the Lord Mayor. He answered, "he was." Sir, says he, I came with hopes of getting some good to my soul; but I was greatly disappointed, for I could not understand a great deal of what you said; you were quite above me. The Doctor replied, with tears," Friend, if I did not give you a sermon, you have given me one; and by the grace of GoD I will never play the fool to preach before my Lord Mayor in such a manner again."

In the year 1670, some indulgence being granted to dissenters, the meetings were much attended. After the looseness and excess which followed the Restoration, the réproaches and persecutions of the non-conformists for several years, and the late terrible judgments of plague and fire; multitudes every where frequented the opened meetings. GOD remarkably owned their ministry at that time, and crowned it under all their disadvantages, with extraordinary success. Soon after this indulgence expired, the Doctor was taken prisoner on a Lord's Day in the afternoon, just after he had done his sermon, and committed to the Gate-house. This imprisonment, by the kind providence of Gov, was more favourable and commodious than could have been thought, or than his enemies designed, or than he expected. The keeper of the prison at that time was Lady Broughton, who was noted for her strictness and severity in her office; though she carried it quite otherwise towards the Doctor. Thus like Joseph; (Gen. xxxix. 21, &c.) he found favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison, &c. In whatsoever company he was, he had courage, as became a faithful minister of Christ, to oppose sin, and upon proper occasion to reprove sinners. The Duke of Lauderdale, who pretended to carry it with great respect to him, in some company where the Doctor was present, behaved himself very indecently; the Doctor modestly reproved him. When the indulgence was more fully fixed in the year 1672, the merchants, and other citizens of London, set up a lecture at Pinner's Hall. Dr. Manton was one of the six first chosen, and opened the lecture. He was much concerned at the little bickerings, which began there in his time. And

And when Mr. Baxter was censured by some for a discourse preached there, upon these words: And ye will not come unto me, that ye may have life; the Doctor, on his next turn, pretty sharply rebuked them for their rash mistakes, and unbecoming reflections upon so worthy and useful a man. It was observed, that this reproof was managed with so much decency and wisdom, that (what is truly wonderful!) he was not by any reflected upon for his freedom in it. He has been heard to express his esteem of Mr. Baxter in the highest terms. He said, he thought him one of the most extraordinary men the Christian church had produced, since the apostle's days; and that he did not look upon himself as worthy to carry his books after him. This was the opinion of one who knew him with the greatest intimacy for many years, and was a great judge of true worth. The same opinion of Mr. Baxter had the two excellent Messrs. Henry, father and son.

When he first began to grow ill in his health, he was, after much persuasion, prevailed with to spend some time at Woburn with Lord Wharton, for the benefit of the air: But finding little good by it, he returned to town on the beginning of the week, with a design to administer the Lord's Supper the next Lord's Day; of which he gave notice to his people, but he did not live to accomplish it. The day before he took his bed, he was in his study; of which he took his solemn leave, with hands and eyes lifted up to heaven, blessing GoD for the many comfortable and serious hours he had spent there, and waiting in joyful hope of a state of clearer knowledge, and higher enjoyments of his GOD. At night he prayed with his family under great indisposition, desiring, "If the Lord had no further work for him to do in this world, he would take him to himself:" Which he expressed, with great serenity of mind, and an unreserved resignation to the divine good pleasure. At length finding his constitution breaking, he resigned himself to God's wise disposal; and, being seized with a kind of lethargy, by which he was deprived of his senses, to the great grief and loss of his friends who came to visit him, he died on the eighteenth of October 1677, in the fifty-seventh year of his age, and was buried in the chancel of the church of StokeNewington; leaving behind him the reputation of as excellent a preacher, as this city or nation hath produced.

GOD had furnished him with a rare union of those parts that are requisite to form an excellent minister of his word. A clear judgment, rich fancy, strong memory,

and

and happy elocution met in him, and were excellently improved by his diligent study. He was endowed with extraordinary knowledge in the Scriptures, those holy oracles, from whence all spiritual light is derived: And in his preaching, he gave such a perspicuous account of the order and dependence of divine truths, and so happily applied the Scriptures to confirm them, that every subject by his management was cultivated and improved. His discourses were so clear and convincing, that none, without offering voluntary violence to conscience, could resist their evidence. His doctrine was uncorrupt and pure, the truth according to godliness. He was far from a guilty vile intention, to prostitute that sacred ordinance for the acquiring any private secular advantage. Neither did he entertain his hearers with impertinent subtilties, empty notions, intricate disputes, dry and barren without productive virtue: But as one that always had before his eyes the great end of the ministry, the glory of GOD, and the salvation of men, his sermons were directed to open their eyes, that they might see their wretched condition as sinners, to hasten their flight from the wrath to come, to make them humbly, thankfully, and entirely receive Christ as their prince and all-sufficient Saviour; and to build up the converted in their most holy faith and more excellent love. In short, to make them true Christians eminent in knowledge, and universal in obedienee. As the matter of his sermons was designed for the good of souls, so his way of expression was proper to that end. His style was not exquisitely studied, not consisting of harmonious periods, yet far distant from vulgar meanness. His expression was natural and free, clear and eloquent, quick and powerful, without any spice of folly, and always suitable to the simplicity and majesty of divine truths. His sermons afforded substantial food with delight, so that a fastidious mind could not disrelish them. He abhorred a vain ostentation of wit in handling sacred things, so venerable and grave, and of such eternal consequence.

His fervour and earnestness in preaching was such, as might soften and make pliant the most stubborn obdurate spirits. His talent did not consist only in voice, like that of some, who labour in the pulpit as if the end of preaching were for the exercise of the body, and not for the profit of souls: But this man of GOD was inflamed with an holy. zeal; and from thence such ardent expressions broke forth, as were capable of procuring attention and consent in his hearers. He spake, as one that had a living faith