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xiii. 2.—Three Serm. in Morn. Ex.-Fun. Serm. for Mr. Christ. Fowler-Some Latin Verses.—Annot. upon Daniel in Pool's Contin.

RALPH VENNING, M. A. of Eman. Col. Camb. was ejected from this lectureship. He was a popular preacher, and much followed. He was a most importunate and prevalent pleader for the poor, who were very numerous in that parish. He yearly got some hundreds of pounds for them; having such a way of recommending charity as frequently prevailed with people to give who had gone to church with resolutions to the contrary. He died March 10, 1673, [aged 53.] His funeral sermon was preached by Mr. Robert Bragg. Mr. Venning's Farewell-sermon was on Heb. x. 23. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, for he is faithful that promised. This discourse, which was the second on the same text, appears to have been delilivered extempore and inaccurately taken. As there is but little reference to the occasion, the following extracts may suffice." It is not enough to hold fast our faith, but the profession of it. Why? The profession of faith is as necessary as the faith itself. See Rom. x. 9, 10. An unprofessed faith hath no salvation annexed to it. Now if it is necessary to profess, it is necessary to hold fast, faith; and consequently as necessary to hold fast the profession thereof. To say, I will keep faith, I will only part with a little profession, is all one in scripture sense, as to part with faith itself. Faith without profession, will do no more for you than profession without faith. Observe what the apostle speaks, Heb iii. 14. We are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end: not elseIt is a manly act to hold fast that which is good, but childish to let it go. It is also a christian act; that which distinguishes a christian from a hypocrite. Heb. x. 37.-I promised you some helps [or directions] with which I shall conclude this discourse: I pray God I may not say, preaching too. Would hold fast then 1. Take heed of every sort of men that make religion a trade to get money by (1 Tim. vi. 35.)--Men of corrupt minds, supposing that gain is godliness; or as most read it, that godliness is gain, a mere trade. 2. Take heed of the error of the wicked (2 Pet. iii. 17.) who say, It is vain to serve God. If ye lose for him ye shall not lose by him. 3. Lay up the word of faith in a good and honest heart. Luke viii. 15. If it be only in your hands or head, it will be gone; but if it be in your hearts you will neyer let it go. The purity of the heart is the best preserva

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tive of the faith. 1 Tim. iii. 9. 4. Look much to, and often consider, Jesus Christ the author and finisher of your faith. Think how he humbled himself and became poor that we might be rich. Think what a good confession he inade before Pontius Pilate, and how he was obedient unto death. Think how he conquered death by dying, &c. and shall we leave such a Christ as this? Can you look upon Christ and leave the profession of your faith? It cannot be. Keep Christ before your eyes, make him your pattern, and you will not, you cannot do amiss. I shall shut up all in the words of Jude, verse 20, 21."

WORKS. Warning to Backsliders.-Way to Happiness.Mercy's Memorial.-Canaan's Flowings; or Milk and Honey.Orthodox and miscell. Paradoxes.-The new Command renewed. Mysteries and Revelations.-Things worth thinking on.-Sin the Plague of Plagues.--His Remains, [with his Portrait.]

SAMUEL SMITH, M. A. Lecturer in the same place. He had before been cast out of the sequestered living of Bodenham, Herefordshire. He was afterwards pastor to a small congregation of Dissenters at Windsor, where he died, 1714, and was succeeded by Mr. Sheffield.

ST. PANCRAS, SOPER LANE, [R. S.]

After

Mr. GEORGE COKAYN. After his ejectment he was pastor of a congregational church in the city, and many eminent citizens adhered to him; among whom were Alderman Titchbourn, Ireton, Wilson, Sir John Moor, &c. many labours in the service of his master, and some suffer-ings for him, he quietly ended his days, and was carried to his grave in peace, with a numerous attendance of devout mourners. He was succeeded by Mr. John Nisbet.

WORKS. A Serm. before the Parl. Nov. 29, 1648.-Divine Astrology; a Fun. Serm. for Col. W. Underwood, on Is. lvii. 1.— A Pref. Epist. to Mr. O. Sedgwick's Fun. Serm. for Rowland Wilson, Esq.-He had a hand, with Mr. Caryl, in the Eng. Greek Lexicon.

ST. PAUL'S, COVENT-GARDEN, [R. 350%.]

THOMAS MANTON, D. D. of Oxf. Univ. Born in 1620, at Lawrence-Lydiard, in Somersetshire. Both his father and grandfather were ministers. He was at first minister at Colyton in Devonshire, and afterwards at Stoke-Newington, from whence he came to Covent-Garden, where he succeeded Mr. Sedgwick. Both Newcourt and Wood speak of

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his taking orders in 1660, from Thomas Bp. of Galloway, who, it seems, did at that time ordain such of the English clergy as came to him, without oaths or subscriptions.* If those writers supposed, as they seem to have done, that the Dr. who had been a celebrated preacher for many years, remained till then unordained, they were mistaken, for he was ordained by Bp. Hall, before he was twenty years of age. And Mr. Jos. Hill of Rotterdam was positive that he never took any other than Deacon's orders, and never would submit to any other ordination; for it was his judgment that he was properly ordained to the ministerial office, and that no powers on earth had any right to divide and parcel that out at their pleasure. He was in great reputation at the time of the Restoration. He was one of the Savoy commissioners, and very earnest in his endeavours to get the declaration passed into a law; and had it been accomplished he would have accepted the Deanry that was offered him. He was a man of great learning, judgment, and integrity; of great temper and moderation, and respected by all that knew him. Abp. Usher used to say, "He was a voluminous preacher;" not that he was tedious for length, but he had the art of reducing the substance of volumes of divinity into a narrow compass. Mr. Charnock oft represented him as the best collector of sense of any in the age. He was no fomenter of faction, but studious of the public tranquillity. His generous constancy of mind in resisting the current of popular humour, declared his loyalty to his Divine Master.

He was imprisoned for his nonconformity, and 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. He generally had 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 he was taken from them. He died Oct. 18, 1677, leaving behind him the general reputation of as excellent a preacher as this city or nation hath produced. Dr. Bates, in his funeral sermon for him, says, "A clear judgment, rich fancy, strong memory,

* Burnet's Hist. of his own Times, vol. 1. p. 132.

A curious account of a long conversation which he once held with K. Charles II. relating to the Nonconformist ministers, may be scen in a letter of his to Mr. Baxter, who has given it at length in his Life, Part iii. p. 37.

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and happy elocution met in him, and were excellently improved by diligent study." [He was endowed with extraordinary knowledge in the scriptures, and in his preaching gave a perspicuous account of the order and dependence of divine truths. His discourses were clear and convincing, so as to be effectual 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. Wm. Harris, in the Memoirs of his life, mentions the following anecdote of him: "Being to preach before the lord-mayor, the court of aldermen, &c. at St. Paul's, the Dr. 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 lordmayor 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 replied, "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 Dr. 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."}

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His style was not exquisitely studied, but far from vulgar meanness. His delivery was natural and free, clear and eloquent, quick and powerful, without any spice of folly, and always suited to the simplicity and majesty of divine truths. His earnestness was such as might soften the most obdurate spi rits. "I am not speaking (says Dr. Bates) of one whose talent was only in voice, who laboured in the pulpit as if the end of preaching were for the exercise of the body: this man of God was inflamed with an holy zeal, and from thence such ardent expressions broke forth as procured attention and consent in the hearers. He spoke as one who had a living faith within him of divine truths. The sound of words only strikes the ear, but the mind reasons with the mind, and the heart speaks to the heart. He abounded in the work of the VOL. L NO. 4.

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Lord, preaching with unparalleled assiduity and frequency, yet was always superior to others and equal to himself. In the decline of his life he would not leave his beloved work, the vigour of his mind supporting the weakness of his body. As a Christian, his life was answerable to his doctrine. His resolute contempt of the world secured him from being wrought upon by those low motives which tempt sordid spirits from their duty. His charity was eminent in procuring supplies for others when in mean circumstances himself. But he had great experience of God's fatherly provision, to which his filial confidence was correspondent. His conversation in his family was holy and exemplary, every day instructing them in their duty from the scriptures. His humility was great. He was deeply affected with the sense of his frailties and unworthiness. He expressed his thoughts to Dr. Bates on this head a little before his death. "'Tis infinitely terrible (says he) to appear before God the judge of all, without the protection of the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than the blood of Abel." This alone relieved him, and supported his hopes; which was the subject of his last public discourse.

Dr. Calamy relates a singular anecdote of Dr. Manton in respect to the affair of Wallingford-house. He had a summons to attend the meeting there, but no information as to the object of it, though he feared the worst. He went; but in passing a dark entry, he heard a voice in the room where the meeting was held, repeating with vehemence these words, "He must down, and he shall down." He clearly distinguished the voice to be Dr. Owen's, and was so much alarmed that he went away. The next day he found the matter explained by the dissolution of the parliament, in order to the deposing of Richard Cromwell. This account Mr. Stretton assured Dr. Calamy and others, he had from Dr. Manton himself. Mr. Matthew Barker affirmed that he knew this account to be true; [and it agrees with what Mr. Baxter relates in his Life; who says "that Dr. Owen and his assistants did the main work." Part 1. p. 101. The fact however has been denied.]

Dr. Manton's Farewell Sermon is on Heb. xii. 1. Seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, &c. It is a useful discourse, and suitable to the occasion, though not very appropriate. The following extract may suffice. "The worthies mentioned in the former chapter, and all the saints of God, recorded as having experienced his goodness,

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