The outstanding preaching ministry of Thomas Manton (1620-77) was exercised first a Stoke Newington from 1644, then from 1656 in one of the leading Puritan churches in London. St Paul's Covenant Garden. The extent of his pulpit labours is shown by the fact that the twenty-two volumes of the standard 19th century edition of his works consist almost entirely of sermons.
This collection of 47 sermons on Romans 8 is now available in a single volume. Matthew Henry said of Romans 8,
"We have here such a display of the unspeakable privileges of true believers, as may furnish us with abundant matter of joy and peace in believing, that by all these immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation. Many of the people of God have found this chapter a well-spring of comfort to their souls."
The works of Thomas Manton (1620-1677) present us with what was most characteristic in the ministry of the English Puritans: careful, solid, warm-hearted applicatory exposition of the Scriptures. Manton's works are characterised by great pastoral concern and a balanced wisdom.
Ryle said, 'If ever there was an English divine who must be classed as a Puritan, that man is Manton...his works, like the Pilgrim s Progress deserve the attention of all true Christians...As an expositor of Scripture I regard Manton with unmingled admiration. Here, at any rate, he is "facile princeps" [easily first] among the divines of the Puritan school...In days like these, I am thankful that the publishers of Manton's Works have boldly come forward to offer real literary gold to the reading public.'
Thomas Manton was an English Puritan clergyman.
Born at Lydeard St Lawrence, Somerset, Manton was educated at Blundell's School and then at Hart Hall, Oxford where he graduated BA in 1639. Joseph Hall, bishop of Norwich, ordained him deacon the following year: he never took priest's orders, holding that he was properly ordained to the ministerial office. He was then appointed town lecturer of Collumpton in Devon. In the winter of 1644-1645, he was appointed to preach at St Mary's Church in the parish of Stoke Newington in Middlesex, where in 1646 he was joined by Alexander Popham as the parish's ruling elder and began to build a reputation as a forthright and popular defender of Reformed principles.
Although Manton is little known now, in his day he was held in as much esteem as men like John Owen. He was best known for his skilled expository preaching, and was a favourite of John Charles Ryle, who championed his republication in the mid-19th century. His finest work is probably his Exposition of James.
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