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Thomas Manton
Thomas Manton (1620–October 18, 1677) was an English Puritan preacher, theologian, and author, renowned for his eloquent sermons and extensive biblical commentaries during a tumultuous era of religious and political upheaval. Born in Laurence Lydiard (now Lydiard St. Lawrence), Somerset, to a poor curate father of the same name, Manton was educated at Blundell’s School in Tiverton and Hart Hall, Oxford, where he matriculated at 15 in 1635 under Ralph Button’s mentorship. Ordained a deacon at 19 in 1639—unusually young—he began preaching at Sowton, Devon, and by 1640 was lecturing at St. Mary’s, Colyton, gaining notice for his expository skill. Manton’s preaching career flourished as he moved to London, serving St. Paul’s, Covent Garden, from 1644 to 1656, where he drew crowds with sermons later published as practical divinity classics. A Presbyterian, he supported the Solemn League and Covenant, preached before Parliament, and served as a Westminster Assembly scribe and trier of ministers under Cromwell. After the Restoration, he was appointed a royal chaplain in 1660 but ejected in 1662 under the Act of Uniformity, refusing to conform. Undeterred, he preached privately in his St. Paul’s home and, after 1670, at a Pinners’ Hall lectureship and a secret meeting house, enduring brief imprisonments in 1670 and 1675. His 22-volume Works, including commentaries on James, Jude, Psalm 119, and Christ’s temptations, reflect his meticulous, heart-stirring style.
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Thomas Manton preaches about the perfect unity believers have with God through Christ, emphasizing that God's love for us is rooted in His love for Christ. Believers are accepted by God through Jesus Christ, who reconciles us to Him and makes us pleasing in His sight. The love God has for us is ultimately because of Christ's obedience and merit, as shown in John 3:16 where God gave His Son out of love for the world.
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Christ's Merit
"I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me" (John 17:23). He loveth us because he loved Christ. Therefore it is said: Eph. 1:6, 'He hath made us accepted in the beloved.' The elect are made lovely, and fit to be accepted by God, only by Jesus Christ; accepted both in our state and actions as we are reconciled to him; and all that we do is taken in good part for Christ's sake, who was sent and intrusted bv the Father to procure this favour for us, and did all which was necessary to obtain it. The ground of all that love God beareth to us is for Christ's sake. There is indeed an antecedent love showed in giving us to Christ, and Christ to us: John 3:16, 'For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son--That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.' The first cause of Christ's love to us was obedience to the Father; the Son loved us, because the Father required it; though afterwards God loved us because Christ merited it. All consequent benefits are procured by the merit of Christ.
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Thomas Manton (1620–October 18, 1677) was an English Puritan preacher, theologian, and author, renowned for his eloquent sermons and extensive biblical commentaries during a tumultuous era of religious and political upheaval. Born in Laurence Lydiard (now Lydiard St. Lawrence), Somerset, to a poor curate father of the same name, Manton was educated at Blundell’s School in Tiverton and Hart Hall, Oxford, where he matriculated at 15 in 1635 under Ralph Button’s mentorship. Ordained a deacon at 19 in 1639—unusually young—he began preaching at Sowton, Devon, and by 1640 was lecturing at St. Mary’s, Colyton, gaining notice for his expository skill. Manton’s preaching career flourished as he moved to London, serving St. Paul’s, Covent Garden, from 1644 to 1656, where he drew crowds with sermons later published as practical divinity classics. A Presbyterian, he supported the Solemn League and Covenant, preached before Parliament, and served as a Westminster Assembly scribe and trier of ministers under Cromwell. After the Restoration, he was appointed a royal chaplain in 1660 but ejected in 1662 under the Act of Uniformity, refusing to conform. Undeterred, he preached privately in his St. Paul’s home and, after 1670, at a Pinners’ Hall lectureship and a secret meeting house, enduring brief imprisonments in 1670 and 1675. His 22-volume Works, including commentaries on James, Jude, Psalm 119, and Christ’s temptations, reflect his meticulous, heart-stirring style.