BRIDGES-STREET.-Presbyterian, Extinct.

has an elder brother in the ministry among the Dissenters, who has been settled many years with an Independent congregation at Newbury, in Berkshire.

BRIDGES-STREET.

PRESBYTERIAN.EXTINCT.

IN WHITE-HART-YARD, leading into Bridges'-street,

Covent-garden, there stood, in the reign of Charles H. a meeting-house for the Nonconformists of the Presbyterian persuasion. It appears to have been erected for the use of the celebrated Dr. Manton, who was ejected from the parish church of St. Paul, Covent-garden, and brought hither many of his former hearers; amongst whom were the Duke of Bedford, Marquis of Wharton, &c. who proved generous friends to him in this season of difficulty. Dr. Manton dying in 1677, his congregation dispersed.

....

After this, Mrs. Margaret Baxter hired the meeting-house for the use of her husband, the celebrated Mr. Richard

compared with its former State. A Sermon preached at Salter's-Hall, Nov. 2, 1800.-6. Future Punishment of endless Duration. A Sermon preached at the Rev. James Knight's Meeting-house, Collyer's Rents, Southwark, at a Monthly Association of Ministers and Churches, Dec. 11, 1806.-7. Obstacles to Success in the Religious Education of Children. A Sermon preached at the Rev. William Wall's Meeting-house, Moorfield's, at a Monthly Association of Ministers and Churches, January 7, 1808.-8. Reflections on the Character and Translation of Enoch: a Sermon occa sioned by the Death of the Rev. William Humphryes, who died, Sept. 28, 1808, aged 46. Preached at Hammersmith, October 9.

Baxter, who preached there on one part of the day, till King Charles's Indulgence was recalled, and the persecution against the nonconformists was renewed with fresh vigour. This was in the year 1682; and then it was that Mr. Baxter was seized and imprisoned, and his congregation dispersed. During the time that Mr. Baxter held the meeting-house, Mr. Andrew Parsons, the ejected minister of Wem, in Shropshire, preached there on one part of the day, till the severity of the times compelled him to desist.

When Mr. Baxter had quitted the meeting-house, it was shut up for some time, till the Indulgence issued by King James II. in 1687, gave some breathing time to the Nonconformists. The celebrated Mr. Daniel Burgess being then in London, had acquired considerable popularity as a preacher, and having collected a congregation, which consisted of many persons who had been hearers of Dr. Manton, and Mr. Baxter, they were formed into a church, and hired the meeting-house in White-Hart-yard, where Mr. Burgess preached several years. About 1696, he removed his people to another meeting-house, in Russel-court, Drury-lane, and from thence to New-court, Carey-street. What became of the meeting-house in White-Hart-yard, after the removal of Mr. Burgess, we find no mention; but, it most probably did not continue standing long after that event.

Of these several ministers we shall proceed to give some account in their proper order.

THOMAS MANTON, D. D.-This learned and eminent Divine, was born at Lawrence Lydiard, in the county of Somerset, A. D. 1620.* His father, and both his grandfathers, were ministers. The former was settled at Whimpole, in Devonshire, and sent his son to the free-school at

• Memoirs of the Life, &c. of Dr. Manton, by Dr. William Harris. + Athens Oxon. vol. ii. p. 600.

A

BRIDGES STREET.-Presbyterian, Exlinet.

Tiverton, in the same county. He passed through his grammar-learning with so much rapidity, as to be qualified to enter upon academical studies at fourteen years of age; but his parents either judging him too young, or unwilling to part with him too soon, kept him at home about a twelvemonth longer, and in 1635, placed him at Wadham College, Oxford. From thence, in 1639, he was translated to Hart-Hall, and took the degree of Bachelor of Arts. Wood says, he was accounted in his college, "a hot-headed person;" but this is as remote from what was known to be the true character of Dr. Manton, as it is agreeable to his After preparatory studies, he applied himself to divinity, which was the work of his choice, and what he designed to make the business of his life. By a course of unwearied diligence, joined with great intellectual endowments, he was early qualified for the work of the ministry; and took orders much sooner than usual, or than he himself approved, upon maturer thought, and greater experience. He was ordained before he was twenty years of age, by the excellent Joseph Hall, then Bishop of Exeter, and afterwards of Norwich; who took particular notice of him upon that occasion, and expressed his apprehensions, "That he would prove an extraordinary person."

own.

He entered upon the ministry when the king and parliament were in open hostility, and was confined to Exeter, when it was besieged by the king's forces. After its surrender he went to Lime. He preached his first sermon at Sowton, near Exeter, on Matt. vii. 1. and after being some time unsettled, was chosen to preach a weekly lecture at Colyton, in Devonshire, where he was well attended, and much respected. On his coming to London, he was soon noticed, and frequently employed. Being then in the vigour of youth, he applied himself to his work with great diligence and pleasure, for which he was remarkable all his life. About this time he married Mrs. Morgan, of a genteel family, at Sidbury, Devon; a meek and pious woman,

BRIDGES-STREET.-Presbyterian, Extinct.

and though of a weak and tender constitution, she outlived the Doctor, who was naturally hale and strong, about twenty years.

His first settlement was at Stoke-Newington, about the year 1643; to which living he was presented by the Hon. Colonel Popham, in whom he had a kind patron, and whose pious lady also highly esteemed him. It was here, in his course of weekly lectures, that he went through his exposition of James and Jude, both which he published. He continued seven years at Newington, and possessed the general respect of his parishioners, though there were several persons of different sentiments from himself. Being generally esteemed an excellent preacher, he was often employed in that work in London; and other weighty affairs sometimes called for his attendance. He preached the second sermon before the sons of the clergy, an institution lately set on foot, chiefly through the influence of Dr. Hall, sou to the bishop, who preached the first sermon. He was several times called to preach before the parliament, when he discovered great wisdom and prudence; particularly in a discourse on Deut. xxxiii. 4, 5. which he delivered just after he had given his testimony among the London ministers against the death of the king. This discourse gave great offence, and some in the house talked of sending him to the Tower, when his friends advised him to withdraw; but he resolved to abide the event, and the heat abated.

Mr. Obadiah Sedgwick, of Covent-garden, being disabled from his work, through age, several persons were proposed to succeed him; but he would not resign till Mr. Manton was mentioned, when he readily acquiesced. He was presented to this living by the Earl, afterwards Duke of Bedford, who esteemed him highly to his dying-day; and as a mark of respect, sent him a key of the garden belonging to Bedford-house. At this place he had a numerous audience, amongst whom were many persons of rank and figure, of which number Archbishop Usher was frequently one.

BRIDGES-STREET.Presbyterian, Extinct.

That excellent prelate used to say of him, "That he was one of the best preachers in England," and, "That he was á voluminous preacher;" not that he was ever long and tedious, but because he had the art of reducing the substance of whole volumes into a narrow compass, and representing it to great advantage. Mr. Charnock also, used to say of him, "That he was the best collector of sense of the age."

In the year 1651, Mr. Christopher Love having been convicted of carrying on a secret correspondence with the king, was sentenced to be beheaded on Tower hill. Mr. Manton, who had a particular respect for him, attended him to the scaffold, where Mr. Love, as a mark of his esteem, gave him his cloak. The government understanding that Mr. Manton intended to preach his funeral sermon, expressed some displeasure, and the soldiers threatened to shoot him. However, he was not to be terrified, but preached at Mr. Love's church in St. Lawrence Jewry, to a numerous congregation, though without pulpit-cloth, or cushion: and he afterwards printed the sermon.

Though he was far from courting the favour of that government, yet those who directed it, professed, at least, an esteem for him. When Cromwell assumed the Protectorship, in 1653, he sent for him to Whitehall, on the morning of his instalment, and desired him to pray on the occasion. Mr. Manton endeavoured to excuse himself, urging the shortness of the notice; but the Protector replied, that such a man as he could not be at a loss to perform the service, and put him in his study for half an hour to premeditate. About the same time the Protector made him one of his chaplains; and he was nominated by parliament, on a committee of Divines, to draw up a scheme of funda mentals. In the same year, he was appointed one of the committee for approbation of ministers; from which trou

Neal's Puritans, vol. iv. p. 98.