Thomas Manon on the degradation of the Church and Religion

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Seeking_Thy_Kingdom

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“We in our times, who live in the dregs of Christianity, may soon perceive a manifest difference between the early days of the gospel, and those corruptions which now obtain; when the faith of the gospel is turned into dead opinions, and questions, and vain janglings; and the worship of the gospel into a theatrical pomp, and the pageantry of empty ceremonies, which eclipse the majesty and splendour of it; and the discipline of Christ into a temporal domination ; and all is carried in the christian world by sides and interests; so that Christianity looketh like another thing, a design calculated for the present world, rather than a serious preparation for the world to come. In the first days we read, Acts iv. 33, 'That with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.' Christianity shineth more by its native lustre than meretricious ornaments ; and Acts xix. 20, ' That the word grew mightily.' But in the latter times, atheists and scoffers abound, and are more rife than serious worshippers : 2 Peter iii. 3, ' There shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts.' The church of God is troubled, not only with furious persecutors, subtle deceivers, but also profane scoffers. At the first promulgation of the gospel, truths were new, and the exercises of the christian religion lively, and there was great concord and seriousness among the professors of the gospel. Before men's senses were benumbed with the customary use of religious duties, the notions of God and salvation by Christ were fresh and active upon their hearts; but when the profession of Christianity grew into a form and national interest, and men became christians rather by the chance of their birth than their own choice and rational conviction, and the world was turned into the church, and the ancient severity and strictness was much lost, and the memory of those miracles and wonderful effects by which our religion was confirmed almost worn out; and so the truth of it questioned and impugned by men of subtle wits and a prostituted conscience,—we seem to grow weary of the name of Christ ; and in the end of time mockers and atheistical spirits swarm everywhere ; and the holy, meek, sober, humble, heavenly spirit seemeth to be banished out of the christian world, but that a few broken-hearted christians keep it up. And partialities, and sidings, and sects are countenanced, while unquestionable duties are little regarded, except by those few who have the courage to live in a counter-motion to the practices of a loose age, by their holiness and charity, and serious regard to the hopes of another world.”

Several Sermons Preached on Public Occasions - A Fast Sermon
Excerpt From
The complete works of Thomas Manton volume 15
Manton, Thomas, 1620-1677
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