# Thomas Manton, on "the highway to atheism"



## Puritan Sailor (Mar 23, 2011)

From Puritan Sermons, Vol. 1, pg. 402; "How may we cure distractions in holy duties?" by Thomas Manton (preaching on Matt 15:7-8) 


"Carelessness in duties is the highway to atheism.- For every formal and slight prayer doth harden the heart, and make a way for contempt of God. Men that have made bold with God in duty, and it succeeds well with them, - their awe of God is lessened, and the lively sense of his glory and majesty abated, till it be quite lost: by degrees they outgrow all feelings and tenderness of conscience; every time you come to God slightly, you lose ground by coming, till at length you look upon worship as a mere custom, or something done for fashion's sake." 

Thoughts?


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## py3ak (Mar 23, 2011)

Rather terrifying!


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## Puritan Sailor (Mar 23, 2011)

"They that live in constant communion with God, do not find it such a tedious business to converse with him. If they have any excursion of thoughts, it is their daily work, and the offices of common life, which they are ever seasoning with some gracious meditations and short ejaculations. When they are in duty, they are where they would be: constant gravity and seriousness is a great help to them. Men allow themselves a lawless liberty in their ordinary conversations; and then in prayer they know not how to gather up their hearts. Such as men are _out of prayer_, such they will be _in prayer_. We cannot expect that pangs of devotion should come upon us all of a sudden; and that when we come reeking from the world, we should presently leap into a heavenly frame." Pg. 414


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## nwink (Mar 23, 2011)

Thanks for sharing those good thoughts, Patrick! I found this work of his online here: Complete Works of Thomas Manton, D.D. Vol. V. | Christian Classics Ethereal Library


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