The Complete Works of Thomas Manton, D.D., Volume 5

To the Religious and Honourable Lady, Letitia Popham, wife to Colonel Alexander Popham.

MADAM,—It is a lovely conjunction when goodness and greatness meet together. Persons of estate and respect in the world have more temptations and hindrances than others, but greater obligations to own God. The great landlord of the world expecteth a rent from every country cottage, but a large revenue from great houses. Now usually it falleth out so that they that hold the greatest farms pay the least rent. Never is the Lord more neglected and dishonoured than in great men’s houses, in the very face of all his bounty. If religion chance to get in there, it is soon worn out again. Though vices live long in a family, and run in a blood from father to son, yet it is a rare case to see strictness of religion carried on for three or four descents. It was the honour of Abraham’s house that from father to son for a long while they were ‘heirs of the same promise,’ Heb. xi. 9; but where is there such a succession to be found in the houses of our gentry? The father, perchance, professeth godliness (for οὐ πολλοὶ, saith the apostle, 1 Cor. i. 26, ‘not many noble,’ &c., there are a few—he doth not say there are none), and a carnal son cometh and turneth all out of doors, as if he were ashamed of his father’s God. The causes of this mischief may be supposed to be these:—(1.) Plenty ill governed disposeth to vice and sin, as a rank soil is apt to breed weeds. (2.) Brave spirits (as the world counteth them) think strictness inglorious,’ and the power of religion a base thing, that taketh off from their grandeur and esteem. A loose owning of Christianity is honourable, since the kings of the earth have counted it one of the fairest flowers of their crowns to be styled the ‘Catholic King,’ the ‘most Christian King,’ the ‘Defender of the Faith,’ &c. But a true submission to the power of it is made a scorn, as being contrary to that liberty of fashions, vanity of compliment, and some Gentile customs, which, in a fond compliance with the humour of the age, they are loath to part with. It were a rude zeal to deny them honest civilities, but certain customs and modes there are inconsistent with the severity of religion, which, rather than men will part with, they will even break with God himself. (3.) The marriage of children into carnal families, wherein they consult rather with the greatness of their house than the continuing of Christ’s interest in their line and posterity. How careful are they that they should match in their own rank for blood and estate! Should they not be as careful for religion also? But even good people give a suspicion sometimes that they do not believe what they do profess. That this is the ready way to undo all that hath been set on foot for God, is evident by scripture and experience. See Gen. vi. 1-3; Ps. cvi. 38; Neh. xiii. 25, 26. In scripture, we read of Jehoram, who is said to ‘walk in the way of the kings of Israel, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife,’ 2 Kings viii. 18; and in ecclesiastical history, of Valens the emperor, who, by marrying with an Arian lady, was himself ensnared in that wicked opinion.