We will add yet one cause more of this general disease, why we have the form without the power: that is, 1because in men there is a common light which will go so far as to approve of the formality of Religion; but they want so much light as to distinguish of the power and life of Religion, to approve that. I speak now of a mans own heart, not of others. There are two things in Religion; there is a formality, a common care of worshipping God, a form of godliness. And there is besides this, the life and the power: that which is called the new creature, that which is called regeneration, that which is called the change of the heart. Now a man that hath the common light, that is not yet sanctified, he can go so far as to approve the first, to say, it is good in me, and it is good in others, it is fit that God should be worshipped, something should be done. A man hath as much light as the moral Law, and as a common illumination can afford him. And therefore we see men that are not yet regenerate, that are not acquainted with the life of Religion, they can approve of moral honesty, of just dealing between man and man, of a common care of serving of God, which indeed is good and excellent; ⟨p. 261⟩only we find fault with this, that there is no more; if there be no more, it is but a form. Now I say, the common light which every man hath, will go so far as to approve this. But come now to the life and power, there is required a sanctified light, a peculiar light, which is given but to few: no man hath it till he be regenerate and born again, till God hath put it into him by his holy Spirit. Now because this light is rare, it is but thin sown: hence it is that there are but few that find out the beauty and excellency of the power of godliness, but rather dislike it, and disapprove it, because they have not light enough to see it. But the common light is frequent and ordinary, and hence it is that the form of godliness is common, whereas the life and power is rare.
We will add yet one cause more of this general disease, why we have the form without the power: that is, 1because in men there is a common light which will go so far as to approve of the formality of Religion; but they want so much light as to distinguish of the power and life of Religion, to approve that. I speak now of a mans own heart, not of others. There are two things in Religion; there is a formality, a common care of worshipping God, a form of godliness. And there is besides this, the life and the power: that which is called the new creature, that which is called regeneration, that which is called the change of the heart. Now a man that hath the common light, that is not yet sanctified, he can go so far as to approve the first, to say, it is good in me, and it is good in others, it is fit that God should be worshipped, something should be done. A man hath as much light as the moral Law, and as a common illumination can afford him. And therefore we see men that are not yet regenerate, that are not acquainted with the life of Religion, they can approve of moral honesty, of just dealing between man and man, of a common care of serving of God, which indeed is good and excellent; ⟨p. 261⟩onely we find fault with this, that there is no more; if there be no more, it is but a form. Now I say, the common light which every man hath, will go so far as to approve this. But come now to the life and power, there is required a sanctified light, a peculiar light, which is given but to few: no man hath it till he be regenerate and born again, till God hath put it into him by his holy Spirit. Now because this light is rare, it is but thin sown: hence it is that there are but few that find out the beauty and excellency of the power of godliness, but rather dislike it, and disapprove it, because they have not light enough to see it. But the common light is frequent and ordinary, and hence it is that the form of godliness is common, whereas the life and power is rare.
- 1Reas. 4. It agrees with the common light of nature
