4. The way of formality, whereby §4men rest in the performance of most or of all external duties without inward life, Mark. 1. 14. Every man must have some Religion, some fig-leaves to hide their nakedness. Now this Religion must be either true Religion, or the false one; if the true, he must either take up the power of it, but that he will not, because it is burdensome: or the form of it, and this being easy, men embrace it as their God, and will rather lose their lives, than their Religion thus taken up. This form of ⟨p. 150⟩Religion is the easiest Religion in the world; partly because it easeth men of trouble of conscience, quieting that: Thou hast sinned, saith conscience, and God is offended; take a book and pray, keep thy conscience better, and bring thy Bible with thee. Now conscience is silent, being charmed down with the form of Religion, as the devil is driven away (as they say) with holy water; partly also because the form of Religion credits a man, partly because it is easy in it self, it's of a light carriage, being but the shadow and picture of the substance of Religion: as now, what an easy matter is it, to come to Church? They hear (at least out wardly) very attentively an hour and more, and then to turn to a proof, and to turn down a leaf, here's the form. But now to spend saturday at night, and all the whole Sabbath day morning in trimming the Lamp, and in getting oil in the heart, to meet the bridegroom the next day, and so meet him in the word, and there to tremble at the voice of God, and suck ⟨p. 151⟩the breast while it is open, and when the word is done, to go aside privately, and there to chew upon the word, there to lament with tears all the vain thoughts in duties, deadness in hearing, this is hard, because this is the power of godliness, and this men will not take up: so for private prayer, what an easy matter it is for a man to say over a few prayers out of some devout book, or to repeat some old prayer got by heart since a child, or to have two or three short-winded wishes for GODS mercy in the morning and at night; this form is easy:
4. The way of formalitie, whereby §4men rest in the performance of most or of all externall duties without inward life, Mark. 1. 14. Every man must have some Religion, some fig-leaves to hide their nakednesse. Now this Religion must be either true Religion, or the false one; if the true, he must either take up the power of it, but that hee will not, because it is burdensome: or the forme of it, and this being easie, men embrace it as their God, and will rather lose their lives, than their Religion thus taken up. This forme of ⟨p. 150⟩Religion is the easiest Religion in the world; partly because it easeth men of trouble of conscience, quieting that: Thou hast sinned, saith conscience, and God is offended; take a book and pray, keepe thy conscience better, and bring thy Bible with thee. Now conscience is silent, being charmed downe with the forme of Religion, as the devill is driven away (as they say) with holy water; partly also because the forme of Religion credits a man, partly because it is easie in it selfe, it's of a light carriage, being but the shadow and picture of the substance of Religion: as now, what an easie matter is it, to come to Church? They heare (at least out wardly) very attentively an houre and more, and then to turne to a proofe, and to turne downe a leafe, here's the forme. But now to spend saturday at night, and all the whole Sabbath day morning in trimming the Lampe, and in getting oyle in the heart, to meete the bridegroome the next day, and so meete him in the word, and there to tremble at the voice of God, and suck ⟨p. 151⟩the brest while it is open, and when the word is done, to goe aside privately, and there to chew upon the word, there to lament with teares all the vaine thoughts in duties, deadnesse in hearing, this is hard, because this is the power of godlinesse, and this men will not take up: so for private prayer, what an easie matter it is for a man to say over a few prayers out of some devout booke, or to repeate some old prayer got by heart since a childe, or to have two or three short-winded wishes for GODS mercy in the morning and at night; this forme is easie:
