Four books on the eleventh of Matthew

Secondly, Another difference is this, a carnal heart may have some ease in duties of religion, in the yoke of Christ, but it is because he mistakes the yoke of Christ, it is because he doth not know the yoke of Christ, he thinks that the yoke of Christ is only some external duties that Christ requires, or to keep from some gross sins, and now and then to say his prayers, and now and then to read a chapter, and come to Church, and to receive Sacraments, he thinks this is all that Christ requires of him, what needs any more to do then this? May not I go to Heaven as well with this, as with keeping so much a do as others do? and he thinks here is the yoke of Christ, and this is fine and easy indeed. If this were the way that would bring to Heaven, it were a very easy matter to go to Heaven, that is, for a man to keep from a gross foul sin, that would make him odious in the place where he lives, and for him only to come from his house, and sit an hour or two and hear a Sermon, and come at Easter and other times and receive the Sacrament, this is the easiest thing in the world, who would not go to Heaven if this were all: But now, if thou wert acquainted with the spiritualness of holy duties that Jesus Christ requires, with the power of Godliness that there is in holy duties that Christ requires in the word, mortification of thy Lust, and the keeping of thy thoughts, and of thy heart holy and spiritual▪ he requires that thou shouldest serve the Lord thy God withal thy heart and all thy might, if thou knewest (I say) the spiritualness of holy duties, and the power of Godliness that is in holy duties, then it would be an intolerable burden to thee, it ⟨p. 653⟩would be very grievous to a carnal heart to put it self under the spiritual acts of Religion; to put it self under the outward acts of Religion that is easy, but to put it self upon the inward acts of Religion, they would find that to be somewhat indeed. For one that hath learned a Prayer, to go and say it over, and read it in a Book: What an easy matter is that part of Religion? for a man in the morning and evening, to go and turn over two or three Leaves, and shake himself and go away, and then there is Religion for all that day.

Secondly, Another difference is this, a carnall heart may have some ease in duties of religion, in the yoke of Christ, but it is because he mistakes the yoke of Christ, it is because he doth not know the yoke of Christ, he thinks that the yoke of Christ is only some external duties that Christ requires, or to keep from some grosse sins, and now and then to say his prayers, and now and then to read a chapter, and come to Church, and to receive Sacraments, he thinks this is all that Christ requires of him, what needs any more to do then this? May not I go to Heaven as well with this, as with keeping so much a do as others do? and he thinks here is the yoke of Christ, and this is fine and easy indeed. If this were the way that would bring to Heaven, it were a very easy matter to go to Heaven, that is, for a man to keep from a gross foul sin, that would make him odious in the place where he lives, and for him only to come from his house, and sit an hour or two and heare a Sermon, and come at Easter and other times and receive the Sacrament, this is the easiest thing in the world, who would not go to Heaven if this were all: But now, if thou wert acquainted with the spiritualness of holy duties that Jesus Christ requires, with the power of Godliness that there is in holy duties that Christ requires in the word, mortification of thy Lust, and the keeping of thy thoughts, and of thy heart holy and spiritual he requires that thou shouldest serve the Lord thy God withal thy heart and all thy might, if thou knewest (I say) the spiritualness of holy duties, and the power of Godliness that is in holy duties, then it would be an intolerable burden to thee, it