Four books on the eleventh of Matthew

but the ease of a carnal heart comes from the formality of a Duty, as because the Duty is formal, and he thinks that it is the Yoke of Christ and this is pretty well, it is easy indeed, to have no other Yoke than this, to worship God in a few words, and not to have the power of Godliness in the Duty. And so we might instance in the hearing of the word, you come to the word barely, you rise out of your bed, and come and sit here an hour, that is easy enough, but now if you come to the word with preparation, and think now I am going into the presence of God, to hear what God hath to say to my Soul this morning, Oh, my Soul, what is it that is in thee amiss? What is it that thou wouldest fain have the word come close unto, to help thee against? What is the special corruption thou wouldest have the word to mortify in thee? If now you set your selves before you come to the word, to examine your hearts, and when you are there, to attend to the word as that which is your life, upon which your eternal ⟨p. 655⟩estate depends, and so to sanctify the name of God in his word, and not to dare to cast off any truth, knowing that your Soul may lie upon that very truth, and to drink in the word of God in every thing that is revealed according to Gods mind, this will be a very hard thing, you will complain of almost an intolerable Burden. But now a gracious heart finds more ease, when it Sanctifies God in the power of Godliness in hearing the word, than in a formal Duty. Alas! when such a one comes in a formal way, and goes away and gets nothing, such a one is troubled at such a Sermon, it brings more Burden and grief to such a heart, to come to the word and not find profit by the word, than any other thing can do, almost nothing can be more difficult than this. You find no difference, you come to the word and you get nothing, and you go away with as much comfort as at other times, it is as easy to you; but now a Gracious heart cannot find ease except he finds Christ in the Duty, but you can find ease in holy Duties though you never find Jesus Christ in holy Duties; I appeal to you, if this thing God would be pleased to settle upon the hearts of Men and Women, it might be a very great settlement to their hearts, you perform holy Duties, What is the ease in holy Duties?

but the ease of a carnall heart comes from the formality of a Duty, as because the Duty is formall, and he thinks that it is the Yoke of Christ and this is pretty wel, it is easie indeed, to have no other Yoke than this, to worship God in a few words, and not to have the power of Godliness in the Duty. And so we might instance in the hearing of the word, you come to the word barely, you rise out of your bed, and come and sit here an hour, that is easie enough, but now if you come to the word with preparation, and think now I am going into the presence of God, to hear what God hath to say to my Soul this morning, Oh, my Soul, what is it that is in thee amiss? What is it that thou wouldest fain have the word come close unto, to help thee against? What is the speciall corruption thou wouldest have the word to mortifie in thee? If now you set your selves before you come to the word, to examin your hearts, and when you are there, to attend to the word as that which is your life, upon which your eternall