4. The way of formality, whereby men ⟨p. 119⟩rest in the performance of most, or of all external duties without inward life, Mark i.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 wil• 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, then their Religion thus taken up. This form of 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 off••d•d, take a book and pray, keep thy conscience b•tter, and bring thy Bible with thee. N•w conscience is silent, being charmed down with •he form of Religion, as the devi• is driven away (as they say) w•th holy water: partly also becau•e the form o• Religion crediteth • ma•, partly bec•u•e it is easy in it •elf, it is of a light carriage, being but •he shadow and picture of the substance of Religion▪ as now, what an easy matter is it, to come to Church? They hear (at least outwardly) very attentively, an hour and more; and then to turn to proof, and to turn down a leaf, here is the form. But now •o spend Saturday at night, and all the whole Sabbath day morning in ⟨p. 120⟩trimming the Lamb, and in getting oil in their heart, to meet the bridegroom the next day, and so meet him in the word, and therefore to tremble at the voice of God, and suck 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 men 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: but now to prepare the heart by serious meditation of God and mans self before he prays, then to come to God with a bleeding hunger-starved heart, not only with a desire, but with a warrant.
4. The way of formality, whereby men ⟨p. 119⟩rest in the performance of most, or of all external duties without inward life, Mark i.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 wil• not, because it is burd•n•om: or the form of it, and this being easie, men embrace it as their God, and will rather lose their lives, then their R•ligion thus taken up. This form of Religion is the easiest Religion in the world, partly bec•use it easeth men of trouble of conscience, quieting that. Thou hast sinned, saith conscience, and God is off••d•d, take a book and pray, keep thy con•cience b•tter, and bring thy Bible with thee. N•w conscience is silent, being charmed down with •he form of R•lig•on, as the devi• is driven away (as they say) w•th holy water: partly a•so becau•e the form o• Religion credite•h • ma•, par•ly bec•u•e it is easie in it •elf, it is of a light c•rriage, being but •he shadow and picture of the substance of Religion▪ as now, what an easie matter is it, to come to Church? They hear (at least outwardly) verie attentively, an hour and more; and then to turn to proof, and to turn down a leaf, here is the form. But now o spend Saturday at night, and all the whole Sabbath day morning in
