"Having a form of godliness but denying its power."
2 Timothy 3:5
All formalists have only a form, a show, a profession of
holiness—but have nothing of the reality, spirit, life, or
power of holiness in them. They have a face, a cloak, a
mask, a show of godliness—but they have nothing of the
pith, sap, life, or marrow of godliness. Their devotion,
their godliness, lies in good words. If you hearken to
their voice, you would think that they were men of
much godliness; but if you look into their hearts and
lives, you will find them to be great renouncers and
deniers of godliness. They have . . .
the semblance of godliness—but not the substance;
the lineaments of godliness—but not the life;
the face of godliness—but not the heart;
the form, the shadow of godliness—but not the power.
They are like a well-drawn picture, which has all the
lineaments of a man—but lacks life, lacks a principle
of motion and operation.
The form of godliness is common—but the power of
godliness is rare. The form of godliness is easy—but
the power of godliness is difficult. The form of godliness
exists with secret and with open wickedness—as you see
in Saul, Jehu, Judas, Simon Magus, Demas, and the
Scribes and Pharisees—but the power of godliness will
not. The power of godliness lays the axe to the very
root of all sin, both secret and open.
Rachel was very fair and beautiful to the eye—but she
was barren—and that marred all. Just so, the formalist,
he is a very fair and beautiful professor to the eye—but
he is barren Godwards, and Christwards, and heavenwards;
he is fruitless, sapless, and lifeless—and that mars all.
A formalist is . . .
more light than life,
more notion than motion,
more head than heart,
more outside than inside,
more leaves than fruit,
more shadow than substance.
A formalist is . . .
a blazing comet,
a painted tomb,
a stage-player,
a white devil, or
a devil in an angel's garb!
What would such devils do in heaven? God has a
thunderbolt for every formalist, by which He will at
last certainly strike them down to the lowest hell.
A formalist is too loathsome a thing, too heavy a
burden, for heaven to bear.
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Thomas Brooks (1608 - 1680)
Much of what is known about Thomas Brooks has been ascertained from his writings. Born, likely to well-to-do parents, in 1608, Brooks entered Emmanuel College, Cambridge in 1625, where he was preceded by such men as Thomas Hooker, John Cotton, and Thomas Shepard. He was licensed as a preacher of the Gospel by 1640. Before that date, he appears to have spent a number of years at sea, probably as a chaplain with the fleet.After the conclusion of the First English Civil War, Thomas Brooks became minister at Thomas Apostle's, London, and was sufficiently renowned to be chosen as preacher before the House of Commons on December 26, 1648. His sermon was afterwards published under the title, 'God's Delight in the Progress of the Upright', the text being Psalm 44:18: 'Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from Thy way'. Three or four years afterwards, he transferred to St. Margaret's, Fish-street Hill, London. In 1662, he fell victim to the notorious Act of Uniformity, but he appears to have remained in his parish and to have preached as opportunity arose. Treatises continued to flow from his pen.[3]
Thomas Brooks was a nonconformist preacher. Born into a Puritan family, he was sent to Emmanuel College, Cambridge. He soon became an advocate of the Congregational way and served as a chaplain in the Civil War. In 1648 he accepted the rectory of St. Margaret's, New Fish Street, London, but only after making his Congregational principles clear to the vestry.
On several occasions he preached before Parliament. He was ejected in 1660 and remained in London as a Nonconformist preacher. Government spies reported that he preached at Tower Wharf and in Moorfields. During the Great Plague and Great Fire he worked in London, and in 1672 was granted a license to preach in Lime Street. He wrote over a dozen books, most of which are devotional in character. He was buried in Bunhill Fields.