Inward and spiritual duties of religion – Thomas Brooks

Christians who have but small measures of grace and holiness; and hypocrites and formalists who have not the least measure of true grace and holiness these are most commonly exercised and busied about the external duties and services of religion; but very seldom, very rare, shall you find them in the more inward and spiritual duties of religion.

The external duties of religion are . . .
hearing the word preached,
reading the word,
fasting,
singing of psalms,
Christian fellowship, and
receiving the Lord’s supper.

The internal and spiritual duties of religion are . . .
self-examination,
self-resignation to God,
self-loathing,
self-judging,
divine meditation,
praying in the Spirit,
watchfulness over the heart,

making application of . . .
the blood of Christ,
the death of Christ,
the grace of Christ,
the love of Christ,
the word of Christ to one’s own soul.