The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan

Christian questioned, "But will it not be counted a trespass against the
Lord of the city where we are going — to thus violate His revealed will?"
Formalist and Hypocrisy told Christian that he need not trouble his
head about this. For they had a tradition for what they were doing; and,
if need be — they could
produce witnesses to it —
showing that this has been
done for more than a
thousand years!
"But," Christian said, "will
your practice stand a trial at
law?"
They told him that their
tradition — being more than
a thousand years old, would
doubtless be admitted as legal
by any impartial judge.
"And besides," they said, "if we
get into the way — what does
it matter how we got there? If
we are in — we are in! You are
in the way to the Celestial City
— and you came in at the gate.
And we are in the same way — and we came tumbling over the wall. So
how is your condition any better than ours?"
Christian explained, "I walk by the rule of my Master; but you walk by
the vain working of your imaginations. You are accounted as thieves
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