The four last things viz. death, judgment, heaven, hell, practically considered and applied in…

From hence we may discover the vanity of their Hopes, that are of lukewarm Affections in Religion, (the abhorred character of Laodicea) who esteem it a prudent Principle, as convenient for their carnal ease and interest, not to be earnest in following Holiness. Vices in mediocrity are tolerable with them, only the excess is condemned. They content themselves with a mediocrity in Religion, and are presumptuous and secure, as the Church that said, I am rich, and have need of nothing. They boast as if they had found out the temperate Region between the burning Line and the frozen Pole. They account all that is above their degrees in Religion, to be furious or indiscreet Zeal, and all below to be dead, cold Profaneness. They censure those for Hypocrisy or unnecessary Strictness, who are visibly better, and stand upon proud comparisons with those who are visibly worse. And thus set off themselves by taxing others. But how easily do Men deceive and damn themselves? ⟨p. 395⟩Can we have too much of Heaven upon the Earth? Can we become too like God, when a perfect conformity to him is our Duty and Felicity? Indeed Moral Virtue consists in a Mediocrity, not of the habitual Quality, but of the Affections and Actions between the vicious extremities. Fortitude consists in the mean between Cowardice, and rash Boldness; but how much the more confirmed the courageous Habit is, so much the more a Man excels in that Virtue. Liberality consists between an indiscreet Profuseness, and sordid Avarice; Patience between a soft Delicacy, and stupid Insensibility. Thus Philosophic Virtue glories in its Beauty as pure and entire, between two vicious Deformities. And the Religion of many is Paganism dressed up in a Christian Fashion. But this mediocrity only belongs to inferior Virtues, that respect things of created limited goodness, and is determined according to the worth of their Nature. But divine Graces respect an Object supremely Good, and their perfection consists in their most excellent degrees, and the most intense Affections and Operations that are leading to it. Faith in its Obedience, Hope in its Assurance, ⟨p. 396⟩Love in its Ardour can never exceed. When the Object is Infinite, a mediocrity is vicious. Humility can never descend too low, nor Love ascend too high:

From hence we may discover the vanity of their Hopes, that are of lukewarm Affections in Religion, (the abhorr'd character of Laodicea) who esteem it a prudent Principle, as convenient for their carnal ease and interest, not to be earnest in following Holiness. Vices in mediocrity are tolerable with them, only the excess is condemned. They content themselves with a mediocrity in Religion, and are presumptuous and secure, as the Church that said, I am rich, and have need of nothing. They boast as if they had found out the temperate Region between the burning Line and the frozen Pole. They account all that is above their degrees in Religion, to be furious or indiscreet Zeal, and all below to be dead, cold Profaneness. They censure those for Hypocrisy or unnecessary Strictness, who are visibly better, and stand upon proud comparisons with those who are visibly worse. And thus set off themselves by taxing others. But how easily do Men deceive and damn themselves?