Spiritual refining

Fifthly, Men may judge their Spiritual conditions the better, Because of an extraordinary strictness in Church Discipline, and Church Dispensations, when yet there is no ground at all for it: That there may be overmuch rigour in Discipline, appeareth plainly, 2 Cor. 2. 7. where the Apostle blameth them, That they did not receive into favour that incestuous person, who had truly repented: And the Apostle doth in part suppose it is part of Satan's subtle devices, when he cannot destroy a Church by profaneness, and dissoluteness, to overthrow it by too much severity. Now how many ways there may be an excess in rigid Church ways, we have upon another occasion showed: As when men hold only perfect men; or if not so, only truly godly men to be admitted into Church-fellowship; and men, though qualified with sufficient knowledge, and free from Scandal, to be debarred many privileges: As also when they think men committing such sins, were never to be received again; which was the error of Novatians and Donatists: or if they did admit such repenting, yet not for many years, in which excess the primitive Church did fall. Now all these Doctrines and Practices, having a specious pretence of more strictness, and exactness then others, is a temptation to many, that they build themselves upon these ways and manners, not at all attending to the power and life of Godliness; this is a seasonable Doctrine at this time. Oh, puff not up thy self: do not conclude great things for thy self, merely because thou judgest thy self in a more strict Doctrinal, or Church way then others. Alas these external ways profit little, but god liness profiteth to all purposes. Many times high principles, have ⟨p. 154⟩but low practices, and strict opinions, sometimes large conversations. Now the ground why these instituted, and introduced strictnesses, are not to be rested upon, is because they are not what they seem to be. We call them high things, but they are indeed low things; we call them strict things, but they are indeed large and loose things. For take this Pharisaical most exact and straight way; alas, their hearts were large and loose enough; so that all strictness, which is not commanded by Scripture, comes from a loose principle, and tends to a loose end: for it proceeds from a carnal heart, not acquiescing in Gods word as a rule:

Fifthly, Men may judge their Spiritual conditions the better, Because of an extraordinary strictness in Church Discipline, and Church Dispensations, when yet there is no ground at all for it: That there may be overmuch rigor in Discipline, appeareth plainly,