6. When there is a discernible Proneness to oppose the great things of the Gospel to one another, and to exalt or magnify one, above or against another. It is too plain this may more commonly come under Observation, than it doth under that reprehension which it deserves. For instance, those two great things that I mentioned at first, Justification and Sanctification, both very great things, of most apparent and confessed necessity to the Salvation and Blessedness of the Souls of Men: Justification, that a man's state may be good; Sanctification, that the temper of his Soul may become so. But is it not too common to magnify one of these above or against the other? To contend and dispute with great Fervour concerning the higher Value and Excellency, the Dignity or Precedency of this or that, and to which the Preference belongs; to be so much taken up about the one, as seldom to think of the other; and it may be not well to savour and relish the mention of it? Some are so taken ⟨p. 51⟩up about the business of Justification, (that admirable vouchsafement of Grace to Sinners!) that they care not to hear of Sanctification; and so all their Religion is Foreign to them, or lies in somewhat without them, or in a mere relative thing, that alters not their Spirits. A strange Religion! that makes a man nothing the better man. Or notwithstanding which he is in the habitual frame of his Soul, as bad as ever, vain, terrene, worldly-minded, proud, passionate, wrathful, malicious, vindictive, false, deceitful, perhaps (for that is not worse than the rest) very impurely sensual. But (no Man can tell why, nor to be sure he himself) he takes himself to be a justified person: And perhaps his Imagination of it raises in him a sort of rapturous, unaccountable Joy, without ground or root, and which will not only wither, but turn (without a seasonable and merciful change) into endless horror, weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth! A fearful and most surprising Issue and Disappointment of an high and unmisgiving Confidence, and expectation to ⟨p. 52⟩be saved! With others, whose Temper, Circumstances or Temptations have less inclined them to rejoicing, their Religion is made up of tormenting Anxieties and Fears, and consists in the daily revolving of perpetual endless Doubts, whether they are justified or no; without any direct, formed design of being or doing good;
6. When there is a discernable Proneness to oppose the great things of the Gospel to one another, and to exalt or magnifie one, above or against another. It is too plain this may more commonly come under Observation, than it doth under that reprehension which it deserves. For instance, those two great things that I mentioned at first, Justification and Sanctification, both very great things, of most apparent and confessed necessity to the Salvation and Blessedness of the Souls of Men: Justification, that a man's state may be good; Sanctification, that the temper of his Soul may become so. But is it not too common to magnify one of these above or against the other? To contend and dispute with great Fervour concerning the higher Value and Excellency, the Dignity or Precedency of this or that, and to which the Preference belongs; to be so much taken up about the one, as seldom to think of the other; and it may be not well to savour and relish the mention of it? Some are so taken ⟨p. 51⟩up about the business of Justification, (that admirable vouchsafement of Grace to Sinners!) that they care not to hear of Sanctification; and so all their Religion is Foreign to them, or lies in somewhat without them, or in a meer relative thing, that alters not their Spirits. A strange Religion! that makes a man nothing the better man. Or notwithstanding which he is in the habitual frame of his Soul, as bad as ever, vain, terrene, worldly-minded, proud, passionate, wrathful, malicious, vindictive, false, deceitful, perhaps (for that is not worse than the rest) very impurely sensual. But (no Man can tell why, nor to be sure he himself) he takes himself to be a justified person: And perhaps his Imagination of it raises in him a sort of rapturous, unaccountable Joy, without ground or root, and which will not only wither, but turn (without a seasonable and merciful change) into endless horror, weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth! A fearful and most surprizing Issue and Disappointment of an high and unmisgiving Confidence, and expectation to ⟨p. 52⟩be saved! With others, whose Temper, Circumstances or Temptations have less inclin'd them to rejoycing, their Religion is made up of tormenting Anxieties and Fears, and consists in the daily revolving of perpetual endless Doubts, whether they are justify'd or no; without any direct, formed design of being or doing good;
