I think you held back your true feelings on the matter with your reponse..... giggle Just kidding!

Thanks for the insights....I believe Pilgrims Progress really captures (in an allegorical manner) the varied profiles of the nominal christian back in his day and it is surely applicable today (probably much more so).

It also seems to me the Second Reformation was a bit of an overeaction to head-only/works-based christianity that placed the outward expression of faith under the microscope to detect marks of inward spirit-based heart knowledge.....that easily can turn into a type of over-scrutinizing/over-analysis of Christian sincerity.

The mercy of God is necessary not only when a person repents, but even to lead him to repent, Augustine