Sincerity and hypocricy. Or, the sincere Christian, and hypocrite in their lively colours, standing one by the other.: Very profitable for this religion professing time. / By W.S. Serjeant at Law. Together with a tract annexed to prove; that true grace doth not lye so much in the degree as in the nature of it.

In his Peace of Conscience, joy, &c.

12. He may, from the discovery made to his soule, of the blessed estate of the Believers, and the false perswasion of his heart, bred and fed by Satan and his own flattery of himselfe, that he is one of them, and shall have his part in heaven with them, have some slight impressions of joy within him, and some kind of peace of Conscience, He may have a kind of hope and patience, to wait and look for the thing he doth believe he shall have: And by all this, think that his estate is very good, and better then o∣ther mens. And for the proof of all these things see Mat. 13 20, 21. But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that beareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it, yet hath he not root in him∣selfe, Io. 5. 35. They did for a season rejoyce in the light, &c. Heb. 6. 4, 5. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightned, (that is) that are instru∣cted by the Gospell of Christ, in the way of salvation by Christ, Ephes: 1. 18. (And have ta∣sted) that is, have had a little relish of the word, whose heart and affection is for a time taken with the newnesse and pleasantnesse of the Christian doctrine, and hath some transient mo∣tion by it, or generall disposition towards

Christ in it, a Tast like that the Cook hath by dipping his finger in the dish, and the licking of it, that is not fed or strengthned by it, or like as the child that catcheth at the breast, and doth not suck, is never the better for it. [The heaven∣ly gift] That is, either Christ the gift of God, Io. 4. 10. Or the heavenly calling, Heb: 3. 1. or a Temporary Faith (which seems to be all one) for Christ by Faith received, is the only food of the Soule Jo. 4. 14. and 6. 33, 35. And by this doth the soule live, as the body doth by the re∣ceiving in of its naturall food. [And were made partakers of the Holy Ghost] that is, Either of the common work and operation thereof in gene∣rall, or such extraordinary gifts thereof, which the Church had for that time, for the present necessity thereof, as Miracles, Prophesy, and happily some inward Revelations and Inspira∣tions that do not continue to this day in or∣dinary with the Church. [And have tasted the good word of God] (that is) ha••h some passionate apprehensions of the necessity, goodnesse, sweet∣nesse and profit of Christ, the subject of it, and the Gospell and promises of Christ, &c. and some groundlesse perswasion that it belongs to him, he hath a little relish hereof, as a child that will not, or cannot take the breast, and doth but snatch at it, hath only a tast of it, and is not fed, and nourished by it, as the child is that

doth hold, and suck its belly full. As the true believer; who doth so desire and receive the word, that he doth grow thereby, 2 Pe. 2. 2. [And the powers of the world to come.] (that is) which hath had a tast, (which must be supply∣ed) of the powers of the world to come. By these words some understand, all the Spirituall blessings, and Priviledges of the Gospell Church, as a tast of Christ, the common gifts of the spirit; outward, Prophesy, Prayer, and the like: Inward, as Faith, Hope, Joy, and the like. And others understand by it the joys of Heaven. And so that as the Israelites did tast of the fruits of the Land of Canaan, and never came there to eat thereof; So some Hypocrites may have some litle tast of the ioves of Heaven, that shall never come there. And in both senses, but especially in this last sense it seems to be thus farre intended, that upon his contemplati∣on of Heaven, he may be in a rapture: the o∣ther things being included in the former words. See for this Mat. 13. 20, 21, 22. Numb: 23. 10. and 24. 2, 3, &c. and 13. 26. and 14. 27. &c.