The real Christian, or, A treatise of effectual calling wherein the work of God…

Various, First, For Time. ¹Some who lived in a course of sin, who walked in the ways of their hearts, and in the sight of their eyes, as Solomon Ironically bids the young man, Eccles. 11.9. can tell the time, the day, the Text, the Sermon, the Minister, when God put a stop to their course, opening their eyes, awakening their consciences, made their sweet morsels turn bitter; others can tell the signsl Providence of God, with which he was pleased to work, some sharp affliction it may be he sent, and sealed instruction, Job 33.16 But others cannot tell the time, when God began to work; and this have been to some a long time an objection against the truth of their regeneration, because they cannot tell the time of their new birth; as if all the regenerated persons in the Scripture knew the time when God began to work; as if there were any ground in Scripture for such a Position, All that are new born know the time of their now birth: What Divine, that did deserve the name of a Gospel-Minister, did ever deliver such a Doctrine? Doth not God many times in infancy, in childhood, cast in the immortal Seed, which being watered by the instructions and care of godly Parents at home, who are dropping upon their Children ever and anon, and by the lively Word preached, springeth and groweth up, the poor Christian knoweth not how, Mark 4.27. Some Christians finding at some time more stirrings, and higher workings, or new convictions of some sin, under the Ordinances, then they did before, will from thence reckon the time of their new birth; when they are much mistaken, God had begun it before. This is a mere vanity and devils delusion, to trouble thy self about the time; look to the ⟨p. 14⟩work that it be soundly wrought, but I would never trouble my self about the time: Many can tell the time, when God did awaken their Consciences, and set home sin upon them with legal terrors; they can tell the Minister and the Text, but they could not tell of a sound work of conversion, as the event hath proved.

Various, First, For Time. ¹