Ver.4. their Condition in re#et ofInherent Grace. hathbeen fpokcn with reference unto the state of Regenerati- on in.General, may be applyed unto every particular objekion or caufe of fear or difcouragement that may be reduced to that head. Such are all Objections that arife from particular fins, from Aggravations of tin by their greatnefs or circumttances, or relapfes into them. The way that tha confideration of there things prevail upon the mind unto fears, is by begetting an apprehen(îon in men that they are not Regenerate ; for if they were, they fuppofc they could not be. fo overtaken or en- tangled. The Rules therefore laid down_ are fuited to the ftreights of the fouls of (inners in all filch particular cafes. Lately, There was fomewhat in particular added in theclofe of the Objefion, which although it be not direóly in our way, nor of any great importance in it fclf, yet having been mentioned it is not unrneet to remove it out of the way, that it may not leave intanglement upon the minds of any. Now this is, that fome know not, nor can give an account of the Time of their converton unto God, and therefore cannot be fatif- ficd that the faving work of his grace hath paffed upon them. This is ufually and ordinarily fpokcn unto, And I (hall there- fore brieflt give an account concerning.it. r. It hath been íhewed that in this matter, there are many things whereon we may regularly Bund a Judgement concern- ingour felves ; and it is great folly to wave them all, and put the iffue of the matter upon one cirenrrrjfance. If a man have a tryal at law wherein he bath many evidences fpeaking for him, only one circumfiance is dubious and in que(lion ; He will not cafe the weight of his Caufeon that difputed circutnftance, but will plead thofe Evidences that axe more clear, and te(tifìe more fully in his behalf. I will not deny but that this matter of the time of con.verfion is oftimes an important circumfiance In the affirmative when it is known it is of great ufe tending to (lability and confolation ; but yet it is (lilt but a circumftance, fuch as that the being of the thing it fell doth not depend upon. He that is alive may know that he was born, though he know neither the place where, nor the time when he was fo. And fo may he that is ß,irituafly alive, and bath ground of evidence that he is fo, that he was born again, though he knew neither X z when 349
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