XX.

SOme Christians have been earnest and curious that they might know the very day of their conversion; the time of their Spiritual Nativity, when there was an accesse of joy among the Angels in Hea∣ven because a new Saint was borue to it; the day from which as the Epocha of their salvation they are to date the beginning of their Happinesse; that they might set a marke upon it, and make it signal in their Calendar in a scarlet-Text as the Day of their Second Birth. But let it not be so much my care to Page  52 know when I commenced Be∣liever as to assure my selfe that, the day is past, and the happy work wrought. The voice by which God raiseth a sinner from the dead, is not always accompanyed with thunder and Tempest, but sometimes it is a still voice: He sometimes co∣meth early and preventeth Satan's harvest, and stealeth into the Creatur's bosome si∣lently and undiscernedly be∣fore any Giant-sin hath deflour'd the soul; and then by no token can we retrive or finde out the determinate season, by the most careful search. Some in the Spiritual travel of their second birth have few or no painful panges, while others have sharpe and grievous Page  53 throwes which make them re∣member the time as long as they live; as the women of Is∣rael were sprightful and quick and lively in ther delivery▪ un∣like the Egyptians. The streams of grace may be large and full, where yet the head of it may be undiscovered, as the river Nilus hath a great and plenti∣ful current, yet his springe is unknown: The Sun may rise with his head veil'd under a cloud, and unobserved, and yet after appear in full strength and glory. S. Paul had his eye upon the Goale,* and forgetting those things which are behind, press•d forward towards those things which are before: and (in allusion to his practise) we should not so much busy our Page  54 selves to know where we first made our start, as minde the running of our Race.