7. beginning, My soul desired the first ripe fruit. So the Soul of God doth this day long after the First Fruits of every Minister, that comes among you: O, He looks into this Congregation, to see where shall be the First Fruits of the Ministry of such a one, and of such a one that comes among you, in Rom. 16. 5. It is spoken to the Honour of Epenetus, That he was the First fruits of Achaia unto Christ. O Epenetus, he is one that God did Honour, for He was the First fruits of Achaia unto Christ. And it is the Honour of England, that it was the First Kingdom that profest Christian Religion by the Authority of the Public Magistrate; and God hath some special regard to England, to this very day, I make no Question, for that: And so in any place when God comes to them, and offers the Conditions of Peace; I say, they that come First in upon this First offer, will be most acceptable unto God. Therefore do not defer, and think I may come in at last; and before I die, time enough: But if God be so timely with thy Soul, that He would have His Ministers so begin with thee, do thou Answer to God, and begin with this God betimes, and especially you that are young ones, do not you reject it. O when God shall come to thy Soul, and say, Peace be to thee; I say, take heed of rejecting the First offer. For you that are young, what though you may be guilty of much Vanity and Folly other ways, yet it may be you have not been guilty to this very day, of rejecting the offer of the Gospel: O take heed of Contracting that guilt upon you! Know if you do, it will make you a great deal harder, and that guilt will be a great deal worse, than of all your other sins besides; therefore come in betimes, as we read in Mark 10. 17. ⟨p. 157⟩There comes a young man running to Christ, and saith, Good Master, what shall I do to Inherit Eternal Life? He was a young Rich man, a Gentleman, one that had great Possessions; and the Text saith, he came running to Christ. O that God would persuade young ones, and those of Quality, seeing the Lord is pleased to begin with their Souls, that they would hasten, and come running to Christ, to know what are the Terms of Peace and Reconciliation; as it is said concerning John Baptist, in Mat. 11. 12. The Text saith, And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of Heaven, suffered violence, and the Violent take it by force.
7. beginning, My soul desired the first ripe fruit. So the Soul of God doth this day long after the First Fruits of every Minister, that comes among you: O, He looks into this Congregation, to see where shall be the First Fruits of the Ministry of such a one, and of such a one that comes among you, in Rom. 16. 5. It is spoken to the Honour of Epenetus, That he was the First fruits of Achaia unto Christ. O Epenetus, he is one that God did Honour, for He was the First fruits of Achaia unto Christ. And it is the Honour of England, that it was the First Kingdom that profest Christian Religion by the Authority of the Publick Magistrate; and God hath some special regard to England, to this very day, I make no Question, for that: And so in any place when God comes to them, and offers the Conditions of Peace; I say, they that come First in upon this First offer, will be most acceptable unto God. Therefore do not defer, and think I may come in at last; and before I die, time enough: But if God be so timely with thy Soul, that He would have His Ministers so begin with thee, do thou Answer to God, and begin with this God betimes, and especially you that are young ones, do not you reject it. O when God shall come to thy Soul, and say, Peace be to thee; I say, take heed of rejecting the First offer. For you that are young, what though you may be guilty of much Vanity and Folly other wayes, yet it may be you have not been guilty to this very day, of rejecting the offer of the Gospel: O take heed of Contracting that guilt upon you! Know if you do, it will make you a great deal harder, and that guilt will be a great deal worse, than of all your other sins besides; therefore come in betimes, as we read in Mark 10. 17. ⟨p. 157⟩There comes a young man running to Christ, and saith, Good Master, what shall I do to Inherit Eternal Life? He was a young Rich man, a Gentleman, one that had great Possessions; and the Text saith, he came running to Christ. O that God would perswade young ones, and those of Quality, seeing the Lord is pleased to begin with their Souls, that they would hasten, and come running to Christ, to know what are the Terms of Peace and Reconciliation; as it is said concerning John Baptist, in Mat. 11. 12. The Text saith, And from the dayes of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of Heaven, suffered violence, and the Violent take it by force.
