Let us come forth in our season. The Stars are brought forth in theirs, and shall not we! happy are they that come forth, and bring forth in their season. To hit time is a mercy as well as a duty! Paul indeed said of himself, (1 Cor. 15.8.) that he was an abortive, or born out of due time. An abortive in nature, is one that comes into the world before the due time. Paul, as to his spiritual birth or new birth through grace, was not, nor can any one be new-born before the due time. We may rather say, that we are new-born too late than too soon, or before our time. Paul might say he had been too long a proud Pharisee, a formal professor, and at last, a persecutor of those who professed the truth of the Gospel in truth; and therefore in that sense Paul was not an abortive, or born out of due time, namely, before his time: But Paul might say so of himself, that he was so, First, Because he was the last of the Apostles that was called. The other Apostles were called by Christ, while he lived here on earth: Paul was called by Christ from heaven, after his death and departure from the earth. Secondly, He was born like an abortive, or those that come out of due time, because of the violence, and grievous pangs which accompanied his new-birth: He was smitten from his horse to the ground, and lay as one dead in his passage to his new-life. Such was the suddenness and violence of his conversion, that it was most like an abortion. Thirdly, The Apostle himself seems to give the reason in the next Verse; we know abortives are usually very weak and imperfect children, and less in body than those born in due time. Now such was Saint Pauls humility, so low was he in his own thoughts, that he calls himself (vers. 9.) the least of the Apostles, not meet to be called an Apostle. In all these, or in any of these notions, the Apostle Paul might say he was born out of due time; yet both as to the truth and seasonableness of his conversion, he was born in due time and in his full time. Now as there is a due time, a season for our spiritual birth, so for our ⟨p. 249⟩fruit-bearing in spirituals. It is said of every godly man (Psal. 1.3.) He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season, that is, seasonable fruit. The Stars appear in their season, and so should the fruits of every Gospel-professor.
Let us come forth in our season. The Stars are brought forth in theirs, and shall not we! happy are they that come forth, and bring forth in their season. To hit time is a mercy as well as a duty! Paul indeed said of himself, (1 Cor. 15.8.) that he was an abortive, or born out of due time. An abortive in nature, is one that comes into the world before the due time. Paul, as to his spiritual birth or new birth through grace, was not, nor can any one be new-born before the due time. We may rather say, that we are new-born too late than too soon, or before our time. Paul might say he had been too long a proud Pharisie, a formal professor, and at last, a persecutor of those who professed the truth of the Gospel in truth; and therefore in that sence Paul was not an abortive, or born out of due time, namely, before his time: But Paul might say so of himself, that he was so, First, Because he was the last of the Apostles that was called. The other Apostles were called by Christ, while he lived here on earth: Paul was called by Christ from heaven, after his death and departure from the earth. Secondly, He was born like an abortive, or those that come out of due time, because of the violence, and grievous pangs which accompanied his new-birth: He was smitten from his horse to the ground, and lay as one dead in his passage to his new-life. Such was the suddenness and violence of his conversion, that it was most like an abortion. Thirdly, The Apostle himself seems to give the reason in the next Verse; we know abortives are usually very weak and imperfect children, and less in body than those born in due time. Now such was Saint Pauls humility, so low was he in his own thoughts, that he calls himself (vers. 9.) the least of the Apostles, not meet to be called an Apostle. In all these, or in any of these notions, the Apostle Paul might say he was born out of due time; yet both as to the truth and seasonableness of his conversion, he was born in due time and in his full time. Now as there is a due time, a season for our spiritual birth, so for our ⟨p. 249⟩fruit-bearing in spirituals. It is said of every godly man (Psal. 1.3.) He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season, that is, seasonable fruit. The Stars appear in their season, and so should the fruits of every Gospel-professor.
