Kaina kai palaia Things new and old, or, A store-house of similies, sentences, allegories, apophthegms, adagies, apologues, divine, morall, politicall, &c. : with their severall applications / collected and observed from the writings and sayings of the learned in all ages to this present by John Spencer ...

[ 2002] God hardly accepting of late service done unto him.

IT is observable,* 1.1 that there were three payments of first Fruits amongst the Iews; The first was primitiae spicarum, the first Fruits of their ears of Corn early about Easter;* 1.2 The second was primitiae panum, the first-Fruits of their loaves, and that was somewhat early too, about Whitsontide; And the third was primitiae Frugum, the fruits of all their latter fruits in general, and that was very late, about the fall of the leaf, in September; In the two first pay∣ments, which were offered early, God accepted a part for himself; but in the third payment,* 1.3 which came late, God would have no part at all. Even so, if we offer the first Fruits of our young years early unto God, he will accept of them as seasonably done; but if we give our best years unto Sathan, sacrifice the flower of our youth unto sin,* 1.4 serve the World, and follow after the lusts of our flesh while we are young, & put all the burthen of duty upon our weak, fee∣ble and decrepit old age, give our first years to Sathan, and the last, unto God, sure it is, that as he then refused such sacrifices under the Law, he will not easi∣ly receive them now in the time of the Gospel.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Levit. 23.
• * 1.2

  St. Menochius de Repub. He∣braeorum li••. 2. cap. 16.
• * 1.3

  Tolle moras; semper nocuit differe para∣tis.
• * 1.4

  Lucan. 22.