A cloud of faithful witnesses, leading to the heavenly Canaan, or, A commentary upon…A cloud of faithfull witnesses, leading to the heauenly Canaan, or, A commentarie vpon…

Now whereas it is said, Ages, that is, times and seasons were ordained of God; we learn, that if time be a creature or an ordinance of God (created for so great purposes, as to be the measure of all things) Take heed then of abusing so excellent an ordinance: if thou hast spent it well, spend it still better. Time is so good a thing, it cannot be spent well enough. But hast thou misspent time (that is to abuse it) Take S. Pauls counsel, Eph. 5.16. Redeem the time: that is, seeing what is past cannot be recalled; then recompense the loss of it, by the well bestowing of time to come. Spend every hour well: and that thou mayest do so, be always either doing good to other, or receiving good from other: do either, and time is well spent. And take heed thou be not of the number of those that often say, they cannot tell how to drive away time: and therefore they devise many toys, & conceits, and vain pleasures; yea, many wicked & unlawful delights: and all to shift off (as they say) and deceive the time. It is wonderful to see, that the wicked, whose time of joy is only in this world, should seek to hasten it, & make it seem shorter; yet so it is, the devil blinding them: but however it is, seem it shorter or longer, that same one sin of misspending their time, shall condemn them if they had no more: for if account must be given for every idle word, ¹a fearful account remains to be made for so many idle hours. Let us then be very careful in the use of this good ordinance of God, and never devise how to pass away time: for there is no man that is a profitable member in the place where he is, that can find one hour so idle, that he knows not how to employ it, either in receiving or doing some good.

Now whereas it is said, Ages, that is, times and seasons were ordained of God; we learne, that if time be a creature or an ordinance of God (created for so great purposes, as to be the measure of all things) Take heed then of abusing so excellent an ordinance: if thou hast spent it well, spend it still better. Time is so good a thing, it cannot be spent well enough. But hast thou misspent time (that is to abuse it) Take S. Pauls counsell, Eph. 5.16. Redeeme the time: that is, seeing what is past cannot be recall'd; then recompence the losse of it, by the well bestowing of time to come. Spend euerie houre well: and that thou maist do so, be alwaies either doing good to other, or receiuing good from other: doe either, and time is well spent. And take heede thou be not of the number of those that often say, they cannot tell how to driue away time: and therfore they deuise many toyes, & cō ceits, and vaine pleasures; yea, many wicked & vnlawful delights: and all to shift off (as they say) and deceiue the time. It is wonderfull to see, that the wicked, whose time of ioy is onely in this world, should seeke to hasten it, & make it seem shorter; yet so it is, the diuel blinding them: but howeuer it is, seeme it shorter or longer, that same one sinne of misspending their time, shall condemne them if they had no more: for if account must be giuen for euery idle word,