Part 1 › Chapter 5 › Tit. 2. Directions Contemplative for Redeeming Opportunity., A Christian Directory by Richard Baxter (1673) | AskReformation

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§. 38. Direct. 1. THE first point in the art of Redeeming Time, is, to dispatch first with greatest ¹care and diligence, the greatest works, of absolute necessity, which must be done, or else we are undone for ever. First, see that the great work of a sound conversion or sanctification be certainly wrought within you: Make sure of your saving interest in Christ: get proof of your adoption and peace with God, and right to everlasting life: Be able to prove to your Consciences from the word of God, and from your Regenerate Heavenly hearts and lives, that your souls are justified and safe; and may comfortably receive the news of death, when ever it shall be sent to call you hence: And then, when you have done but this much of your work, you will incur no such loss of Time, as will prove the loss of your souls or happiness. Though still there is much more work to do, for your selves and others, yet when this much is soundly done, you have secured the main. If you lose the Time in which you should be renewed by the spirit of Christ, and in which you should lay up your treasure in Heaven, you are lost for ever. Be sure therefore that you look first to this: And then if you lose but the Time in which you might have grown rich or got preferment; your loss is tolerable; you know the worst of it: You may see to the end of it. Yea, if you lose the Time in which you should increase in Holiness, and edify others, the loss is grievous; but yet it will not lose you Heaven: Therefore as Solomon directeth the Husbandman, Prov. 24. 27. Prepare thy work without and make it fit for thy self in the field; and afterwards build thine house: so I advise you, to see first that the necessary work be done: when that's done, and well done, you may go quietly and cheerfully about the rest: seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness; O what a deal is done when this is done?

§. 38. Direct. 1. THE first point in the art of Redeeming Time, is, to dispatch first with greatest ¹care and diligence, the greatest works, of absolute necessity, which must be done, or else we are undone for ever. First, see that the great work of a sound conversion or sanctification be certainly wrought within you: Make sure of your saving interest in Christ: get proof of your adoption and peace with God, and right to everlasting life: Be able to prove to your Consciences from the word of God, and from your Regenerate Heavenly hearts and lives, that your souls are justified and safe; and may comfortably receive the news of death, when ever it shall be sent to call you hence: And then, when you have done but this much of your work, you will incur no such loss of Time, as will prove the loss of your souls or happiness. Though still there is much more work to do, for your selves and others, yet when this much is soundly done, you have secured the main. If you lose the Time in which you should be renewed by the spirit of Christ, and in which you should lay up your treasure in Heaven, you are lost for ever. Be sure therefore that you look first to this: And then if you lose but the Time in which you might have grown rich or got preferment; your loss is tolerable; you know the worst of it: You may see to the end of it. Yea, if you lose the Time in which you should increase in Holiness, and edifie others, the loss is grievous; but yet it will not lose you Heaven: Therefore as Solomon directeth the Husbandman, Prov. 24. 27. Prepare thy work without and make it fit for thy self in the field; and afterwards build thine house: so I advise you, to see first that the necessary work be done: when that's done, and well done, you may go quietly and cheerfully about the rest: seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness; O what a deal is done when this is done?

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§. 39. Direct. 2. Learn to understand well the degrees of duties, which is the greater and which the less, ¹that when two seem to require your Time at once, you may know which of them to prefer. Not only to know which is simply and in it self the greatest, but which is the greatest for you, and at that season, and as considered in all the circumstances. A great part of the art of Redeeming Time, consisteth in the wise discerning and performing of this; to give precedency to the greatest duty. He loseth his Time, who is getting a penny when he might get a pound: who is visiting his Neighbour, when he should be attending his Prince: who is Weeding his Garden, when he should be quenching a fire in his house, though he be doing that which in it self is good. So is he losing his Time who is preferring his body before his soul; or man before God; or indifferent things before necessary; or private duties before public; or less edifying before the more edifying; or Sacrifice before necessary mercy. The order of good works I have showed you before, Chap. 3. Dir. 10. which you may peruse.

§. 39. Direct. 2. Learn to understand well the degrees of duties, which is the greater and which the less, ¹that when two seem to require your Time at once, you may know which of them to prefer. Not only to know which is simply and in it self the greatest, but which is the greatest for you, and at that season, and as considered in all the circumstances. A great part of the art of Redeeming Time, consisteth in the wise discerning and performing of this; to give precedency to the greatest duty. He loseth his Time, who is getting a penny when he might get a pound: who is visiting his Neighbour, when he should be attending his Prince: who is Weeding his Garden, when he should be quenching a fire in his house, though he be doing that which in it self is good. So is he losing his Time who is preferring his body before his soul; or man before God; or indifferent things before necessary; or private duties before publick; or less edifying before the more edifying; or Sacrifice before necessary mercy. The order of good works I have shewed you before, Chap. 3. Dir. 10. which you may peruse.

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§. 41. Direct. 4. Live continually as under the Government of God; and keep Conscience tender, and ¹in the performance of its office; and always be ready to render an account to God and Conscience of what you do. If you live as under the Government of God, you will be still doing his work; you will be remembering his judgement; you will be trying your work whether it be such as he approveth: This will keep you from all Time-wasting vanities. If you keep Conscience tender, it will presently check and reprehend you for your sin: and when you lose but a minute of Time it will tell you of the loss: whereas a seared Conscience is past feeling, and will give you over to lasciviousness, Ephes. 4. 19. 1 Tim. 4. 2. and will make but a jest at the loss of time; or at least will not effectually tell you either of the sin or loss: If you keep Conscience to its office, it will ask you frequently, what you are doing? and try your works: It will take account of Time when it is spent, and ask you, what you have been doing? and how you have spent every day and hour: And (as Seneca could say) He will be the more careful what he doth; and how he spends the day, who looks to be called to a reckoning for it every night. This will make the foreseen day of Judgement have such a continual awe upon you, as if you were presently going to it; while conscience, with respect to it, is continually fore-judging you. Whereas they that have silenced or discarded Conscience, are like School-boys that bolt their Master out of doors, who do it with a design to spend the time in play, which they should have spent in learning: But the after-reckoning pays for all.

§. 41. Direct. 4. Live continually as under the Government of God; and keep Conscience tender, and ¹in the performance of its office; and always be ready to render an account to God and Conscience of what you do. If you live as under the Government of God, you will be still doing his work; you will be remembring his judgement; you will be trying your work whether it be such as he approveth: This will keep you from all Time-wasting vanities. If you keep Conscience tender, it will presently check and reprehend you for your sin: and when you lose but a minute of Time it will tell you of the loss: whereas a seared Conscience is past feeling, and will give you over to laseiviousness, Ephes. 4. 19. 1 Tim. 4. 2. and will make but a jest at the loss of time; or at least will not effectually tell you either of the sin or loss: If you keep Conscience to its office, it will ask you frequently, what you are doing? and try your works: It will take account of Time when it is spent, and ask you, what you have been doing? and how you have spent every day and hour: And (as Seneca could say) He will be the more careful what he doth; and how he spends the day, who looks to be called to a reckoning for it every night. This will make the foreseen day of Judgement have such a continual awe upon you, as if you were presently going to it; while conscience, with respect to it, is continually fore-judging you. Whereas they that have silenced or discarded Conscience, are like School-boyes that bolt their Master out of doors, who do it with a design to spend the time in play, which they should have spent in learning: But the after-reckoning pays for all.

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§. 42. Here for the further Direction of your Consciences, I shall lay you down a few Rules, for¹ the right spending of your Time. 1. Spend it in nothing (as a deliberate moral act) which is not truly, directly or remotely an act of obedience to some Law of God: (of mere natural acts, which are no objects of moral choice, I speak not). 2. Spend it in nothing which you know must be Repented of. 3. Spend it in nothing which you dare not, or may not warrantably pray for a blessing on from God. 4. Spend it in nothing which you would not review at the hour of death, by an awakened, well-informed mind. 5. Spend it in nothing which you would not hear of in the day of judgement! 6. Spend it in nothing which you cannot safely and comfortably be found doing, if death should surprise you in the act. 7. Spend it in nothing which flesh-pleasing persuadeth you to, against your Consciences, or with a secret grudge or doubting of your Consciences. 8. Spend it in nothing which hath not some tendency, directly or remotely to your ultimate end, the pleasing of God, and enjoying him in Love for ever. 9. Spend it in nothing which tendeth to do more hurt than good: that would do a great hurt to your self or others, under pretence of doing some little good, which perhaps may better be done another way. 10. Lastly, spend it in nothing which is but a smaller good, when a greater should be done.

§. 42. Here for the further Direction of your Consciences, I shall lay you down a few Rules, for¹ the right spending of your Time. 1. Spend it in nothing (as a deliberate moral act) which is not truly, directly or remotely an act of obedience to some Law of God: (of meer natural acts, which are no objects of moral choice, I speak not). 2. Spend it in nothing which you know must be Repented of. 3. Spend it in nothing which you dare not, or may not warrantably pray for a blessing on from God. 4. Spend it in nothing which you would not review at the hour of death, by an awakened, well-informed mind. 5. Spend it in nothing which you would not hear of in the day of judgement! 6. Spend it in nothing which you cannot safely and comfortably be found doing, if death should surprize you in the act. 7. Spend it in nothing which flesh-pleasing perswadeth you to, against your Consciences, or with a secret grudge or doubting of your Consciences. 8. Spend it in nothing which hath not some tendencie, directly or remotely to your ultimate end, the pleasing of God, and enjoying him in Love for ever. 9. Spend it in nothing which tendeth to do more hurt than good: that would do a great hurt to your self or others, under pretense of doing some little good, which perhaps may better be done another way. 10. Lastly, spend it in nothing which is but a smaller good, when a greater should be done.

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§. 43. Direct. 5. Do your best to settle your selves where there are the greatest helps and smallest hinderances ¹to the Redeeming of your Time: And labour more to accommodate your habitation, condition and employments to the great ends of your life and time, than to your worldly honour, ease or wealth. Live where is best trading for the soul: You may get more by Gods ordinary blessing in one year, in a godly family, or in fruitful company, and under an able godly Minister, than in many years in a barren soil, among the ignorant, dead-hearted, or profane, where we must say as David, I held my peace even from good, while the wicked is before me—Psalm 39. 1, 2. And when we must do all the good we do through much opposition; and meet with great disadvantages and difficulties, which may quickly stop such dull and backward hearts as ours: If you will prefer your profit before your souls in the choice of your condition, and will plunge your selves into distracting busyness and company, your Time will run in a wrong unprofitable channel.

§. 43. Direct. 5. Do your best to settle your selves where there are the greatest helps and smallest hinderances ¹to the Redeeming of your Time: And labour more to accommodate your habitation, condition and employments to the great ends of your life and time, than to your worldly honour, ease or wealth. Live where is best trading for the soul: You may get more by Gods ordinary blessing in one year, in a godly family, or in fruitful company, and under an able godly Minister, than in many years in a barren soil, among the ignorant, dead-hearted, or prophane, where we must say as David, I held my peace even from good, while the wicked is before me—Psalm 39. 1, 2. And when we must do all the good we do through much opposition; and meet with great disadvantages and difficulties, which may quickly stop such dull and backward hearts as ours: If you will prefer your profit before your souls in the choice of your condition, and will plunge your selves into distracting busyness and company, your Time will run in a wrong unprofitable chanel.

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§. 45. Direct. 7. Endure patiently some smaller inconvenience and loss, for the avoiding of greater, and ¹for the redeeming of Time for greater duties; and let little things be resolutely cast out of your way, when they would draw out your Time by insensible degrees. The Devil would cunningly steal that from you by drops, which he cannot get you to cast away profusely at once: He that will not spend prodigally by the pounds, may run out by not regarding pence. You shall have the pretences of decency and seemliness, and civility, and good manners, and avoiding offence, and censure, and of some necessity too, to draw out your precious Time from you by little and little; And if you are so easy as to yield, it will almost all be wasted by this temptation. As if you be Ministers of Christ whose Time must be spent in your studies and pulpits and in conference with your people, and visiting them and watching over them, and it is your daily groans, that Time is short and work is long, and that you are forced to omit so many needful studies, and pass by so many needy souls, for want of Time; Yet if you look not well about you, and will not bear some censure and offence, you shall lose even the rest of the Time, which now you do improve. Your friends about you will be tempting and telling you, O this friend must needs be visited, and the other friend must be civilly treated; you must not shake them off so quickly: They look for more of your time and company: you are much obliged to them: they will say you are uncivil and morose: such a scholar comes to be acquainted with you; and he will take it ill; and misrepresent you to others, if you allow him not Time for some familiar discourse. Its one that never was with you before; and never took up▪ any of your Time: (And so saith the next and the next as well as he.) Such a one visited you, and you must needs visit him again. There is this journey or that which must needs be gone: and this business and that which must needs be done: Yea ones very family-occasions will steal away all his Time if he watch not narrowly:

§. 45. Direct. 7. Endure patiently some smaller inconvenience and loss, for the avoiding of greater, and ¹for the redeeming of Time for greater duties; and let little things be resolutely cast out of your way, when they would draw out your Time by insensible degrees. The Devil would cunningly steal that from you by drops, which he cannot get you to cast away profusely at once: He that will not spend prodigally by the pounds, may run out by not regarding pence. You shall have the pretenses of decencie and seemliness, and civility, and good manners, and avoiding offence, and censure, and of some necessity too, to draw out your precious Time from you by little and little; And if you are so easie as to yield, it will almost all be wasted by this temptation. As if you be Ministers of Christ whose Time must be spent in your studies and pulpits and in conference with your people, and visiting them and watching over them, and it is your daily groans, that Time is short and work is long, and that you are forced to omit so many needful studies, and pass by so many needy souls, for want of Time; Yet if you look not well about you, and will not bear some censure and offence, you shall lose even the rest of the Time, which now you do improve. Your friends about you will be tempting and telling you, O this friend must needs be visited, and the other friend must be civilly treated; you must not shake them off so quickly: They look for more of your time and company: you are much obliged to them: they will say you are uncivil and morose: such a scholar comes to be acquainted with you; and he will take it ill; and misrepresent you to others, if you allow him not Time for some familiar discourse. Its one that never was with you before; and never took up▪ any of your Time: (And so saith the next and the next as well as he.) Such a one visited you, and you must needs visit him again. There is this journey or that which must needs be gone: and this business and that which must needs be done: Yea ones very family-occasions will steal away all his Time if he watch not narrowly:

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