A26892:2244
A Christian Directory
A Christian directory, or, A sum of practical theology and cases of conscience directing Christians how to use their knowledge and faith, how to improve all helps and means, and to perform all duties, how to overcome temptations, and to escape or mortify every sin : in four parts ... / by Richard Baxter.A Christian directory, or, A summ of practical theologie and cases of conscience directing Christians how to use their knowledge and faith, how to improve all helps and means, and to perform all duties, how to overcome temptations, and to escape or mortifie every sin : in four parts ... / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed by Robert White for Nevill Simmons, 1673
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Part 1 › Chapter 5 › Tit. 4. The Thieves or Time-wasters to be watchfully avoided.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
§. 52. Th. 3. The next Thief or Time-waster is inordinate adorning of the body. The poor may1 thank God that they are free also from the temptations to this; and can quickly dress them and go about their business: But many Ladies and Gallants are so guilty of this Vice, that I wonder conscience2 is so patient with them. O poor neglected, underest souls! O filthy consciences, never cleansed from your pollutions, by the Spirit or blood of Christ! Have you not better use for precious hours, than to be washing, and pinning, and dressing, and curling, and spotting, and powdering, till ten or eleven a clock in the morning, when honest labourers have done one half of their days work! While you are in health, were not six a clock in the morning a fitter hour for you, to be dressed, that you might draw near to the most Holy God in holy prayer, and read his Word, and set your souls, and then your families, in order for the duties of the following day? I do not say that you may go no nea•er than poor labouring people, or that you may bestow no more time than they in dressing you: But I say, that for your souls and in your callings, you are bound by God to be as diligent as they: and have no more Time given you to lose than they, and that you should spend as little of it in neatifying you as you can: and be sensible that else the loss is your own: And that abundance of precious hours which your Pride consumeth, will lye heavy one day upon your consciences: And then you shall confess, I say you shall confess it with aching hearts, that the duties you owed to God and man, and the care of your souls, and of your families, should have been preferred before your appearing neat and spruce to men: If you have but a journey to go, you can rise earlier and be sooner dressed: but for the good of your souls, and the redeeming of your precious time, you cannot: O that God would but show you what greater work you have to do with those precious hours! and how it will cut your hearts to think of them at last! If you lay but hopelessly sick of a Consumption, you would be cured it is like of this proud disease, and bestow less of your time in adorning the flesh, which is hasting to the grave and rottenness! And cannot you now see how time and life consumes? and what cause you have with all your care and diligence, to use it better before it is gone?