XL. 1. A Christian indeed is one that highly valueth time: He abhorreth Idleness, and all diversions which would rob him of his Time, and hinder him from his work: He knoweth how much work he hath to do, and of what unspeakable consequence to his soul (if not also to others:) He knoweth that he hath a soul to save or lose, a heaven to win; a hell to scape; a death and judgement to prepare for; many a sin to mortify, and many graces to get and exercise and increase; and many enemies and temptations to overcome; and ⟨p. 99⟩that he shall never have more time of trial; but what is now undone, must be undone for ever: He knoweth how short, and hasty time is, and also how uncertain; and how short many hundred years is to prepare for an everlasting state, if all were spent in greatest diligence: And therefore he wondereth at those miserable souls, that have time to spare, and wast in those fooleries which they call pastimes; even in stage-plays, cards and dice, and long and tedious feastings, delights, complements, idleness, and overlong or needless visits, or recreations. He marvelleth at the distraction, or sottishness of those persons, that can play, and prate, and loiter, and feast away precious hours, as if their poor unprepared souls had nothing to do, while they stand at the very brink of a dreadful eternity; and are so fearfully unready as they are. He taketh that person who would cheat him of his time, by any of these forenamed baits, to be worse to him than a thief that would take his purse from him by the high way. O precious time! how highly doth he value it, when he thinks of his everlasting state, and thinks what hast his death is making, and what reckoning he must make for every moment: what abundance of work hath he for every hour, which he is grieved that he cannot do? He hath a calling to follow, and he hath a heart to search, and watch, and study; and a God to seek and faithfully serve, and many to do good to; and abundance of particular duties to perform, in order to every one of these; But alas time doth make such hast away, that many things are left undone, and he is afraid left death will find him very much behind hand: And therefore ⟨p. 100⟩he is up and doing, as one that hath use for every minute; and worketh while it is day, because he knoweth that the night is coming when none can work: Joh. 9.4. Redeeming Time is much of his wisdom and his work:
XL. 1. A Christian indeed is one that highly valueth time: He abhorreth Idleness, and all diversions which would rob him of his Time, and hinder him from his work: He knoweth how much work he hath to do, and of what unspeakable consequence to his soul (if not also to others:) He knoweth that he hath a soul to save or lose, a heaven to win; a hell to scape; a death and judgement to prepare for; many a sin to mortifie, and many graces to get and exercise and increase; and many enemies and temptations to overcome; and ⟨p. 99⟩that he shall never have more time of trial; but what is now undone, must be undone for ever: He knoweth how short, and hasty time is, and also how uncertain; and how short many hundred years is to prepare for an everlasting state, if all were spent in greatest diligence: And therefore he wondereth at those miserable souls, that have time to spare, and wast in those fooleries which they call pastimes; even in stage-plaies, cards and dice, and long and tedious feastings, delights, complements, idleness, and overlong or needless visits, or recreations. He marvelleth at the distraction, or sottishness of those persons, that can play, and prate, and loyter, and feast away precious hours, as if their poor unprepared souls had nothing to do, while they stand at the very brink of a dreadful eternity; and are so fearfully unready as they are. He taketh that person who would cheat him of his time, by any of these forenamed baites, to be worse to him than a thief that would take his purse from him by the high way. O precious time! how highly doth he value it, when he thinks of his everlasting state, and thinks what hast his death is makeing, and what reckoning he must make for every moment: what abundance of work hath he for every hour, which he is grieved that he cannot do? He hath a calling to follow, and he hath a heart to search, and watch, and study; and a God to seek and faithfully serve, and many to do good to; and abundance of particular duties to perform, in order to every one of these; But alas time doth make such hast away, that many things are left undone, and he is afraid left death will find him very much behind hand: And therefore ⟨p. 100⟩he is up and doing, as one that hath use for every minute; and worketh while it is day, because he knoweth that the night is coming when none can work: Joh. 9.4. Redeeming Time is much of his wisdom and his work:
