A treatise of self-denial. By Richard Baxter, pastor of the church at KidderminsterA treatise of self-denial. By Richard Baxter, pastor of the church at Kederminster

4. Moreover a course of idle talk, is a thief that robs us of our precious time. And he that knows what God is, or what duty is, or what his soul is, or what ⟨p. 153⟩everlasting joy or torment is, will know that time is a commodity of greater worth than so contemptuously to be cast away for nothing. O remember when thou art next in idle talk, Did God make thee for this? doth he continue thee among the living, and keep thee out of hell, and yet prolongeth thy days, that thou shouldest waste thy time in idleness and vanity? Hast thou so many sins to mortify, and so many other works to do, which heaven or hell lieth on, and so short and uncertain a time to do them in, and yet hast thou leisure for idle talk?

4. Moreover a course of idle talk, is a thief that robs us of our precious time. And he that knows what God is, or what duty is, or what his soul is, or what ⟨p. 153⟩everlasting joy or torment is, will know that time is a commodity of greater worth than so contemptuously to be cast away for nothing. O remember when thou art next in idle talk, Did God make thee for this? doth he continue thee among the living, and keep thee out of hell, and yet prolongeth thy days, that thou shouldest waste thy time in idleness and vanity? Hast thou so many sins to mortifie, and so many other works to do, which heaven or hell lyeth on, and so short and uncertain a time to do them in, and yet hast thou leasure for idle talk?

5. Moreover, this sin is so much the greater, because it is not a rare or seldom sin, but frequently committed and continued in. It is not like the sin of David or Noah, that though greater, yet was but once committed: But this is made great by the number and continuance. How many thousand idle words have you been guilty of in your time?