A27053:501
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
London: printed by Robert White for Nevil Simmons, 1675
Treatise › Chapter 27: Ease, Quietness and worldly Peace to be denied.
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.
3. Moreover, Laziness and sloth is a sin that loseth you much precious time. All the time is lost that you are idle in. Yea when you are at work, if you do it slothfully, you are losing much of your time. A diligent person will go further, and do more in an hour than the lazy flesh-pleaser will do in two. When the slothful is praying, or reading, and working in his calling, he is but losing half his time, which diligence would redeem. And is our time so •ort and precious, and yet is idleness an excusable sin? what, loiter so near night! so near eternity, when we have but a little time to work! O work while it is day, for the night is coming when none can work. Were it but for this, that sloth doth steal so much of our time, I must think it no better than an heinous Thievery.
3. Moreover, Laziness and sloth is a sin that loseth you much precious time. All the time is lost that you are idle in. Yea when you are at work, if you do it slothfully, you are losing much of your time. A diligent person will go further, and do more in an hour than the lazy flesh-pleaser will do in two. When the slothful is praying, or reading, and working in his calling, he is but losing half his time, which diligence would redeem. And is our time so •ort and precious, and yet is idleness an excusable sin? what, loiter so near night! so near eternity, when we have but a little time to work! O work while it is day, for the night is coming when none can work. Were it but for this, that sloth doth steal so much of our time, I must think it no better than an hainous Thievery.
4. And by this means we rob our selves. We might be getting some good all the time that we are idle; or doubly advantage our selves, if sloth did not keep us company in our work. The slothful is brother to him that is a great waster, Pro. 18. 9. slothfulness is self-murdering; men die while they lie still and wish. It's a sin that famisheth soul and body, Prov. 21. 25