The young man's guide through the wilderness of this world to the heavenly Canaan…

Do you lack Pass-time? Sports to pass away the time? company to pass away the time? Why man, is all thy work done, that thy time now lies upon thy hands? Look to it, thou mayst hereafter beg for an hour, one hour to pray in, one hour to repent in, which now thou merely triflest, and playest away. O what a precious commodity would time be in Hell? One day of Grace, one day to repent in, what a joy would it be to the damned Souls? but then it will be too late; it's gone, and will not be recalled for ever.

Do you lack Pass-time? Sports to pass away the time? company to pass away the time? Why man, is all thy work done, that thy time now lies upon thy hands? Look to it, thou mayst hereafter beg for an hour, one hour to pray in, one hour to repent in, which now thou meerly triflest, and playest away. O what a precious commodity would time be in Hell? One day of Grace, one day to repent in, what a joy would it be to the damned Souls? but then it will be too late; it's gone, and will not be recall'd for ever.

The more to restrain you from all excesses in your sports and pastimes, let me propound a few considerations.

1. Consider the shortness and uncertainty of that time which is allotted to thee here, for the doing of all that is to be done for Eternity. Thy life here is but for a moment, in comparison of that which follows after; yet upon this moment depends thine Eternal state. Thou art in this World but a Probationer for the other ⟨p. 127⟩World. Look as thou behavest thy self here, either in well improving thy Time and Talent to the glory of God, or in mis-spending it in fruitless sports and recreations, and in satisfying thy carnal Lusts, accordingly will be thy state and condition hereafter to all Eternity.