The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded

I answer; that however it may prove an hard Saying unto some, yet I must say it, and my heart would reproach me if I should not say, that if the principal part of our time be not spent about these things, whatever ⟨p. 179⟩we suppose, we have indeed neither Life nor Peace. The First-fruits of all were to be offered unto God, and in Sacrifices he required the Blood, and the Fat of the Inwards. If the best be not his, he will have nothing. It is so as to our Time. Tell me, I pray you, how you can spend your Time and your Lives better, or to better purpose; and I shall say, Go on and prosper. I am sure some spend so much of their time so much worse, as it is a shame to see it. Do you think you came into this World, to spend your whole Time and Strength in your Employments, your Trades, your Pleasures, unto the Satisfaction of the Will of the Flesh and of the Mind? Have you Time enough to Eat, to Drink, to Sleep, to Talk unprofitably, it may be corruptly, in all sorts of unnecessary Societies, but have not enough to Live unto God, in the very Essentials of that Life which consists in these things? Alas! you came into the World under this Law; It is appointed to all men once to die, and after that is the Judgment; and the End why your Life here is granted unto you, is that you may be prepared for that Judgement. If this be neglected, if the principal part of your Time be not improved with respect unto this End, you will fall under the Sentence of it unto Eternity.

I answer; that however it may prove an hard Saying unto some, yet I must say it, and my heart would reproach me if I should not say, that if the principal part of our time be not spent about these things, whatever ⟨p. 179⟩we suppose, we have indeed neither Life nor Peace. The First-fruits of all were to be offered unto God, and in Sacrifices he required the Blood, and the Fat of the Inwards. If the best be not his, he will have nothing. It is so as to our Time. Tell me, I pray you, how you can spend your Time and your Lives better, or to better purpose; and I shall say, Go on and prosper. I am sure some spend so much of their time so much worse, as it is a shame to see it. Do you think you came into this World, to spend your whole Time and Strength in your Employments, your Trades, your Pleasures, unto the Satisfaction of the Will of the Flesh and of the Mind? Have you Time enough to Eat, to Drink, to Sleep, to Talk unprofitably, it may be corruptly, in all sorts of unnecessary Societies, but have not enough to Live unto God, in the very Essentials of that Life which consists in these things? Alas! you came into the World under this Law; It is appointed to all men once to die, and after that is the Judgment; and the End why your Life here is granted unto you, is that you may be prepared for that Judgement. If this be neglected, if the principal part of your Time be not improv'd with respect unto this End, you will fall under the Sentence of it unto Eternity.