The works of George Swinnock, M.A

SECT. IV.

Fourthly, Be careful to redeem time; Look upon time as one of the most precious talents which thy God hath entrusted thee with, and which he will reckon with thee for, and therefore not to be vainly spent, or needlessly squandered away. They are worthy to be punished, that spend their gold and silver lavishly, and waste their estates prodigally; but of how much sorer punishment are they worthy of, that are prodigal and lavish of time, that is far more precious then gold and silver! Time is of inestimable value, in regard of its present use, and because when once lost it is irrecoverable. Friends lost may be reconciled, ⟨p. 519⟩an estate lost may be regained, but time lost can never be recalled. He is the best workman, that can cut his stuff to the least waste; and he is the best Christian who can contrive his affairs, and cut out his time to the least loss. Remember that time is given thee, not to squander away in needless visits, or idle talking, or long meals, or unnecessary sleeping, but to get thy person justified, thy nature sanctified, to secure thine interest in Christ, and the Covenant of grace and heaven; and surely things of such infinite weight, deserve all thy time, if thy life were lengthened to the age of Methuselah. Sleep robs us of much time; Friends, saith one, are the greatest thieves of time; Vain discourse, foolish sports and pastimes, idle company, sitting long at table, must all like luxuriant branches, be pared off, because they suck the sap and juice away from the good boughs; Walk not as fools, but as wise men, Redeeming the time, saith the Apostle, Col. 4. 5. Eph. 5. 16. Its an allusion to wise Merchants, or Tradesmen, who dealing for most precious commodities, make the most of their Markets, and buy their wares while a fit time of buying them serves;¹ and having possibly had great losses formerly, or spent their time idly, do by their diligence seek to redeem, and (as it were) to buy back again the time that is past. The Lacedaemonians were penurious of their time, and spent it all about necessary business, not suffering any Citizen either to play or be idle; When their Ephori heard that some used to walk in the afternoons for their recreation, they forbade it, as savouring too much