The redemption of time, or, A sermon containing very good remedies for them that…

This Thief will be still filching and stealing time continually, do what one can. Wherefore a watchful and wary eye must be had thereunto, and a diligent guard must be set before the heart, to keep out such imaginations from entering, as be like Rogues and Vagrants, worth nothing, and always come to steal something. When a man makes conscience of his thoughts, and observes them to what end they tend, this will be an excellent help to keep them from wandering; whereas if one will follow the Proverb, and esteem them as free, they will never be kept from a busy fondness, like Ants in a Mole-hill, that run up and down, hither and thither, and do nothing.

This Thief will be still filching and stealing time continually, do what one can. Wherefore a watchful and wary eye must be had thereunto, and a diligent guard must be set before the heart, to keep out such imaginations from entring, as be like Rogues and Vagrants, worth nothing, and alwaies come to steal something. When a man makes conscience of his thoughts, and observes them to what end they tend, this will be an excellent help to keep them from wandring; whereas if one will follow the Proverb, and esteem them as free, they will never be kept from a busie fondness, like Ants in a Mole-hill, that run up and down, hither and thither, and do nothing.

Then in the second place, we must labour to be provided beforehand, ⟨p. 46⟩of some profitable matter or subject, whereunto to bend the thoughts in solitariness; something that tends to the glory of God, and our own good, either in the matters of the Soul, or the lawful affairs of the body, must be let into the Soul, to take up the room, that the busy Fancies may be the better stopped out. And indeed the Lord hath provided a Christian of good store of such matter, if he be not wanting to himself. For there is nothing that offers it self to any of our senses, which doth not also offer to our mind (if it were not stark blind) some glorious attribute of God to be seen and considered of. So that to want occasion of good thoughts in this variety of matter, as to want light at noon-tide, that proceeds from nothing but from want of eyes. But this is a great help to him, that can see to set his Soul a work first on the good things.