N01064:129
A discourse concerning earthquakes. Occasioned by the earthquakes which were in New-England, in the…
A discourse concerning earthquakes. Occasioned by the earthquakes which were in New-England, in the province of Massachusetts-Bay, June 16. and in Connecticut-Colony [sic], June 22. 1705. : Also, two sermons, showing, that sin is the greatest evil; and, that to redeem time is the greatest wisdom. / By Increase Mather.A discourse concerning earthquakes. Occasioned by the earthquakes which were in New-England, in the province of Massachusetts-Bay, June 16. and in Conecticot-Colony [sic], June 22. 1705. : Also, two sermons, shewing, that sin is the greatest evil; and, that to redeem time is the greatest wisdom. / By Increase Mather.
Boston: printed by Timothy Green for Benjamin Eliot, 1706
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
Quest. II. How does it appear that it is great Wisdom for men thus to Redeem the Time?
For Answer; I shall mention some plain known Truths, which we can never hear too often, nor think too much of.
I. We may reason from the Preciousness of Time. When men have a precious Commodity, they are choice of it: They are loth to loose it. And they would not act like rational Creatures if they should wa•t or misspend it. That would argue great folly and want of judgment. Now Time is the most precious Commodity which men in this world are possessed of. The wise man say•s concerning those brutish men who spend their time in D•bauch• ries, that their Precious Life is hunted after Prov. 6. 26. If Life is Precious, then Time is Precious And therefore it has the name of a Price given to it, because it is of Exceeding great worth, & highly to be valued▪ Prov. 17. 16. Wherefore is there a Price in the hand of a Fool to get wisdom, who has no heart unto it? When a sinner has Time allowed him to get saving Knowledge, but improveth it not, then there is a Price in the hand of a Fool that wants wisdom to use it. Men say of some Jewels that they are invaluable, because the worth of them is not known, and therefore cannot be Expressed. Truly, such a Jewel is Precious Time. We may say of it, as it is said of Wisdom, it is more precious than Rubies; all the things thou canst desire ⟨p. 99⟩