A Supplement to Knowledge and Practice, Part 2 · Chapter 10
CHAP. X. Of Idleneſs.
THE Prophet Ezekiel Chap. 16.49. tell us, that this was the iniquity of Sodom, Pride, fulneſs of bread, and abundance of Idleneſs, neither did ſhe ſtrengthen the hands of the Poor. I wiſh abundance of Idleneſs were not at this day a ſin found in England as well as in Sodom, and that among the wealthieſt, and thoſe of the beſt rank and quality in the Nation, whoſe education one would think ſhould have taught them better things, Seneca complained of old that men ſpent their time either in nihil agendo or aliud agendo, or male agendo, either in pure idleneſs and doing nothing, or doing things of ſmall moment and conſequence, or in doing things evil and wicked. I wiſh this were not too true of many among us in theſe dayes, who either idle and ſquander away their precious time or unuſefully and impertinently imploy it, or elſe imploy it in ſin and wickedneſs, little conſidering that diligence in doing evil is but a making haſte to hell. A diſcourſe therefore that tends to ſhew people how neceſſary it is to their happineſs, that they ſhould well imploy their time, and not fooliſhly and careleſly ſquander it away, I hope cannot be unſeaſonable. The Apoſtle, Epheſ. 4.15, 16. makes circumſpect walking and redeeming time to be the great Character to diſtinguiſh thoſe that are wiſe from thoſe that are fooliſh. See that ye walk circumſpectly (ſayes he) not as fools, but as wiſe, redeeming the time. This is the Subject therefore that I ſhall now ſpeak to, and in the handling of it I ſhall ſhew,
1. What is meant by redeeming time.
2. For what purpoſes eſpecially it is to be redeemed.
3. From what we muſt redeem it.
4. What are the reaſons and motives that ſhould preſs this duty upon us.
5. I ſhall give ſome directions as to the manner how we ſhould redeem it.
6. I ſhall ſhew who are the perſons that ſhould eſpecially be perſwaded to the practice of this duty.
For the Firſt. What is meant by redeeming time.
Time may be conſidered either as paſt, preſent or to come.
1. For Time paſt, there is no recalling of that; the loſs of it ought to be bewailed by us and that with great bitterneſs.*Damna fleo rerum, ſed plus fleo damna dierum.
2. For Time to come, that we are uncertain of. Only two times we are aſſured will come; the time of Death and the time of Judgement. And he is no wiſe man that does not provide and prepare himſelf againſt both theſe.
3. The Time preſent. This only is our time and this we ſhould labour well to imploy, improve and husband to the beſt advantage. And ſo much of the firſt particular, what is meant by redeeming Time.
2. To what purpoſes are we to redeem time?
There are many excellent purpoſes for which we ſhould do it. Particularly.
1. To conſider our wayes, and find out the ſins of our lives, that we may humble our Souls before the Lord for them, and may undoe them again by true Repentance.
2. To ſue out our Pardon and make our Peace with God by betaking our ſelves to Chriſt Jeſus, and giving up our ſelves to him to be Pardoned through the infinite merit of his active and paſſive obedience, and to be ſanctified by his Spirit.
3. To conſider what unruly affections are in us, that we may ſet our ſelves (through the aids of grace) to ſubdue and mortify them.
4. To conſider how we may frame our outward converſation ſo, as may tend to the honour of God and credit of our Profeſſion.
5. To conſider what is the part that God hath appointed us to act in this world and what are the peculiar duties incumbent on us, in reference to our particular calling and ſtation, that we may perform them, wiſely, faithfully, and diligently;
6. To conſider that this life is our ſeed-time, and that we ſhall reap hereafter according to what we ſow here. And therefore we had need look to it that we ſow good ſeed and do what good we can while we have opportunity. He that ſowes to his fleſh ſhall of the fleſh reap corruption, and he that ſowes to the Spirit, ſhall of the Spirit reap life everlaſting, Gal. 6.7.
7. To conſider that we are not only to take care to clear our own Souls of guilt, but to humble our ſelves for the crying ſins of our Nation by which our Heavenly Father is highly diſhonoured, that ſo we may do our part to ſtand in the gap, and divert the wrath of God. And ſo much of the purpoſes for which we are to redeem Time.
3. I come now in the third place to conſider from what we muſt redeem time.
There are many things from which we muſt redeem it.
1. From the ordinary buſineſs and affairs of this life. For though we are to be diligent in our particular callings, yet we muſt not ſuffer our worldly buſineſs to ingroſs all our time. We muſt labour ſo to contrive the buſineſs of our callings that they may not intrench upon that time which we are to imploy for the good of our Souls.
2. From the lawful refreſhments of our lives, ſuch as eating, drinking, ſleeping, recreations, &c. In which there is very often too much of our time ſpent.
3. From Converſation and company, eſpecially ſuch company among whom we cannot expect either to do good or to receive good.
4. We muſt be eſpecially careful how we employ our ſolitary hours and when we are alone; that we do not ſpend that time n melancholy and impertinent muſings and rovings and wandrings of thoughts, but imploy it in meditation on things profitable and uſeful. And if we had the care and skill to keep our minds to good works when we are alone, It would be of incredible advantage to us both for the improving of our reaſon, and much more to improve us in real piety and Chriſtianity. And ſo much of the third Particular, From what we muſt redeem time.
4. What are the reaſons that ſhould preſs this duty upon us?
1. Our time is but ſhort, we have but a little of it. We have not ſeven or eight hundred years of life, as the Patriarchs had before the flood. Mans life is now ordinarily very ſhort. Few live to threeſcore years and ten, and very few to four-ſcore. And take out of the longeſt life that any live here (1.) The folly and inconſiderateneſs of Child-hood and youth. (2.) The time ſpent in eating, drinking, and ſleeping, though with moderation. (3.) The time of ſickneſs and indiſpoſition of health. (4.) The time ſpent in journeys and travel. (5.) The time ſpent in recreation and viſiting of friends. (6.) The time of weakneſs, valitudinarineſs, unuſefulneſs in old age, I ſay take out all theſe; and the reſidue that remaineth for our buſineſs of greateſt moment and conſideration we ſhall find will be but a ſmall pittance or portion. And therefore having ſo little time, we had not need waſte it prodigally.
2. Our time flyes away very ſwifly. Job 9.25, 26. compares it to three very ſwift things, to a Poſt, to a Ship on the Sea and to an Eagle flying to her prey. Let any one conſider how ſoon a year is gone, and then tell me whether time does not fly away apace.
3. A great deal of our time we have already miſpent; Let us reflect on our infancy, Childhood, and youth, Alas! How many years have paſſed over our heads ere we came to have any conſideration for what end we came into the world, or what work we had here to do? Nay how many in their youth have weaved thoſe curſed wehs of ſin which muſt be afterwards unweaved and undone again with great ſorrow and ſhame? Nay how much of the time which we have ſpent in Gods own worſhip may be reckoned to our loſt time? God commands us to uſe the World as if we uſed it not. But we are apt to pray as if we prayed not and to hear as if we heard not, and to worſhip God in ſuch a cold and formal manner as if we minded not what we were about.
4. Conſider what a damned ſoul in hell would give for a little time to recover himſelf out of that woful miſery, if it were in his power to purchaſe it. O how cutting muſt it needs be to him to think how he might have procured everlaſting joy and bliſs to himſelf, but he fooliſhly neglected his time and ſeaſon for the doing of it, which is not now to be recovered. If God by an extraordinary diſpenſation ſhould grant to a damned Soul one monethmonth or week to come out of hell upon tryal, ſurely ſuch a perſon would better improve his time than before he had done. When people come to die, at how dear a rate would they be willing to purchaſe ſome of thoſe hours, which they fooliſhly mis-ſpent and ſquandered away before.
5. Conſider, time is a Talent which we muſt account for. As we muſt not vainly waſte and mis-ſpend our eſtates, ſo neither may we our time. Time is an Univerſal Talent that every one that lives to the years of diſcretion is intruſted with. Every man hath not a Talent of Learning or Wealth, but every man who liveth to years of underſtanding is intruſted with a Talent of Time, which he may improve to his great advantage: if he be not wanting to himſelf. How highly guilty then are thoſe careleſs waſters of time, and thoſe voluptuous livers, whoſe time lies upon their hands, and if they have not almoſt every day a new divertiſement to paſs away their time (as they wickedly phraſe it) they know not what to do with it. O wretches! do you ſtudy to paſs away that which flyes away ſo faſt? You had need clip its wings or hang leaden Plummets upon it, to ſtop its courſe and keep it from flying away ſo faſt, if you could poſſibly do it. You ſay you are for a ſhort life and a merry. Surely you think to live in the World like Leviathan in the Sea, meerly to ſport and take your paſtime therein. Hark you in your ear, you that are ſuch prodigal ſpenders and waſters of your precious time, This is the time that God hath allotted you to work out your ſalvation in with fear and trembling. If a condemned Malefactor had but two or three dayes allowed him to ſue out his pardon, do you think that he would ſpend that time in ſports and paſtimes in feaſtings and merriments, in idle viſits and complements without any ſenſe or regard in what condition he was, and how his life was certainly and unavoidably at an end, if he did not procure his pardon? I ſuppoſe you would not think him in his wits, if he ſhould ſo do. 'Twas a woful ſpeech of that dying perſon who cryed out on his death-bed, call Time again, O call Time again. But that could not be done.
6. Another reaſon why we ſhould redeem time is that given by the Apoſtle, Epheſ. 4.16. Becauſe the dayes are evil. 'Twas not in our power to order in what part of time ſince the Creation we ſhould be born. God (in whoſe hands our times are and who determines our times and the bounds of our habitation, Acts 17.26.) hath appointed us to live in theſe evil times, and therefore we ſhould now more eſpecially endeavour to redeem our time and improve it for all thoſe excellent purpoſes before mentioned. There are three things that ſpeak times to be evil.
1. When iniquity abounds and little reſtraint is laid upon it, but there are great examples to incourage it.
2. When great troubles and ſufferings befall the people of God, and ſuch as deſire to walk in all good conſcience towards God and man.
3. When the times are full of ſnares and temptations whereby multitudes are intrapped. And if theſe things be found among us at this day; We had need from this conſideration as well as the former, endeavour to make the beſt improvement of our Time.
5. I come now to give ſome directions as to the manner how time ſhould be redeemed.
1. Conſider there is no part of your time you ſhould be more careful well to improve than the ſeaſons of grace which God affords you. The Scripture ſpeaks of a time of viſitation, Luke 19.44. Of a day of Salvation, 2 Cor. 6.2. Of a time wherein the Lord may be found, Iſa. 55.6. Of a time wherein the Spirit of God ſtriveth with the children of men, Gen. 6.3. And this time of all times ought to be well improved. But you will ſay poſſibly, how ſhall we know this day of Gods viſitation and of the ſtriving of his Spirit with us? I Anſwer, you may know it by theſe things (1.) When he caſts you by his providence under a powerful and awakening Miniſtry, whereby you are ſhewed the great evil and danger of your ſins, and the abſolute neceſſity of your converſion, if you intend to be ſaved.
2. When his holy Spirit co-operates with that Miniſtry and draws and perſwades your hearts to break off your ſins by repentance and to turn to God and to lay hold on the offers of his grace in Chriſt.
3. When he ſends ſome awakening afflictions, either publick or private upon you, whereby he makes your hearts ſoft and tender and ready to embrace good counſel.
4. When he affords you the company and example of pious and faithful Chiſtians who are ready to help and forward, and encourage you in the way to Heaven. When God affords you theſe helps, highly value and prize them as ſpecial favours from heaven and account that this is the day of your viſitation, this is your ſeaſon of grace, and therefore be very careful to make a right improvement of it. All wiſe men are careful to lay hold on, and to improve all fit ſeaſons and opportunities for the effecting the buſineſs they deſign. For that may be done in its fit ſeaſon which cannot be done out of it. How eaſie is it to ſayl with the wind or to form iron while it is hot. But theſe things cannot be done at another time. The caſe is thus alſo in reference to the Soul. Seaſons of grace muſt by no means be neglected. For as there is a time of viſitation which God affords to the children of men, ſo there is a time wherein (men having outſtood their viſitation) the Spirit of God will no longer ſtrive with them. And though we cannot certainly determine this time; yet there are ſome things that are ſhrewd ſigns of it, which it will behove us all well to conſider and to examine our ſelves whether ſuch ſigns be found in us or no. Thoſe ſigns are ſuch as theſe
1. When people have long lived under the powerful means of grace and are nothing bettered by them, but are as ignorant or worldly, as carnal and ſenſual as before, Obſerve what our Saviour ſayes, Luke 13.7. Theſe three years have I ſought fruit on this fig-tree and have found none, cut it down, why cumbreth it the ground?
2. When people have had many convictions and ſecret workings of the Spirit of God in their hearts, and have reſiſted and quenched them. Obſerve what God ſayes by the Prophet Ezekiel, Chap. 24.13. of that people, becauſe I have purged thee (that is, have uſed means to purge thee by ſending my prophets unto thee,) and thou waſt not purged, thou ſhalt not be purged from thy filthineſs any more till I have cauſed my fury to reſt upon thee. And dreadful are thoſe words of the Lord alſo, Hoſea 4.17. Ephraim is joyned to Idols let him alone.
3. When God ſends affliction after affliction upon them, and they are nothing amended by them, Eſay. 1.5. Why ſhould you be ſtricken any more, you will revolt more and more?
4. When they come to have a vile eſteem of the Miniſters of Chriſt, and of his Ordinances.
5. When they go on confidently and preſumptuouſly in their ſins, notwithſtanding all the warnings and threatnings they have had to the contrary, Deut. 29.19, 20. When they ſhall bleſs themſelves ſaying, I ſhall have peace though I walk after the imaginations of my heart, adding drunkenneſs to thirſt, the Lord will not ſpare that man, but his anger and jealouſie ſhall ſmoak againſt him.
Where theſe black marks are found, we have great cauſe to fear that ſuch men have out ſtood the day of their viſitation. But whatever others do, let us look to it that we carefully improve our day of grace. And that is the firſt Direction.
2. Diſpatch in the firſt place, and with the greateſt care and diligence thy great work which muſt be done or thou art undone for ever. Secure thy intereſt in Chriſt and the pardon of all thy ſins in him, thy ſtate in grace and thy title to Heaven. And when that great work is once well done, thou may'ſt go quietly and chearfully about thy worldly affairs and buſineſſes. The generality of men are the verieſt children and fools as to their main concernment imaginable. They mind the world ſeriouſly but neglect the one thing abſolutely neceſſary. If a King ſhould ſend his Ambaſſador and give him among the reſt, one principal inſtruction, charging him above all things to mind and obſerve that; which if he did he ſhould be highly rewarded at his return, but if he neglected it he ſhould forfeit his head. I queſtion whether any inſtance can be give ſince the world began of any Ambaſſador ſo ſtupid and careleſs as to neglect a matter that ſo much concerned him. But alas! how oft is this done by the children of men in a matter of greater moment? Thou that wouldeſt, it may be ſeverely have cenſured and condemned this Ambaſſad…r, if he had ſo groſly neglected his duty, de te fabula narratur thou art the man; This thing is more than verified of thee who mindeſt the things of this life but neglecteſt the great buſineſs for which thou cameſt into the world, and which above all other things thou ſhouldeſt have minded. There is no neceſſity that thou ſhouldeſt be rich and leave ſuch an inheritance to thy Son, or ſo many hundreds in thy inventory, but it is of abſolute neceſſity thou ſhouldeſt be converted and repent of thy ſins, and get thy ſoul cleared of all thy guilt by faith in Chriſt, and ſhouldſt honour God in this world, and ſhould'ſt be in ſuch a poſture and frame of mind and heart that thou may'ſt be fitted to dye. Theſe things are neceſſary to thee, the other are not. Labour therefore to do thy great work in the firſt place, and do not defer it and put it off; God calls thee now to repent; do not put God off and ſay thou wilt do it hereafter. Ask thy ſelf this one ſerious queſtion, whether thou ever doſt intend to repent or no? If not, thou declareſt thou intendeſt to damn thy Soul. If thou doſt intend to repent, why wilt thou not now do it? The longer thou delayeſt, the more unfit thou wilt be. Beſides, conſider this, thou in thy diſtreſſes and neceſſities cryeſt to God to relieve thee and to help thee preſently. When thou art in pain or under a grievous ſickneſs thou wouldſt think it hard if God ſhould ſay, I will eaſe thee of thy pain ſeven years hence, why ſhouldſt thou then put God off with delayes? And 'tis a ſad obſervation that ſome make concerning thoſe that wilfully delay to turn to God, namely that few of them are converted at laſt. Therefore upon all theſe accounts defer not thy main work thy converſion to God, and ſecuring thy peace with him, whatever elſe thou neglecteſt.
3. Labour to keep certain ſet times for thy private devotions, and be conſtant to them. Eſpecially be careful to obſerve the Lords-day well. From our conſcienciouſneſs and diligence in the duties of Gods worſhip and ſervice on that day, we may make a probable conjecture of the ſucceſs of our worldly affairs and buſineſſes the week after. This a learned man *The renowned J…dge Hale in his Meditations.ſayes he could not but take notice of in himſelf and as to his own concerns, though otherwiſe he was not addicted to ſuperſtitious obſervations.
4. Keep conſcience tender and that will reprehend thee for waſting thy time or ill imploying it. Thou wilt then be careful not to ſpend it in any thing that thy conſcience will reproach thee for, and which muſt be repented of afterwards. Remember, God and conſcience muſt be pleaſed whoever be diſpleaſed.
5. Promiſe not to thy ſelf long life, but live as one that is uncertain of another day. The groundleſs expectation of long life makes people many times leſs careful rightly to improve the preſent time. Men will ſpend prodigally out of a full purſe, who otherwiſe would be ſparing if they knew they had but little. 'Tis obſerved of ſome that have promiſed themſelves long life, that they have been cut off very ſuddenly. Thou reckoneſt poſſibly upon years; whereas, it may be, thou haſt not moneths to live. However, ſay this to thy ſelf every morning. I am now brought to the beginning of a new day; O my ſoul! let me improve this day well, ſo as I may give a comfortable account of it unto God. The Sun may return again after it hath ſet. But this day when it is once gone I ſhall never ſee again.
6. Take heed of thoſe things that rob people of their time, and watch carefully againſt them. And they are ſuch as theſe.
1. A ſluggiſh and ſloathful habit of mind. Spontanea laſſitudo aſpontaneous laſſitude or wearineſs is a ſign the body is out of order. And a voluntary ſloathfulneſs and ſluggiſhneſs is a ſign of a diſtempered Soul ſloath is an averſeneſs from that labour which is our duty through a carnal love of eaſe. He is moſt ſinfully ſloathful who is moſt voluntarily ſloathfull. 'Tis certainly a very dangerous life for any man to live out of a calling or to be idle and ſlothful in his calling. But the worſt kind of ſloth is a backwardneſs and liſtleſneſs to our greateſt duties. The Apoſtle cautions us not to be ſloathful in buſineſs, but fervent in Spirit ſerving the Lord, Rom. 12.11. And if we would but take pleaſure in the work God calls us unto, we ſhould not then be weary of it or ſlothful in it.
2. Overmuch ſleeping and drouzing and lying a bed. Suppoſe there be two young ſcholars, whereof one ſleeps but ſix hours uſually in a night and the other nine. The one of theſe out-lives the other 21 hours in a week, how much will he gain of him a year?
3. Too long dreſſing and finefying the body. Indeed neatneſs and cleanlineſs are very commendable; but overmuch curioſity in dreſſing and adorning the body, as it is a great vanity ſo it is a great and unneceſſary expenſe of time.
4. Long viſits *Amici ſures temporis.and unprofitable and impertinent diſcourſe, of which I ſpake ſomething before under the third head. Indeed viſits may be prudently ordered, and ſpent in ſuch diſcourſe as is very profitable, and then they will not be only teſtifications of civility and reſpect from one friend to another, but a great advantage and improvement to them many wayes.
5. Immoderate and too long ſports, games and recreations. Indeed ſome fiting recreation may be needfull to him who has wearied himſelf in honeſt labour. He that mowes muſt ſometimes whet his ſythe, and he that travails muſt ſometimes bait. And therefore recreations that are lawful, moderate and ſeaſonable, and conduce to the refreſhment of nature, and fitting us more for our buſineſs, are very allowable; but too much and too long recreation is a moſt prodigal expence of time. Nay there are ſome who labour hard and take great pains at their ſports and recreations, who are very idle in their due work. And what a folly is this to be ſo active and labourious about their pleaſures and to neglect their main buſineſs?
6. Vain impertinent and ungoverned thoughts are a great conſumption of time, eſpecially in melancholy perſons. But this alſo I touched before.
7. Reading of vain and corrupting books, ſuch as Play-books, &c. is another great waſter of precious time. Surely we ſhould not imploy our time in reading any books but ſuch as tend to make us either wiſer or better, or more uſeful; not in ſuch as tend to the depraving and corrupting of our minds. Such waſters therefore of precious time as theſe are, ſhould be carefully avoided by us. And ſo much of the ſixth Direction.
7. Conſider how exceeding comfortable the review of time well ſpent will be when you come to dye. What a ſtrong cordial is it to a departing ſoul when he can ſay with the bleſſed Apoſtle, I have fought a good fight, I have finiſhed my courſe, I have kept the faith, henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteouſneſs, which the Lord the Righteous Judge ſhall give me at his appearing, 2 Tim. 3.7, 8. Or with Hezekiah, Eſay. 38.3. Remember now O Lord how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which was good in thy ſight? 'Twas once ſaid by a holy man in this Nation, that if any uncomfortable Paſſion could betide a Saint in Heaven, it would be that he had ſpent his time no better nor had done God more ſervice here. And therefore the pious and renowned Ʋſher cryed out on his Death-bed Lord pardon my omiſſions. But as the review of our time well ſpent and imployed will be exceeding comfortable to us at our dying hour, ſo the contrary muſt needs be exceeding cutting. O how do people wiſh then they had ſpent their time! Which of theſe two accounts do you think will then be moſt comfortable? Item ſo much of my time ſpent in Ale-houſes, Taverns, in idle company, in pleaſures, and paſtimes, in fooliſh mirth, and jollity, &c. or ſo much of my time ſpent in fervent prayer to God, and praiſing of him, ſo much in hearing his word, in meditation, in ſelf-examination, in pious diſcourſe, &c. 'Tis hardly poſſible for voluptuous perſons, who have their minds filled with vanity & pleaſure, to imagine what a different ſenſe they will have of things when they come to dye, from what they have now; and how precious that time will then appear to them which they made ſo little account of before. They will then begin to ſee their folly, as they ſay Moles have their eyes opened juſt before they die. And as Hagar ſat down and wept when her water was ſpent, Gen. 21.15. So theſe people will then weep and howl when their time is gone and can never be recalled. And ſo much for the direction as to the manner how we ſhould redeem time.
6. I come now in the laſt place to ſhew who are the Perſons that ſhould eſpecially be perſwaded to the practice of this duty.
1. Thoſe that are young. They ſhould take heed of Satans grand deluſion, who will perſwade them (if he can) that 'tis too ſoon for them as yet to think of improving their time, and if they ſhould do ſo now they will loſe their prime time of pleaſure. But I ſhall refer them to my directions to the young in my book of knowledge and practice for the anſwering ſuch ſuggeſtions. They ſhould conſider how many great advantages will accrue to them if they now improve their time well. Hereby they will prevent many ſins and ſorrows; hereby they will come to ſome eminency of knowledge grace and ſpiritual experience; hereby they will do God more ſervice in their lives, and their joyes and comforts will be greater when they come to be old, and their death will be more comfortable and their reward in Heaven much greater.
2. Thoſe who have loſt much time before. If a traveller hath loitered in the morning, he had need ſpur up and ride hard in the remaining part of the day, leſt the night overtake him and ſo diſable him from accompliſhing his journey. They that have loſt much precious time in the former part of their life, had need uſe double diligence in well improving of it afterwards.
3. The ſick and aged. They ought to look upon their Sun as ſetting and their glaſs as almoſt run out. And therefore if ever they will beſtir themſelves to ſecure to themſelves a happy eternity they muſt do it now.
4. Thoſe that at preſent enjoy more then ordinary Spiritual helps and advantages for the good of their ſouls, or ſuch opportunities as they have not before met with. As when God caſts them into a good Family, or vouchſafes to them the help of ſome faithful Miniſter, or the example of ſome exemplary Chriſtians whoſe help they had not before. Thoſe to whom God vouchſafes ſuch advantages ſhould eſpecially be careful to improve them remembring that opportunity is the quinteſcence of time. A man may have a great deal of time and yet but few opportunities to effect an important buſineſs, and 'tis the character of a wiſe man to make a right improvement of the opportunities vouch-ſafed to him.
5. Thoſe that are in any office of Magiſtracy or Miniſtry, whereby they have an eſpecial opportunity of doing good to many. They ſhould be very careful to improve this ſeaſon, for it will not alwayes laſt. If therefore thou art a Magiſtrate, conſider thou haſt now a great opportunity to encourage Piety, Vertue, and Honeſty, and to beat down Sin, Vice, and Wickedneſs. Do what thou canſt for God while thy Magiſtracy laſts. If thou art a Miniſter, Preach the word faithfully in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon, Exhort, Reprove, Rebuke with all long-ſuffering and patience; ſtrive to win as many ſouls to Chriſt as thou canſt. Thou knoweſt not how ſoon thy mouth may be ſtopped. And I may make the like addreſs to others alſo. If thou art rich, diſtribute and communicate to the poor whilſt thou haſt an eſtate; poſſibly it may be taken from thee, and then thou canſt not do it. If thou art a Parent or a Maſter of a Family, do good to the ſouls of thoſe under thy care while thou haſt time. Remember that both thy life and their lives are uncertain, and thou knoweſt not how long th…u mayeſt have opportunity to do it.
6. The Ignorant. They that have been hitherto ignorant ſhould conſider they muſt get knowledge if they intend to be ſaved; for without the knowledge of the main fundamental Principles of the Chriſtian Religion, how is it poſſible they ſhould be good Chriſtians or know what God requires of them in order to their Salvation.
7. Thoſe that have been lately recovered from any dangerous ſickneſs. They ſhould remember that God has renewed the leaſe of their life, which poſſibly both themſelves and their friends thought expiring. They ſhould remember the reſolutions and promiſes which they then made to God, and poſſibly to others in their ſickneſs. It is ſaid of the Mariners that were in the Ship out of which Jonah was caſt, that when the Sea ceaſed from raging and all was ſafe, that the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered a Sacrifice to the Lord and made vows, Jonah 1.16. Obſerve, they made vows after their deliverance. Many make vows in their danger that are little careful to perform them when the danger is over. But let all thoſe that love their Souls be careful to perform the vows they made to God in their ſickneſſes and diſtreſſes. And ſo much of this laſt particular, namely, the perſons who ought eſpecially to be perſwaded to the practice of this duty.
FINIS.
End of the text · Samuel Cradock, A Supplement to Knowledge and Practice (1679)