Advice to an Only Child, Chapter 21
CHAP. XXI. Of ſpending of Time.
1. NEver do any thing meerly to paſs the time away. Neither make any Viſits, nor ſet upon any thing called Recreation, barely on that account. Time is too precious a Jewel, too valuable a Treaſure, to ſtudy how to get rid of it, as ſome do of an old Commodity that lies on their hands, that they cannot tell what to do with. God never gave us the leaſt pittance or moment of good to trifle away, but that we might do ſome time therein. What, can you have any time to paſs away, when many would give all they are worth but to draw out their breath one hour longer? As a great Lady that cryed out on her Death-bed, All too late, a world of wealth for an inch of time.
2. Avoid all ſuch occaſions whatſoever as are expenſive of much time to no good purpoſe; as vain trickings and trimmings, tirings and dreſſings, too long needleſs viſits, peruſal of idle Books, or Treatiſes of vanity and folly, vain thoughts, fruitleſs diſcourſe, unneceſſary ſleep, uſeleſs Recreations, and idle Games. But it may be askt, Are not theſe things lawful? This one Queſtion ſends many to Hell; May I not do this? For we are moſt of all in danger by the uſe of lawful things, being here moſt apt to go beyond our bounds. There are more killed by Wine than there are by Poiſon. But why may not I do as the moſt perſons do, that are of my rank and quality? No; do not you ſet your Watch by the Town Clock, but by the Sun-Dial of the Scripture, the true and perfect Dial of the increated Sun. Make not your Neighbours, but the Scriptures the Rule of your Life. If you eye what others do, and direct your courſe of Life accordingly, you do ſteer by a Planet, and not by the Pole-Star, and will never ſo come at the heavenly Harbour, the Port of Eternal bliſs and happineſs. I do not adviſe you againſt neceſſary Recreations for your health. But thoſe that ſpend much time in Playing, Carding, Dicing, or ſuch kind of Games (againſt which I hope I need not much caution you) do but nick-name it, when they call it Recreation, and are like ſuch, that have a nice ſtomach, who feed more on ſauce than they do on meat.
3. Make every day a working-day for Heaven, and every day a Sabbath from ſin; I mean a reſting-day from it. Be every day working out your Salvation with fear and trembling; your time is ſhort, and your work is great, and your Salvation lies at ſtake, therefore fall hard to your work; ſet on it with all your might, and hoard up all the time that poſſibly you can for it.
4. Remember often that Immortality and Eternity hangs upon the ſpending of your time, and according as you ſpend this, ſo it will be with you to all eternity, either for happineſs or miſery. I have read a Story of a certain Gentlewoman, who uſed to ſpend much time in playing at Cards, and ſuch Games, coming once from that Paſtime late in the night, and finding her Waiting-Maid reading a good Book, caſt her Eyes over the Maids ſhoulder, and ſpake words to this effect; Thou poor melancholy Soul, what, alway reading and ſpending thy time in this manner? wilt thou take no comfort in thy life? But the Gentlewoman being ſoon after got to Bed, could take no reſt, but lay groaning and ſighing bitterly. The Maid lying in the ſame Room, and hearing it, deſired to know the reaſon of it; to whom her Miſtreſs replied; I read this word Eternity in thy Book, which hath ſo pierced my heart, that I believe I ſhall never ſleep more till I have a better Aſſurance of my Eternity.
Laſtly; Conſider ſeriouſly that you muſt at the great Day of the Lord, give an account for all your time. It's ſaid of Ignatius, that whenſoever he heard a Clock ſtrike, he would ſay, Here is now one hour more paſt, which I have to anſwer for. O what a heart-affecting conſideration is the loſs of time, with the account to be given for it? Holy Mr. Baxter tells us, he familiarly knew a moſt holy, grave, and Reverend Divine, who was ſo affected with the words of a godly Woman, who at her death did often and vehemently cry out, O call time again! O call time again! that the ſenſe of it ſeemed to remain on his heart, and appear in his Praying, Preaching, and Converſation to his death: O that the reading of her words here might have the like happy Influence on your Heart and Converſation!