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of the Christian pilgrim. "Hear my prayer, O "Lord, and with thine ears consider my calling; "hold not thy peace at my tears; for I am a stranger "with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were. "O spare me a little, that I may recover my strength "before I go hence, and be no more seen." It may be farther observed, upon this head, that we may learn an useful lesson from an enemy. It is said of the devil, that "he is come down upon the earth, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time." Now, if the shortness of the time allowed be an argument with him for labouring hard to destroy our souls, surely it ought to be one with us for labouring as hard to save them; especially if we consider what that work is, and the difficulty of accomplishing it, which shall therefore be the

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Fifth argument adduced for the redemption of time. Time ought to be redeemed, because of the work we have to do, and the difficulty of doing it. Did we see the husbandman dreaming away his time, when all his fields lay uncultivated; or the generals of an army killing an hour at cards, when the enemy was preparing to storm the camp; or a pilot asleep, when the ship was running directly upon a rock; and did all these allege, as the reason of their behaviour, that they had nothing to do, we should think a madhouse the only proper place for them; and we should think right. But why do we not perceive, that there is not less of absurdity and madness in the conduct of that Christian, who wastes his precious hours in idleness, and apologizes for it by saying, in the same

manner, that he has nothing to do: when perhaps the work of salvation, that greatest of all works, the very work for which God sent him into the world, is not yet so much as entered upon, or even thought of? The heart lies fallow; it is overrun with corrupt lusts and evil affections; the ground not yet broken up, much less the seed sown; and the time of harvest approaching: the Christian husbandman, it seems, is dreaming, for he has nothing to do. The world, the flesh, and the devil, have united their forces, and temptation is at the gates ready to carry all before it: the Christian warrior is taking his pastime, for he has nothing to do. The poor weatherbeaten soul is driving, at the mercy of winds and waves, upon the stormy and tempestuous sea of this troublesome world, amidst rocks and quicksands: the Christian steersman is asleep, for he has nothing to do. Our Lord bids us watch and pray; he orders us to strive to enter in at the strait gate, by the narrow way; he enjoins us to labour for the meat that endureth; his apostle presses it upon us to work out our salvation; yet we can persuade ourselves, that we have nothing to do. How is it then? Are temptations fewer than they were, so that there is no danger of falling into them, though we do not watch and pray against them? Is the gate grown wider, or the way made broader, so that we may enter in without striving? Will the meat that endureth, any more than that which perisheth, drop into our mouths without labouring for it? Can we obtain salvation now, without working it out? Such news, perhaps, is sometimes brought us, and it cannot but

be agreeable to flesh and blood. There is only one misfortune, which is, that it cannot possibly be true, the Gospel of Jesus Christ being intended for the use of all ages and generations, and therefore remaining, like its divine Author, "the same yesterday, "to-day, and for ever." Nay, it seems to be a truth as clear as Scripture and experience can make any truth, that the world grows worse as it grows older; consequently, the difficulty of working out our salvation is increased in proportion, and fresh force is daily added to the apostolical argument; "Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” And thus much for the fifth reason why time ought to be redeemed, namely, the work we have to do, and the difficulty of doing it.

The last reason shall be this, because we have already lost so large a proportion of the time allowed us for the purpose. For if we consider, how many of our first years passed in a state of childhood; how many more were played away in the heat and folly of youth; how long it was before we sat down to reflect upon our true condition in this world, upon the works which Christ had done for us, and those which he had enjoined us to do, through his grace, for ourselves; how high we might by this time have stood in the scale of virtue, had we well employed the numberless hours which we certainly might have well employed, and withal how low we now stand, by having neglected so to employ them; I say, if we seriously consider these things (for very serious considerations they are), we shall think it but reasonable that we endeavour by double diligence to repair

former neglects-reasonable, did I say? We shall embrace every opportunity with joy, and on our bended knees adore that mercy, so much beyond all we could hope for, which has made it possible for us by any means to redeem the time we have lost. For although this loss, through a strange thoughtlessness and blindness of mind, generally troubles and afflicts us less than any other, yet think what tribulation and anguish will seize upon us, if by these means our work should be found unfinished at the day of death! How precious will the hours then seem, that have formerly been thrown away on trifles! How many worlds shall we then be ready to offer for one of them? And who can say, that it will be granted? Think on those wretched spirits who misspent their time while in the body, and are therefore now entered upon their portion of everlasting sorrow. What would they give for the opportunity vouchsafed us of being reconciled to God, and bringing forth fruits meet for repentance? Could any of them be released from their prison-house, and sent back into the world for one year, in how holy and heavenly a manner would they spend it! How deeply would they mourn for their sins! How fervently would they pray for pardon! How earnestly would they exhort others to do likewise! What therefore they would do, to be delivered from the bitter pains of eternal death, let us do, to avoid falling into them. I shall close this head with that amazing description, given us by St. John in his Revelation, of a transaction which is one day to happen. "I saw another mighty angel come "down from heaven, clothed with a cloud, and a

rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as "it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire. "And he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left "foot on the earth, and cried with a loud voice, as "when a lion roareth, and when he had cried, seven "thunders uttered their voices." But this wonderful and glorious person has a message to deliver to the inhabitants of the world, far more terrible than his cry, or the seven thunders that followed it: "And "he lifted up his hand to heaven, and sware by him "that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven "and the things that therein are, and the earth " and the things that therein are, and the sea and the things that are therein, that THERE SHOULD BE "TIME NO LONGER." The proper inference surely is this; "While WE HAVE TIME, let us do good "" unto all men."

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These, then, are the reasons why time should be redeemed; because it is the most choice and precious thing in the world; because, when once gone, it never returns; because it is to be accounted for: because it is so short and uncertain; because of the work we have to do, and the difficulty of doing it; and because we have already lost so large a proportion of the time allowed us to do it in.

In order to show how time may be redeemed, permit me to lay down a few short rules for the management and improvement of it.

First, Observe a method in the distribution of your time. Every hour will then know its proper employment, and no time will be lost. Idleness will be shut out at every avenue, and with her that numerous

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