CHAP. I. The Coherence of the Words. The Text divided. The Doctrine propounded. The Method laid down for the clearing and opening of it. What it is to redeem the Time: the Phrase in the Text may signify these four Things; (1.) To buy back the Time that is past: In what Sence that may be done. (2.) to buy up the Time that is present; that is, to forgo or part with any thing for it; and to make it our own, and use it for our spiritual and eternal Advantage. (3.) Not only to buy it up, but to buy it out; to get it out of the hands of the Devil, and the World, and the distracting Cares, and tempting Pleasures of it. (4.) To use all Wariness and Wisdom of Behaviour to secure our selves from Snares, and to preserve our selves from spiritual Dangers, and from running rash∣ly and unseasonably into any temporal Suffering and Calamity.

CHAP. II. What the Time is that ought to be redeemed, largely ex∣plained. Opportunity more than Time: 'tis Time with an Aptness and Fitness it has for some good. The Opportunity to be redeemed is either General, or Particular: The General is all the Time of our En∣joyment of the glorious Light of the blessed Gospel. The Particular Opportunity five-fold. (1.) The Morning of our Age. The well-redeeming your younger Daies will be most acceptable to God, will make you more serviceable to others, and prove most profitable to your selves. They that redeem the Time of their Youth, are likely to redeem their riper Years. Instances of those that have redeemed their youthful Daies. (2.) The Morning of the Week; the first Day of every Week. Magistrates, Ministers, Peo∣ple, Masters and Servants, Poor and Rich, should study to redeem this Opportunity, and take heed they redeem it not by halves. Our Observation of the Lord's Day a good help to the Redeeming of all the six Daies following, both as to Temporals, and as to Spirituals. (3.) The Morning of every Day; that's an Opportunity of giving God the first, and best of our Time. by redeeming the Morning, we are like∣ly to redeem the whole Day following. (4.) The So∣ciety and Company of the most Religious and Godly: in which we have an happy Occasion both of doing and of receiving good. (5.) The special Seasons of pra∣ctising and performing Particular Duties, of getting and encreasing, acting and exercising Particular Gra∣ces, must be observed, embraced, and improved by us.

CHAP. III. The Grounds and Reasons why we ought to redeem the Time. The Special Reason laid down in the Text; because the Daies are evil. What to be understood by evil Daies. Daies are said to be evil, not in∣herently, but adherently, or concomitantly; by reason of any sinful, or penal Evil that befalleth in them. The Evil of the Day, is either General, or Special: General; the Shortness and Trouble, which does accompany the Time of this Life. The Particular Evil of the Day is, when any special Evil takes place in such a Time. The particular Evil of the Apostles Times three-fold. It stood (1.) in dan∣gerous Errours and false Doctrines. (2.) In the vicious and wicked Lives of scandalous Professors of the Gospel. (3.) In sharp and hot Persecutions. How far these several Evils are to be found in these our Daies. Our redeeming of the Time, and endea∣vouring to grow better our selves, is the ready way, and only means to make the Evil Daies better.

CHAP. IV. Six other Reasons added to that in the Text. We ought to redeem the Time, (1.) Because our Time is af∣forded us by God to this very End and Purpose. (2.) Because we have all of us lost much Time al∣ready. (3.) Because the Time, that remains, is very short and uncertain, and our Special Opportuni∣ties far shorter, and more uncertain; and the Work, we have to do, very great. (4.) Because we can neither bring Time back, when once it is past unim∣proved, nor any way prolong and lengthen out the Daies of our Lives, when Death comes to put an End and Period to them. (5.) Because we shall all be certainly called to an Account for our Time. (6.) Because this Time is all we can redeem, and upon this short Moment of Time depends long Eter∣nity.

CHAP. V. The Ʋse and Application of the Doctrine. Ought we to redeem the Time? Then (1.) Let not the Men of this World think strange, that serious and conscienti∣ous Christians do not lose their Time as desperately as they do. Good Men know the Worth of Time, and understand the great Consequences and weighty Con∣cernments of well or ill husbanding of it. (Ʋse 2) Let us all examine our selves, and see whether we have redeem'd our Time, or no; bewail and bemoan our loss of Time. (3. Ʋse) A seasonable sharp Reproof of several Persons, who are grossly guilty of mis-spen∣ding their Time. (1.) A Reproof of those that mis∣spend their Time in Idleness and Lasiness. Idleness a Sin against our Creation, against our Redemption, against our own Souls, against our Neighbour; and an Inlet to many other Sins. (2.) Such Persons are justly censurable, who mis-spend their Time in excessive Sleep and Drousiness; which wasts not only much of our Time, but the best of our Time too. Im∣moderate sleeping nought on any Day, but worst of all upon the Lord's-Day. (3.) Many mis-spend their Time in impertinent Employments. (4.) Ma∣ny lose much precious Time in vain Thoughts. (5.) In wain Speeches. (6.) In vain Pleasures: in using unlawful, or abusing lawful Recreations: either using them unseasonably, or else immoderately. (7.) In excessive, immoderate, worldly Cares. (8.) Some Persons are to be reproved for mis-spend∣ing their Time in Duties. (1.) By performing them unseasonably. (2.) By doing them formally Time lost in Duties by unseasonable Performance, two Waies: (1.) When one Duty thrusts and justles out another; and so the Duty is mis-timed. (2.) When Duty is perform'd at such a Time when we are most unfit for't.

CHAP. VI. The fourth and last Ʋse is of Exhortation, to Magi∣strates, Ministers, the People in general. Six quickening Motives to press the Duty of Redemption of Time. (1.) Consider how notably Jesus Christ redeem'd the Time, when he was here in the World. 1. He redeem'd the Time, to save us. 2. He re∣deem'd the Time, to be an Example to us. (2.) Con∣sider further, that as Christ did once redeem the Time, to save us; So the Devil does daily redeem the Time, to destroy us. (3.) Consider, how very no∣tably many of the Saints and Servants of God have improved and redeemed their Time. (4.) Consider, that it is an Act of spiritual Wisdom to rodeem the Time, and mere Madness and gross Folly not to re∣deem the Time. (5.) Consider, that if now thou losest and squanderest away thy Time, thou wilt at last be forced thy self to condemn thy foolish Negh∣gence, and to justify the Care and Diligence of o∣thers, that were wiser for their own Souls then thy self. (6.) Consider, that do what we can to redeem our Time, we shall never repent at last of any Care we have had to redeem it, but shall certainly blame and find fault with our selves for being so careless of our Time, so negligent of good Opportunities as we have been. Serious considerative Christians do blame them∣selves for their Loss of Time, even in their Life-time: but they are especially sensible of it, and exceedingly ashamed of themselves for it, at their Death.

CHAP. VII. Direction (1.) If ever we would redeem the Time, we must endeavour to be throughly convinc'd of the great value and real worth of Time; In respect of the Price paid for it: In regard of the use and end to which it serves: Considering what precious Thoughts the more improved Heathens had of Time: And what damned Spirits, and dying Per∣sons who have not made their Peace with God, think of Time. Direct. (2.) If we would well redeem the Time, we must often examine our selves, and call our selves to a serious strict Account for the spending of our Time. This was the Precept of Py∣thagoras, and Cicero; and the Practice of Sexti∣us, Seneca, and Titus Vespasian. Direct. (3.) That we may rightly redeem our Time, let Consci∣ence have some Authority with us, and procure some reverence from us. Stand much in aw of thy own Conscience, which will either acquit and absolve thee, or surely judg and condemn thee. Direct. (4.) If ever we would redeem the Time, we must live and act, and do every thing as in the sight and presence, and under the eye and inspection of God. The ap∣prehension of God's all-seeing, all-searching Eye, will be of excellent Ʋse and Advantage to us at 4 times especially; 1. Actually consider that God sees you, when you ordinarily visit one another, and at any time feast and make merry together. 2. When Buy∣ing or Selling, remember you are manifest in God's Sight, that God stands by and sees your dealings. 3. Consider this in your secret Retirements, and in your private Families. 4. Whenever we come to the publick Worship of God, let us seriously consi∣der, that we stand in his Presence, and are in his eye. Direct. (5.) That we may wisely redeem the Time, let's be sure to propound a good end to our selves in all our Actions; and do nothing deliberate∣ly, but what we can safely and freely, warrantably and comfortably ask God's Assistance in, and Blessing upon, when we go about it. Direct. (6.) We must be sure to give our selves to Prayer, as a special way in which, and principal means and help by which we may redeem and improve our Time aright. And here 1. Be careful to keep up set and stated times of Pray∣er: of secret Prayer, and Family-Prayer. 2. Be ready to betake thy self to Prayer, upon special, ex∣traordinary, emergent Occasions. 3. Ʋse thy self to frequent, suddain, ejaculatory Prayers to God. This is the Priviledg of Ejaculation, that it is a gaining of Time for the Exercise of Religion, without any prejudice or hindrance to your Calling. Direct. (7.) We must set our selves to the frequent diligent reading, and serious studying of the sacred Scriptures. For 1. This is a gaining and making advantage of all that Time past which the Scripture gives us the History and Account of. 2. Our read∣ing the holy Books of Scripture, is a well improving the present time that is imployed in this religious Duty: for, 'tis an honouring of God; and a means of attaining divine Knowledg, heavenly Grace, and spiritual Comfort. 3. It is moreover a means and help to the right redeeming of our Time for the future. Direct. (8.) If we would effectual∣ly redeem the Time, we must give our selves to fre∣quent and serious Meditation. Set some Time apart for this Duty. Think of the 4 last things especially; 1. Of Death; of the Day of thy own particular Page  268Death, and of the Time of the General Dissolution of this World. 2. Of the Day of Judgment. 3. Of the Joys of Heaven, 4. Of the Torments of Hell. Direct. (9.) If you would redeem the Time, you must labour to spiritualize even your ordinary worldly Employments; and must take care that your natural, as well as civil, Actions partake of Religion. Direct. (10.) if we would wisely re∣deem the Time, we must make a good Choice of our Friends and Acquaintance, and a good Improve∣ment of our Company and Society with them. Di∣rect. (11.) We must remember and consider, per∣form and answer our solemn Sacramental Vows, and Sick-bed-Promises and Resolutions. Direct. (12.) Lastly; If we would redeem the Time, we must not give way to any Delay, but strengthen and settle our Resolution against any farther procrastination.