my time hath been hitherto employed in such work! How reasonable, how necessary, it is to redeem the little inch of time that yet remains, but hastens to a period! For, as there is no covenant to be made with death, so no agreement for the arrest and stay of time; it keeps its pace, whether I redeem and use it well or not.

The greatest part of our life is designedly employed to avoid death; we eat, and drink, and sleep, and labour, and rest, that we may not die; and yet even by these we hasten to death. Every breath, every pulse, every word, leaves one less of the number which God hath appointed me, and carries away some sands of the glass of time; and yet how little care is taken to employ it well! We seldom value it, till we can no longer use it to any advantage; and, though we know it can neither be retarded in its motion, or recalled when past, yet of nothing are we more prodigal. Yea, how many complain of it as a burthen, and know not what to do with their time, are exceedingly at a loss wherein to employ it, what to do to be rid of it! alas! how near is that change, when they shall think nothing too dear to purchase some few grains of that sand which now seem too many, while they are passing through their hour-glass ! How sad will be the review of our lost and ill-spent time ! How different an opinion of its value we shall have on a sick-bed, or when our time and hope are gone! How many weeks, and days, and hours, O my soul! have I trifled away in sloth and idleness, in foolish mirth and hurtful company, in vain thoughts and impertinent discourse, in excess of sleep and

But,

needless pastimes, feastings, inordinate care to adorn the body or gratify the sensual appetite! All that which is past is irrecoverable; and the little remainder flies apace.

How quickly will it be gone!

how soon, how suddenly, may an unexpected stroke of death conclude it! And yet this is all the opportunity I shall ever have to make my peace with God, and prepare for the everlasting world.

Did we consider as we ought, we should not foolishly throw away so much of it in trifles, and things impertinent, or what is worse. How much more might we redeem than commonly we do! to how much better purpose might we husband it! How much more work might we do, were we never idle, or did not loiter! We might walk far, did we not often stand still, or go out of our way. We see it plainly by the great and excellent effects of some few men's industry in every age. Art hath found means to set spies and watches as it were on the sun, that he cannot look out but they take hold of his shadow, and force it to tell how far he is gone that day; and yet, while we are curious in making time give a just account of itself to us, how little do we consider the account of our time, which we must shortly give to God! Oh! that such a thought might effectually persuade me to redeem it! that I may not tarry till the end of time to know the worth of it! Let me not undervalue it, while be used, that I may not eternally regret my folly when time shall be no more.

it is given me to

God calls me to diligence and labour; the work he calls me to is excellent, and the reward glorious; to know, and love, and serve, and obey him, in order

to eternal life!

And shall I yet be idle? Is this the use and end of all my time? And do I know it, and believe it? Do I indeed believe it, and yet delay and loiter, and waste my precious hours in vanity? Am I going into eternity, and entering into another world, and know that I must be in heaven or hell for ever; and have I time to throw away? Am I fit to die, and to appear before my Judge, or am I not? Am I made meet for heaven, by pardoning mercy and sanctifying grace? Have I the earnest of the Spirit to witness and assure me of it? Is my interest in the promise of eternal life as firm, and my evidence of it as clear, as it may be made? Am I not conscious to myself, that much of this necessary work is yet to be done?

And

shall such an unprepared soul as mine be careless and indifferent how I spend my time?

SECTION VII.

Of the ordinances of heaven, day and night, summer and winter, seed time and harvest; their order and succession, established by God, are the effect of infinite wisdom and goodness. What they

teach us.

WHEN I consider the beginning of another year, I can hardly avoid reflecting on its several parts, summer and winter, spring and fall, day and night, and their alternate turus. This calls me to observe and admire his eternal power and Godhead, wisdom

and truth, who is the great Author of this admirable variety; who hath fixed the earth with his foot, and hanged it on nothing, and settled the luminaries of heaven for excellent ends: "The sun to rule by day, and the moon by night;" thereby to distinguish times and seasons, to separate day and night, winter and summer, and consult the convenience of man and beast, by their due succession. "The day is thine, the night also is thine, thou makest summer and winter:" how wonderful is their order, beauty, and constant course; that, when the sun withdraws, and the shadows of the evening cover the earth with darkness, to conclude the day, the moon and stars supply the place of the absent sun during the night. And, that though they differ in length, yet gradually lessen, till they are both equal at the year's end, and have made the same circuit! How excellent a work of God is that quick succession to one another! The supposition of a perpetual night is a dismal gloomy thought. Oh, what will the everlasting darkness of the infernal prison be! The sun by day enlightens the earth, directs our motions, guides our way, governs our travel, assists conversation, awakens industry, warms the earth and air, gives life, and vigour, and fruitfulness, to all things under the sun, and makes the whole inferior creation to rejoice. An emblem of God's universal goodness, who is kind to all his creatures. How admirable is its lustre! how glorious is its light! how loudly doth it proclaim his power and wisdom, who made this and the other lights of heaven, by his powerful word, and preserves them hitherto by his daily providence!

If God be now so glorious, contemplated in his works, considered in the lustre of the created sun, viewed only through the windows of sense, how much more glorious will he appear hereafter, when we shall see him face to face, and nothing interpose betwixt us and his incomparable light! If mine eyes dazzle to look upon the meridian sun, in what inaccessible light must he dwell who is the Father of lights! If this lower world, the common receptacle of his friends and enemies, have so much of his glory vouchsafed them by the heavenly bodies, Oh what a place will heaven be, sun or moon, nor need of any, God shall lighten it, and the thereof!"

where shall be no "but the glory of Lamb be the light

While I thus consider the sun and the day, I must not think the night is useless, which discovers another part of the heavens, not discernible by day, namely, the stars and planets, refreshing the earth, cooling the air, giving necessary rest to the creatures, &c. Their order, motions, aspects, oppositions, influences, are all useful and instructive. The agreeable mixture of light and darkness, the regular succession of day and night, within a few hours, are exceedingly wonderful and advantageous. In other parts of the world, where the sun-beams are more direct, and its heat excessive, God hath made. amends by the length of the night, (under the equinoctial line it is always twelve hours,) and in the more northern parts, where the influence of the sun is weaker, the days are proportionably longer. So good is God to all his creatures, in all parts of the world! As the morning and evening answer