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Felix, when Paul" reasoned on righteousness, tem હૃદ perance, and a judgment to come, trembled; and anfwered, Go thy way for this time: When I have "a convenient feafon, I will call for thee." though he fent for Paul again, from worldly views, he wished to hear no more concerning the faith in Chrift. Fatal procraftination! Imminent danger, the admonitions of a friend, inftances of mortality, may alarm confcience for the moment. But finners fay, Have me excused for this time. Business, amusement, or secular advantage induce them to believe, that, at fuch an age, and in fuch circumstances of life, they shall be under better advantage, and more difpofed, to mind religion than at prefent. The Lord of our time and talents faith, Go, work TO-DAY in my vineyard. Occupy till I come. But through the inftigation of Satan, finners flatter themselves that another feason will be better; and, while other concerns occupy their thoughts and time, the day of falvation is gone. God forbid that any of our youth fhould be thus deluded. May all of them be awake to the excellence and worth of the foul, and the great falvation offered in the gofpel. Yet a little while is the light with you: Walk while ye have the light, left darkness come upon you-While ye have the light, believe in the light. Wifdom is juftified of her children. They attend to the language of the Holy Ghoft, TO-DAY, if ye will hear his voice, harden not hearts. your

SERMON XXI.

THE REDEMPTION OF TIME.

COLLOSSIANS iv. s.

-REDEEMING THE TIME.

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HE redemption of time is the fubject proposed for prefent confideration. Some general remarks on time and its progrefs will be offered, in the first place. Secondly, Illuftrations of the fubject, and reafons which enforce the redemption of time. Thirdly, Various ways and means conducive to this important duty will be pointed out.

FIRST, I fhall offer a few general remarks on time and its progrefs.

The whole space from the birth to the death of time, though long, if compared with the term of human life, is as nothing upon a comparison with eternity— whether we speak of eternity which preceded, or which will fucceed time. An hand-breadth is not to be compared with the circumference of the folar fyftem, or even of the terraqueous globe. Yet there would be more propriety in fuch comparison, than in making one between time and eternity. In the former cafe there is a real proportion, however inconfiderable and imperceptible; in the latter, none. The magnitude, distances and revolutions of the heavenly bodies have been computed: But to speak of taking the dimenfions of immenfity is moft abfurd. He who filleth it, who inhabiteth eternity, is defcribed as "meting out heaven with the span, measuring the ocean

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in the hollow of his hand, comprehending the duft "of the earth in a measure, weighing the mountains "in fcales, and the hills in a balance." The whole globe of the earth is as the fmall duft of the balance in his account. Now the years of eternity can no more be reckoned, than immensity can be measured. The shortest and the longest measure is the fame with reference to immenfity; fo is the longest and the shortest fpace of time with reference to eternity. In the view of HIM, who is " from everlasting to everlasting, one "day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. He feeth things which are not as though "they were." He is not older now, than he was when he created the heavens and earth: Nor will he be older, when they shall perifh and wax old like a garment, than he was when he spake them into existence.

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With him is no variableness, neither fhadow of turn"ing. Thou art the fame yesterday, to-day, and for "ever the King eternal and immortal."

How fhort is our time compared with the duration of the visible creation, and of thofe intelligences who fang together when our world was formed? "We "are of yesterday. We are ftrangers and fojourners

on earth, as all our fathers were. One generation "paffeth away, and another generation cometh." How many generations from Adam have already paffed away? Where are thofe fojourners? Way-faring men, they turned afide to tarry for a night, and have been no more feen. The names of but a very few are preferved. Strangers, when they have made a tranfient vifit abroad, return home. The grave is the long home of all the dead, who, beyond all calculation, exceed the number of the living.

We proposed, SECONDLY, fome illuftrations on the redemption of time, and to offer the reasons which enforce the duty.

Short as time is, an eternity depends on the improvement of it. The more fleeting and uncertain

it is, the more weighty are the reasons for redeeming time, if the great Proprietor will render eternal retri butions, according as we either neglect and waste it, or improve it with all diligence and fidelity to his glory. The redeemer of time lays the foundation of eternal life; the spendthrift of it lays the foundation of eternal death. Thus it is in the power of those, to whom time is betrufted, to make eternity either happy or miserable.

Reflect on the conduct of the children of this world, who are wife in their generation; it will give you an idea of what is meant by redeeming time. They deliberate on the means beft adapted to the end they have in view, on the beft manner of ufing them, and the best opportunities. Before they engage in any bufinefs or enterprize, they confider whether it be practicable-whether it becomes their station, and will anfwer their views-whether fuccefs will reward the pains and expence. In the choice of an employment for life, and with refpect to a proper conduct in it, wifdom is profitable to direct: Without it, time, labour and coft are thrown away. The husbandman and artificer, the merchant and mariner, the statesman and philofopher are wife in their respective pursuits-obferving times and feafons, and giving all diligence to obtain their object. Pursuits, juft and laudable in themselves, prove unfuccefsful through the careleffnefs, indolence, rafhnefs, impatience or fickleness of thofe employed in them-not from any want of capacity, or the fault of others, or inevitable providence.

While fome seasons are peculiarly favourable to fecular purfuits, there are seasons altogether unfavourable, and which indeed cannot be improved. If opportunity is neglected, the ill effects, many times, are irretrievable by any after circumfpection and industry.

Early habits of application to fome useful business or ftudies-habits of prudence, fobriety and felf-government;-of humanity, order, fubordination, of a qui

et and peaceable life, are of great moment. They are the course for improving time and talents to the beft advantage. The beginning of life is the proper season to form every laudable habit. Much wifdom is required to discharge properly the truft of forming tender and youthful minds, according to their diversity, to think and act properly.

The above obfervations, applied to fpiritual concerns, illuftrate the subject of redeeming the time, as we are probationers for eternal retributions. Walk in wisdom, redeeming the time. Thofe act wifely, who obferve the fittest seasons, employ the fittest means, and fhew the moft laudable industry, for the juft ends of this life. Similar wisdom for the higher end of religion is recommended in the text.

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We were fent into the world principally with a view to the work of our falvation. To this work we may accommodate the Saviour's words, Your time is always ready-In childhood and youth, manhood and agewhatever our rank in life, or talents, or circumftances-whatever our state of health or sickness, of joy or forrow, God calleth us to his work, to do it with all our might, and while the day lafts-not difcouraged by difficulties, nor difmayed by dangers-to forego a leffer prefent good from refpect to a greater in reverfion-to fubmit to present toil, pain and fufferings, that we may escape greater in time to come. contemplation of the enjoyments and fufferings of the world, as they really are in themselves and in their confequences, would cure the immoderate love of earthly things. A contemplation of this tranfitory, uncertain life, as affording an opportunity to provide for a bleffed immortality, might furely lead to a good improvement of every talent, every opportunity and advantage for the glory of God, the welfare of others, and our own progrefs in the divine life. This is the courfe to keep ready for the time of our departure out of this world. The defire of life is interwoven in our

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