344 THE END OP TIME. [Disc. r. only that is offered. Every day and every hour is a mercy of unknown importance to sinful men : It is a mercy, O sinners, that you awaked not this morning in hell, and that you were not fixed without remedy beyond the reach Of hope and mercy. Reflection V. Learn from this discourse what " avery useful practice it would be, to set ourselves, often before- hand, as at the end of time," to imagine ourselves just under the sound of the voice of this mighty angel, or at the tribunal of Christ, and to call our souls to a solemn account, in what manner we have past away all our lei- Sure time hitherto : I mean, all that time which hath not been laid out in the necessities of the natural life, for its support and its needful refreshment, or in the due and proper employments of the civil life; both these are al- lowed and required by the God of nature, and the God of providence who governs the world ; but what hast thou done, O man ; -O woman, what hast thou done with all the hours of leisure, which might have been laid out on far better employments, and to far nobler pur- poses ? Give me leave to enter into particulars a little, for generals do but seldom convince the mind, or awaken the conscience, or affect the heart. 1. Have you not slumbered or squandered away too much time without any useful purpose or design at all ? How many are there that when they have morning hours on their hands, can pass them off on their beds, and lose and forget time in a little more sleep and a little more slumber; a few impertinences with breakfast and dres- sing, wear out the morning without God. And how many afternoon and evening hours are worn away in such sauntering idleness, as I have described, that when the night comes, they cannot review one half hour's use- ful work, from the dawn of the morning to the hour of rest. Time is gone and vanished, and as they knew not what to dowith it while it was present, so now, it is past, they know not what, they have done with it : They keep no account of it, and are never prepared' to come to a reckoning. But will the great Judge of all take this for an answer to such asolemn enquiry ? 2. Have you never laid out much more time; than was needful, in recreations, and pleasures of sense ? Recreations are not unlawful, so far as they are neces
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