1 11.4 . CRRISTIAN. DrLr ENCE t [SE /2M VIIT. tcrsa,gues.: k)thers also shall be pronounced idle; and triflers at the bar of Go.d,::whoClay orit all their: spirits in llttie contr:over"sy,perha.ps:about mint, aniseandcummin,: or. in vindication of rites;: and:: forms, and ceremonies which:God lieverrappointed, while.they:neglecttheweigh - ty Matters of the law and the gospel, justice and good-: Hess;. repentance towards ,God,.aird faith in our .Lord .Jesus., the correction of theirtempers, and the .arrretrd- i# Bt, of their lives. Again,. " Mis- timing the various actions of life is, another abuse of tirne; and contrary to,truediligence. ¶' There is,a tirne, saith the wise man, for every purpose under Leaven, and every thing is.heautiful in its season;"'Ec. 11. If we should-. be: dancing at midnight;: and $leeping at, church, or seeking Our diversions in an hour ©f business; if we should.work with -our .hands, when the season calls us to our closets, or spend that time in rendingand praying, ;which. is !appointed for the labours 6:nd cares of the family ; these are all failures iu our duty;. and contrary to the true diligence which the word of.God, requires.: ghat is but triflingor impertinence in.one sea- spn, which is ä. necessary duty at-another nor will any <qr ks out:gf:season prosper or succeed well, or be .ap- prOved of God : And yet,_there are some persons so ha. ritually guilty of this folly, that whensoever, the certain feásou, of any duty returns; they are. ever beginning to do- sortrethitrg else first, which, perhaps they did not think ofb.efore,: which would be much better left till:afterward; :Prov. vi. 6-8. " Go to the ant, thou sluggard," who seizes the days..of summer and fair, weather, to gather . her food, and hides herself at winter, and lives upon her lormer provisions. The second thing implied-in truediligence, is "ear - liness in opposition to delay." If we consider ourselves as. rner; the early man spews that his heart is in his work ; kit,he. that frorn hour to hour; or from day to day, de- ,lays.the practice of any duty or service, gives sufficient {notice that he doth:not like it, and wouldnever perform it at all,, if he could safely avoid it. - if webegin betimes .-the service of the, day, we happily provide against hin- :derances, and we are not in danger of being thrown. into a hurry by accidental avocations.: We have hours before 1,11S :to do our work well, to revieFV and correct it: We
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