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i54
THE
RIGHT IMPROVEMENT
OF
LIF
.
[SERM.
XXIX,
hours, your
relatives,
your
fellow
-
creatures, and
so
make
the
world
the
better
for
you.
The
days
and
years
of
life
should
be
numbered
by
the
multitude
of
good works, as much as
by
the revolutions
of
the sun
and
moon
:
For lost and
wasted time should
not
come
into
the
account of
life.
But
if
this were
our
way
of
counting,
what
should.
we
say
of
thousands,
who
have
lived
to
no
other purpose but
to
eat
and drink, and
to
make up the number
of
mankind
?
O
it
is
a
mean and
pitiful thing
only to
be
old in time,
and not
in
duties to
God,
or
benefits
to men.
And, as an
author
speaks on
this
subject,
"
All
the good works
of
many who are
stricken
in years
will
lie in
a
very
little
compass:
To
be
an
ancient
man or
woman
of
two
or three years
old,
sounds
like
a contradiction," and it
is,
indeed,
a matter
of
great
shame,
and ought to awaken deep repentance.
How
many
are there
that
live'to
no
purpose at
all,
and
the
world
will
not
miss
them
when they
are
gone
?
How
many
that
live
to wicked purpose, and the
world
is
glad
to
be rid of
them
?
Some
are mere cumberers
of
the
ground,
and some
are perfect
nuisances, and
public
mischiefs. Such
should never pretend to the name
of
Christians:
Let
us
remember it
was
the
character
of our
blessed
Lord,
that
"
he
went
about
doing
good
;
and
he
was willing
to
work those works
while
it
was his
day
of
life;
for the
night
was
coming on him wherein be
should have
no
such
sort,
of
work to
do,'.'
John
ix.
4.
0
may
our
Saviour be
our pattern,
and
let
us be followers
of
the
holy
Jesus
i'
Alas
!
what
'a
noble
pattern
!
what
si
w
and distant
followers!
It
was this
desire
of
service
to
the world,
that put
the
ri
eat
apostle into
a
strait
betwixt
two,
as in
Philip,.
i.
23.
lie
knew
not
what
to
ask for,
"
Shall
I
pray for death
and
glory,
my
heart
bath a
wish
that
way?
It
is
far bet
-
ter
for me
to
depart, and to
be with
Christ
:
Or
shall
I
desire
to
continue in
life
!
This
is
for
the
service
of
your
faith, and
furtherance of your
joy;
therefore I
am
content, saith
he, to have
m.y
crown
and
glory
deferred,
that
my
longer
life may be
your advantage.
O what
an
illustrious
spi
t
of
zeal
and love reigned
in
the
heart
of
this
apostle
!'
"
Ye
are
the light
of
the
world,"
saith.
Christ
to his