A PRESERVATIVE FROM SIN AND FOLLY. 275 Scripture. "John ix. 4. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day. Prov. xxiv. 30. I went by the field of the slothful, and it was all grown over with thorns. Verse 33. Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep ; so shall thy poverty come as a traveller, and thy want as an armed man. Mat. xxv. 26, 30. The wicked and slothful servant, cast him into utter darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Prov. x. 4.` Thehand of the diligent maketh rich. Prov. xxü. 29. Seest thou a man diligent in his business, he shall stand before kings. Heb.. xi. 6. God is a re- warder of them that diligently seek him." 65. Q. What isthe second way of wasting of time ? A: When I give myself up to an idle and trifling temper, and busy myself . often in that which can turn to no manner of advantage, neither as proper work, nor as proper recreation. Reason against this sines. Because time is a valuable blessing, and we must give an account to God bow we have spent it: and if we should grow up with a trifling humour, and let all our days be wasted in vanities, we shall neither se- cure toourselves the blessings of time nor eternity. Scripture. Idleness or trifling may be represented in scriptural expres- sions. " Is. Iv. 2. They labour for that which satisfieth not. Hab. ii. 13. They weary themselves for very vanity. Hos. viii. 7. They have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind : there ié no stalk of corn arisen, and the bud shall yield no meal." Note, It is another of the mischievous effects of this trifling humour, that it renders people dilatory in their ownproper business, and they are generally behindband in all the duties of their place, because they are ever busy about something else. When the proper hour is come for any duty, they have often some very silly and needless thing to do first, or some duty which should have beendone long before , They are always ready to say, " it is time enough yet ;" and thus they never taket ime beforehand, but are frequently in a hurry, and are plunged into many inconveniences. Thisalso may be reproved in scripture language. " Prov, xxvii. I. Boast not of to-morrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. Eccl. ix. 10. Whatsoever thy hand flndeth to do, do it with all thy might, Ileb. iii. 7, 13. To -day if ye will hear his voice, while it is called to-day, harden not your hearts." 66. Q. What is the third way of wasting time 2 A. By an excessive love of sport and pleasure. Reason against this sin. Because sports and recreations were not designed to be the businessof our lives, though they may be used sometimes to refresh us, and fit us better for our business. Scripture. "Prov. xxi. 17. He that lover) pleasure, or sport, shallbe a poor man: and it is one of the characters of the wicked in the last days, that they shall be lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God; 2 Tim. iii. 4." Note, Industry and diligence can never be too much recommended to yontb, since trifling and idleness, sauntering and laziness, and a love of pleasure, are most dangerous things, and expose no to all sorts of temptations and evils. 67. Q. What is the last sin which relates particularly to ourselves? A. Thoughtlessness of the most important things to come, particularlyofdeath and judgment, of heaven and hell. Reasonagainst this sin. Because all these things are great realities, and are of such vast importance as to demand our serious thoughts about them í there is a heaven and there is a hell, though we do not see them now, Death and judg- ment will come as surely as if they were already before our eyes; and it is our duty therefore and our wisdom to provide beforehand, andbe prepared. * I confess that trifling might perhaps rather be,reckoned among the follies of childhood than among their sins : and if what men would call trifling an hour now and then should be indulged to children, it must be reckoned among the re- creations to fit them better for their business. But when we see a child giving itself up to a perpetual habit of trifling and wasting time, it ought to be reproved, for the consequencesof it are iangerous to soul and body : and it is in this sense I rank it among their sins.
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