What can we do to employ our time to a more noble purpose, than reading of what our dear Redeemer has done and suffered; to read, that the King of kings, and the LORD of lords, came from his throne and took upon him the form of the meanest of his servants; and what great ♦things he underwent. This, this is an history worth reading, this is worth employing our time about: and surely, when we read of the sufferings of our Saviour, it should excite us to prayer, that we might have an interest in the LORD JESUS CHRIST; that the blood which he spilt upon mount _Calvary_, and his death and crucifixion, might make an atonement for our sins, that we might be made holy; that we might be enabled to put off the old man with his deeds, and put on the new man, even the LORD JESUS CHRIST; that we may throw away the heavy yoke of sin, and put on the yoke of the LORD JESUS CHRIST. Indeed, my brethren, these things call for prayer, and for earnest prayer too; and O do be earnest with GOD, that you may have an interest in this Redeemer, and that you may put on his righteousness, so that you may not come before him in your filthy rags, nor be found not having on the wedding garment. O do not, I beseech you, trust unto yourselves for justification; you cannot, indeed, you cannot be justified by the works of the law. I intreat that your time may be thus spent; and if you are in company, let your time be spent in that conversation which profiteth: let it not be about your dressing, your plays, your profits, or your worldly concerns, but let it be the wonders of redeeming love: O tell, tell to each other, what great things the LORD has done for your souls; declare unto one another, how you were delivered from the hands of your common enemy, _Satan_, and how the LORD has brought your feet from the clay, and has set them upon the rock of ages, the LORD JESUS CHRIST; there, my brethren, is no slipping; other conversation, by often repeating, you become fully acquainted with, but of CHRIST there is always something new to raise your thoughts; you can never want matter when the love of the LORD JESUS CHRIST is the subject: then let JESUS be the subject, my brethren, of all your conversation.
♦ “thnigs” replaced with “things”
Let your time be spent on him: O this, this is an employ, which if you belong to JESUS, will last you to all eternity. Let others enjoy their cards, their dice, and gaming hours; do you, my brethren, let your time be spent in reading, praying, and religious conversation. Which will stand the trial best at the last day? which do you think will bring most comfort, most peace, in a dying hour? O live and spend your time now, as you will wish to have done, when you come to die.
_Secondly_, Let the good things of life, you enjoy, be used with moderation.
I am not, as the scoffers of this day tell you, against eating and drinking the good things of life; no, my brethren, I am only against their being used to an excess; therefore, let me beseech you to avoid those great indiscretions, those sinful actions, which will give the enemies of GOD room to blaspheme. Let me beseech you, to have a regard, a particular regard to your behaviour, at this time; for indeed the eyes of all are upon you, and they would rejoice much to find any reason to complain of you. They can say things against us without a cause; and how would they rejoice if there was wherewith they might blame us? Then they would triumph and rejoice indeed; and all your little slips, my dear brethren, are, and would be charged upon me. O at this time, when the eyes of so many are upon you, be upon your guard; and if you use the good things of this life with moderation, you do then celebrate this festival in the manner which the institution calls for.
And instead of running into excess, let that money, which you might expend to pamper your own bodies, be given to feed the poor; now, my brethren, is the season, in which they commonly require relief; and sure you cannot act more agreeable, either to the season, to the time, or for the glory of GOD, than in relieving his poor distressed servants. Therefore, if any of you have poor friends, or acquaintance, who are in distress, I beseech you to assist them; and not only those of your acquaintance, but the poor in general. O my dear brethren, that will turn to a better account another day, than all you have expended to please the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, or the pride of life. Consider, CHRIST was always willing to relieve the distressed; it is his command also; and can you better commemorate the birth of your king, your Saviour, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, than in obeying one of his commands?