of wit, to account for; but every man, that lives to

the

age

of discretion, hath time to account for.

The

3. Every man hath not only a talent of time; but every man hath a talent of opportunity, to improve his talent in some measure, put into his hand. very works and light of nature, the very principles of natural religion, are lodged in the hearts of all men; which, by the help of his natural reason, he might exercise to some acts of service, duty, and religion towards God. But the Christian hath much more.

4. The redemption and improvement of our time is the next and immediate end why it is given, or lent us, and why we are placed in this life; and the wasting of our time is a disappointment of this very end of our being; for thereby we consequently disappoint God of his glory, and ourselves of our happiness.

5. Upon the management and disposal of our time depends the everlasting concernment of our souls. Ex hoc momento pendet Æternitas. If it be redeemed, improved, and employed as it ought to be, we shall, in the next moment after death, enter into an immutable, eternal, and perfect state of glory: if it be either sinfully or idly spent, we fall into an everlasting, irrecoverable, and unchangeable state of misery.

6. The business we have to do in this life, in order to the cleansing of our souls, and fitting them for glory, is a great and important business; and the time we have to live hath two most dangerous qualities in reference to that business. (1.) It is short: our longest period is not above eighty years: and few

there be that arrive to that age. (2.) It is very casual and uncertain: there be infinite accidents, diseases, and distempers, that cut us off suddenly; as, acute diseases, such as scarce give us any warning: and, considering how many strings, as it were, there are to ́hold us up, and how small and inconsiderable they are, and how easily broken, and the breach or disorder of any of the least of them may be an inlet to death, it is a kind of miracle that we live a month. Again, there be many diseases that render us, in a manner, dead, while we live; as, apoplexies, palsies, phrensies, stone, gout; which render our time either grievous, or very unuseful to us.

7. Time once lost, it is lost for ever: it is never to be recovered: all the wealth of both the Indies will not redeem, nor recall, the last hour I spent: it ceaseth for ever.

8. As our time is short, so there be many things that corrode and waste that short time; so that there remains but little that is serviceable to our best employment. Let us but take out of our longest lives the weakness and folly of childhood and youth; the impotency and morosity of our old age; the times for eating, drinking, sleeping, though with moderation; the times of sickness and indisposedness of health; the times of cares, journeys, and travel; the times for necessary recreations, interview of friends and relations, and a thousand such expenses of time; the residue will be but a small pittance for our business of greatest moment; the business, I mean, of fitting our

souls for glory: and if that be mis-spent, or idly spent, we have lost our treasure, and the very flower and jewel of our time.

9. Let us but remember, that, when we shall come to die, and our souls sit, as it were, hovering upon our lips, ready to take their flight, at how great a rate we would then be willing to purchase some of those hours we once trifled away!—but we cannot.

10. Remember, that this is the very elixir, the very hell of hell to the damned spirits, that they had once a time, wherein they might, upon easy terms, have procured everlasting rest and glory: but they foolishly and vainly mis-spent that time and season, which is not now to be recovered.

The manner in which Sir Matthew Hale laid out his time, is thus related by his biographer, Bishop Burnet.

2

He took a strict account of his time: of which the reader will best judge, by the scheme he drew for a Diary; which I shall insert, copied from the original : but I am not certain when he made it. It is set down in the same simplicity in which he writ it for his own private use.

MORNING.

1. To lift up the heart to God in thankfulness, for renewing my life.

2. To renew my covenant with God in Christ. (1.) By renewed acts of faith receiving Christ, and rejoicing in the height of that relation. (2). Resolution of being one of his people, doing him allegiance.

3. Adoption and prayer.

4. Setting a watch over my own infirmities and passions; over the snares laid in our way. Perimus licitis.

DAY EMPLOYMENT.

There must be an employment;-two kinds.

1. Our ordinary calling, to serve God in it. It is a service to Christ, though never so mean. Colossians iii. Here, faithfulness, diligence, cheerfulness. Not to overlay myself with more business than I can bear.

2. Our spiritual employments: mingle somewhat of God's immedjate service in this day.

REFRESHMENTS.

1. Meat and drink; moderation, seasoned with somewhat of God.

2. Recreations. (1.) Not our business. (2.) Suitable. No games, if given to covetousness or passion.

IF ALONE.

1. Beware of wandering, vain, lustful thoughts: fly from thyself, rather than entertain these.

2. Let thy solitary thoughts be profitable. View the evidences of thy salvation; the state of thy soul;

the coming of Christ; thy own mortality: it will make thee humble and watchful.

COMPANY.

Do good to them. Use God's name reverently. Beware of leaving an ill impression of ill example. Receive good from them, if more knowing.

EVENING.

Cast up the accounts of the day. If ought be amiss, beg pardon. Gather resolution of more vigilance. If well, bless the mercy and grace of God, that hath supported thee.

Bishop Burnet adds "These notes have an imperfection in the wording of them, which shows they were only intended for his privacies. No wonder a man, who set such rules to himself, became quickly very eminent and remarkable."

The strict, uniform, and self-controlling spirit of Sir Matthew Hale is illustrated by his biographer in several other circumstances of his life, during both his younger and his more-advanced years. The following are selected, as peculiarly descriptive of this eminent character:

From the first time that the impressions of religion settled deeply in his mind, he used great caution to