Discourses on Several Subjects and Occasions Volume 2 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1793 Excerpt: ... MA N is often in Scripture compar-D1 s c. ed to a merchant; and there are ix. three things more especially, which, con-sidered in that capacity, he is enjoined to purchase at any rate. The first is the King-dom of Heaven, likened by our Saviour, in one of his parables, to "a pearl of great "price, which a merchant having met "with, went and sold all that he had, and - bought it." The second is Truth. "Buy p 4 "the r Disc. "the truth, saith Solomon, and sell it not." IX, The third purchase we are to make is that mentioned in the text: "Redeeming the "Time." Arid this indeed opens the way to the other two; since it is by a right employment of our Time, that we come to a knowlege and love of the Truth, which leads us to the Kingdom of heaven, through him, who is i( the way, the truth, "and the life." The phrase, "redeeming the time," supposes us to have been formerly negligent in this sort of spiritual traffic, and so to have suffered loss; which therefore we are to make up, by taking every opportunity of trading to advantage for the future. The inestimable value and right improvement of time are therefore the subjects suggested to our meditations by these words of the apostle; in the prosecution of which let us consider, Why Time should be redeemed, and How it may be redeemed. Time, Time, little as men account of it, is Disc. the most choice and precious thing in _ the world. "The merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, "and the gain thereof than fine gold." And this God seems to have pointed out to us, by the very manner of his giving it, so different from that in which he vouchsafes his other gifts. For whereas he is graciously pleased to bestow many of them upon us in large quantities, so that we can keep some store of them by us, ...