VALUE OF TIME.
ECCLES.
ix. 10.
"Whatsoever
thy hand findeth to do,
Do it with thy might:
For there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom,
In the grave,Ñwhither thou goest."
WHEN
our LORD charged us all so earnestly as He did, to "take no thought for
the morrow," not to allow cares and anxieties about the future to occupy
our hearts, His purpose was (amongst others) to make us understand the value
of time present, and the necessity of not letting it run to waste.
For
very often, under the pretence of providing for things future, we neglect our
present immediate duties, or at least perform them in such a careless
thoughtless manner as but too plainly proves that our hearts are not in the
work.
Nothing
scarcely can be thought of, of more consequence to us all, than the danger we
are in of not endeavouring to make the most of the time present, day after
day.
And
wherein this danger consists, and how far we may guard against it;Ñthis is
what I would now earnestly desire to call your attention to;Ñat least such
of you as are at all disposed to serious thought, and preparation for those
changes which are drawing on.
To
every Christian soul, then, the solemn, I should say the awful warning, is
surely addresses, whether we choose to pay regard to it or notÑor whether
our regard be only formal and transitory, or deep, lasting, and practical.
"Whatsoever
thy hand findeth to do,
Do it with [all] thy might:
For there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom,
In the grave,Ñwhither thou goest."
ÑLet
us consider a little, in what does the danger consist, against which we are
here put on our guard.
It
appears, upon the calmest consideration, that the business of this world, even
that which is most important and most necessary, considered only in itself,
and as belonging to this world, is
in fact of small consequence, perhaps one might say, of none at all.
At
least, things are commonly thought of no value if the possession of them is
thought sure to be very brief, or extremely uncertain.
For
instance, if a person were labouring and slaving to get a large fortune, and
were told for certain that after he had obtained it, he must part with it all
in two or three weeks, he would at once say that if he must lose it so soon
after he had it, it was not worth the trouble of endeavouring after, and would
consequently give over his endeavours.
Or
if a person were in bad health, and were told that if he followed such and
such rules, he would recover indeed, but must not expect to keep his good
health for more than a week or two, and then be as ill again as ever, he would
naturally think such a recovery scarcely worth having, nor would he take he
trouble to submit to rules for obtaining it.
And
so in other cases of what are called matters of business, it seems to be
commonly allowed, that if we think ourselves sure to be deprived of our
advantages very soon after we possess them, we have little or no desire to
obtain them.
Why,
then, it may be asked, do people trouble themselves so much as they do about
this world's goods, of which they must be of necessity so soon deprived?
The
answer must be, because, however sure it may be that they must so soon be
deprived of these things, yet they do not think it sure;Ñthe hour of death,
always uncertain, may be distant, and because it may be distant, we take for granted it must be.
And
then this world's comforts and advantages seem to be of real consequence,Ñin
themselves, I mean, and without reference to what shall be in another unseen
state.
Thus
do we deceive ourselves very much, the best and most religious amongst
usÑdeceive ourselves, (I will say, to our own ruin, but at least) to our
great hindrance and perplexity in following the path of sound practical
holiness, the "narrow way which leadeth unto life."
It
would ill become an authorized minister of CHRIST'S Gospel, to deceive or
flatter those whom he is appointed to instruct.
We
may not venture to say, "Peace, peace, when there is no peace," to
soothe men's souls to sleep in the hour of danger, or to represent the
condition of the Christian world more favourably then the truth will warrant
on a calm and attentive observation of the state of things around us.
And
I think it must be allowed by any impartial and fair-judging mind, that
however well skilled people may be in scriptural and other knowledge, and
ready to dispute and give a positive opinion on Religion, or on any subject
almost which may be started,Ñyet that there is in fact very little
disposition to serious thought, or to close and careful examination into the
truth of things.
Especially,
there seems reason for apprehending that people in general,Ñwe ourselves,
whatever may be our knowledge or our professionsÑdo not yet consider or wish
to consider the great importance of all our behaviourÑof our right spending
every hour as it passes by.
We
no doubt content ourselves too much with general notions, intentions, and
resolutions, and are less careful to apply these to each particular case as it
comes in our way.
We
do not content ourselves too much with general notions, intentions, and
resolutions, and are less careful to apply these to each particular case as it
comes our way.
We
do not indeed neglect our duty to GOD or man altogether, deliberately,
wilfully, and professedly; but we too easily content ourselves with a faint
imperfect obedience.
How
inconsistent this with the solemn warnings of Divine Truth!
"Thou
shalt love the LORD thy GOD with all thy heart, all thy soul, all thy mind,
all thy strength."
"Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily,Ñas to the LORD and not to men."
"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might."
But
the best of us surely will confess, with tears of shame, that whatever their
love for their GOD and Redeemer may have been, it has not been "with all
their heart, mind, soul, and strength;"Ñthat when they have endeavoured
to do right, it has too often not been "heartily" (as St. Paul
says), but with too great a regard to men's wishes, and too little to GOD'S:
that, in fact, they have by no means done their duty "with all their
might," but faintly, imperfectly, and indolently, as if they should have
an opportunity for "work, and device, and knowledge, and wisdom in the
grave,Ñwhither they are going."
Now,
let no one say or think that this is a slight evil, or that if our general
course of conduct be what the world calls good and religious, that therefore
we need not be so particular about our behaviour hour after hour; about the
government of our tempers on trying occasions, or about inquiring so very
exactly into the measures of our duty towards GOD and one another.
No
doubt we may be too scrupulousÑnot because we can possibly be too righteous,
too religious (in the right sense of the word), but because our scruples may
mislead us from the right path, the path of holy practice.
Nevertheless,
there is certainly on the whole more danger of our having too little caution,
than too much,Ñmore danger of our being too confident, than too distrustful
of ourselves.
Hence
there is, generally speaking, more need to warn Christians of these days to
look closely into the truth of things, and to judge and try their ways very
severely:Ñthis is more necessary than it is to tell them that they need not
be so very scrupulous, or that they need not try to be more holy than they are
at present, or that if they are no worse than they are now, it will do, or any
such way of speaking, which really can be accounted nothing better than false,
flattering, and delusive, and such as seems to show a great coldness and want
of love towards our blessed LORD and REDEEMER.
"Whatsoever
thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might."ÑDoes not this plainly
imply that we are expected to be very exact and particular about our behaviour,
hour after hour? in other words, that we are to be careful not merely to be
doing right, but to be doing it with zeal, heartiness, and sincerity, and not
as if we thought that GOD cared not how we served Him. [56/57] We very often
speak and think as if our time were our own; as if we had a right to spend it
as we pleasedÑin fact, as if we had a right to waste it without being called
to account for it.
Alas!
who is there of us, whose heart must not plead guilty to this charge?
For
let us remember that if any matter of duty could as well or better be done in
a shorter time, and we loiter and linger about it, we are quite as chargeable
with indolence and negligence as if we had actually done nothing for some
portion of the time so misspent.
We
very often appear to be busy when we are most idle,Ñappear busy, I say, not
to others only, but even to ourselves;Ñso willing are we to flatter
ourselves into fancied ease and self-approbation, so treacherous and deceitful
is the human heart.
No
doubt our All-merciful GOD, in this as in other respects, sees and
compassionates our weakness: neither in this nor in other respects is He
"extreme to mark what is done amissÑfor if He were, who could abide
it?" who could look back on any one single day of his whole life, and say
with confidence that he had spent it hour after hour in such a way as that he
could not have wished it better spent?
Blessed
be GOD'S name, our hopes of mercy do not rest on ourselves; we have nothing to
plead in the way of excuse, much less of merit; our entire only ground of
confidence is in the one great Atonement, the blood of the Lamb slain to take
away the sins of the world. Except in that blood we have no confidence, no
hope.
Still
if we consider things aright, with that care and seriousness which the
business of Eternity may well demand, we must allow that the more kind,
compassionate, and forbearing our gracious LORD is towards us, the more are we
bound to study earnestly His blessed will, and never to think we can do enough
to show our gratitude for all He has done for us.
And
this must lead us to feel, that it does indeed deeply concern us to be very
exact and particular about our daily and hourly conductÑand never to
encourage in ourselves the notion,Ñthe false, dangerous, and delusive
notion, that our time is our own, and that we have a right to spend it as we
please.
ÑLet
us again consider, that the government of our tempers [57/58] and dispositions
is one of the greatest trials of our Christian sincerity. Here also the Divine
warning is truly touching, and of constant application, if we look home to
ourselves and our course of conduct.
In
the control and management of our tempers, I say, especially under trying
circumstance, the sacred word is addressed to us. "Whatsoever thy hand
findeth to do," whatever possible means you can lay hold of to mortify
all dispositions to pride, envy, malice, peevishness, and
ill-temperÑ"do it with all thy might"Ñlet no opportunity pass of
furthering so valuable an end; "for there is no work, nor device, nor
knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave, whither thou goest:" the present
opportunity let slip can never return.
For
instance, if we go on for some time without being angry or out of humour, we
think of course we are good-tempered; whereas, perhaps, the real case is, that
it has so happened that nothing particular has come across us to vex or
disturb us. At length some such thing occurs, and we think we have a right to
be very angry and out of humour. We do not blame ourselves for such ill-humour,
but are rather pleased to think that it does not often happen, and that we
submit to a great many things which others would highly resent, and so forth.
Now
in this, as in other like cases, the truth seems to beÑthat our general
disposition is shown by our conduct under such particular trials. For it is in
fact only in the time of trial that the real temper and disposition of the
heart can be ascertained. Hence it is so easy for us to deceive ourselves, and
to fancy we have made greater advances in Christian perfection, than indeed we
have.
Hence
also the necessity of our maintaining a strict and close watch over
ourselvesÑthat so by the aid of GOD'S HOLY SPIRIT we may be ready against
every trialÑthat "having taken unto us the whole armour of GOD, we may
be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand."
But
if we get into careless thoughtless ways, and fancy that it does not much
signify what our tempers and dispositions are day after day, and hour after
hour, then surely we forget what a warfare we are engaged in, what enemies we
have to deal with, and how necessary it is, if we would "lay hold on
eternal life," that [58/59] we should
"fight the good fight of faith," and labour and pray to be enabled
to "bring every thought into captivity to the obediÐence of
CHRIST."
ÑAnother thing much to be
observed and deplored is, that people should be so ready to think that there
is no need for them to be so very particular and exact in ascertaining the
measures of Christian truth, their duty to GOD and to one another.
Carelessness about religious
truth is a sign of want of love for GOD. No person can be indifferent about
such a subject without great danger surely.
To this also the heavenly
warning seems to be especially appliÐcable. "Whatsoever thy hand findeth
to do," in proving and ascertaining the truth, "do it with thy
might;"Ñthink no labour or cost too great by which you may find out
where the truth lies, and by what means you may be preserved in it stedfast to
the end.
But now it is certainly the
case, that a great number of peopleÑand many even religiously disposed
peopleÑdo not take much pains, perhaps none at all, about ascertaining the
real nature of religious truth,Ñbut somehow take for granted that their own
opinions are rightÑor at least that one opinion is as good as another, or
very often go on through life wavering and doubtful, but yet without taking
much if any pains to have their doubts cleared and explained.
I am not now speaking of one
sect or party of Christians more than another : it may seem to be a generally
prevailing practical error, both among the professed members of the Church of
EngÐland, and those who dissent from her,Ñthat whether the truth be here,
or whether it be there, it signifies little, so that every man be allowed to
have his own opinion and think as he please. Whatever may be the cause of such
a prevailing state of opinion, the fact cannot be questioned, that it does
prevail.
Nevertheless, that it is a
practical error, and of a most serious kind, may appear from a few
considerations which I shall offer.
If the great GOD in His
infinite love to us has condescended to make known to us the mysteries of His
Gospel, can we venture to receive them with carelessness and indifference? And
is it not receiving them with carelessness and indifference to say,
"whether we understand them aright or no, we are not sure; but however we
do not see that we need inquire or search much about the matter?"
For
what purpose, it may be asked, has the divine gift of reason been vouchsafed
to us, but that we may employ it in the noblest of all occupationsÑthe
search and inquiry after GOD'S eternal truth,Ñthe truth as it is in JESUS?
The volume of Scripture is not
a small one; there are in it numberless things hard to be understood--many,
very many, which require great patience and attention, and an earnest desire
after right instruction, if any one think to obtain at all a satisfactory
notion of their meaning.
Can we then venture to say of
any passage of Scripture, that it may mean this, or may mean that, but it does
not much signify which?
Or rather, is not the sacred
rule, "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might"Ñis
not this particularly applicable to the duty incumbent on us, as reasonable
beings, and much more as professed Christians, to make the study of the Bible
the business, as it should be the delight, of our lives?
No doubt the obscurities and
difficulties with which that sacred book is in a manner filled, are not there
accidentally; no doubt hey are intended by its All-wise Author to be means of
trying our humility, our teachableness, our diligence,Ñwhether we do really
love Him, and desire to know and do his pleasure, according to what we
profess.
For let us ask ourselves, can
we really love our GOD, if we do not desire to know and do His pleasure? And
can we desire to know and do His pleasure, if we do not anxiously labour and
endeavour by all possible means to ascertain the right and true meaning of His
own revealed Word, the volume of Holy ScripÐture?
Alas! what a treasure do we
possess, and how little do we value it,Ñthe best and wisest amongst us!
ÑFor the present, then, I
must say nothing more than that the danger we are in of neglecting our
Christian duty is certainly great and pressing,Ñthe danger, I mean, of
neglecting the time present, and doing the work of the LORD in a heartless,
careless manner.
How to guard against this
danger is a consideration of as [60/61] great importance as any that can be well
thought of,Ñbut we must put it off to some future opportunity.
However,
let us all remember,Ñlet us labour and pray to have the great truth deeply
impressed on our hearts,Ñthat we have no time to waste,Ñthat,
"whatever our hand findeth to do, we must do it with our might;"
ever remembering, that every hour is an hour of trial to us; and that whether
we spend it well or ill, it is gone for ever,Ñwe can never spend it over
again.
And
yet this is what we cannot, will not be persuaded of. We have a sort of
notion, that if we are diligent at one time, we have a right to be idle at
another; or that if we are negligent in some respects, we may make up for it
by greater zeal in others.
This
is so dangerous a notion, that I am sure, I am positive, we cannot too much
guard against it.
And
may our merciful Heavenly FATHER, in His infinite love to us, grant us the aid
of His HOLY SPIRIT, to comfort our sinking hearts, and strengthen our failing
faltering footsteps: may He, for His dear SON'S sake, enable us, day after
day, and hour after hour, to make some progress at least, however slight, in
the knowledge of His truth, and the practice of His will: that so we may still
be drawing nearer and nearer unto Him,Ñstill be growing in grace and in the
knowledge of our LORD and SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST.