Ephesians 5:16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. I. TO SHOW IN GENERAL WHAT IT IS TO REDEEM THE TIME. II. TO SET BEFORE YOU THE PARTICULAR MANNER OF REDEEMING THE TIME. III. To offer you THE REASONS OF IT. And as to that particular reason or motive adjoined here by the apostle, I will treat of that by itself, when I have dispatched this part of my discourses on the words. IV. I will present you with those practical inferences which this doctrine affords. I. The first thing I undertake is, to give you a more general account of this apostolical injunction, AND TO ACQUAINT YOU WHAT IT IS TO REDEEM THE TIME. II. I am to propound to you THE PARTICULAR MANNER OF REDEEMING THE TIME; and this cannot be said in fewer and more comprehensive words than these, that we take care to spend every day well; and if you ask me how this is to be done, I answer, It may most effectually be done these three ways. 1. By beginning every day well. 2. By proceeding in it accordingly. 3. By concluding it in a like manner. 4. Remember to be cautious in respect of your recreations.No man can pretend to redeem his time who is not exceeding careful here. Wheat a great portion of time is spent by some persons in foolish sports and pastimes, as they call them. 5. I add this as another excellent way of redeeming the time; see that you retire from the world very often, abandon all company, and be alone. Company devours time excessively, and your greatest company keepers are the worst managers of time. 6. When you go abroad take care of this, that you do not mix yourselves with evil companions; be very circumspect as to the persons you converse with; never think you can redeem time, if you be careless as to this particular, for a wonderful deal of time is lost (and the person too often) in unprofitable and sinful society. 7. If you would redeem the time, busy not yourselves about mean and trifling matters, but mind those things which are great and worthy. 8. To sum up all in few words, make it your great care to employ all the time you have, and that very well. Let no opportunity of doing good be omitted. As I have showed you how you ought to begin, and to continue every day of your life; so it remains, that I let you know what it is to conclude the day well.And this must be done — 1. By serious reflection and meditation. Sit down in good earnest, and recollect the passages of the past day. Let every evening be the audit of the day's actions. 2. Conclude the day with solemn acts of repentance. 3. Endeavour, as much as in you lieth, to make your peace with the offended Majesty of heaven, by humbly begging forgiveness of your sins through the satisfaction and atonement of Christ Jesus the Redeemer. And yet now it will be requisite to tell you that the work is not yet at an end. Religion takes care of the night as well as the day. It is not to be thought that the night was made altogether for sleep. It may sometimes be improved to the same pious ends which the day is. The holy psalmist is our pattern here, he "remembered God upon his bed, and meditated on Him in the night watches" (Psalm 63:6). And he professes thus of himself, "When I awake, I am still with Thee" (Psalm 139:18). But I would give you a further view of this duty by acquainting you with this, that there are some particular seasons and opportunities of our lives, which are more especially to be improved and redeemed. Thus the days of youth are to be secured with a more than ordinary diligence, because the whole sequel of a man's life doth very often depend upon them. Also, the days of bodily health are another special season, which we are engaged to improve to the utmost. This also I commend to your thoughts, that the day of peace and prosperity and the fruition of the good things of this life is another seasonable opportunity of doing our duty with great alacrity and vigour, and of omitting nothing that may tend to our everlasting welfare. But, above all, the day of grace, and of God's offering the means in order to it, is a season which you are to attend to with the greatest care. How do you know but that this holy Dove, like that of Noah, if you let it go from you once and again, may never return back to you? Jerusalem missed her day, she let pass her opportunity, and that caused the merciful Jesus to weep over her, and to lament her destruction. III. According to my propounded method I PROCEED TO SHOW YOU HOW REASONABLE IT IS THAT WE SHOULD REDEEM THE TIME. You will find this to be a most rational performance when you have considered of these following things. 1. The inestimable value of time. 2. The brevity and uncertainty of it. 3. The impossibility of recalling it. 4. The end and design of God's intrusting us with it. 5. The account we must give for it.I read of Amasis, an Egyptian king, that he made an order, that every man should once a year give a particular account how he spent his time, and in what way he lived. My brethren, there is a day coming, when you must all give an account of your time; all your time must be reckoned for at the great and general audit of the world. IV. I PROCEED TO THE APPLICATION OF ALL THAT HATH BEEN SAID; TAKE IT IN THESE THREE PARTICULARS. 1. Those are to be rebuked who have misspent their time. 2. Let us beg of God to forgive us the misspente of our time. 3. Be exhorted for the future to redeem it. (John Edwards, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. |
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