Sermons Preached in the African Protestant Episcopal Church of St. Thomas', Philadelphia/Sermon 9
SERMON IX.
admonition to redeem teh time.
"Redeeming the time because the days are evil."
The benevolent Author of our existence, has allotted us a portion of time, in order that we may attend to the various duties that devolve upon us in our several stations in life, and to prepare by sober, righteous and godly living, for the solemn concerns of death and eternity. And when we are brought seriously to reflect upon the very short space that is granted to us individually, and the great and important work that must be done to secure our everlasting happiness, and escape the wrath to come, together with the many difficulties and dangers to which we are perpetually exposed: when we thus reflect, time assumes an importance with which it would be well to have our minds at all times duly impressed. It was in this point of view, its relation to the eternal world, that caused the apostle so earnestly to exhort Christians; in the language of the text, to Redeem the time. He regards it as a most precious gem that should be, so to speak, bought up, and never suffered to be lost, thrown away, or wasted in idleness, sloth, vicious practices and pursuits; but to be redeemed out of their hands, and employed in that way which is consistent with the dictates of an enlightened conscience, and the revealed word of God. To redeem the time, therefore, is not to recall hours that are past and gone. This is impossible. But it is to employ the present in that manner that will promote our own true peace, the welfare of those around us, and thus secure the approbation of our Creator.
We should redeem the time.
1. From idleness. An idler, one who has no regular employment either for his head or hands, is one of the most miserable and contemptible creatures that society can possibly be infested with. Such an one is not only a misery to himself, but exerts also a most pernicious influence upon all with whom he associates. God created man with active energies; and he evidently designed that he should put them forth to some good purpose, in whatever state of life he may be providentially placed. Active industry is as much a religious duty, as it is indispensable to our temporal comforts. "Be not slothful in business," says the inspired apostle, but "fervent inspir it, serving the Lord."[1] In thus uniting lawful industry, with fervency of spirit, serving the Lord, he evidently designed to give it a sacred character. The reason why active industry may be regarded in close contact with religion, is, that a habit of diligence is thereby cultivated, which is indispensable to true religion. Moral virtue and religion are sure to suffer wherever idleness prevails. It is an enemy to all good, and the nursery of every evil and vicious principle and practice. An idler, therefore, should be shunned, as you would the plague or pestilence. These remarks may not apply to any one present: each one may readily point to his daily avocation as a just refutation of the charge of idleness, so far as temporary matters are concerned. This is all very well in its place, we are every way disposed to award to you all the credit that is due to an attentive regard to daily business. But there is such a thing as idleness in another direction in which you may not so easily ward off the conviction of your guilt. We are compound beings, possessed of an immaterial, as well as a material and mortal nature. And the same great Eternal who has made it obligatory upon us to be active and industrious in view of the temporal comforts of the body; has also made it our solemn and imperative duty, to be diligent, actively engaged with reference to the soul, upon which he has stamped his own image of immortality. What are you doing in this direction? What efforts are you putting forth to "enter in at the straight gate;"—"to lay hold on eternal life"—to have God for your reconciled friend and father, and your names written in the Lamb's book of life? Ah! you cannot nullify the charge of idleness here. You are compelled to acknowledge in your own minds that the charge is fully sustained in your case. You are aware of having suffered many hours to pass away, so far from having been employed to any good purpose, that they may be considered as total blanks in your existence. Your golden moments have flown swiftly by, and you have looked on with as much thoughtlessness and indifference, as if your Creator had sent you into the world for no other purpose than to sit down and quietly repose in a state of spiritual stupor and inactivity—doing nothing in reference to your own salvation, or the salvation of others. Our days may be suffered to pass away as if they were of no account; but it will be seen in a coming day, that time wasted and unimproved was noticed by Him with whom we have to do. It will be seen to your terror and dismay, unless averted by timely repentance, that every vacant hour will be so many witnesses rising up around you in the day of judgment, to condemn you. Your fate will be similar to the unprofitable servant who hid his talent in the earth. Time is a most precious talent granted us to be employed to the honor and glory of God; but spiritual idlers bury this inestimable jewel in the grave of their "earthly, sensual and devilish" pursuits and practices. What else have they any ground to expect, but to have the awful commission executed upon them.—"Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping, and gnashing of teeth."[2]
We ought to redeem time.
2. From vain and vicious pleasures. Man has found out a variety of ways to amuse his fancy, and give pleasure to his corrupt taste. And to gratify himself in this respect, he scarcely begins to calculate the cost. His estimate of the pleasures of the world is so high, that the cost of participation is scarcely thought of. To witness a theatrical performance, to participate in a ball, or some other convivial party, his hand readily opens, and his means are freely expended; but to contribute to the cause of God, religion and humanity, it is done, if done at all, with a mean, parsimonious and grudging spirit. All this clearly shows how strong a hold transitory pleasures have in the affections, excluding therefrom all that is truly good, holy and divine. But what after all is the character of these pleasures upon which there is such a high estimate placed? They are all vain and empty as a bubble on the wave. They are like a dream which assumes all the appearance of reality, till we awake from our slumber and discover the deception.
They leave no trace upon the mind that can be dwelt upon with real satisfaction, like that which follows a virtuous and religious course. On the contrary, the pursuit of the vanities of life, is not only time lost, but it is sure to bring in its train that bitter remorse, and those keen upbraidings, which foreshadow to the guilty mind, the wrath to come. O ye lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, you who are even now indulging glowing anticipations of worldly joys, hear the impressive voice of inspiration and ponder your steps. "Rejoice, young man in thy youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God. will bring thee into judgment."[3] How will you then answer for so much of your misspent time in unsatisfying and vicious pleasures? Will you say in the presence of Jesus, who left us an example that we might follow his steps, will you say in his presence, that you considered them innocent amusements? O be wise, and redeem the time by employing your precious moments, not in hewing out cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water; but in seeking substantial pleasures; that flow from an evidence of your acceptance with God, and your adoption into the family of heaven.
Much time may be redeemed. 3. From unprofitable conversation. Man is a social being, and may therefore derive much improvement, both in an intellectual and moral point of view, by a free interchange of sentiments and opinions upon a proper subject, with his associates and friends. The mere suggestion of another who has viewed the subject in a different light from ourselves, may in a moment free the mind from some difficulty that might take days and weeks of private investigation to remove. Besides, there is a refined pleasure attending this mutual flow of thought. A person travelling a journey in pursuit of something valuable, may enjoy a good degree of pleasure by anticipating the object of his desire, but how is his joy increased, when accompanied on the road by associates of congenial minds. It is thus with a circle of friends when they convene together, and employ their time in the reciprocal interchange of thought upon a suitable theme. But when persons meet together and pass away the time in worse than idle talk, circulating tales of slander, whispering, backbiting, and speaking evil of their fellow-men, this is killing time. And how many even among the professed followers of Christ, too often squander away their precious moments in this way When they are found together, instead of adhering to the Apostolic injunction, aiming by their conversation, "to edify, to minister grace" to those present, there is too often a disposition manifested to inflict an injury upon the absent, forgetting that for "every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment."[4]
As candidates for eternity, we should also redeem the time.
4. From Worldly business. Diligent attention to the lawful business of life, is unquestionably a duty indispensable. "If any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he is worse than an infidel."[5] But, we are not to infer from this inspired declaration, the liberty of being absorbed in worldly business. The most devoted busines man is careful to redeem sufficient time to partake of his daily food. And should there be no time specially devoted to attaining the bread that came down from heaven? Shall the body only be nourished, while the soul, the deathless part, is suffered to perish for lack of that spiritual meat that endureth to everlasting life? What excuse will be given by you when called to give a strict account of your stewardship at the awful tribunal of the Judge? Will you say that business was so urgent that you could not spare any time for purely religious purposes? Such a frivolous excuse may hush the voice of conscience now, but it will not answer in the great day of the Lord. David was exalted to the throne, and had the cares and perplexities pertaining to the charge of a kingdom; yet he, with a host of other ancient worthies, will put you to silence. They all, without exception, had stated hours to retire from the noise and bustle of secular business, to commune with God and their own hearts. "Evening, and morning, and at noon" says the Psalmist, "will I pray and cry aloud, and he shall hear my voice."[6] There are many who, so far from cultivating piety during the week, are found daringly to encroach upon the day consecrated to holiness and God—the day on which the Prince of life and glory triumphed over death, ascended up on high, led captivity captive, and received gifts for men, yea, for the rebellious, that the Lord God might dwell among them"—this day is devoted by many to calculations of the loss and gain of business! O, what deep depravity, what shocking ingratitude is this! It is from these and other practices that might be specified, we are exhorted in the text, to redeem the time. The important duty is urged upon us by the following powerful motive: "because the days are evil."
The evil days spoken of were those in which sin and wickedness prevailed to an alarming extent, especially among the Gentile nations of the earth. They were famous for their literature and knowledge of the arts and sciences of civilization, but they were nevertheless, sunk into the lowest depths of superstition and moral debasement. This he uses as an argument to his Christian brethren, why they should "walk circumspectly, redeeming the time" lest they become corrupted by the pernicious errors and practices that then prevailed. Does not a similar state of things exist in the present day? It is true that the impressive sound of the church-bell regularly bids the people to enter the courts of the Lord's house, "to hear his most holy word, to set forth his most worthy praise, and to ask those things which are requisite and necessary as well for the body, as the soul." The heralds of the cross in every direction continue to beseech their fellow-men to be reconciled to God. Sabbath schools are in operation, directing the young in the way they should go. Tracts and other religious periodicals are scattered broad-cast over the country; yet, maugre all the efforts that are made for the reformation of man, does not sin, with his brazen front, still stalk abroad in the land, leaving misery, ruin, and desolation in his track? How many may we see on the Lord's day, instead of being in the house of God where prayer is wont to be made, either standing at the corners of the streets, riding about, or sailing on pleasure excursions, or assembled together in some genteel groggery!! Is not the list of the intemperate, of gamblers and infidels, fearfully increasing? Acts of high-handed robbery, injustice, cruelty, murder and the like, are now of such frequent occurrence, that they cease to affect us. St. John the divine informs us that he "heard a loud voice, saying, Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath bid a short time."[7] We do not say, that this prophecy refers to the present state of the world, but we may say, that the prevailing wickedness of the present time, shows that it is not altogether inapplicable. And is there no danger of being contaminated in the midst of so much wickedness? Is it not as true now as ever, that, "Evil communications corrupt good manners?" Have we not had deplorable instances within our own immediate observation, of the increase of crime and wretchedness? Do we not see some young men, who, a few days ago gave fair promise of a course of honor and usefulness, falling victims to the vice of intemperance? Where is that beautiful and interesting array of young men which was seen with sober mien and orderly deportment, engaged either in the Sabbath school, or taking part in the surpassingly beautiful and sublime services of our church? A few, we rejoice to say, are still to be found at their post. But where does the Sabbath find too many of them now? In the path, which if not speedily retraced, will inevitably lead to shame, disgrace, and ruin in this world, and everlasting punishment in the world to come. This is an ensnaring world—the moral atmosphere by which we are surrounded is charged with death. And if we would avoid being fatally infected, we must redeem the time, we must improve it by daily seeking that divine aid which will enable us to resist with success, the many temptations that beset our path; otherwise, you will be carried down the stream of this world's delights, and be finally lost in the gulf of endless woe.
2. By evil days the apostle had reference to the days of persecution. When he wrote the epistle in which the text is found, he was imprisoned at Home, then the seat of learning, and the metropolis of the world, for the testimony he bore to the despised doctrines of the cross. In this view his argument may run thus:—the days are evil.—You are daily liable to be dragged to a loathsome prison, thence to the place of execution, therefore, I exhort you, to "walk circumspectly" correctly, "not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time."
We may not consider our lives to be in danger from the spirit of persecution. We are permitted to sit under our own vine and fig-tree, none daring to molest us. But are we secure against the attack of some of the multiplied diseases and disasters which daily carry our fellow-creatures to the grave? Are you certain of living another week, another day, nay, another hour? Do you not see some as young, healthy and gay as yourselves, fade away under the blightings of disease, and finally fall like the leaves of autumn? Have you made a league with death that it shall not come nigh you? Were you not included in the sentence,—"Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return?" Ah! it cannot be long before the solemnly impressive words in our burial service will be pronounced over every one of us now in divine presence: "earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust." Oh, does it become man, mortal man, critically situated as he is, passing swiftly through time to the eternal world, where his destiny will be unalterably fixed in a state of happiness or misery, depending upon the character formed in this probationary state; I say, does it become him in such circumstances, to be squandering his time in the vain pleasures and vicious practices of the world? Should he not, on the contrary, regard every flying moment as precious, and be diligent in "working out his own salvation with fear and trembling, while God worketh in him both to will and do his good pleasure?" This course your own conscience approves, and the word of God enjoins. Let the time past suffice wherein you have wrought folly. Resolve now that in the strength of divine grace, you will no longer live unto yourselves, but unto Him who died for you and rose again. And may He, "of whose only gift it cometh that "we can do unto him" true and laudable service, grant, that you may so faithfully serve him in this life, that you fail not finally to attain his heavenly promises through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour."—Amen.