From Holy Living and Holy Dying, Jeremy Taylor (1613-1667)
Edited by Marvin D. Hinten
1. In the morning, when you awaken, accustom yourself to think first upon God; and at night, let Him close your eyes. Let your rest be health ful and necessary, not just idle time.
2. Let all your intervals or open moments of time be employed in prayer, reading, meditation, exercise, and acts of friendship.
3. Sundays and holidays are in no sense mere days of idleness. It is better to work on Sundays than to do nothing. Instead of idly wasting time, let those days be spent doing charitable and reli gious work.
4. Avoid the company of all who talk too much without a purpose. No one can be careful in his use of time who is careless in his choice of com pany, for when a conversationalist continually speaks emptiness or trivia, all who listen or answer waste their time.
5. Never engage in any trifling activity merely to pass the time away, for every day well spent can become a "day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:2 NW), and any time rightly used is an "opportune moment" (Ps. 69:13). The time you trifle away was given to you to repent, to pray, to lay up heavenly treasure
6. While working, go often to God in brief prayers. These times of prayer can make up the lack of devotional time, which others may have, and which you wish you had. Be sure of this: God is as present at your breathed prayers on the job as at the longer prayers of those who are less employed
7. Let your employment be fitting for a reasonable person. A person may be idle though busy. There are entire occupations devoted to vanity and foolishness that deserve to be banned. And there are some people who are genuinely busy, but it is in the way the Emperor Domitian once claimed to be busy: catching flies
8. Let those who are independently wealthy or retired be extra careful in their use of time. Let them choose good company and learn useful things. Let them visit the poor and relieve their needs, pray often, and read good books
9. Everyone should avoid excessive attention to appearance. Many people primp and comb away all their opportunities for morning devotions.
10. People should avoid idle curiosity and inquiring into things that do not concern them. Of course, we should be aware of the needs of our fellow believers, but one need not be a gossip to learn his brothers' needs.
11. As much as possible, cut off all useless occupa tions of your life: unnecessary meetings, day dreaming, reading about celebrities, or however time is spent to no real purpose.
12. Do not spend time lavishly in recreation, but choose leisure activities that are healthful, brief, and refreshing. Avoid games that require too much time or involvement, or which are likely to dominate your thoughts. Do not dwell upon them or make them your major enterprises. And don't think that spectator sports are real exercise. A person who passively spends his time watching sports and calls it exercise makes about as much sense as a person who wears a belt without wear ing any pants. It is permissible to relax our bow but not to unstring it.
13. Set aside some parts of every day specifically for prayer and devotion. Events may force you to shorten your devotional time occasionally, but do not omit it under anything less than absolute necessity.
14. Do God's work attentively. Do not let your hands be folded in prayer while your thoughts are on the world. Do not pray negligently. Put forth all your strength.
15. Fill hours of insomnia with prayer, since you have no requirements on your time then.
16. The busy person should set aside a holy time every year in which, ignoring his occupation, he may give himself wholly to fasting and prayer, to confession and attention to God.
17. Before we sleep we might well examine our actions during the day, especially anything unusual. For our failures we will have sorrow, and for our victories we will have thanksgiving.
18. All these points should be used wisely, not vex ingly. These guidelines have advantages, but they are not divine commandments, at least not their specifics. Every person may select whatever process enables him to do his Christian duty. A man will be happy when he can use every hour in a useful or holy way, but our duty does not consist in just scrupulously examining how we use our minutes (provided no minute is engaged in sin).
19. The habit of using time wisely will influence our whole lives, and will especially benefit us in two ways. It doesn’t just teach us to avoid evil but encourages us to do good. And it causes us to be ready and eager for the Lord’s return at any time.
