Time and the End of Time: Discourses on Redeeming the Time and Considering Our Latter End

by John Fox

John Fox's Time and the End of Time presents the never-dying soul with the weighty things one must deal with while standing on the coast of God, sin, heaven, hell, and, most of all, the personal work of Christ. Fox's piercing and searching exposition of two main texts, Ephesians 5:16 and Deuteronomy 32:29, engages readers with motivations, directions, and applications so they can both 'redeem the time' and 'consider their latter end.' The span of life on earth quickly vanishes, and what is done with it will make or mar for eternity. Either infinite joy with God or the endless abyss of His fury the hinge swings in time. 'Therefore, do not procrastinate or delay...for a world.' Table of
Publisher's Introduction
Part 1: Redeeming the Time
Introduction
1. When Is Time to Be Redeemed
2. What Time Must Be Redeemed
3. How Time Must Be Redeemed
4. Why Time Must Be Redeemed
5. Motives to Redeem Time
6. Directions for Redeeming Time
Part 2: Consideration of Our Latter End
Introduction
7. Consider Your Latter End
8. Reasons to Consider
9. Applications
10. Motives
11. Directions and Reminders

Genres: Christian Living

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1855

Reviews

[B · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Time and the End of Time: Discourses on Redeeming the Time and Considering Our Latter End (ISBN 978-1-60178-489-6), John Fox looks at Ephesians 5:16, and in the first section of his book, he expounds the doctrine that the best of saints (the redeemed of God) have need to redeem the time.

First, John Fox answers the question of when time must be redeemed: All time. "The whole time of our life must be employed either about our souls in the service of God or in the works of our callings...Particularly, (1) the time of youth; (2) the time of health and strength; (3) the time of affliction; (4) the time of the gospel; (5) the time of the...Lord's Day," (p. 9).

Next, he shows how time must be redeemed, (p. 16):

1. "By taking and improving all opportunities for the glorifying of God"
2. "By laying hold on the present time, and now a day of grace, for settling and securing your everlasting state"
3. "By improving the present means of grace for your speedy growth in grace"
4. "By doing all the good you can to others while you may"
5. "By laboring to keep up constant communion with God in holy duties"
6. "By improving every providence and outward cross for inward and spiritual advantages"
7. "By casting up your accounts every day that you may make even with God"
8. "By laboring to order every day's work in reference to your last day that, having finished your work, you may be fit to leave this world"

Then, Mr. Fox tells why time must be redeemed: "The reasons why our precious time must be redeemed are (1) because the days are evil [and] (2) because it is a considerable part of our Christian wisdom," (p. 32).

The author gives ten motives to redeem the time, (p. 41):

1. "The present time is God's time and must be yours."
2. "God the righteous Judge will reckon with you for your times."
3. "You have solemnly promised to redeem it."
4. "Men take and improve opportunity for other things."
5. "Satan, your deadly enemy, is always busy and will lose no time."
6. "Saving grace is an active and springing principle."
7. "Time once had and lost cannot be recalled."
8. "Consider how they prize time that have lost it."
9. "God has joined time and duty together."
10. "On this moment of time, eternity depends."

Finally, Mr. Fox gives five directions for redeeming time, (p. 52):

1. "Take heed and beware of those things which rob you of your time."
2. "Labor to convince yourselves of the worth of time and value it accordingly."
3. "Set apart a considerable portion of time for the most secret duties."
4. "Cast up and compute your time."
5. "Maintain a holy fear on your heart of coming to the end of time before your work is done.

I found the author's directions for redeeming time very helpful. He paints a memorable word picture about vain thoughts when he says, "Vain, impertinent, and wicked thoughts, like Pharaoh's frogs, creep and crowd in on us and thrust out good thoughts so that we cannot keep our mind steady and composed," (p. 53). Therefore, he warns, "When we should draw near to God, our hearts, by our thoughts, steal away. And there are but a few awakened tender spirits, truly sensible of this intrinsical, secret, evil, though much of a Christian's duty (and the very inwards of religion) lies in observing the thoughts and in watching the heart," (p. 53).

Mr. Fox also gives good advice when dealing with unnecessary visits: "Let that time that you spend from your callings and families be spent in reading, prayer, or other religious exercises. And, in all your visits, intend and design the doing of good or the receiving of good, not the passing away of this precious time," (p. 54-55).

I was especially encouraged by this exhortation regarding secret duties: "Christians, the time that you spend with God in secret is the sweetest time and best improved. Therefore, if you love your life, be in love with prayer. Resolve to spend some time with God in private every day," (p. 58).

***
"Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil," (Eph. 5:14-16).
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In Time and the End of Time: Discourses on Redeeming the Time and Considering Our Latter End (ISBN 978-1-60178-489-6), John Fox looks at Deuteronomy 32:29, and in the second section of his book, he expounds the doctrine that the best of saints (the redeemed of God) have need to consider their latter end.

First, you are seriously to consider and believe (pp. 63-85):

1. "That it is most certain that an end will be"
2. "That at your latter end all things in this world will fail you and take their leave of you forever"
3. "How soon all the present pleasures of sin will be gone and leave nothing but a sting"
4. "That only which is eternal will stand you in stead when you come to die"
5. "Which of the two eternities you are going toward"
6. "How near you are to your everlasting habitation"
7. "How sudden, violent, or unexpected you end may be"
8. "That when death comes to strike the stroke, your souls are startled--your eternity is cast without change forever"
9. "That it is the most dreadful and amazing sight on this side [of] hell to see a Christless unbeliever breathing out his last"

Next, Mr. Fox gives five reasons to consider your latter end (pp. 86-101):

1. "Because the only wise, gracious, most indulgent, and soul-compassionating God wishes it, and that most vehemently"
2. "Because a deep, serious, and heart-affecting consideration of death and the grave will both realize it and represent it as near, even at the door, and make it to stand in open view"
3. Because through grace it "will prove and absolute and sovereign antidote to expel the greatest evil"
4. Because it "will be a powerful incentive to make you exert and put forth the greatest industry in a way of duty"
5. "Because here lies your highest wisdom"

The applications to consider your latter end are found in four uses:

1. "This calls aloud to all you unconverted sinners that have made no preparation for death and judgment to stand, wonder, or sit down and admire at the unwearied patience, the matchless and amazing mercy of the infinitely gracious and glorious God," (p. 102).
2. "This justly reprehends all who slight or neglect this great duty, but especially these three sorts--none of which do seriously consider their latter end--namely: (1) the insolent, athestical sensualists; (2) the ignorant and inconsiderate; (3) the self-confident and presumptuous," (p. 104).
3. This "is to exhort, persuade, and stir you up, to put this duty of so great and infinite concern into practice," (p. 121).
4. This gives "comfort to the poor people of God who, through fear of death, are all their lifetime subject to bondage," (p. 148-149).

When considering the application of considering your latter end, Mr. Fox asks "why do men and women that have immortal souls think no more of it?" (p. 116). He notes seven causes of why men and women do not consider their latter end (pp. 116-120): (1) cursed atheism and unbelief deeply rooted in hearts and minds; (2) want of spiritual and divine wisdom; (3) sensuality, worldly pleasures, and care; (4) plague on the heart and desperate security proceeding from it; (5) strong delusion of heart or satanical suggestion, (6) fear of death; and (7) fear of leaving this world.

The author lists eight motives to consider in order to persuade saints to consider their latter end:

1. "Consider there is an absolute and indispensable necessity for the doing of it--a present necessity, an infinite and eternal necessity. Other things may be done; this must be done," (p. 125).
2. "Consider that it may be done. You are in a capacity to do it," (p. 126).
3. "Consider the omitting or neglect of it will render you the worst of fools. If doing it be your highest wisdom, the not doing of it must needs be the greatest folly," (p. 127).
4. Consider that "[i]n a very little time your present, powerful, and awakening helps and advantages to excite and put you in mind of the other world will be past and gone...namely, (1) awakening ordinances; (2) awakening providences; [and] (3) awakening convictions," (p. 128).
5. "Consider that the earnest cries, tears, prayers of unbelievers when they come to die will be in vain, fruitless, and unsuccessful," (p. 131).
6. Consider that "[i]t is the great comfort of the godly man's life to hope and know that he is fit for death," (p. 132).
7. Consider that "[i]f you should not prepare for death, yet you will wish you had (as many do when it is too late)," (p. 133).
8. "Consider the gain will be exceedingly great," (p. 134).

Finally, Mr. Fox concludes his book with three directions and reminders:

1. "Search diligently to find out what it is that keeps you and the serious thoughts of death and eternity at so great a distance, and cry mightily to God speedily to remove it," (p. 143).
2. "Diligently and faithfully use and improve the most awakening means": "Set yourself under a powerful, faithful, and soul-searching ministry," "converse with the best Christians," and "read the best books," (pp. 144-145).
3. "Make conscience of setting apart a little time every day on purpose to think on your latter end," (p. 146).

Time and the End of Time is a very sobering book. The author sums up the Christian's duty best: "It is the grand business of your life timely and truly to prepare for death and judgment. It were better that all your concerns in the world were wholly neglected--namely, husband, wife, children, buying, selling, seed time, harvest, omitted and let all to ruin, than to hazard, lose, and undo your souls--for this will certainly ruin body and soul forever," (p. 125).

***
"O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!" (Deut. 32:29).

[Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Is it brutal? Yes. In my opinion it serves a few purposes, to convict you of how you are wasting time when tomorrow is not guaranteed, to the unbelieving it is an apologetic tool, and for the believing, a somber, yet joyous reminder of what Christ did for us, with a good balance of law gospel. There's no real spoilers in my review:

There's a few common facts that both unbelievers and believers in Christ face. Death and judgement. Do you spend your days looking for the next trinket, promotion,material thing, or empty desires? Or do you spend your days dying to yourself and looking to the word of God and trusting in our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ and do all things to the glory of God? Do you suffer from anxiety, depression (which are related to unfilled worldly expectations), or do you find joy in the promises of scripture and the person and work of Jesus Christ (Phil. 4:8)? Are you wasting time on autopilot droning about day into night or are you up early in the word and up late in prayer and thanksgiving? Are you building up treasures on earth or in heaven? (Matthew 6:19-21)

Moral of the story is there's not a lot of time to escape from the glories found in the word of God that will save your life. Deaths calls are frequent, and it will come. So do you know who you will meet after the final hour? Will it be your saviour that grants you eternal life, or your judge that justly condemns you to a second death and eternal torment?

[Ryan Watkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very convicting read about how we spend our time in light of eternity. The author is quite blunt and at times goes a little far but overall it is a very good read.