The redemption of time, or a sermon

First, it is not lawful for any man upon pretence of leisure from business to take more sleep then is required for the strengthening and refreshing of his nature. The measure of ones sleep or lying in bed must not be according to ones business, but so much as his nature requires, for the better enabling of it to perform the duties of his calling, and of religion. In deed a man may and ought to break his sleep, and mint himself in this regard when important business, either for the soul or body do press upon him, but no man must ⟨p. 33⟩take more sleep then is requisite for the sufficient refreshing of nature upon vacation of necessary affairs. The reason of this is plain. It is a sin to strain and stretch natural things for the serving of lust, beyond that end for which they were created and ordained. Now sleep and lying in bed was ordained for the strengthening of nature and for the repairing of the spirits diminished by labour, wherefore it must not be drawn beyond this end to the satisfying of a sluggish humour. So, that as it were a fault for a man to sit, and cram himself with meat, till his stomach would turn back the morsels, because no business did call him from the table: so it is a sin to give ones self to immoderate sleeping or slugging in bed (as our word is, to sleep compass) because no urgent matter doth call him up. This is to be on the bed as a door on the hinges that one cannot rise till a leaver come, that is, something even almost of necessity. It is wicked to surfeit on sleep as well as on meat. So then it shall be a great help against ⟨p. 34⟩sluggishness, to know that God allows not any man to be sluggish, and therefore to accustom ones self to timely rising. For in this one thing custom hath as much power almost as in any thing, so that look what is ones use, that he shall hardly refrain. He that doth customably forsake his bed so soon as he feels his nature fresh, and his spirits quickened, shall with ease keep on in so doing. But he that takes liberty to laze himself and dull his spirits for lack of use, shall find the more he sleeps, the more he shall be drowsy, till he become a very slave to his bed, and make sleep his master. So a healthful body by confessing it to be his duty, & (through custom though hard at first) drawing it unto a nature may have the morning at command.

First, it is not lawfull for any man vppon pretence of leasure from businesse to take more sleep then is required for the strengthning and refreshing of his nature. The measure of ones sleepe or lying in bed must not be according to ones businesse, but so much as his nature requires, for the better enabling of it to performe the duties of his calling, and of religion. In deed a man may and ought to breake his sleepe, and mynte himselfe in this regard when important businesse, eyther for the soule or body doe presse vpon him, but no man must