The redemption of time, or, A sermon containing very good remedies for them that…

Now followeth the third devourer of time, and that is immoderate sleeping or sluggishness. The wi•e King Solomon have a great hatred to this Thief, and gives many warnings and caveats; whereby men might learn to take heed of it. The bed is a very cunning and sly cozener, that useth a pleasing trick to deceive a man, and robs him, under show of friendship. Now Solomon hath made▪ a most fit description of a sluggard caught by the whiles of sleep and sloth; setting him out to the light, Prov. 6.9, 10, 11. where he brings him in roaming himself, and rubbing his eyes with an unwilling hand, uttering broken and sleepy sentences, as one not half awake. First, he calls him up (as it were) saying; How long wilt thou sleep, when wilt thou ⟨p. 33⟩rise out of thy sleep? As if he had said Ho, Sir, it is time to get up; what not out of your b•d yet, at this time of the day? Then mark the drowsy, slumbering, and senseless answer: A little sleeps, a little slumbers, (for the Original hath the words in the plural number, well befitting a sluggard) a little folding of the hands to sleep. See how speaking of sleep all is in the littles; and though he names sleeps, yet it is but a little in his conceit. He tells not when he will rise, but he cannot rise yet; and when he ha•h had enough, and too much already, then he must have a little more, begging for sleep as one would beg for bread. He asks a little, because he would not be denied. First, He must have sleeps; and having slept, he must have slumbers, and having slumbered, he must fold his hands, and roam and tumble himself. Behold a sleeper in his colours; and mark what answer Solomon gives, he ⟨p. 34⟩spends no more time to call him up, but tells him his doom as he lies in his bed; Therefore thy poverty comes as a traveller, and thy necessity as an armed man. As if he had said, Well, be it so, if you will needs, sleep on, take your belly-full of sleep, but know, that sith you show such skill in begging sleep, you shall even become a beggar for it; sith you will have you fill of sleep, you shall have little enough of any wealth; poverty will pursue you, and overtake you; it will follow you, and surprise you; it will make haste and strike home, you cannot run from it, nor resist it, it comes with speed and with force; it will take you in bed, where you cannot fly away from it, nor drive it from you: