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

and what he saith of outward poverty, is most certain of inward penury; a sluggard hath so much the less grace; by how much he hath the more sleeps and slumbers. So the same wise King hath set out a ⟨p. 35⟩sluggard in another place, saying, that a sluggard tumbles himself on his bed, as the door on the hinges, Prov. 16.14. that is, he is still there, and there must be such a do before he can be removed from off his couch, as if one were to lift a door off the hooks, a man must come with levers to heave him off: call him, waken him, bid him rise, &c. all is little enough to rear him. This sluggish humour (you see) is condemned long ago, for a misspender of time. And surely it is not alone very dangerous, in regard of the quantity and muchness of the time which it filcheth; but also in regard of the quality and goodness: for it ordinarily feeds gluttonously on the very fat of time, it eats the very flower of the day, and consumes the first fruits of our hours, even the morning season. After sleep hath made strong what labour hath weakened; after that nature hath been well refreshed, and the revived ⟨p. 36⟩spirits come with a fresh supply of strength and nimbleness to serve the body and the mind: then for want of exercise all grows dull again, as a band of Soldiers, that grow effeminate by lying in garrison without labour all the Summer. Thus it robs one of the principal and most seasonable time, when the mind and body were both in the greatest fitness to read, pray, meditate, or to dispatch and cast any matter of ones calling: it is a thief that robs one, not of his baggage stuff, but even of his gold and jewels, (for some time is better than other, as much as some metal is better than others; and this always for the most part takes away the most precious) yea, it hath one trick as much, and more dangerous than the former: If a man give himself to sluggishness, it will often follow him to the Church, and close up his eyes and ears, both of body and mind, from hearing and marking ⟨p. 37⟩those most wholesome exhortations, which like so many Pearls, God's messenger with a liberal hand, according to the pleasure of his Lord, doth sca•ter amongst men, that who so will may take them up. The time of Preaching and Expounding the Word, with applying it, is the time of harvest, it is God's market day;