Theol. Concerning idleness, this I say briefly: that it is the mother of all vice, and the stepdame of all virtue: yea, it is the very bel-dame of all enormities. It is the mother of ⟨p. 186⟩whoredom, the mother of pride, the mother of theft, the mother of drunkenness, the mother of ignorance, the mother of error, the mother of poverty, the mother of slandering and backbiting, prattling and gossiping, brawling, scolding, quarrelling: and what not? Idleness was one of the principal sins of Sodom, as the Prophet Ezekiel testifieth, saying, Pride, fullness of bread, 1and abundance of idleness was in her, and in her daughters. Solomon is very plentiful in this matter:2 For, saith he, The sluggard lusteth, and hath nought. And again, The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit, 3then seven men that can give a sensible reason: That is, he taketh himself the wisest of many, because he spareth his body, when others take pains:4 he saith, Yet a little sleep, yet a little slumber, yet a little folding the hands: and his poverty cometh like a traveller; that is, unawares: and his necessity, like an armed man; that is,5 strongly. Then he foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh. 6For, He hideth his hand in his bosom, and it grieveth him to put it to his mouth again.
In another place the holy Ghost saith, The slothful man will not plough because of Winter: therefore he shall beg in Summer, and have nothing. ⟨p. 187⟩Again,7 The slothful man is brother to him that is a great waster.
Moreover, it is said,8 that the sluggard turns himself upon his bed, as the door doth upon the hinges. That is, he keepeth his bed, as if he were fastened to it.
And because the Spirit will abound in this point, it is further written of the slothful man, that he saith, An huge Lyon is in the way: 9I shall be slain in the streets: That is, when any good matter is in hand (as preaching, praying, reading, giving to the poor, &c. (then he draweth back, he shrinketh into the shell, he findeth one let or other, one excuse or other. Then profit and pleasure, business and idleness, matters at home, and matters abroad, company, and a thousand occasions will lye in his way, as so many Lions, to let and hinder him. So then we see how lively and plentifully the holy Scriptures do paint out the lazy lubbers of this world, and sons of idleness:
Theol. Concerning idlenesse, this I say briefly: that it is the mother of all vice, and the stepdame of all vertue: yea, it is the very bel-dame of all enormities. It is the mother of ⟨p. 186⟩whoredome, the mother of pride, the mother of theft, the mother of drunkennesse, the mother of ignorance, the mother of error, the mother of poverty, the mother of flandering and backbiting, pratling and gossiping, brawling, scolding, quarrelling: and what not? Ydlenesse was one of the principall sinnes of Sodome, as the Prophet Ezekiel testifieth, saying, Pride, fulnesse of bread, 1and abundance of idlenesse was in her, and in her daughters. Solomon is very plentifull in this matter:2 For, saith hee, The sluggard lusteth, and hath nought. And againe, The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit, 3then seven men that can give a sensible reason: That is, he taketh himselfe the wisest of many, because hee spareth his body, when others take paines:4 hee saith, Yet a little sleep, yet a little slumber, yet a little foulding the hands: and his povetty commeth like a traveller; that is, unawares: and his necessity, like an armed man; that is,5 strongly. Then hee fouldeth his hands together, and eateth his owne flesh. 6For, Hee hideth his hand in his bosome, and it grieveth him to put it to his mouth againe.
In another place the holy Ghost saith, The sloathfull man will not plough because of Winter: therefore hee shall beg in Summer, and have nothing. ⟨p. 187⟩Againe,7 The sloathfull man is brother to him that is a great waster.
Moreover, it is said,8 that the sluggard turnes himselfe upon his bed, as the doore doth upon the hinges. That is, he keepeth his bed, as if he were fastned to it.
And because the Spirit will abound in this point, it is further written of the sloathfull man, that he saith, An huge Lyon is in the way:
- 1Ezek. 16 19
- 2Pro. 13.4.
- 3Pro. 26.1•.
- 4Pro. 24.3•.
- 5Eccles. 4.5.
- 6Pro. 26.15.
- 7Pro. 9.18.
- 8Pro. 26.14.
- 9Pro. 26.13.
