laughter giue place to his betters otherwise comming into a continued custome and should ring out more needefull communication that takes the name and nature of iesting and is a thing much vnbeseeming the staidnesse of a Christian Thus the tongue may bee bound from dealing falsely with the heart and cousening the soule of good houres and occasions Now followes the third deuourer of time that is immoderate sleeping or sluggishnesse The wise king Salomon bare a great hatred to this theefe and giues many warnings caueats whereby men might learne to take heed of it The bed is as a very cunning and slye cousenour that vseth a pleasing tricke to deceiue a man and robs him vnder shew of friendship Now Salomon hath made a most fit descriptiō of a sluggard caught by the wiles of sleep and sloth setting him out to the life Prou. 6.9.10.11 Where hee brings him in roming himselfe and rubbing his eyes with an vnwilling hand vttering broken and sleepy sentences as one not halfe awake First he cals him vp as it were saying How long wilt thou sleepe when wilt thou rise out of thy sleepe As if he had said Ho sir it is time to get vp what not out of your bed yet at this time of the day Then mark the drowsie slumbring and sencelesse answere A little sleepes a little slumbers For the originall hath the words in the plurall 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 sleepes yet it is but a little in his conceit Hee tels not when he will rise but he cannot rise yet and when he hath had enough too much already then he must haue a little more begging for sleepe as one would begge for bread He askes a little because hee would not bee denied First hee must haue sleepes and hauing slept he must haue slumbers and hauing slumbred he must fold his hands and rome and tumble himselfe Behold a sleeper in his colours And mark what answere Salomon giues hee spends no more time to call him vp but tels him his doome as he lyes in his bed Therefore thy pouertie comes as a trauailer and thy necessity as an armed man As if he had said well be it so if you will needs sleepe on take your bellie-full of sleep but know that sith you shew such skill in begging sleepe you must euen become a begger for it sith you will haue your fill of sleepe you shall haue little enough of any wealth pouertie will pursue you and ouertake you it will follow you and surprise you it will make hast and strike home you cannot runne from it nor resist it it comes with speede and with force it will take you in bed where you cannot flee away from it nor driue it from you And what hee saith of outward pouertie is most certaine of inward penurie A sluggard hath so much the lesse grace by how much hee hath the more sleepes and slumbers So the same wise king hath set out a sluggard in an other place saying That a sluggard tumbles himselfe on his bed as the dore on the hinges That is hee is still there and there must be such adoe before hee can bee remoued from off his cowch as if one were to lift a dore off the hookes a man must come with leauers to heaue him off Call him waken him bid him rise c. All is little enough to reare him This sluggish humour you see is condemned long agoe for a mispender of time And surely it is not alone very dangerous in regard of the quantitie and muchnesse of the time which it filcheth but also in regard of the qualitie and goodnesse For it ordinarily feedes gluttonously on the very fat of time it eates the very floure of the day and consumes the first fruits of our houres euen the morning season After sleepe hath made strong what labour hath weakned after that nature hath beene well refreshed the reuiued spirits come with a fresh supply of strength and nimblenesse to serue the body and the minde then for want of exercise all growes dull againe as a band of Souldiers that grow effeminate by lying in garrison without labour all the summer Thus it robs one of the principall and most seasonable time when the minde and body were both in the greatest fitnes to read pray meditate or to dispatch and cast any matter of ones calling it is a theefe that robs one not of his baggage stuffe but euen of his Gold Iewels For some time is better then other as much as some mettall is better then others and this alwayes for the most part takes away the most precious yea it hath one trick as much more dangerous then the former If a man giue himselfe to sluggishnesse it will often follow him to Church and close vp his eyes and eares both of body and minde from hearing marking those most wholesome exhortations comforts reproofes and instructions which like so many pearles Gods messenger with a liberall hand according to the pleasure of his Lord doth scatter amongst men that who so will may take them vp The time of preaching and expounding the word with applying it is the time of haruest it is Gods market day nay it is his dole or princely congie when hee giues gifts freely and those of great worth too vnto those that will take them Now can it choose but be a great hinderance to a mans estate to sleepe in haruest and to bee in bed at such a time when so much wealth is bestowing Therefore this sleepe you see is a most craftie and pernicious deceiuer and doth with much cunning ouer reach a man taking from him for the most part the morning time and the time of hearing two the most profitable seasons and the most worthy to bee redeemed of all others Now against the deceit of this false companion a man may defend himself by following these two rules 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 take more sleepe then is requisite for the sufficient refreshing of nature vpon vacation of necessary affaires The reason of this is plaine It is a sin to straine and stretch naturall things for the seruing of lust beyond that end for which they were created and ordained Now sleepe and lying in bed was ordained for the strengthning of nature and for the repairing of
for the occasions fit oportunities that fall out now for this now for that in this space it is some more skill to finde them out and make vse of them Now these seasons are all of two sorts First such whereby a man may more easily get some good to himselfe Secondly such whereby a man may with more fitnes and ease doe some good Of the first sort namely seasonable opportunities to get good I will name three perticulars which are most needfull to bee considered and by proportion of which any man may come to the knowledge of other like The first when God continues the Gospell offring dayly the word and Sacraments calling to repentance and amendment of life This is the season of repenting this is the haruest wherein we may reape Christ if we be not negligent This is the acceptable yeer of the Lord in which one shall be receiued if hee returne Whilst wisdome lifts vp her voice whilst her messengers come daily to inuite vs whilst her gates stand open her dinner stands ready drest whilst her message is done vnto vs all this time if a man will striue and endeuour to turne from his sin to leaue his folly forsake his scorning hee shall bee a welcome guest she will accept him help him and giue him an increase of grace till he be become strong with her meates Whosoeuer liues vnder the preaching of the Gospell hath this priuiledge annexed to the outward teaching that if he will but striue and pray to God to giue him strength to repent and amend his waies and to turne to him God will vpon his promise heare his prayers and assist him but when the Gospell is gone then the date is past a man may call and not be heard and cry and not be regarded So then euery man redeemes this season of the Gospell when he giues himselfe to consider sereously of those faults which he findes in himselfe and heares sharply reproued in the word herevpon resolues to forsake them doth alone doe his owne best indeuour but earnestly cals vpon God for his help without which his power is but weaknesse ineffectuall when he doth also duely ponder vpon the holy commandements that he heares pressed those exhortations that are daily sounded in his eares to moue him to do such duties as god requires hereupon concludes with himselfe to set about this worke and craues the strength of God to beare him through in the same And when he doth aduisedly thinke of the promises that are generally proclaimed and labours to get some assurance that hee is such a one to whom the right of these promises appertaine Thus doing I say one redeemes the time wisely makes his aduantage of the Gospell while it continues which is a thing that all men should do but so rare in the world as that it is wonder the Lord hath so patiently continued his louing voice when men scoffe at it and will not heare The Lord hath and doth send his prophets amongst vs as he did among the Iewes rising vp early and sending them which with all earnestnesse doe proclaime the dangerous euent that shall follow vpon profanenesse neglect and contempt of Gods word breaking of his Sabboth railing wrathfulnesse whordome wantonnes couetousnesse the euing oppressing slandering lying and the like Yet how many run on in these euils presumtuously rushing like the horse into the battaile with an vnreasonable boldnesse not fearing any danger and shutting their eares against these reproofes as the deafe Adder doth that they may not be moued by them to amendment Ah how contrary is this to redeeming the time If any man haue hitherto lost the season let him now grow wise and euen at this time turne to God and beg power to forsake these sins How often how earnestly are men exhorted to all good works by the continuall voice of God speaking vnto thē by his seruants to read the word of God daily to pray priuately to meditate vpon the word to watch ouer their daies to cal themselues to a reckning euery day for the faults cōmitted in the day Yet who regards this voice who marks these exhortations wher is one that hath inioyned himself to some constancie in praying reading and the forenamed duties This is to sleep in haruest a most foolish practice vnwise wherfore whilst there is yet a little time left whilst wee haue the light let vs walke in it that we be not ouertaken with darknes He that hath not yet begun let him bee sorry that he hath put it off so late and now set foot into these waies of God whilst God sets out his word as a candle to direct him as his hand to lead him by The promises of God are in like sort published amongst vs. Happines is held vp as a reward of all true hearted christians and the crowne of life is proposed to those which are sound and faithfull members of Iesus Christ And yet as though all were sure to get it or it wer not worth seeking by any the most men flatter themselues in their sins and will needs promise these good things to themselues when they haue no assurāce or proofe out of gods word wherby to lay claim or title to them This is a greeuous a dāgerous neglecting of time And if any haue not yet made sure work this way let him euen now set about it whilst the world as a touchstone is before him by which he may try himselfe and which will make him such a one as he should be if he will striue to follow it and pray for abilitie to be ruled by it So then whilst God holds out his benefits and stands with his armes open to accept vs let vs take his benefis and be perswaded to come vnto him in good earnest let it be too late to trauaile when midnight shall come in stead of noone day This is the first and cheefest oportunitie of getting good namely to ioine with the gospell and follow it with our endeuours and praiers by which it shal be made effectuall vnto vs. The second opportunitie of getting good is in time of youth and health whilst the vigor strength of the body and mind is fit for labour and capable of instruction And Salomon in his booke of penance viz. Ecclesiastes bids remember the creatour in the dayes of youth beefore the euill daies come These daies of youth and health are good daies when hee which wil vse them hath his memory stedfast to call to minde his euill waies that he may bewaile them and to treasure vp good instructions promises that may guide and comfort him when the lims will ioyne with the mind and the mind hath the body as a fit instrumēt to seek the kingdome of heauen if a man will addresse himselfe vnto it but the dayes of old age and sicknes faile much of the commodious fitnes for good The memory is cracked the head and
vnderstanding is weak especially the time of sicknes is so filled with paine so shaken with distractions and incumbred with greefes sorrows that one is nothing fit to repent or pray or heare or to do any such thing Now when a man in the prime of his daies and in the fulnesse of his health will giue himselfe to seeke heauen will heare the word meditate vpon it apply it to himself will confesse his sins and force himselfe to bewaile them will pray to God for good things and set the whole course of his life in a right frame he hath well taken the opportunitie he shall haue rest in his latter dayes much quiet and contentment at least much strength assistance in his sicknesse because hee hath somthing in store against the time of want But alas how doe the common sort of men beewray their monstrous folly in this behalfe What more common then that sottish brutish speech at least such ignorant and prophane thoughts men will repent when they be old and cry God mercie when they feel themselues sick amend all when they be ready to go out of the world And foolish man thou knowest not whether thou shalt dye suddainly whether thou shalt haue thy wits and sences or whether thou shalt haue power of heart to make the least colour of repentance in those extremities How many haue died suddainly How many sottishly And yet how do men for all these warnings defer the best busines namely the work of repentance turning to God which will require the whole strength of the soule to the worst and most crasie time of sicknesse or old age As if a prisoner at what time a man was offring him a pardon and calling vpon him to take it some good space beefore the Assises should say Nay let me alone I will not looke after my pardon till immediately before I am to come before the iudge This were a most fond part especially if it were so that theefe knew not whether or no the next day should be the day of his arraignement so the case stands betwixt the Lord and vs. If any man therefore haue beene so little carefull of his owne eternall good as to put off repentance and conuersion till that dead time or doth foster any such harmefull conceit in his heart let him now cast it out now that he hath his health and strength vpon better deliberation take in hand this work Be not so extreemely mad as to giue more time to the diuell then to God especially to giue the principall time He were a foolish trauailer that would willingly gallop all the day quite cōtrary to his way being told of it would answere when it drawes towards Sun-set I will turne into the right way Why bee men thus blockish for their soules that knowing themselues to be out of the way to life will yet of purpose deferre to set their feete into the right path till sicknesse or age when the sunne of their life is at the point of setting Ah let our prouerbe teach vs more wit Make hay while the Sun shines Turne turne whilst thou hast health and strength vse all to get repentance saluation The last cheef opportunitie of getting good is when a man hath company and is in the societie of some godly wise man able to giue sound councell and direction able to answere all doubts obiections and scruples of ones minde now there is a fit opportunitie to grow in wisdome to be resolued of all doubts and to seeke direction So then a man ought not to suffer bashfulnes or other foolish matters to put by that good communication whereby he might enrich his soule It it a speciall fauour of God that anie man can come where his seruants are that haue excellent gifts and hee doth depriue himselfe of much good that wil not seeke to benefit himselfe by them When the woman of Samaria perceiued Christ to be a Prophet she proposed her doubt vnto him albeit he was a stranger When Iohn Baptist might be come to the Publicans sinners came and asked what they should do Whilst the Iayler had Paul in his keeping he came to aske that needefull question What shall I doe to be saued So if there be any man whose heart is perplexed with some doubt or ouerburdened with some temptation or ouermastered by some sin it is a part of good discretion for such a one to go and seek the aduice of some able Christian or wise man before that eyther himselfe be too far gone or he want the opportunitie of such a councellor or helper These be three speciall occasions of obtaining good to a mans own soule from things without him In all which to take the time is a most commendable point of wisedome but to be negligent is such folly as Salomon reproues whē he saith That a foole hath a price in his hand to get wisdome but hee wants a heart Oh that men would beware of this hartlesnesse and take heed of loosing their price by which they might get wisdome Now I come to speake of the occasions of doing good And these are eyther in others or in out selues First in others and that for their soule body Sometimes a man shall finde a kinde of tractablenesse in those with whom hee hath to deale that their ears stand open and they are readie to drink in an exhortation or reproof by reason of some affliction that is vpon them or some need they haue of our help or such like occasion Here is time for a kinde and sound admonition then a man ought in all loue and yet with all plainnesse to follow the occasion striking as our prouerbe is whilst the iron is hot speaking when he sees him in the melting vaine ready to take all wel and in good part And so Elihn notes that when a man is bought to his death bed and to abhor all worldly delights then his eares are bored and then there is work for an interpreter Before the bones clattered and the mourners looked for the funerall an interpreter was despised but now his words are obserued Thus a man may doe much good to his neighbours or seruants soule if he waite for a time when he is fit to receiue admonition then giue it him as the husbandman in dry weather waites for a showre of raine and then sets in his plow Againe for the body sometimes one shall meet with one that hath true need that is in distresse for his bodily estate and doth indeed want reliefe This is an occasion and fit time to shew liberalitie Now a man must open his purse and be ready to giue freely I meane not that euery time a man meetes a beggar he should be giuing for to those a man should not giue but in the very extremitie of necessitie but if our brother hath beene afflicted by any losse through fire or such like that he doe not make himself needy