way to keep them weak.--As this may fall
into the hands of some children of God who are not in the habit of
rising early, I make a few more remarks on the subject.

I. It might be asked, how much time shall I allow myself for rest?
The answer is, that no rule of universal application can be given, as
all persons do not require the same measure of sleep, and also the
same persons, at different times, according to the strength or
weakness of their body, may require more or less. Females also, being
generally weaker in body, require more sleep than males. Yet, from
what I can learn, it is the opinion of medical persons, that men in
health do not require more than between six and seven hours sleep,
and females no more than between seven and eight hours; so that it
would be rather an exception, for a man to require more than seven
and a woman more than eight hours. But my decided advice, at the same
time, is, that children of God should be careful not to allow
themselves too little sleep, as there are few men who can do with
less than six hours sleep, and yet be well in body and mind, and few
females who can do with less than seven hours. Certain it is that for
a long time, as a young man before I went to the university, I went
to bed regularly at ten and rose at four, studied hard, and was in
good health; and certain also, that since I have allowed myself only
about seven hours, from the time of my visit at Plymouth in Oct.
1839, I have been much better in body, and in my nerves in
particular, than when I was eight or eight hours and a half in bed.

II. If it be asked, but why should I rise early? The reply is, to
remain too long in bed is 1. waste of time, which is unbecoming a
saint, who is bought by the precious blood of Jesus, with his time
and all he has, to be used for the Lord. If we sleep more than is
needful for the refreshment of the body, it is wasting the time with
which the Lord has intrusted us as a talent, to be used for His
glory, for our own benefit, and the benefit of the saints and the
unbelievers around us. 2. To remain too long in bed injures the body.
Just as when we take too much food, we are injured thereby, so as it
regards sleep. Medical persons would readily allow, that, the lying
longer in bed than is needful for the strengthening of the body, does
weaken it. 3. It injures the soul. The lying too long in bed, not
merely keeps us from giving the most precious part of the day to
prayer and medita