Many students, preachers, lawyers, tradesmen, farmers, laborers, and others transgress, when they do not allow for regular times of refreshment and rest to their bodies, but fast, watch, and toil too much in their calling. They who by such means disable themselves, make themselves guilty of the neglect of as much good as they might have done if they had nourished and cherished their bodies. Some are so eager for their business that they think all the time wasted which is spent nourishing and cherishing their bodies. Then they will that their bodies needed no food, sleep, or other similar means of refreshment.

These thoughts and desires are foolish and sinful in many respects, for they:

1) Manifest a secret discontentment and complaint against God’s providence, who has made us this way for the clearer manifestation of man’s weakness and God’s care over him.

2) Take away opportunities for calling upon God and giving praise to Him. For if we stood not in such need of God’s providence, would we so often pray to Him for His blessing? If by the good means which He affords to us we felt not the sweetness and comfort of His providence, would we be so thankful to Him?

3) Take away the means of mutual love, for if by reason of our weakness we had not need of assistance and help one from another, what test would their be of our love?

William Gouge, Building a Godly Home: A Holy Vision for Family Life, 104-105.