A94156:917
The Christian-man's calling: or, A treatise of making religion ones business. Wherein the nature…
The Christian-man's calling: or, A treatise of making religion ones business. Wherein the nature and necessity of it is discovered. : As also the Christian directed how he may perform it in [brace] religious duties, natural actions, his particular vocation, his family directions, and his own recreations. / By George Swinnock ...
London: printed for T.P., 1662
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1. The quantity of it. Thy Sleep, Reader, must be moderate; but how much, or how little, thy own prudence, or piety together must judge. No certain time can be prefixed, though some general rules may be propounded. Seven hours sleep, is by Physicians judged sufficient for any ordinary person in health; youth requires more sleep then age; Weak men then strong men. Thy discretion will much help thee, if thou observest thy constitution. Choleric and Melancholic bodies need longer sleep then the Phlegmatic or Sanguine, that the acrimony of Choler may be tempered, and the concoction furthered. To the Phlegmatic much sleep doth increase their cold and moist humours, and will in time make their bodies altogether sickly; The Sanguine are apt to wax gross, and corpulent, and unfit for action, all which is helped forward by much sleep. Take heed of immoderate sleep. There is no part of our lives so totally lost, as that which is spent in sleep. Sleep cometh like a Publican, saith Plutarch, and stealeth away a third part of our time. 1Therefore the wise Heathen have been watchful against this enemy: Aristotle used to sleep with a Bullet in his hand, over a brazen pan, ⟨p. 438⟩that when it fell out of his hand, he might be awakened with the noise. Pythagoras used with a thread to tie the hair of his head to a beam over him, that so when he did but nod, he might be awakened thereby; Christians have more cause for bodily as well as spiritual watchfulness.
1. The quantity of it. Thy Sleep, Reader, must be moderate; but how much, or how little, thy own prudence, or piety together must judge. No certain time can be prefixed, though some general rules may be propounded. Seven hours sleep, is by Physitians judged sufficient for any ordinary person in health; youth requires more sleep then age; Weak men then strong men. Thy discretion will much help thee, if thou observest thy constitution. Cholerick and Melancholick bodies need longer sleep then the Phlegmatick or Sanguin, that the acrimony of Choler may be tempered, and the concoction furthered. To the Plegmatick much sleep doth increase their cold and moyst humours, and will in time make their bodies altogether sickly; The Sanguin are apt to wax gross, and corpulent, and unfit for action, all which is helped forward by much sleep. Take heed of immoderate sleep. There is no part of our lives so totally lost, as that which is spent in sleep. Sleep cometh like a Publican, saith Plutarch, and stealeth away a third part of our time.