aOn that night, saith the story of Assuerus, the Kings sleep went from him. It is no watching to speak properly, neither is it thankworthy, for a man to lie awake, because he cannot sleep: but when long continuance of waking, and the usual hour of rest, and and the drowsiness of his own brain, and the heaviness of his eyes, and the example of others fast asleep by him, shall all concur and conspire as it were to cast him into a slumber, for a man ⟨p. 84⟩bthen to strive to keep waking is true watching, and is thank-worthy indeed. So here for a man to keep himself sober, when he cannot come by wine or strong drink, or when he wanteth his good-Fellows to drink with (for this is one of those sociable sins: there is no life in it without company) it isc not thankworthy, the will is as good, or as bad rather, still as ever. But for a man to be careful not to break the bounds of sobriety, when he shall be in place where wine is plenty, and no restraint of it, and where company will be egging him on, and urging him with instance to take more than is meet, that is true temperance and praise-worthy indeed. In like mannerd for a man to keep a true man, as we say, because he was never put in trust, or to deal faithfully, where a due and strict account is taken of his actions; it is no commendation the one, and it is but a very slender commendation (if any at all) the other. But for a man that hath trust reposed in him, and none to look after him, or to call him to account (ase Joseph, asf the workmen about the Temple sometime) to deal then truly and faithfully, especially when want and penury shall be persuading him to the contrary,g that is indeed a matter of high commendation; that is watching over a mans hands and fingers indeed. Thus also for a man to live chastely and keep continent,h when he wanteth his lewd company, or for a woman to live honestly whom no man looketh after, ori because she is otherwise looked after, and a narrow watch is set over her, deserveth not the name of watchfulness in either, yea the heart may be never a whit the less faulty with either. But fork Tamar to deny Ammon's incestuous suit, and to stand out against him, till by mere force she be constrainedl to endure rather the dishonest act of another, than to do any of her own;
aOn that night, saith the story of Assuerus, the Kings sleepe went from him. It is no watching to speake properly, neither is it thankworthy, for a man to lie awake, because hee cannot sleepe: but when long continuance of waking, and the usuall houre of rest, and and the drowsinesse of his owne braine, and the heavinesse of his eyes, and the example of others fast asleepe by him, shall all concurre and conspire as it were to cast him into a slumber, for a man ⟨p. 84⟩bthen to strive to keepe waking is true watching, and is thank-worthy indeed. So here for a man to keepe himselfe sober, when hee cannot come by wine or strong drinke, or when hee wanteth his good-Fellowes to drinke with (for this is one of those sociable sinnes: there is no life in it without company) it isc not thankeworthy, the will is as good, or as bad rather, still as ever. But for a man to bee carefull not to breake the bounds of sobriety, when he shall bee in place where wine is plenty, and no restraint of it, and where company will be egging him on, and urging him with instance to take more than is meet, that is true temperance and praise-worthy indeed. In like mannerd for a man to keepe a true man, as wee say, because hee was never put in trust, or to deale faithfully, where a due and strict account is taken of his actions; it is no commendation the one, and it is but a very slender commendation (if any at all) the other. But for a man that hath trust reposed in him, and none to looke after him, or to call him to account (ase Ioseph, asf the workmen about the Temple sometime) to deale then truly and faithfully, especially when want and penury shall be perswading him to the contrary,g that is indeed a matter of high commendation; that is watching over a mans hands and fingers indeed. Thus also for a man to live chastely and keepe continent,h when he wanteth his lewd company, or for a woman to live honestly whom no man looketh after, ori
- aEster 6.1.
- bOculos vigilia fatigatos cadentesque in opere detinere, Senec. epist. 8.
- cNecessitas non habet laudem.
- dNunquam negavi rem alienam: quia sortasse nemo tibi commendavit, vel si quis commendavit, sub testibus commendavit. Dic mihi, Reddidisti, quod à solo solus accepisti? si sic reddidisti, si mortuo qui commendaverat, nescienti filio reddidisti; tunc te laudabo qu•a post aurum non isti Aug. de verb. Ap. 19.
- eGen. 39.6.
- f2 King. 12.15.
- gSirac. 31.13. qui transgredi petait, & non transgressus est; & cùm posset malum facere, non fecit; Bonus ille est, qui & quando potest mala facere, non facit. Aug. in Psal 93.
- hNulla laus est non facere, quod facere non potes Ex Lactant. instit l. 6. c 23. Martin. Dum. de mor. Nulla laus est ibi esse integrum, ubi nemo est, qui aut possit aut co•etur corrumpere. Cic. in Verr. orat. 1.
- iSiqua metu dempto casta est, ea denique casta est: Que quia non potuit, non facit, illa facit. Ovid. amor. lib. 3. cleg 4.
- k2 Sam. 13.12, 13, 14.
- lCorpora sanctarum mulierum non vis maculat, sed voluntas. Hieron. quaest. in Gen. Invita virgo vexari pocest, violari non potest. Aug. ep. 180. & 122. & de Civit. Dei, lib. 1. cap. 18. & demend. l 1 c. 7, 19, 20. & l. 2. c. 19. Vise & Chrys. in Psal. 95.
