And as no one would sleep for ever, and in all men's sober judgment
waking is better, yet a man for the most part, feeling a heavy
lethargy in all his limbs, defers to shake off sleep, and though
half displeased, yet, even after it is time to rise, with pleasure
yields to it, so was I assured that much better were it for me to give
myself up to Thy charity, than to give myself over to mine own
cupidity; but though the former course satisfied me and gained the
mastery, the latter pleased me and held me mastered. Nor had I any
thing to answer Thee calling to me, Awake, thou that sleepest, and
arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. And when Thou
didst on all sides show me that what Thou saidst was true, I,
convicted by the truth, had nothing at all to answer, but only those
dull and drowsy words, "Anon, anon," "presently," "leave me but a
little." But "presently, presently," had no present, and my "little
while" went on for a long while; in vain I delighted in Thy law
according to the inner man, when another law in my members rebelled
against the law of my mind, and led me captive under the law of sin
which was in my members.
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