in my bed I know it, and feel it, and shall not in my grave: and this too, that in my bed my soul is still in an infectious body, and shall not in my grave be so.
V. EXPOSTULATION.
O GOD, my God, thy Son took it not ill at Martha's hands, that when he said unto her, Thy brother Lazarus shall rise again[1], she expostulated it so far with him as to reply, 1 know that he shall rise again in the resurrection, at the last day; for she was miserable by wanting him then. Take it not ill, O my God, from me, that though thou have ordained it for a blessing, and for a dignity to thy people, that they should dwell alone, and not be reckoned among the nations[2] (because they should be above them), and that they should dwell in safety alone[3] (free from the infestation of enemies), yet I take thy leave to remember thee, that thou hast said too, Two are better than one; and, Woe be unto him that is alone when he falleth[4]; and so when he is fallen, and laid in the bed of sickness too. Righteousness is immortal[5]; I know thy wisdom hath said so; but no man, though covered with the righteousness of thy Son, is immortal, so as not to die; for he who was righteousness itself did die. I know that the Son of Righteousness, thy Son, refused not, nay affected solitariness, loneness[6], many, many times; but at all times he was able to command more than twelve legions of angels[7] to his service; and when he did not so, he was far from being alone: for, 7 am not alone, says he, but I, and the Father that sent me[8]. I cannot fear but that I shall always be with thee and
