Chap. t 1, according to SI o H N. 3 greater in the fathershoufe, then theprodigal' returned. And what an high price did our Saviour het on the Centítrions faith ? Verte 16. Let us alf3 go that We maydye With him] hblunt fpeech, and ( as Tome think) over-bold. He woulddiewith Chrift, and fowould Peter : yet none fo fhamefully forfookhim, when it came to the proof,as thofe two.Thomas was to leek. whenhe fhould have feen Chrift rifen : he hadnot yet recovered his fright at our Se viours apprehenfion. Verfe 17. That he had lien in the grave four Lies J. So that he might teem now tocome too late.. The faith of the two fifers mutt needs bemuch fhaken, to fee their brother dead, though Chrift had fent them word he fhould notdie. Hold out faith and patience, God will be teen in the mount a he u'ually referves his hand fora dead lift,whenour faith begins to flagand hang the wing,whenour ftrength is gone, andwe have given up all for loft. NowWill Ia- If, 3 3 10. ri/e, faith the Lord, now Will 1 be exalted, now llift up my Me. Verfe 19, To comfort them] A pious office, and yet never thought of by the fuperftitious Papitts, amid{( all thofe vain fop - peries they prefcribe to be done about the dead. Only, what the Ancients ufed for the comfort of,che living, is perverted by them to the pretended fervice and help of thedead. Verfe so. But Mary rat (hill in the houfe] So, while faith fats at thecentre, love walks the round.. Dicit Fides, Paratafnt. mihi amnia : D;icia S¡es, Mihi iu fervantur :. Dicit Charitas, ego csorroad i/la, faith Bernard. Verfe 21. Lordif thou hadfh beenhere, &C.] Was the fareof that? but why was he dead, ifChrift wouldnot, though he were not there ?. We areall too much fattened to his bodily prefence howbeit wenever cc;me to beleeve indeed, till weare well pertwa Bedofhis ornnipotency. But how fitly may many a poor foul fay to the bloody Non .refident ; Sir, if thou had{'t been here, my bro. ther, childe, husbandhad not beendead in his fins? Verfe21, whatfever thou Wilt ask! ] This is our comfort, that our Advocate is all in all with his father ; and may have what he will of him. What need weanyother Mafter ofreguefhs then Chrift? 1fDavid will hear 70,4 for Ab1iom; and Herod, Blafh u Al1s,i,,. for theTyrians, what may not wehope ? Verte 23. Thy, brother Jhall rife again ] Let thisconfideration comfort us in the deceafe ofour deareft friends : they are not-loft, but
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