632 GOSPEL ACCORDING TO CHAP. XIX. though He became a servant,yet was He noble becauseof Basil.in His unspeakablebirthfrom the Father. BASIL. Noble,notl3Sa'i3?ontyin respectof His Godhead, but of His manhood, being sprung from the seed of David accordingto the flesh.He went into a far country,separatednot so much by distance of place as by actualcondition. For God Himself istiigh to every one of us,when our good works bind us to Him. And He isafaroff,as oftenas by cleavingto destruction,we remove ourselvesaway from Him. To thisearthlycountry then He came at a distancefrom God, that He might receivethe kingdom of the Gentiles,accordingto the Psalm, Ps.2,8. Ask of Me, and I willgive theethe heathenfor thinein- Aug.de heritance.AUG. Or the farcountryis the GentileChurch, W>Uif"' exten<lingto the uttermostpartsof the earth. For He went qu.40. that the fulnessof the Gentilesmight come in; He will returnthatallIsraelmay be saved. EUSEB. Or by His settingout into a far country,He denotesHis own ascensionfrom earthto heaven. But when He adds, To receivefor himselfa kingdom, and to return; He pointsout His second appearance,when He shallcome as a King and in greatglory. He firstof allcallsHimself a man, because of His nativityin the flesh,then noble; not yet a King, because as yet at His firstappearanceHe exercisedno kingly power. It is alsowell said to obtain Dan.7,13.for Himself a kingdom, according to Daniel, Behold one likethe Son of man came with the clouds of heaven,and Heb.i,3.a kingdom was given to Him. CYRIL. For ascendingup to heaven,He sitson the righthand of the Majesty on high. But being ascended,He hath dispensedto those thatbe lieveon Him differentdivinegraces,as unto the servants were committed their Lord's goods, that gaining some thing they might bring him token of theirservice.As it follows,And he calledhistenservants,and deliveredthemten pounds. CHRYS. Holy Scriptureis accustomed to use the number ten as a signof perfection,for ifany one wishesto count beyond it,he has againto begin from unity,havingin ten as itwere arrivedat a goal. And so in the givingofthe talents,the one who reachesthe goal of divineobedience Aujr. is saidto have receivedten pounds. AUG. Or by the tenh"p" pounds He signifiesthe law, because of the ten command-