VER. 5 — 8. ST. LUKE. 393 comes to you on hisjourney,that is,in thispresent life,in which allare travellingon as strangers,and no one remains possessor,but to everyman istold,Pass on, O stranger,giveEcclus. place to him that is coming. Or perhaps some friend of ' ' yours comes from a bad road,(thatis,an evillife,)wearied and not findingthe truth,by hearingand receivingwhich he may become happy. He comes to thee as to a Christian,and says," Give me a reason," asking perhaps what you from the simplicityof your faithare ignorantof,and not having wherewith to satisfyhis hunger, are compelled to seek it in the Lord's books. For perhaps what he asked is con tained in the book, but obscure. You are not permitted to ask Paul himself,or Peter,or any prophet,forallthatfamily is now restingwith their Lord, and the ignorance of the world is very great,that is,it is midnight,and your friend who is urgent from hunger pressesthis,not contentedwith a simplefaith; must he then be abandoned ? Go therefore to the Lord Himselfwithwhom the familyissleeping,Knock, and pray ; of whom it is added, And he from withinshall answer and say, Trouble me not. He delays to give,wish ing that you should the more earnestlydesirewhat is de layed,lestby being given at once it should grow common. BASIL. For perhaps He delayspurposely,to redouble your Basil.earnestnessand coming to Him, and that you may know £,0"1>_LC-1. what the giftof God is,and may anxiouslyguard what is given. For whatever a man acquireswith much pains he strivesto keep safe,lestwith the lossof that he should lose hislabourlikewise. GLOSS. He does not then take away the libertyof asking,Gloss. but is the more anxious to kindle the desireof praying,by ordln- shewing the difficultyof obtaining that we ask for. For it follows,The door is now shut. AMBROSE. This is the door which Paul also requestsmay be opened to him, be- Col.4,3. seeching to be assistednot only by his own prayers,but those also of the people,that a door of utterancemay be opened to him to speak the mystery of Christ. And perhaps that isthe door which John saw open,and itwas saidto him, Rev.4.1. Come up hither,and I willshew thee thingswhich must be g"gjii11' hereafter. AUG. The time then referredto is that of the qu.21. famine of the word, when the understandingis shut up, and i/J1°