longest for thy wonted intercourse with him, weep so far only. “It is no evil that I suffer,” says he, “but I even rejoice in going to Christ, and do ye not rejoice.” “Rejoice with me.” Let us too rejoice when we see a righteous man dying, and yet more even when any of the des- perately wicked; for the first is going to receive the reward of his labors, but the other has abated somewhat from the score of his sins.638 But it is said, perhaps he might have altered, had he lived. Yet God would never have taken him away, if there had been really a prospect of an alteration. For why should not He who orders all events for our salvation, allow him the opportunity, who gave promise of pleasing Him? If He leaves those, who never alter, much more those that do. Let then the sharpness of our sorrow be everywhere cut away, let the voice of lamentation cease. Let us thank God under all events: let us do all things without murmuring; let us be cheerful, and let us become pleasing to Him in all things, that we may also attain the good things to come, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom, &c. 638 ἐνέκοψε. See on Stat. Hom. v. (4) Tr. p. 372. Here, however, he rather means sins that might have been committed. He certainly rather strains the principle of trying to view things as they are, seeing that, to us at least, while there is life there is hope. Still a more thorough feeling of God’s mercy, and of our own ignorance, would make us better understand the general use of thanksgiving in our funeral service. 396 Philippians 2:12-16