Page:Devotions - Donne - 1840.djvu/139

 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.

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, 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 (because they should be above them), and that they should dwell in safety alone (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 ; and so when he is fallen, and laid in the bed of sickness too. Righteousness is immortal ; 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, many, many times; but at all times he was able to command more than twelve legions of angels 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. I cannot fear but that I shall always be with thee and