330 WORKS OF ST. CHRYSOSTOM. [HOMILY II. honor, much more might we be. And he has not said, that "we were dishonored," nor that "we did not enjoy honors," which would have been to reproach them, but " we did not seek them." We therefore, who, when we might have sought them, sought them not, even when the preaching required it, how should we do anything for the sake of glory? And yet even if we had sought them, not even in that case would there have been any blame. For it is fit that those men who are sent forth from God, as ambassadors now coming from heaven, should enjoy great honor. But with an excess of forbearance we do none of these things, that we may stop the mouths of the adversaries. And it cannot be said, that to you we act thus, but not so others. For thus also he said in his Epistle to the Corinthians : " For ye bear with a man if he bringeth you into bondage, if he devoureth you, if he taketh you captive, if he exalteth himself, if he smiteth you on the face." (2 Cor. xi. 20.) And again, " His bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account." (2 Cor. x. 10.) And again, "Forgive me this wrong." (2 Cor. xii. 13.) He shows there also that he was exceeding humble from his suffering so many things. But here he also says concerning money, " when we might have been burdensome, as Apostles of Christ." Ver. 7, 8. " But we were gentle in the midst of you, as when a nurse cherisheth her own children : even so, being affectionately desirous of you, we were well pleased to impart unto you, not the Gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were become very dear to us." " But we were gentle," he says ; we exhibited nothing that was offensive or troublesome, noth ing displeasing, or boastful. And the expres sion, " in the midst of you," is as if one should say, we were as one of you, not taking the higher lot. " As when a nurse cherisheth her own children." So ought the teacher to be. Does the nurse flatter that she may obtain glory? Does she ask money of her little children ? Is she offensive or burdensome to them ? Are they not more indulgent to them than mothers? Here he shows his affection. " Even so, being affectionately desirous of you," he says, we are so bound to you, he says, and we not only take nothing of you, but if it be necessary even to impart to you our souls, we should not have refused. Tell me, then, is this of a human view ? and who is so foolish as to say this ? " We were well pleased to impart to you," he says, " not the Gospel of God only, but also our own souls." So that this is greater than the other. And what is the gain? For from the Gospel is gain, but to give our souls, is with respect to difficulty a greater thing than that. For merely to preach is not the same thing as to give the soul. For that indeed is more precious, but the latter is a matter of more difficulty. We were willing, he says, if it were possible, even to spend our souls upon you. And this we should have been willing to do ; for if we had not been will ing, we should not have endured the necessity. Since then he praised, and does praise, on this account he says, that, not seeking money, nor flattering you, nor desiring glory, do we do this. For observe ; they had contended much, and so ought to be praised and admired even ex traordinarily, that they might be more firm ; the praise was suspicious. On this account he says all these things, by way of repelling the suspi cion. And he also mentions the dangers. And again, that he may not be thought to speak of the dangers on this account, as if laboring for them, and claiming to be honored by them, therefore again, as he had to mention the dan gers, he added, " Because ye were become very dear to us " ; we would willingly have given our souls for you, because we were vehemently at tached to you. The Gospel indeed we pro claim, because God commanded it ; but so much do we love you, that, if it were possible, we would have given even our souls. He who loves, ought so to love, that if he were asked even for his soul, 1 and it were possi ble, he would not refuse it. I do not say " if he were asked," but so that he would even run to present him with the gift. For nothing, nothing can be sweeter than such love ; nothing will fall out there that is grievous. Truly " a faithful friend is the medicine of life." (Ecclus. vi. 16.) Truly " a faithful friend is a strong defense." (Ib. 14.) For what will not a genuine friend perform? What pleasure will he not afford? what benefit? what security? Though you should name infinite treasures, none of them is comparable to a genuine friend. And first let us speak of the great delight of friendship itself. A friend rejoices at seeing his friend, and expands with joy. He is knit to him with an union of soul that affords unspeakable pleasure. And if he only calls him to remembrance, he is roused in mind, and transported. I speak of genuine friends, men of one soul, who would even die for each other, who love fervently. Do not, thinking of those who barely love, who are table-companions, mere nominal friends, suppose that my discourse is refuted. If any one has a friend such as I speak of, he will acknowledge the truth of my words. He, though he sees his friend every day, is not sati ated. For him he prays for the same things as for himself. I know one, who calling upon holy men in behalf of his friend, besought them to livxnv > both " soul" and " life."