HOMILY VII.] HOMILIES ON TIMOTHY. 503 Because where love exists, all the sins of cov- etousness, rapine, envy, slander, arrogance, per jury, and falsehood are done away. For men perjure themselves, in order to rob, but no one would rob him whom he loved, but would rather give him his own possessions. For we are more obliged than ifwe received from him. Ye know this, all you that have friends, friends, I mean, in reality, not in name only, but whoever loves as men ought to love, whoever is really linked to another. And let those who are ignorant of it learn from those who know. I will now cite you from the Scriptures awon derful instance of friendship. Jonathan, the son of Saul, loved David, and his soul was so knit to him, that David in mourning over him says, " Thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women. Thou wast wounded unto death." (2 Sam. i. 25, 26.) What then? did he envy David? Not at all, though he had great reason. How? Because, by the events he perceived that the kingdom would pass from himself to him, yet he felt nothing of the kind. He did not say, "This is he that is depriving me of my paternal kingdom," but he favored his obtaining the sovereignty ; and he spared not his father for the sake of his friend. Yet let not any one think him a parricide, for he did not injure his father, but restrained his unjust attempts. He rather spared than injured him. He did not permit him to proceed to an unjust murder. He was many times willing even to die for his friend, and far from accusing him, he restrained even his father s accusation. Instead of envying, he joined in obtaining the kingdom for him. Why do I speak of wealth? He even sacrificed his own life for him. For the sake of his friend, he did not even stand in awe of his father, since his father entertained unjust de signs, but his conscience was free from all such. Thus justice was conjoined with friendship. Such then was Jonathan. Let us now con sider David. He had no opportunity of return ing the recompense, for his benefactor was taken away before the reign of David, and slain before he whom he had served came to his kingdom. What then ? As far as it was allowed him and left in his power, let us see how that righteous man manifested his friendship. " Very pleas ant," he says, " hast thou been to me, Jonathan ; thou wast wounded unto death." (2 Sam. i. 25, Gr.) Is this all? This indeed was no slight tribute, but he also frequently rescued from danger his son and his grandson, in remem brance of the kindness of the father, and he continued to support and protect his children, as he would have done those of his own son. Such friendship I would wish all to entertain both towards the living and the dead. Let women listen to this (for it is on their account especially that I refer to the departed) who enter into a second marriage, and defile the bed of their deceased husband, though they have loved him. 1 Not that I forbid a second mar riage, or pronounce it a proof of wantonness, for Paul does not allow me, stopping my mouth by saying to women, " If she marry she hath not sinned." (i Cor. vii. 28 and 40.) Yet let us attend to what follows, " But she is happier if she so abide." This state is much better than the other. Wherefore ? for many reasons. For if it is better not to marry at all than to marry, much more in this case. " But some, you say, could not endure widowhood, and have fallen into many misfortunes." Yes ; because they know not what widowhood is. For it is not widowhood to be exempt from a second mar riage, as neither is it virginity to be altogether unmarried. For as " that which is comely," and " that ye may attend upon the Lord without dis traction," is the mark of the one state, so it is the mark of the other to be desolate, to " con tinue in supplications and prayers," to renounce luxury and pleasure. For " she that liveth in pleasure is dead whilst she liveth." (i Tim. v. 6.) If remaining a widow, thou wouldest have the same pomp, the same show, the same attire, as thou hadst while thy husband was living, it were better for thee to marry. For it is not the union that is objectionable, but the multitude of cares that attend it. But that which is not wrong, thou dost not : but that which is not in different, which is liable to blame, in that thou involvest thyself. On this account " some have turned aside after Satan," because they have not been able to live properly as widows. Wouldest thou know what a widow is, and what a widow s dignity, hear Paul s account of it. " If she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the Saints feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work." (i Tim. v. 10.) But when after the death of thy husband, thou art arrayed in the same pomp of wealth, no wonder if thou canst not support widowhood. Transfer this wealth, therefore, to heaven, and thou wilt find the burden ofwidow hood tolerable. But, thou sayest, what if I have children to succeed to their father s inheritance ? Instruct them also to despise riches. Transfer thy own possessions, reserving for them just a sufficiency. Teach them too to be superior to riches. But what if besides my silver and gold, I am surrounded by a crowd of slaves, oppressed by a .multitude of affairs, how shall I be equal to the care of all these things, when deprived of the support of my husband? This is but an excuse, a pretense, as appears from many causes. 1 Sav. mar. " having ceased to love him."