HOMILY XIV.] HOMILIES ON TIMOTHY. 457 because of Thy righteous judgments " (Ps. cxix. 62) : and, " God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave" (Ps. xlix. 15): and, "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me " (Ps. xxiii. 4) : and, " I will not be afraid for the terror by night, nor for the arrow that flieth by day, nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness, nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday" (Ps. xci. 5, 6) : and, " We are counted as sheep for the slaughter " (Ps. xliv. 22) : he expresses their ardent love to God. And again/when they sing with the Angels, (for Angels too are singing then,) " Praise ye the Lord from the Heavens." (Ps. cxlviii. i.) And we meanwhile are snoring, or scratching our heads, or lying supine meditating endless deceits. 1 Think what it was for them to spend the whole night in this employment. And when the day is coming on, they take rest again ; for when we begin our works, they have a season of rest. 2 But each of us, when it is day, calls upon his neighbor, takes account of his outgoings, then 3 goes into the forum ; trembling he appears before the magistrate, and dreads a reckoning. Another visits the stage, another goes about his own business. But these holy men, having performed their morning prayers and hymns, proceed to the reading of the Scrip tures. There are some too that have learned to write out books, each having his own apart ment assigned to him, where he lives in per petual quiet ; no one is trifling, not one speaks a word. Then at the third, sixth, and ninth hours, and in the evening, they perform their devotions, having divided the day into four parts, and at the conclusion of each they honor God with psalms and hymns, and whilst others are dining, laughing, and sporting, and bursting with gluttony, they are occupied with their hymns. For they have no time for the table, nor for these things of sense. After their meal 4 they again pursue the same course, having pre viously given themselves a while to sleep. The men of the world sleep during the day : but these watch during the night. Truly children of light are they ! And while the former, hav ing slept away the greater part of the day, go forth oppressed with heaviness, these are still collected, 5 remaining without food" till the evening, and occupied in hymns. Other men, when evening overtakes them, hasten to the 1 He means not self-deceits, but actual frauds, for he is now as it were on a sally, among the enemy s works. 2 Not their principal rest, but an interval. 3 So Old Lat. (prob. from elra eis) Edd. ei eis, " if he goes." Colb. om. ei. 4 apio-roy. See on Stat. Horn. ix. i, note e, and x. i, note a. 5 vrifaovtriv. 6 This seems to contradict what was said just before, but it need not be taken quite strictly, as the former meal was not at table, and extremely light- baths, and different recreations, but these, being relieved from their labors, then betake them selves to their table, not calling up a multitude of servants, nor throwing the house into bustle and confusion, nor setting before them high- seasoned dishes, and rich-steaming viands, but some only partaking of bread and salt, to which others add oil, whilst the weakly have also herbs and pulse. Then after sitting a short time, or rather after concluding all with hymns, they each go to rest upon a bed made for repose only and not for luxury. There is no dread of magis trates, no lordly arrogance, no terror of slaves, no disturbance of women or children, no multi tudes of chests, or superfluous laying by of gar ments, no gold or silver, no guards and senti nels, no storehouse. Nothing of all these, but all there is full of prayer, of hymns, and of a spiritual savor. Nothing carnal is there. They fear no attacks of robbers, having nothing of which theycan be deprived, no wealth, but a soul and body, of which if they are robbed, it is not a loss but a gain. For it is said, " To me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." (Phil. i. 21.) They have freed themselves from all bonds. Truly, " The voice of gladness is in the taber nacles of the righteous." (Ps. cxviii. 15.) There is no such thing to be heard there as wailing and lamentation. Their roof is free from that melancholy and those cries. Deaths hap pen there indeed, for their bodies are not im mortal, but they know not death, as death. The departed are accompanied to the grave with hymns. This they call a procession, 7 not a burial ; 8 and when it is reported that any one is dead, great is their cheerfulness, great their pleasure ; or rather not one of them can bear to say that one is dead, but that he is per fected. Then there is thanksgiving, and great glory, and joy, every one praying that such may be his own end, that so his own combat may terminate, and he may rest from his labor and struggles, and may see Christ. And if any is sick, instead of tears and lamentations they have recourse to prayers. Often not the care of physicians, but faith alone relieves the sick. And if a physician be necessary, then too there is the greatest firmness and philosophy. There is no wife tearing her hair, nor children bewail ing their orphan state before the time, nor slaves entreating the dying man to give them an assurance that they shall be committed to good hands. Escaping from all these, the soul looks but to one thing at its last breath, that it may depart in favor with God. And if disease oc curs, the causes of it are matter of glory rather than of reproach, as in other cases. For it pro ceeds not from gluttony nor fullness of the head,