retamed, and, indeed, never to be parted with, unless he ceases to be that for which he was chosen" (Jer. Taylor). II. IT IS FOUNDED UPON MUTUAL ESTEEM. When David "had made an end of speaking unto Saul," in which he doubtless said much more tho.n is recorded, the soul of Jonathan II was knit (linked or chained) with the soul of David," &c. (ver. 1). Nothing is said of Jonathan at the time of David's conflict with Goliath. He may have been absent; or, if present, not permitted to risk his life in the encounter. Perhaps his faith and courage were not strong enough. But "he loved that which went beyond his OWil' spirit, yet was of the same heroic order. He saw in David a higher and greater Jonathan, the ideal of his own actual life, himself transfigured and perfected. What he had dreamt he might he he beheld in David" (B. Kent). He admired the faith,. courage, modesty, and moral excellence which lay beneath the II outward appearance.'' "Now tbey are worthy of friendship in whom there exists a reason why they should be loved ; a rare class, for in truth all that is excellent is rare" (Cicero). III. IT CONSISTS OF DISINTERESTED AFFECTION. 11 Jonathan loved him as his own soul 11 (vers. 1, 3; eh. xx. 17); with the same kind and the same measure of affection. Hence the sympathy, generosity, fidelity, and constancy which he displayed. A friend is II another self. 11 11 Though judgment must collect the materials of the goodly structure of friendship, it is affection that gives the cement" (Melmoth). "It really seems to consist in loving rather than being loved. It is the wishing a. person·what we think good for his sake, and not for our own, nnd, as far as is in.our ·power, the exerting ourselves to procure it. And a friend is 110 who entertains and meets a return of this feeling" (Aristotle, 'Ethics,' viii. ; 'Rhetoric,' ii.). "I hope I do not break the fifth commandment if I conceive I may love my friends he- f,}re the nearest of my blood, even those to whom I. owe the principles of life. I Mve loved my friend as I do virtue, :ny soul, my God" (Sir T. Browne, 'Religio Medici'). M2 THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. [en. xvm. 1-30.
I V. I T UNITES IN A S'.EADFAST DOND. ~nit-sinc~rely, closely, firmly joined, grappled together "as with hooks of steel. "A -friend loveth at all times" in adYe'.·si(y a~ well as in_ prosperity;_ and his frien~ship end~1res tlie strain caused by confl1ctmg mterests, m1srepresentat10n, and m:rny unperfect10ns; 1t may even be said- to be" one soul dwelling in two bodies." "Now the foundation of that steadfast- ness and constancy which we seek in friendship is sincerity; for nothing is steadfast ,vhich is insincere" (Cicero). "Friendship founded on worldly principles is natural and, though composed of the best elements of nature, is not exempt from its muta~ bility and frailty; but friendship founded on religion is spiritual, and thereforl' unchanging and imperishable" (R. Hall,' Works,' v.). V. IT IS CONFIRMED BY A SOLEMN COMPACT. "And Jonathan and David made a covenant," &c. (~er. 3; eh. xx. 16, 17). In it they gave and received assurance of a:ffecti_on, agreed to be faithful to each other under all circumstances, and called the Lord m whom they trusted to be witness between them ; to it they were impelled by the strength of their love and " a loftier necessity of finding and loving in one- another, if possible in a yet higher degree, the purely Divine power already felt ~thin, and thus mutually living under its influence" (Ewald); and by it their friendship was rendered sacred and strong and permanently established. In times- when "the love of many waxes cold and iniquity abounds," men of a common faith and love toward God do well to draw closely together and strengthen each other's- hearts and hands by sacred vows. VI. IT IS MANIFESTED IN GENEROUS GIFTS. "And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him," &c. (ver. 4). He gave him what best expressed the gift of himself, and what would continually remind David of his friend and increase his confidence and love. It was little that David could give him in return of an out- ward kind, but he gave him confidence for confidence, love for love, life for life. Friendship is practical, self-sacrificing, and helpful, and gives of its best. "David is seen in Jonathan's clothes that we may take notice he is Jonathan's second self. Our Lord Jesus Christ has thus showed his love to us, that he stripped himself to clothe us, humbled himself to enrich us. Nay, he did more than Jonathan-he clothed himself with our rags, whereas Jonathan did not put on David's" (M. Henry). Exhortation :-1. Seek friendship only among the wise and good. If you would have a true friend, make a friend of him who is a friend of God. 2. Strive to be as worthy of the friendship of the good as David was of the friendship of Jonathan. 3. Be as sincere and faithful to your friend as Jonathan was to David. 4. Value the friendship of Christ beyond all other.-D. Ver. 4.-Divine Jri-endship. 11 He loved him as his own soul" (ver. 3). Human friendship is a shadow of Divine. The greatest and best Friend is God in Christ Jesus. Happy is every one who can say from the heart, "This is my beloved, and this is my friend" (Song of Sol. v. 16). Consider- I. 1TB CONDITIONS, on the part of man. 1. Rationality: capacity- of thought, voluntary choice, moral esteem. "Amidst the ashes of our ~o_llapsed !1ature there slumber certain sparks of celestial fire" (Owen) .. 2. Reconciliatio7:; ~nasmuch as man is alienated from God, and under condemnat10n. 3. Renewal m righteousness anft true holiness, so that we may be "partakers of the Divine nature" (2 PeJ. i. 4). "l<'riend~hip is a union of souls, and souls can be united only where there 1s more or less accord" (Amos iii. 3). II. 1TB CHARACTERISTICS, on the part of the Lord.. All his pe~ections render it in every respect transcendently excellent. But notice more particularly_- 1. Its disinterestedne&s. "He first loved us," with a pure, free, condescendmg! self- sacrificing love. 11 Greater love bath no man," &c. (J?hn xv. l~)- 2. J_ts f.aitliful- ness. 3. Jt, constancy. "The love of friends of this world 1s defective m ~hree respects-they begin to love late, cease early, love little. But th~ l«?ve of God_ 1s an unequalled love. He loves us without beginning, without interm1ss1on, and Wlthout end" (N ouet). . . Ill. ITS BENEFITS, or the blessings enjoyed by those who have fellowship with ~im. 1. OoWTUSel, warning, rebuke. Reoroofs are "the graver looks of love." 2 OH. 'XVIII, 1-30.J THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. 353