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THE RELATIVE DUTIES OF MANKIND. [Part III.

still more incredible, the dead live, ■— so great honor, such vividrecollection and regret await them on the part of their friends.Wherefore their life is honorable, and their death is blessed.”Again, he says, “ There ought to be among friends, without anyexception, a mutual sharing of wishes, sentiments, counsels, in-terests, griefs, dangers, and pleasures.” *

(2.) Again, it is a duty of friendship to give mutual aid, notonly by way of advice and good counsel, but also by lendingeffective assistance in advancing each other’s enterprises andundertakings. There are occasions in the life of every man,when candid advice and judicious counsel are extremely valua-ble ; and there are occasions, when one friend may be highly ser-viceable to another, without any sacrifice of his interest, or evenof his convenience. Almost every man, too, has laudable un-dertakings and enterprises, either of a private or public nature,which it is in the power of a few persons to advance, by drawingpublic attention to them, inducing men of influence to give themtheir countenance, encouragement, and, if necessary, their pa-tronage.

(3.) Another duty of friendship is, that friends lend oneanother their sympathy in seasons of distress, calamity, discour-agement, and depression. “ Rejoice with them that do rejoice,and weep with them that weep,” is a precept of Christianmorals, enforced by Apostolic injunction, f Such seasons areeffectual tests of the sincerity of friendship. “ A friend,” saysthe Son of Sirach, u cannot be known in prosperity; and anenemy cannot be hidden in adversity.” Again, his counsel is,“ Be faithful to thy neighbour (friend) in his poverty, that thoumayest rejoice in his prosperity ; abide steadfast unto him in thetime of his trouble, that thou mayest be heir with him in hisheritage; for a mean estate is not always to be contemned;nor the rich that is foolish to be had in admiration.” j

(4.) The highest of all the duties of friendship, however, is,that friends mutually make known their errors, deficiencies, sins,and other failings to one another, with a view to secure their

* De Amlcitiii, c. 4, 6, 7,17.t Ecclesiasticus xii. 8 ; xxii. 23.

t Rom. xii. 15.