“God will be found the most faithful friend, in that He never forgets former friends for the sake of new ones; but those whom He chose before time was, these will He love in eternity, when time is no more. Neither does the addition of new friends make the former less the friends of God, but rather the more grateful is it to Him that many should love Him. Nor is Christ like the chief butler, who, when things went well with him, forgot Joseph; but _though the Lord be high, yet hath He respect unto the lowly_. Christ, when mortal, chose men to be His friends; when made immortal, He called them His brethren. _Go to My brethren, and say unto them_, &c. (John xx. 17). Nor is the friendship of Christ capable of change through loss of the friend, as is evident from the eleventh chapter of St. John. _Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus_, when they were hale and sound. But what will He do when Lazarus is sick? _Lord, behold he whom Thou lovest is sick_; He ceases not to love because His friend is sick. Lazarus dies, the misery increases, but friendship does not decrease; for He says, _Our friend Lazarus sleepeth_. Lazarus is not called friend because that he loves, but because he is still beloved. Now Lazarus stinketh, and still Christ is his friend, for He weepeth because of him. _Behold_, they say, _how He loved him_! Ill, O multitude, do you speak! to Him love is present, therefore rather say, Behold how He loveth him! O most faithful Friend, Thou art He who sayest, _I have loved thee with an everlasting love_!