ABSTRACT
PreselVe, my sons, the friendship into which you have entered with the brothers. Nothing in human affairs is more beautiful than this. For it is the solace of this life for you to have someone to whom you may open your heart, with whom you may share private things, and to whom you may entrust your innermost secret. You then have in place a faithful man who will rejoice with you when things go well, suffer with you in times of sorrow, and encourage you when you are attacked. (off. 3.22.132)
If those who exhort people to enter public life give these precepts, how much more ought we, called to duty in the church, do such things as may please God, so that the power of Christ might be in us? Hence we may be looked on with approval by our Emperor, so that our members may be the arms of justice, not arms of flesh in which sin reigns but arms strong for God by which sin is destroyed. (off. 1.37.186)
l.12.
