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 &amp;c.? See what  my  judgment of them  was,  and  embrace  it with  safety; thou  canst  not be deceived,  for  I am  the Truth. Art thou  afraid  to  be afflicted,  to  suffer,  or  to  die for my  Name’s  sake? Behold, I am the  Life,  thy  salvation, and all  good; and,  though thou shouldst  die,  thou  shalt live. For I am  come  that  thou mightst have  life,  and  mightst have it  more  abundantly. In brief, I am  thy  Way  by  my  example, thy  Truth  by  my  promise, thy  Life  by  my  reward.

. We  adore  thee,  O Christ,  King  alike  of  Israel and of  the  Gentiles,  and Prince of  the  kings  of  the earth; to thee  we  offer  up,  O Christ,  the  Sacrifice  of  praise, for the  multitude  of  thy  goodness which  thou  hast  shown  to us,  a wicked  seed,  children  of perdition. When we  were still thy  enemies,  thou  rememberedst  thy  mercy. Thou sawest the  affliction  of  thy people, and,  touched  inwardly with the  sweetness  of  love, proceededst to  think  thoughts of peace  and  redemption  towards us. It was  too  little for thy  love  to  appoint  the Cherubim or  Seraphim,  or  one of the  Angels,  to  consummate the work  of  our  salvation. Thou vouchsafedst  thyself  to come  to  us,  by  thy  Father’s commandment, the  greatness of whose  love  we  have  experienced in  thee.

Oh, what  loving  and  admirable  condescension! The God of infinite  glory,  thou  hast  not scorned to  become  a contemptible worm. The God  of all,  it  was  thy  will  to  appear as the  fellow-servant  of  servants. It seemed  to  thee  too little to  be  our  Father  and our Lord;  thou  hast  vouchsafed to  be  our  brother  too!

Oh, how  great  thanks  am  I bound  to  render  thee,  because thou hast  vouchsafed  to  show to me,  and  to  all  the  faithful, the right  and  the  good  way to thy  everlasting  kingdom for thy  life  is  our  way,  and hadst thou  not  gone  before  us, and taught  it  us,  who  would care to  follow  it? Alas! how many  would  remain  far behind, if  they  had  not  thy glorious example  to  look upon! Behold, with  all  the miracles and  doctrines  that we have  heard,  we  are  lukewarm still; how  would  it  be if  we  had  not  so  great  a light to enable  us  to  follow  thee?

Dost thou  wish  to please  me,  my  son? Then follow me;  this  will  please me much. Nothing is  more just, as  well  as  more  acceptable to  a father,  than  to  be followed  by  his  son. Be, therefore, a follower  of  me,  as a most  dear  son. Why art thou called,  thinkest  thou,  by