The Christian's manual in three parts ... / by L. Addison ...

LXXXII.

No man can express greater love to his dearest Friends, than to adventure to die for them. And yet Christs love was of a higher degree: for he died for you when you were his Enemy; and that death too which was all full of reproach and pain, John 15.13. And this love of Christ obligeth you to love him again; and if not, you come short of the Publicans (whom the Jews esteem'd the worst sort of men) for even they love those that love them, St. Matt. 5.46. And if your love to Christ be without dissimulation, it will admit of no Rival, nor hold any intelli∣gence with his Enemies; but you will be glad of the happy

occasion (you now have at the Sacrament) of sacrificing all vile affections, and mortifying every lust; as the best Testi∣mony of your own love, and requital of his, who delivered himself unto death, to redeem you from all iniquity and vici∣ous living, and to oblige you to advance toward the highest pitch of all Virtue. And when your love to Christ is in some due measure proportionable to his love to you, it will make you (with St. Paul) ready not to be bound onely, but also to dye for his Name, when his Command shall bring you to such an expression of your Obe∣dience.