Bates - BT775 B274 1675

nCQntribing Jr ein'g Ueben>ïptiatt Cher : but there are diverte degrees of it: and thehigh- Chap IX. eft is to die for our enemies. The Apoftle faith, per - haps for agood nian fame would dare to die. 'Tis pofii- Rom y 7. ble, gratitude may prevail upon one who is under ftrong obligations, to die for his benefaEtor. Or Come may from a generous principle be willing with the lots of their lives to preferve one, who is a general and pub - lick good. But this is a rare, and almoft incredible thing. 'Tis recorded as a miraculous inítance of' the power o` Love, that the two Sicilian Philofophers Damon, and Pithias, each had courage to die for his Friend. For one ofthem being condemn'd to die by the Tyrant, and defiring to give the laic farewel to his Family, his Friend entered into Prífon as his Surety to die for him, if he did not return at the appointed time. Andhe came to the amazement of all, that ex- pei`ted the iffue of filch a hazardous caution. Yet in this example there feems to be in the Second Inch a confidence of the fidelity of the firft, that he was af- fured hé fhould not die in being a pledge for him : and in the Firft'twas not meerfriendfhip, or fenfe of the obligation, but theregardofhis own honour that made him refcue his Friend fromDeath. And ifLove were the foie motive, yet the higheft exprefhion of it was to part with a íhort life, which in a little time muff have been refigned by the order ofnature. But the Love of our Saviour was fo pure and great, there can be no refemblance, much lefs any parallel of it. For he was perfectly Holy, and fo the priviledge of immortality was due to him, and his life was infinitely more pre- cious than the lives of Angels and Men, yet he laid it down and fubmitted to a curled Death, and to that which was infinitely more bitter, the Wrath of God. And all this for finful men, who were under the juft and heavy difpleafure of the Almighty. He loved us, Gay, 2. so, Z and

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