SERMON XLI, 589 popish clergy, he retired, with someof his disciples, to the 'sallies of Piedmont, where he found somechristians of an ancient and primitive stamp, andjoining with them, establishedthosechurches which are called theVaudois, and are famous in history, even to this day. Bishop Burnet also tells us, in the life of the Lord Chief Justice Hale, that in his younger years he gave himself up to mLth frolic and vanity, till one of his loose companions. fell down on a sudden, and they thought him dead : which surprising pro- vidence sent Mr. Hale to his knees, to pray earnestly for there- covery of his companion, and laid a foundation for that lifeof eminent virtue and religion, which is described in those memoirs. Thus not only the death of profligate sinners, but even the ap- pearance of their death, has been blessed togracious purposes, for theconversionand salvation of others. 3. The death of the wicked gives the children of God glorious matter for praise to his distinguishing grace. When they see or hear of a hardened and impenitent sinner cut off in his guilt and obstinacy, and in the pursuit of his lusts, the holy soul cries out with thankfulness and zeal, " Glory be to that grace which has made the difference betwixt him and me !" And this is still more remarkable, when a sinner dies with all the terrors of God upon him, when the sting of death enters into his heart, and sharpens all his last agonies, when conscience is awakenedwith all its horrors, and thesoul is . plunging with its eyes open into a gulf of everlasting misery. O how sensibly does this affect theheart of a true christian ! He stands and won- ders, and adores that rich mercy that has snatched himas abrand out of the burning. " What am I," says he, " by nature more than another, that God should have calledme by his grace, and given me repentance unto life, while this poor wretch continued W obstinate and impenitent ? e were both sons ofAdam the sin. ner, alienated from the life of God, and enemies to all that is holy : We were both favoured with the means of grace, and sat under the ministrations of the same gospel. Who, or what am I better than my neighbour, that God should powerfully incline myheart to accept the offered salvation ! That he shouldhave prepared me as a vessel of mercy, to be filled with glory, while my old companion has now made himself a complete vessel of wrath, and fitted himself for swift destruction ; Rom. ix. 22, 23. By nature I was a childof wrath, as well as he, a rebel, and a vile transgressor, without Gad, without Christ, and without hope: And why was not I seized by divine justice, in those days of my rebellion, and made a sacrifice to the indignation ofGod ? What merit was there in me, that I should be spared, while my
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=