898 DEATn IMPa6PI'D. to nature ; come, and see whether thon canst not derive a bles- sing from it, by the instructions of the gospel, and the aids of grace. " Thou hastheard the lessons thatthe death of mankind in general should teach thee : Enquire nowwhat thou hast learn- ed of them : Hast thou seen the vanity of man as a mortal dying creature ? It isan easy matter to say, " Alas, we must all die :" But hast thou felt the penetrating force of this truth ? And does it influence thywhole conduct ? Art thou' not still, at everyturn, putting thy confidence in one creature or another, whose breath is in his nostrils, and whose death disappoints thy hope ? Or hast thou removed thy dependancefrom all creatures to God, andfixed thy hope in him that lives for ever ? O blessed effect of the me- ditation on death ? "Again, Hast thou seen the heinous evil of sin in thespread- ing desolation that death has made over this lower world ? Re- member that it received its commission from the justice of God, almost six thousand years ago, and from his lawwhich sinhad broken : Thedreadful execution proceeds to this day, and it will proceed till there be no sinner upon earth. Sin is the spring of all this havoc of the lives of men. It is sin that has deserved all these tremendous executions of wrath : And yet, O my soul, how often hast thou indulged this mischief, to play about thy bosom, like a harmless thing ! Come, view the dismal effects of it, in the death of millions, and learn to hate and renounce it for ever. It is no small evil that could awaken the' indignation of God at this rate, and diffuse it so widely, over so large and so glorious a part of his creation, as the whole nature and race ofman. " Again, I would enquire, has the death òf mankind taught me effectually, that I must shortly die ? And have I been excited, to make a suitable provision for this awful and important hour, since I must not, I cannot escape it ? " Not only the death of mankind in general, but the death of wicked men may instruct inc in some useful lessons too. Here I learn how God rescues his children from the rage of oppressors, when he smites them down to death, and lays all their fury silent in the dust. Thus death itself becomes a deliverer to the saints, by destroying their cruel persecutors, " I learn also, that when early or sudden death has seized a bold sinner, it is a loud warning-word to all his companions. When I see such terrible examples in the course of providence, let my soul stand in awe and fear. " And if God has distinguished me by his mercy, if he has pardoned my guilt, and sanctifiedmy corrupt nature, if he has made me one of his own children, and prepared me for dying, whenhe summons others away unpardoned, unsanctified, unpre- pared, let all my powers be excited to bless the name ofthe Lord
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