MCXXVII

MCXXVII

[Whatever “hand-writing there is against us” in the Scriptures of truth, Christ has “blotted it out, and taken it out of the way, nailing it, as a cancelled bond, unto his cross.” Search the sacred volume from one end to the other, and not one word will be found menacing to a believing penitent. The very moment we believe in Christ, all our iniquities, of whatever kind, are blotted out as a morning cloud, and shall never more be remembered against us. Is there then any one amongst us that “trembles at God’s word?” let him know, that the more he trembles, the less reason he has to tremble; since God looks upon him with complacency, and engages “in no wise to cast him out.” Suppose that such an one beheld at this moment written on the wall before him, “MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN;” and that we were authorized to expound it to him, “Thy days are numbered; thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting; and all that thou hast shall now be divided by thy surviving relatives, thy soul being summoned into the presence of its God;” even were this so, he need not fear, because Christ, being apprehended by faith, shall be put into the scale, and make it preponderate in his favour. We do not mean by this, that Christ and his merits are to be added to something of our own; (for He alone must be put into the scale against our sins;) but this we mean; that if there were the sins of the whole world lying on the soul of a single individual, the blood of Christ, applied by faith, should cleanse him from it, and the righteousness of Christ be a sufficient plea for his acceptance with God. Seek then, Beloved, to be united unto Christ by faith; and then, instead of trembling at his approach, you shall “rejoice before him at his coming.”]

MCXXVII

IMPENITENCE REPROVED

             Dan. 5:22.

And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this.

AMONGST the endowments of a pious minister, two of the most important are, disinterestedness and fidelity. A man who is “looking to his own gain,” or is afraid to “declare the whole counsel of God,” is unworthy of the sacred office: nor can he hope to be either profitable to man, or accepted of God. The example of the Prophet Daniel is worthy of universal imitation. He, having been sent for by king Belshazzar to interpret a writing which God had caused to be inscribed upon the walls of the room where the impious monarch was feasting, declined with scorn all the proffered rewards; and reproved, to his very face, the sovereign, whom no other person in the empire would have dared to offend: “Thy gifts be to thyself,” says he; “and give thy rewards to another.” ‘God has here written thy doom, because of thine impiety. He has borne with thee long, and given thee singular advantages for repentance, if thou hadst had a heart to improve them: he has made known to thee all his dispensations towards thy father, Nebuchadnezzar:’ “but thou, his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this.”

The reproof here given to Belshazzar is not a whit less applicable to ourselves. Permit me, then, to stand to you in the place of Daniel, and to shew you,

  I.      What advantages we have enjoyed for the humiliation of our souls—

It was certainly a great advantage to Belshazzar, that he had seen God’s dealings with his father, (his grandfather,) both in the judgments inflicted on him, and in the mercies vouchsafed unto him. God had in these dispensations clearly marked his indignation against sin, and his readiness to shew mercy to returning penitents. The judgment inflicted on Nebuchadnezzar, the greatest monarch in the universe, was the depriving him of his reason; and causing him, for the space of seven years, to resemble a beast, and to be treated as a beast; being turned out to eat grass like an ox, and to be exposed, like any common beast, to all the changes and inclemencies of the weather, without shelter, and without a friend to compassionate his forlorn condition. Having, however, by this humiliating dispensation, effected his gracious purpose towards him, God restored him to soundness of mind again, and to the exercise of his regal functions; yea, and brought him, also, to the possession of real piety, and ultimately to the enjoyment of a far nobler kingdom.

And has he not given to us the same advantage? Yes, and one far greater: for he has made known to us,

  1.      His indignation against sin; not in one instance only, but in all ages—

[We may go back to the very first introduction of sin into the world; and there we shall see the indignation of God against it, written in the most tremendous colours. Not only was our first parent banished from Paradise; but a sentence of death was pronounced against him; and the whole earth, and all his posterity, were cursed for his sake. Hell, indeed, had been previously created, as a receptacle for the fallen angels: but it was henceforth to be peopled with millions of the human race, who, having received from Adam a corrupt nature, would follow his bad example, and perish in their sins.

As we descend further in the history of the world, we see again the displeasure of God against sin, as manifested at the Deluge; by which judgment every creature upon the face of the whole earth perished, except the few which were admitted into Noah’s ark.

Nor was his abhorrence of sin less strongly marked by the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrha, and all the cities of the plain, by fire from heaven. In this terrible judgment were involved the infant and the suckling, no less than the most daring offender in the land. Surely, after contemplating such events as these, we cannot doubt but that sin must, in the Divine mind, be an object of the deepest abhorrence.

But we need not go back to distant ages. We need only look around us, and within us, and we shall behold the same awful truth exhibited to our view on every side. Whence is it that storms and tempests desolate the earth, and plagues of every kind are inflicted on the human race? Whence is it that pains, and sorrows, and death assault, not the aged sinner only, but the new-born innocent? Whence is it that there is not a man upon earth, the godly alone excepted, that possesses peace in his soul, in the prospect of death and judgment? How comes it that all are “like the troubled sea, which cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt?” There may, it is true, be found, in sad abundance, men as thoughtless as the beasts: but, of any thing like solid peace, in the contemplation of eternity, there is not to be found one atom upon the face of the globe, except in those whose iniquities have been purged in the blood of our Incarnate God. We need only consult our own experience, and we must bear testimony to this distressing fact. And what does all this declare? It declares that sin, in whomsoever it exists, is an object of God’s abhorrence, and has already stamped upon it the most unquestionable tokens of his displeasure.]

  2.      His mercy to repenting sinners—

[Here also we may go back to the period, when, unsolicited and unsought, God revealed a Saviour to offending man, and promised that “the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent’s head.” What a demonstration was this of mercy struggling, as it were, for vent in the Divine bosom; and exulting, I had almost said, in the discovery of an object needing it, and of means whereby it might be exercised towards him! See the myriads to whom this Saviour was revealed in types and shadows, previous to his arrival. See the work of redemption, as carried on, to its completion, throughout the whole process of the Saviour’s incarnation, life and death, and resurrection and ascension; and his full investiture with all power, to accomplish in us what he had already in his own person prepared for us. See the out-pouring of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost; whereby thousands, as far from God as ever Nebuchadnezzar was, were brought to God, and made partakers of God’s kingdom and glory. Do not all these things speak to us as loudly as Nebuchadnezzar’s conversion spoke to his son Belshazzar?

But of this, also, we have strong intimations, in what we see around us, and in what we feel within our own bosoms. We rind, even amongst the most savage barbarians, one general sentiment—that the Being to whom they are responsible will shew mercy to those who, in a becoming manner, implore it at his hands. Amongst ourselves, there is universally prevalent a hope, that, on the repentance of a sinner, God will have mercy on him. But for this thought, the most careless sinner would give himself up to utter despair. In what way mercy shall be exercised towards him, he knows not: but of the readiness of God to shew mercy, he has no doubt. And of this persuasion all of us are conscious: yea, so strongly is it impressed on all our minds, that it is the one source of all the comfort we enjoy.

If, then, we admit, as we must, that Belshazzar’s advantages were great, much more are those with which we have been favoured.]

But we have reason to be ashamed, when we reflect,

  II.      How little improvement we have made of them—

What effect Belshazzar’s knowledge ought to have produced upon him is here plainly declared. It should have led him to humble his soul before God. But it had been unproductive of any good: “he had not humbled his heart, though he knew all this.” The revels, in which he was indulging at this moment, shewed that he was as much under the influence of pride, dissipation, and impiety, as if no such warning had been ever given him. And what, I would ask, is the state of our hearts before God?

Are we not addicted to the same evils as he?

[There may not be in us the same bold defiance of God as in him; but there is practically the same pride of heart which exalts itself against God, the same surrender of ourselves to the cares and pleasures of life, and the same actual preference of created confidences before Him who is the Creator of heaven and earth. The Psalmist’s description of the wicked too justly represents our state: “The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts: his ways are always grievous: thy judgments are far above, out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them.” Here is the same principle of pride as that by which Belshazzar was actuated. Here is God altogether banished from our thoughts, as much as from his; and utter contempt poured upon his authority and on his every word, whether of judgment or of mercy. Look around, and see if this be not the state of all around us. If the luxurious feasting of Belshazzar be unattainable by us, still it is that which is regarded as the very summit of happiness; and which is mimicked by persons, according to their ability, in every rank of life. From what we know of God’s displeasure against such carnal proceedings, it might be supposed that they should long since have been banished from the world: but the world is as full of them as ever, and the heart of sinful man as much addicted to them as ever.]

Have we “humbled our hearts,” any more than he?

[One might expect, from all that we have read of God’s dealings with the world, that we should all be like the Ninevites, humbling ourselves before God in sackcloth and ashes. But where do we see any thing of humiliation and contrition? Where do we hear persons bewailing their past iniquities, and crying mightily unto God for mercy? Say, is this common? Say, is it not uncommon? Is it not very rare? If you hear of two or three awakened to a sense of their undone condition, you are ready to congratulate the minister and the Church of God on an event so truly wonderful, and so replete with mercy; a sure proof, that the instances are very few, and that the knowledge of the generality is awfully unproductive.]

Is not our sin then, in this point of view, greatly aggravated?

[Daniel spoke of Belshazzar’s knowledge as an aggravation of his guilt: “Thou hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this.” And is not our knowledge also a fearful aggravation of our guilt? Our blessed Lord said of the Jews, “If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin; but now they have no cloak for their sin.” And, in like manner, I may say to you, that had you been less instructed in the mind of God, you would have had less to answer for, on account of your departures from it. This is placed in a very striking point of view by the Prophet Jeremiah. He speaks of the ten tribes of Israel as having abandoned themselves to idolatry, and as having been discarded of God on account of their wickedness: yet, when the other two tribes saw this, so far from improving it for their own spiritual good, they “turned not to the Lord with their whole heart, but feignedly.” Upon which, the Lord himself said concerning them, “The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah:” that is, great as Israel’s guilt is, it is not equal to that of Judah; because Judah has had an advantage not possessed by Israel: Judah has seen the judgments inflicted upon Israel, and yet has gone on impenitent: and therefore his guilt is great in proportion to the advantages which he has neglected to improve. And to the same effect our blessed Lord also has told us, that “the servant who knew not his lord’s will, and did things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes; but the servant who knew his lord’s will, and yet violated it, shall be beaten with many stripes.”]

  That I may still adhere to the character of my text, let me ADDRESS you, finally, in a few words,

  1.      Of warning—

[I would not unduly magnify any advantages which have been enjoyed by you: but I may with truth say, that, according to the ability which God has given me, I have “ministered unto you faithfully the Gospel of Christ,” “not keeping back any one thing that would have been profitable unto you.” You therefore have much to answer for. And the words which have been spoken to you, “if they be not unto you a savour of life unto life, will be unto you a savour of death unto death.” Yes, much as I have desired to save your souls, I shall be “a swift witness against you in the day of judgment,” if you do not truly turn to God, and devote yourselves unfeignedly to his service. I pray you let not our meeting at the judgment-seat of Christ be so fraught with sorrow to our souls; but now make a suitable improvement of what ye hear, that I may have you as “my joy, and crown of rejoicing, in that day.”]

  2.      Of advice—

[Let the dealings of God with mankind be treasured up in your minds. They are designed to teach you what you yourselves may expect at his hands. You may see in his judgments, what the impenitent shall endure; and you may see in his mercies what the penitent shall enjoy. Belshazzar himself may be a lesson to you, if you will not attend to other and more encouraging instructions. He was a powerful monarch; yet his greatness could not screen him from the wrath of an avenging God. “That very night was king Belshazzar slain.” Had he humbled himself at that moment, who can tell but that he, like his father, might have been spared to be a monument of God’s saving grace to all eternity? Delay not ye, my beloved Brethren, to obey the heavenly calling; lest death arrest you also, and it be too late. “To-day, whilst it is called to-day, harden not your hearts; but now that ye know all this, turn to the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, and seek for mercy through him, as the propitiation for your sins.” “To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” But, “if ye know these things, then happy are ye, and happy shall ye be, if ye do themf.”]

MCXXVIII

BELSHAZZAR’S IMPIETY AND OURS COMPARED

             Dan. 5:23.

The God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified.

WHEN we look around us, and see what iniquity prevails in the earth, we are ready to imagine that God does not notice the affairs of men, or take any interest in their conduct. But, when we open the inspired volume, we find that, on many occasions, the sins of men have been so strongly marked in their punishment, as to bear ample testimony to a superintending Providence, and to constrain us to say, “Verily, there is a God that judgeth in the earth.” The judgment inflicted on Nebuchadnezzar so exactly accorded with the prediction which had been uttered respecting it, that no doubt can be entertained of the hand from whence it came. Nor was the hand of God less visible in the punishment of the impious Belshazzar. In the midst of his drunken revels, “there came forth, as it were, the fingers of a man’s hand, and wrote on the plaister of the wall where the king was sitting.” The words he could not understand: nor could any of his astrologers or soothsayers interpret them. But, on his application to Daniel, the import of them was declared unto him. The prophet first set before him, and reproved, his impiety: and then denounced the impending destruction of himself and his whole empire; which accordingly took place that very night.

The charge which is here exhibited against Belshazzar is more or less applicable to all the children of men, even to ourselves, as well as others; and will give me occasion to shew,

  I.      How far our conduct has resembled his—

Belshazzar was as dependent upon God as any of his subjects could be—

[He received his breath from God; by whom also “his sold was upheld in life.” His times were altogether in God’s handsc,” who could prolong or cut them short, as he saw fit. Nor was Belshazzar ignorant of this. He could not but feel his dependence on a Superior Being: and he had an evidence, in the dispensations with which his father (his grandfather) had been visited, that this Being was God.]

Yet had he not glorified God, in any part of his conduct—

[He had not acknowledged his supremacy, or regarded his authority, or rendered thanks to him for his mercies, or dreaded his displeasure. On the contrary, he had, with daring impiety, profaned the vessels of God’s sanctuary, “drinking out of them, together with his wives and concubines; and praising his gods of gold and silver, of brass and iron, of wood and stone” and thus provoking the Most High to jealousy, and setting him at defiance. In this, he not only “had not glorified God,” but had greatly and impiously dishonoured him.]

And we, too, like Belshazzar, are dependent on God—

[“In him we live and move and have our being.” “In his hand,” says Job, “is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankindf:” and, “if he take away our breath, we die, and return again to our dust. So jealous of his own honour is God, in this respect, that he characterizes himself as much by the preservation of all things, as by their first creation: “Thus saith the Lord, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein.” “He sees our ways, and counts all our stepsi” Nor does he leave man to walk at large without controul: “I know, O Lord,” saith the prophet, “that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps” In a word, it is as true of us, as it was of Belshazzar, that “our breath is in God’s hands;” and “his, even under his governance, are all our ways.”]

Yet, like him, have we also forgotten to “glorify our God”—

[Though “we have known God, yet have we not glorified him as God” We have not a “given him glory by repentance” — — — though that would have honoured him in a very especial manner. Nor have we honoured him by the exercise of faith — — — though that also would have greatly redounded to his glory. Nor have we endeavoured to honour him in a way of holy obedience — — — though our blessed Lord has so expressly told us, that by our fruitfulness in good works “his Father would be glorified” Had we acted, in any respect, as we ought to have done, we should have laboured that “the name of our Lord Jesus Christ might be glorified in us.” But, in having altogether neglected this, we are obnoxious to the very same charge as the impious Belshazzar.]

But as our opportunities of instruction have greatly surpassed any that that unhappy monarch ever possessed, I shall go on to shew,

  II.      How far our guilt has exceeded his—

“To whomsoever God has committed much, of him will much be required:” and our demerits are aggravated in proportion to the advantages which we have enjoyed. As a heavier condemnation was denounced against the cities of Bethsaida and Capernaum, because of the special mercies which they had abused, so will God regard us as more guilty than Belshazzar himself; because,

  1.      Our knowledge of him has been more clear—

[It was but little that Belshazzar knew of God. He did know that Jehovah was above all gods, and that he was able either to save or to destroy, He had seen this, in the degradation to which his grandfather had been reduced, and in the mercy that had been vouchsafed unto him: and he knew it, from the testimony which that restored monarch had borne to the honour of Jehovahr. But we have a revelation from God himself; a revelation, wherein he has made known to us his nature and perfections, his works and purposes. There is not any thing respecting him which we are concerned to know, which he has not clearly revealed unto us: so that it is not an unknown God that we are called to serve, but one “with whom we may acquaint ourselves, and be at peace.” The precise nature of Ins will, too, he has declared unto us; so that we are informed respecting every thing which he would wish us either to forbear or do. We cannot plead ignorance in any respect: and therefore “knowing, as we have done, our Master’s will,” we have contracted greater guilt by our disobedience; and deserved a heavier punishment than he ever did, who knew it not.”]

  2.      Our obligations to him are more abundant—

[Belshazzar was indebted to God for all the blessings both of creation and providence: but we are made partakers of the infinitely higher blessings of redemption. O! what tongue can declare the obligations we owe him for the gift of his only dear Son to die for us, and to redeem us to God by his blood? — — — This as far exceeds all other mercies, as the radiance of the noon-day sun exceeds the glimmering of a twinkling star. By the consideration of this, we should have been impelled to the most strenuous efforts in his service. The surrender of our whole selves to him, in body, soul, and spirit, has been our reasonable service. Yet have we not given to him the glory due unto his name; but have “set up idols in our hearts;” and in the whole course of our lives have “worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is God over all, blessed for evermore.” What then do not we deserve at his hands? we, who “have trodden under foot the Son of God, and counted the blood of the covenant an unholy thing, and done despite to the Spirit of Grace?” If by this we have incurred a far sorer punishment than they did who “despised the law of Moses” much more must our guilt and punishment exceed that of the impious Belshazzar.]

  3.      Our responsibility to him is more manifest—

[Of a resurrection from the dead, and a future judgment, that unhappy monarch must have had a very indistinct notion. But we are as assured of these things as if they were at this moment exhibited before our eyes. We know that God has appointed a day “wherein he will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom he has ordained,” even by the Lord Jesus Christ, whom he has raised from the dead. We know that he will then call, not our overt acts only, but “every secret thing, into judgment;” and recompense us “according to what we have done, whether it be good or evil.” Hence we have been concerned to take especial care to our ways; and so to order them before him, that we may find acceptance with him in that day. What guilt, then, must attach to us, for our neglect of him, and for our numberless violations of his holy laws! What excuse shall we have, when we stand at his judgment-seat? Belshazzar, though he can never excuse, may palliate, his guilt, by saying, ‘Lord, I knew not what a judgment would await me:’ but we must stand self-condemned, as having set at nought our God and Judge, and, in defiance of his justice, have “treasured up for ourselves wrath against the day of wrath.]

  ADDRESS—

  1.      Those who are insensible of all the guilt they have contracted—

[The greater part of mankind, though they live altogether as without God in the world, are as unconcerned about their state as if there were no God to call them into judgment — — — But, Brethren, this is a most awful infatuation. You do not wonder that King Belshazzar trembled, so that “the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another, when he saw the hand-writing upon the wall: but do you not wonder at your own insensibility, when ten thousand heavier judgments are written against you in this book? And what is written against you, there is no need of a prophet to interpret: it is expressed in terms plain and intelligible to the meanest capacity. Take but that one sentence: “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the people that forget God.” Will you not tremble at such a word as this? Know ye assuredly. that, whether you will believe it or not, it shall be fulfilled in its season; and that, if it ever be executed upon you, it would have been “better for you that you had never been born.” You may possibly be distinguished amongst men for rank; and learning: but, if you were as great as ever Belshazzar was, yet should you find no protection from your greatness: for God’s declaration is, that “though hand join in hand,” and there were a confederacy of the whole world to protect you, “the wicked shall not pass unpunished.”]

  2.      Those who are trembling for fear of the Divine judgments—

[Others may pity you because of the terror that has seized your mind: but I will congratulate you from my inmost soul. Not that terror constitutes repentance: for, in truth, it is no part of true repentance; but it is often introductory to it: and the man that is “pricked to the heart,” and led to cry out, “What shall I do?” is “not far from the kingdom of heaven.” Only let your sorrow for sin become more ingenuous, so as to feel like those of old: “We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us; for we have sinned against the Lord our God;” and you need not fear but that “the handwriting that is against you shall be blotted outb,” and “your iniquities also be blotted out as a morning cloud.” Hear what God himself has spoken for your encouragement: “To this man will I look, even to him that is of a broken and contrite spirit, and that trembleth at my wordd.” Yes, God himself will look upon you with complacency, and “all the angels around his throne rejoice in your behalf.” Be of good comfort, then: and look to that Saviour “whose blood will cleanse you from all sin:” and fear not, but that in Him you shall be justified from all the iniquities that you have ever committed.]

MCXXIX

SCRIPTURE BALANCES

             Dan. 5:27.

Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.

THE words before us were uttered in reference to a single individual, Belshazzar, king of Babylon, whose open acts most fully attested the truth of the allegation contained in them. But God discerns the heart, and weighs every man in his unerring balance; and, though he do not now declare the result of his examination, as he then did, by a written testimony that shall be seen of men, he records it in the book of his remembrance, and will make it known, concerning every one of us, in the last day. Now, as upon this testimony our eternal happiness will depend, it becomes us to ascertain beforehand what the state of our souls really is. And this we may do, if we weigh ourselves in the balances to which we have access. Let me then shew you,

  I.      In what balances we should weigh ourselves—

Certainly we must not take the scales by which the world forms its estimate of men and things. They are so deceitful, that we can never by them attain any just knowledge of ourselves. They are so constructed, that sin, unless it be of a very enormous character, scarcely affects them at all: and virtue, of however low a character it be, produces a vast preponderance in the scale of merit. Those which I would recommend for your use, are,

  1.      The balance of God’s perfect law—

[The law of God requires that we love God with all our heart, and all our mind, and all our soul, and all our strength; and that we love our neighbour, even every child of man, altogether as ourselves. It admits of no departure from this; no, not so much as in thought. Any thing short of the obedience of Christ himself is a violation of it, and renders us obnoxious to its curse.

Now, if we try ourselves by this standard, who amongst us will not be found wanting? or rather I should say, who amongst us has ever, for one single moment, come up to it? The light of a glow-worm actually approaches nearer to the splendour of the sun in the firmament, than our obedience has done to that which is required of us. To say that “we are found wanting,” is to say nothing. Verily, if weighed in this balance, the best man upon the face of the whole earth will be found “lighter than vanity itself.” To us it may appear, that in this respect there is at least a great difference between the states of different men: but, if viewed aright, the goodness of any natural man would really be found to weigh as little before God as the dust upon the balance; so grievously wanting are we all, insomuch that “every mouth must be alike stopped, and all the world become guilty before God.”]

  2.      The balance of his blessed Gospel—

[Persons greatly mistake respecting the nature of the Gospel: they suppose it to be a kind of remedial law, lowered to the standard of human infirmity. But this is a fatal error. The Gospel does not dispense with any one duty that was enjoined by the Law, or lower it in any respect. To suppose that it did, would be to imagine that God at first required more of us than was necessary, or that now he requires less than is necessary; or that some change has taken place in the relation that subsists between him and his creatures; so that that which was necessary in the first instance, is now no longer necessary. The Gospel makes no change whatever in the law: but it prescribes duties, of which the law gave no intimation, and could take no cognizance. It prescribes repentance. For this the law made no provision t but the Gospel commands “all men everywhere to repent:” its language is, “Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into heaviness: humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will lift you up.” In addition to this, it enjoins faith; even faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, as the appointed Saviour of the world. Of this the law spake nothing: it knew not of a Saviour for fallen man: it simply said, “Do this, and live.” But the Gospel reveals a Saviour, who is “able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him;” and preaches through him the forgiveness of sins, assuring us, that “all who believe shall be justified from all things.” Once more, the Gospel calls us to obedience; even to such an obedience as a poor fallen sinner, when aided by the Holy Spirit, is able to render. Such obedience as this the law could not accept: hut the Gospel declares, that it shall be accepted of God through Jesus Christ If only we serve God with a willing mind, he will “not be extreme to mark what is done amiss;” but will be “well pleased with our sacrifices,” notwithstanding the imperfection of them, and will vouchsafe to confer upon us a recompence of reward.

Now, then, let us inquire how far we comply with the gracious terms of the Gospel. What know we of repentance, even of “that broken and contrite heart which God will not despise?” Have we not still found “a heart of stone” within us, even whilst we have desired “an heart of flesh?” — — — And how have we exercised faith? Have our souls gone forth to the Saviour, to lay hold on him, and trust in him, and glory in him? Have we not found a most astonishing backwardness towards this holy exercise, insomuch that we seem to have accounted the Gospel a cunningly-devised fable, rather than a divine reality? — — — Then, as to the surrender of ourselves to God, how has it been with us? Has there been that entire devotion of our souls to him, which his love and mercy have so justly demanded? Have we not rather been amazed at our own insensibility and ingratitude, so far exceeding all that we could ever have conceived?

If, then, we weigh ourselves in this balance, what shall we find, but sad occasion for grief and shame? — — —]

  3.      The balance even of our own conscience—

[This, I must confess, is a very inadequate mode of estimating our real character. Conscience is blind. Its views of duty are very imperfect: its observation of our conduct also is extremely partial; and its judgment very erroneous. Yet even in this balance, unduly favourable as it is, we shall be found sadly wanting. We all know that God ought to be loved and served: that the Lord Jesus Christ also ought to be precious to our souls. We know that sin should be mortified; and that holiness of heart and life should be cultivated. We know, that, as immortal beings, we should rise superior to the things of time and sense, and seek chiefly the happiness and glory of eternity. Now, then, how far have we corresponded even with our own standard of duty? Are we not sensible that the interests of the soul, and the concerns of eternity, have not been of such paramount value in our estimation, as their real importance has required? Defective as our own standard of duty has been, have we not fallen greatly and shamefully below it? — — —]

Let me. then, proceed to shew you,

  II.      What lessons we should learn from our defects—

There is no reason for us to despond: on the contrary, the more sensible we are of our defects, the more hopeful is our state before God. Let us then search out our defects to the uttermost; and then learn from them,

  1.      To be thankful for the Gospel—

[O! what glad tidings does the Gospel proclaim! Salvation! Salvation for sinners, even the chief! Salvation for those who have broken the law! yes, and have despised the Gospel also! and have lived hitherto only for themselves!—What thanks can we render to God, that we are permitted to hear this joyful sound, ere the curses of the broken law come down upon us, and we are shut up in that place of torment, where the voice of mercy never sounds, nor one ray of hope can ever enter! Verily, Brethren, if you will not now bless your God, “the very stones will cry out against you.” What, if king Belshazzar could have a proclamation of mercy to his soul, what feelings would it excite in him? But it is observable, that no call to repentance was given to him; for his day of grace was past. This, however, is not your state: to you the Saviour says, “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth!” “Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden! and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” Rejoice then, and leap for joy; for in Christ you have your every defect cancelled, and your every want supplied.]

  2.      To walk humbly before God—

[Be it so, that your iniquities are pardoned, and your sins are covered:” still, how can you do otherwise than lothe and abhor yourselves, when you contemplate your daily walk before God? What might not be expected of one who has been redeemed from death by the blood of God’s only dear Son? What admiration, and love, and gratitude would you suppose must fill the soul of one who has been bought with such a price, and, from a child of Satan, been made a child of God, from an heir of wrath, an heir of everlasting glory? You would naturally suppose that he would not have so much as a thought but how to praise and glorify his Benefactor. But, alas! not even the wonders of redeeming love can produce upon us all the effect that might be wished. We still are in a great measure carnal, looking too much to the things which are visible and temporal, and too little to the things which are invisible and eternal. In truth, our very best services furnish us with but too just occasion for penitence; our very tears needing to be washed in the blood of Christ, and our repentances to be repented of. Let this lesson then be learned; To walk softly before God, in the remembrance of your sins; and, when you have done all that is commanded, still to say, “We are unprofitable servants; we have done that only which it was our duty to do.”]

  3.      To be preparing daily for the scrutiny that awaits you at the last-day—

[God will come shortly to judge the world; and will call every secret thing into judgment, whether it be good or evil. Then will innumerable defects, which here you overlooked, be brought to light; and every counsel of the heart, whether good or evil, be made manifest. Should you not, then, be preparing for that day? Should you not get every evil of your heart mortified, and every good thing matured within you? Belshazzar, when he received his warning, had but a few hours to live: for that very night was his soul required of him. And may it not be so with you also? And if it should, in what a pitiable state will you be, as unprepared for your great account! Yet, go you must, and be weighed also in the balance of God’s sanctuary; and, if found wanting, like light or reprobate silver, be cast away. Think, I pray you, of the representations given of that period by our blessed Lord: some, as wheat, will be treasured up in the granary of heaven; but others, as chaff, be cast into the fire of hell, even the fire that never shall be quenched. “The net, at present, drags to land both good fish and refuse: but then the good will be gathered into vessels, and the bad be cast away.” Well, thanks be to God! there is yet time to prepare for that day; and time to have every defect of your souls supplied. The Lord Jesus Christ is both able and willing to accomplish in you his good work: and if you truly and unfeignedly commit yourselves to him, he will “perfect in you the work he has begun,” and “preserve you blameless unto his heavenly kingdom.”]

MCXXX

BELSHAZZAR’S DEATH

             Dan. 5:30.

In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.

“KNOWN unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.” We speak of things as fortuitous and contingent, because we see not the hand by which they are directed; but, in reality, there is nothing contingent, not even the falling of a sparrow: “the very hairs of our head are all numbered.” Sometimes it has pleased God to make known, beforehand, events, which depended entirely upon the free will of man; while at the same time they were as infallibly foreseen by him as if man had been a mere machine, without the smallest exercise of choice or inclination. Such were the events which facilitated or attended the destruction of the Babylonish empire. It was optional with Belshazzar whether he would make a feast for his lords, and drink to excess: and it was optional with Cyrus what moment he should seize for making his attack upon the city: but all was foretold by God, with a minuteness and precision which proclaim at once the omniscience of the Deity, and the dependence of all things upon his sovereign will. The event before us had long before been proclaimed by the voice of inspiration: and it will be profitable for us to consider,

  I.      The time of Belshazzar’s death—

In the words, “that night,” there is an emphasis which must not be overlooked. It was the night,

  1.      Of his feasting—

[He had “made a feast for a thousand of his lords.” We mean not to condemn all feasts: for our blessed Lord himself repeatedly vouchsafed to be present at a feast. But the generality of “banquetings,” and “revellings, and such like” are among those works of the flesh, “which they who do, shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” Of this kind was Belshazzar’s feast; at which he gave himself up to mirth, and banished all thoughts of death from his mind.

What an awful thing to be taken at such a moment! Yet how many are there, who, if not slain like him, yet are called away from the midst of the cares or pleasures of this life as unprepared as he! It was so at the time of the Deluge: it will be so at the end of the world: and it is so yet daily and hourly. “The foolish virgins” greatly out-number those who are wise; and have their oil to seek when the Bridegroom’s arrival is announced. “They are saying, Peace, peace; till sudden destruction cometh upon them as a thief in the night, or as travail on a woman with child.” The Lord grant it may never be so with us!]

  2.      Of his impiety—

[Feasting and impiety are not unfrequently associated. The generality of men seem to think that they cannot enjoy any comfort in social converse, unless they give way to excess, and banish decency and religion from their presence. Belshazzar could not be content with the pleasure which this feast afforded, but he must openly pour contempt on God, and set him at defiance. Accordingly, he ordered the sacred vessels, which his grandfather had taken from the temple at Jerusalem, to be brought forth for the use of himself and his wives and concubines; and then celebrated his gods as superior to Jehovah, over whom (as it should seem) they had triumphed. This completed the measure of his iniquities, and drew down upon him “the vengeance of the Lord, the vengeance of his temple” Perhaps we may think the crime and the punishment uncommon: but neither the one nor the other is at all uncommon. What are the songs that are usually sung at feasts, but songs in honour of Bacchus and Venus, the heathen patrons of riot and debauchery? What are the toasts or sentiments, in commendation of which the wine is poured out and drunk? what, but a tissue of lewdness and profaneness? And how often do they who engage in such scenes, come to an untimely end! One falls from his horse; another is overturned in a carriage; another run over by a cart; another is drowned; another is killed in an affray. We call these things accidents: but if an inspired prophet were sent to declare the truth, we should find them “the vengeance of the Lord, the vengeance of his temple.”

And may not we look back to some day, or some night, when God might have cut us off as it were, to advantage, if not in a state of riot and intoxication, yet in some other state equally displeasing to him? O let us call to mind those seasons; and adore his name, that “in that night” we were not summoned, with all our iniquities upon us, to give account of ourselves at his judgment-seat!]

  3.      Of his warning—

[While Belshazzar was indulging in his impious revels, he saw a hand writing upon the wall of the room wherein he sat. Terrified beyond measure at so strange a sight, he called for all his magicians and astrologers to read and explain the words. None of them being able to explain the writing, Daniel was sent for: and he, by Divine inspiration, declared the sentence which God had thus visibly proclaimed. On any other occa-sion, if we may judge from the neglect into which Daniel had fallen, Belshazzar would have fiercely resented the faithfulness with which this prophet of the Lord had denounced his doom: but his terror had softened him for a moment; yet not so softened him as to produce any genuine repentance in his heart. He ordered the promised reward to be given to Daniel; but we do not find that he humbled himself before God, or uttered one prayer for mercy. Scarcely was the warning explained to him, but it was executed on him, and on all his dissolute companions. Yes; “in that night was Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, slain.” As his royalty did not save him, so neither did his terror obtain for him one moment’s respite. He heard, he trembled, he died. He had seen (as Daniel told him) the judgments that had been executed on Nebuchadnezzar, his grandfather; and yet had not profited by that warning, or humbled himself before the God of heaven: now therefore the warning and the judgment came together: nor was any further space given him for repentance.

How differently has God acted hitherto towards us! Many are the warnings which we have slighted; and yet, behold, we live! — — — But how soon his patience may come to an end, and a termination be put to our day of grace, who can tell? — — —]

Such was the season when this unhappy monarch was called into the presence of his Judge. Let us next consider,

  II.      The instruction to he gathered from it—

Surely we may learn from this,

  1.      Not to provoke the Lord to jealousy—

[It matters not whether, with Belshazzar, we “praise gods of wood and stone,” or whether we “set up idols in our hearts:” in either case, God is dethroned; and “other lords besides him have dominion over us.” And shall we think lightly of our guilt, while in such a state as this? or shall we imagine that God regards it with indifference? No: “he is a jealous God: his very name is Jealous:” and “his glory will he not give,” or allow to be given “to another.” Look then within your own bosoms, ye who are so addicted to the pursuits of this life as scarcely to have any time or inclination for reading the Scriptures and for secret prayer; ye whose feelings are quickly roused when your honour or your interest are at stake, and yet are unconcerned about the honour of God or the interests of your souls; look, I say, within, and see whether God has not reason to be jealous of you; and whether he might not justly destroy you instantly with fire, as he did Nadab and Abihu; or cause the earth to swallow you up quick, as he did to Korah and his rebellious associates? Do not imagine that you are innocent, because you do not follow the practices of Belshazzar: see whether you be not living in his spirit; and whether you are not despising God in your heart, as much as he did in his actions; and idolizing the world in your heart, as much as he did his fictitious deities in his drunken carousals? And know, that though your idolatry is less gross than his, it involves you in deeper guilt, in proportion as the meridian light of the Gospel transcends the darkness of Heathen superstition.]

  2.      Not to despise the warnings you receive—

[You have not a hand-writing visibly on the wall: but have you not other warnings, equally legible, on every side? How many are cut off around you, some old, some young, and some in the prime of life! How many sudden deaths take place, or, if not sudden in respect of time, yet unexpected by the persons themselves! Are the disorders which you see or feel, no warnings? But you have a hand-writing, yea, the hand-writing of God himself; you may see it in the Scriptures of truth: there you may see written, as with a sun-beam, “MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN:” to you it speaks: your days are numbered, and nearly finished: you are weighed in a balance, and found wanting: and all hope of enjoying the kingdom of heaven will be quickly taken from you, if you do not turn unto God with your whole hearts. God says to you, “My son, give me thine heart:” any thing short of this will be to no purpose. O that you would now “open unto Him that knocketh at the door of your hearts;” and that “the long-suffering of God might now at last lead you to repentance!”]

  3.      Not to delay the great work you have to do—

[Whilst you are living at your ease, and putting the thoughts of death far from you, God may be saying, “Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee.” And O, how terrible would this be to the generality! To some indeed sudden death would be sudden glory: but to others how different! Herod made a feast; and, in compliance with his daughter’s request, gave her John Baptist’s head in a charger: yes, that night was John the Baptist slain. But how different was that night to John the Baptist and Belshazzar! The one went from a prison to a crown; the other from a palace to a lake of fire. Inquire, I pray you, how death would find you, if it should come this night: and if you are unprepared to meet it, O delay not one hour; give not sleep to your eyes, or slumber to your eye-lids, till you have obtained peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. “Converted you must be; or you can never enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Your “conscience must be sprinkled with the atoning blood of Jesus,” or your sins will infallibly plunge you into everlasting perdition. Seize then the fleeting hour. Adore your God that you have not been taken away, as thousands of your fellow-creatures have been, with all your sins upon you: and “to-day, while it is called to-day, harden not your heart;” lest like them you perish in impenitence and unbelief.]

MCXXXI

CHARACTER OF DANIEL

  Dan. 6:5.

Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.

AMONGST the numberless things which Solomon denounces as “vanity and vexation of spirit,” is this, that “for every right work a man is envied of his neighbour.” No consideration, either of the intrinsic excellency of virtue, or of the benefits resulting from it to the world, will abate the malignant workings of an envious mind. For many years had Daniel, as a minister of state, conferred great blessings on the Babylonish empire. And now, after the conquest of Babylon, Darius, the Medo-Persian monarch, from a conviction of his pre-eminent attainments, had placed him next to himself in power and authority in his empire also. And such had been the wisdom and integrity of Daniel in the discharge of his high duties, that the persons most capable of discovering any fault in his administration, and most intent on making such a discovery, if any could be found, were incapable of alleging any one thing to his disadvantage. But were they grateful to him for his services? No: they were envious of his talents, his virtues, and his honours, and laboured with all their might to destroy him. “Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom: but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.” This they were constrained to acknowledge, at the very time that they conspired to take away his life. “Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.” Here they not only acknowledge the astonishing excellence of his character, but they actually found upon it their hope of prevailing against him; since it was only by placing in direct opposition to each other the commands of God and the commands of man, that they could involve him in any thing which should furnish them with an occasion of complaint against him.

As for their envious malignity, I shall wave all further notice of it. It is the character of Daniel on which I would now fix your attention; a character the more remarkable, as being drawn, not by friends, but by foes; and not for the sake of commendation, but for the sake only of finding out the most successful method of directing their efforts for his destruction.

For the establishment of such a character as this, there must have been in Daniel a very rare assemblage of virtues; which, therefore, it will be proper for us distinctly to consider, in order that we may clearly understand the character itself, and be stirred up to seek, each of us for himself, the attainment of it. Let me,

  I.      Open to you the constituent parts of this character—

Here we behold, in combined and unintermitted exercise,

  1.      Piety—

[This, beyond a doubt, was at the root of all. And how deeply-rooted it was in him, his enemies themselves proclaimed, when they grounded upon that their hopes of prevailing against him; since, if his piety was not sufficient to bear him up under his present difficulties, their plot, so far at least as a violation of human laws was concerned, would be defeated.

And it is from this principle alone that any real good can flow. Nothing but piety can produce a perfect uniformity of conduct. The corruptions of human nature are too strong to be overcome by any thing but the grace of God. A man may indeed be a wise and experienced statesman, though he fail in the practice of religion and virtue. But no man can maintain, for a long course of years, and under every possible complication of difficulties, a conduct which shall not be open to some degree of censure, especially from those who “watch and wait for his halting;” unless he be assisted from on high, and be in the habit of walking as in the presence of the omniscient God. To this, then, I would call you in the first instance, since without it all human efforts will be in vain. Let your hearts be right with God. Come to him as sinners, in the name of his dear Son. Obtain from him a sense of acceptance with him, and a confidence in him as your reconciled God and Father. Beg of him to write his law upon your hearts, so that you may have an unerring standard, to which to refer every motion of your minds. Look to him for the assistance of his good Spirit under all difficulties; and make it your constant aim to please him. Then will you have within your own bosoms a compass, by which you may find your path in safety through this trackless wilderness; whilst your eye is directed to his law as your rule, and his glory as your end.]

  2.      Wisdom—

[In this he must have excelled in a very extraordinary degree; else he never could have conducted himself so unexceptionably as he did, for many years together, in circumstances so intricate and arduous as his. The Queen of Babylon’s account of him to King Belshazzar was, “There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and, in the days of thy father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him.” And Ezekiel, in the very life-time of Daniel, spake of him as eminently distinguished in this respecte. Indeed, this was the chief ground of the preference given to him by the King of Persia above all the native princes: “He was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him.”

In us, too, should this be found; nor can we without it hope to be held in estimation by any, except a few kind and partial friends. To those who are enemies of religion, we shall only give disgust, if our piety be not under the direction and control of wisdom. It is certain that many well-meaning people give very great offence by their injudicious proceedings; yes, and involve themselves, too, in many troubles, which they might, by a greater exercise of wisdom, have avoided. Our blessed Lord cautions us on this head: “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine; lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.” There may, indeed, be a carnal wisdom, to whose dictates we ought not to listen; for flesh and blood are but blind counsellors to confer withh: but there is a sound wisdom and discretion, which is highly commendable, and greatly conducive to good. Hence St. Paul says, “Walk in wisdom towards them that are without.” I cannot but recommend, therefore, to all who are possessed of piety, to take heed how they exercise it; lest, by their weaknesses and follies, they make religion itself to be accounted foolishness, and involve in one common reproach all who profess to serve their God. The resolution of David should be that of every one amongst us: “I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way.”]

  3.      Consistency—

[It is clear that Daniel attended to all his duties; as well those which concerned his intercourse with men, as those which had a more immediate reference to God. Happy would it be if the same care prevailed amongst the religious professors of our day! But, in too many instances, religious people set the two tables of the law in opposition to each other; as though a fulfilment of the one necessarily precluded an observance of the other. How common is it for young people to set at nought parental authority, under an idea that obedience to God must swallow up every other consideration. It must, doubtless, swallow up all regard for authority that is directly opposed to it; but many concessions may be made, and should be made too, in relation to matters which involve in them no moral guilt, no direct opposition to a divine command: and where the path of duty is clear, the greatest tenderness should be shewn to the feelings and prejudices of a parent, in the prosecution of it. Filial obedience stands, in God’s estimation, second only to that which we owe to him. There is frequently a great fault in servants also, who, from a pretended regard for God, neglect the duties of their station; and, instead of exercising a becoming respect for their masters, are petulant, and impatient of reproof, and ready on every occasion to “answer again.” In the conduct of superiors, too, there is often much to blame: for it is but too true, that religious duties, as they are called, often induce a carelessness in those which are personal and domestic. But all this gives just occasion of offence; and must be sedulously avoided by all who would maintain a consistent conduct, and adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour.]

  4.      Firmness—

[On this the enemies of Daniel especially relied. They gave him credit for piety; and they believed that not even the terror of a den of lions would induce him to violate his conscience, and offend his God. In matters relating to the kingdom they could find no occasion against him: but, in what concerned the law of his God, they assured themselves that they should find the desired ground of accusation against him. In this they judged right. He not only would not withhold from God his accustomed sacrifices of prayer and praise, but he would not even appear to do so. He would not even shut his window; lest he should, though in appearance only, give them a ground of triumph over him. He therefore persisted, as before, to worship God in his accustomed way, and publicly to avow his determined adherence to the dictates of reason and religion.

In this he affords to us an admirable example. We must expect “persecution from men, if we will live godly in Christ Jesus.” No piety, no wisdom, no consistency, can disarm prejudice, or suppress the workings of envy. Rather, we must expect opposition in proportion as we make our light to shine before men. No one was ever so blameless as our blessed Lord; yet no one was ever persecuted with such general and unrelenting animosity. But our hearts must be fixed: we must be determined to sacrifice all that we have, not excepting even life itself, rather than dishonour God, or violate his commands. Persons in this respect should know beforehand where to find us, even in the path of duty: nor should the whole earth combined be able to turn us from it. This is the state to which we should all attain; and, under circumstances of whatever kind, we should have that reply upon our lips, “Whether it be right to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.”]

This character approving itself to every considerate mind, let me,

  II.      Urge you all to the attainment of it—

Let me invite you to consider,

  1.      How it honours God—

[Truly, such a conduct as Daniel’s never was seen on earth, except amongst the servants of Jehovah. Nothing but God’s grace can possibly produce it. But, wherever his grace operates, there, in proportion to the measure of that grace, this character is found. No one can ever “behold such light” as Daniel reflected, but he will be instantly constrained to “glorify our Father which is in heaven.” Man could as soon create a world, as form this new creation. Wherever it is found, that acknowledgment must be made: “He that hath wrought us to the self-same thing, is God.”]

  2.      How it disarms prejudice—

[A want of piety, or wisdom, or consistency, in a professor of religion, causes “the way of truth to be evil spoken of,” and “God himself to be blasphemed.” But a pious and consistent conduct wrests from the very enemies of God a confession, that “the righteous is more excellent than his neighbour.” Hence St. Paul, exhorting Titus to “shew himself in all things a pattern of good works,” adds, “that he that is on the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.” I well know that no blamelessness of conduct can conciliate the regards of an ungodly man; for, as long as he loves darkness rather than light, he must hate you: but you may at least hope to “put to silence the ignorance of foolish menn,” and to “make those ashamed who falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.”]

  3.      How it tends to the welfare of your own soul—

[Beyond all doubt your everlasting reward will be proportioned to your present attainments. As he that “builds on the good foundation nothing but wood, hay, stubble, will suffer loss, and, if saved at all, be saved only so as by fire;” so he that embraces in his mind, and illustrates in his life, the whole circle of his duties to God and man, will have an entrance ministered unto him abundantly into the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” The more we have improved our talents, the richer will be the recompence of our fidelity. We may not in this world have such an interposition in our behalf as Daniel had in the den of lions; or see, as he did, the vengeance of God executed on our adversaries: but we shall have strength given us to sustain our trials, and a weight of glory awarded to us in proportion to them. Go forward, then, “strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might:” and “hold fast your confidence firm unto the end:” then “your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord;” for “if you surfer with him, you shall also be glorified togethers.”]

MCXXXII

DANIEL’S UNDAUNTED PIETY

  Dan. 6:10.

Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house, and, his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

SUCH is the hatred which ungodly men bear to real piety, that it is not possible to serve our God aright without incurring their displeasure. Neither eminence in station, nor prudence of conduct, will screen us from the assaults of their envy and malice. If any thing could have secured the favour of mankind, the wise and benevolent deportment of Jesus must have gained him universal approbation. But he was as much distinguished by the virulence of men’s hatred, as he was by the unrivalled excellence of his own character.

Of all the persons whose history is recorded in the Old Testament, we know not one who surpassed Daniel in wisdom, in integrity, or in a firm adherence to practical religion. His bitterest enemies, who were very desirous of finding in him some fault or error, were constrained to acknowledge, that they should not be able to attain their wishes, unless they should find it concerning the law of his God. Would one not have thought, that a person who could conduct the affairs of a large empire with such skill, as that no error could be imputed to him; and whose piety was so consistent, that not the smallest flaw could be found in his whole conduct, should be universally beloved? Yet, so far was he from being an object of universal regard, that a conspiracy was formed against him by all the great men of the kingdom, and a law was framed, that rendered it criminal to pray unto his God. By this law he had no alternative, but to violate the law and incur its penalties, or to violate his conscience and offend his God.

Daniel, without hesitation, chose the better part: and, “when he knew that the writing (which doomed him to the den of lions) was signed,” he openly worshipped God, precisely as he had done aforetime.

To encourage all who are oppressed and persecuted, to follow his example, we shall,

  I.      Make some remarks on his conduct—

[It might be said of Daniel continually, “Behold, he prayeth!” — — — But why, in praying, did he look “towards Jerusalem?” Canaan was the land, Jerusalem the city, and the temple the house, in which God more particularly dwelt. And at the dedication of the temple, Solomon repeatedly entreated that God would hear the supplications of his people which should be offered towards that land, that city, that temple. This had been before practised by Davidb, as it was afterwards by Jonah when at the bottom of the sea: and it may be considered as a typical ordinance, directing us to pray unto God, as our covenant-God in Christ, as dwelling with man, yea, as dwelling in our very nature; even to Him, “in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodilye.”

In this manner he prayed “three times a day.” It seems to have been the habit of all pious Jews to observe stated seasons of worship three times a day. David practised it in his day: and in the Apostolic age the practice was continuedg. One would have thought that a person who had so much secular business upon his hands as Daniel had, should have found it almost impossible to maintain such a practice with any degree of regularity, or indeed with any spirituality of mind: but, if the heart be thoroughly imbued with Divine grace, it will be found neither difficult nor irksome to lift it up to God in prayer, even in the midst of the most urgent business.

Nor was Daniel inattentive to his posture in prayer: “he kneeled upon his knees and prayed.” We do not say that this posture is indispensably necessary to the acceptance of our prayers; because we find instances in Scripture of persons standing when they prayed: but it is sanctioned by the example of the most eminent saints, and even by our blessed Lord himself. As for the idle slothful posture of sitting during the time of prayer (as is the habit of too many), we do not hesitate to say, that it is most irreverent, unscriptural, and offensive. But what shall we say to those who defer their prayers till they have lain down in their beds, and then offer some petitions, in the midst of which they fall asleep? Surely it is scarcely needful to tell them what acceptance such services must meet with: they may account it a mercy, if their solemn mockery of God be not visited with some signal judgments: to hope for any favourable answer to such prayers, were folly and impiety. Daniel would not yield to such indolent habits, though he was above ninety years of age; because he knew that the deepest prostration of body should accompany the devotions of the soul, and that nothing but extreme weakness could justify us in dispensing with it.

With all his prayers, Daniel offered also a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving: “he prayed and gave thanks.” This argued the sincerity of his heart. They can feel but little gratitude to God, who do not acknowledge the mercies they have received, as well as ask for the continuance and increase of them. The direction given us by God himself is, “that in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving we should make our requests known to him:” yea, it is his express will and command that we should abound in thanksgiving as much, and as constantly, as in prayer itself.

Perhaps it may surprise us, that Daniel offered these his devotions always “with his windows open.” Was this from ostentation? Was Daniel like those Pharisees who “prayed standing in the corners of the streets, that they might be seen and admired of men?” No: Daniel was in a heathen land, where the established religion was idolatry; and where Jehovah was not worshipped or acknowledged. He therefore felt it incumbent on him to let it be universally known, that he was a worshipper of the one true God: he wished to be a witness for God, and against idolatry; and to lead men, by his example, to inquire after the God of the Hebrews, in whom alone they could obtain peace and salvation. And though this habit rendered him singular, and excited the odium of his ungodly neighbours, “he endured the cross, and despised the shame,” and persevered in the performance of his duty without any regard to the opinions of men.

The most extraordinary thing is, that Daniel persisted in this habit “when he knew that the writing was signed.” The writing was the law which had been recently enacted, condemning to the den of lions every person, who, for the space of thirty days, should presume to ask any petition of any God or man, except of the king only. This writing was signed by the king; and the law was thereby rendered (according to the absurd custom of the Medes and Persians) unchangeable. But this could not deter Daniel from serving God, or induce him for one moment to chagne his mode of serving him. He was willing to die for the Lord’s sake; and was determined to suffer all the penalties of the law rather than violate his duty to his God.]

But as there are various other modes in which Daniel might have proceeded, we shall consider his conduct more minutely, and,

  II.      State the reasons of it—

Daniel persisted in this open acknowledgment of Jehovah,

  1.      From a sense of duty—

[He knew that it was his duty to pray unto his God, and to confess him before men. Had the laws of the realm enjoined nothing contrary to the laws of God, he would have felt it his duty to comply with them: “he would have obeyed every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake.” But when man took upon him to supersede the laws of God, he felt that he had a paramount obligation to serve the Lord. In this respect he resembled the holy Apostles, when they were forbidden to preach in the name of Christ: they answered the magistrates who laid a similar injunction on them, “Whether it be right to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye: for we cannot but speak the things which we have heard and seen:” “we must obey God rather than menn.”]

  2.      From a regard for God’s honour—

[We will suppose that Daniel had withdrawn from his place of abode, or shut his window and contented himself with worshipping God in secret; he might still have performed his duty as far as respected the mere act of prayer: but what would have been the consequence with respect to God’s honour? Would not the framers of the Law have boasted, that they had triumphed over Jehovah; that they had set up a god superior to him; and that his most devoted servant dared not to confess him? Would they not have said, that the worshippers of Jehovah were as devoid of principle as any other people in the world; for that, with all their professed regard for him, they did not believe him able to rescue or support them; and that they loved their own safety in preference to their God? No doubt, they would have gloried thus, and have despised both Jehovah and all his servants. But would Daniel give occasion for such profane triumph? He abhorred the thought; and therefore he would not relax, or intermit so much as once, his accustomed mode of worship. Similar to his was the conduct of Nehemiah, when Sanballat and Tobiah wanted to intimidate him, and to lead him into an act which should betray a want of confidence in his God: “Shall such a man as I flee? said he: and who is there, that being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.” Thus, whatever specious arguments might have suggested themselves to him for the preservation of his life, Daniel determined to die rather than dishonour God; being anxious only that “God should be magnified in his body, whether it were by life or by death.”]

  3.      For the encouragement of his own people—

[Suppose that Daniel had not thus openly maintained his steadfastness, what would all the rest of his captive brethren have done? Would not they have caught the infection? would not they have dissembled with him, just as Barnabas and others were led away with Peter’s dissimulation? It would have been to little purpose that he prayed in secret, if he had been so shamefully regardless of the influence of his example. On the other hand, by boldly confessing his God before men, and offering himself up as a sacrifice for him, the rest of his nation must be emboldened to maintain a similar fidelity, and to brave all the threatenings of their idolatrous oppressors. This was the effect produced by Paul’s submission to bonds and imprisonment for the Gospel’s sake: “Many of the brethren in the Lord waxing confident by his bonds, were much more bold to preach the word without fear.” Daniel, being at the head of the kingdom, knew the vast importance of his example; and therefore on this account, as well as for the foregoing reasons, “would not give place, no, not for an hours:” yea, we doubt not but that in offering himself upon the sacrifice and service of his people’s faith, he joyed and rejoiced with them all; and (in his heart) called on them to joy and rejoice with him.]

  ADDRESS—

  1.      Those who live in the neglect of prayer—

[We see in the example of Daniel how a child of God will act: he will pray with frequency, with fervour, with an especial regard to God as his Covenant-God in Christ Jesus: and he will confess his God openly, determining to die for him rather than deny him. Now what resemblance have you to Daniel? He could not be kept from prayer; you cannot be prevailed on to pray: he could not be kept from prayer, though he knew that, for continuing it, he should be cast into the den of lions; and you cannot be prevailed on to pray, though your neglect of it will infallibly bring you into the depths of hell. Not all the terrors of death could induce him to omit so much as one single opportunity of praying; and not all the terrors of damnation can instigate you to pray even once with real fervour and devotion. Only ask yourselves, How often have you prayed like Daniel? how often in the day? in the week? in the year? how often even in your whole life? This question will give you an insight into your state before God. O that it may be the means of bringing you to his footstool, and of forming in you those habits which are altogether necessary to your salvation.]

  2.      Those who are habituated to serve their God—

[Be not surprised if you are called to suffer for righteousness’ sake, “nor think it strange if you be tried with a fiery trial.” Should this be the case, we congratulate you upon the honour conferred upon you; and we exhort you to “rejoice and leap for joy; for so persecuted they the prophets that were before you.” Our Lord’s direction is, “Be not afraid of man, who can only kill the body; but fear Him who can cast both body and soul into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear Him.”

But while we exhort you to “be faithful unto death,” and, like Daniel, to withstand all the powers of earth and hell, we would particularly entreat you to imitate his spirit. In the first place, let your enemies “find nothing against you, except concerning the law of God.” In the next place, conduct yourselves with meekness under your sufferings. You read not of his exciting clamour and rebellion in the state, but of his submitting patiently to the cruelty of his oppressors. We mean not to condemn such an opposition to tyranny, as the law itself admits; but such as is unconstitutional, turbulent, and factious: and we cannot but recommend a cheerful submission to persecution, as, on the whole, most profitable to ourselves, and most honourable to our God. Indeed, when suffering for righteousness’ sake, we may expect extraordinary interpositions for our deliverance or support, and may hope to win those who have been the authors of all our troubles.]

MCXXXIII

THE DECREE OF DARIUS

  Dan. 6:25–27.

Then King Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel; for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever; and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed; and his dominion shall be even unto the end. He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.

IT is the prerogative of God, not only to defeat all the designs of men or devils against him, but to advance his own glory by the very means which his enemies use to obstruct it. The wisdom and fidelity of Daniel had secured for him at the court of Persia the same influence as he had been honoured with by the kings of Babylon; but the princes of that empire sought his destruction, and, together with that, the subversion of all the influence of Daniel’s God. They devised a plan, in which they too fatally succeeded, to establish a law, by which Daniel must of necessity, if faithful to his God, be condemned. King Darius, when lie saw into what a snare he had been drawn, sought to deliver Daniel from the sentence which the law, so inconsiderately enacted, denounced against him: but he could not prevail; and therefore at last consented to the execution of it on his faithful and unoffending servant. Daniel was cast into the den of lions: and with him, the hope of further protection to the Jewish captives must cease. But behold, God, as Darius himself had hoped, interposed for the preservation of Daniel; and thereby shewed to the conviction of Darius, that he was the One omnipotent and only true God. Darius now ordered the very punishment which Daniel’s enemies had sought to inflict on him, to be executed on them; and immediately issued throughout the whole extent of his dominions the decree contained in our text.

We propose to consider,

  I.      His views of Daniel’s God—

We are quite surprised that a heathen, who had so impiously exalted himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, should have such just views, as he shews himself to have had, of the God of Israel. In describing Jehovah, he speaks of,

  1.      His essential perfection—

[Darius had hitherto known only the gods of gold and silver, or of wood and stone, which had no existence till they were formed into an image by the hands of man; and which, when formed, were lifeless and motionless as the materials of which they were made. But of Jehovah he had far different views: he saw him to be the eternal self-existent God, who, whilst he alone had life in himself, was the one only source of life and being to all his creatures. Him too he saw to be an unchangeable God, “steadfast for ever” in all his purposes, and immutable in all his counsels.

This is such a view of God as all of us should have: if we see not his self-sufficiency, we shall never feel persuaded of his all-sufficiency for our help: — — — and if we be not convinced, that “with him is no variableness, neither shadow of turningb” we shall never know whence our own stability arises, or enjoy the consolation which God himself designs that we should derive from this never-failing sourced — — —]

  2.      His universal dominion—

[Here, we apprehend, this heathen monarch did not limit his views to the providential government of Jehovah over all the works of his hands; but that, he spoke also of that spiritual kingdom which should be erected by the Messiah, and which was to be both universal in its extent and everlasting in its duration. The dream and vision of Nebuchadnezzar were well known throughout all the Babylonish empire. In this vision the destruction of Babylon was expressly foretold; and, after the establishment and ruin of three successive kingdoms, the Persian, the Grecian, and the Roman, a fifth kingdom was to arise, namely, that of the Messiah, which should break in pieces all other kingdoms, and stand for ever. The first part of this dream had now recently been fulfilled; and fulfilled by the very person who had been foretold by name three hundred years before he was brought into the world; and in the precise manner also that had been circumstantially foretold at the same distant period. These prophecies, beyond all doubt, were shewn to Cyrus and Darius, as soon as they became masters of Babylon: and the miracle just wrought by Jehovah in favour of Daniel, brought additional conviction to the mind of Darius, that the Messiah’s reign should be such as had been predicted.

This is a glorious view, of which we should never lose sight. It was this which Abraham delighted to contemplate, and which has filled the saints of all succeeding ages with unutterable joy. To us, no less than to those of former ages, it yet remains as an object of hope. The predicted kingdom is indeed established; but it is as yet but very limited in its extent: nevertheless we believe that the word of God respecting it shall stand, and that “all the kingdoms of the world shall in due time become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ” — — —]

  3.      His miracles of love and mercy towards his believing people—

[Here also Darius speaks in general terms: the deliverance of Daniel from the lion’s den is considered by him as a single instance only of the innumerable interpositions which God vouchsafes to his people, and of the wonders which he works in their behalf. The whole history of the Jewish people, from their departure out of Egypt to their final dispersion by the Romans, is one continued record of stupendous miracles and gracious deliverances.

True it is, that miracles are ceased: but wonders, if we may so speak, are quite as common as in the days of old. Wherein is the deliverance of a soul from death and hell inferior to the deliverance of the Hebrew youths from the fiery furnace; or the preservation of Daniel in the lions’ den, to the preservation of believers from the assaults of that roaring lion that is ever seeking to devour them? This view then of the Deity is still to be ever kept in mind, in order that we may never give way to fear, or doubt a moment but that He who hath hitherto delivered us, will go on to deliver, and will preserve us safely to his heavenly kingdom — — —]

Such being his views of the Deity, we are no longer surprised at,

  II.      His decree founded upon them—

An external worship was deemed sufficient for senseless idols; but not so for the God of heaven and earth: the decree before us required much more than that. Let us distinctly notice,

  1.      Its import—

[The terms “fear and tremble” seem to import only a dread of God, as a terrible being whom it was dangerous to provoke: but the meaning of them is widely different from this. Throughout all the New Testament these words express rather a holy reverential regard, blended with love to Him who is the object of it. St. Paul, when at Corinth, was amongst his converts “in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling;” not surely with a slavish dread of their wrath, but with a holy anxiety to fulfil his ministry to their greatest advantage. He exhorts servants to “obey their masters with fear and tremblingg,” that is, with a tender conscience, and an affectionate regard to their will. He bids us also to “work out our salvation with fear and trembling,” that is, with the utmost watchfulness and care. Thus we understand the decree of Darius as enjoining to all his subjects, that they should serve God with a holy and affectionate regard to his revealed will. We conceive that the terms of the decree do in effect enjoin all that worship which is required of us under the Gospel: for David, speaking expressly of the worship to be paid to the Messiah, says, “Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling;” which shews that “fear and trembling,” properly understood, does not expel, but only moderates and tempers, our joy. Indeed, “the angel that is represented as carrying the everlasting Gospel throughout all the earth,” proclaims it in terms of similar import, “Fear God, and give glory to him.” We see then, that the decree did go, in fact, to the abolition of idolatry, and to the establishment of the Redeemer’s kingdom throughout that vast empire: only, not being followed up by similar enactments, and a practical exhibition of its import by those who were at the head of the empire, it fell to the ground; as all precepts must do, if not followed up by constant exertions and corresponding examples. One effect however necessarily followed from it, namely, to procure more favour to the Jews throughout the empire, and ultimately to facilitate the reception of Christianity throughout the world.]

  2.      The reasonableness of it—

[Who can contemplate the foregoing views of the Deity, and not confess the reasonableness of the decree founded upon them?

Consider the power and authority of God; consider him as the Creator, Preserver, and Governor of the universe; and can a doubt be entertained whether we ought to fear and serve HIM? Consider also the love and mercy of God, particularly as manifested in the redemption of men by the blood of his only dear Son, and the blessings vouchsafed to them through his all-sufficient grace; can any one who adverts to this subject question the propriety of surrendering ourselves up, in body, soul, and spirit, to his service? — — — It matters not what rank in society we hold, or what office we may fill; the decree is equally applicable to all, and equally reasonable for all; kings and princes are no more exempt from these duties than the meanest of their subjects: as long as subordination to rulers is enjoined, much more must a duteous regard to the God of heaven be held sacred — — — and, as long as gratitude is esteemed a becoming principle in relation to men, so long must its exercise be obligatory on all towards the Redeemer of the world — — —]

  BEHOLD then in this decree,

  1.      The effect which God’s mercies should have upon us—

[Darius felt the deliverance of Daniel to be in fact as great a mercy to himself as it was to Daniel: and a sense of this penetrated his soul with a desire to honour that God by whom the mercy had been vouchsafed. This was right. And is it not right that mercies and deliverances should have the same effect on us? Consider what mercies we have received; some public and national, and others private and personal — — — Should no improvement be made of these? Should we not say, “What shall I render to the Lord for all the benefits that he hath done unto me?” Surely these things, and especially the mercies vouchsafed to our souls — — — are calls from God himself to glorify him with all our faculties and all our powers — — —]

  2.      What use we should make of our influence—

[To serve God ourselves is right and necessary: but it is far from comprehending the whole of what is required of us in return for the mercies vouchsafed unto us. We all have influence, which it is our bounden duty to exert: if that influence reach only to a very small circle, we should not on that account think ourselves at liberty to leave it unimproved: nor if it extend over a vast empire, should we be backward to encounter the opposition and obloquy which the exercise of it may bring upon us. Whatever it be, whether more or less, we should regard it as a talent to be employed for God. Even a heathen, and he, we fear, not truly converted, felt this obligation: how much more then should we, who profess to embrace the Christian faith, and to enjoy all the blessings of the Gospel salvation! But we greatly mistake, if we imagine that the influence of any amongst us is small: for if we unite our efforts together, and act in concert with each other, we may do far more than Darius could with all his power. Let any one contemplate the Bible Society, in which the poor, strange as it may seem, do far more than the rich; and see what wonders are doing by means of it throughout the world — — — Let any one contemplate Mission Societies, which are in fact forwarding, as it were, the very decree of Darius, and calling on “all people, nations, and languages to fear and tremble before the God of Israel” — — — Let us then rise to the occasion: let us unite as one man: let us not merely issue the decree, but do the thing; providing all the means for it, and carrying into effect the objects we profess to aim at. Thus shall we indeed approve ourselves good and faithful servants to our God, and be rewarded by him according to our improvement of our respective talents — — —]

MCXXXIV

THE DESTRUCTION OF POPERY

  Dan. 7:9, 10.

I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued, and came forth from, before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

WHILE God exercises his sovereignty, he displays also his wisdom, in revealing his mind to man. As we may trace on many occasions a peculiar propriety in the time and manner of making known his will, so we may observe a kind of suitableness in the revelations themselves to those to whom they were made. The succession of four great empires had been made known to Nebuchadnezzar under the figure of a colossal image composed of various metals; and the same is revealed to Daniel by a vision of four dreadful beasts: the propriety of these different representations is evident; for the mind of that haughty monarch was engrossed with the love of earthly grandeur; whereas the humbler mind of Daniel would view great conquerors rather in the light of ferocious beasts, eager to gratify their own appetites, though it be by the desolation of the human race. In Daniel’s vision also many things were added relative to the church of God, which, though of infinite importance in his eyes, would have been of small moment to the king of Babylon—

If we notice the terms themselves, nothing can be conceived more majestic than this description of God’s coming to judgment. First, “the thrones are set down, and “the Ancient of days,” the eternal incomprehensible Jehovah, with Christ as his assessor, takes his seat. The august appearance of the Judge, “clothed in a garment white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool,” denotes his unsearchable wisdom that penetrates the deepest secrets, and his unsullied integrity as discoverable in all his decisions. His throne is compared to a triumphal chariot, whose seat and wheels are of fire, and from which issues a stream of fire, to destroy those whom his justice shall condemn. “Myriads of angels minister to him” as the willing executioners of his decrees, and “innumerable multitudes stand before him” to receive their sentence from his mouth. “The judgment being thus set, the books are opened;” as well the book of his remembrance, wherein the actions of all were written, as the book of his law, whereby they are to be judged.

This is a prophecy; in considering which we shall shew,

  I.      To what it refers—

[The destruction of Antichrist is the first event to which this description refers. The prophet directs our attention, not to the general judgment, but to a particular judgment which shall be instituted for the punishment of a blasphemous, persecuting, and presumptuous power. Who that power is we cannot reasonably doubt. The little horn spoken of in the context will appear evidently to be the Papal Hierarchy, if we consider how exactly the characters of that antichristian power are described by the prophet. It arose after that the Roman empire had been divided into ten smaller kingdoms: it reduced under its dominion three of those kingdoms: and from the time that it had gained this ascendency, has never ceased to persecute the saints, and to assume to itself the unalienable prerogatives of the most high Godd. St. Paul’s account also of the man of sin corresponds exactly with this, and confirms this application of the prophecy in the strongest manner.

The enlargement of Christ’s kingdom is another event, to which the judgment before us has respect. The connexion between this and the destruction of popery is very strongly marked by the prophet. Repeatedly in this chapter does he unite two events; teaching us thereby to expect assuredly, that, as they are united in God’s purpose, so shall they be also in their accomplishment.

As to the time when these things shall come to pass, we know that it shall be one thousand two hundred and sixty years from the time of Antichrist; but we must wait for the event, before we can positively say from what precise period the numeration of those years must commence. Partial checks has popery already received, as at the Reformation. So was there then a correspondent increase of zeal to spread the knowledge of Christ. But when the time shall arrive, and that idolatrous power shall be destroyed, then shall “the kingdoms of the world speedily become the kingdom of the Lord and of his Christ.”]

That we may make a just improvement of this prophecy, let us consider,

  II.      What should be the state of our minds in reference to it,

  1.      We should look forward to its accomplishment with holy confidence—

[There is a state of mind peculiarly proper for the investigation of unfulfilled prophecy. To treat any part of divine revelation with indifference, as though it were an unprofitable task to search into it, would argue a very criminal disregard of Him from whom that revelation proceeds. On the other hand, to be stirring up ourselves to a state of feverish excitement, as though we could already discern every minute particular which shall take place when the period that has been predicted shall have arrived, is to dive into futurity with an unhallowed boldness, and to pervert the true end of prophecy. Prophecy is not intended to make us prophets, but to shew us, after that the predictions shall have been fulfilled, that the events so predicted were both foreseen and fore-ordained by the Most High God. The true medium is that which the prophets themselves. observed: “They searched diligently what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow.” The Prophet Daniel, when he understood from books that the time for the delivery of his people from the Babylonish captivity was drawing near, “set himself by prayer and supplication and fasting,” to attain a more perfect knowledge of God’s purpose respecting it. And the saints who lived near the time of our Lord’s advent in the flesh, engaged in constant prayer, “looking for him as the consolation of Israel,” and waiting for his promised redemption. Now, if we would attend upon God in such a spirit as this, we should never sustain any injury to our souls from such holy exercises. But, when we so engage in searching into future events as almost to overlook what is past; and so please ourselves with our own fancied discoveries, as to place almost on the back ground all the wonders of redeeming love; we betray a very depraved appetite, and foster both in ourselves and others a spirit the very reverse of humility and love. In relation to future events, we stand in the same predicament with the saints who lived before the coining of our Lord. If we presume to pry into them with unhallowed curiosity, and to dogmatize respecting them as if they were already open to our view, we shall both suffer loss ourselves and inflict an injury on others: but, if we explore them with the modesty that becomes us, we shall find the contemplation of them profitable to our own minds, and the developement of them, so far as they are revealed to us, truly beneficial to the Church of God. Take, for instance, what is spoken in Scripture respecting the destruction of Popery, and the establishment of Christ’s kingdom throughout the world, we should be content with asserting only what the Scriptures have asserted, and with stating as conjecture whatever has not Divine authority for its support. If we go beyond this, we render the record itself questionable, by adding to it our own conceits, and loading it with circumstances not clearly revealed. It is sufficient for us to know, that both the one event and the other shall assuredly take place, and that when the Lamb has vanquished that idolatrous and bloody power, he will reign over the whole world, “there being throughout the whole earth but one Lord, and his name Onei.”]

  2.      We should look forward to great events to which God’s present dispensations are only a prelude—

[The time is surely coming, when the whole world shall be judged, all the wicked being cast down, and all the righteous exalted, in strict accordance with the prophecy before us. For so has St. John informed us: “I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away: and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God: and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.… And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” On that occasion will all the pomp described in our text be fully realized: “for the Son of Man will come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him; and he shall sit upon the throne of his glory; and before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats.… And of these, some shall go away into everlasting punishment; but the righteous into life eternal.” To the same effect St. Paul also says, “The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power, when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe.” About this event no diversity of sentiment can arise. It is fast approaching to us all: for though the day of the general judgment is distant, the time for our being individually summoned into the Divine presence is near to every one of us. Disease or accident may at any moment carry us to the judgment-seat of Christ, and fix our eternal destinies either in heaven or hell, according as we are prepared or unprepared to meet our God. Let us then ask ourselves, What is recorded concerning us in the book of God’s remembrance, and what evidence we possess that our names are written in the book of life? When that hour shall arrive, it will be of small moment to us, what judgments have been executed on the Church of Rome, or what blessings have been vouchsafed to God’s elect. We are all of us chiefly interested about our own eternal state: and therefore, though I would by no means discourage an inquiry into the general designs of Providence, I would most earnestly entreat every one to look to his own ways, and to judge himself now, that he may not hereafter be judged of the Lord.]

MCXXXV

THE REIGN OF THE SAINTS

  Dan. 7:18.

The saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.

THE vision of Daniel contained in this chapter accords with that which had before been vouchsafed to Nebuchadnezzar, and interpreted by Daniel himself. To Nebuchadnezzar it had appeared as a great image, the various materials of which denoted four successive kingdoms, which would yield at last to one universal empire established on their ruins. To Daniel it appeared as four wild beasts, which would successively prevail; till at last the kingdom of the Messiah should be erected, and reduce every adverse power to a state of complete subjection. To Nebuchadnezzar, who saw nothing but glory in the rise and fall of empires, the idea of a glorious image was most suited: but to Daniel, who viewed the malignant dispositions which produced such revolutions, and the miseries that were occasioned by them, they were more fitly represented under the notion of wild beasts, tearing and devouring one another. But in the vision of Daniel there were revealed many additional circumstances, which very greatly interested him, and which he earnestly desired to have explained. The last of the four kingdoms was to be broken into ten smaller kingdoms, represented by ten horns; amongst which “a little horn, that had eyes, and a mouth speaking very great things,” grew up. This little horn (which seems evidently to denote the Papal power) was to make war with the saints; and, after grievously afflicting them for one thousand two hundred and sixty years, to be itself destroyed, and the kingdom to be given to the saints.

On that part of the subject that relates to the little horn, we shall be silent; because the stating of different opinions respecting it would be unprofitable to those who are hungering for the bread of life: but that part which is contained in our text will be edifying to us all: we shall proceed therefore to consider,

  I.      The event predicted—

The establishment of the Redeemer’s empire upon earth is that which is foretold in the preceding verses, and which in reality is meant in the passage now before us. But the kingdom is called the kingdom of the saints, because it will be entirely composed of saints, and altogether under their government. That they shall possess it we can have no doubt; and when the time shall arrive, so universal will the reign of piety be, that it will appear as if all the saints who have ever lived upon the earth had risen again, and as if Christ himself had come down again from heaven to reign over them. But respecting the saints there are two things which it will be proper to shew,

  1.      How they will take possession of the kingdom—

[They will not do this by force, unless indeed by the holy violence of faith and prayer: in that respect “the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force:” but in respect of any exertion on their part to usurp dominion, it will not so much as enter into their minds. Divine grace will have taught them to “be subject to the powers that be; and that not only for wrath, but for conscience sake.” If they lived even under a Nero, they would, notwithstanding all his cruelty, regard him as God’s minister, whom, by any other means than those which the law itself admits, they are bound not to resist. No man can act as becometh a saint, if he be not found amongst those that are “quiet in the land.”

It is through the intervention only of God’s power that they are exalted to posts of honour, and invested with authority over their fellow-creatures. In the days of old, the enemies of God were overruled to execute his will, in the elevation of a Joseph and a Daniel to the command of mighty empires, and of the Hebrew youths to the government of extensive provinces: but at the time to which our text refers, the subjects, as well as the governors, shall all be converted to the faith of Christ; and kings, no less than others, shall submit to the authority of Christ; yea, “all kings shall fall down before him, all nations shall serve him.” There will not need any human efforts to subvert the government of the ungodly: God himself will change, not the persons, but the principles, of those who are in the seat of judgment; and will press into his own service all their faculties and all their powers. Thus without any public commotions will the work be effected: “The stone that will break in pieces all adverse powers will be cut out without hands;” and the kingdom will be erected, “not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts.”]

  2.      How they will administer it—

In this they will differ widely from the monarchs of this world: they will consult, not their own will, but the will of their heavenly Father; and seek, not their own glory, but his. Every nation will have a theocracy, such as obtained in the days of Moses, and of the Judges. Men will be invested with authority indeed; but the Lord Jesus Christ will be the one Head over all: his laws will be the ground-work of every law that shall be enacted, and his glory the end of every ordinance that shall be administered. “Kings will be the nursing-fathers of the Church, and queens her nursing-mothers.” Judges and magistrates will distribute justice with the utmost possible fidelity, all in their several places “fearing God and working righteousness.” All the minor offices in the State shall be executed in like manner with the strictest integrity: “officers of every description will be peace, and exactors righteousness:” “no violence of any kind will be heard” in any of the departments of civil government; nor will any interest be consulted but that of the whole community.]

Such is the event which in God’s own time we assuredly expect: and from the description already given it is easy to anticipate,

  II.      The advantages that will accrue from it—

Let us notice,

  1.      Those of a temporal nature—

[The first that occurs to our minds is this, that there will be no more foreign wars. The history of the world for four thousand years has been little else than a recital of murderous and desolating wars: but in that day, we are told, that “swords shall be beaten into ploughshares, and spears into pruning-hooks: nation shall not rise against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” What a blessing this will be, can scarcely be estimated by us, who have for so long a period been exempt from the horrors of war; but in those countries where its desolating progress has been felt, this will appear a blessing of no small moment. As “wars will cease among the nations of the earth,” so in the different nations there will be no domestic feuds. “Judah will no more vex Ephraim, nor Ephraim envy Judah.” “The wolf and the lamb shall dwell together” in perfect harmony: the noxious qualities of the human heart shall be universally restrained: love alone will reign in every circle: “they shall not hurt or destroy in all God’s holy mountain, because the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth as the waters cover the sea.” We may further add, that in that day there will he no personal wants. Now a great portion of the human race are oppressed with want, so as scarcely to know how they shall provide bread for the morrow: but in that day it will be as on the day of Pentecost, not literally indeed, but in effect, all delighting to supply the necessities of their fellow-saints. As in the wilderness “he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack,” so in that day will “the abundance of some be a supply for the want of others, that, as far as will conduce to the welfare of the whole, there may be equality.”]

  2.      Those of a spiritual nature—

[Vast will be the increase of light in that day: “the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun seven-fold, as the light of seven days.” Hitherto the greatest part of the world have sat in darkness and the shadow of death: but then “many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased;” and such shall be the fruit of their exertions, that “all men shall be made to know the Lord, from the least to the greatest.” The diffusion of Divine knowledge will then be a national object: men shall not then be “put into the ministry to supply them with a piece of bread,” but “to feed the flock of God, over which the Holy Ghost has made them overseers:” and patrons will exercise their power for God, to provide the people with “pastors after God’s heart.” The people also, whilst flocking to the church “as doves to their windows,” will so receive the word, that it will universally “have free course and be glorified among them.”

Together with light, there will be among all classes a great augmentation of peace and joy. “The sun shall be no more their light by day, neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto them; but the Lord shall be unto them an everlasting light, and their God their glory.” Nor shall their joy be so variable as at present: “their sun shall no more go down, neither shall their moon withdraw itself; for the Lord shall be unto them an everlasting light; and the days of their mourning shall be ended.” To this happy state of the Church shall the reign of the saints essentially contribute: for the zeal of the pastors, the spirituality of the people, and the more abundant effusion of the Holy Spirit upon the souls of men, will all conspire to “turn the wilderness into a garden, and to make the desert rejoice and blossom as the rose: yea, it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing.”

There will also be a far larger measure of holiness pervading the world. The Canaanite will then “be no more in the land.” “The people will be all righteous:” and surprising will be the beauty and fertility of every plant which the Lord hath plantedm. To this also will the reign of the saints greatly contribute. Sin of every kind will be discountenanced, and iniquity, if any still exist, will be constrained to hide its head — — —]

  ADDRESS—

  1.      Let none be ashamed of being accounted saints—

[This name, which God so highly honours, is with many a term of reproach. But happy are they who are “counted worthy of this shame.” The day will ere long arrive, when they shall have far higher honours than man can bestow. We who are now alive may not live to see the day predicted in our text; but, if not, we shall see a happier day, when, “having suffered with Christ, we shall reign, and be glorified together with him.” Verily for all the saints there is a kingdom provided; and they who look forward to it shall not be disappointed of their hope — — —]

  2.      Let all endeavour to help forward the expected day—

[God will make use of instruments, just as he did in the apostolic age: and we apprehend he is evidently preparing the way for the fuller diffusion of his Gospel by the various efforts which his people are now making in every quarter of the globe. He is causing his word to be translated into the different languages of the world, that all may be able to “read in their own tongue the wonderful works of God.” He is sending forth missionaries into different and distant parts; and is uniting myriads of people in the blessed work of instructing the benighted heathens. Let all these works then be dear to you; and help them forward to the utmost of your power: so may we hope that ere long “the crooked places may be made straight, and the rough places plain, and that all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”]

MCXXXVI

FASTING AND PRAYER

  Dan. 9:3.

I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes.

THE season of Lent has been long observed in the Church, as a time for peculiar fasting and prayer. By our Church has the appointment of it been adopted, as well suited to promote the eternal interests of her members. But, in the present day, and amongst Protestants in particular, the subject of fasting is but rarely and lightly touched upon in our public addresses. Yet it ought to be considered: and I will therefore take occasion, at the present time, to state,

  I.      How far it is our duty to observe seasons of fasting and prayer—

Loaded as the Jewish Law was with burthensome enactments, there was but one fast appointed in the whole Mosaic ritual—

[This was on the great day of annual expiation; and it was the only fast that was fully recognised in the Apostolic ageb. Yet were there many fasts afterwards enjoined on particular occasions. Joshua, when repulsed by the men of Ai; the whole eleven tribes, after their repeated defeats by the tribe of Benjamind; all Israel, when oppressed by the Philistines; and Jehoshaphat, when invaded by the united armies of Moab and Ammon; all had recourse to fasting, as the means of obtaining favour from the Lord, and succour in the hour of their necessityf. Nor were these national fasts only observed; but, in private the most eminent saints adopted this measure, for the purpose of deepening their humiliation, and of quickening their devotion. In fact, the case of Esther alone will suffice to shew how important a measure this was esteemed, for the obtaining of relief from God in any great extremityh.]

Nor, under the Christian dispensation, was there any stated fast appointed by the Lord—

[Our Lord indeed intimated, that there would arise occasions which would call for solemn fasts; and he gave directions for the acceptable observance of themk. We find, too, that on some particular occasions, such as the setting apart of Paul and Barnabas to a special work, and the ordaining of elders for the service of their God, fasts were observed in the Christian Church.

Hence, then, I should say of such observances, that they are approved of the Lord, rather than absolutely ordained; and proper for seasons of peculiar emergency, rather than fixed to any precise time or measure. St. Paul, who was exposed to far more severe trials than any other of the Apostles, tells us, that he served God “in labours, and watchings, and fastings:” and therefore we cannot doubt the expediency of such observances, whilst we admit that they are not imposed on us as rites of indispensable necessity. Yet, indeed, considering all that has been said, we think that no person, who truly desires to attain any eminence in the divine life, will judge it either prudent or proper wholly to neglect them.]

Having spoken thus candidly respecting the necessity of such observances, I proceed to shew,

  II.      What benefit we may hope to derive from them—

Beyond all doubt, such seasons are truly beneficial to the soul—

[In a man’s first entrance on the divine life, he cannot do better than to address himself to God in fasting and prayer. At such a time, he has to humble himself for all the sins of his former life, and to implore pardon of God for all the guilt he has ever contracted. And can this be done too solemnly, too earnestly, too devoutly? It was in this way that Cornelius obtained favour of the Lord: and he is a fit example to all who desire to find mercy at the hands of God.

But, in all his future progress through life, also, the Christian has need of the same means, in order to the preservation and advancement of his spiritual welfare. Who is not conscious of some particular propensity, of which it may be said, as of the spirit which the Apostles were not able to eject, “This kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting?” In every living man there are corruptions, which may be greatly weakened and subdued by means of setting aside times for fasting and prayer. They who are united together in the bonds of wedlock, are of course exposed to feel the sad effects of human infirmity, each in their partner: and hence St. Paul recommends to married persons a short occasional separation from each other, for the purpose of “giving themselves to fasting and prayer:” nor can we doubt, but that, if that expedient were more frequently resorted to, incomparably greater happiness would be found in wedded life, and a far wider diffusion of blessedness amongst all the successive generations of mankind. In fact, a far higher standard of piety would be established in the world, if, like the holy Apostle, Christians of the present day were “in fastings often.” If he, with all his high attainments, “kept his body under, and brought it into subjection, lest by any means, after having preached to others, he himself should be a cast-awayr,” methinks no one of us can presume to think such a discipline either unnecessary for himself, or ineffectual for his good.]

But the whole efficacy of them depends on the manner in which they are observed—

[If men have recourse to fasting, under a superstitious notion that they can thereby expiate their sins or propitiate the Deity, they err most fatally, and rivet on their own souls the guilt of all their sins. In fact, what is this but to punish the body for the sin of the soul, and to substitute their own self-imposed sufferings for the atoning sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ? Yet this error, to a vast extent, obtains in the Church of Rome; which inculcates the observance of fasts and penances, and pilgrimages, as meritorious before God, and as the most effectual means of conciliating the Divine favour. As for ostentation, however it prevailed amongst the Pharisees of old, or still abounds in the Romish Church, there is little danger of it amongst us Protestants, who have ran into a contrary extreme, and despise these observances as much as the Papists idolize and abuse them. Yet, as a ground of confidence before God, we, no less than they, are in danger of founding our hopes upon them. But this error, I again say, will render them, not only not salutary, but absolutely pernicious. Fasting is only a means to an end. We want to have the soul more deeply engaged in prayer, and more fixed in devotedness to God; and fasting greatly contributes to these ends. But if it be made itself a ground of hope before God, God will say to us, as to the hypocrites of old, “When ye did fast, did ye fast unto me, even unto me? Was it not to yourselves rather that ye fasted,” ‘that ye might have in yourselves a ground of self-righteousness and self-complacency, instead of relying solely on the obedience and sufferings of my dear Son?’ To have our fasts accepted, they must be accompanied with a determined mortification of all sin, and an unreserved performance of every known duty. “Such is the fast that God chooses;” and such alone will ever bring his blessing on our souls. Any other than this will be despised by himu; nor will any other accord with the example set us in my text.]

  APPLICATION—

[Let none of you, then, think this an unnecessary labour, or imagine that it will interfere with your other duties in life. Of all the holiest men recorded in the Old Testament, there was not one more eminent than Daniel; nor was there one who had a greater weight of business upon him than he; yet even he found time for solemn fasting and prayer. Let none, therefore, decline this service, either as unprofitable or needless. As for those who have ever set themselves like him to seek the Lord God by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes, I will ask whether they did not find the exercise truly beneficial to their souls? And, if they have afterwards laid aside that holy service, I will ask them whether they have not suffered loss in their souls? I can have no doubt what must be the testimony of every living man respecting this. To every man, therefore, I commend the practice as most salutary and beneficial: nor have I any doubt but that those who, like Daniel, approach the Deity with fastings and prayer, shall, like him, receive speedy answers to their prayer, and signal manifestations to their souls, that they are “greatly beloved of their God.]

MCXXXVII

DANIEL’S CONFESSION

  Dan. 9:3–7.

And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: and I prayed unto the Lord my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments; we have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments: neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us, confusion of faces, as at this day.

FROM the earliest period, even from the time that God first had a visible Church in the world, there have been particular seasons set apart for humiliation, and fasting, and prayer. In the Christian Church, the appointment of forty days at this part of the year (Lent) for that purpose is of great antiquity. The two days with which this season commenced were observed with peculiar solemnity: the one (Shrove Tuesday) was spent in recollecting and confessingb their sins; the other (Ash Wednesday) in fasting and supplication. That these institutions were carried to a very foolish excess, and that they degenerated into many absurd superstitions, under the reign of Popery, is readily acknowledged: but they were good in their origin; and our Church has wisely retained such a portion of them as might tend to the real edification of her members: and if we were more observant of them than we are, we should find substantial benefit to our souls. But, alas! we have run into an opposite extreme, insomuch that not only the observances are laid aside, but the very intention of them is almost forgotten: and instead of complying with the design which is intimated in the names given to the days, we render them perfectly ridiculous, by substituting a trifling change in our food for the most solemn acts of devotion before God.

Hoping however that on this day we are disposed to humble ourselves before God, we shall,

  I.      Illustrate this confession of Daniel—

The manner in which he made his supplications is deserving of particular attention—

[He “set his face unto the Lord God:” he did not rush into the Divine presence without any previous meditation, but endeavoured to have his mind impressed with reverence and godly fear, that he might “not offer to his God the sacrifice of fools.”

He “sought God by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes.” By mortifying the body, he endeavoured to aid the labours of his soul. Both the one and the other had been defiled by sin; and therefore he strove to make them partners in humiliation before God. Nor can we doubt but that the fervour of his prayers was greatly assisted by the bodily privations which God himself has so often prescribed for this very end.]

Nor must we overlook the remarkable representation which he gave of the Divine character on this occasion—

[He mentions in very expressive terms both the majesty and the goodness of God; the one for the abasing, the other for the encouraging, of his soul.

What words can more strongly paint the majesty of God? In various other passages, God is called “the great and terrible” God: and well may he be addressed in such terms; for “who knoweth the power of his anger?” Let us only call to mind the judgments he has executed on sinners; on the rebel angels; on the antediluvian world; on Sodom and Gomorrha; on the Egyptian first-born; on Pharaoh and his hosts; yea, on the Jews in Babylon, which was the point referred to in the text; and we shall confess that “God is very greatly to be feared.”

Yet he was not unmindful of the Divine goodness. Notwithstanding God is angry with the wicked, he has “made a covenant” with his Son, wherein he engages to “shew mercy unto all who love him and keep his commandments.” Now this covenant he has never violated; this mercy he has never refused to one who by faith laid hold on that covenant, and shewed forth his faith by his works. And Daniel mentions this, in his address to God, as the ground on which he presumed to approach him, and ventured to hope for acceptance with him.]

His confession before him is also worthy of notice, as being expressive of the deepest humility and contrition—

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