soweth that shall he also reap." Gal. vi, 7. God gives thee space to repent; but it will soon end. In a future world thou wilt find no place for repentance. Dost thou laugh at the mourning penitent? Remember, it is better to weep and mourn now, than to weep and mourn in the torments of hell. The damned would give a thousand worlds for thy opportunity. Remember, their dreadful state will soon be thine, unless thou repent.

The Jews were often warned; but they slighted warning. The blood of the Galileans shed by Pilate, and the falling of the tower in Siloam, were awful emblems of that destruction which came upon them, when the Romans besieged Jerusalem. In that memorable siege, if we are to credit Josephus, their own historian, eleven hundred thousand perished! Their towers fell; their temple was burned; their city was destroyed; and those who survived the dreadful scene were taken captives, to return no more to their beloved land. Their wretched descendants are still scattered over the nations; nor will they ever return without true repentance, and an acknowledgment that Jesus is the Christ. Thus, in the end of the world, the terrible judgments of God will overtake and overwhelm impenitent sinners. "For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape." 1 Thess. v, 3.

I shall conclude, in the words of Peter to his deluded countrymen : *Repent ye, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord "" Acts iii, 19.

SERMON V.

DANIEL IN THE DEN OF LIONS.

Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. DANIEL vi, 16.

THOSE who live in the habitual neglect of prayer, should carefully study the character of Daniel. Neither disgrace, nor danger, nor death, could deter him from the discharge of this sacred duty. And those who, like him, are in the daily habit of prayer, may take encouragement, by his example, to persevere to the end.

In this account there are three things: Daniel was cast into the den of lions; the Lord preserved him there; and remarkable circumstances followed.

I. DANIEL WAS CAST INTO THE DEN OF LIONS.

When we read that the king commanded Daniel to be cast into the lion's den, it is natural to inquire, What evil had he done? Had he

offended the king? Had he injured any man? Such a punishment should not have been inflicted without some previous crime. A candid examination of this affair will prove, that Daniel was not cast into the lion's den as a guilty criminal, but as an injured, persecuted man. Let us examine this short, but highly interesting history.

Daniel, previous to this occurrence, had been highly exalted by Darius. He was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm." Verse 3. The place which he filled was honourable and important. It seldom happens that good men rise high in worldly greatness. Their honours are more substantial and durable than any which the world can give. But when they are exalted, Providence has some important purposes in view. At the same time it must be allowed, that it would be a general blessing, if men of great talents and deep piety were placed at the head of national affairs. The monarch who has such counsellors is happy, and the people are blessed. For, "when the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn." Prov. xxix, 2.

But those who are highly exalted, may look for the envy of wicked men. High places are slippery, and those who fill them are exposed to danger. Who, then, but fools, would envy the great? They are real objects of pity. No means are left untried, either to blast their character, or to destroy their lives. Envy plans, and malice frequently effects, their overthrow. Those who sighed for Daniel's honours, sought his destruction. The public good, with them, was no object. Private interest was the prevailing principle of their hearts. This is frequently the case, both with public characters and private individuals. And if we could see the secret springs of human conduct, the Scriptural account of man's depravity would be as evident as his existence; for the unregenerate "heart of man is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked." Jer. xvii, 9.

The enemies of Daniel laid a dangerous snare for his ruin. To make that snare more effectual, it was proposed under the artful pretence of paying peculiar honour to the king. Daniel was devout. Day by day he offered up petitions to the King of kings. His enemies knew this, and, after various other plans of mischief, they said, "We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God." Verse 5. Happy the man whose bitterest enemies can find no other fault with him, than that which relates to the strict observance of the laws of his God! Conjecturing, from the wellknown character of Daniel, that he would persevere in the duty of prayer, his invidious enemies "assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever. All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions." Verse 7. The unsuspecting king, feeling himself highly flattered by this proposal, signed the writing and the decree.

The

When Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went to his house, and with his windows open towards Jerusalem, kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks to his God, as he did aforetime. He fully understood the diabolical plan of his enemies, and that his life was in danger; but duty appeared more important to him than personal safety. He might have prayed more privately; but he was a stranger to that temporising disposition, which makes religion bend to every change of circumstance. Duty was his delight. honour of his God was his first object, and to him all worldly considerations were lighter than dust in the balance. That no man should make ar ostentatious show of devotion, we readily admit; but every man should be firm in the discharge of this important duty, in such a way as may best promote his own happiness, and the glory of God. No danger, however great, should deter us from those important addresses to God, on which our happiness so much depends. Consequences may be safely left, while we tread in the path of duty: Carefully attend to this, and leave events to him who ruleth over all.

II. THE LORD PRESERVED DANIEL IN THE LION'S DEN.

The king soon discovered the envious designs of Daniel's enemies, and was troubled at his own folly. He sought to deliver him; but the laws of the Medes and Persians altered not. It was not, therefore, in his power to deliver his favourite servant. "Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting; neither were instruments of music brought before him, and his sleep went from him." Verse 18. But Daniel was safe. He served the King of kings, who is never at a loss for means to preserve his faithful servants. Neither men nor devils can do them any harm. Every one of them can confidently say, "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" Ps. xxvii, 1.

When Daniel was cast into the den, the Lord sent an angel to stop the mouths of the lions. Those ferocious animals were put under the control of an invisible messenger. In this instance, a mighty miracle was wrought. What a proof that Daniel was beloved in heaven! What a proof that God both hears and answers prayer! Accompanied by the angel, Daniel was as safe in the den, as if he had been in the palace of Darius. The way of duty ever was, and ever will be, the way of safety. While we walk in that way, we are perfectly safe, in all places, and in all circumstances. For "who is he that will harm you, if ye be follow ers of that which is good?" 1 Pet. iii, 13.

How differently did Daniel spend that night, to Darius and his courtiers! Daniel was happy and safe in the den, and probably engaged in prayer and praise. Darius was mourning his folly when it was too late. The courtiers, probably, were drinking wine, laughing at the weakness of the king, and triumphing over Daniel. But "the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment." Job xx, 5. A dreadful storm was preparing for the wicked courtiers, from which they could not escape. How well is it for men to consider the end of their actions! "The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to

pieces: Out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: The Lord shall judge the ends of the earth." 1 Sam. ii, 10.

We cannot pass through this world, without being exposed to danger; but, by the grace of God, we may proceed without wilful sin. If we live in wilful sin, we cannot hope for the protection of God; but if we keep a conscience void of offence, we may claim his guardian care. God delivered the apostle Paul out of the mouth of the lion. Nero was more like a roaring lion than a human being; but he could not hurt or destroy the faithful servant of Jesus, without Divine permission. And the same power which protected Daniel in the den of lions, and the apostle Paul in the mouth of the lion, will protect all good men, not only in the common dangers and afflictions of life, but in those which are more threatening and alarming. For "the Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him." Nahum i, 7. III. REMARKABLE CIRCUMSTANCES FOLLOWED.

Darius had expressly said to Daniel, "Thy God, whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee." Verse 16. Whether this prediction arose from his own reflections, or was suggested by the Spirit of God, is not certain; but, early in the morning, with a mixture of hope and fear, the king went in haste to the den of lions, and cried, with a lamentable voice, "O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?" Daniel answered, from the bottom of the den, "O king, live for ever! My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: Forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt." Verses 21, 22. Finding Daniel safe, the king was exceeding glad, and commanded that they should take him up out of the den. The dark cloud which had hung over Daniel's head, was now dispersed, and light and glory shone upon him. Thus all the saints of God will rise above this world of clouds and darkness, to a world of light and glory.

The deliverance of Daniel was followed by the destruction of his enemies. "The king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives: and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces, or ever they reached the bottom of the den." Verse 24. When Daniel left the den, the protecting angel went away. How quickly was the dark iniquity of those men followed by dreadful punishment! The punishment of other sinners, delayed by the interposition of mercy, is not less certain. Whatever infidels assert to the contrary, "evil shall slay the wicked; and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate." Ps. xxxiv, 21. But why did the wives and children of Daniel's accusers share their punishment? Perhaps they had been concerned in their crimes. If not, their bodies might be suffered to perish, as a warning to others. It is a dangerous thing to be related to, or even connected with, wicked families. In temporal judgments, even tender infants, belonging to the wicked, do not always escape; but in a future world, none but the personally wicked shall suffer. There "the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father

bear the iniquity of the son: The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him." Ezek. xviii, 20.

That which led to the ruin of Daniel's enemies, terminated in the honour of Daniel's God. "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 steadfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even to 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." Verses 25-27. What sublime sentiments! Perhaps they were dictated by Daniel. God, no doubt, intended by this means to bring the nations back to himself; and had they improved this happy circumstance, they might have enjoyed the light of his reconciled countenance. But we need not wonder at the little good that followed this decree, when we consider how few were brought to God by Jesus Christ. It might then be said, as our Lord afterwards said to the hardened Jews, "Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life." John v, 40. Are not we in the same case? God has used various and important means to bring us to himself, and yet we live in sin.

One circumstance in this account, we must not forget to notice. It is said of Daniel, "No manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God." The apostle refers to this, when, speaking of the Old Testament saints, he says, "By faith they stopped the mouths of lions." Without faith there can be no religion. It is that principle which produces both love and obedience. God rewarded Daniel's faith, by preserving him in the den of lions. An imitation of his faith and obedience will prove the only way to peace and safety. The God of Daniel is the God of every believer. May he be our God and guide unto death, and our portion for ever! Amen.

SERMON VI.

THE HEBREW CHILDREN IN THE FIERY FURNACE.

And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. DANIEL iii, 23.

THE history of the Jews, contained in the Old Testament, furnishes many remarkable instances of the weakness and absurdity of idolatry. It was frequently supported by dreadful persecutions. Our text relates a circumstance of cruel persecution, by Nebuchadnezzar, in support of