Bright example for believers in all ages! Men cannot see our hearts, nor understand our principles, but they can see our lives; and if the pious master, servant, brother, friend, sister, husband, wife, exceed all others in the discharge of the relative, social, and civil duties, religion is honoured, and God is glorified!" By their fruits ye shall know them." The profession of religion without this is hypocrisy. These ungodly men felt the power of Daniel's character, and so did all Babylon! This flowed from—

2. His habitual piety :

this was the hidden fountain of all his consistency of conduct, and was accidentally discovered on this occasion. His enemies came to watch him, and found him (ver. 10, 11,) "praying, with his window open towards Jerusalem, three times a-day, as aforetime."

(a) His habit of prayer came to light! "Three times a-day," like David, (Psalm lv. 16-18); or all day long, as Psalm cxix. 164: the practice of all eminent saints. So the centurion "prayed to God alway," (Acts x. 2): so the Apostles taught " Pray without ceasing;"" Praying always, with all prayer and supplication in the spirit," &c. (Ephes. vi. 18); not the cold, short, stated prayer, morning and evening, but frequently.

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(b) Moreover, he prayed toward Jerusalem: a very important circumstance. (Compare 1 Kings viii. 44, Psalm v. 7, and cxxxvii. 1.) He did so, and every pious Jew did so, not only because it was the land of their fathers, and the land of promise, nor simply because there God would be worshipped, and there only, but chiefly because there were all the emblems of salvation-the altar, sacrifice, high priest, &c. And so we, if we would have our prayer heard, must pray towards Christ, the true temple-our altar, High Priest, sacrifice, &c. This is the prayer of faith-God's only accepted way. For us to turn to the east, and worship towards Jerusalem, is a mere superstition: it is turning back to the type, when we have the Antitype, (John vi. 21): there is no authority for this in our Church.

3. Daniel's special confidence in God:

-not professed with his lips, but calmly and touchingly exhibited in his actions; not like the three children, (ch. iii. 17), but even more beautifully: "When he knew that the writing was signed," the fatal decree, forbidding all sorts of worship for thirty days; when he knew he was watched, and that his life was at stake,-then he went to his house, and on his knees, "as heretofore;" no rash obtruding, nor, on the other hand, no carnal flinching; no crooked policy nor expediency: he did as usual, nor more, nor less; and why?

"Because he believed in his God!" (ver. 23.) This firm reliance upon God in circumstances of peculiar trial, was thus the result of habitual prayer and communion with God. Here were cause and effect! Thus it is that habitual piety will impart special reliance upon God in peculiar trials or sudden dangers: it will also give special boldness, and secure peculiar deliverances; for those who honour God he will honour. Those who live near to God in habits of devotion need not fear surprise; they are ready!

II. GOD'S MYSTERIOUS DEALINGS WITH HIS SERVANT DA

NIEL.

1. They were deeply mysterious.

Who would have supposed that God would so far leave Daniel in the hands of his enemies? What! shall that pious and venerable man be cast into the den of lions? Yes! See, they succeed-accuse him, convict, condemn; the king labours to save him, but cannot-Daniel must die! He is let down into the pit-it shuts her mouth upon him! Sin prevails—many tears were shed in Babylon that night! (a) So does God often deal with the world: the wicked prosper-villany succeeds; God's people are oppressed—silenced-afraid!

(b) So in his Church: error, schism, heresy-divisions, inconsistency-many "offences"-many perplexing things are allowed.

(c) So with individual Christians: days of darkness and sorrow-overwhelmed with afflictions-temptations, they exclaim, "My soul is among lions!" "Cry out of the deeps," &c. Deserted, forlorn, forsaken!

(d) So with God's own dear Son !-the cross-
the grave
Hades-all his disciples cast down; "light of Israel quench-
ed;' 66
we trusted it had been He," &c. (Luke xxiv. 21.)
Enemies rejoice-" Let him come down from the cross," &c.
Thus difficult and mysterious have God's ways ever been to
his Church and people: "What I do thou knowest not now,
but thou shalt know hereafter."-But the blessed result is
next to be considered :-
:-

2. See Daniel delivered, and God's dealings explained!

The king comes early in the morning, and cries with trembling voice, "Daniel!" With what joy he hears the holy man's reply! Daniel forgets not courtesy: "O king, live for ever;" "My God has delivered me!" (ver. 19 23.) Daniel is brought forth, honoured, and exalted: his enemies are cast into the den, and the lions destroy them! Wonderful result of this dark dispensation! Consider its effects

M

(a) On Daniel: what views of God's love, power, wisdom, and goodness, would he obtain! How every pious feeling of his bosom would glow with renewed ardour!

(b) Upon the king: how was he taught his own folly-what lessons to him! what proofs of the character of the great God of Daniel! (ver. 25-27.)

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(c) Upon the enemies of God-what an impression was made! men justly might tremble and fear before the God of Daniel!"-how calculated to set up the worship of God in the whole Assyrian empire!

(d) And, lastly, upon the people and cause of God, (v. 26): "So Daniel prospered," &c., and so did his cause, and his country; that which appeared so untoward, which threatened the destruction of Israel, and the dishonour of God, redounded to his honour and glory!

Apt representation of God's universal Providence—all things shall terminate as He wills, and shall glorify him— (a) In the world at large: the result is often evident-the prosperity of the wicked is short; "lying lips are but for a moment;' ""the candle of the wicked is put out;" "God sets them in slippery places, and casts them down;" and men are forced to say, "Verily, there is a God that judgeth the earth." The DAY is coming when this confession will be wrung from every heart!

(b) In the Church: we cannot always see the end from the be-
ginning; but we often perceive that the infirmities and cor-
ruptions of the Church are overruled for God's glory; as
the persecution at Jerusalem, which occasioned the diffusion
of the Gospel, and the abuses of the Lord's Supper at Co-
rinth, which elicited the Apostle's important commentary.
(c) Individuals continually perceive the blessed results of their
afflictions, trials, darkness, and fears: even in this world
they "reap in joy," sanctified affliction is blessed to them
they are delivered, and they praise God; and hereafter they
shall see this in every particular; the dungeon, and the den
of lions, and the fiery furnace, all promoted their glorifica-
tion.

;

(d) How truly this was shewn in the Son of God, need hardly be observed his cross and grave and agonies led to glory and our salvation: he who bore the cross, now wears the crown, and all who follow him in the one shall participate in the other.

1. Let the timid, the undecided, or the inconsistent, go and study the character of Daniel :—

-Let them confess their faith as he did: if they are ashamed

of Christ, Christ will be ashamed of them. The doubleminded and unstable man will never gain the heavenly prize. 2. Is there any enemy, persecutor, or injurious here?-Let him read his fate in the destruction of Daniel's enemies! May God give him repentance, that he may humble himself, and sue for mercy ere it be too late!

3. Let all faithful Christians among you

-imitate Daniel's conduct: be bold, faithful, meek, persevering; and so upright, that all may glorify God in you: may they find nothing in you, "except concerning the law of your God."

-enjoy Daniel's privileges: believe in God; trust in him at all times: sing to him in the dungeon; so ye shall have abiding peace here, and glory hereafter.

XXXVIII.

SCRIPTURE NOT TRADITION.

John xx. 30, 31. And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: but these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

TRUTH must always be the same, and always important and edifying. But certain portions of it may gather peculiar force and power, by reason of passing events and the circumstances of the Church at any given period. Thus it is impossible at any time to estimate the written word of God too highly, or to exaggerate the importance of such a testimony as that of the text respecting it yet the signs of the present times give additional weight to the declarations of the Evangelist-when some appear to be bent on shewing the insufficiency of God's infallible word, and the necessity of Church decrees and traditional expositions, either to enable us to understand it or to supply its deficiencies, then should all who are "mighty in the scriptures" rise up and avenge the cause of the Most High against Talmudists, schoolmen, and all such blind guides, who would "make the law of God of none effect by their traditions." May that blessed Lord, who has caused all

Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning, grant us so to hear, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that, by patience and comfort of his Holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which he has given us in Christ Jesus! "For these

are written, that we may have life through his name!" Consider

I. THE DEPOSIT ENTRUSTED TO US : "this book!"

II. ITS IMMEDIATE OBJECT: "to shew that Jesus is the Christ."

OBJECT: "that believing we may

III. ITS ULTIMATE OBJECT:
have life through his name."

I. THE DEPOSIT ENTRUSTED TO US:
of God."

"the written word

1. It is indeed affirmed that Jesus did and said many wonderful things which are not recorded in this book :—

-"Many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book;" especially referring to what passed after his resurrection, and the miraculous proofs of it. But it is true generally, (see ch. xxi. 25); and greatly should we delight to know them: but the Holy Spirit has seen fit to disappoint our pious curiosity, and has shut the door against such inquiries; for neither here nor elsewhere is there the smallest reference to any other authentic history, or to oral tradition: on the contrary, a solemn curse is denounced against all who shall dare to add to this book. (Rev. xxii. 18.) We are therefore fully at liberty to canvass the genuineness and authenticity of all other information, come through what channel it may. 2. But it is those only which are "written in this book" that we are required to believe.

This written word, these scriptures, are the only pure word of God: to these alone Jesus referred in all his ministry, and the Apostles in like manner. Ever since God wrote the first page with his own finger, (Deut. ix. 10,) his will has been revealed in writing! "Search the scriptures," &c. (John v. 39.) To be ignorant of them was the source of all error. (Matt. xxii. 29.) Out of these "he expounded the things concerning himself." (Luke xxiv. 27 and 45.) When tempted out of the holy scripture, he replied "it is written again." (Matt. iv. 1-11.) Similar passages are absolutely innumerable. And so the Apostles "reasoned out of the scriptures," (Acts xvii. 2); "shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ." (Acts xviii. 28.) There the