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upon it." (Lev. xxvi. 34, 35.) But notwithstanding this fearful commination, they became guilty of the offence. "Thou hast despised mine holy things, and hast profaned my Sabbaths." (Ezek. xxii. 8.) And "God is not mocked." As he had said, "I will also make to cease her Sabbaths," (Hosea ii. 11,) so did it come to pass. "Therefore he brought upon them the King of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary. And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia to fulfil the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her Sabbaths; for as long as she lay desolate she kept Sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years." They were to remain in captivity for a period of time equal to that which was the sum of the sabbatical years which they had neglected to observe; so that their sin, as is usual in the righteous and holy administration of Providence, was shown forth in its punishment. And this Daniel knew. Israel had sinned. God was displeased with them. His displeasure was shown in the series of events issuing in their captivity.

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series of events was not miraculous. The interference which directs events and circumstances, according to established laws, indeed, but for the accomplishment of particular purposes, is one branch of the divine administration. Without it, the reign of God would be only nominal. The occurrences which conducted Israel to Babylon were all in the ordinary course of human affairs. But that course is always observed, controlled, and directed by divine wisdom and power, in reference to specific objects; and this observation, control, and direction constitute the providence of God. This, too, was known by Daniel: and in the light of this knowledge he saw the important fact, that the determined period of captivity was drawing to its close. Seventy years was Judea to be desolate, and to enjoy

her Sabbaths. It was not said that the captivity should then inevitably close. So long it should endure. Its termination, or continuance afterwards, would depend on events, in their relation to the divine government; which is a wise and intelligent administration, and not an inexorable fate. And the laws of that administration Daniel knew. Man is concerned in them, and therefore they are revealed to him. The inspired volume is "the law of the Lord;" law divinely sanctioned, and divinely promulgated. Daniel, therefore, looked not at the question of the continuance or termination of the captivity as a mere contingency, -an event only depending upon the developement of political uncertainties. Whatever the instrumentality, the captivity was from God, as his punishment of a disobedient people. And in the same Scriptures of truth in which the punishment is threatened, there are promises of mercy, if their performance be rightly sought.

How, then, did Daniel act? The calamities which had smitten down and scattered Israel, he regarded as the determined result of God's displeasure against sin. The removal of the punishment he believed to be as possible as the infliction of it. God inflicted it; God must remove it. But "for this he will be sought unto," in deep humiliation and earnest prayer. Thus Daniel humbled himself before God in fasting; thus he poured out his heart before God in prayer. And not vainly did he fast and pray. An extraordinary communication was made to him. An angel was commanded to appear and announce the merciful plans of God respecting both Israel and mankind.

It is an important question,Have we any concern in what is thus related of Daniel? Is there in his conduct anything that is designed to be exemplary in reference to us, upon whom the ends of the world are come?" Is this one of the things written aforetime for our instruction?

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Cases, to be instructive, must be, in some respects at least, parallel.

The question, therefore, comes to this, Is there any parallelism between our circumstances, and those of Daniel?

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His circumstances, in brief, were these He was a member of the great Jewish community, both religiously and civilly considered. At the time to which his conduct refers, that community was in a state of strongly-marked adversity; that adversity proceeding from the appointments of divine Providence. Second causes, indeed, had been, and still continued to be, in full operation. The ambition, for instance, of the Babylonish Monarch had led to the invasion, and ultimate captivity, of Judah. But that ambition might have been restrained, or directed by circumstances to other objects; or the strength of the Jews might have been augmented, so as that the invasion might have been successfully resisted, and so have had a very different issue. But without any such interference with moral agency as would be inconsistent with the divine government of individual man, in reference to his personal responsibility and future judgment, there was such a providential interposition as was sufficient to secure the invasion, and to render it successful. And thus was it God's work,-God's visitation. And it had been occasioned by sin. For sin the Jews had been rebuked, and threatened; and thus, at length, was the threatening accomplished. And of its accomplishment, thus does the Scripture speak: "Moreover all the chief of the Priests, and the people, transgressed very much after all the abominations of the Heathen: and the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling-place. But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his Prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy. Therefore he brought upon them the King of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary; he gave them all into his hand." (2 Chron. xxxvi. 14-17.) And thus

Daniel himself speaks: "Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law; therefore the curse is poured upon us ; therefore hath the Lord watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us." The Jews were in captivity, not merely because of the successful ambition of the Chaldeans, but because of their own sins. Had they not sinned, they would not thus have suffered. They were under the divine government, they had transgressed the divine law; and the evils which had crushed them to the earth, were the consequences of the divine displeasure.

But the evil was not without remedy. He who had punished, could pardon. He who had brought down, could raise up. He had even promised to do this; for his governinent is one of mercy, as well as justice. Daniel knew this, and knew, too, that the Lord, the Sovereign, was the hearer of prayer. By these solemn truths was the holy Prophet influenced. He believed them, and he acted accordingly. "And I set

my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes." Daniel set himself thus to seek unto the Lord his God, for the removal of the terrible calamities under which his country and countrymen laboured.

But is there a providential government of nations generally? If there be, is it conducted on moral principles? And is there any warrant for pursuing a line of conduct similar to that which Daniel adopted?

A careful examination of the Old Testament will show us, that what is often called the "theocracy," was only peculiar to the Jews as it was a government according to express stipulations,-stipulations of particular commandments, particular promises, and particular threatenings. It was not peculiar as it was a government generally, but as it was a government of a particular character. The Scriptures uniformly speak of the God of the Jews as the Ruler of mankind at large, the Ruler of men according to the constitution he had given them; and their Ruler, therefore, considered under all the

positions and aspects in which that constitution, in conjunction with his own wise and ever-active providence, would place them. Now, one of the results of this constitution, governed by this divine providence, would be their existence in the form of national collections. "God setteth the solitary in families." He who "giveth to all life, and breath, and all things, hath made of one blood all nations of men, for to dwell on all the face of the earth; and hath determined the times beforehand, and the bounds of their habitation." And over all nations does his morally providential rule extend. Such texts as these are surely not limited to the Jewish theocracy. Hezekiah said, "O Lord God of Israel, which dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth." (2 Kings xix. 15.) "All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn unto the Lord and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. For the kingdom is the Lord's, and he is the Governor among the nations." (Psalm xxii. 27, 28.) "The Lord reigneth: let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of the isles be glad thereof." (Psalm xcvii. 1.) "The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom ruleth over all." (Psalm ciii. 19.) “Who would not fear thee, O King of nations?" (Jer. x. 7.) The mind of Daniel was thoroughly imbued with the subject: "Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his and he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth Kings and setteth up Kings." (Dan. ii. 20, 21.) To Nebuchadnezzar, represented by the "head of gold" in the vision, he says, "Thou, O King, art a King of Kings; for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory." (Verse 37.) The punishment to be inflicted on Nebuchadnezzar was intended to bring him to the acknowledgment of this morally providential government of nations, -"till thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and

giveth it to whomsoever he will. And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots, thy kingdom shall be sure to thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule." (Dan. iv. 25, 26.)

But the language of Jeremiah is sufficient to determine the point, especially when considered in con nexion with the events related in the book of Jonah in regard to Nineveh. "At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; if that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; if it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good wherewith I said I would benefit them." (Jer. xviii. 7-10.) And these principles of the divine government were strikingly shown in the case of Nineveh.

Nor may it be said, that the Gospel has altered all this. The Gospel does not say so; and the reasons of this providential reign are just what they have been from the beginning, And the advent of Christ is declared to be that of one who should “judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth;" so that "the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom:" the kingdom of Christ shall so spread, that entire communities, being composed of Christian people, their political ar rangements shall be governed by Christian principles, as well as their personal conduct; so that "the kingdoms of this world" shall "become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ." The exalted Saviour is therefore styled,-and the style implies a real and exercised power,-"the Prince of the Kings of the earth;" "King of Kings, and Lord of Lords." And Isaiah, speaking of his days, gives forth this most remarkable prophecy, proving that divine Providence sets itself against the nations that refuse

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to be "kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ: ' "For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted."

It was necessary to establish this point of the morally-providential government of nations, and to show that where a community is composed of Christians, it is their duty, in all their political arrangements, to acknowledge God as the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, revealing himself in his word generally, and more especially in that part of his word which constitutes "the glorious Gospel of the blessed God;" because, otherwise, what had been recorded of Daniel would only in a very indirect manner, and to a very limited degree, contribute to our instruction. And it was necessary to go somewhat more fully into the question, because, of late, many, in their proper anxiety to keep the spiritual kingdom of Christ unspotted from the world, have employed arguments which have sought to prove that there is no such government of nations, as nations themselves are called practically to acknowledge. I am persuaded to the contrary. It is both the duty and the privilege of a nation to be a Christian nation; and, if there be truth in prophecy, no unchristian nation shall ultimately prosper. And if God is to be acknowledged according to the principles of that revelation which he has given, authenticating it by amply sufficient evidence, so that they to whom it is clearly proposed do actually incur guilt by its rejection; then, whatever interferes with such principles and forms of acknowledgment becomes a national offence, the removal of which is to be sought; and the sin of which, during its continuance, is to be humbly confessed by those who see that it

is a sin.

Thus far, then, the cases are parallel. There is a providential government of nations, administered on moral principles; and when the Gospel has been proposed to a people, and accepted by them, the moral principles of that providential go

vernment are those of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

What, then, is the duty of the Christian, in reference to a period of national distress?

The question does not refer to those personal afflictions which may be experienced by individuals when the nation itself, and therefore its inhabitants generally, may be in a state of even great prosperity. The government of God has always related to individuals, as well as to communities; and individuals may be dealt with as their character and state shall require, when the community at large is experiencing the result of that providential dominion of which it is the subject. By the covenant made with Israel nationally, temporal prosperity and peace were promised to national obedience; but it is impossible to read the Old Testament without perceiving that the usual government of Providence was going on in reference to individuals. To what but this do such texts as these refer ?

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"Many are the afflictions of the righteous." Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God." And the hortative declaration, "My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction for whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth," is quoted by Solomon from the book of Job, the inspired record of the patriarchal dispensation; and, in the peculiar form which is given to it in Proverbs, is both quoted and argued upon by the inspired Apostle.

It may not be easy-not, at least, without much circumlocution-to describe what may be termed national adversity. Every particular instance would require its own description. But, whenever it exists, it will be known at the time. It will be seen to be so connected with national circumstances, as that, whilst it includes a wide extension of personal affliction, it is, at the

same time, something beyond. It may be a period of very remarkable sickness. The harvests may have failed for a succession of years, and scarcity and great dearness of provisions may be the effect. The restraining hand of Providence may be, to a greater or less degree, removed from the "unruly passions of sinful men;" and there may be great agitation, and commotions which seem as though they were the forerunners of civil broils, and seditions, and revolutions. The interests of commerce and trade may languish, and those large masses of the population which depend on their daily labour for their daily bread, may have little or no employment; or their labour may have an insufficient remuneration, so that they shall rapidly sink, together with their families, into a gloomyand it shall almost appear to be a hopeless, helpless-poverty. National distress is a general term, which may be applied to a large diversity of particular cases, differing in circumstances, differing in degrees; but all of them carrying with them sufficient evidence to make their character known.

And when such a state of things exists, what is the duty of the Christian, whether he be himself affected by it or not?

Let him, in the first place, seek so to strengthen his convictions of the divine government, as that he may acknowledge, with proper feelings, the present exercise of it; and let him seek, piously, to make the same state of mind more general. The command is, "Hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it." At proper times, if Providence call him to the task, he may have to consider the question of visible and secondary causes; but as he is a servant of the most high God, seeking to do his Master's will, he is to look beyond all these, and deeply ponder the two grand truths of revelation on the subject: National distress is a visitation of Providence; and, It is a visitation which is occasioned by sin. God" doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men;' and

when his dispensations bring distress and suffering upon a land, “is there not a cause?' There is great danger of our forgetting, practically, the doctrine of providence we profess to believe; and of so attending to human causes, and seeking for human remedies, as that God, and his almighty and righteous administration, shall be overlooked. Let the Christian most carefully guard against this. It is adding sin to sin. They who refuse to see the hand of God in one calamity, render a yet heavier calamity inevitable. In such a period of distress, God has a controversy with the people. Often, "when the hand of the Lord is lifted up, they will not see;" but other means, yet heavier judgments, shall be employed,—" but they shall see." Nothing is more painful than to see forgetfulness of God increas ing, when he is using methods to make himself remembered and acknowledged. The Christian is to guard against this most carefully, as to himself; and all that he is able, in his own particular circumstances, to do, to guard others against it, he is bound to do, both by piety and by patriotism. When the conviction becomes deep and general, one providential object is secured, and the rest may be anticipated. Let the Christian, therefore, set his face against the practical atheism which, in national adversities, refuses to acknowledge an interposing Provi dence. Let him seek to possess and diffuse the conviction which shall produce the devout acknow ledgment, "This is the finger of God."

And as to the conduct which he should pursue, the example of Daniel is full of invaluable instruc tion. He humbled himself before God, and confessed his own sins and the sins of his people. Holy and faithful as to us he appears, and as inspiration declares him to have been; yet even he would be conscious of many imperfections, he would remember the faults of ear lien days. He confessed his own sins. And if he did so, whose character stands so high, the question only requires to be suggested, with

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