but by the influence of Divine grace, to say with Ne buchadnezzar," Now I praise, and honour, and extol the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment; and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.' The best foundation they can lay for their throne is in the love of their people. Let them not despise this, and trust to the wisdom of their counsellors, the discipline of their armies, or the equipment of their fleets. There is no king saved by the multitude of an host. May the convulsions we have seen in Europe teach princes to seek the stability of their thrones by ruling in justice and mercy ; and the people to bear with patience hardships which may mingle with their blessings, instead of seeking their removal by bloody changes. Monarchs should consider, that at death their reign shall certainly be finished, that another hand shall hold their sceptre, and another head wear their crown. Death can find its way as easily into the palace as into the cottage, and can draw aside the purple hangings of the bed of state as readily as it approaches the poor man on his Let them anticipate that call,—“ Give an account of thy stewardship, for thou must be no longer steward;" and let them labour to prepare those who shall succeed them for ruling in the fear of God.

straw.

How similar to that of Belshazzar was the character and sudden exit of Charles the Second in England!—a monarch whose debaucheries were copied in the licentiousness of his subjects, and whose cruel persecutions the flatterer attempts to excuse, and the

Dan. iv. 37.

"This suddenness in his

bigot to vindicate in vain.

fate," says Evelyn in his Diary, "might well create awful feelings in those who had witnessed the life he continued to lead, till the stroke of death arrested him. I saw this evening such a scene of profuse gaming, and luxurious dallying and profaneness in the palace, as I had never before witnessed." A week after he assisted at the proclamation of his successor, and thus records his feelings:-" I can never forget the luxury and profaneness, gaming and all dissoluteness, and, as it were, total forgetfulness of God, it being Sabbath evening which, this day se'ennight, I was witness to, the king dallying with his mistresses, a French boy singing wanton songs to amuse them, and a number of the courtiers in deep play round a gaming-table. Six days after all was in the dust."

But all ranks of people should listen to the instructions which are taught them by this scene. Let not any say, I shall never be moved, I shall never be in adversity. The close of your prosperity may be drawing nigh; the trade which is now supporting your family so respectably may quickly pass away to another, and your vigorous health be succeeded by pining sickness. And death is at hand. The comforts you now call your own will soon acknowledge another for their master; and the nest in which you say you shall die may be torn down by the tempest, and your last breath rise from the bare earth or the cold stone. Mark every intimation which God gives you of the solemn change. You see that wise men die, and the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth and their lands to others; and do not

you feel the sentence in yourselves, in your sensations of languor, and in the decline of your strength? The end of your life, the end of all things, is at hand as

to you; be therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.

ye

Let your hold of the world be slight, and your separation from it will give no shock to your hearts.

Let good men receive the consolation which is imparted to them by this subject, however gloomy it may appear. Whatever disasters may happen, the kindness of God shall not depart from you, and with your joy a stranger cannot intermeddle. The righteousness which adorns you may be given to another, but it shall not be taken from you; the peace which solaces you may be imparted to others, but it shall still keep your heart through Christ Jesus; the ministers of religion shall soon be enjoined to say to you, that your warfare is accomplished; and your hearts shall exclaim, I have fought a good fight! Your earthly possessions you shall leave to others, but your true riches you shall take with you to heaven, and there you shall reign in life for ever. In you there is found some good thing towards the Lord God of Israel, and ye are complete in Him who is the head of all principality and power. Christ "hath blotted out the hand-writing of ordinances which was against you, taken it out of the way, and nailed it to his cross. Even now God will accomplish to you his gracious assurance," To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna; and I will give him the white stone, and in it the new name,

* Col. ii. 14.

which no man knoweth but him that receiveth it."

The sentence of judgment will be thus expressed to you:-"Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world ;" and your prayers and your alms he will mention as evidences that you have not received his grace in vain. Let this prospect excite you to "add to your faith virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, charity; for if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh those things is blind, and cannot see far off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins."+ Regard not the censures of men when conscience tells you they are unmerited; and let your character be such, that, like the Apostle, you can thus comfort your selves,—“ It is a small matter for me to be judged of man's judgment; he that judgeth me is the Lord." Let ungodly men be afraid. Make not the terrors of judgment the subject of your mirth. Mock not, lest bands be made strong. your A sinner is never nearer the sentence of destruction, than when he makes light of the inspection, the control, and the vengeance of Heaven. Let none suppress the serious thoughts which may have been awakened within him, but with fear and trembling let every sinner work out his salvation. A sword more terrible than that which slew Belshazzar is whetting against you, and the second death, with all its horrors, is preparing for you.

* Rev. ii. 17.

+2 Peter i. 5-9.

『

Yet we are not sent, as Daniel was, to pronounce your case hopeless. We are enjoined to tell you, that the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. His hands are stretched out, not to drive you away in your wickedness, but to embrace you on your approach to him in penitence. Consider the promises he hath made to encourage your return,―promises which assure the believer of a supply for every want, an answer to every charge, protection in every danger, and pardon for every sin. Come, then, and take on you the Saviour's yoke; abandon every false hope and wicked way; and, conscious that you have done nothing for God in time past, devote every moment, every faculty, and every talent for the future to his honour. Thus shall you receive a kingdom which cannot be moved, a life hid with Christ in God, and the gracious approbation of the omniscient Judge. Amen.