SERMON XVIII.

THE ASPECT OF THE TIMES,*

DANIEL, xii. 8.

"O MY LORD, WHAT SHALL BE THE END OF THESE THINGS."

It is impossible for any person to look on the present aspect of Providence, with an observing, and especially a religious eye, without being persuaded that our lot has fallen on critical times, times which teem with important events affecting the interests of society in general, and of the church of God in particular. At no distant period, good men were inclined. to hope that the existing agitation was on the surface of society, and that it would soon subside, and leave things in their former state of tranquillity. That day is gone by; and there are few, I believe, how opposite soever their opinions may be of the moral character of the times, who are not now come to the contrary conclusion, and who are not convinced that this ferment is increasing, that its exciting causes are deep and widely extended, that they are as yet but partially developed, and that many days must elapse before the storm shall have spent its rage, and the agitated waves wrought themselves into repose. The Christian, instructed in the course of Providence by a light shed on it from the volume of Revelation, has reasons peculiar to himself for coming to this conclusion. He looks beyond the feeble arm and narrow counsels of men, to the arm and counsel of Him who has all events and all hearts under his absolute control, and who over

* Delivered in May, 1834.

rules them for the accomplishment of his holy and irrevocable purposes. He knows that the Lord has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land; he is persuaded that he will thoroughly plead the cause which is his own, and is prepared to expect that great changes on the frame of society, both civil and ecclesiastical, will usher in a flourishing state of that kingdom, for the sake of which all kingdoms rise or fall. His eye is therefore directed to the operations of Providence ; and though he knows that these are not the proper rule of what he ought to do in his station, yet he views them with the deepest interest; and, with the overpowering feelings of the wise and holy man in the text, he enquires, "O my lord, what shall be the end of these things ?"

These words belong to a vision with which Daniel was favoured on the banks of the Hiddekel, and which is described in the last three chapters of this book. There appeared to him a man clothed in linen, who, after the prophet had recovered from the swoon into which he was thrown by the heavenly apparition, disclosed to him the future fates of the children of his people. Though some late interpreters have explained the greater part of the prediction in the eleventh chapter as referring to events happening under the Christian era, it seems most natural to apply it to the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes, the great enemy of God and of his ancient people. That was a time of great trouble to the Jews, and seemed to threaten their extermination as a people, and along with them the extermination of true religion.* This could not fail to oppress the devout and patriotic mind of Daniel, who was relieved, first, by a promise of deliverance to his people, and secondly, by the appearance of two new personages who enquired of the man clothed in linen, "How long shall it be to the end of these wonders ?" Daniel "heard, but did not understand" the reply; and taught by this that the theme was too high for him, he turns his question from the time to the manner of the time. "Then said I, O my lord, what shall be the end of these things-these wonders?" It is the

Chap. xi. 13-35.

language of humble, earnest, adoring enquiry and prayer, and expressive of the workings of a pious mind contemplating the afflictions of the church, and looking forward to their issue. Let us, looking up to the Spirit who leads into all truth, endeavour to improve it, proceeding upon the broad principle that "whatsoever was written aforetime, was written for our learning," and keeping in view the analogy which pervades all the works of God.

"The works of the Lord are great; sought out of all that take pleasure therein." But there is a depth of wisdom and sovereignty about some of them, on account of which they may be characterised as "wonders," calling forth astonishment and awe and amazement in the minds of those who are most practised in the study of Providence. Among these are the calamities with which the church is sometimes assailed, and her interests brought into great and imminent peril. Let us, in the first place, contemplate some of these wonders; and in the next place, consider the temper and exercise which become us in contemplating them.

I. 1. It is a wonder that the church of God should be exposed to calamity. Of all the wonders in the procedure of Him whose way is in the sea, whose paths are in the mighty waters, and his footsteps untraceable, this is one of the greatest; and it has often excited the wonder of the world, and the astonishment of those who are best acquainted with his works. "Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel." We might have expected that the people whom He had chosen for his heritage, separated from the world lying in wickedness, formed into a kingdom of priests, made the depositary of his lively oracles, and blessed with his special residence and government, would be guarded by a special Providence from every rude assault, and made to dwell in peace under the shade of her Almighty protector. But it is otherwise. "My ways are not your ways, saith the Lord." "The Lord knoweth the thoughts of men, that they are vanity." The sufferings of the Son of God, when he was manifested in the flesh, were matter of infinite surprise to his friends, and of

mortal offence to his enemies; and as he was, so must his church be in the world. "Behold I, and the children whom the Lord hath given me, are for signs and wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts." *

2. It is a wonder-a mystery, that the calamities to which she is exposed should sometimes be so great and overwhelming. She is broken with breach upon breach. Deep calleth unto deep against her; all God's waves and billows pass over her. She is made to pass through fire and through water. Bereaved of her children, deserted by her friends, desolate, a widow and a captive, Zion, standing on the smoking ruins of her sacred habitation, has been heard to utter the bitter plaint, "Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow."+ "For under the whole heaven hath not been done, as hath been done upon Jerusalem." +

How often has the purity of the church, which is at once her glory and her strength, been defaced by error and corruption! Her greatest enemies have been those of her own house, her appointed or chosen guardians, who have been ringleaders in apostasy; such were the priests and the false prophets in Israel and Judah, and the false teachers who privily brought in damnable doctrines to the Christian churches. The hedge of discipline being broken down, the wild beasts have rushed in, treading down the pasture and polluting the streams, destined for the food and refreshment of the flock of God which he had purchased with his own blood. The furies of persecution have been let loose upon her. They have fired her sanctuary, burnt up all the synagogues of God in the land, slain her priests, given the bodies of her saints to the wild beasts, and scattered the remainder to the four winds of heaven.

3. It is a wonder that these calamities have come visibly from the hand of God, and are accompanied with evident tokens of his displeasure. This makes the stroke so heavythat the enemy and the oppressor wields the rod of God's

Isa. viii. 18.

+ Lam. i. 12.

Dan. ix. 12.

anger, and has received a commission against a hypocritical nation. This is the very gall of the bitter draught, converting it into a cup of trembling and astonishment. "O God, THOU hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us, thou hast been displeased-thou hast showed thy people hard things; thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment."* The indignation of man they could bear, the fury of the oppressor they could brave; but a sense of divine displeasure they feel to be intolerable. And the provocation cannot be small, which induces the Lord to forsake his house, to leave his heritage, to give the dearly beloved of his soul into the hands of her enemies.

"" How

4. The duration of the calamity is another wonder. It sometimes continues until the strength of the friends of religion is gone, and their hope is ready to give up the ghost. "How long!" has often been the utterance of the groan which has come from the bottom of the heart of the suffering church. "How long, O Lord! is it for ever?" long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years?"† But this was a short period, compared with that during which the witnesses for the truth suffered from Antichrist-twelve hundred and sixty years. Hence the loud cry of the souls of the martyrs under the altar, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth." t

Lastly, it is a wonder that her calamities produce so little effect. The judgments with which God visits his church are intended for her benefit and reformation, for correction and purification. If they were seen to work the peaceable fruits of righteousness, awakening consideration, producing humiliation, and leading to repentance, and to the putting away of whatever has procured the divine displeasure, they might be borne with patience and even joyfulness. But, alas! it is often otherwise, and judgments, instead of softening, harden the heart. This was what God had to complain of in his

*Ps. lx. i. 3.

+ Zech. i. 12.

Rev. vi. 10.