fault of Saul, who disobeyed the voice of Samuel, and forfeited his title to the throne of Israel. And this was the fault of Ahab, who despised the admonition of the prophet, and died as a fool dieth, at Ramoth-Gilead. But Moses, Joshua and Caleb, displayed a wise and noble firmness, in conducting the children of Israel to the land of promise, notwithstanding all their unreasonable opposition and complaints. If we consult the history of rulers, we shall find firmness of mind to be one of the distinguishing features of every great and prosperous statesman. And how often did God enjoin it upon the rulers of Israel, "to be strong and of a good courage," in the discharge of their difficult and dangerous duties! There is no one thing, perhaps, more conducive to success in any important and difficult undertaking, than a firm, steady, unremitting spirit. And we have abundant reason to conclude, that this noble spirit had a large share of influence in promoting the success and prosperity of Daniel, in some of the most critical and hazardous situations of his public life. Fifthly. This same Daniel, who prospered so much under the most arbitrary princes, was a perfect pattern of inviolable integrity. By this is meant, that he always aimed to do justice, and to treat every man according to the eternal rule of right. As a ruler, he acted upon principle, in guarding the lives, the properties, and the characters of his subjects. Of this we have incontestable evidence, even the united testimony of his most malicious enemies. "Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault, forasmuch as he was faithful." It is very remarkable, that the most critical and malignant eyes could discover no blemish in the integrity of Daniel, through the whole course of his public conduct. But we are to remember that he had derived his moral sentiments from the pure source of divine inspiration. He had read with serious attention, the solemn charge which Moses delivered to the judges of Israel. "Hear the causes between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him. Ye shall not respect persons in judgment, but ye shall hear the small as well as the great: ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; the judgment is God's." He had felt the force of that divine admonition to every civil officer in every civil department: “That which is altogether just shalt thou follow." But perhaps no text in the Bible had a more steady, powerful, and practical influence upon his mind, than the last words which God put into the mouth of a dying statesman. "The God of Israel said, the rock of Israel spoke to me, He that ruleth over men must be just." The promotion of justice is the ultimate object of every branch of civil government. This is clearly and forcibly expressed by an eminent British writer. "We are," says he, "to look upon all the vast apparatus of our government as having ultimately no other object or purpose but the distribution of justice, or in other words, the support of the twelve judges. Kings and parliaments, fleets and armies, officers of the court and revenue, ambassadors, ministers, and privy-counsellors, are all subordinate in their end to this part of administration." If the support of justice be the ultimate design of all civil governments, then the exercise of justice must be the indispensable duty of all civil rulers. They are appointed, not so much to promote, as to defend the public interest. Though they have the power of enacting laws, yet they have no right to dissolve the solemn obligation of mutual contracts, nor to require any man to do a single act repugnant to that immutable justice which is founded in the nature of things. And though they do, in a sense, hold the purse-strings of the people, yet they have no right to dispose of the public property for any other purpose than the promotion of public justice. If they grant donations to particular corporations, or to particular persons, they ought to do it, not for the sake of those particular corporations or particular persons, but simply to promote the public good. Indeed, their whole public conduct ought to be regulated by the infallible standard of immutable justice. It is required of all stewards, whether sacred or civil, that a man be found faithful. Fidelity in civil rulers is, of all other virtues, the most acceptable to the people, who universally feel its happy influence in every condition of life. Hence mankind have always manifested an uncommon attachment to and veneration for those eminent rulers who have given uniform and unequivocal proofs of their moral rectitude. Aristides among the Greeks, Cato among the Romans, and Daniel among the Jews, will be forever celebrated for their incorruptible integrity. This is that sterling excellence in a statesman, which needs no inscription nor crowned head to give it a universal currency among all nations of the earth. It was this rare, shining, captivating virtue of integrity, that recommended Daniel to Jews and Babylonians, to Medes and Persians, to Darius and Cyrus, and to every other prince who employed him in public affairs. But, Finally. The prosperity of Daniel amidst all the burdens and dangers of public life, must be principally ascribed to his eminent piety and devotion. Like other men, who stood upon the pinnacle of power, he was continually exposed to the severest strokes of adversity. He came into administration in troublous times, and had a clear prophetic view of the dreadful convulsions which were just ready to seize an expiring empire; and whilst he sat in the king's gate, he was a spectator of many of those awful scenes which were a fulfilment of his own predictions. He saw the haughty king of Babylon shaken from his throne, driven from men, and degraded below the beasts that perish. He attended monarch after monarch to the silent mansions of the dead, and felt those heavy shocks which falling princes never fail to give. And he was personally involved in the horrors of that memorable night, which sunk a mighty empire in perpetual ruin. But none of these things moved him, because his heart was fixed, trusting in the Lord. Those national convulsions and revolutions which proved so fatal to others, all conspired to promote his personal prosperity and success. He secured the favor and protection of Heaven by his sincere and exemplary piety. He carried conviction to all around him, that he possessed a truly "divine and excellent spirit." His religion was neither a glowing enthusiasm, nor a gloomy superstition; but a pure and steady principle of universal benevolence. He gave God the supreme affection of his heart; and was neither afraid nor ashamed to profess the true religion, in the midst of a country and a court that were involved in the grossest idolatry. He extended his benevolent regards to all the children of men, whether Jews or Gentiles. He zealously promoted the cause of religion, and spent days and weeks in humble, fervent, effectual prayers for the prosperity of Zion. He walked within his house with a perfect heart, and every day called upon God at the head of his family. This he did, not because it was a common and reputable practice, but because it was a plain and important duty, which he owed to God, and to those whom God had committed to his care and instruction. His family devotion was known to his enemies as well as to his friends; and because there was nothing else to take hold of, his enemies took hold of this, as the only possible engine to work his ruin. Accordingly, they conspired together and obtained a royal decree, that "if any person should ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, except of the king, he should be cast into the den of lions." As soon as he knew the writing was signed, he went to his house, opened his windows, fell upon his knees, and three times a day prayed and gave thanks to God. This threw him into the hands of his enemies and out of the protection of his prince, who was constrained to expose him to the furious beasts of prey. But his heroic faith and fervent prayers stopped the mouths of lions, defeated the designs of his enemies, and smoothed the path of declining life with signal prosperity. VOL. II. 16 For it is in immediate reference to this astonishing event, that it is emphatically said in the words of our text: "So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian." I have now delineated the most prominent features of this great and amiable statesman. His life is a bright assemblage of all the human virtues. And it is a just and beautiful remark, that "the collected virtues of one man strike the mind much more forcibly and advantageously, than the scattered virtues of many." Permit me then to hold up the character of Daniel as a mirror, in which all persons, and especially those in places of power and trust, may clearly and sensibly discover both what they are and what they ought to be. The first thing suggested by this excellent character is, that great and good rulers are worthy of the highest respect. Who can contemplate the pious, virtuous, and useful life of Danie without paying him the sincere homage of the heart? Whilst he was acting his noble part on the stage of life, the happy influence of his public and private virtues commanded universal admiration and esteem. The greatest men in his day honored him beyond the bounds of duty, or even propriety.. Nebuchadnezzar prostrated himself at his feet, and paid him the excess of eastern complaisance. Darius gave him the strong est marks of sincere and ardent affection. Nor was he less esteemed in the court of Heaven. The supreme Ruler despatched an envoy-extraordinary to assure him, "he was greatly beloved" by his Maker, and by all the principalities and powers above. This was no unmeaning compliment, but a divine testimony to his just desert of universal love and respect. All civil rulers of the same character are. equally objects of the highest veneration and regard. They are ministers of God for good to the people, and the principal instruments of all their temporal prosperity. Though the inventors of arts and sciences, and the promoters of agriculture and commerce, deserve the public esteem; yet wise and faithful rulers have a better claim to universal gratitude and respect. For it is ultimately owing to their exertions, that mankind derive any real benefit from their labors, their studies, or any of their natural advantages. A people may flourish in all the arts of Italy, or abound in all the wealth of the Indies, and yet drag out a poor, miserable life, under the power and oppression of a cruel and rapacious tyrant. But just men, ruling in the fear of God, give a people the full enjoyment of all the blessings of Providence. Those rulers, therefore, who direct all their views to the public good, and exert all their power and influence to promote it, are great benefactors to the world, and deserve to be universally respected and revered. For this cause, therefore, God expressly commands every soul to be subject to the higher powers, not only for wrath, but also for conscience' sake; rendering to all in authority their dues; tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor. The pious and devout life of Daniel, in the next place, loudly admonishes civil rulers how much they are capable of doing, to promote the religious as well as civil interests of the people. The children of Israel were extremely addicted to the worship of idols, from the time they made the golden calf, to the time of their captivity in Babylon. But in that land of idols, the parent of idolatry, they were effectually and finally cured of their national sin. This great and extraordinary reformation, we must conclude, was brought about by the instrumentality of Daniel. The captive tribes were struck with his pious and exemplary conduct, in the midst of the worshippers of idols. They saw him pay. a strict and sacred regard to. those divine rites and ceremonies, which were designed to separate them from all the idolatrous nations. They saw him daily and devoutly worship the true God in his own family. They saw his faith and piety stop the lions' mouths. They heard, with deep conviction, proclamation after proclamation, published by the great monarchs of Babylon, giving honor to the God of Daniel, and pouring contempt upon every false and inferior deity. They were acquainted with his days of mourning, fasting, and prayer, for the revival of religion, and the prosperity of the church. In a word, they saw the purest piety constantly displayed in the life of a man, who was seated in the king's gate, and universally loved and revered. And is it a thing incredible, that the pious example and influence of such a great and renowned ruler should awe the minds of a whole nation, and constrain them to cast all their idols to the moles and to the bats for ever? The living example of other religious rulers has had the same transforming influence upon the minds of their subjects. We read, "The people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua." Among the pious kings of Judah, do we find one, who ever failed to bring about a visible reformation in piety and virtue? And is it not equally true, that pious rulers, by their personal example and influence, have actually formed the moral and religious character of the people in this land? We know, that so long as all the governors, senators, and representatives of this Commonwealth, were public professors and zealous promoters of religion, the Sabbaths were sanctified; the houses of |