And it is from this principle alone that any real good can flow. Nothing but piety can produce a perfect uniformity of conduct. The corruptions of human nature are too strong to be overcome by any thing but the grace of God. A man may indeed be a wise and experienced statesman, though he fail in the practice of religion and virtue. But no man can maintain, for a long course of years, and under every possible complication of difficulties, a conduct which shall not be open to some degree of censure, especially from those who " watch and wait for his halting ; " unless he be assisted from on high, and be in the habit of walking as in the presence of the omniscient God. To this, then, I would call you in the first instance, since without it all human efforts will be in vain. Let your hearts be right with God. Come to him as sinners, in the name of his dear Son. Obtain from him a sense of acceptance with him, and a confidence in him as your recon- ciled God and Father. Beg of him to write his law upon your hearts, so that you may have an unerring standard, to which to refer every motion of your minds. Look to him for the assistance of his good Spirit under all difficulties ; and make it your constant aim to please him. Then will you have within your own bosoms a compass, by which you may find your path in safety through this trackless wilderness ; whilst your eye is directed to his law as your rule, and his glory as your end.]
2. Wisdom —
[In this he must have excelled in a very extraordinary degree ; else he never could have conducted himself so unex- ceptionably as he did, for many years together, in circum- stances so intricate and arduous as his. The Queen of Babylon's account of him to King Belshazzar was, " There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods ; and, in the days of thy father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in himd." And Ezekiel, in the very life-time of Daniel, spake of him as emi- nently distinguished in this respecte. Indeed, this was the chief ground of the preference given to him by the King of Persia above all the native princes: " He was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him1.
In us, too, should this be found ; nor can we without it hope to be held in estimation by any, except a few kind and partial friends. To those who are enemies of religion, we shall only give disgust, if our piety be not under the direction and control of wisdom. It is certain that many well-meaning people give
d Dan. v. 10, 11. e Ezek. xxviii. 3. f ver. 3.