[Nothing but equity is ascribed to God; nothing but shame is taken to themselves : " O Lord ! righteousness be- longeth unto thee ; but unto us confusion of face." He does not utter one word in extenuation of their guilt, or one com- plaint against the Divine judgments : he declares rather, that, to whatever extremities God might proceed, he could not but be righteous; and that, whatever mercies they might expe- rience at his hands, nothing but the deepest self-abasement could ever become them. Thus he gives the most decisive evidence of true repentance, and exhibits an admirable pattern for penitents in all ages.]
Having briefly illustrated this confession of Daniel, we shall,
II. Found upon it some suitable and appropriate
1. We have the same sins to confess —
[Without entering into any distinctions founded on the different terms which are here accumulated, let us only take the general division before mentioned, and call to mind our transgression of God's commandments, and our contempt of his reproofs.
Which of the commandments have we not broken ? We may perhaps imagine, that, though we may have violated some, we are guiltless respecting others. But, alas ! if we take our Saviour's exposition of them, and remember, that an angry word is murder, and an impure look adultery, we shall find reason to bemoan our transgression of them all
Nor is it any small aggravation of our guilt that we have despised those warnings and invitations which he has sent us in the Gospel. The ministers of Christ have testified against our ways from Sabbath to Sabbath, and from year to year : yet how few have hearkened to their voice ! " how few have turned from their evil ways ! how few have heartily embraced his salvation, or devoted themselves unfeignedly to his service ! Let us in particular enter into our own bosoms, and consider what improvement we have made of the truths delivered to
us If we do this in sincerity, we shall be at no loss for
matter of humiliation before God.]
2. We have the same God to go unto —
[We do not like to think of God's majesty ; but he is, as much as ever, " a great and terrible God :" the Apostle justly observes, " Our God is a consuming fire." Let us not dream of a God all mercy : the Deity is just as well as merciful ; and it will be found " a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God "
On the other hand, the goodness of God is unalterable. He is still merciful to all who lay hold on his covenant ; and will assuredly fulfil to them all the promises of that covenant. Heaven and earth may fail ; but not a jot or tittle of his word shall ever fail
Let us entertain just conceptions of the Divine character ; and we shall have a frame of mind suited to our condition ; we shall be under the joint influence of hope and fear ; of hope without presumption, and of fear without despondency.]
3. We ought to approach him in the same man- ner—
[We should carefully prepare our minds for communion with God. The neglect of this is the reason that we so seldom
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obtain real fellowship with him. We should not lay aside, as it is to be feared we do, the duty of fasting : we should set apart seasons for more than ordinary humiliation ; and more especially improve those seasons which are set apart by public authority.
We should search out our iniquities with diligence: and, instead of leaning to the side of self-vindication, should learn to justify God and to condemn ourselves. Nor shall we ever have our hearts right with him, till we can say, ' God will be righteous, though he should cast me into hell ; and nothing but confusion of face will become me, even though I were as holy as Daniel himself.'