SERMON IV.

THE THREE HEBREWS IN THE FURNACE.

"Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; therefore he spake and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.

"And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace."-DANIEL, iii. 19, 20.

"I am no hypocrite. I make no profession of religion"—that is to say, you boast of your open and consistent enmity to God.

This is not the worst. This impiety of conversation, which we every day hear, if it means anything, insinuates of course that a profession of religion can never be sincerely made that there is no such thing as true piety; and proves the people who talk thus to be, not only sinners in their lives, but infidels in their hearts.

I only wish these cynics would study the narrative now before us. It is said that no one can enter the presence of that matchless statue, the Apollo Belvidere, without instinctively standing erect, without feeling his own form at once dilate and become taller and nobler; and the man is to be pitied, who can contemplate the

moral grandeur of these youthful heroes, without being conscious of I know not what elevation of heart and purpose. A true soul will turn from the record of such undaunted loyalty to God and conscience, with a fresh outfit of faith and hope. For my own part, whenever I am discouraged and dejected, I read this chapter; and never do I finish, but I find myself repeating these words of our poet,

"Thus though oft depressed and lonely,

All my fears are laid aside,

If I but remember only,

Such as these have lived and died."

I. In unfolding the lessons of the text, let us begin with the narrative, let us analyze this passage in the history of our race; for there are several desultory but very instructive reflections which it at once suggests to our minds. And, first, who can look at the scene here portrayed, without blushing for the degeneracy and corruption of our race?

The spectacle presents a brilliant panorama. The morning is bright, and the eastern sun is kindling a blaze all over the plain of Dura, as its beams are reflected from silver and gold and diamonds, in which princes, satraps, peers, the whole jewelled aristocracy of that magnificent court, are arrayed. High on a throne of royal state, gorgeous with barbaric pomp and splendor, sits the Chaldean monarch. And from the centre of this oriental and most imposing pageant, soars aloft, glittering and dazzling, the colossal image, the cynosure

of every eye-attracting the admiration and homage of that uncounted multitude.

The spectacle is grand; but what an exhibition of human nature! The Apostle represents all nature as groaning under the disorders of the present economy. And look where I will, I am shocked by the revolting contrast between the beauty of the natural world and the depravity of the beings who inhabit that world. I place myself in the midst of this landscape. The entire plain is one garden. On every side I behold the earth carpeted with the softest green, enamelled with a flushing luxuriance of variegated and fragrant flowers. Cool fountains gush up in the groves, and transparent streams murmur through the valley. I breathe delicious odors. I am refreshed by the balmiest zephyrs. Heaven and earth are rejoicing in their loveliness.

From nature I turn to man, and what do I find? Recollect, here is no mob of the ignorant and brutal, but the monarch and his patricians-all the gathered wisdom, refinement, honor, of the empire. And what do we detect in them? Detect, did I say? What do we see openly and superciliously displayed in them all? Idolatry, hostility to God, selfishness, cruelty, the most vindictive malice. In this countless host what a diversity of talent and taste and character; but those detestable passions reign in every bosom. And this depravity flows from an inexhaustible fountain in the human heart. "Out of the heart," says Jesus, "proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye,

blasphemy, foolishness. All these come from within." They are not accidents, temporary diseases caused by external agencies, and which may be removed. They "come from within"-issue naturally from hearts which are corrupt, and will continue corrupt until the Holy Spirit shall purify them.

Men and brethren, we know that "God created man in his own image," and pronounced him "very good." We know, therefore, what is man's normal condition. The proper character of an angel is that of a being who loves and worships God. You cannot conceive him the reverse of this, without feeling that he is fallen. The natural, normal state of man is that of a being who adores his Creator, and loves his fellow-man with a brother's tender affection. Whence, then-if we deny that first catastrophe which was not only a crime, but a crisis, changing altogether our primeval glory—whence has it come to pass, that wherever we meet company of human beings, no matter how refined, we take it for granted they have no piety, no love for God? and that, not only in this Babylonish empire, but in all the population of the earth, superstition, enmity to God, envy, hatred, malice, selfishness in every form, are the ruling passions? What a frightful degeneracy this. And what a proof of our depravity, that such a hideous phenomenon affects us so little, is really not regarded at all.

That this prevalence of moral evil in the world is an awful mystery, I at once admit; nor, when revolving this dismal truth, can a devout mind find any relief but in the assurance that unerring though inscrutable Wis

dom is ordering all things so as to accomplish the purposes of perfect goodness. This, however, is certain, that if God have a controversy with men, they on their part are not backward to urge this controversy with unrelenting malignity.

In all this multitude here are only three men who worship the true God, and what have they done? whom have they injured? They hold high offices and are honored by all for their incorruptible fidelity. Their only crime is their piety, and for this they are marked off and hated. Nor has it ever been otherwise. Whereever loyal servants of Jehovah have arisen, they have attracted the fiercest hostility. Kings and rulers, priests and people, have taken counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed; hunting for the precious blood; and, like Herod and Pilate, quelling all private feuds, while conspiring for the destruction of the saints.

Brethren, it is simple mockery to speak of liberty, if the mind and conscience be not free. Yet where can we look, if men have power, without seeing that power despotically warring against spiritual freedom?

The persons, the property, the lives of his subjects are at the absolute disposal of the Chaldean autocrat. This, however, is not enough. His imperial mandate shall control their religion, shall fetter their souls. Nor was this haughty arrogance peculiar to that day or that kingdom. It is the very spirit which now proscribes and persecutes the disciples of Christ in Europe, in Christian, nay in Protestant Europe, so called.