Safe, Though Surrounded By Sin
(No. 3535)
A SERMON PUBLISHED ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1916.
DELIVERED BY C. H. SPURGEON,
AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE, NEWINGTON, ON LORD'S-DAY EVENING,
AUGUST 8, 1869.
"Unto You will I cry, O Lord, my Rock. Do not be silent to me, lest if
You are silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit."
Psalm 28:1.
[The original title of this sermon was SAFE, THOUGH SIN-SURROUNDED]
I HAVE no doubt that the first and most natural meaning of these words
is this, that David passed through such mental distress, such
accumulated grief, that unless his prayer should bring him consolation
from Heaven, he felt that he must despair and so become like those who
sink into everlasting despair, going down into the pit of Hell. I think
it is a cry against his misery which vexed him–an earnest petition
that he might not have to suffer so long as to drive him into that same
despair which is the eternal inheritance of lost souls.
But in reading the other day Masillon's Reflections of the Psalms, I
noticed that that eminent French preacher gives quite another turn to
the passage, and he seems to regard this as being the prayer of David
when he was exposed to the association of the ungodly, fearful lest he
should become in character like those that go down into the pit, and
even if that should not be the first meaning of the text, it seems to
me to be a natural inference from it, and if not, still the thought,
itself, is one which contains so much of holy caution about it that I
desire to commend it to all my Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus
tonight, and especially to such as are usually exposed to danger from
evil society. We will begin, then, by remarking that–
I. MANY OF THE BEST OF GOD'S SAINTS ARE CALLED IN THE ORDER OF
PROVIDENCE TO BE TRIED BY EVIL COMPANIONSHIP.
"I pray not that You should take them out of the world," said Christ,
"but that You should keep them from the Evil One." Hence we are not
shut up in monasteries or nunneries. We have not to–
"Lodge in some vast wilderness, Some boundless contiguity of shade." We
are placed in the midst of our fellow men! We are not even placed among
a selected body of men, but for the most part we are thrown down in the
midst of society and, in the case of some, the society which they must
inevitably keep is of the very worst and most dangerous kind. I say
that first of all. This is, in a measure, the case with all, or nearly
all of us. We are placed in a world in which there is nothing that is
friendly to Grace, but everything that is opposed to the spiritual
life. That man must be very happily circumstanced, indeed, who does not
find himself a stranger in a strange land, and a foreigner among aliens
who do not understand him! Go out into the world at all, and you have
need to put your armor on, for it is an enemy's country. There is no
profession, no form of labor, no walk of life, no publicity, no
retirement in which the Christian is not, in some measure, exposed to
the deteriorating influence of ungodly society. As long as we are in
this world, it must, in a measure, be so. There are few, indeed, who
are screened from this danger, but there are some who are peculiarly
exposed to it–some in the highest walks of life. It is not easy to be
a Christian and to be among the great. "Gold and the Gospel," said John
Bunyan very truly, "seldom agree." The high mountains are cold. The
tops of the hills–the tempest sweeps along them. We have had mournful
examples, lately, that the most eminent rank does not secure morality
or guidance, even by the rules of commonsense. I have been inclined,
lately, when I have read the papers, to interpret the term, "the scum
of society," to refer to those who float on the top, for certainly
there is no rank of society that could have figured more abominably in
the Divorce Court, no rank of society that could have exhibited itself
so detestably upon the racecourse, than the peerage of this realm! And
unless God mends the manners of the Right Hono-
rables, their names will have to be Right Abominables–the term will be
more suitable to them by far! It is difficult, depend upon it, to be
great and to be good! No man need, then, be very ambitious to climb to
the high places. Brains swim when risen aloft, that had been calm
enough below. Be contented where you are, and rest satisfied with
Agar's portion, who prayed, "Give me neither poverty nor riches."
It must be difficult, too, for a man to keep himself free from the
contamination of company in what are called the lowest ranks. Oh, how
many of you, Christian Brothers, there are, the sons of toil–pure, and
good, and holy men– who have tomorrow morning to go and mix with those
who insert almost every sentence with an oath! I remember it was the
complaint of one of our Sisters in the Poor House, not that the diet
was sparse, not that the bed was hard, but that the language used by
those with whom she must associate vexed her soul! Only in the lowest
ranks men do not cover up their profanity. They have not learned that
politeness which can blaspheme God secretly, but they speak right out
their enmity and they couch their offensive thoughts of the Most High
in the most offensive words! And hence the people of God thrust into
such society are like holy Lot in the midst of Sodom who was vexed with
the filthy conversation of the ungodly! Oh, dear young people, be very
thankful, you that are yet nestling under the wing of parental care and
have not to go into a rough and wicked world! I am afraid for some of
you good young creatures to join the Church, lest your piety should not
stand the test of this rough world, when you must, by-and-by, be thrust
out into it! And you, my Brothers and Sisters, who, through the
goodness of Providence are kept from being exposed to the temptations
peculiar to the extremes of life, be very grateful, but, as you have
less to contend with in this respect, bring forth more fruit unto God
and seek to be more eminent Christians because of the advantages of
your circumstances!
Yet Brothers and Sisters, I may as well come back to where I started. I
suppose that we are, all of us, in whatever way of life we may be
walking, exposed more or less to the associations of those who are not
the servants of Christ. What business could a man select in which he
would find that all with whom he had to deal were Christians? If there
were, indeed, a parish of All Saints, it might be a very desirable
place for residence, though I hardly know whether any man would be
right in going to live there, since God's objective in making saints on
earth at all is that by casting them like salt in the midst of the
earth, they may work for good and savor the mass. You must, you must
mix, more or less, with those who will tempt you! Do not be in a hurry,
therefore, to change your position in life. If it is not, in itself,
sinful–in case it is so, give it up tomorrow–but if it is not, in
itself, sinful, stand not aghast at its peculiar temptations! There are
temptations elsewhere. You may go from the frying pan into the fire, as
the old proverb has it, very readily. In getting out of one temptation,
you may soon get into another and, on the whole, probably the
temptation that is troubling you most is the best that you can have. It
is the temptation that would not trouble you that would be the most
dangerous, and when a man's cross has been long on his shoulder, it
begins to fit him–and he had better not change it for another. In
every condition it is your lot to be crying to God for help, but do not
be earnest to get out of the fire. This much the first point, then. The
second is this. It appears from the text that–
II. THE GREAT DANGER OF GOOD MEN IS LEST THEY SHOULD BECOME LIKE THE
UNGODLY
THROUGH ASSOCIATION WITH THEM.
Brothers and Sisters, I shall speak very much from observation, actual
observation and, I fear, also partly from personal experience, when I
briefly describe the way in which association with the ungodly tends to
make Christians like they are.
First, it too frequently happens that the Christian's testimony is
silenced. We always try to make excuses for not doing what it is
disagreeable to do. Now it is the duty of the Christian, wherever he
may be, to bear witness for his Lord, but self-love and the love of
ease come in and they say, "You must not make religion offensive! You
must not cast your pearls before swine–you must not bore people with
your godliness." This is said to be prudent and, to a great extent, it
is prudent, but it is the easiest thing in all the world to think that
we are prudent when we are really cowardly–and to make it out that we
are using judgment when, instead thereof, we are only trying to protect
ourselves from the sneers and jeers of the wicked! It is an easy thing
only to bear witness for our Lord in the midst of those who thank us
for so doing and who confirm our testimony–but to stand out for Christ
before the congregation of the wicked–this is not so easy a task and
oftentimes, when the good man has found himself in evil company, he has
been tempted, as he thinks by a due regard for prudence, not to say
anything for his Lord and Master. Now, in this, you become like they
who go down into the pit of Hell! They do not praise God. They are
silent about Christ. They talk not of the preciousness of His blood–
they speak not of His eternal and unchangeable love. You speak not,
either, and therein you become like they. Who shall tell the difference
when both are silent?
The next stage is when the Christian does actually fear, though he may
not think he does, the sneers of his associates. You are like they the
moment you are afraid of them! They have discovered in you a likeness
to themselves the moment you tremble at them! But there are some
tongues so foul, some whose wit is so sharp, whose remarks are so
sarcastic that it is not to be quite marveled at that Christians are
afraid to be thorough Christians in their presence! And yet, my
Brothers and Sisters, what is there to be afraid of in the greatest man
that ever breathed? What is there in our holy Christianity that we wish
to cover up, to conceal in the presence of the most skeptical, the most
witty, the most severe of the sons of men? Who are you that you should
be afraid of man and the son of man who is but as a moth or a worm?
Your Lord has given you in charge His precious Truth, and to live out
that Truth of God in your own proper character–and will you, for fear
of a feeble man, hide and conceal, and cover up with a bushel the Light
your God has given you? Ah, then this is, indeed, to become like they,
for they who fear man more than God make man their god! And what is
this but to be idolatrous and to be godless? God deliver us from this!
Another tendency will next crop up, and that is the inclination in
Christian people to just yield a point or two. We are told that we must
not be too precise and severe. Have I not often heard words like these,
"If we exhibit too much of the Puritanism of religion, we shall
probably disgust those with whom we associate–and more especially
youthful minds will be repelled by the severity of our piety"? Oh, I
could laugh, if I did not weep, when I hear men talk so, for to tell me
that in this age there is any fear of any man being too severely
Puritanical is to assert the thing that is not! It is a lax age. Their
tackling is loosed, the old landmarks are pulled up! Principles–why,
what do men care for principles, nowadays? There is no fear of being
too tight and too precise, and if it were not so in this age, yet since
we serve a jealous God we need never be afraid that we can be too
jealous of our own hearts! George the Third, in his older days, did
some very curious things which, very frequently, made people think him
insane–but there was a kind of method in all his madness! One day he
met a Quaker gentleman, and accosted him, and was introduced to his
wife. George said, "And are you one of the Society of Friends, Madam?"
She said she was. "Isn't there a little too much lace there" he said,
putting his hand on some portion of her dress. She said, "Well, I have
deviated a little from strictness, I am sorry to say." "And I am sorry
to see it, Madam," he said, "for when people once get away from their
strictness, they generally go a very long way from it." And there is
very much truth in that. Albeit I am not speaking now about dress, but
merely quote it as an instance, still, it is so, that when Christian
people tolerate a little sin, they will tolerate a great sin–and when
they give up some little point of virtue, they will give up some great
point. "No," says the thief. "I do not mean to break open that door!
No, I do not mean to try and force my way into that house." There is a
little window, just a little window there, and here is a very little
boy, and you mean to put him in? "Yes," and when that little boy is in,
he opens the big door, and the burglar enters! And it is so with the
Church of God. Some little sin, as men will have it–some little
deflection from the rigid line of right is tolerated–and then the door
is open and all manner of mischief comes in thereby. God grant that we
may not, by giving way here and there, pull down the bulwarks of our
Church and so make the children of God to become like those that go
down into the pit of Hell!
There is a point, my Brothers and Sisters, I would bring before you in
which oftentimes, I am afraid, Christians become like ungodly men–and
that is in joining in a laugh over a jest which almost compels
laughter, but which is not altogether clean. George Herbert tells us
that in a jest we should take the wit, but leave out that which is
evil, for–
"He pares his apple that would cleanly feed," but it is not always easy
to pare the apple just at the time. When a Christian in company is seen
to laugh over a doubtful jest, he has committed himself far farther
than he thinks. It were much better if he drew himself up and said, "I
could laugh with you at what little wit may sparkle in that quotation,
but I cannot endorse the sentiment with which it is accompanied, nor
allow it to pass without entering my protest against it." Do we always
do so? I am afraid that almost always we neglect the doing of that and,
in that respect, we become like those that go down into the pit of
Hell.
Ah, Brothers and Sisters, how easy it is for us to fall little by
little into the ways of the ungodly, to get to do as they do, and talk
as they talk, and act as they act–and though on the Sabbath we take a
different rule, yet on the weekday how much is the life of the
professed Christian like that of the ungodly? I am not here to impeach
the common Christianity of the age, but, if I were, what an impeachment
might be brought against it! It is, alas, too true that many a
tradesman who is a professing Christian is no more to be trusted than
his infidel neighbor–that the Christian merchant is not proof against
the injurious influence of the custom of his trade! We have had good
men, whom, God forbid, that we should censure too severely, who ought
to have stood out against the methods of mercantile finance in years
gone by, but who fell into the custom of the rest and, therefore, the
worldcan scarcely condemn them, but from the judgment of the
Christian teacher, they cannot go unscathed! They ought to have known
and to have done better. It is no excuse for a Christian that it was
the custom of the business! He has no right to make himself the slave
of men, nor yield to custom. Follower of Christ, independence of mind
in carrying out integrity of purpose is that which you are bound to
exhibit– and which the Holy Spirit will help you to achieve! May the
day come when it shall not be our sorrowful task to have to utter such
sentiments, but we are obliged to utter them now! And we beg Believers
here to put up the prayer, and pray tonight that God would let His
voice be heard in your hearts, lest you should become like they who go
down into the pit
of Hell!
Brothers, just one moment here. There is nothing more horrible that I
know of than that a man who professes to have been washed in the blood
of Christ should defile himself as others do! What a dishonor to that
dear name before which the angels bow, that we who wear it should act
as Christ's enemies do! Paul says, "I tell you, even weeping, that
there are some who are the enemies of the Cross of Christ, for their
god is their belly; their end is destruction; they glory in their
shame"–and these were professors! Nothing can be worse for the
Church–nothing more disastrous to the world–than for Christians to
become like the unconverted! The flood came upon the earth when the
sons of God entered into alliance with the daughters of men. The day of
chastisement is always near the day of sin–and the day when the godly
assimilate with the Christless will be the prelude of the great
overwhelming flood of fire that shall sweep away the earth! Do let us,
if we would bless our age, be firm for the right and for the Truth of
God! If we would be happy, ourselves, if we would honor and glorify
Christ, let our prayer constantly be that we may not be as the wicked
are. But I must not tarry longer, for I have to notice, in concluding–
III. THE REMEDY TO WHICH DAVID RESORTED AGAINST THE DANGEROUS TENDENCY
WHICH HE FELT.
David was a great deal better man than we might have expected him to be
in the position he occupied. When you hear persons condemn the glaring
fall of David, you may join in their condemnation, but you may also ask
them to remember the remarkable circumstances in which David was found.
The sin which David committed, great and grievous as it was, was all
too common–what if I say isall too common–in a soldier's life! The
first part of David's life he spent as a captain of free-booters. That
word does not quite describe his band, for they were not lawless
robbers, but they were men, we are told, who were discontented and who
fled from regular government–and we know from their character and
conduct that they were rough, unbridled soldiers who would never have
been governed by anyone less strong in character than David. Now
associations like these he must often have felt to be extremely
dangerous to his spirit.
Notice, then, what this practical Christian used as his remedy. It was
prayer–prayer with an earnest cry. He felt as if he were slipping and
he cried, "Lord, grasp me, hold me! Arrest the sliding of these feet."
It was a cry such as a child uses when it is lost, and it cries for its
mother–a piteous cry of sorrow, of fear, of alarm. "My God, my
Father," he seems to say, "I beseech You interpose. I slide. I fall.
The precipice is beneath me–the ungodly seek to thrust me over
it–come to my rescue, my God! Make haste and come to my rescue now."
Now, if David used prayer, I will confirm that by reminding you of
David's Master. When the Lord Jesus Christ was here upon earth he had
many temptations to sin. His heart was not like yours and mine, a
tinderbox to catch every spark of temptation but yet even He could not
live here without much prayer. I say not that He could have sinned, but
I do say that His holy Nature seemed instinctively to understand that
it must use prayer, that it must use muchprayer in order to constantly
cast off the temptations of the world! Cold mountains, therefore, and
the midnight air continually witnessed to the intercessions and
pleadings of Christ when He held communion with His God.
I shall not need, I think, to spend even a moment in making the
personal application, and yet I will do so, after all, on second
thought. If there is a working man here who is called to work with many
men who are drunks and blasphemers, let him take this word of advice
tonight–pray twice as much as if you worked with the godly! If there
is a young woman here placed in peculiar circumstances of temptation,
let me say–keep up your communion with God with greater earnestness
than if you were living at home with Christian parents! Pray more! Pray
more intently! Live nearer to God in communion. When a man is sick of
some disease that takes away his strength, the physician urges him to
take a more liberal diet. So with you. Live better, now that there are
greater drains upon your spiritual constitution–if you do not do so
you will be sorely sick, but if you maintain this, you will be kept
above the evil.
But I need your attention, in closing, to the last thought suggested by
the text. The objective of David's prayer was that he might hear the
voice of God in his soul, "lest," says he, "if You are silent to me, I
become like those who go down to the pit."
IV. WHAT, THEN, WAS THIS VOICE OF GOD WHICH DAVID DESIRED TO HEAR?
Let me guess at it for a minute. Was it not, first, that voice which
would awaken sacred memories You have been exposed to temptation, my
Brothers and Sisters, and you are ready to yield, but a voice reminds
you of the day of your first espousals when your heart was warm towards
Christ–of the days of your Baptism, when you were buried with Christ,
professing to be dead to the world! It reminds you of the solemn vows
that you made in years gone by, of solemn declarations that were
registered before high Heaven that you would be firm and faithful, and
keep Covenant with God. What? Will you, you, you–will you sin? A
member of a Christian Church, one whose head has been leaning on
Christ's bosom, one who has heard His voice and rejoiced in it–can
you, can you turn aside? Perhaps you have an invitation for
tomorrow–can you accept it when it involves sin? It may be that this
very night you would have fallen, but by the recollection of those holy
and happy seasons that you have had at the Lord's Table, those times of
private payer, those hours when it was well with you, and you did walk
with God, the still small voice of God calls to you, "What are you
doing here, Elijah? Servant of God, what have you to do in the way of
Assyria, to drink the waters of the muddy river? Turn aside from the
ways of sin and seek your God."
That voice would do something more, however, than startle the
recollections of memory–it was intended to infuse vigor and courage.
Sometimes a captain's voice has been known to win a battle, when the
ranks are beginning to waver, when the pikes of the enemy are pushing
forward. Here he comes–the gallant captain, always first in every
charge. "'Tis he! 'Tis he!" they say, and he comes to the front and
cries, "Will you flee before them? Will you play the coward?
Standard-bearer, unfurl the banner and advance!" And at that word, so
full of fire, and force, and energy, the enemy is made to quail, and on
they dash and the victory is won! My God, let me hear Your voice within
my soul just after that sort. When I shall begin to run before my
spiritual foes, when association with them has almost overthrown me,
let me hear the voice of Him who endured such contradiction of sinners
against Himself–and my Leader's voice, as it calls me on, shall
re-animate my spirit that I may win the day!
The voice of God, moreover, may be regarded as that which actually
impels the soul. "Let there be light," said God, and light flitted
through the darkness. God's voice creates, upholds, strengthens,
perfects! And when God's voice comes into the heart of a sinking
Christian, when that Christian thinks, "It is no use standing out any
longer. I may as well give it up and become as others are"–then if
that voice comes, it speaks to the heart and it throbs healthily! It
speaks to the judgment, and it puts no longer bitter for sweet! It
speaks to the will, and the will becomes firm for the right and for the
truth! God's voice, that breaks the rocks and splits the cedars of
Lebanon, inspirits and encourages the heart of the Believer! Put up
your prayer, then, tonight, you that are much tried and tempted, "Lord,
let me hear Your voice! Let me hear it every morning before I go into
the world." Beloved, never look man in the face till you have seen the
face of God! Oh, lock up your hearts every morning by prayer and give
God the key, so that no evil may get in while you are out of doors. Oh,
you do not know how some members of this Church grieve us by their
inconsistency! I would sooner bury you than that you should sin so as
to grieve God's Spirit and cause the enemy to blaspheme. The Lord has
kept many, many of you with garments white and unspotted, but if you
want our hearts to break, profess to be Christians, and then go into
sin!
May the Lord keep you, my Beloved, keep you fast and firm amidst this
crooked and perverse generation! You young people, you young men and
women–may the Lord grant that none of you may ever turn your backs in
the day of battle! And you old people–the greatest pain we have ever
had has been brought to this Church not by young people, but by old
people! It is the old fools that are the biggest fools when they are
fools! When old people are wise, they are the wisest–but when they are
foolish, they are the most foolish! God keep the aged, and preserve
their reverend heads, that they may not disgrace them, but may be a
crown of glory to them! The Lord keep the pastors, keep the Elders, be
with you all, and keep you all pure and unspotted from the world! This
is our prayer and desire. God grant it, for Jesus' sake. Amen.
EXPOSITION BY C. H. SPURGEON: DANIEL 6.
Verses 1-3. It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and
twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom. And over these
three governors, of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give
accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage. Then this
Daniel was preferred above the governors and princes, because an
excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the
whole realm. Kings are never satisfied. The empire of Darius was always
growing–and a Chapter or two farther on we find that he had 127
provinces. There is no end to the greediness of man, and what does he
get by it, after all? One pair of hands can only do one man's work! He
only gains more toils and he has now to distribute the cares of his
State among others. Then how good it is for any man when he is guided
to a right, honest and hearty helper! Such was the lot of Darius. How
advantageous, too, it may be for the people of God when a man like
Daniel is put in the high places of the land! Doubtless he was exalted,
not only for his own sake, but that he might be as a bronze shield and
bulwark for the people of God in that foreign land. No extortions would
now be committed on the Jewish race, for they had a friend at court.
Blessed be God, we have a Friend at court, too, One who will take up
our cause and speak for us to the King of Kings!
4. Then the governors and princes sought to find occasion against
Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no occasion nor
fault.Who can stand before envy? High places furnish very uncomfortable
seats, for even if God exalt a man, men will try to pull him down! But
he is an honorable man, indeed, who puts his enemies to their shifts
before they can find anything against him.
4-7. Forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault
found in him. Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion
against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the Law
of his God. Then these governors andprinces assembled together to the
king, andsaid thus unto him, King Darius live forever! All the
governors of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the
counselors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a
royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whoever shall ask
apetition ofany God or man for thirty days, save ofyou,
King, he shall be cast into the den of lions.We do not know with what
ingenious arguments they moved the king's mind to pass this, but we
think we can conceive them. He had just conquered Chaldea–they would,
therefore, say, "It will be an excellent test of the obedience of your
new subjects if you touch them upon the point of their religion–try
whether they will, for 30 days abstain from addressing their deities."
Perhaps, too, since Darius had a colleague on the throne, the younger
Cyrus, who was much more popular than he, they may have egged him on by
hinting that Cyrus was much too vain and that, therefore, if he would
not allow anyone to address a petition, even to Cyrus, for 30 days, it
would tend to show who was really loyal to Darius and would also test
the temper of Cyrus. I cannot tell how they did it, but somehow or
other they managed to lead the foolish old man to carry out their
designs.
8. Now, O King, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be
not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which
alters not.The Babylonians entrusted their king with absolute power.
Hence he could will this or that as he chose. The Persians believed
their kings to be possessed of perfect wisdom–hence they never allowed
a law to be changed, for that would be to suppose that the king who
made it had made a mistake–a thing which could by no possibility ever
occur. There is an amusing instance given by a modern traveler, who
tells us that a few years ago one of the later Persian kings said he
would never leave his tent in the plains until the snow had gone from
some mountains to which he pointed. It happened to be a very late
summer and the snow was long in melting–and his gracious majesty had
to keep his place in his tent, while his troops were perishing with
fever in a low marsh district, until they procured men to sweep the
snow from the tops of the mountains in order that he might be able to
move. It is inconvenient for men to play God–they cannot do it without
bringing serious difficulty and danger upon themselves. So did Darius
on this occasion.
1 never like men who, when they speak a hasty word, say they cannot
change it. Rash vows are better broken than kept. You had no right to
say you would do the thing, much less have you any right to do it when
you have said you would do it. However, the law of the Medes and
Persians could not be altered.
9. 10. Therefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree. Now
when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his
house.That is right. The less we have to do with man, and the more we
have to do with God, the better. He did not go to the king to complain,
but he went into his house to tell his God about it!
10. And his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem–That
much-loved city, though now in ruins. 10. He kneeled upon his knees
three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he
did before. 'Twas
bravely done. A man in a meaner position might have carried out his
devotions in private without sin, but not so Daniel. He is a
representative man–he must not play the coward–it is incumbent upon
him to be more especially and deliberately public in all that he does,
for if he is seen to slink in ever so small a degree, then all the
saints will lose heart.
11-13. Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making
supplication before his God. Then they came near, and spoke before the
king concerning the king's decree: Have you not signed a decree, that
every man that shall ask a petition of any god or man within thirty
days, save of you, O King, shall be cast into the den of lions? The
king answered andsaidd, Thee thing is true. According to thee law of
thee Mede and Persians, which alters not. Then answered they and said
before the king, That Daniel–Here is impudence! But they called Jesus
Christ, "this Fellow." Why, Daniel was the chief of the governors, the
prime minister of the king, and yet they said, "That Daniel." Evil
hearts generally have evil mouths, and what can you expect but evil
words out of evil mouths?
13. That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah.
That captive, that slave, that serf–so they seemed to put it,
forgetting that he was their master by virtue of his high office.
13-14. Regards notyou, O King, nor the decree that you havesigned, but
makes hispetition three times a day. Then the king, when he heard these
words, was sorely displeased with himself There was a little conscience
left. Calvin did not like the man at all. He said, "What right had he
to hastily sign a decree which might take away the lives of the best
men in his dominion? And his repentance does not seem to be a
repentance of the act, but only of the consequences."
14. And set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he labored till the
going down of the sun to deliver him. Here was a great king, made
himself out to be a god, and yet he cannot have his own way! When that
famous potter, who was a true Christian, was brought before the king,
the king said to him, "Unless you change your views, I shall be
compelled to have you burned." "Ah," said Bernard de Palissy, "you are
a king and yet say, 'I shall be compelled,' and I am a poor potter, but
no man can make me use those words–I will be compelled to do nothing
against my conscience.'" Oh, the holy bravery of men who are saved!
When Bonner had one of the martyrs before him, he said, "I will
convince you! Blazing wood will convince you!" "A fig for your wood,"
said the man, "or a wagon-load of them. I can stand and burn better
than you can wear your miter." So the saints of God are strong and can
bid defiance to the adversary through Divine Grace.
15. Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king,
Know, O King, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, that no decree
nor statute which the king establishes may be changed. This is the
reason of his deliverance, not his innocence, but his faith–we are
told by Paul that it was faith that shut the mouths of lions.
16-24. Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him
into the den of lions. Now the king spoke and said unto Daniel, Your
God, whom you serve continually, He wiil deliver you. And a stone was
brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it
with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose
might not be changed concerning Daniel Then the king went to his
palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of music
brought before him: and his sleep went from him. Then the king arose
very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions. And
when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel:
and the king spoke and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living
God, is your God, whom you serve continually, able to deliver you from
the lions? Then saidDaniel unto the king, O King, live forever! My God
has sent His angel, and has shut the lions' months, that they have not
hurt me: forasmuch as before Him innocence was found in me; and also
before you, O King, have I done no hurt. Then was the king exceedingly
glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the
den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was
found upon him, because he believed in his God. And the king commanded,
and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them
into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives. Which was
a piece of injustice, the throwing in of their wives and children,
though we cannot say as much of the throwing of them in.
24. And the lions had the mastery of them, and broke all their bones in
pieces before they ever came to the bottom of the den.