to protect or guide; and though you may fear no danger, and, for a time, seem to be making the voyage of life in safety, lowering clouds and fierce storms will ere long gather around you, and you will be driven upon the rocks,wrecked and lost on the shores of a miserable eternity.

But, putting your trust in God, you shall be safe amidst all dangers, and happy amidst all trials; you shall outride every storm, escape every peril, and attain the eternal rest of heaven" cheered and directed by the star of Bethlehem.”

LECTURE III.

IMPORTANCE OF ESTABLISHED PRINCIPES.

DANIEL, vi. 10.

NOW WHEN DANIEL KNEW THAT THE WRITING WAS SIGNED, HE WENT INTO HIS HOUSE; AND, HIS WINDOWS BEING OPEN IN HIS CHAMBER TOWARD JERUSALEM, HE KNEELED UPON HIS KNEES THREE TIMES A DAY, AND PRAYED, AND GAVE THANKS BEFORE HIS GOD, AS HE DID AFORETIME.

This Daniel, while yet a youth, was carried captive from Jerusalem to Babylon. By the singular integrity and excellence of his character, aided by the smiles of a favoring providence, he rose from the condition of a captive, to preside over the affairs of the empire. He lived under the reign of three successive monarchs; from each of whom, he received the highest honors, which it was in their power to bestow. This excited the jealousy of the other courtiers, who could not endure to see one raised, from the humble condition of a captive, to an elevation so much above themselves. They therefore formed a conspiracy

against his life. Having sought in vain to find occasion against him, concerning the affairs of the kingdom, they resolved to attack him on the ground of his religion. To accomplish their wicked purpose, they assembled before Darius, the king, and proposed to him a decree, that whosoever should ask a petition of any god or man, for thirty days, save of the king, should be cast into the den of lions. Flattered by this incense offered to his vanity, the king signed the decree, and made it, according to the laws of the Medes and Persians, irrevocable. This brought Daniel into a condition of extreme peril. He had now to make his election, between the renunciation of his religion, and death, in its most terrible form. And what was his choice? Trusting in the God of his life, he remained firm to his duty, and braved, in calm devotion, the decree that consigned him to the den of lions." When he knew that the writing was signed, he repaired to his house, and there, in his chamber, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, the city of his fathers' sepulchres, then laid waste, he kneeled upon his knees, three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

Here you see the influence of established

principles of action. Daniel was not a man to trifle with his conscience. He feared God; and therefore felt, that he had nothing else to fear. This gave him an integrity of character, which no bribes could corrupt. This gave him a firmness of character, which no dangers could intimidate. This gave him a dignity and worth of character, which extorted respect, even from his enemies. This gave him favor with God; brought him forth in safety from the den of lions; secured for him a crown of honor in the sight of men, and a crown of glory in the kingdom of heaven.

From this illustrious example, I wish to present to you, young gentlemen, the great importance of established principles of action.

The auspicious bearing of such principles, on the formation of your characters, and on your best interests both for this and the future world, cannot be too highly estimated. Indeed, my friends, you are to be, in this life, and in that which is to come, just what your principles make you. These are the foundation and frame work of character; these, the main-spring of purpose and action; and while they are the immediate and chief objects of God's inspection in moral beings, they form the primary ground of acquittal or condem

nation, at his bar of judgment. It is therefore just as important, that you should, in early life, adopt correct and fixed principles of action, as it is, that you should here sustain a good character, and hereafter, enjoy the approbation and favor of Almighty God. I say, in early life; because the principles, which you now adopt, will probably remain with you, as long as you live, and exert a decisive influence over your condition, during the whole of your future being.

In discussing the subject before us, I shall, first, direct your attention to some of the false, and therefore injurious principles of action, which you, in common with others, are liable to adopt.

1. The first which I shall mention, is the principle of honor. This is the principle, by which certain people of fashion, by which libertines, and duellists, and those who affect to call themselves gentlemen, profess to be governed. As a principle of action, it has no reference to the law of God, nor to the established laws of morality; but only to certain particulars of manners, and rules of intercourse, adopted by such characters, as have just been named, for their own convenience and pleasure.