fully ripe for the disclosure of her troubles, we cannot determine; but from what follows in the narrative, we can see that her reluctance was overruled to answer two purposes to allow the farther development of Haman's wickedness, and to place the cause of the Jews, in the person of Mordecai, in so favourable a light to the king, that Esther might plead it with less fear than she felt on the occasion referred to in the verses before us. Thus far she had attained the object she aimed at, that she was restored to the king's confidence, and that Haman, the great enemy of her people, was put off his guard, so that he could have no suspicion of her ultimate design. He was left standing upon the brink of destruction, when he never appeared to be more secure. And thus

it often is that the wicked are nearest ruin when they are least prepared for it.

But I must now conclude; and I would do so with one remark, drawn from the general bearing of the passage which has been reviewed-viz., that in all our troubles, the true path of safety is to be found in our having immediate recourse to Christ our King. Esther would have gladly excused herself from making personal application to Artaxerxes; but Mordecai would receive no excuse. She went, therefore, and with God's blessing was successful. Act ye in the same spirit, believers. Listen not to fears and doubts suggested by the feeling of personal unworthiness. Christ will not say nay to any that come to Him in faith, and with sincere heart. He is described as waiting to be gracious; and the only things that will shut out your prayer from Him, are

unbelief and the love of sin. From these seek to be delivered. With honest and earnest desire, come to the mercy-seat. You will find the way to it open. Your reception is secured there, because Christ is there, and out of His fulness you will receive grace for grace. Amen.

LECTURE X.

CHAPTER V. 9-14.

N the last lecture we saw Esther, inspired with a

IN

courage which was the fruit of prayer, offered up by herself and by others in her behalf, venturing to transgress the established law of the kingdom of Persia, and braving death that she might save her people, by going into the king's presence in public when she was not sent for. The same prayer, however, which strengthened her for this bold undertaking, was effectual in crowning it with success. A divine influence rendered her superior to those fears which made her shrink at first from the undertaking which was urged upon her; and a divine influence was at the same time put forth to soften the heart of the king toward her. She was saved from the penalty which by the law she had incurred. When she appeared in the royal presence, the sceptre was stretched out toward her—a token that she had obtained favour in the sight of the king; and as she came in the character of a suppliant, the large promise was given her that her request would be granted so far as the kingly munificence could satisfy it. For reasons which are not specified, but which it is not difficult to conjecture, Esther did not presume at that moment to

present the request which lay nearest to her heart. She felt that she must be first fully established again in the confidence and affection of the king; and that, in a matter which involved the annulling of a decree which had been formally issued, she would more likely gain her end when she had possession of his private ear, than when he was surrounded by his counsellors, and when, for the sake of his own dignity, and of preserving his consistency, he might feel it necessary to say nay to her. She therefore only entreated him to come, along with Haman, to a banquet which she had prepared. This petition was readily complied with, although the king evidently knew that she had something farther to ask, which she could only ask in private. And accordingly, at the banquet he again expressed his desire to gratify her, whatever she might wish him to bestow. Not yet prepared to lay open her mind, and, as we believe, withheld by a special providence, she put the matter off, with a request that the king and Haman should come again on the morrow to feast with her, when she would fully make known what was her desire. At this point, then, we are brought to consider the passage which forms the subject of the present lecture. Ver. 9: "Then went Haman forth that day joyful and with a glad heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he stood not up, nor moved for him, he was full of indignation against Mordecai."

Our attention in the present discourse must be directed chiefly to Haman. He is the principal character in the picture which is presented to us in the

remaining verses of this chapter; and we shall find that the study of his feelings and conduct, although it is not pleasing, may nevertheless be turned to some advantage. But Mordecai is also introduced in an interesting light, and we shall first of all make some reference to him. It is very obvious, from what is here said, that after he found he had made that impression upon the mind of Esther which he desired-and no doubt, also, after he had, with the rest of the Jews in Susa, engaged in earnest supplication for her, according to her request-he had laid aside his sackcloth, and resumed his usual place in the king's gate. As has been already said, he could not have appeared there in his mourning dress; and the circumstance of his being there, would thus seem to indicate not only his anxiety to obtain the earliest possible tidings of Esther's procedure, but also his confidence that the Lord would listen to the prayers of His people in their time of trouble. One thing, however, is peculiarly to be noticed, that with all his consciousness of Haman's power and influence, he still refuses to pay him homage. A man of low and grovelling spirit would have crouched at the feet of the favourite, and endeavoured to gratify him by any act of submission, so as to mollify his wrath, and to draw him to listen with a favourable ear to any intercession that might be made for the poor Jews who were doomed to destruction. But Mordecai was no fawning flatterer. His opinion of Haman, as one of a race on which the malediction of the divine law lay, and as personally the declared enemy of the Jews, remained unchanged, and