rkii
H        T       G      Ea
IIAMAN THE MAGNIFICENT.           Page 06.




ESTHER AND HER TIMES
IN A SERIES OF
L ECTU R ES
ON THE
BOOK OF ESTHER.
BY JOHN M; LOWRIE,
FORT WAYNE, INDIANA.
PHILADELPHIA:
PRESBYTERIAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION,
No. 821 CHESTNUT STREET.




Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1859, by
JAMES DUNLAP, TREAS.,
in the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Eastern District of
Pennsylvania.
STEREOTYPED BY JE8PER HARDING & SON, PHILADELPHIA.




PREFAC E.
THE THEME of this volume has been furnished to its
writer from so high a source, that modesty does not forbid him to regard the things here treated of, as of the
deepest interest and value. That he should rise to the
dignity of his subject was not to be expected; to fall far
below is not so great a matter, since truth has a value
apart from the ability of its advocates, and the most valuable teachings are usually plain and simple. Indeed if it
were possible to select a hundred discourses-the best specimens of eloquent, forcible, and instructive preaching in
the history of the church-and present them, consecutively, before any people, in a single pulpit, within a
year or two, the success of the plan would be small, either
to secure interest, or to do good. No element is more
important to the interest and profit of any teaching than
appropriateness of occasion and place.  "A word fitly
spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver."* The
foolishness of preaching is the chosen instrumentality of
Divine wisdom for the spread of the gospel; a living
* Prov. xxv. 11.
(3)




4                    PREFACE.
ministry the church will ever require; and the successful
style of preaching in every age will be that which is
most nearly adapted to the circumstances and demands
of. the times. It is no wonder that hundreds of pastors
are highly esteemed by their own congregations, not only
for their kind sympathies and their wholesome counsels,
but also for able and eloquent public ministrations, who
yet never acquire an extended reputation.  It is no
wonder that discourses which have held an audience
spell-bound in their delivery, yet do not seem of any
special excellence when committed to the printed page.
Intellectual power in a pastor is but one of the elements
of his usefulness. He should be a "scribe well instructed
in the kingdom of righteousness;" but his wisdom is as
needful to apply the truth as to expound it. His Lord
has described his office as that of a steward, giving to
each of his fellow servants " his portion of meat in due
season." And no man can be such a steward; no man
can enter into the feelings of others so as to reach their
necessities, without awakening his own affections and
sympathies to such a degree as to shape his meditations,
chasten his delivery, and modulate his tones to suit the
various exigencies of his people. Hence there is an
impropriety in applying to the usual discourses of the
pulpit, the rules of rhetorical composition or logical discussion, which may justly apply to the occasional efforts
of elaborate oratory.  Many a useful and  excellent
sermon owes its chief attraction to paragraphs of local
interest; to allusions understood only by the hearers;
or to the greater stress laid upon certain points which a
logical treatment of the topic would have placed in a
minor position. It strengthens these thoughts to notice




PREFACE.                      5
that the most famous discourses in all ages have been
called forth by special occasions; and that the best remains of many a public speaker are not those upon which
he has bestowed the greatest thought and care.
But though the fitting word to the occasion is so important to the interest and profit of public instructions,
we may not therefore argue that every preacher should
confine his teachings to his immediate hearers; that
printed discourses are unprofitable; or that a reader may
not, in some degree, sympathize with the original circumstances that are involved in the speaker's words.
We contend that no book can displace the living teacher
of the gospel; but we claim that much pleasure and
profit may be derived from the publication of discourses
that have been preached before a congregation, and that
bear the marks of adaptation to their particular occasions.
There are even advantages which the reader has, especially
in a series of discourses, over those that have heard them.
If he is willing to make allowances for the feebler passages, that are necessary to maintain the connection; for
the occasional introduction and urgency of thoughts,
that appear to him little relevant; for repetitions, that
may be natural and proper in discourses separated in
their delivery by weeks and months; and for the diffuseness of style, that suits the pulpit better than the volume,
the reader can better get the impression of the whole;
better select his own favourable time for the lessons afforded him; and better ponder the more forcible
thoughts that seem to require more than a single hearing.
The writer of these pages, as a pastor, is constantly accustomed to lecture upon the Scenes and Characters of
1*




6                    PREFACE.
the Bible.  He regards this as the Scriptural mode of
presenting truth; for the Sacred Volume is our first and
chief model for that interesting style of picture-writing,
now so generally adopted by our best historians, biographers, and even essayists. Even before he entered
the sacred ministry, his attention was called to the Book
of Esther by a volume of Lectures upon it by the Rev.
Dr. Thomas MecCrie; and to this unpretending little
volume alone-one of surpassing interest-does he feel
under obligations demanding special acknowledgment,
for the thoughts and conduct of these discourses.
Convinced that the Book of Esther is too little known
even to serious readers of the Bible; persuaded that
those whose minds are fairly awakened to it, will ever
afterwards regard it as one of the most interesting portions of the word of God; and hoping that these Lectures may serve to call the attention of some to this portion of the inspired pages, to impart interest to many of
the incidents which a casual reader might deem of little
importance, and thus to enforce the lessons of inspired
wisdom after this volume itself has been laid aside; he
would lay this publication within the reach of christian
readers. In the whole matter, he is less desirous, he
trusts, of public favour, than of the Divine smile upon
an humble attempt to glorify His WORD, His GRACE,
HIS PROVIDENCE,AND HIMSELF.




CONTENTS.
LECTURE I.
THE DIVORCE OF VASHTI.
PAGE
The book of Esther-Age-Writer-Authenticity-Canonical authority-Apocryphal addition —Reasons for rejecting —The king
Ahasuerus-Solution of such questions-Aim of the bookThe Jews of the Dispersion-God's dealings with them-His
ways not as ours-Their continued exile explained-Their
love still towards Jerusalem-The case of Nehemiah illustrative-Zechariah, chapter vi.-God's great designs promotedRemarkable preparations for the coming of Christ, and for the
spread of the gospel-Jewish prejudices shaken-Pentecost,
and the gift of tongues-Missionaries with unwonted advantages-The triumphs of the early gospel-God's providence
vindicated-Foresees the threatening storm-Ahasuerus, the
Autocrat-Cares of government-The great feast-The state
of the king-The greater folly of his royal father-Persian
propriety-None did compel-Concluding folly-An intoxicated king-A proud queen-Vashti's refusal-The decree of
the council-The hasty divorce-Room for Esther-The vanity  of earth...........3...................................................   13
LECTURE II.
MORDECAI RAISED UP.
Vashti's divorce legal-A foolish law-Only one government infallible-The true law of marriage, transgressed by the king's
plan-True idea of woman's rights-The Jewish maidenMarriages with the heathen; unavoidable-Unsought providences may be waited upon-Beauty and discretion-An anxious year-Cruel arrangements-Lonely desolation-Chance —
Lottery schemes-Free agency-God eminently free-Esther
chosen-Mordecai the Jew-Ambiguous date —Prepared for his
place-Providence never lacks instruments-The true scope of
history-Great men advance God's purposes-WashingtonNapoleon-The guilt of France and its providential punish(7)




8                       CONTENTS.
PAGl
ment —istory humanly fortuitous-A  Divine plan-Luther
gradually led forward-An underworkman-The Patriots of
America-Various concurring agencies —America discovered
at the right time-The Declaration of Independence-1757
-The old French war, the northwestern States, and Rozmanism:  God's plans-Mordecai, the  king's delivererPalace plots-No reward-Our actions the seeds of thingsThe books to be read-Esther's elevation-True dignity-Station  well  adorned............................................................    38
LECTURE III.
HAMAN, THE MAGNIFICENT.
A new character-The king's favourite-Evils of despotic ruleTruth in courts-An Agagite-His descent-The AmalekitesReverence for the Prime Minister-One exception-An upright
conscience-Faith in God-The conflict of ages-Anger, pride,
revenge-Lucky days and unlucky-The lot-The Lord's disposal-The king's agency-A heartless monarch-Subtilty not
argument-Partial truth-Refutation of Haman's chargesThe elevation of the people is the dignity of the prince-A true
people-The inconsistency of the proffered recompense-The
decree-Writing and printing-The signature-Posts and the
Post-office-True origin in Judea-An element of civilization
-Tenor of the decree-Will it be executed?-Views of human
nature-Evil passions excited-Sympathy aroused-The city
perplexed-The guilty at ease............................................ 62
LECTURE IV.
TEE IRREVERSIBLE DECREE.
A historical inquiry-Deeds of cruelty-What age, land, or
creed? —Human depravity-The serpent's and the woman's
seed-Martyrs-Rome, Pagan and Papal-The massacre of
St. Bartholomew; its horrors-The Pope's thanksgiving-The
medal-The painting in the Vatican-Reign of terror-Mordecai's cry-Trouble to the righteous-Walking by faith-For
the best-True estimate, nature, and workings of faith-Guide
in duty-Providence, how to be interpreted as our guideRecords encouraging-God's watchful care-Mordecai in sackcloth-Will he submit?-Faith and fear-A  common experience —Grief natural, human, not in itself wrong-The grief of
Mordecai not personal, but for his people-Searching thoughts
-Calmer views-Gayety in the palace-A foolish and vain inscription-Is death forbidden to enter?-Better welcome sackcloth-The same spirit common yet, and still as vain-Unwelcome thoughts; unwelcome things will come-The King of
kings, our Ruler-His welcome to sackcloth and the sorrowful




CONTENTS.                          9
PAGB
-A  more glorious palace-Sackcloth may not enter-Preparations for that home-Marah-The healing-True peace-Esther sympathizing with Mordecai-His plea-The law of approach-Her fears-The king's apparent estrangement-Piety
and conflict-Duty safe............................................ 81
LECTURE V.
DIVINE DESIGNS AND HUaIAN DUTY.
Trouble in the palace-The perplexity of the queen-Inspired
historians and uninspired actors-Human motives-Lessons of
wisdom -The golden sceptre-Rising fears-The real difficulties of Esther's position-These not to be undervalued-Counting the cost-The greater difficulties of declining duty-The
forfeited protection of Providence-Israel certainly safe-Impulse and principle-Divine promises for Zion and the happy
lot of herssons-Come within her gates-The consistent duty of
man-Vain cavils-Divine efficiency and human agency-Our
service not lessened, rather encouraged —The doctrine of Election-True nature-Influence-God's purposes and providence
harmonious-Means and ends-Conversion and salvationTime and place —Faith; its workings, supports, and resultsThe same now-Providence; minute, particular, and strikingOne duty in our lot-Missionary efforts -Opportunities for doing good; for getting good-Precious promises —Watching
providences-Can we defeat the Divine designs?-Mordecai's
reply-Triumphs of Divine government-Such a time as thisGolden opportunities-The sinner exhorted to immediate duty. 104
LECTURE VI.
ESTHERaS NOBLE RESOLVE.
Mordecai's argument not lost-The settled purpose-Faith and
its conflicts-The minor responsibility-Prudence and pietyThe narrative true to nature-The blessing of God first sought
-Penance and penitence-Fasting —Nature- Objects-A pious
band in a pagan palace-Character and company-Prayers of
her people-A  well adorned woman-The beautiful queenTrue courage-An unbidden approach-Frowning guards-A
moment of expectancy-The crisis-The sceptre held forthIsrael is safe-The errand still unaccomplished-The invitation to a banquet-Delay-Agitation-Fitting opportunityIn Haman's presence-God, the great Deliverer-Restraining
providence-Haman's further plots-Learn our duty in perplexing responsibility-Severe trials; three days-Trial, not
desertion-Ventures of faith-Alternatives-The sinful soul
pondering his approach to God-The lepers of Samaria-The
worst fears-If I perish, I perish-More hopeful position than
Esther-Flee to Jesus-A precious hymn.......................... 126




10                      CONTENTS.
LECTURE VII.
THE SLEEPLESS NIGHT.
PAGI
Human life-A new honour for Haman-The joy of the wicked
-Long continued wickedness-Its aggravated iniquity-The
troubled sea-Another step enters-The meeting of Haman
and Mordecai-Principle and policy-The unhappy heartConfidential confessions-All avails nothing-ConscienceTrue honour-True peace-Standing on slippery places-Near
a fall-Restrained passion-Bitter mortification-Honours unworthily borne-Speedier revenge —The gallows erected-The
king's sleepless couch-Particular providence-A  sleepless
king-PERHAPS-Diary of events —Marvellous traditions-The
necessary passage read-Ahasuerus has no feeling against the
Jews-Righteous deeds overlooked-The books to be opened
-Scriptural teachings-Israel's first deliverer-Paul before
Agrippa-The world's maxims and the Bible's lessons-r —Man's
true excellency-Wise aspirations-True pleasures-The crisis
of life-The king's inquiry and the robes of honour.............. 149
LECTURE VIII.
THE EXALTATION OF MORDECAI.
A day of business-Haman's early visit-Motives-Mordecai's
narrow escape-Haman before the king-The inquiry —SelfAmbition-The royal robes-Ideas of earthly grandeur-Disappointment-Mortification-The triumph of the Jew-The
conspicuous gallows-The wretched heart-The troubled seaThe meekness of Mordecai-True worth and modesty-Washington and Burr-Waiting faith-Haman's head covered-The
conscience-Counsellors not comforters-Fruits of sin-Forgetfulness impossible-Judas-The seed of the Jews-Long
experience-The keeper of Israel-The Christian church-The
scattered Jews-The veil removed-Life from the dead-Unfailing triumph-Fatal infatuation-Slippery places-God in
the midst of Zion-Many afflictions-Persecutions; without;
within-The oldest kingdom; most influential-Error shortlived-The church immovable-Opposition; folly of it; what
it is-Every man a friend or enemy of Christ-The evil conflict of unbelief-Sudden destruction-The privilege of owning
and  loving  him.......................................................  170
LECTURE IX.
THE FALL OF HAMAN.
A book of providence-God all around, in great and smallCharnock's beautiful thought-Design; proving him-Haman
sad little time to consult-The queen's banquet-The feelings




CONTENTS.                        11
PAGN
of each-Order of the feast —Haman's position-The responsibility of Esther-Her great request-The king's expectancy —
Birth-day favour-Liberality-A great state occasion-Relief
-" Half the loingdom"-A  devout aspiration-No common
matter-The king's mystery-A dark plot —Deep emotionReason for Haman's presence-The fears of the favouriteGuilty fears-An angry king-One glance explains all-Confidence abused-Vain repentance-The king more exasperated
-Courtier friendship-The face covered-The gallows men
tioned-Harnan's summary execution-How to read the lessons of Providence-Indications and trials —Providence and
the word-Tendencies-Providence and revealed religionThe Bible alone claims, vindicates, and explains a providence
-Intricacy of design proves a design more clearly-This book
only a page-Hamans and Mordecais still live-RetributionDelay-Punishment lame —" Murder will out"-His own fruit
-The gospel-Sympathy with Esther and the church-Must be
practical now-Value of our own age-We must, in this age,
decide for eternity-Pleas made too late.............................. 192
LECTURE X.
TEHE DECREE REVERSED.
Confiscation-" Corruption of blood"-Haman's wealth-Esther's
kindred with Mordecai-His advancement-A tried man —A
day's wonders-The decree-Enraged enemies-Esther applies
again-New fears-New pleadings-A  new example-Intercessory prayer-Love to the brethren-A test of love to GodChristian hopes-Examined-Growing brighter-Duty not relaxed-What if Esther had been unfeeling?-Christian solicitude for others-Evil upon my people-Her faith again rewarded-Infallibility-The great apostasy-New Romish dogma-Persian expedient-The realm at war with itself-Wisdom
versus consistency-Amalek and Israel-Time to send the new
decree-Haste-Edict of Nantes-Dromedaries-Jewish gladness-Proselytes-A revival of religion-Missionary effortsThe great Divine plan-The Jewish dispensation intermediate
to two others-Judea in the midst-Jewish dispersion-Preparations for Christ-Converted heathen-Condemning many
who  hear the  gospel........................................................    212
LECTURE XI.
THE DAY OF CONFLICT.
An eventful day-Two edicts-Civil war-Legalized violenceTemperance legislation-Violent men on both sides-Majesty
of law-Religion a cloak-Anxiety-Jewish advantages-Influence of the government-Association-Evil easily wrought




12                       CONTENTS.
PAGl
-Jews moderate; only defensive-Religious bigotry-Five
classes of foes-Political-Spiritual-Satan's vestal fire-Pagan priesthood —Former foes -Aumalekites-Lucky day-Great
slaughter-Shushan and the palace-The chief p6int of attack
-Haman's ten sons; killed on the spot-Mordecai and Esther
their chief aim-No false estimate-Palace well known-Secret
abettors —The king volunteers further aid —Was Esther revengeful?-The second day of slaughter-Capital punishment not by
hanging-Self-defence still —Responsibility upon the assailants:
less than the law allowed-No spoil-" Not peace but a sword"
-Is the gospel responsible?-Christians the victims-The
madness of sinful men-A greater wonder among ourselvesThe day of conflict an emblem-Battle going on now-Victory
shall be with the church-Vain excuses-True wisdom-Overtures of mercy-Accept in time......................................... 233
LECTURE XII.
THE FEAST PURIM.
The hereditary war-Its issue-Israel's true strength-Jewish
Thanksgiving day-Gifts to the poor-The feast Purim; still
observed-Its curious ceremonies-Authority of the appointment-Important principle-Holidays-New moons and Sabbaths-Paul-The weekly Sabbath not a Jewish ordinance in
the Decalogue-The tenor of Scripture —Christian usageIf Paul argued against the Sabbath, why with so little effect?-No New Testament authority for appointing solemn
days-Historical evidences-Methods of transmitting: Tradition-Written books-Monuments-Bunker Hill —Another
method-The fourth of July and the Declaration of Independence-Evidence is stronger, the longer time elapses, and the
wider spread-Impossible to counterfeit-Permanent proofSo Purim and the book of Esther-Irrefragable evidence-A
river in the ocean-Effects on Europe-Led to the discovery of
America-A more remarkable river in time; distinct in course;
vast in volume; and of immense influence; never lost among
others-A branch stream bearing blessings to the race-This
historical argument applicable to these institutions in the
church-The Passover-Purim-The Lord's supper-Chain of
historical proof most complete-Mordecai's prosperity-Curiosity craves more-Concluding reflections —Value of the Old Testament-Finger of God in providence-Parts disjointed; yet
a harmonious whole-Events around us-Vanity of the world
Unfading honours-The happy friends of God..................... 252




ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
LECTURE I.
THE DIVORCE OF VASHTI.
THE Book of Esther is one of unknown authorship among the tracts composing the sacred volume.
Even the age, to which we are to refer the events
here recorded, cannot be unquestionably determined.
We may believe that it was written by the man who
here bears the name of Mordecai; and even if we
are mistaken in this conjecture, it is a matter of
little importance. For the argument to sustain the
authenticity of any portion of the sacred volume,
may be independent of the writer's name, except
when that name is expressly given; and there are
several books in the Bible whose authors' names are
not given in the books themselves. It is sufficient
to name Judges, Kings, Chronicles, and the Epistle
to the Hebrews.
The position of this book in the sacred canon
and its inspired authority have sometimes been
questioned, but we think without good reason. Its
2                               (13)




14         ESTUHER AND HER TIMES.
name is omitted in some of the catalogues, made by
the early fathers, of the sacred books; and it is a
very common and certainly a very striking objection
to a book claiming inspired authority, that in the
genuine and Hebrew chapters of the Book of Esther,
the name of God is not mentioned from one end to
the other. -But these objections, merely negative
in themselves, are of small weight against the more
numerous and sterling proofs, which establish its
right to a place in the sacred volume. The Book
of Esther is contained in the Hebrew Bibles; it has
ever been received by the Jews; and as it was
beyond question contained in their canon when our
Lord Jesus Christ was upon earth; and as, though
he charged them with corrupt doctrines, he never
charged them with corrupting the Scriptures themselves, we may justly argue that he set the seal of
his approval upon the Scriptures as they possessed
them. This he did without qualification or exception.  (See John v. 39.)  Besides, the later
Jews regard the Book of Esther as ranking in veneration next to the Pentateuch; they yet observe
with peculiar interest the feast of Purim, of which
mention is made in this book alone, and which was
established to commemorate the deliverance that
this book records; and this feast affords strong confirmatory proof of the history here given. To all
which we may add, that though a few of the earlier
catalogues omit the name of this book, it was generally received; it is mentioned in the catalogues of




THE DIVORCE OF VASHTI.          15
Jerome, Augustine, the Third Council of Carthage
Canon XLVII, and the Council of Laodicea Canon
LX: and the striking and oft repeated remark of
the pious Matthew Henry is well worthy of being
remembered, " If the name of God is not in it, his
finger is."
There are nearly seven chapters added to this
book in the Latin Vulgate and in the English Douay
version as used by the Church of Rome; but, for
good and valid reasons, they are esteemed apocryphal,
and of no authority whatever. In his edition of
the Vulgate, Jerome expressly notes where these
begin; and declares truly that they are not found
in the Hebrew at all. This is acknowledged in the.
margin of the Douay; while it is there added, without the slightest foundation, "that the Seventytwo Interpreters translated them out of the Hebrew,
or added them by inspiration of the Holy Ghost."
The doubtfulness of tone used in the very assertion furnishes its sufficient answer, and proves it to
be a mere conjecture. In the absence of all proof
of the authenticity of these chapters, we may easily
sum up these valid reasons for their rejection. They
are not found in the Hebrew; the Jews have never
received them; they not only differ in style and
sentiment from the earlier chapters, but they are
greatly inferior; the very first spurious verse mentions the name of God, and these chapters often
repeat it-in striking contrast with the chapters in
the Hebrew, where, as already noticed, this name




:16        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
never occurs; and these additional chapters abound
in errors, and even in statements which contradict
the genuine portion of the book. These apocryphal
chapters make Mordecai a great man before he detected the conspiracy against the king: and they
place this conspiracy before the repudiation of one
queen, and the marriage of the other; both which
matters are contradictory to the genuine book of
Esther. Moreover Haman is here called a Macedonian, though previously an Agagite. These difficulties sufficiently warrant the rejection of chapters,
which have no plausible claims to prefer for their
inspired authority.
The TIME when these events occurred can as little
be accurately determined. We judge it is evidently
not before the return of the Jewish people from the
Babylonish captivity. The royal city, according
to this narrative, is SHUSHAN. This determines that
the monarch was not a Median, but a Persian; and
refers the history to a period subsequent to Darius
the Mede. Happily the instructive character of
the book is not affected by the discordant answers
to the inquiry, Who was this Ahasuerus? Darius
Hystaspis, Xerxes, Artaxerxes Longimanus, and
Ochus have been variously conjectured.
We suppose we are not far from the proper
period of history, and as likely correct as otherwise
in the man, if we adopt Artaxerxes Longimanus,
the son of Xerxes, as the Ahasuerus of this book.
It is an interesting coincidence, and we judge one




THE DIVORCE OF VASHTI.          17
corroborative of our correctness in this, that to regard this as the period will connect the elevation
of Esther, not only with this recorded deliverance
of her people, but With the favour shown by a Persian
king to Ezra and Nehemiah, that they might rebuild Jerusalem. Nothing is more natural than to
see this king protect and strengthen the Jews,
sending them back to their own land, and assisting
to rebuild their ancient temple, if in the Providence
of their God, he had married a Jewish maiden.
That there should be no certainty in reference to
persons and dates, as connected with this book, is
matter of small surprise to a reflecting mind. It
is very little that the most learned men know concerning ages so remote in the history of the world;
the Bible itself is our most reliable source of information; and this sacred volume was not designed
to furnish us with the annals of the pagan nations.
Although the book of Esther is among the last of
the historical writings of the Old Testament, it is
well for us to remember that the earliest writings
of profane history date back only thus far.  Herodotus, though usually called the Father of History,
began to write about the same time that the books
of Ezra and Nehemiah were composed: and these,
at the latest, are not more than contemporaneous
with the book of Esther. The writings of Moses
are the plainest and most consistent of ancient
history; and they are almost alone in referring to
these periods of remote antiquity. In the inspired
2 *




18         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
volume, God has given to the world the genealogy
of the race as it is nowhere else to be found; and
though the darkness of human history often serves
as a hiding place for the sceptic and the scoffer, yet
the diversities of those that impugn the sacred narratives, their endless subterfuges, and their contradictions of each other, from one age to another, are
important proofs of error; and in these things, they
stand in remarkable contrast with the dignity and
simplicity and harmony of the inspired writers.
And we may notice also, that when the line of
sacred historians stops, though from this period
profane records begin, there is, at these remote ages,
much confusion in human history; the dates are
often unsettled, and the important characters are
often poorly described.
Scarcely any book in the Bible has a more definite aim or a plainer lesson in its history than the
book of Esther. Its simple object is to exhibit the
workings of God's providence at a remarkable crisis,
for the deliverance of his people. This is effected
in the use of natural means, and by the instrumentality of both good and bad men; and yet in such
a way, that the finger of God is evidently seen, even
in those minute and separated particulars which,
when they occur, seem of trifling significance and
without connection.
It would seem proper for us, in this opening
Lecture, to consider the condition of the Jews in
the dispersion, for whom this deliverance was wrought;




THE DIVORCE OF VASHTI.           19
and the reasons for the Divine forbearance towards
that portion of the Jews who still remained in the
lands of their dispersion. After this, we will notice
the first step preparatory to the great deliverance:
the divorce of Vashti as the queen of Persia.
The destruction of the Jewish State, and the captivity of that people in the Babylonish Empire, was
the just judgment of their covenant God upon them,
for long continued national sins. This captivity
lasted through seventy years; and the return was
regarded as the dawning of the Divine favour upon
the chastened people. But it is an inquiry of some
interest, How would God deal with that portion of
the nation, that refused or neglected to return from
Babylon? We might hastily judge that those, who
had too little love for the Holy Land, and too little
zeal for the rebuilding of the temple, to induce them
to leave the lands of paganism, had forfeited the
favour of Jehovah; and that he would work no
wonders on their behalf. But upon a closer view,
we need have no surprise that God's providence
still specially regards the scattered Jews; and that
this book records his mercy to those that were still
in exile. The people were urged to go up, by their
inspired prophets; it was highly important that the
city and the temple should be rebuilt. It may have
been gross failure in duty in many a Jew that he
chose still to abide in the land of the captivity; and
yet is it no marvel of God's providence, that he




20         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
watched over those that remained, and blessed them
still in their exile.
We may consider in reference to this matter:
1st. That God graciously condescends to meet
man upon the low grounds where he stands, and to
grant his favours even though we are undeserving
of them. We must ever acknowledge, " He hath
not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us
according to our iniquities."  The differences between the people of God on earth are not such as to
allow any to boast of duty performed, in a manner
so exemplary as to merit the Divine favour. There
are infirmities in all; and the grace of God is continually manifested towards the undeserving. No
man indeed can be right who justifies his sin or neglect of duty, on the plea that God is merciful; and
that is a plain dictate of inspiration, "If I regard
iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me."
God sees and frowns upon sin in any man; he withholds the smile of his regard from his backsliding
children; hesends his word to convince them of
their folly, and his judgments to chastise them for
it; and perhaps, according to the records of this
history, he awakened the attention of the Jews in
Persia by these events of terror and dismay, which
yet issued in a deliverance so marked and glorious.
Had they not been a sinning people, they might not
have been exposed to the arts of wicked Haman,
if they had not been God's covenant people, they
would not have been delivered from his power.




THE DIVORCE OF VASHTI.          21
The Lord does not smile upon sin; but when his
people are negligent of duty, he chastises them.
Still he does not forsake them. If even we decide
that the Jews remaining in the exile were unmindful of their duty, we can easily reconcile it with
Jehovah's holiness and faithfulness, that he watched
over them in mercy.
We may consider,
2nd. That there were some obvious reasons to
extenuate, and even to justify the apparent disobedience of many of those, who yet did not return to
the Itoly Land at the bidding of the prophets. We
might suppose that if the piety of the entire people
had been ardent and zealous; if they had all
grieved at the waters of Babylon, like the prophet
who hanged his " harp upon the willows," and preferred Jerusalem above his chief joy, Ps. cxxxvii. 2;
if they had taken "pleasure in the stones" and
favoured "the dust" of Zion, Ps. cii. 14; they
would have received with gladness the long desired
permission to return from the land of the stranger.
But let us not forget the real difficulties of the case.
At the bidding of their own prophets, the Jews in
the captivity had bought lands and built houses in
these foreign countries; they had been industrious
and submissive subjects; they had identified their
own interests with the prosperity of the government,
Jer. xxix. 4 —7; some of their own most eminent
men had been high in office and enjoyed the favour
of their monarchs, Neh. i. 11; and as the natural




22         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
result of all these things, strong attachments had
been formed by property, and by friendship, and in
many cases, doubtless, by marked usefulness to the
gentile population around them. That they had
seldom been persecuted, and that such men as
Daniel and Nehemiah had enjoyed influence and
distinction, would tend greatly to strengthen their
ties of attachment to a foreign soil. Let us not fail
also to remember the length of the exile. After
their stay in Babylon and its provinces had been
prolonged to seventy years, it is obvious that very
few of the people could have any remembrance at
all of Judea, or any personal attachments urging
their return there. It was still indeed the land of
their fathers; that soil was included in the covenant
made with Abraham; there the Messiah was to
appear, and all their fond religious associations
gathered around the Holy Land. Not only their
sacred books told them of God's promises; not only
their prophets urged their return, when the set time
had come; but their aged men recounted in their
ears their early recollections of that splendid temple,
which had been, in its day, the only spot specially
consecrated to Jehovah's worship in the world which
he had made. But the vast majority of the people-we may well say the entire body of the active
population-were natives of Babylon; the original
captives were chiefly dead and laid in foreign graves;
and to remove this population back to Judea was
no easy task. Take any people, and place them




THE DIVORCE OF VASHTI.          23
and their children for seventy years in another land,
constantly forming their attachments there, and
their entire removal will prove impracticable. The
cases are not fully analogous; but every man can
realize how impossible it would be, to send back to
Europe, the people and their descendants, who have
settled in America and remained on the western
continent for the space of seventy years.
Besides the difficulties thus suggested against the
return of the entire people, or even the great mass
of them, from Babylon to Judea, other difficulties
also can easily be understood. Many may have desired to return who were not free to carry out their
own wishes. We cannot reasonably suppose that
every Jew was truly pious; and the ungodly portion
of the people would care as little to leave their comfortable abodes and return to Judea, as the ungodly
portion of our population cares to part with their
property for the spread and support of Christian
missions. Through the influence of these, many
pious persons of a better disposition, may have remained in the dispersion. Many a pious wife or
child may have been kept away from Judea by a
careless husband or father: and many a Jewish
servant of a heathen master may have been unable
to leave his place of servitude.
We have at least one example of the detention in
the land of the captivity against his desire, of one
who was both a pious man and a prophet. Nehemiah was cup-bearer to the king; and while his heart




24         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
was with his distant brethren, his services were demanded in the palace. The king held him in high
estimation, and when he saw his sad countenance,
and knew the cause, he allowed him to go to the aid
of his brethren. But even then he set a time for
his absence, and exacted of him a pledge of return.
His case seems to prove that many Jews remained
in the land of their exile, who would gladly have
gone to Jerusalem.
But this matter is farther explained in an interesting record found in the prophetical writings of
Zechariah. During the building of the second temple, the people who returned to Jerusalem were poor;
and having all the disadvantages of a long emigration, and building up anew the desolated city, they
found their resources inadequate to restore that
costly temple. In these circumstances, the superior
wealth of their brethren, who remained in the dispersion, was of essential advantage for the progress
of a work that was of common interest. And these
brethren were not unmindful of their share in Jerusalem's temple. Perhaps they did not even wait for
solicitations to contribute.  So, according to the record in Zechariah, a deputation was at one time sent
to Jerusalem, consisting of IHeldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, who brought gold and silver for the building
of the temple. At this time the question was definitely settled by Divine authority, that the Jews,
who did not come to Jerusalem, should yet have part
in the temple which they had thus assisted to erect.




THE DIVORCE OF VASHTI.         25
The prophet, who records the transaction, was commanded to take a portion of their gold and silver,
and make crowns,-a single crown of several cir
clets,-to place this symbolically upon.the head of
the High Priest; and then to lay it up in the temple for a memorial that these deputies and their
brethren who sent them with their gift, had a part
in the building and in the blessings of the Lord's
house. Thus the Lord declared that the Jews afar off,
as well as the Jews near, should build in the temple;
giving proof that many accepted people were yet in
the captivity; giving full recognition of their interest in the covenant of Abraham; and giving a
prophetic pledge of the gathering of more distant
ones-even the scattered gentiles-unto the greater
temple of which this was but a type, and whose
Builder should be THE BRANCH OF THE LORD, the
great Messiah himself! See Zech. vi. 9-15.
These thoughts will assist us to form a just opinion of the condition of the Jews who yet remained
in the lands of exile. Some were ungodly doubtless, and careless of their high birthright as the sons
of Israel; some, had their piety been deeper, would
have returned to the land of promise: and many,
far from the beloved temple and the dwelling place
of the covenant, maintained a holy and consistent
life; loved the ordinances of God; worshipped, like
Daniel, with their faces towards the holy city; and
by faith, in remembrance of the morning and evening altar in distant Judea, hoped for the Divine ac3




26         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
ceptance. Over such a people God's holy providence watched.
But 3d, it is worthy of our notice especially that
God had designs to serve of a most important nature, by the detention of so large a portion of the
Jewish people in the realm of Persia, and by their
still wider dispersion in all the earth. His providential designs do not form indeed the just rule of
man's duty; the Jews may have been wrong in not
returning, though God might overrule even their sin
for good. We are to judge of man's sinfulness by
principles, not by Providence; by his departure from
commanded duty, not by the results which God may
work. We may see in this interesting portion of
the history of the church, that God overruled for
good, not only the Babylonish captivity itself, which
was a punishment upon the Jews for national sins;
but also the fact that so many, perhaps often wrongfully, remained in the dispersion. God's great design
in human history was, first, to send his Son as a
Mediator and Redeemer: and next, through him to
preach the gospel to every creature. The first genm
erations of men " did not like to retain God in their
knowledge," Rom. i. 21, 28; and he gave the
earth up to blindness of mind and ignorance of salvation. But to save the principles of true religion
from perishing, he called Abraham, and in his family
established the Jewish church, and built around it
walls of exclusive and separated interests, conservative of the great principles of piety, until the rest




THE DIVORCE OF VASHTI.          27
of the world had tried man's own awful experiment,
and found how little man's wisdom can know of God
without a Revealer. 1 Cor. i. 21. But as the fulness of time drew on, and the long promised Messiah was about to come, it was needful that the way
should be prepared, both in the world and in this
exclusive church. The prejudices of the Jews were
to be removed; their national pride was to be humbled; the cherished services of their peculiar economy were to be made oppressive and burdensome,
on the one hand; while some knowledge of the true
religion was to be extended to the Gentiles; their
expectations were to be awakened for the coming of
a great Prince; their languages were to be acquired,
and a footing obtained in their different kingdoms,
on the other hand; and all this as preparatory to
teaching all nations, and setting up the universal
kingdom of Christ. How comprehensive the Divine
plan! How simple the means to secure these great
purposes! To humble Jewish pride and to destroy
the influence of the Levitical system, theiri magnificent temple was burned to ashes; its peculiar contents were lost beyond the possibility of recovery;
the ark of the covenant, with its precious accompaniments, the two tables of stone, the Shekinah,
the rod of Aaron, and the pot of incorruptible
manna, perished; even their sacred language was so
lost that after their return, when Ezra read the law
of the Lord at Jerusalem in the original Hebrew;
he was obliged to "give the sense and cause the




28         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
people to understand the meaning." Nehem. viii.
8. To subdue their prejudices, and indeed to render
it impossible to keep the ceremonial law, the people
were exiled from Judea. For more than seventy
years, they had neither temple nor altar; and even
after the rebuilding of the temple, it was quite impracticable for the scattered Jews to assemble three
times a year at Jerusalem as their law required.
To keep the law was impossible; and, perhaps to
their surprise, their covenant God continued his
mercies when the law was not kept. Thus they
were gradually led to see the difficulties of their law,
and prepared for a system which would abrogate it.
So one Jew declares that it was a burden "that neither we nor our fathers were able to bear;" Acts xv.
10; and another that it had " decayed and waxed
old and was ready to vanish away." Heb. viii. 13.
But it is of very great interest for us to notice the
design of God's providence for preaching the gospel
in all the world, and for establishing Christ's universal kingdom, by means of the Jewish dispersion.
The scattered Jews were God's prepared missionaries; as possibly it may yet be found that the dispersed seed even now shall again be made in all lands
the chief chosen heralds of the latter day glory,
when the " veil shall be removed" from their faces;
2 Cor. iii. 16; and their receiving shall be "like
life from the dead" to the gentile world. Rom. xi.
12, 15. We are told that upon the day of Pentecost, the Spirit poured out upon the apostles, im




THE DIVORCE OF VASHTI.         29
parted miraculously the ability to speak in foreign
languages; but that miracle did not need frequent
repetition for the wide spread of the gospel. God's
providence, by natural means, not less remarkable
than a miracle, had, during the five hundred years
that preceded Christ's coming, provided for the
wide spread of the gospel. In this interval between
the Babylonish captivity and the death of Christ,
the foreign Jews had become more and more widely
scattered; and yet retaining the knowledge and the
worship of the true God, had their residences in
every land and spoke every language. Jerusalem
and its temple was the ecclesiastical metropolis of
these widely scattered Jews; their chief priests and
rulers dwelt in Judea; and they ever kept themselves distinct from the nations around. Thus we
find that, on the day of Pentecost, there were dwelling at Jerusalem, "Jews, devout men out of every
nation under heaven." Acts ii. 5. These men
were well qualified to judge of the genuineness of
the miracle of speaking with tongues; and among
the thousands then converted to God were many
fully qualified, without such a miracle, to spread
the gospel abroad. Already they spoke, as their
vernacular, the languages of all the world. These
men became missionaries, not by going among
strangers and picking up a meagre acquaintance
with the language and modes of thought of a strange
people; but by going home to the neighbourhoods
where they were born, where they were well known
3*




30         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
to the people, and where their personal influence
was already established; and with the new and
strange tidings upon their lips of Christ's death and
the Spirit's mission; with a new mind in them; and
a new love for souls urging them on, they preached
the gospel. We have no detailed account of their
preaching; but we know that the triumphs of the
gospel were marvellous in that age, and that soon
Christianity overthrew the paganism of the Roman
empire. A just view of the revolutions of Christianity is a wide view. The providence of God had
been preparing for these triumphs for centuries.
The fulness of time had come when the Son of
God appeared. Gal. iv. 4.
These thoughts explain the dispersion of the
Jews, and their detention in the lands of exile; and
they vindicate the Divine protection of the scattered
people. Evil threatens them indeed. God could
have prevented the schemes of Haman, or his rise
to power. But it is not by keeping his people from
trial, that he tests their graces, exhibits his mercy,
or awakens their gratitude.  He leads us through
temptations to show our faith, and to give experience
of his faithfulness. We shall see, as we proceed,
that the wicked designs of an enemy to the church,
do but set forth more gloriously God's providence
for Zion. We shall see God the same to his people in all ages; and in the church the same essential
doctrines, the same substantial duties, the same




THE DIVORCE OF VASHTI.          31
salutary fears, the same exercise of faith, the same
covenanted safety.
But before closing the present lecture, we proposed
to notice the first step in readiness for the great
deliverance. This is the divorce of the haughty
Vashti, preparatory to the elevation of a Jewish
maiden to the throne of Persia.
The evil against which God's providence prepares
is not yet apparent to the eye of man; indeed the
plot of mischief has not as yet been conceived in
the mind of the Agagite, the chief mover in it. What
a comfortable reflection to the people of God is this,
that even before the sky is overcast by the dark clouds
of a threatening storm, there is a mind acquainted
with all the hidden future, that even now prepares
a deliverance from the unforeseen evil! We know
not why God makes such changes in our lot; but
all the changes around us may be directly in preparation for some great event, involving our comfort
or safety. Even the doings of folly and the crimes
of injustice are under his control, to subserve his
purposes of truth and righteousness. Men may
form their plans, and form them in iniquity; they
may trample upon every sacred right of others, and
every duty in themselves; and they may seem to
prosper.  Yet God brings to pass his purposes
of judgment to sinners and good to the righteous;
the hour when the wicked seem nearest to triumph
is often just before their irrecoverable fall; and the




32          ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
very means relied upon for success often become
the instruments of their failure.
"There is a power
Unseen, that rules the illimitable world;
That guides its motions from the brightest star
To the least dust of this sin-tainted world:
While man, who madly deems himself the lord
Of all, is nought but weakness and dependence."
Behold now the great Ahasuerus and the splendour
of his festival in the palace at Shushan! "He reigned
from India to Ethiopia, over one hundred and twentyseven provinces." What a lamentable thought that
one man should have control, so complete and arbitrary, over so many myriads of his fellow men! How
impossible was it for him, with all the diligence of the
busiest life, and all the wisdom of the finest intellect,
and all the indomitable energy of an earnest responsibility, to rule in so vast an empire, so as to secure
the real good of his subjects! To a man who comprehends their weight, and is at all disposed to attempt the duties they bring, the cares of a great
government are no object of envy. But what are
the employments of this great king as we are here
introduced to him?  Such, alas! as king's palaces
often show; neither augmenting the royal dignity,
nor preparing for royal duties. Is this the glory of
a kingdom? A feast of wine, a drunken monarch,
an unjust divorce!
Shall we stay to notice this gorgeous feast, according to the state of the king? The splendid




THE DIVORCE OF VASHTI.          33
hangings of the halls, the couches covered with cloth
of gold and silver, the floor of tesselated marble, are
even exceeded in magnificence by the drinking cups.
It was reckoned disgraceful among the Persians to
use vessels of earth. These were of gold, and diverse one from another: i. e., as some suppose, the
same cup not used twice during six months' feasting.
Perhaps rather, each cup of a different pattern.
The engraving upon a golden cup might be far more
valuable than the material.
We will not stay to mourn over a people whose
rulers could afford to spend six months in such frivolous engagements, and neglect the duties of government. Indeed the gay luxury and idleness of Artaxerxes were a blessing to Persia, compared with
his father's activity; and there is less folly in the
drunken revel of Shushan than in the man, who became angry at the waves of the sea, and scourged
and chained the Hellespont! Yet here are two
matters of Persian propriety in their feasts. The
queen and her women held their feast apart, and
in the king's palace no man was compelled to drink
beyond his own choice. Many a man in Christian
lands would have been saved from a drunkard's
grave, had not scoffing companions and a perverted
public opinion forced upon him the fatal cup, which
he would not have tasted if none did compel. The
pagan king gives orders that every man may act his
own pleasure, but inexorable and more arbitrary
custom in Christian lands exceeds in cruel tyranny.




34         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
Happily the usages of society are better in this matter than they were; but we fear to say that men are
safe even now, where the wine cup sparkles.
Six months of feasting have passed-another week
has been added; and the last day of so protracted
a festival is the most important of all. But for the
king's concluding folly the world would never have
heard of this gay feasting. A drunken man is ready
for any folly; and a drunken king differs from a
drunken beggar, only because he can command the
execution of his maudlin schemes, and lift his shame
into greater mischief and greater notoriety. The
most sacred things are base in the eyes of such a
man; and the sweet proprieties of life are in danger of the grossest violation. An intoxicated man
often displays his ruling passions in an indecorous
manner. King Ahasuerus was proud of his queen's
beauty. And now, forgetful of those Persian customs, which forbade the public appearance of females, and of his own duty as a husband, he gave
orders that the beautiful Vashti should leave her own
apartments in the palace, and appear before the impudent gaze of his drunken princes. This order
was equally dishonourable to the king who uttered
it, and to the queen who heard it. A man never
more disgraces himself than when he puts an affront
upon his own wife.
But if the husband is drunk, the wife is sober.
Queen Vashti refused to come. We may blame or
approve her conduct, as we attribute it to pride, or




THE DIVORCE OF VASHTI.          35
to virtue. If her public appearance at her husband's command was such a violation of Persian
ideas as to subject her to the charge of immodest
behaviour, she did right to refuse. No father has a
right to demand of his daughter, no husband has a
right to command in his wife, any departure from
modesty or virtue. It is possible, however, that the
queen refused through pride. The command was
perhaps imprudent; but not reckoned immodest. In
that case her reluctant and modest appearance,
through respect to her husband, would have been
right; every sensible mind would make allowance for
her circumstances; and her modesty would have suffered nothing from the discharge of an unpleasant
duty.
The astounding announcement is made in the
royal presence-The queen will not come. Flushed
with wine, the king was exceedingly angry, and the
presence of his lords yet more irritated him. Upon
consultation with the wise men, it was immediately
resolved, not that the queen should be put to death,
but that a public example should be made of her,that she should be degraded from her place as queen,
and divorced as a wife. No time is taken for proper
deliberation; no space is left for a change of purpose; the counsellors yet feel the influence of the
wine cup, when the unalterable decree is passed.
It is some advantage that counsel was taken, and
that the divorce of Vashti was pronounced according to law. For now no blood is shed, even in the




86         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
wrath of the king. The design of Providence is
quietly reached. The queenly throne of Persia is
vacated; the first step is taken for the great end
which this book commemorates; room is prepared
for the ascent of an humble Jewish maiden to the
highest earthly dignity; all things move forward to
deliver the chosen people of God.
We may close this lecture with these brief reflections.
How perishing and unsatisfactory and unprofitable are the engagements and pleasures of worldly
men! In the highest ranks of life, with all that
can minister to pride or luxury, they are no objects of envy. We see here the pomp and splendour of one of earth's mightiest kings; and perhaps no earthly records make mention of a more
sumptuous banquet than this of Ahasuerus. But
six months of revelry soon passed; and though
such pernicious extravagance may have oppressed
his subjects, and the report have astonished them, we
are even indebted for the knowledge that such a
feast was ever held, to a history that Persians did
not write, and in which the mighty king of one hundred and twenty-seven provinces plays quite a subordinate part. We may well hold in light esteem
the revelries and luxuries of a perishable world.
Little worthy of our envy or our imitation is the earthly course of men who say, "Let us eat and drink, for
to-morrow we die." " Let us crown ourselves with
rose-buds before they are withered."  "The fashion




THE DIVORCE OF VASHTI.          37
of this world," in its best estate, "passes away."
They only are happy whose names and deeds and
characters are associated with the covenant people
of God. Over them God exercises his special care;
their names are written in imperishable annals, and
their portion is a satisfactory and an abiding one.
Kings, like Ahasuerus, may feast and die and be
forgotten: queens, like Vashti, may indulge their
pride and fall from their thrones into oblivion; but
the humblest of God's people, sometimes drawn forth
from obscurity to places of honour, sometimes left
unknown to the world, shall be noticed by his eye,
preserved by his kind providence, and blessed with
his favour. No wisdom is worthy of the name, but
true piety; no ambition can reward our care, but
that which aspires to be accepted of God; no pleasures are lasting, but the enjoyments we find in serving him. What is earth with the power and splendour of Ahasuerus-with all the queenly dignity
and womanly beauty of Vashti? " What is a man
profited if he gain the whole world and lose his own
soul?" This most momentous of earthly questions
it well becomes us to ponder.
4




38         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
LECTURE II.
MORDECAI RAISED UP.
THE divorce of Vashti was pronounced after a
consultation with legal counsellors, and ratified by
the forms of legal authority. But what an evidence
have we of legislative folly, not in a single man,
but in an entire race of Persian kings, that so
absurd a law should control the Empire! The laws
of the Medes and Persians were unalterable. If
we were speaking of the laws of an infinite and
unchanging God; if we consider that no unforeseen
contingencies can arise in his government; that his
laws, devised in infinite knowledge, wisdom, and
justice, cannot be altered for the better; and that
his own excellence forbids any decline from their
perfection;-if we were speaking of such a ruler, and
of his laws, we might wisely affirm that they change
not. But in human lawgivers, or in human executives-whether of church or state-the claim of infallibility may excite our contempt.  Ignorant,
foolish, full of prejudice, and liable to error from a
thousand causes, man should lay no claim to unswerving correctness in forming his judgments, or




MORDECAI RAISED UP.            39
in framing his laws; and an unjust and oppressive
law incapable of repeal becomes the instrument of
more pernicious tyranny. Continual changing in
human laws is an evil oppressive upon the people;
but scarcely any abuse of the power to alter the
laws can be worse than the inability, in shortsighted
and erring men, to change at all.
It is possible that the king repented of his haste
in divorcing his lovely queen. The act of a moment,
when wine had clouded his reason and inflamed his
anger, and when he himself had provoked her act
of insubordination, was one which cooler moments,
and the sweet memories of former affection, might
wish to recall. But the monarch is himself bound
by that foolish law; and the act of an intoxicated
council is as permanent as the wisest and most
deliberate legislation. The true law of marriage,
as ordained by Jehovah, would have forbidden a
divorce for any such occasion as the Persian queen
had afforded, even taking her offence in its most
aggravated form; but the foolish lusts of man had
long since trampled under foot and forgotten the
ordinances of that eternal King, whose laws need
no improvement. It is not needful for us to say,
that the entire plan adopted for securing a successor
to Vashti, was a transgression of the divine laws
respecting marriage. The Bible is remarkable for
this; that very often its historians give us the
simple narrative of transactions, and make few
remarks to approve or condemn conduct the most




40         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
meritorious or the most iniquitous.  So is it here.
The plan adopted by the king is explained; we are
thus told the cruel and arbitrary customs of other
lands and ages; yet it is by our ownr comparisons
of these facts with the principles taught in the
Scriptures, that we learn how different all this is
from the law of God. And as we gratefully see
how different is the state of social manners among
us, let us acknowledge that the difference is owing
to the influence of the Bible and Christianity. Marriage with us is founded upon no caprice of a
despot, but upon the mutual affection and consent
of the parties; it is followed by no such desolation
and cruel desertion, worse than widowhood, as-falls
upon the crowd of imprisoned and neglected females
in an eastern seraglio; it secures the mutual happiness of two individuals; and demands, if the wife
shall give up all others for her husband alone, so
the husband shall give up all others solely for his
wife. For thus was it from the beginning.  God
made one man and one woman. And this is the
true exhibition of " women's rights;" the right to
occupy a sphere, appropriate and divinely appointed:
a sphere as to bustle and display and vain glory inferior to that of man; as to dignity not his equal;
but a sphere as to virtue and happiness and usefulness often quite equal, often quite superior to
that of man.
No solution is even given in the narrative of the
fact that a Jewish maiden consents to share an ar



MORDECAI RAISED UP.           41
rangement that would make her the bride of a
heathen prince; and even Mordecai seems to make
no effort to secure her exemption. Marriages with
the heathen were a forbidden thing to the Jews;
and we would suppose that persons of so much
piety as Esther and Mordecai, would dread her
alliance even with the king. That they were now
exiles in a foreign land would expose them more to
such alliances; but the true influence of such liability should have been to place them more upon
their guard. Yet we may solve the matter consistently with their piety and with all due modesty in
Esther. The wishes of females are usually but little
consulted in eastern marriages; but especially when
arrangements are made for a king's marriage, a
family of Jewish captives could not have resisted
his will. If the fame of the beautiful Esther had
spread through her own neighbourhood; if in this
inquiry for fair young ladies, her name had been
breathed to the king's officers, neither she nor
Mordecai could have resisted the royal mandate.
Force they could not use; concealment would avail
but little; and entreaties would have been derided
by men in whose eyes it was only too great an
honour that the Jewish maiden should find even the
meanest place in the harem of the great Ahasuerus.
Besides, Mordecai had every confidence in the wisdom and goodness of God's wonder-working providence. This place for Esther had been none of
his- seeking or hers. The change in the king's
4*




42         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
household that had led to this matter, he might
regard as providential; and in the deep dependence
of his people perhaps he judged that God was preparing some kindness for Israel through the influence of a Jewish queen. It is a lesson of importance in matters of providence, that when God
works differently from our purposes and desires, we
may wait quietly and hopefully for farther movements from his hand, who often deals with us better
than our fears. When changes are wrought in our
condition, through our own seeking, and by our
own active instrumentality; when voluntarily we
have exposed ourselves to temptation, or run into
evil, we may not justly charge our troubles to the
orderings of Providence, or feel that they are any
thing else than the natural results of our own folly
and sin. But when honours come unsought; and
dangers appear in a path where God has led; we
may take even trouble as designed only to try our
faith; and we may rely confidently upon the guidance and protection of a faithful God. Esther
entered the palace of Ahasuerus, all unknowing of
that career of honour to which her God was guiding
her.
If Esther's selection at such a time is evidence of
her beauty, it is pleasing to notice farther proof of
her prudence. She made no extravagant demands
of the officer to whom she and her companions were
given in charge, and by her modest behaviour she
won his esteem and secured his good offices. It is a




MORDECAI RAISED UP.            43
great pity when beauty is spoiled by petulance and
indiscretion, and it greatly heightens the bloom of a
fair cheek, when sweet tempered affability is seen in
every dimpled smile. In the house of her cousin,
Mordecai, she had learned to obey his wishes, and
though not comprehending the reason of his request,
she did not reveal the nation to which she belonged.
The first twelve months of this new life, before
Esther saw the king's face at all, were doubtless long
and anxious to her and to Mordecai. Solicitous for
his beloved ward, and desirous of knowing that she
was well, Mordecai was constant in his attentions
upon her, as far as the arrangements of the king's
palace would allow. Cruel aad irksome indeed were
the social arrangements which could separate a
maiden like Esther from the visits and the affection
of one who had loved her in her orphanage, who
had nurtured her in his own abode with all the affection of a father. If he had been her father, there
would have been the same cruel separation; and she
who had not yet seen her husband, as a new object
of affection, is thus secluded from all she had ever
loved before. Long hours of dreary loneliness made
up that first year; and Mordecai walked every day
before the court, perhaps in communication with
some of the inmates, to learn what had become of
Esther.
We delay no longer to lament the fate of the rejected candidates in this lottery matrimonial. Doubtless, careless lookers-on here might say that the suc



44         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
cess of this or that damsel was a chance depending
partly upon her own beauty, but chiefly upon the
caprice or the humour of the king. But chance is
an idea that belongs not to the believer's creed.
We regard as sinful all dealings in lottery schemes
and games of hazard, not only for their mischievous tendencies, but because they imply an unwarranted appeal to the providence of God. Men have
no right to call lightly or profanely for Divine interference, or to expect him to settle the stakes of
the lottery, the dice-box, or the gaming-table. Strictly speaking there is no chance. God rules over
everything. The flight of a sparrow, the fall of a
hair, the upturning of a die, the drawing forth of
this number or that, he regulates.  "The lot is cast
into the lap, but the whole disposing thereof is of the
Lord." Prov. xvi. 33. When the damsels appear
in their succession before the king, God has already
chosen the successor of Vashti, and the king's heart
is in his hand to turn it where he will. Let men
discuss, if they please, the difficulty of recognizing
the free agency of man, while yet we acknowledge
the efficient providence of God. But the practical
truth is plain enough. Man is a free agent, knows
that he is, and acts accordingly; but higher than
man, GOD TOO IS FREE, does his pleasure, and yet
interferes not with man's free action. At Esther's
turn to go in she struck all beholders with admiration-she won the king's heart.  This is the lower
link in the providential chain. But there is a higher




-MORDECAI RAISED UP.           45
and nobler efficacy we must not overlook. IT
PLEASED GOD that the Jewish maiden should be
queen of Persia.
But it will be proper for us now to turn and consider another character in these interesting scenes,
whose name has already occurred, and who bears a
conspicuous part in the succeeding transactions.
The cousin and protector of Esther was Mordecai,
the Jew. The account given of his kindred is clear;
but the date of his birth is remarkably ambiguous;
and it imparts its ambiguity of date to the entire
book of Esther. The record is, " Mordecai, the son
of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite; who had been carried away from Jerusalem
with the captivity which had been carried away with
Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the
king of Babylon had carried away." Esth. ii. 5, 6.
This is very precise and explicit, except in one thing:
we cannot decide who was carried away. Was it
Mordecai himself?  If so, he was born in Judea;
and we must make the date of the book earlier than
the end of the seventy years' captivity, or regard
him as a very old man in these events. But the
passage may mean that Kish was carried captive,
and his great grandson, Mordecai, was most likely
born in the captivity; and the events of the book
occurred as we have supposed, after the return. Of
the education of Mordecai no account is given; but
the excellence of his training is sufficiently shown
by his conduct and his character. Mordecai was




46         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
a man prepared, in the ordering of God's providence, for an important exigency in the history of
the church; and he was fully able to meet the duties
of the case. It is a striking thing in human history
that Providence never wants a fitting instrument to
further the Divine designs. To the eye of a superficial philosophy, it is the occasion that makes the
man; calling forth his energies and enabling him to
rise by insensible steps to the summit of complete
success. And no doubt there could not be a man
without the occasion either forming him to meet it,
or formed by him through the energy of his will.
But there is a wiser and higher and holier philosophy, that looks beyond the views and the instrumentality of man; and which, discerning the great
scope of human history, acknowledges in all, the
overruling wisdom of a Divine Providence. This
working of God's power in the events of human history may especially be discerned, when we consider
these thoughts:
1. The great men of the earth, whether good or
evil, alike subserve the purposes of God. Men of
different characters, some great in goodness, and some
in wickedness; some in ambition, like Alexander,
and some in patriotism, like Washington, are raised
up for important purposes, and to accomplish great
things; and by the instrumentality of both good
and evil, God's plans are carried out. The imperfection of our knowledge, and the difficulty of discerning the just relation of one thing to another in




MORDECAI RAISED UP.           47
the philosophy of human history, makes the proof
of this less full; yet it may be satisfactory. Who
can question that Divine Providence raised up such
a man as George Washington; and by the exact
place and period of his birth; by the precise circumstances of his education; by the wonderful
prudence and propriety, rather than by the dazzling brilliancy of his character, fitted him to
become the leader of the American armies, and the
father of a mighty nation on this Western Hemisphere? And if the mind is disposed to start back
from supposing that, by the orderings of that same
Providence, the mighty mind of Napoleon Bonaparte
was prepared to take a more active, and in one sense,
a more splendid part in the troubled revolutions of
modern Europe; we need but rise to a higher elevation, and take a wider and larger view of human affairs. We can then vindicate the ways of God to man;
we can keep the reins of government still in the hands
of the Almighty; and we can see his guidance and
control even in the outbreaks of human passions;
and in causing guilty revolutions and disastrous wars
to effect his purposes. Let it but be remembered,
that the God of nations is a God of justice; that
war is his scourge, and that the mighty conquerors
of earth are as the staff of his indignation to smite
the guilty. Isa. x. 5. Was there no cause that the
vials of his wrath should be poured out upon
France? Was there no reason vindicating the Divine allowance, that a reign of terror should deso



48         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
late the gay palaces of Paris; that anarchy and discord should cover the vine-clad hills of France;
that her sons should melt upon the sands of Sahara,
and strew thickly the battlefields of central Europe,
and freeze beneath the snows of Russia? There
was a long settlement of guilt to make by the God of
justice with that people. France became drunk with
the enchantments of Rome, that she might persecute
the Albigenses; and in the delirium of fanaticism,
she poured out like water the blood of her own
best children in massacres like that of St. Bartholomew; and this delirium was followed by the insanity of Atheism and the avenging madness of the
reign of terror. If there ever was a people to whom
it was fitting that Providence should give blood to
drink, (for they were worthy of it,) that people
was the French; and the terrible wars of which
Napoleon was the master spirit; the immense destruction of their people which they willingly endured
in the fanaticism of their attachment to him; and
their still enduring curse of agitation and restlessness, are the judgments of His hand, who rules the
earth in righteousness; and who can use good and
bad men to carry out his purposes. The power that
raises a man fit for great occasions, just as he is
needed, is the all-seeing, all-controlling providence
of the mighty God.
2. The workings of his hand in the affairs of human history are further evident from the remarkable fact that the great men of the world can never




MORDECAI RAISED UP.           49
themselves project, much less foresee the changes
which they are instrumental in effecting.
There is a sense, so far as human agency is concerned, in which human history is one long chapter
of accidents: great events appear to occur fortuitously, and they surprise the chief actors themselves.
But the design is too wise to be ascribed to accident,
and even stupid worldlings often admire and say,
What hath GOD wrought! Take almost any example in the history of man. When Luther began to
preach against indulgences, it was the farthest from
his thoughts to break away from the Papal church
and to preach the Reformation. He was in heart
and soul loyal to the Pope, and idolized the figment
of a church with the same fallacy that now deludes
a bigoted Romanist, and allows him to put the perverted institutions of Jesus Christ above Christ himself. Luther was led on step by step to the accomplishment of his great work; and the finger of God
is seen in the very fact that he knew not for what
he was working. The enemies of Luther have cast
it up as a reproach, that he professed for a while to
acknowledge the Pope, and then threw off the mask.
They call him, therefore, a hypocrite. No judgment is more erroneous, or more unphilosophical.
Luther acted as men always act who come forth
gradually from error to truth; who lose one and another false perception as they advance, and who
thus are inconsistent at different periods of life,
without being hypocritical. Saul of Tarsus was no
5




50         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
hypocrite, though once he destroyed the faith he afterwards established. Luther acted and wrote and
effected, just as we might expect in one who had no
large plan of his own to accomplish such things;
but who was a mere underworkman, often misunderstanding, and never comprehending the designs of
the principal Architect. No man, that has the entire matter in his own hands, ever attempts to build
a house without settling upon his plan beforehand,
and arranging his materials accordingly. Such arrangement Luther did not make. In truth the plan
was not his, and the very fact that he went forward
not knowing whither he went, and yet succeeded in
effecting a Reformation, so much needed and so salutary, is proof that a higher wisdom guided him forward.
But these things are no more true of the great
Reformation, than they are of other great changes
in the history of man. When the American Colonists took up arms against Great Britain, it was
with no design of asserting their independence.
The warmest expressions of loyalty were made by
some of the most undoubted friends of liberty; the
war was in progress for more than a year before the
Declaration of Independence was published; and
not by the wisdom and foresight of man, but by the
gradual leadings of Divine Providence was our path
opened to national existence. The thought may be.pplied not only to great events. It is applicable
in a measure to the life and doings of every living




MORDECAI RAISED UP.           51
man. No man ever yet spent his life according to
his own plans for spending it. " A man's heart deviseth his way, but the Lord directeth his steps."
God's hand may be traced in the plans of our lives,
and in the influences we exert around us; for we are
but instruments to carry forward his designs.
The truth then that the results of our most intelligent agency are so largely unforeseen, that step by
step each man goes on to unexpected duties and unexpected results, and that usually even the largest
usefulness grows not so much from the settled design
and purpose to do this very thing, shows the providence of God in preparing men for important places
in life. We detract nothing from the honour due to
a good and great man who nobly does the duty set
before him, nor are we negligent to urge that men
should form and prosecute the most earnest plans
for doing good. But let us carefully watch providential indications; be ready to embrace them and
improve them; and feel that we shall stand most
approved before the eye of God, when we have been
most ready to do the work he has prepared for us.
These thoughts will reappear as we proceed in the
narrative.
We may add, 3d, that the workings of Divine Providence in the affairs of men are more clearly seen,
if we notice that in every great matter for human
good, there are so many different agents, acting at
so many different times, and under such different influences, yet all concurring to the one great end, so




52         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
that philosophically we are forced to acknowledge
the presiding mind of one Supreme Intelligence.
Look again at the providence of God in the establishing of our own great Republic. Let us suppose
that it was the Divine design to establish on this
continent the home of true religion and of civil liberty, and to set up a power whose influence should
be at once wide and salutary upon the interests of
the race. This we firmly and devoutly believe.
But the steps to secure this great end imply the
omission of so many things which man would have
done; the postponement of so many events which
man would have hastened; the averting of so many
threatening evils which man would have feared; the
nice adjustment to each other of so many distinct
things and widely separated, which man would have
thought not at all connected; and the concentration
of so many energies, of times and persons and occurrences, into one point; that Divine wisdom is
alone competent to form the plan, and Divine power
alone able to carry it into execution. We can name
but a few of those strange things which man did
not do in the wrong time to defeat God's purposes,
and which man did do in the right time to carry out
the high designs that man could not possibly foresee. Man did not discover this Western Continent
in those ages, before the providence of God had made
the needful preparations for planting such a nation
as this. Look back over the pathway of history,
and put your finger on the time, if you can, so fit




MORDECAI RAISED UP.            53
for the discovery of America by Columbus as the
very period when it occurred. Had this discovery
been made one hundred or one thousand years before, the superstitions of Popery and the gloom of
the dark ages would have covered two continents instead of one; the mighty energies of Europe, which
were misspent to carry on the Crusades, would have
borne their hordes of men across the broad Atlantic,
rather than the length of the Mediterranean; and
would have employed their fanaticism more disastrously for human interests than against the Saracen, in converting the pagan Indians after the mode
that Spain converted Mexico, and in subduing these
fair territories to the authority of the triple crown;
and in such a case the increased power of the man
of sin would have held the yoke of bondage for longer generations upon the necks of men.
Again, the declaration of American independence did not occur one year too soon or too late.
Had our forefathers declared themselves free and
independent, and maintained their stand at a period
earlier by twenty-five years, it would have been a
calamity deeply to be regretted. If in 1757 the
entire territory on North America claimed by the
sovereigns of Europe, had been divided into twentyfive parts, the French claimed and seemed to possess
twenty parts, the Spaniards four, and the English
one.* If instead of the old French war, the en* Bancroft's U. S., iv. 267.
5*




54         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
ergies of the colonists had been employed in waging
hostilities with the mother country for their freedom,
and the conflict had been successful, the territory
secured to the new government and to the rule of
Protestant principles would have been no larger, at
the most than the old thirteen States. During
that old French war, Canada and our entire north
western territory and even western Pennsylvania
were wrested from the French. What a different
destiny had belonged to the North American Republic if all the lands north of the St. Lawrence
and of the Ohio, had remained in the hands of the
Romanists! What prospect had there been of a
great Christian state, rising here to power, and
wealth, and freedom, and influence, if, with Quebec
and Montreal, with Fort du Quesne, and Detroit,
and St. Louis, with Natchez, New Orleans, Mobile,
Pensacola, and St. Augustine, three sides of our narrow confines had been surrounded by a cordon of
garrisons, officered by the Jesuits? And the successful declaration of American independence twentyfive years earlier would have secured this result.
Little did England suppose in that old war that she
was fighting a battle for a nation like this, which at no
subsequent time could we have fought for ourselves;
for it is by the possession of these territories that
we have acquired the strength to retain and enlarge
them. Just as little did the men who took these
preparatory steps, foresee the great end towards
which they all tended, as the prattling child, with




MORDECAI RAISED UP.            55
tottering steps, foresees the active and earnest
engagements which his manhood brings upon him.
And shall we regard these matters as occurring by
chance, because evidently no man had the planning
of them? No, we cannot! The God of Providence
laid his designs, noted the proper time for each
occurrence, raised up proper instruments as each
was needed, blessed this people with wise rulers,
overruled even the wickedness of men, and we trust,
will be our God for ever and ever.
But we return from these reflections to speak of
the man, whose history called them forth. We
suppose that Mordecai, during the four years that
passed from the divorce of Vashti, until the marriage of Esther, had secured some humble employment connected with the palace; for he sat in the
King's gate. This was doubtless to enable him
the more easily to learn the estate of Esther, or
perhaps by her favour, that a quiet communication
might be carried on between them. His position
here gave him an opportunity to detect a conspiracy against the king's life. Life in a palace has
its dangers as well as its luxuries, its cares as well
as its dignities. What provocation had been given
to the conspirators, or injury inflicted upon them, we
are not informed. Perhaps they were the mere
tools of some noble aspirant to the throne. Judging by the king's hasty wrath against Vashti, it is
not unlikely he had given occasion to their anger.
We are not to expect true peace or solid friendship




56         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
in such spheres of life. Where persons form for
each other a true and lasting attachment, they must
be more upon an equality; at least there must be
less room for dependence and fear, than exists between a courtier and a despot. Without denying
that true loyalty and even affection may exist for
such a monarch, we must own that he stands in
great personal danger, from the passions or the fears
of his very attending servants.'Mordecai discovered the plot against the life of
the king. As a captive Jew, he might have felt
not bound in honour or conscience to reveal it; he
might even have looked upon the king as the oppressor of his own people, and have joined in the
plot for his destruction. But it is one thing for a
captive to assassinate a ruler, and quite another
to rise up in arms with his captive brethren to vindicate their freedom. And this prince had been
no more rigorous against the Jews than others had
been, or his successor might be.  Besides, the
prophets of God had expressly commanded the
Jews to seek the good of the country where they
were. And now that his beloved Esther was the
wife of the king, Mordecai was more earnestly
loyal.
Mordecai discovered the plot, and having communication with Esther, he made it known to the
ears of the king, through her means. It was one
of the follies of the Persian monarch, that few persons had direct access to him; and any attempt on




MORDECAI RAISED UP.           57
the part of Mordecai to give warning through
others at court, might have ended only in failure to
reach the king at all, and in the destruction of the
informer. In signifying the tidings to the king in
Mordecai's name, Esther appears anxious to secure
some advantage to him; but it seems strange that
she does not take the most natural way for it.
Why did she not tell her royal consort, that, when
she was an orphan child, this Mordecai had been to
her as a father; and ask his aid to repay her debt
of gratitude? When this signal benefit had been
done to her and to her husband, by defeating the
plot against his life, why did she not say, The man
who discovered this is my kinsman? The explanation tells us the modesty and humility, perhaps the
faith of Mordecai. He forbade it. It tells us as
much of the respect and love he had won from
Esther, that the queen was still obedient to his
wishes, as she had been when under his roof and in
his power.
The detected conspirators were punished; but it
was a trial of faith to Esther and Mordecai that no
special notice was taken of him by whose information they were defeated. Record was made of the
fact; a poor recompense for so eminent a service.
For who would read those musty pages, or care for
the barren acknowledgment to an obscure individual?
And to us there seems no connection between this
record and the train of the narrative. Yet we shall
afterwards see, that this very deed of Mordecai and




58         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
the modesty which forbade Esther to press his claims
for preferment, are made the nice and important
hinge upon which rests and turns the issue of a great
victory. And here indeed is an invaluable lesson
of human life. There are no trifles in character
and conduct. There is scarcely an evil deed or
word or thought in all our past history whose importance or whose connections for mischief, we are
able to trace; and any one, for all we can do to hinder
it, may start forward, at some unexpected moment,
into remembrance and prominence to punish our sinfulness. There is scarcely a good deed or thought
or word in the past, though we may have esteemed
it forgotten, useless, or unrequited, that may not
start forward, like a seed buried in the dust of a
long drought, but now quickened into life and energy
and usefulness, greater than our most ardent hopes.
Our deeds and thoughts are the seeds of things; as
to quantity no man can possibly tell how much fruit
a seed will yield; as to its nature, every seed brings
forth its own kind. Wicked thoughts or wicked
deeds never blessed any man in themselves, or in
their fruits. Happy was it for Mordecai, when the
chronicles of the empire were read before the king,
that the record of his name was blended with a good
and not with an evil deed, and that his reward was
accordingly. And happy for us, when the records
are examined of a greater empire, when the books
shall be opened before the sleepless King of kings,
if our names, which are surely recorded there, if




MORDECAI RAISED UP.            59
our deeds, which in that day shall surely not be forgotten, shall call forth the smile of approval from
our Eternal Sovereign, and the blessed mandate to
the waiting angels, " Clothe with the royal apparel
of everlasting righteousness, and deck with a crown
of unfading glory, the man whom the king delighteth to honour." There are chronicles whose records
never fade! May our names and deeds, however
humble, be so written there as to appear unto glory
and honour and immortality and eternal life.
But we pause here again for a concluding reflection.
What reason now had Esther to thank and praise
the God of her fathers! But a little while ago, a
captive and an orphan; and holding that dangerous
possession for a friendless girl, the pearl of beauty!
and now she sits upon the throne, the queen of Persia! How dazzling the elevation! how splendid her
success! Ah brethren! that is a dangerous mistake
indeed; yet it is one often made by man in his estimate of human life. Why do we even allow ourselves for one moment to think, that the most elevated positions in life can add dignity to its possessor? The true dignity in every case belongs to the
man, to his qualifications, to his virtues, to his becoming behaviour in his place of influence. Place
and power are not themselves the objects of envy;
a man elevated to a post he is unable to fill, is degraded in the eyes of all beholders. Every advance
in life has its risk; the higher a man is lifted, the




60          ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
more we expect of him; and a statue of giant size
when near the ground, dwindles to a pigmy upon a
lofty pillar. No greater calamity can befall any
man than to be called from an humble sphere of usefulness he is competent to fill, to a place of dignity
which he has not the capacity to adorn, and where
his defects are lifted into public notoriety. Well
says the poet,
" Honour and shame fiom no condition rise;
Act well your part: there all the honour lies."
But elevated condition increases responsibility and
demands more earnest efforts. It remains to be
seen concerning Esther, whether her elevation to a
throne is to be a blessing or a curse to herself and
others. If virtue remains the brightest diamond in
her coronet; if the pearls of modesty, humility, and
piety still compose her necklace; if her adorning is
a meek and quiet spirit; and if a useful train of
good deeds accomplished, follows the footsteps of
the stately queen, then all hail to the Jewish maiden's
coronation!
And just so with us. The value of life and of
any position, any wealth, any honours, we hold in
it, will depend upon the use we make of them. Your
responsibility to God lies in this very thing-that
you are using well the advantages given, not to your
neighbour, but to you. Your soul! are you securing its salvation? Your time! are you using it to
prepare for eternity? Your influence! is it exer



MORDECAI RAISED UP.           61
cised for good in a world where it is needed? " IHe
that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much."
If you are not living and feeling and doing right,
just in that position where God has placed you, you
would be equally, and possibly more, delinquent in
any desirable circumstances for which you long.
6




62         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
LECTURE III.
HAMAN, THE MAGNIFICENT.
THE scene changes; and a new character, destined to act an important part in this eventful history is introduced to our notice. He comes forward
with high claims upon our reverence; and demands
from us the bow of respect. The foundation of his
claim is the fact that he is the favourite of the
king; but too often the favourite of a monarch is a
selfish minion, deserving only the hatred and the contempt of the people.  It is almost a necessary evil
in the courts of despotic princes, that there is no
access to the ear of the king for the voice of wholesome truth; that the chief aim of his courtiers is to
flatter his vanity and thus secure his favour; and
that better men are crowded away, because to such
fawning and falsehood they will not stoop. It is
proof sufficient that a despotism is an unnatural, as
well as an unwholesome state of society, when it thus
tends to elevate bad men rather than good; and
when the proverb is so often verified, that " truth
is seldom found in the palace of kings." We have
already seen and shall again see the proof that this




HAMAN, THE MAGNIFICENT           63
king Ahasuerus was neither a great, a wise, nor a
good man; and though he was blessed in Esther
with a wise and pious wife, through whose influence
he was sometimes led to the right, we have proof
here of his folly and weakness in these facts, that
he had a man at court who was his favourite; that
this favourite was chiefly eminent for his vanity
and his vices; and that especially to such a weak,
bad man, without inquiry and without restraint, the
king should commit the control of schemes so vast
and important.
But let us not anticipate. Our first attention
may be turned to the man himself, and to his race
and connections, as furnishing a key to subsequent
transactions. This man's name was Haman. Eastern names are significant more frequently than
among us; and if traced to a Persian root, this
name signifies the splendid, or the magnificent.
HAMAN THE MAGNIFICENT is a title to which such
a man would eagerly aspire. As to origin, he was
an Agagite. We know not where to ascribe this
name, except to the ancient race of the kings of
Amalek. It is no disproof of this, that in the
apocryphal chapters of this book, Haman is called a
Macedonian; it rather proves that these chapters are
of more recent date, when the kingdom of Macedon
had become powerful by the ability and success of
Philip and Alexander. The opinion that, as an
Agagite, Haman was a descendant of Amalek, is as
old at least as the days of the Jewish historian




64         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
Josephus, who expressly affirms it. Who the Amalekites were, we can easily learn. They were among
the most ancient people upon the face of the earth;
they are mentioned by Moses as early as the days
of Abraham, Gen. xiv. 7; and they are called by
Balaam  the first of the nations. Num. xxiv. 20.
Between them and the children of Israel the enmity
was long continued and mortal. They were the
first people with whom the Israelites had a battle
after they came forth from the Egyptian captivity; * and their attack upon Moses was so unprovoked and cruel, that Jehovah swore that his
people should have war with Amalek from generation to generation, until, as a people, they should
be blotted out from under heaven. It was against
this cruel people that the first king of Israel was
sent to wage an exterminating warfare; and it was
for his sin in sparing them that Saul was rejected
from his place. 1 Sam. xv. And after their monarch had been made a captive, it was in righteous
retribution for his cruelties, and to fulfil the longstanding curse of Jehovah, that the prophet Samuel
"hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord."  Though
Saul failed to execute his commission, David did
much to destroy this people, and perhaps completely broke their power as a nation, when he
defeated them after the destruction of Ziklag.
1 Sam. xxx. Yet even then four hundred men
* Exod. xvii. 8. Some suppose this is Balaam's meaning,
Num. xxiv. 20.




HAMAN, THIE MAGNIFICENT.         65
escaped; and the scattered sons of Amalek, might
long afterwards be found among the nations. As
Agag was doubtless a common designation of their
kings, like Pharaoh among the Egyptian monarchs,
and Csesar among the Roman emperors, Haman
was probably a descendant of the royal line; though
the words of Samuel may perhaps forbid us to regard him as the descendant of the king whom that
prophet slew. The pride of birth for so ancient a
people, and such a long line of royal descent, may
have been maintained for many generations after
Amalek was scattered; especially when the weakness of the fallen family gave no cause of jealousy
in the lands where they were exiled. Indeed
Haman possesses before us just such a character
as we might expect, in one who plumed himself
upon his ancient pedigree, and had little else to recommend him.
But this man, Haman, of polite manners and flattering lips, is the favourite of the Persian court;
king Ahasuerus advances him above all other princes;
and the king's servants bow down to reverence him.
This usually follows as a thing of course; nor is it
always wrong. There is a respect due to men in
high places; and it is proper to reverence according
to their office those that are in authority. But how
empty and shallow is the applause often bestowed
upon such favourites! The smiles that met the eye
of Haman were no index of the inner homage of
6*




66         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
the heart; but the flattery of sycophants, who had
learned in the court
"To crook the pliant hinges of the knee
Where thrift may follow fawning."
But as in chemical experiments, a few drops in the
retort will sometimes change entirely the colour, and
even the qualities of the liquid it contains; so, envious flatteries turn to bitter hatred at the first breath
of adversity; and the men who now bow so obsequiously before Haman's robes of purple, will soon
be as ready to point the way to Haman's ignominious gallows.
But there was one man in the court of Persia who
saw the splendour of HAMAN THE MAGNIFICENT,
and yet "bowed not nor did him reverence." Though
urged to do it by motives of self-interest and personal
safety, by the command of the king, and by daily
solicitations from both friendly and hostile voices;
this man, who standing alone was beneath the scorn of
Haman, who held only an inferior post in the gate
of the palace, uncovered not his brow and bowed not
down his head at the approach of the favourite.
Yet there is something here far different from stubbornness or incivility. We miss it much, if we admire only the independence of Mordecai in his behaviour before Haman. It may be true that this
man Haman was unworthy of the respect he now
demanded; that only by the partiality of a deluded
king was so proud and cruel a man in such a station;
and that Mordecai was right in refusing to act the




IHAMAN, THE MAGNIFICENT.         67
hypocrite before a man whom he clearly understood
and thoroughly despised. But his resolute independence is dictated by a deeper and more worthy
feeling. Mordecai acted thus for conscience sake.
He saw in Haman a hated Amalekite; a man abiding, with his race, under the just curse of Israel's
God; and before such a man he had no respect to
show, no homage to pay. It is true Ilaman was now
possessed of great power; and Mordecai might easily
know that he would be disposed to use it, not simply
for his personal destruction, but for the peril of all
the Jews. Herein is the very strength of Mordecai's faith: that he will not violate his conscience,
nor give any tokens of a respect he does not feel,
though he knew that the Agagite would soon notice his disrespect; would learn his Jewish kindred;
and would, in all likelihood, kindle his rage against
the Jewish people. But Mordecai's faith rests upon
the covenant of his God. The power now is in the
hands of an enemy to his race; but he fears not
that power so long as he knew Jehovah's recorded
curse against the Amalekites, and Jehovah's recorded covenant for his chosen people. We admire
the courage and resolution of Mordecai when we
trace it to such an origin. It is a principle indeed
rather of the Jewish than of the Christian economy;
in our age we know no race so under a special curse
that we must avoid all intercourse with them. But
it is in him the settled principle of a conscientious
man, who knows no reason for consulting his safety




68         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
or his popularity by bowing before an enemy of God;
who even for the protection of his entire people
chooses rather to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in such a prince. And we may not omit to
add that Mordecai was not mistaken in the estimate
he put upon Haman. The Agagite wanted but an
opportunity to show that he had all the antipathies
of his people against the living God; and that he
was fully disposed to do all in his power to crush the
chosen people.
The conduct of Mordecai could not long remain
unnoticed by HIaman. The man could doubtless
have remained concealed in the crowd of unregarded
attendants on the court; and perhaps with all the
evil instincts of his race, the striking features of the
Jew might not have attracted the Amalekite's attention, if he had not brought observation upon himself by his singularity. A single spot of ink upon
a sheet of white paper; a single fertile spot in a
desert; a single light in a wide waste of darkness;
or a single star in a cloudy sky, will attract immediate attention; and Mordecai is singled out, because
he is unlike the bowing crowds around him. It
seems the extreme of rashness in such a man, thus
to draw towards himself the fixed gaze of such a
prince, whose absorbing feelings, derived by long inheritance from his royal line, are pride of station
and vengeance against the Jews. Is not this man
rash to provoke the hatred of ages, and to sting the
pride of a mortal and powerful foe? Yes, both rash




HAMAN, THE MAGNIFICENT.          69
and foolish; if we introduce not another reflection:
that conscience dictated the resolute action of Mordecai, and faith sustained him in it. And shall not
this man escape from the very insignificance of his
position, compared with the exalted dignity of Haman? Are not scorn and contempt, vices sufficiently kindred to pride, to allow that a worm may insult Haman and yet not be crushed beneath his
haughty heel? However this may be, the other element, to which we have alluded, comes in here to
embitter this conflict; to enlarge its boundaries; to
make it no longer a personal, but a national affair;
to elevate it into a conflict in which were involved
the religious interests of all succeeding time; to introduce the faithfulness of Jehovah himself as a
party in the strife; and far beyond the stretch of
Haman's thoughts, to secure his certain downfall.
It was no insignificant word that was addressed to
Haman's ear when it was told him that Mordecai
was a JEW. Ages of implacable hatred were embodied in the word; the revenge of his smitten ancestry and his scattered people seemed placed within
his reach; and this important line expresses the
deep feeling of Haman, "He thought scorn to lay
hands on Mordecai alone."
His resolution is taken to destroy the entire nation of the Jews. But the vain superstitions of
paganism, invoked to his assistance, are overruled
in the orderings of Providence, for salutary purposes.  The heathen, in ancient and modern times,




70         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.'have been accustomed to regard what they call
lucky and unlucky days; and to look for the success or failure of their enterprises, according to their
auspicious or unhappy beginning. Among the
Chinese, now, the burial of a friend will sometimes
be postponed for days and even for many months,
if the priests cannot determine a lucky day and a
lucky place for the interment. We do not even
need to go so far as China. Among a people of
better religious light and higher civilization than
the Chinese, there is one day of the week which'
prevalent superstition has marked as unfortunate
above all the rest; and paganism has hold enough
upon the heart of many a Christian, to prevent him
from beginning any enterprise upon a Friday.
Haman had this superstition; and the lot was cast
before him " from day to day and from month to
month to the twelfth month," to find a lucky day
for his undertaking. We understand that, as in the
case of Achan, first the tribe of the unknown transgressor, and then the family, and then the man,
were determined by lot, Josh. vii.; so here first
the names of the months were put in the urn, and
then the numbers of the days, and from these the
selection was made. The day pointed out for
Haman was lucky indeed; but not for him; nor in
the sense he meant it. Haman is fighting against the
God of heaven; and " there is no wisdom nor counsel against the Lord." In the orderings of that Pro-.vidence where no event occurs by chance, the last




HAMAN, THE MAGNIFICENT.          71
month of the year and the thirteenth day were chosen;
nearly a year must elapse before the dawning of
that great day. Thus full opportunity was given to
Mordecai and Esther to lay their plans in opposition to his; and to the Jews to prepare for flight or
defence. God causes " the wrath of main to praise"
him. An earlier day might have been disastrous.
The very deliberation of Haman's malice gives occasion to his failure, and signalizes the prophet's
words, " The Lord is known by the judgment which
he executeth; the wicked is snared in the work of
his own hands." Psa. ix. 16.
The agency of the king is needed for the next
act in these eventful scenes. How well Haman
had calculated upon his credulous confidence, may
be seen from his fixing upon the day for the indiscriminate massacre of all the Jews in the empire,
before he had secured the royal consent. We may
well mourn for the lamentable lot of any people
over whom reigns such a heartless monarch as
Ahasuerus. Elsewhere indeed he gives evidence
of excellent qualities; and in the end he becomes
the protector of the Jews; but no acts of rectitude
or of compensatory justice can atone for the inexcusable thoughtlessness-to use the lightest term
-of a decree like this. A mighty king, the ruler
over a hundred states, with the lives of millions at
his disposal, without inquiry and without reserve,
delivers thousands of his subjects to death with an
unconcern that scarcely a wealthy shepherd would




72         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
show in ordering the brute members of his flock to
the slaughter. We make no apology; we know of
none that can be made for the king of Persia.
The only semblance of it, is his full confidence in
his prime minister; and doubtless the Agagite made
an artful representation to gain his point. But the
proposal to massacre an entire people should have
excited the king's attention under any disguise;
and if, when excited by wine and surrounded by
revelry, the queen may not be divorced without a
conference with his counsellors, it is strange that a
matter of this magnitude should cost not a single
thought, and be thus summarily committed to the
caprice of a favourite.
Haman presented his request with subtilty; expecting doubtless that it would be harder to secure
than he really found it. His representation respecting the Jews contained just sufficient truth to
make it plausible, to carry conviction to an indolent and inattentive mind; and yet it was a false
and malicious statement of the true standing of that
people. He spoke of a race of men scattered
abroad among all the provinces; having laws of
their own, different from the usual laws of the empire; disposed to set the laws of the king at defiance; and able from their scattered condition to
stir up rebellion against the king's authority. It is
refutation sufficient of all these charges to say that
afterwards it was by no serious denial of them, that
the Jewish deliverance was effected. If the mind




HAMAN, THE MAGNIFICENT.          73
of Ahasuerus, as a wise and politic king, had at
this time been intelligently convinced by the arguments of Haman, then the judgment would not
have been reversed, nor the Agagite condemned to
death upon the mere discovery that his beloved
queen was one of the destined victims. If the
original judgment was just, it was an accident on
the part of Haman to include Esther; and the result is proof enough, that the king made no inquiry
into the matter, and rested his decision upon no
pondering of weighty arguments.
We may be fiee to acknowledge, that in the plea
of Haman against the Jews there was a partial
exhibition of truth; yet so used as to do that people the grossest injustice. Unquestionably they
had laws diverse from the laws of the realm; and
maxims superior in excellence to all that Persia
knew; and ideas of freedom greatly differing from
the usual ideas of arbitrary kings; and conscientious convictions such as no exercise of tyrannical
power could overcome. But all these were qualities
of sterling excellence, which every wise prince
should know how to appreciate; which might make
them formidable to tyrants, but only the more valuable as the subjects of an upright prince. That
ruler over any people who is jealous of upright and
sterling virtues, that may even sometimes come in
conflict with his own plans, is fit to govern only
beasts, and not men. A ruler of men should wish
them to be men, and should aspire to govern them
7




74         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
as such. For, the true policy is, that the higher
the dignity of the state in the character of its citizens, the higher rank does the ruler take among the
princes of the earth. The king of a million savages is a less dignified potentate than the ruler of
a thousand enlightened freemen. For the character and not the number of a people gives dignity
to the commonwealth. These indeed may be ideas
far above the thoughts of the Persian king; but
they are just, and the justice of them should have
given the amplest protection to the exiled Jews.
We may notice that all these events occur in that
natural order which belongs to current events
around us; and that the wickedness of Haman,
like the daily wickedness of our times, expects to
find success in the use of appropriate measures.
Ahasuerus was easily persuaded; but Haman was
prepared to give plausible reasons for the measures
he proposed. Every scheme of wickedness has its
apologies; so much so that men ought to suspect
every scheme too fairly presented, and stand in
doubt of the man who is the smoothest in his apologies.
Haman's personal influence secured the consent
of the monarch; and the large amount pledged to
the treasury is surrendered as of no importance.
Had Ahasuerus been a wise and prudent prince, the
offer of so large a sum of money would have awakened suspicion, and called forth inquiry. The truth
is, 1Haman overshot the mark. Men never bid so




HAMAN, THE MAGNIFICENT.          75
high without some great object to gain. And as
wicked men often contradict themselves, there was
an inconsistency in the statements of the crafty Agagite.  He represents the people as unprofitable to
the king; and yet offers to pay for their destruction,
an immense amount of money as compensatory of the
loss the empire would sustain. Surely Haman had
here overreached himself, had he addressed any, but
the partial ear of a foolish monarch. But favouritism
is blind and deaf; and if the king saw at all, it was
with a morbid vision, which magnified the generosity
of Haman, and refused to take advantage of it.
The king can afford to be as liberal as his servant;
and Haman receives the credit without the cost of
his offer. Even this, however, with every other
early success, aggravates the coming downfall.
We are so accustomed to a man's own proper signature to every document, that it requires a moment's reflection to recall, that, if the art of printing is of modern invention, the arts of reading and
writing are so connected with it, that they never
were in very general use before the era of the printing press. The reported ignorance of days far later
than the times of Ahasuerus, may excite our supreme amazement. Noble princes and dignified ecclesiastics too ignorant to write their own names
were common personages in Europe but a few centuries ago; the very word signature is derived from
the fact that the majority, from inability to do more,
made a sign or mark; and the seals we affix were




76         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
once the most certain pledges of a genuine subscription. We cannot argue that the king of Persia
could not write; but he had adopted the usual practice of subscribing public documents by a seal or
ring. Some of these ancient seals may now be
found in any important museum; and engravings
of them are frequent in modern commentaries. (See
page 80.) In Persia yet, documents are authenticated
by the seal, rather than by a signature. The king
gave his seal to Haman. He had thus the power to
give authority to any proclamation; and this in a
realm where even Ahasuerus could not repeal the
most absurd and mischievous decree. Thus far the
success of Haman seems complete. He has full authority to issue the irreversible command.
The decree was prepared and sent forth to the
governors in the wide empire of Persia, written in
the king's name and sealed with his seal. The letters were sent by post. The word comes from the
Latin positus, placed; because by placing horses at
certain stations, messages were carried without delay and at great speed to any required distance.
There is an interesting section in Rollin's Ancient
History where the establishment of the first posts
and couriers is ascribed to Cyrus, king of Persia.
That prince appointed postmasters to receive the
packets, and provide horses; and the riders went
night and day without regard to weather.  Herodotus speaks of these posts with admiration in the
times of Xerxes. But we incline to believe that to the




'IIAMAN, THE MAGNIFICENT.        77
Jews is due the credit of this invention. It is very
certain that no ancient nation exceeded the Jews in
general intelligence among the people. We have
no good reason to say that permanent arrangements
existed among the Jews for transmitting regular intelligence; but posts are mentioned in the Jewish
Chronicles in the days of king IHezekiah, a century
and a half before the reign of Cyrus; 2 Chron. xxx.
6; and it would be no wonder if Daniel, a Jew and
the chief minister of Cyrus, transferred a Jewish
institution to Persian practice, to the great admiration of Greek historians, and to the great advantage of the entire world; for this method of communication has now expanded into one of the most
important agencies of modern civilization, THE POST
OFFICE, than which nothing has done more to fulfil Daniel's own prophetic words for these ages,
"Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be
increased." Dan. xii. 4. We are so accustomed
to the privileges of the Post Office, that we seldom
reflect on its advantages. Posts in their origin were
not used for the public benefit, but were designed to
transmit the despatches of the government. So the
decree was sent to the governors. Yet as no secrecy
was designed, its purport was made public. All the
vile passions of.men were let loose against the Jews.
It was made lawful for any man whom envy or revenge or cupidity might arouse against his Jewish
neighbour, to destroy his family, and to seize on his
property. Nor need we think that the very cruelty
7*




78         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
of the decree would defeat it. The pages of human history prove only too fully that the most inhuman tyrants do not lack willing helpers to execute
their schemes. It is impossible for us to realize how
latent iniquity in human hearts is restrained by law
and custom. The tendency of allowed crime, and
especially of legalized crime, to increase, even in
men whose principles might be thought to be better,
is strong proof that firm restraint should never be relaxed. Philosophers tell us that beneath the crust of
the earth there are immense magazines of explosive
and combustible materials, and vast internal fires;
and in a favourable opportunity these might easily
effect the conflagration, and even the destruction
of the globe. In proof of this, they point to those
volcanic fires which occasionally give partial vent to
these energies in the awful eruption, or the terrific
earthquake. And so the Scriptures tell us, that the
heart of man is the seat of evil passions, deceitful
and desperately wicked; and in proof we have records of human sin, which make us tremble and blush
that we too are men, and have these hearts of deceit.
Had the decree of Haman been carried into effect,
it would not have lacked executioners, delighting in
the license of blood and cruelty.
Yet sympathy, grief, and indignation would not
be wanting in the minds of the better part of the
people every where. The Jews had been long scattered: they were thoughtful, industrious, and moral
among the heathen; and like light in darkness, their




HAMAN, THE MAGNIFICENT.         79
high and holy views of God and of man's duty, must
have attracted attention in realms of paganism; and
they had doubtless formed many ties of friendship
and good neighbourhood. Thus summarily condemned to confiscation and death, without trial and
without charge, they became the subjects of a widespread sympathy.  "The city Shushan was perplexed." This was doubtless an example of the
whole empire. Perhaps many Jews resided there;
and being near the court, the reason for the decree
was better conjectured. Yet if they did know Mordecai's insult to Haman, his revenge must have
seemed stupendous.
"And the king and Haman sat down to drink."
But little sympathy exists here between the prince
and the people. The true theory of government
makes all one body; the ruler the head and the people the members. Here the body is perplexed, and
the head is indifferent to the sorrows of the members. We do not suppose the words denote any special revelry, as if Ahasuerus or Haman needed to
drown the thoughts of a wicked transaction in the
oblivion of intoxication. It simply expresses their
indifference to the agitation produced by their decree. As for Ahasuerus, having given the entire
matter into the hands of Haman, he thought little
of it; and the time had not yet come for Haman to
be troubled. The consciences of guilty men will
often sleep during the longest progress of villany;
but when the iniquity has either finally failed, or is




80         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
successfully done, conscience rises up in terror
against the peace of the soul. If sinful men could
only see their sins as they will one day see them,
and as even in this life they sometimes see too late,
they would withhold their hands appalled. Haman's
time had not yet come. He was hurrying forward
to secure his end, unknowing that his own feet should
fall into the deep pit he had digged. Shushan was
in perplexity; but the authors of their trouble sat
down to drink.
ORIENTAL SIGNET RINGS.




THE IRREVERSIBLE DECREE.         81
LECTURE IV.
THE IRREVERSIBLE DECREE.
CAN we really give credit to the historical statement here made, that so heartless and cruel a
decree should go forth from any monarch against
his own subjects-an inoffensive and industrious
population-as that recorded of king Ahasuerus
against the Jewish exiles? Even supposing that
this historical narrative is verified by far more than
the usual evidences, which lead us to believe the
records of the past, may there not be doubt cast
over the whole transaction, by the very extravagance of cruelty here attributed to the monarch and
his adviser? May we not say, from our knowledge
of human nature, that the heart of man is not capable of deeds so arbitrary and tyrannical? Or if
we suppose that such deeds have ever happened,
how far back in the annals of the world must we
go; to what climes and ages of barbarism; under
what debasing and sanguinary forms of religion,
must we look; and what are the exciting causes
which provoke such iniquity?  Alas! the doctrines of the Bible and the gloomy teachings of




82         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
history-in these pages and out of them-are only
too much alike, when they give us the darkest
views of human nature, and point us to a hidden
source of deep depravity in man himself as the only
satisfactory solution of earth's scenes of cruelty and
blood. Early in the history of Adam's fallen race
have we these impressive teachings, " God saw that
the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and
that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart
was only evil continually." Gen. vi. 5. Before
this God had said to the serpent, " I will put enmity
between thee and the woman, and between thy
seed and her seed." Gen. iii. 15. In these two
verses, we have the key to all the cruelties and
oppressions of man; and especially to the remarkable fact that the cruelty of man has never been
more fierce than when it has raged against the
church of God. We may go far back in history,
if you please; and among its first records and in
its very first mention of blood-shedding we have a
religious feud, and the innocent and the inoffensive
falling before the guilty. What a picture is that!
The first born of men is the first murderer, the first
persecutor for religion's sake: the first man to die
is the first martyr of piety; and we read no sooner
of an altar smoking to the God of mercy, than we
hear a voice of blood, crying out from the newstained earth to the God of justice. And the war
thus early begun, has never ended: and as it began
between brother and brother, as the seed of the




THE IRREVERSIBLE DECREE.           83
serpent and the seed of the woman sprang from the
common mother, so no ties between king and subject, between friend and friend, are regarded in
this fatal strife. The brother betrays the brother
to death; the father, the son; the children, the
parents. Are these strange scenes in human history,
so that the iniquity of Ahasuerus must be discredited for want of a parallel? Look back less
than two thousand years to that Roman emperor
whose name has become proverbial for tyranny, who
wished that all his subjects had but one neck that
a single stroke might end them all; whose character
is portrayed by the current charge, true or false,
that he set his capital on fire and danced to his own
trifling music, in the light afforded; and this man
may be found enveloping his Christian subjects in
garments dipped in pitch and setting them on fire
as miserable torches to illuminate the imperial gardens. We may descend fifteen hundred years later,
and landing in the capital of modern, polished, intelligent France, on the morning of August 24th
1572, we may see a king, instructed in the Romish
faith, and solemnly called by the authority of the
Pope, "His Most Christian Majesty," —issue and
execute a decree for the slaughter of his Protestant
subjects, that surpasses in atrocity any that can be
found even in the records of kingly crimes. Let indeed the decree of Ahasuerus be justly considered
as humane in comparison with this later edict.
Even Haman was willing to publish his intentions;




84         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
nearly a year's notice was given that the Jews might
escape or resist; and he was but carrying on a war
that had existed already without a truce for a
thousand years. But the decree of the French
monarch was against his own best subjects; was in
defiance of the most solemn promises and treaties
of friendship; was carefully concealed by tokens of
kindness up to the very hour when every preparation
was made; and burst upon the defenceless heads of
the devoted victims like a sudden peal of thunder
from a cloudless sky.
The great bell of the palace, used only upon occasions of public rejoicing, gave the signal in the
night; the bells of churches, devoted to the God of
peace, answered; and the discharge of fire arms increased the tokens of alarm. A white cross, worn
on the hat, distinguished the faithful members of
the Romish church; their priests, with a drawn
sword in one hand and a crucifix in the other, preceded the assassins, and urged them on; and by the
dawn of day Paris exhibited an appalling spectacle:
headless bodies were thrown from the windows; the
streets were filled with carcases; and the gateways
were blocked up with the dying and the dead. The
miserable king, Charles IX., fired upon the miserable populace from the windows of his palace, disfigured the lifeless body of one of his bravest and
most loyal subjects, and uttered his coarse jests
over the work his hands had thus done. A potentate of higher religious claims than the king of




THE IRREVERSIBLE DECREE.          85
France, even the Pope of Rome, ordered public
thanksgivings to be made to Almighty God for the
massacre of the IIuguenots; struck off a medal to
commemorate the great event; (see page 103;) and
caused a painting to be made, representing the scene,
that hangs to this day upon the walls of the Vatican.
We might descend within the memory of living men to
a period when such teachings of Popery had brought
forth their ripe fruit, and see a nation throwing off
restraints, and showing that the hearts, not only
of despots, but of men as men, are "desperately
wicked." The lesson is only too frequently repeated; and we may not reject this record, because
it is so unlike man, but the rather strengthen our
faith in a narrative that is unhappily so true to
nature.
The decree of Ahasuerus went forth; and now
the unbending Mordecai passes before us with his
clothes rent, with sackcloth and ashes upon him,
and uttering a loud and bitter cry. This is no more
unusual to express the grief of an Oriental, than petitions or mass-meetings would be among us. No
one there thinks of remonstrating with the government; and the loud outcries of aggrieved individuals excite no special surprise.  Can we dtaw
back the veil and read the counsels of God? Can
we understand why, in the orderings of his Providence, such dark clouds are allowed, even for a little while, to rest upon the righteous; why such
sorrows rend their hearts; and why the voice of
8




86         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
exultation is heard in the tabernacles of the proud
and ungodly?  Could not the pathway of the
righteous here, be ever a path of light and comfortof joy and peace; with no triumphs for Haman and
for such as he, and no sackcloth and bitterness for
the righteous Mordecai?  It is in infinite wisdom,
even though we may be unable to trace its every
line, that Jehovah has arranged the plan of this
world's affairs; and has placed us here to know the
trials of ignorance and to feel the pangs of adversity. The law of his earthly kingdom bids us walk
by faith and not by sight; and we must needs feel
our dependence and be exposed to temptation and
danger. There is a sense in which the path of the
just is a path of light. The pathway of duty is seldom otherwise than clear to those who wish to find
it; and faith assures us that this is the path of
safety and of final comfort. Faith rests upon a basis
holier and more permanent than our present feelings of joy or sorrow; bids us be careful only of
our obedience to the Divine will; and gives the assurance that afflictions, meekly endured, shall yield
the peaceable fruits of righteousness. Hebrews
xii. 11.
Nor do we lack reasonable'arguments to show,
that God's glory and man's good are greatly promoted by our most severe trials of faith and endurance. Even in the affairs of this life, they are the
most useful and valuable men, who have struggled
hard for eminence; and have passed through many




THE IRREVERSIBLE DECREE.           87
trials in their checkered experience. During the
periods of temptation indeed, we may be deeply
dejected, and may fear for the issue; it is in the
very nature of trial, that the eye of faith alone
can see the end of it; and our faith is not to be
estimated by the strong fears and weighty griefs,
with which it is brought into conflict; but rather
by its efforts to contend against these, and its final
triumph over them. During the darkness and
terror of a storm  at sea, the sailor cannot appeal
to the heavens to learn his present position, and
the progress he is making; such observations belong
to fair weather; but he can still appeal to his compass to tell the direction which he would go.
During our seasons of sorrow and trial, God gives
us still his word as our compass, and light enough
to see the path of duty; he assures us of his continued kindness and protection in spite of adverse
appearances; but it is only when the storm is past
that we can learn how far it has sent us upon our
way; can discern the mercy that sent it; can
rejoice that trouble brought us large experience of
his kindness, and love, and grace; and can sing the
oft repeated song of the royal psalmist,
Yet I have found'tis good for me,
To bear my Father's rod;
Afflictions make me learn thy law,
And live upon my God.
When these trials are past, and God's ransomed




88         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
people are gathered home, his ways of dark providence will be vindicated; we shall see what we should
now believe; we shall understand fully what we now
comprehend partially; the darkest clouds will have
been found by experience to be full of the largest
showers of mercy; and things which we thought
the worst that could happen, will be found among
the best. Let us believe these lessons now. Providence is often to be judged by contraries; when
God is kindest, he may seem severe: or rather
God is ever to be credited upon the truth of his
holy word, which we can read; and not judged by
the appearances of his providence, which we cannot
read. And it is unquestionably a design in recording such troubles, and the slow-moving but certain
period of deliverance from them, to encourage the
church and each believer in their trials. For if the
actual occurrences of human affairs are different in
each age, in each rolling year,; and with each individual, so that every man has an experience
peculiarly his own; still the principles of the Divine
government remain permanent and unchanging.
The same covenant-keeping God, who watched over
Israel and Mordecai, watches in the affairs of his
meanest servant; appoints his angels to minister
about their path; and notices the struggles, and
rewards the triumphs of their faith. These things
are written for our learning; these trials and temptations beneath which we now weep and mourn, are
in His full view, who wisely orders their occurrence;




THE IRREVERSIBLE DECREE.             89
their end is present before him, and a train of
means is laid in infinite wisdom to secure its happy
accomplishment. Let worldly men be skeptical,
if they will, of these kind orderings in the providence of God; rebels against his law, let them
fight, like Haman, against his mercy to Israel;
blind to their own duty, no marvel, if they are ignorant of his power and grace; but their folly and
madness may not rob God's believing people of
their delightful privilege. We may still trust his
minute and constant guardianship. The book of
Esther teaches the same essential lesson which
Christ taught his disciples, " the very hairs of your
head are all numbered." Matt. x. 30. The lessons
of these pages are lessons of confidence in the
darkest hours of trial; lessons of rejoicing in tribulation from the prospect, not only of deliverance,
but also of enlargement; lessons of peace in hours
of grief. Here, long before the days of Paul the
apostle, may we learn Paul's great lesson, "We
know that all things work together for good, to
them that love God, to them that are the called according to his purpose!" Rom. viii. 28.
"Let us be patient! These severe afflictions
Not from the ground arise;
But oftentimes celestial benedictions
Assume this dark disguise;
We see but dimly through the mists and vapours;
Amid these earthly damps,
What seem to us but dim, fincreal tapers,
May be heaven's distant lamps!"
8*




90         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
But what judgment are we to form now of Mordecai, when he thus clothes himself in sackcloth,
and bewails so bitterly the stern decree? Has his
confidence now failed in the covenant promise to
God's chosen people?  Does he begin to regret his
ill-timed boldness, in thus provoking the enemy of
his faith and of his race? Is he willing now to bow
down, with obsequious reverence, at the feet of the
haughty Agagite? Not one of these things is true,
as we shall further see in the narrative. And yet
Mordecai is in trouble. And to reconcile his lamentations in such a case, with the genuineness and
even with the firmness of his faith in God, affords
us one of the most important practical lessons of
the life of piety; a lesson we are very slow to learn,
and yet one we need quite as much as any other, in
all the teachings of the Bible; a lesson that comes
home to the conflicts and fluctuations of our own
breasts, and bids us look forward to the day of
triumph. There is no foundation in the word of
God for the idea, that faith destroys our humanity,
that it steels the heart against all fears, and quells
the risings of all timidity. True piety is as far removed from stoical apathy on the one hand, as it is
from quailing despondency upon the other. The
faith of a pious mind exists in a mind that still remains human; that has yet the misgivings and ignorance, the fears and tremblings incident to man's
experience; and when these fears and difficulties
abound the most, the strength of faith is seen-not




THE IRREVERSIBLE DECREE.         91
so much in our banishing them from the mind-as
in our triumph over them. That is a strong faith,
which sees difficulties, weighs them, and fears them;
but refuses to be deterred by them from the path of
duty.
Mordecai was troubled at the decree. This was
not wrong, but perfectly natural. God designs
that we should feel our adversities, should mourn
at the frowns of his providence, and then roll our
care upon him. Nor must we forget an important
matter, which entered as an essential element into
Mordecai's humiliation. He mourned for the calamities threatening his people. If personal differences only had existed between himself and the Agagite, it may be, Mordecai would have acted otherwise. Or had the haughty foe of his faith singled
him out as a Jew, the solitary object of his hatred,
he would perhaps have gone even to death with the
spirit and bearing of a martyr, scorning the hereditary foe, and rejoicing to die for his faith; and no
cry of bitterness would have wailed through the
streets of Shushan; no pang of regret would have
rent the heart of Mordecai, as he passed to join the
noble army of witnesses, who have sealed with their
blood the testimony of God. But the nation of Mordecai was involved in the revenge of Haman; and however firm was the faith of this heroic man in the final issue of Israel's triumph, it was impossible for
him to foresee at how great a cost to his people this
new conflict might be. It was no light thing to




92         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
Mordecai, that upon him lay the responsibility of
provoking the conflict;' and though well assured of
the rectitude of his principles and the sincerity of
his motives, he could not repress some anxious solicitude for the measures he had taken; some earnest searchings of heart to see whether he might
not have fulfilled his entire duty to God without involving Israel in trouble like this. Times of severe
trials lead us to search our motives; and even when
we judge that we have done as we ought-that if
things were again to do, we would pursue the same
course; we may yet see reason to mourn the calamities our faithfulness may have brought upon others.
The first tidings of the decree greatly distressed
Mordecai.  Regardless of appearances, he ran
through the streets in wild excitement, bewailing
even to the gates of the palace, the calamity of his
people. But he does not spend all his strength in
vain lamentations. Strong emotions cannot last
long; and it is well they cannot. Mordecai is as
deeply grieved afterwards, but his mind becomes
more composed; he carefully considers how the
threatening storm may be averted; and he earnestly
sets to work to carry his plan into execution. That
grief which unfits us for duty is inordinate and unsubmissive; while true submission is entirely consistent with the use of measures to secure consolation,
when our trials are beyond remedy; and to secure
relief from evils, which may be averted.
What are we to say of that sentence upon this




THE IRREVERSIBLE DECREE.         93
truthful page, " None might enter into the king's gate
clothed with sackcloth?" The halls of Ahasuerus
were set apart for gayety and mirth; the grotesque
robe of the buffoon, or the embroidered cloak that
covered the painted hypocrite, might freely enter
there; but the coarse, rough clothing that betokened
distress and sorrow, was debarred entrance to the
palace of the king. Was this too an unalterable
decree in the wise realm of Persia? Are edicts
fraught with distress unutterable, ever to go forth
from those marble chambers, and yet the ponderous
gates be never thrown open,that sorrow, or the tidings of sorrow, from a stricken nation or a sinful
race, may perchance reach the ear of the king?
And can we imagine it possible, that in that abode
of splendid tyranny, no sighs were ever heaved, no
tears ever fell? When the tidings of Vashti's disgrace fell heavily upon the ear of the beautiful
queen, did no thoughts befitting the sackcloth cross
her heart? Amid the cruel desolation of so many
fair damsels, torn from the abodes of parental tenderness to pine in the harem of the Persian king,
were there neither visible griefs, nor secret lamentations? Had the mighty king forbidden his porters
to open up at the knock of that impartial messenger, whose dark shadow falls alike upon the threshold of the palace and of the cottage? If one
Persian king was angry that the waves of the sea
would not do his bidding; shall another frown that
death will not stay at his command? Had Ahasue



94         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
rus forgotten the only wise thing that history has
recorded of his father; the memorable weeping of
Xerxes at the rapid and resistless march of inexorable death?
Yet we need not wonder at the foolish mandateSackcloth may not enter the palace of the king. It
would indeed have been wiser far, if the voice of
sorrow had often been welcomed there; if sackcloth
and mourning had been freely invited guests; if the
voice of revelry had given place to an appointed
messenger ever sounding, in the monarch's ears, the
fact of his mortality; if instead of increasing his
people's sorrows, he had been ever ready to hear
them, to sympathize with them and to relieve them;
and if salutary thoughts of death had prepared
Ahasuerus himself to die. But we are not surprised
at these words of folly in the Persian court, for the
spirit that dictated such an order, is still existing
where it finds no direct utterance in such words of
folly. Is it not true, that in the halls of modern
gayety, in the circles of fashion, in the abodes of
luxury, and in parties of vain pleasure, these thoughts
of sorrow and mortality are yet guests as unwelcome
as the sackcloth garment in the Persian palace?
Do not men now banish all thoughts of grief and
death, and all preparation for that most certain and
most important event? How many of us love to
think of that solemn hour, and have made an intelligent preparation for it? And why should we not?
Do thoughts of sorrow have any tendency to bring




TIE IRREVERSIBLE DECREE.          95
sorrow upon us? When we allow our minds to reflect upon death, can such reflections have any tendency to hasten the footsteps of the final messenger, that he may knock the more speedily at our
door? Certainly this is not so.
When the commander of a fortress about to be besieged takes his glass, and examines the number and
power of the approaching enemy, it is only apparently and not really, that the danger is brought
nearer. He is better able by means of his telescope
to discern the peril; to understand how great it is;
to prepare to meet it, and perhaps to overcome it;
but certainly his clear vision neither hastens the hour
of danger, nor increases the danger itself. It is
purely an advantage. So, thoughtful contemplation,
through the glass of God's holy word, of grief and
death, may give us better ideas of sorrow, and prepare us to meet it when it comes; but it can have
no effect to increase the power of our troubles over
us, nor to hurry forward the visits they make to
our abodes.
The true reasons for the decree of Ahasuerus, and
for the banishment of serious thoughts from human
minds, are the aversion of man's heart to good; the
power of conscience that dares not think of death;
and the love of those frivolous and often guilty pleasures, that are so easily marred by the sounds of
sorrow. Before we curl the lip in scorn at this new
token of Persian folly, let us examine whether we
ourselves are truly wise on this point. We are in a




96         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
world of sorrow; let us learn to sympathize with it;
to bear it ourselves; to draw precious advantages
from it. We are in a world where death reigns;
and we are certain, he will one day enter our abodes,
and strike at our hearts. Let us be mindful of this
mortality. Especially let us make Him our friend,
who is death's conqueror, and who gives us a triumph over the grave.
Yet men will go on in this way of folly, still virtually writing over the doors of their theatres, and their
ball-rooms, and their parlours and their closets, " Let
no one enter here clothed in sackcloth." Vain and
impotent decree! If they would shut out SIN the cause
of sorrow, and the inventor of the garments of mortal
grief, it would be something; but they welcome the
cause and wish not the effect; they plant the seed,
and wish the tree to be fruitless. But it may not
be. Ahasuerus may close his palace gates, and
doubly guard them with his most careful officers, but
sorrow will enter there in despite of the bars, and
steal silently by his most vigilant porters; death,
with leaden noiseless step, will tread his tesselated
pavements, and shoot his fatal arrows through the
costly tapestry; and the page and the peer, the minister and the monarch, unconscious of surrounding
splendour or meanness, must be clothed in the garments of the grave. Men may put away from them
the thoughts of affliction, but they will come. They
may fear sorrow itself, but it will come. They may
shrink from the approach of death, but it will come.




THE IRREVERSIBLE DECREE.         97
They may loathe the silent grave, but there they
must come. They may dread the resurrection, but
it too will come. They may tremble as they think
of judgment, but
"That awful day will surely come."
They may be unprepared for the retributions of
eternity, but they will come-come all the more terribly, because they are unwelcome: and when they
come, they will endure for ever!
"None might enter the king's gate clothed in
sackcloth." Ahasuerus was a great monarch; kings
bowed down to do him reverence; millions of subjects obeyed his decrees; and many a heart was
bowed in sadness through his wide dominions. But
how unhappy was that rule, which in a world of
grief and sadness seemed so to forbid all sympathy
between the ruler and the ruled! Who would wish
to be governed by a monarch whose character is revealed by such a word as this? It is our privilege
to dwell beneath the beneficent sceptre of One,
whose decree is all the reverse of this. We dwell
in the land of a mighty monarch.  Our sovereign
is the King of kings. On his head are many crowns.
All power is given to him in heaven and upon
earth; and this power he uses freely to bless the
sorrowing, and the voice of grief is ever welcome in
his ears. When he dwelt among men in the garments of our humanity, his daily walks were among
the children of sorrow; disease and suffering found
9




98         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
relief in his healing smile; and he wept with those
that were in mourning. The palace on earth where
our King has established his throne and dispenses
his favours, is the sanctuary of the broken hearted;
and no more fitting words could be written upon its
portals than his own delightful utterance, " Come
unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and
I will give you rest." Matt. xi. 28. Around his
throne of grace, now for more than sixty centuries,
have bowed the sackcloth garments of a stricken
world: here the tears of penitence have been freely
poured out; here the sighs of the broken hearted
have been freely vented. And welcome now are
all the sons and daughters of sorrow. He has ascended up on high; but not to forget that cardinal
principle of his kingdom. He has yet a sympathy
with us in all we feel; for he once was in all points
tempted like as we are. Heb. iv. 15; v. 7. He
once poured out his supplications with strong crying and tears. Well may we rejoice in the gracious
invitations of such a King. Many of us have
poured our sorrows at his feet; and found that he
alone can give true relief. We invite our suffering
brethren to come also to him. Come sinful soul!
Hear his gracious voice. He calls you, rather than
rejects you. Are your sins a burden? Do you
tremble in view of the coming judgment? Has
earth no solace for a troubled spirit? The sanctuary is a refuge from trouble. Our king welcomes




THE IRREVERSIBLE DECREE.         99
the humbled sinner. None ever trusted in him
and were confounded.
Let us not repress the further reflection that
there is a palace of this glorious King upon whose
gates is written, in truth and not in mockery; by
the hand of authority and not of impotent presumption, "None may enter here clothed in sackcloth."
Blessed are all they that do enter in through the
gates into that city, where "God shall wipe away
all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no
more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall
there be any more pain." Rev. xxi. 4. But is it
not worthy of remark, that those who most earnestly hope and prepare for an abode in that glorious palace of our immortal King, are such as here
make themselves most familiar with thoughts of
death? It is not true that wise thoughts of our
mortality are as wormwood cast into the sweet
fountain of our earthly pleasures to make it bitter.
It is a tradition among the Jews, that Moses healed
Marah, the fountain of bitter waters in the wilderness, by casting into it a bitter tree. Exod. xv.
23-25. The idea finds its fulfilment here. Earthly
engagements are themselves unsatisfactory-a bitter fountain, yielding streams of gall and wormwood. Cast into this Marah in our wilderness,
those thoughts of salutary affliction, which are as
wormwood to the natural mind; and the pure,
sweet waters of consolation and of pious peace




100        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
flow forth. It is wisdom in us to welcome sorrow
and the thoughts of it; for certain it is, that there
are no happier hearts on earth than those that are
often filled with thoughts of sorrow and dying; and
have perhaps the very oftenest been brought into
fellowship with these things.
The grief of Mordecai was quickly communicated to Esther; and she sent a message to take
away his sackcloth; and when he received not this,
to know the cause of his distress. In return Mordecai sent to the queen a copy of the proclamation,
which had been issued at the instigation of Haman
against the Jewish people. And here enters the
first ray of light touching the designs of God's providence in introducing a Jewish maiden to royalty
in that empire. The movements of Divire wisdom
are slow and deliberate; there is no danger that
some unforeseen contingency can thwart his plans.
Esther had now been queen more than four years;
and eight years and a half have elapsed since the
divorce of Vashti; and as yet no apparent advantage has occurred, not even to Mordecai, the
orphan's friend and protector. But his faith begins now to discern how God designs to use her for
the preservation of his people. His grief operates
not to prevent the wise consideration of duty; nor
his faith to supersede the careful use of means.
He sent word to Esther that she should lay the
matter before her royal husband; and make supplication for the safety of her race.




THE IRREVERSIBLE DECREE.        101
We have no record of the immediate effect of these
calamitous tidings upon the queen; but we know
that she was distressed for the afflictions of Jacob;
and though labouring under some disadvantages,
best understood by herself, she was ready to use all
the means in her power to bring relief. In reply to
Mordecai she reminded him that there was a law in
the palace, forbidding any person to approach the
king unless called so to do. This law shows us the
great distance in eastern lands, between the monarch and his subjects. It was perhaps ostensibly
enacted to prevent the attacks of assassins whom
despotic princes ever need to fear, and to keep up
the state of the king; but certainly it seemed to
make the king the mere tool of artful officers through
whom communications would be kept up with the
empire, and who, save as their jealousies would lead
them to keep each other in check, would give or
withhold intelligence as they pleased. The single
exception to the law lay in the will of the king; and
he might at his pleasure hold out his golden sceptre,
in token of favour, to even an unbidden visitor.
But for some reason, unknown to herself, the beautiful queen had not seen the face of her royal consort for an entire month; and perhaps her mind was
ready for all manner of conjectures as to the cause.
Four years in the palace may have shown her the
king's weakness and fickleness; and perhaps have
awakened the fear that he would be as ready to divorce her, as Vashti. When she heard of this de9*




102        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
cree against her people, and put that beside her long
exclusion from seeing his face, the fear would certainly not be unnatural that the king designed to
exclude her; and that his estrangement had already
kept him from her apartments for a month. It is
natural in times of distress and perplexity to allow
our minds to dwell upon the dark side of every matter; and it was no doubt with many misgivings that
Esther pondered the plan which her respected cousin
urged upon her.
But his arguments and her resolution will engage
our thoughts at another time. We now conclude
with a single reflection.
We are called upon earth to a life of faith. We
need not expect to pass our time here without sorrow; nor think that God's providence will always
smile. Let us not expect to engage in any duties
of great importance without being perplexed by difficulties; nor should we even wish that our path
should be different from the usual path in which God
leads his people. We shall be happiest when we
walk in the footsteps of the flock.
Let us make up our minds to acquaint ourselves in
the teachings of his word, with what we have to do;
and earnestly to do it, in spite of perplexing anxieties and opposing difficulties. Duties are ours; events
are God's. The path of devotion and duty is the
path of safety. We should not be envious of the
peace of ungodly men, or of their apparently superior security. Whatever darkness may surround




THE IRREVERSIBLE DECREE.          103
the dealings of God with our souls, the principles he
has given to guide us, are plain enough.  Iis law
is our rule of life,-his gospel, the only hope of the
guilty.
Let every believer walk humbly before Him and
trust the orderings of his wisdom.
Let those who are unreconciled to God, and who
rank among his foes, fight no longer in madness
against his throne. Let them repent of their evil
ways; flee to the foot of Calvary and sue for
mercy. We shall see, as we proceed in this history,
that the sinner's prosperity but goes before his destruction; and that it is vain to fight against God.
Let it be your wisdom, impenitent man, to submit
ere it be too late to gain the advantage of it; and
find your happiness and your eternal life through
that grace, which is freely offered in the name of
the dying Son of God!
MEDAL OF THE MASSACRE OF ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S.




104        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
LECTURE V.
DIVINE DESIGNS AND HUMAN DUTY.
TROUBLE has entered the marble halls of Ahasuerus, if even sackcloth, its outward symbol, is
shut out by law. The decree, which Mordecai
sent to the queen, threw her into great perplexity.
On the one hand, she was deeply grieved for the
calamity that had befallen her unhappy people;
and on the other, she seemed suddenly deprived of
the power to afford them the slightest relief. The
apparent estrangement of her royal husband occurred just at a juncture to fill her with the deepest
anxiety. Perhaps his absence from her apartments
for thirty days, was the result of design; perhaps
it was a proof that her kindred, hitherto concealed,
was discovered, and that she was intentionally and
by name included in the plot of the wicked Haman. We cannot wonder at Esther's perplexity.
It is just such perplexity as we ourselves would
feel in such a case; and as nothing more arouses
the mind to active energy than circumstances of
peril, we would have imagined and feared as she
did. In studying the pages of sacred or profane




DIVINE DESIGNS AND HUMAN DUTY.  105
history, we must take an interest in them as the
records of human life.  Upon no historian can
we place so entire reliance as upon these sacred
writers; yet must we interpret what they record,
with the remembrance that the actors in these
scenes were not inspired, though the historians
are. The influence of inspiration is, not to lift the
actors here above the level of our humanity, but
simply to give a truthful representation of what
they were, of how they felt, of what they did.
And it is just because we have here an exact transcript of human feelings in the trials of human life,
that these records are valuable for our instruction;
and it is only when we judge of them through the
medium of our own feelings, that we form a just
estimate of the different characters, and see the
wonders of God's providence in governing the free
actions of intelligent minds.
But the lessons of wisdom upon these inspired
pages are expressed only in principle; and we think
it our place to consider these attentively, and more
at large than we find them here. Hence we do
not hesitate to arrest our progress through the narrative, as occasion offers for profitable thoughts.
If the traveller, hurrying forward in his journey,
may not stop to pick up every stone that glitters in
his path; yet he can well afford to stay long enough
to pick up a valuable diamond.
Stopping the course of the narrative for the present, let us consider the argument preferred by




106         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
Mordecai, when he would urge Esther to go in and
ask the king for the life of her people.
Esther reminded Mordecai of a well known law
in Persia, that if any one came in to the king
uncalled, his presumption was fatal to himself, unless
it pleased the king to hold out his golden sceptre.
That such a rod or sceptre of gold was used by the
kings of Persia is mentioned by Xenophon. While
these profane writers add no authority to the Bible, it is a matter of interest to notice instances
where they agree with the statements of inspiration;
and there will, we believe, be much corroborative
proof of the correctness of the Scriptural writers
in the interesting investigations of antiquaries among
the ruins of Oriental empires. The first fruits give
promise of a large harvest. As Esther had not
been called to go in, she naturally feared that her
intercession would be fatal to herself. Yet the
urgency of the case causes Mordecai to press the
matter upon her as an imperative duty.
Now notice here, in the first place, that Mordecai does not attempt to lessen the real difficulties
before Esther.  He appreciates her position.  He
saw that she had reason to feel and fear just as she
did. He doubtless entertained some of the same
anxieties; and his tenderness for her, as well as the
dictates of an enlightened judgment, would have
avoided all possible difficulties, and have spared
her any unnecessary trial.  When we set ourselves to perform any duty, it is no mark of




DIVINE DESIGNS AND HUMAN DUTY.   107
wisdom to encounter difficulties, which may as well
be avoided; nor yet to undervalue the obstacles
which we must surmount. This is true in every
case of duty; true no less in the greatest duty to
which we are called. Let the man who would follow Christ, in obedience to Christ's own command,
set himself down and count the cost. We may not
abate any of the difficulties in the way; nor entice
men to follow Him by false representations of the
ease and enjoyment they may expect. Nothing is
more remarkable in the teachings of our Lord Jesus
Christ, than his explicit declarations that self-denials
must be expected; and his plain forewarnings that
in following him, men must take up the cross. No
false inducements does he hold out; no compromise
of doctrines to be believed, or of duties to be done,
does he offer, to win the service of the most influential man. Nothing is really gained by undervaluing
the obstacles which lie in the path of duty. Mordecai saw the strength of the arguments urged by
Esther; and he neither denied them, nor sought to
turn their force aside.
But Mordecai takes too wise a view of the case.
and is too deeply interested, to allow these diffi
culties to deter him from urging Esther further.
He recognizes these as difficulties truly; but there
are yet greater difficulties and dangers which beset
her inactivity in this vital matter. The duty of
Esther, like almost all the serious and important
duties of life; like, we may especially say, the




108         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
great duty of the sinner to flee for salvation to the
cross of Christ, was a duty, where responsibility
and difficulty beset her, whichever way she turned,
whether she acted or refused to act. If the soul
of an anxious man, troubled and burdened by sin,
is afraid to flee to Christ for everlasting life, lest he
should be rejected in his earnest suit, such a man
in all wisdom should carefully ponder, whether he
should not be even more afraid to stand back from
an humble application for His grace, in whom
alone are hopes of life and salvation. It is some
such plea as this that Mordecai urges with the
queen of Persia.
Admitting the difficulties which seemed to prevent
her efforts to avert the threatened evil, he warns her,
in the second place, against entertaining any hopes
of her personal safety, if she declines the earnest
effort of duty on behalf of her kindred. It is no
uncommon thing that the mind of man is swayed at
the same time, almost equally, by flattering hopes
and desponding fears. Esther had apparently good
reasons for flattering herself that she might escape,
in fhe execution of the edict against her people.
Her Jewish descent was not known; her abode was
in the palace where no hostile foot dared to intrude;
she was queen of the realm; she was beloved of her
husband. True, she did feel anxious, lest there
were some secret workings against even her life;
but if there were any such, her fate was certain and
only so much the earlier, if she ventured to enter




DIVINE DESIGNS AND HUMAN DUTY.  109
unbidden the presence of the king. While Esther
pondered the matter, nature would bid her shrink
from the serious responsibility thus urged upon her.
But the faithful words of Mordecai warn her of the
deceitfulness of sin; and remind her that the path
of duty and the path of safety ever lie together.
"Think not that thou shalt escape in the king's
house more than all the Jews." The sleepless enmity
of Haman; or the jealous envy of less favoured
inmates of the palace; or the frown of that God to
whose people she was faithless; or the alarms of an
unquiet conscience, would betray the recreant queen,
if in this important crisis she consulted her fears,
selfishly looked only to her own safety, and flattered
herself with hope of exemption in the general destruction of her race.
But we may thirdly notice, that Mordecai urges
upon her attention a motive, which faith alone could
conceive; and which a pious mind alone would be
fully prepared to appreciate. Looking calmly at
the promises of God respecting his covenant people,
the earnest Jew is firmly persuaded that this dark
and threatening storm shall never break for the destruction of Israel. He possesses a calm confidence
that the God of Abraham will not allow the enemy
to triumph; he has read upon the prophetic scroll
the Divine assurance to Zion, "No weapon formed
against thee shall prosper;" Isaiah liv. 17; and he
has hymned the psalmist's praises, " My covenant
will I not break." Ps. lxxxix. 34. Resting his firm
10




110        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
faith on the sure foundation of Jehovah's faithfulness, he believes that here is presented to Esther a
favourable opportunity to forward the designs of
Providence; and that her timely elevation to such a
post of honour and influence, had marked her as the
person by whom should be effected a glorious deliverance. These important thoughts he presses upon
the attention of the queen. Yet what power of faith
is here! We can hardly think that this man, whose
faith penetrates through the thick darkness now
around his people, is the same Mordecai, who lately
ran like a madman through the streets of the city,
clothed in sackcloth, and bewailing the cruel edict.
See the difference between impulse and principle;
and learn that if strong feelings sometimes sway
the believer, yet his principles will soon assume their
wonted control, and a calm and steadfast faith will
subdue the wildest storms of grief.
These words of Mordecai are so striking in themselves and they embody lessons so valuable for the
instruction of subsequent ages, that we regard it
our duty to analyse their wisdom, and to present
more plainly the important principles which his argument to Esther involves.
1st, The language of Mordecai expresses his firm
conviction that this calamity shall yet be averted
from the Jewish people. So he says, "Enlargement and deliverance SHALL ARISE." God had
promised the well being of Israel; and it was impossible, to the mind of a believer, that his word




DIVINE DESIGNS AND HUMAN DUTY.   111
should fail. And this is a faith which God's humble servants may yet exercise in reference to the
stability and deliverances of Zion in troublous times.
"God is in the midst of her; she shall not be
moved." Ps. xlvi. 4. His promises are precious,
and they are sure; none of them have ever been
forgotten, nor is it possible they ever shall be. But
his promises regard not only the stability of the
church; he pledges as well her enlargement. Look
abroad over the destitutions of the heathen world;
and while you mourn that the dark places of the
earth are full of the habitations of cruelty, while
you deplore the apathy of Christians to obey their
Lord's ascending command, forget not that certain
promise of enlargement and deliverance, "I will
give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the
uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession." Ps.
ii. 8. Through all the difficulties that seem to beset Zion; beyond the sleep upon the treacherous
lap of the indulgent world that has shorn her of
her Nazarite strength; through the dust and clouds
and strife of many a stern conflict; let our faith regard the fulfilment of his promises, and exclaim
with Mordecai, Enlargement and deliverance shall
arise! Happy are they who identify themselves and
their interests most intimately with the church
of God; for in every conflict the final victory must
remain with her. And happy they who cast their
souls on the gracious assurances of Zion's King.
The voice that calls, " Come unto me all ye that la



112        ESTHER AN'D HER TIMES.
bour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest;"
Matt. xi. 28; the voice that says, "Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out," John vii. 37,
is a voice we may trust. Every word shall find its
fulfilment. It may be through troubles and darkness, through fear and perplexity; but enlargement
and deliverance in due time shall come; and they
that are faithful in Zion shall share in Zion's glory.
2. The language of Mordecai teaches us, that
whatever designs God has formed for the benefit of
his people, and whatever promises he has given for
our confidence, are to find their fulfilment in the use
of proper means, and to be secured through the
energy of appropriate agents.
Objections are very commonly made among men
against the eternal purposes of God, and against
his efficient providence, that the belief of these
grand truths leaves nothing for man to do, and
interferes even with his voluntary agency. Yet it
is well for us to notice that the scriptural writers,
who most bring into view the sovereignty of God
in purpose and act, recognize no inference flowing
from this, to hinder their earnest exhortations to
human duty. These objections have never influenced those true servants of God, who may be
thought best acquainted with the true influences
of these Divine teachings; and indeed they have
not the slightest foundation of truth, in a just understanding of God's purposes and dealings with
the sons of men. Mordecai firmly expects that




DIVINE DESIGNS AND HUMAN DUTY.   113
God will protect his people; but this faith is far
from interfering with either his anxieties, or his efforts to secure this great result.  He knows this
thing will certainly come; but he does not stand by
and fold his arms awaiting the movements of Providence, like the rolling forward of the wheel of fate;
and even when he contemplates the possibility, that
the rescue may come neither by his hand nor by
that of Esther, yet he looks not for it as by the
shifting of some theatrical scene, the waving of a
fairy wand, or the workings of a magical charm.
He looks for the desired result through Esther,
or from some quarter where man shall work for
God. The romantic vagaries of man's wild imagination are far different;-often they are far less
wonderful, than the actual working of Divine providence; and the inspired instructions of God's
word always teach human duty. The faith of
Mordecai embraces the promises of God; but he
is not forgetful of the duties which God's law commands, and God's providence indicates. He urges
the queen to an earnest effort, that the certain deliverance may come through her means. If indeed
Esther holds her peace, Providence will not lack an
agent for the Lord's designs. Mordecai here plainly
implies, that the providence of God in this world's
government is a power that operates efficiently, not
without the agency of second causes, nor in defiance of them, but by means of them; and that
this truth we must hold in that just balance, which
10 *




114        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
forbids us to neglect God, or to forget his supremacy and efficiency on the one hand; and which on
the other hand, equally forbids that we should
overlook our own interests and duties, and those
connected instrumentalities by which he works. We
totally misapprehend the teachings of the Bible,
when we suppose that man's duty is lessened by the
purposes of God. His purposes and promises do
rather establish and encourage our duty; and as
we shall further see, in considering these words of
Mordecai to Esther, they deter us, by the most serious considerations from all unfaithfulness.
Take even the doctrine of election, as set forth
in the Scriptures, and base it, as you should, upon
the sovereign purpose of God. The common conception of this doctrine is as much a deformed caricature of the truth, as the supposed influences of it
are a perversion of its real influences. Instead of
encouraging men in indolence and neglect of duty,
this doctrine animates, and commands, and encourages their earnest efforts. God can indeed accomplish his purposes, without man's help and in defiance of man's opposition. But he chooses to work
otherwise; and it is a great matter for us to notice
that in fact he does set men to work, and does
accomplish his ends through that which man may
do. This book of Esther is a remarkable exemplification of God's purposes effected without a
miracle, and through the agency of men. So he is
working around us; so he ever works; so he works




DIVINE DESIGNS AND HUMAN DUTY.   115
in the salvation of souls. God saves the souls of
elect men through conversion, and not in neglect
or defiance of his own converting grace. For man
to use the threadbare cavilling, "If I am to be
saved, I will be saved, let me do as I will;" is as
great an absurdity as to say, " If I am to be shot,
I will be shot, whether the bullet predestined to kill
me, hits or misses." Rather, if I am to be shot, it
is just as certain, the bullet must hit me. If God
designs the salvation of any soul, he equally and
thereby designs that that soul shall repent of sin,
and renounce it; and shall believe in the Lord
Jesus Christ unto salvation. Whenever a man can
be killed without dying, or live without life, then
may one be saved without conversion; and not till
then. When Mordecai, though assured of Israel's
deliverance, yet urges Esther to exert herself to secure that result, he teaches a lesson to every sinful
man touching the great method of securing his salvation. The means of reaching any end in the
purposes of God, are equally purposed with the end
itself. Let the sinner forsake his evil ways, and
turn to the Lord, for without such a duty discharged on his part, he cannot secure salvation;
and let him be encouraged in the duty, because its
true discharge is, in the purposes and promises of
God, the invariable precedent of eternal life secured.
Let the guilty soul flee to Jesus, for there only is
salvation; and none ever trusted in him and were
confounded. The certainty that God's purposes




116        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
and promises shall be fulfilled, is the largest encouragement of man's efforts to do God's will, and of
man's hope to secure God's blessing. Mordecai
looks for deliverance through an appropriate instrumentality.
3d. But there is a third important principle set
forth for our instruction in these words of Mordecai, "Who knoweth whether thou art come to the
kingdom for such a time as this?" The words seem
to refer to the nice adjustment in the providence of
God of our opportunities and our agencies. There
is generally indeed a greater or less obscurity in our
efforts to apply the principles of our duty to the
providential changes which are constantly occurring
around us. There is therefore a peradventure in
the exhortation of Mordecai; and we ever need to
feel our dependence upon divine guidance and support. "Who knoweth?" is the position we must
ever hold; and thus faith may have its fears. But
faith must also have its hopes and its ventures.
Mordecai here teaches us, that a providential opportunity for doing or receiving good should be regarded by us as a providential call; and we should humbly and firmly go forward, that our obedience to the
beckonings of Providence may be the connecting
link in the chain of occurrences which is to secure
His purposes. The post occupied by Esther was not
one of her seeking; the orderings of God's providence had placed her in that palace. Beyond the
foresight of all who had brought about this eleva



DIVINE DESIGNS AND HUMAN DUTY.   117
tion, a critical juncture had now occurred in the history of her people; and the very afforded opportunity of bringing relief to God's people, seemed to
single her out as the proper actor in the case; and
might justly encourage the belief that God designed
through her to accomplish his purposes. So Mordecai looked at it; so Esther learned to see it; and
the result proved that their duty and the designs of
the Most High had been rightly interpreted.
But God has never changed any of the principles of his providential government; and here is a
lesson of far wider application. We, who have the
same God to serve, the same Providence to watch,
may look upon this scene in the life of Esther, and
learn the duty that belongs to us. By faithfully
discerning the duty which Providence sets before us,
and fully consecrating ourselves to its discharge, we
may properly look for Divine protection and deliverance in danger, and for success in our aims.
There is an important sense in which our lot and
exact position in the church and in the world are
as truly through the orderings of God's providence,
as the elevation of Esther to that queenly throne.
It is true of every one of us, that the circumstances
about us are not entirely of our choosing, and
that we are not living as we expected to live.
The same Providence that ordered Esther's lot has
ordered ours; and the same reasoning that influenced her, may be applied to us. The doctrine of
providence, as taught in the Scriptures, applies not




118        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
alone to queens and their stations-to nations and
their exigencies-to the entire church of God and
the dangers that threaten her; but the affairs of
every man-especially of every believer in Christin every position in life, and at every moment of
duty or pleasure, are ordered by Providence. No
larger or more minute control can even be imagined,
than that claimed by the Scriptural doctrine upon
this subject. The sparrow cannot fall unregarded
by His care; the lily cannot bloom without the colouring of his unrivalled pencil; not even a hair can
fall from man's head that the eye of the Father sees
not. The orderings of God have settled the age,
the land, and the family, where each of us should be
born; and our civil and religious advantages and
opportunities. God's providence settles each pastor over a Christian church; determines who shall
be his regular, and even who his occasional hearers;
and the particular topic of discourse and the peculiar trains of thought in it, have often a providential
adaptation to the necessities of the hearers far beyond the knowledge of the preacher. We are as truly
a part of the Divine plan of providence as Esther
was. Our voluntary agency may change our place
in life; and we may disobey the providential calls
of duty, as we shall see presently. But with all
that we can do to order our own affairs, so much of
things within us and around us, is ordered for us and
beyond our control, that we may adopt for ourselves
the principle Mordecai here suggests. Every op



DIVINE DESIGNS AND HUMAN DUTY.  119
portunity of doing and getting good is to be carefully improved; and Providence calls us to embrace
the advantages and to do the duties, which Providence sets before us.
Many important duties of the Christian life illustrate this great principle. God has given us our
birth in an age, when we can do much to spread
abroad his gospel. If we had been born one or two
hundred years ago, our opportunities would have
been far less favourable for sending the gospel to India or China. There were no Missionary Societies;
no translated Bible; no awakened interest in the
church upon the subject. The ability now to do
this work, which God has promised shall be done, is
a providential call to engage earnestly in it; and
faith may believe that we are "brought to the kingdom for such a time as this." Let Christians make
zealous efforts to save souls around them. The faithful presentation of truth to the heart and conscience,
is God's appointed means of leading sinners to
Christ. The efficacy is of God; but the means we
are to use. Let us see to our duty. We are weak;
therefore like Esther let us draw near to God in
preparatory devotion, and rely upon his power. We
are ignorant, and know not whom God will lead to
salvation. But we know that the Redeemer shall
see of the travail of his soul and be satisfied; Isa.
liii. 11; and that all whom the Father hath given
him shall come to him. The result is certain and
our duty plain. Who knoweth but that a few kind,




120        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
faithful words from your lips may form the connecting link of that chain of Providence-that chain of
saving grace with which Providence coiperateswhich shall draw upward an immortal soul to an everlasting salvation? Let faith watch for providential opportunities; for he that winneth souls is wise;
and "they that turn many to righteousness shall
shine as the stars for ever and ever."
And Mordecai's principle applies equally to our
opportunities for getting good. You have an immortal soul, whose interests you are too prone to neglect. God gives you precious opportunities to secure its salvation. His providence has ordered your
lot in this land. Here the sanctuary unfolds its inviting doors; here the Bible opens its instructive
pages; here you have clear teachings of your sinfulness and exposure to wrath; and here the methods of his recovering grace are set before you. He
calls and warns and invites and urges you to secure
salvation. These very opportunities are providential indications of duty-providential encouragements of faith and effort. God gives you these opportunities.  He has led you to hear these present
teachings; he calls you now by the preacher's voice,
to submit to Christ. Lift up your heart now to him;
he calls you to be saved. You are better off than
Esther; for the promise comes to you without a
peradventure.  "Whosoever shall call upon the
name of the Lord shall be saved!" Rom. x. 13.
Oh, important crisis in the history of an immortal




DIVINE DESIGNS AND HUMAN DUTY.   121
being! Who knoweth whether thou art come to the
sanctuary, for such a time, for such an event as
this?
" He that watches for providences," said an eminent servant of God, "will have enough of providences to watch." God blesses the souls of those
men who carefully watch his designs, and earnestly
endeavour to promote them. We must watch how
God works in order to know what he calls upon us
to do. And if we are careless of the lessons of
God's providence, or of the just interpretation of
them according to the light thrown upon our duty
by the word of God, we cast ourselves out of the
Divine protection, and reject his eternal counsels
against our own souls.
But this leads us to consider a fourth principle
of great importance implied in the words of Mordecai to Esther. He contemplates it as a possibility,
that she may refuse to do her duty in this important
crisis, and virtually asks the question, Will this defeat the settled purposes of God? Notice here, my
brethren, that the drift of this passage cuts up by
the roots the usual objection that the sovereign and
settled purposes of God come into collision with the
free agency of men. We believe, through the teachings of the word and of Providence, that God has his
eternal purposes; and that these are so carried out
as to leave man free.  Here then arises the question,
Suppose that any man refuses to do his duty, shall
God's purposes fail? Is it possible for man's ne11




122        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
glect or disobedience to thwart the purposes of God?
By no means. Mordecai is certain that God will
bring deliverance to his people; and yet he contemplates the possibility of Esther's unfaithfulness. In
that event he warns her of two results: first, enlargement and deliverance shall arise from some
other quarter; second, she and her house shall be destroyed. Here is an important lesson indeed. Men
may destroy their own souls by unfaithfulness in
duty; but they cannot thwart the purposes of God.
He will never lack agents to execute his designs;
and the only effect of a sinner's folly and wickedness will be his own destruction. The great designs
of Providence will move on; we cannot stay them;
and if we urge not forward the triumphs of the Divine government, we shall be trodden down and
crushed in its onward march.
It is perilous for the Christian church to falter,
to be negligent, to be disobedient to the beckonings
of Providence, when she is called to earnest zeal.
We dare not draw back. However difficult the duty,
or delicate or responsible, we must go forward.
Hardly any expression is more worthy of our deep
pondering than this of Mordecai, FOR SUCH A TIME
AS THIS. Let us watch for duties and seize the
time, lest qur golden opportunities hurry by our laggard footsteps, and leave us beyond remedy to mourn
and perish. God will not wait on our loitering.
See Israel scattered, rejected, and wretched, because
they knew not the time of their visitation. See the




DIVINE DESIGNS AND HUMAN DUTY.  123
churches planted by the labours of the Apostles;
the candlestick has been removed. Our only safety
is in earnest faith and diligent obedience. Let these
motives address our faith, and our fears, and our
hopes. 1st, God will certainly accomplish all his
purposes: 2d, If we refuse to do them, he will find
other instruments: 3d, Our neglect or disobedience
will be our own destruction: and 4th, We should
watch and obey his providential indications of duty.
You may refuse, at such a time as this, to aid in
prosecuting the cause of missions, by which the
command and the providence of God now urge you
to bless a dying world; you are at liberty to refuse;
but that cause will go on. God has certainly purposed it; he will find other hearts more willing, and
other hands more liberal; and he will punish you
for refusing to obey his beckoning. You may neglect your duty to souls around you; the Redeemer's work shall be done; and your apathy and disobedience shall meet their reward. Esther durst not
disobey, even in the palace; nor may any man in
the church of God. Indeed she was brought to the
palace for such a time and for this very duty; and
your place in the church of Christ is assigned to
you for the very purpose of honouring Christ, as his
word and the time set your duties before you.
Let every impenitent soul feel the warnings and
the encouragements of these weighty thoughts.
God gives you precious opportunities for securing
your salvation; he gives you advantages, which




124        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
thousands never had; he has led you now to the
sanctuary and urges you to forsake sin; he bids
you remember the time; he calls you to "flee from
the wrath to come." In his name, I exhort you,
as Mordecai exhorted Esther, to consider the greatest duty of your mortal life-even the securing of
an immortal one. Consider these favourable indications of God's providence as the gracious foreshadowing of his willingness to pardon. Be very
certain of this, that God will never bring you into
his kingdom of grace or glory, against your own
consent. He will never save you without first converting you. Seek then his converting grace; and
use those means which God blesses for the salvation
of sinners. Come seriously to the Bible to learn
his will; bow down humbly at the mercy-seat
to ask his favour; draw near to Jesus and choose
him as your Master. To these things you are now
invited. Give your heart now to Christ. Possibly,
however, these teachings excite no interest in you;
possibly they excite bitter enmity. This is your folly;
and may be your destruction. You may refuse Jesus
and his salvation now; you may refuse for ever.
That refusal cannot rob the Redeemer of a single
jewel in his glorious crown. You cannot thwart
him. He will fill up the mansions of glory in spite
of your neglect or opposition. But you bring destruction upon your own soul. Think of this; and
refuse not now the call of mercy. These very
thoughts make this opportunity of hearing the gos



DIVINE DESIGNS AND HUMAN DUTY.  125
pel, more solemn and important. Put not away
from you everlasting life. " To-day if ye will hear
his voice, harden not your hearts." Ps. xcv. 7j 8.
Determine now to be for Christ. Say, now, with the
Persian queen, I will go in unto the King. Take
this Bible as your guide; this Saviour, as your
Saviour; Choose God's people as your companions;
make his service your delight. Who knoweth but
you have been led to hear these very truths; to
enjoy this season of worship; that you may cheerfully embrace the gracious indications of God's
providence, give your soul to the Redeemer, and be
saved?
11 *




126        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
LECTURE VI.
ESTHER'S NOBLE RESOLVE.
THE earnest argument of Mordecai was not lost
upon Esther. If previously she had any wavering
of purpose, as she feared for her acceptance before
her husband, and despaired of being able to succour
her people; she now no longer has any hesitation,
either with reference to the path in which her duty
urged her; or in reference to her own immediate
obedience to the promptings of duty. She has made
up her mind. She could not know how she would be
received; she had the same reasons to fear as when
she first replied to Mordecai; she could not put
down the apprehension that the issue might be her
own destruction. She resolved to go before Ahasuerus-and she resolved wisely. Every wise decision is made in view of both sides of the question.
Before the mind of Esther rose all the difficulties
she could not overlook; but before her rose also
the urgent necessities she could not but feel. And
the balance was turned by the promptings of faith
in the covenant of her God. It seemed like madly
rushing upon death to venture unbidden before the




ESTHER'S NOBLE RESOLVE.          127
king; it seemed like tempting the providence of
God to her sure destruction, if she neglected the
favourable juncture of duty; and faith urged that
the opportunity now offered to secure an important
blessing. And it is plain to us now, that Esther
made a reasonable choice. She might perish, but
with a clear conscience, if she made the venture;
she would certainly perish, so Mordecai urged, if
she neglected this effort. And it seems strange
indeed that men generally do not more fully and
frequently recognize the truth, that there is less responsibility in doing our duty, than there is in evading it; that daring as Esther's resolution may
justly be thought, she would have been more wickedly daring, if she had resisted her duty and turned
from the expostulations of Mordecai. Now she exposes her mortal life to the possible anger of Ahasuerus; but had she made no effort to relieve her
people, she would have exposed her soul to the
certain anger of a greater King-the Ruler and
Protector of Israel!
But it is not the tendency of piety, or of its principles, to set us free from the wise restraints of prudence, nor to encourage the careless performance
of any duty. Genuine faith differs widely from a
presumptuous confidence, not only as founded upon
better evidences, but as exerting a different and
more salutary influence upon ourselves. Presumption is bold, even to insolence; and venturesome,
because fearless. True faith, on the contrary, is




128        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
keen-sighted to discern the real difficulties before
us and around us; it is therefore cautious; and
while not undervaluing difficulties, exhibits its
true strength by meeting and overcoming fears
and obstacles.  Faith prompts the most careful
and judicious measures to secure the end we seek;
and walks on the line between the extremes of
despondency, that deems all exertion useless, and
presumption, that deems exertion needless. And
here is the truthfulness of this narrative to human
experience. Had many a human writer penned
this history, we would have read of Esther's boldness to secure the desired relief; rising up immediately at the suggestion of Mordecai, and proceeding at once to the unbidden presence of the
king. But it is far otherwise here; and the lesson
here taught is more faithful to nature.
Two matters here exhibit the queen's prudence:
First, As becomes a pious woman, Esther uses
means to secure the special favour and blessing of
God upon her momentous enterprise. No pious
mind should be willing to engage in any duty upon
which first the blessing of God is not sought; much
less will such a mind engage in any responsible and
important enterprise in a thoughtless manner. You
remember we noticed that the name of God does
not occur in this book. But it must be acknowledged, that a solemn service of this kind is a plain
recognition of the Divine existence and of the Divine rule. Esther teaches us here, that engage



ESTHER'S NOBLE RESOLVE.         129
ments of peculiar importance demand special exercises of devotion.  Fasting is an extraordinary
means of grace. It is to be made use of-never in
the light of a penance, the Bible nowhere enjoins
penance; much as it says of penitence-in token
of our humiliation before God; when we anticipate
a threatening evil, or mourn under chastisement,
or lament our deep unfaithfulness, or undertake a
duty which calls for special Divine strengthening.
The distress and peril of the Jews through the success of their foe, Haman, have called Esther to this
perilous duty; her hope is to avert the calamity;
and to fast is the appropriate symbol of her humiliation before the Lord. The fastings spoken of in
Scripture do not always imply a rigorous abstinence
from all food. The prophet Daniel fasted three
full weeks: he ate no pleasant bread, neither did
flesh nor wine come into his mouth. Dan. x. 2, 3.
Though brief fastings might imply an entire abstinence from food, longer seasons were not so kept.
Daniel ate for the support of nature; but refrained
from the delights of the table. Thus we suppose
the fast of Esther was kept for three days. The
luxurious viands spread for the queen of Persia lie
untasted before her; her earnest anxieties are
awakened for her people; and her soul is humbled
before her God. Her maidens were associated with
her in this solemn duty. The pious Esther had
perhaps gathered about her as maids of honour to
the queen, a band of the daughters of Israel; or




130        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
perhaps her quiet but earnest zeal for the faith of
her fathers and for the glory of her covenant God,
had led her to teach those immediately under her
control the name of Israel's Lord. Perhaps among
n( other heathen nation could Esther have kept secret her nation and her religion, so well as among
the Persians. For they were like the Jews of the
dispersion in this, that they worshipped without
either temples or images; and therefore the external
difference between the Jew and the Persian was
less striking. Yet if Esther had thus gathered
about her a band of Jewish damsels, we can easily
see that her faith was not an entire secret in the
palace, so that the danger which Mordecai pointed
out was greater: "Think not with thyself that
thou shalt escape in the king's house." One Jewess, and she the queen, might possibly escape the
execution of the edict; but a band of females adoring Jehovah in the very palace, could scarcely expect exemption though the queen stood among
them. But it sets the piety of Esther before us in
a favourable light, that she was surrounded by
maidens who were ready to join with her in her devotions. Circumstances may throw even a good
man into bad company, and his duty may detain
him there; but the man who has it in his power to
choose his company, and is then found with the idle,
the frivolous, or the wicked, may justly be judged,
as to his own character, by the company he keeps.




ESTHER'S NOBLE RESOLVE.         131
Judge a man by the books he loves to read, and by
the associates he cherishes.
But Esther desired also that the prayers and humiliation of God's people should be joined to the
supplications in the palace for the success of her important enterprise.  So she urged  Mordecai to
gather the Jews in Shushan that they also might
fast. If they neither ate nor drank literally, it is
likely that the three days were reckoned according
to Jewish custom: two nights and the intervening
day. Thus our Lord lay three days in the grave;
being buried on our Friday evening and rising on
Sabbath morning very early. This view is strengthened by the fact that Esther went in to the king on
the third day. In thus associating the Jews with
her in this solemn duty, Esther teaches us her estimate of the prayers of the brethren, and urges us
to desire an interest in their intercessions. For our
God is the hearer of prayer.
Having thus sought God's blessing, Esther, in the
second place, used due means to win the favour of
her royal husband.
She teaches us the right order: God's favour first,
man's next. But while man's favour is subordinate
always, a pious regard to God's will does not allow
us to disregard the means of reaching and influencing our fellow-men.  That is a spurious independence, which is reckless of the views and opinions
of the world around. Dependence on God is entirely consistent with wise efforts to influence men




132        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
about us.  "I am made all things to all men," is
the expression of an earnest Apostle, who yet affords us in his character, a righteous independence
with regard to man, and an entire dependence for
all his success upon the power of God. Esther rises
from fastings and prayer, and makes such preparations as seem adapted to touch favourably the heart
of the king. We may judge from the preceding
narrative, that she was a woman of great personal
beauty; and it is well known that in all ages elegance of person has been rather characteristic of
the Jewish female. And now the budding rose that
a few years since had been transplanted from the
nursery of Mordecai to the royal garden, has expanded into the full blown blooming of a stately
matron; to a husband's eye, a riper and more captivating style of beauty. To heighten the impression, the queen arrayed herself in the magnificent
robes of her station; threw perhaps over her shoulders a mantle which he had admired; and placed in
her hair a brilliant ornament, chiefly prized as his
gift. She knew how much depended upon touching
a tender chord in the bosom of her husband.
The Bible says very little to excite, and nothing
to commend, the vanity of our race, in male or female. If the object of Esther had been merely the
adorning of her beautiful person, and while thus arrayed in purple and precious stones, she had lacked
the nobler ornament of a pious and believing spirit;
then we would find no approbation here of her royal




ESTHER'S NOBLE RESOLVE.        133
robes. But in truth, the outward adorning is a
matter of but small importance, if the heart is truly
right; and the dress may be more or less costly, according to the worldly circumstances of the wearer.
On the one hand, she should not be proud, who has
nothing to adorn her but her dress; and on the
other hand, we can easily know that pride may scoff
at silks, as well as wear them. Never before perhaps had Esther been so careful in the arrangement
of her toilette; yet her heart was fixed, not upon
her dress, but upon the great object she used these
means to secure. If personal vanity had as little
usually to do with the adorning of even pious females, we would need fewer cautions upon the subject of extravagance; we would see larger attention
given to improved minds and cultivated affections;
and happy hearts everywhere would make happy
homes. Then would our "daughters be as corner
stones, polished after the similitude of a palace."
Ps. cxliv. 12.
Behold now the intrepid yet the trembling Esther clothed in royal apparel and about to venture
in to the king! It requires far more calm and deliberate courage to move forward into a great peril
in this way, than it does to rush into the excitement
and strife of a battle. There is every reason to
judge that the conflicts in Esther's mind were those
we too would have felt in a case of so great importance; where the issue is unknown; and where we
cannot but fear that it may be adverse. On the
12




134        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
one hand, fear of the king depressed her; on the
other, hopes of divine aid and deliverance buoyed
her up. These peculiar alternations of hope and
fear, we doubtless have all felt. But faith bore her
forward. Esther feared, for she was human; but
be it recorded to her praise, she did not falter.
She has left now the apartments of the women, and
perhaps her attendants weeping, as they forecast her
fate; and has passed to the king's sanctuary. The
frowning guards, that kept the door where she was
to enter, start up in amazement at the strange sight
of a queenly, yet an unbidden suppliant at that
proud throne, whence Vashti had been so rudely
thrust down; and held their breath with sympathetic terror, as the beautiful petitioner passed on
perhaps to meet her death. The executioner of the
royal mandates, ever prepared for his work of blood,
stood ready with half drawn scimetar to carry out
the stern decree of Persian law. The eye of Esther took all this in at a glance; and her heart, ah!
it had been soothed to calmness in the presence of
her God; and faith in Israel's covenant held back
a woman's fears. The dread portal is passed; and
the eye of Ahasuerus is upon her. Is he her husband, or her judge? her deliverer, or her executioner? Will the golden sceptre move? Or will
the stern eye of the despot gaze coldly upon his unbidden guest? What a moment of solemn expectancy! Not for Esther's fate alone! That was a
small matter, The decree for death to a woman




ESTHER'S NOBLE RESOLVE.        135
acting such a part, would but have dismissed her
from a marble to a golden palace; from an earthly
to a heavenly crown. But upon the lips of Ahasuerus trembles the fate of her people. The crisis is
come, and past! The smile of the king assures her;
he reaches forth his golden sceptre. ESTHER IS
WELCOME AND ISRAEL IS SAFE!
The king held out the golden sceptre; and the
queen drew near, and touched the top of it. Thus
her life was safe; but she had not yet accomplished
her errand.  She felt however assured that her nation was unsuspected; and that she was not included in the dreadful decree; and this perhaps
formed the basis of her further proceedings. The
king stops not with granting her her life.  His
gracious words are, " What wilt thou, queen Esther,
and. what is thy request? It shall be even given
thee to the half of the kingdom." But how strange
appears to us the termination of this important
errand! Esther had sought this interview to ask
the life of her people, and their deliverance from the
malice of Haman; and yet her request seems to be
a new favour upon the haughty favourite. She simply asks that Haman may be invited with the king,
to partake with her of a banquet of wine; and when at
this banquet, the king again affords her an opportunity
for a large petition, she renews her request, that
these two guests may again be present on the next
day, upon a like occasion. Why does Esther delay
thus to urge that great request which weighs so




136        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
heavily upon her heart? Especially, why does she
substitute what seems a favour to Haman, while yet
she aims at the overthrow of all his schemes?
It is possible, Esther was too much agitated to
present her request that day before the king. In
the prospect of some great duty, we brace ourselves
to its performance; but when the crisis is past, the
excitement dies, and we are all unnerved. Esther
had suddenly passed from extreme anxiety to joy
unbounded; and her feelings, controlled by too
great an effort, would not allow her, during that day,
to venture further. She must gain entire composure before she can plead so great a cause. But
she may have been influenced, also, by a prudent
policy. She desired to make the proper impression,
and to embrace the fitting time in reference to three
parties upon this great occasion.
-First. In the most effectual way, she wished to
secure the king's favour, and to lead him to engage
himself voluntarily upon her side. In the court,
and while he sat upon that stately throne, surrounded by the fearful tokens of her recent peril,
the time and place were not so fit to plead, nor even
to mention such a matter. She was about to accuse
a man upon whom the king had lavished his highest
honours; she was indeed about tacitly to censure the
king himself for the folly and even the wickedness
that had signed so thoughtlessly that fatal decreeand it became her to move cautiously.
But secondly, it was a master-stroke of policy




ESTHER'S NOBLE RESOLVE.        137
that included Haman in the invitation to the banquet. It threw that wily minister completely off
his guard, and prevented him from plotting any
schemes to counteract the queen's designs. Knowing, as she did, both the king and his minister, she
played with the pride of the one, while she prepared
to awaken the king's anger, and have it consummate
its purpose by the presence of its guilty object.
And thirdly, by this course she wished effectually
to turn the minds of the Jewish people away from
herself, as the instrument of deliverance, and fix
them upon God, the great Deliverer.  The Jews
of the city had formed high expectations concerning
Esther's interview with the king. They had prayed,
with solemn fasting, for her success; and yet if her
success had been immediate, they would have been
too much disposed to glorify the queen as the author
of it. It may have been with feelings of bitter disappointment, that they heard of her request for Haman's presence at her banquet of wine; so little do
men know of the wise plans which work their
surest good.  But if their disappointment drove
them again to depend upon God, they would be
better prepared to recognize his hand in the final
result.
But doubtless, the restraining influence of God's
providence led Esther to these first requests. The
motives we suggest, were the agencies to effect His
purposes; and other matters must be introduced
into the history before all is ready for Haman's dis12 *




138        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
grace and destruction. We may not know God's
restraining finger to keep us from evil, or to delay
a coming good; "but he that believeth shall not
make haste,"  Isaiah xxviii. 16.  Let the pious
mind roll its care upon God.  What he does
and what he omits to do, shall work for good.
As Esther invoked the Divine blessing, we may
believe that Divine restraint influenced her modest
requests.
But while we wait the movements of Providence,
which for a little season leave Esther out of sight,
let us learn from the scenes in this lecture, how we
may discharge those important duties of our own
lives, where it is often impossible to decide which is
greatest-the fear to act, or the necessity to act;
for such perplexing responsibilities occur, every now
and then, in all our paths through life.
Christians are often placed in circumstances of
deep perplexity. They seem forsaken of God.
Their enemies laugh; their fears rise; their sins
prevail. Learn, 1st. These are no strange trials.
God appoints them to prove his people. Perhaps
never a man lived a Christian life without passing
through many seasons of difficulty and perplexity.
It is the province of faith to support us in such
times. Faith is reliance upon the truth of God, and
its clearest proof is seen in times of severest trial.
A coin that counterfeits gold may escape detection
when tested by a weak acid, and may not melt in an
ordinary fire; but pure gold will abide the action




ESTHER'S NOBLE RESOLVE.         139
of the strongest acids, and be only brighter in the
hottest crucible. Would you look upon some dark
scenes in religious experience, and see God apparently deserting his people? Read your Bible.
Recall those trying three days, when Abraham
journeyed to Moriah with his beloved Isaac, mourning for his son, fearing ever again to look his bereaved Sarah in the face, yet firmly resolved to do
his Lord's bidding.  Forget not Esther's three
days' fasting in anxious uncertainty for the issue of
her petition. Remember those three days-most
remarkable in the history of the world-when the
Lord of glory lay in the sepulchre of Joseph, when his
apostles were dispirited, and hardly hoped and believed enough to keep them from scattering, and to
lead them on the third morning to the tomb where
Jesus had lain. Trouble is no new thing in the
ways of piety. Then, learn, 2d. Trials are not desertions. They prove our faith; they awaken our
gratitude; they quicken our love; they show the
Lord's loving-kindness. We can easily see that it
was better for Abraham; better for Esther; better
for the apostles of Christ, that they passed through
these trials. We see that our brethren are holier
and more useful after severe discipline; and why
should we not judge our own trials designed for
good? Learn, 3d, our duty. We are not to trust
appearances, nor judge the frowns of Providence
proofs that we are cast off, nor shrink from the
path of right. We may have our fears. This is




140        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
natural; but we must not yield to fear. We should
use all proper means to find relief. So Esther
prays for divine aid, and propitiates the king.
But, especially, we should make the bold ventures
of faith. Let us argue that when matters are darkest, faith is still reasonable. We have surely nothing
to gain by desponding. If we cannot look to God,
we cannot look elsewhere; but we may look to God
in the darkest hour. When our eye cannot penetrate the darkness, and even faith can see but one
step in advance, let us take that step. The darkness of a path of duty is not so dreadful as the despair in every other path. If shut up, like Esther,
to say, " If I perish, I perish; if I must die, let it
be in the effort of duty." If we may say, "Better
die doing right, than live doing wrong," how much
more, " Better die trusting God than perish beneath
his curse through despair of his mercy!"
Sinful men, who have never fled to Christ for
salvation, and lie beneath the curse of a broken
law, should learn a most important lesson from
Esther.
She and her people were exposed to destruction.
The condition of every impenitent soul is unspeakably more serious and dreadful. The decree of a
King more mighty, more just, and more inflexible
has gone forth. God's voice cries, " The soul that
sinneth it shall die." Ezek. xviii. 4. At the worst
Ahasuerus could kill the body; but we may "fear
Him who after he has killed has power to destroy




ESTHER'S NOBLE RESOLVE.         141
both soul and body in hell." Matt. x. 28. The
edict of Persia was nominally unalterable; God's
law is really unchangeable; that decree was unjust,
but the sinner is condemned by a righteous sentence.
If Mordecai wept, and Esther fasted, and the Jews
lay in sackcloth; well may every sinner fear for the
wrath of God against him. Let your deep personal
responsibility lead you to ponder Esther's example,
and flee from the wrath to come.
Esther hoped for deliverance through the favour
of the king. The sinner can expect safety and deliverance only through the sovereign mercy of God.
The king sat on his throne, and held in his hand a
golden sceptre. If he refused to hold it forth, the
boldest petitioner must die. Our sovereign King sits
upon a throne of grace, and the touch of his golden
sceptre secures the immortal life of the priceless
soul. If he touches us not, we die. We are truly
dependent upon the grace of Christ-and the issue
is infinitely more important than when Esther drew
near the Persian throne. It is reasonable, if we
would secure eternal life, that we should bow at the
~throne of grace, and ask for it.
Nor does the sinful soul lack fears and hopes, perplexing thoughts and urgent arguments, akin to
those of Esther.  She flattered herself, as sinful
men are prone to do. But Mordecai's faithful expostulation urged her to find safety in the path of
duty. The queen in the palace must not neglect
her people; and no sinner, in the church or else



142         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
where, can secure his soul's salvation, unless he goes
boldly forward in his most important duty-to bow
submissively before a sovereign God! Esther feared
also. The king might not receive her. Already her
name, perhaps, was written upon the dark list, especially proscribed in Haman's fierce revenge; she
had not seen her lord's face for many days; she
was unbidden to his presence. With many tremblings she resolved to go; and doubtless was driven
at last by the well pondered reflection, that here
only was safety. A faithful voice rung in her ears,
to stay away was but to perish. It seemed a desperate undertaking whichever way she turned; but
her only hope was in resolving, "I will go in to the
king." Perhaps he might extend to her the golden
sceptre for her life and the safety of her people.
If he did not, she must die; yet even then there
would be a satisfaction in dying in the virtuous effort to deliver Israel.
The position and resolution of Esther may remind
us of a similar remarkable resolution recorded in
the Bible. Just such a desperate case; just such a
decision; and just such a gracious deliverance occurred long before in Israelitish history. 2 Kings
vii. 3, &c. The city of Samaria was closely besieged in the time of Ahab; the provisions were
exhausted; famine reigned in the streets; and
the destruction of the city seemed near at hand.
One eventful evening as the shadows of twilight
were gathering over the land, there sat four leprous




ESTHER'S NOBLE RESOLVE.         143
men in the gate of the besieged city, at the point
of starving, and reasoning with themselves on the
folly of making no earnest effort to save their
wretched lives. Why sit we here, said they, until
we die? Ours is a desperate case. If we sit here
we die; if we enter into the miserable city, the
strong and needed warriors are perishing there for
hunger, and they have nothing to spare for lepers,
unclean in person and unfit to fight; if we go forth
to the enemy, it is very likely they will put us to
death. They might take healthy men prisoners;
but in all likelihood they will kill lepers. But it is
our only hope. Desperate though it seems, every
~other hope is cut off. They may kill us-but we
must die if we do not go. And they may spare our
lives! Our very wretchedness may appeal to them;
and we may live. These men acted upon this desperate resolve; and lo! God had interposed for the
deliverance of Samaria. They not only saved their
own lives, but brought plenty into the city, and rejoicing to their people.
When sinful men begin to awake to their true condition before the holy law of God, they are often in
deep and painful perplexity, such as these instances
describe. Let every such soul use this wise reasoning, respecting its salvation. Every sinful soul
must perish, unless Christ Jesus has mercy upon it,
and extends the golden sceptre of his renewing
grace. Lay aside the flatteries, which delay or prevent your earnest approach to the throne of grace;




144        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
for they are delusive. Listen not to your fears,
though they are many and greatly distress you.
You may think God has recorded your name for destruction; you may feel that you are not bidden to
approach; you may tremble lest your day of grace
is past, and it is in vain to pray; you may even say,
I have felt; I have wept; I have prayed; and it is
all in vain for me to approach to God. Sinful soul,
make the very worst of your case. Know the very
worst, if you can, of your sins; imagine the worst
of the hardness of your heart and of God's unwillingness to save; and the stronger you make the
difficulties preventing your salvation, and the more
unlikely it seems that a righteous God will havemercy on your soul the more urgent are the reasons for giving your immediate attention to the concerns of religion, and for pressing at once to the
footstool of Divine mercy. IT IS YOUR ONLY HOPE!
You perish certainly, if you neglect salvation; and
you can but perish, if you give it your earnest attention. There never can be a good reason for any
sinner's neglecting his salvation; there never can
be a good reason for a living sinner ceasing to implore God's pardoning grace. Even the certainty
that God will not hear some, is no good reason; for
no man can certainly know that this is his case. If
the heart is hard, refusing or neglecting to pray will
make it no softer; if your sins are many now in
number, to neglect the mercy-seat will but tend to
swell the number; if there is danger that even al



ESTHER'S NOBLE RESOLVE.          145
ready the Lord will not forgive, that danger increases
the longer you go on in sin. It may be a place of
deep solemnity, and a time of deep responsibility,
to go alone before your God, and plead earnestly for
the salvation of your sinful soul; as it was deeply
solemn for Esther to venture before the king. But
it was folly and responsibility unspeakably greater
for her to shrink from this duty. God's people
would have found deliverance otherwise, while she
would have perished. And so may every sinner
judge of his own case. It is a serious thing to be
an anxious sinner; it is inexpressibly more serious
to be a careless sinner. It is a solemn thing to
plead before God for your soul's salvation; it is infinitely more solemn to be under his wrath and curse,
and neglect such pleadings. No man can evade his
responsibilities; you are shut up to the choice of one
solemn thing or another-to perish in your sins, or
to make an earnest effort to secure eternal life.
Thus before every impenitent soul is substantially
a choice like this of Esther's, yet of infinitely
greater personal inducements. When you have
made the very worst of your own condition, if disposed to fear, and to argue despondingly; when you
fear most that God will not hear; when you judge
yourself wholly unbidden to approach'the mercyseat, your case is no worse than hers; and the resolution is a wise one, "I will go in to the king; and
if I perish, I perish."
But while we argue the matter thus with the fears
13




146        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
of sinful men, we are not willing to allow that full
justice is done to the calls of the gospel of grace by
this view of the subject. Ye all, who have souls defiled with sin, and are urged by the invitations of
mercy to come to the great and healing fountain of
a Saviour's blood, are in circumstances far more
hopeful than the Persian queen. She came in before a capricious tyrant; and you come before a
gracious God. She understood not how an unalterable decree of Persia could be set aside; she
feared it was impossible; and we may know how God's
law, while yet unchanging, is magnified and satisfied
by the sacrifice of Calvary. She came unbidden
and without a word of encouragement to that throne,
whence many had been cast down; and though our
fears often place us upon a level with her, yet
against such fears should we still press on; or better
than this, our faith should lay hold upon the many
commands and solicitations and promises of God's
holy word, which are extended to every humble soul,
and on which we are fully warranted to rely. She
came to plead for Israel's temporal deliverance;
we come to plead for the soul's life.
Look at it any way you will, and the sinner
should flee to Jesus. If you are not as deeply affected by your sins as you are conscious you should
be, yet come to Jesus, for he gives repentance. If
he seems not to hear or even to spurn you, so did he
to an humble woman once in the days of his flesh,
whom yet he received and blessed. Matt. xv. 21



ESTHER'S NOBLE RESOLVE.            147
28. Your path though dark is not a strange one; many
a saved sinner has trodden it before. Your difficulties
though numerous are just such difficulties as others
have passed through and touched the golden sceptre.
Let not your perplexities and fears cause you to
lose sight of the necessities yet deeper, which urge
you on. Your sins may be many. Not a doubt,
but that they are greater than you think for. You
have no claims upon mercy long abused. This is
very true. But while pondering your difficulties
choose not the very worst. The worst thing you
can do is to turn your back on Christ-the only
Redeemer.  You must perish, if you are unbelieving; you must perish, if you are hardened; you
must perish, if you are careless; you must perish,
if you neglect the great salvation! You can but be
rejected, if you fly to Christ. Resolve that you will
go to Jesus. Christ never rejected any. His own
word is, "Him  that cometh unto me I will IN NO
WISE cast out." John vi. 37. Resolve that you
will be the first one rejected, if you are not received.
Your eternal life is at stake. Drive away your fears.
Fly to Jesus. Be in haste lest you be too late!
Come humble sinner in whose breast
A thousand thoughts revolve;
Come with your grief and fears opprest
And make this last resolve.
I'll go to Jesus, though my sin,
High as a mountain rose;
I know his courts, I'll enter in,
Whatever may oppose.




148           ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
Prostrate I'll lie before his throne,
And there my guilt confess:
I'll tell him I'm a wretch undone
Without his sovereign grace.
I'll to the gracious King approach
Whose sceptre pardon gives:
Perhaps he may command my touch,
And then the suppliant lives.
Perhaps he will admit my plea,
Perhaps will hear my prayer;
But if I perish I will pray,
And perish only there.
I can but perish if I go,
I am resolved to try;
For if I stay away, I know
I must for ever die.




THE SLEEPLESS NIGHT.          149
LECTURE VII.
THE SLEEPLESS NIGHT.
THE unfinished plans of Esther we may not further pursue, till we delay to trace the strange workings of Providence in preparing for their complete
success. Within the compass of a few verses, we
may see the eventful changes of human life. Who
knoweth indeed what a day may bring forth? " The
Lord maketh poor and maketh rich; he bringeth
low and lifteth up." 1 Sam. ii. 7.
The first proud step that passes before us is that
of Haman "joyful and with a glad heart." Added
to all the honours heretofore enjoyed in the realm
of Persia by Haman the Magnificent, a new one had
that day been granted from a most unexpected quarter; and perhaps his vain and conceited mind imagined
himself beginning a new career of preferment. So
far as Esther has designed by her attention to the
favourite, either to conciliate the king, or to throw
the wily Agagite off his guard, she has completely
succeeded. The new honour swells his heart with
new pride, and no suspicions of evil enter his mind.
It may seem a strange thing to us in the abstract
13 *




150        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
reflection, that in a world so completely governed
by a righteous God, wicked men can be joyful and
glad of heart. Yet we see it all around us; we
find it fully recognized in the sacred Scriptures,
that there are pleasures in sin; and the joy of the
wicked in  their prosperity  has distressed and
grieved many a dejected believer. So a Psalmist
writes, " My feet had almost gone; my steps had
well nigh slipped; I was envious at the foolish,
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked." Psalm
lxxiii. 2, 3. These things are a part of the wonderful dealings of His hand, who tries the hearts
of the children of men. So we need not grieve
while such men as Haman pass before us in the joy
of their hearts. Nor let us embrace the fallacy of
supposing that since Haman was not a Jew, we
may justify his hatred to the Israel of God; or that
the long cherished enmity between Israel and Amalek was any proper reason for his continued hostility. We may thus account for Haman's feelings
and conduct; bift to explain a matter of this kind
is not to justify it. It is not from the circumstances
of a man, it is from his very nature that he is under
obligations to love and obey God. No matter in
what family, or nation, or church a man may be
born; no matter what his education or prejudices;
no matter whether he is willing or unwilling: so far
as right is concerned, he is bound by all the laws
of God; bound to practise justice and speak the
truth; bound to love his neighbour as himself;




THE SLEEPLESS NIGHT.          151
bound to obey every dictate of righteousness; bound
to glorify God " in his body and spirit." The people of Haman were rebels against the God of
Israel; they had fought against his people; and it
is not wonderful that Haman identified himself in
the pride of an unrighteous heart, with the unrighteous cause of an unrighteous people. And there
are not wanting men who in our own age will support their nation, their party, or their church in
wrong, as firmly as in right. This no righteous man
can ever do. That my nation is wrong in any matter, may be no reason why I should turn mny hand
against my people; but it is a reason why I should
refuse to give my support to that which is wrong.
If the church in which I was born, is erroneous in
doctrine, or corrupt in practice, it is vastly more
important that I should be faithful to God's truth,
than to any organization that is set in array
against him. It is utterly inconsistent with the
principles of righteousness to judge, that every man
should continue to hold the sentiments with which
he was educated. Amidst the jarring ideas of the
world, many must be wrong; and improvement implies change. Every change towards truth and
righteousness is wise; and our responsibilities lie in
this, that we should make our changes in obedience
to an intelligent conscience, and not at the promptings of impulse, or at the solicitations of vice.
Long continuance in iniquity-education in iniquity,
can afford no adequate apology for ungodliness.




152        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
Yet there are not wanting men, who resolve to live
and die as their fathers have done, even though the
light of God's serious truth convinces them that
their fathers were wrong. There are not wanting
men, who would plead as an excuse, nay, as some
justification for disregarding Jehovah and transgressing his commands, that they are not members
of the church; and perhaps that their fathers were
not before them. The reasoning is as wicked as it
is impotent. Apply it to Satan, and you would
make him sinless before the judgment seat of God,
and an undeserving sufferer in chains of darkness. For, no long array of generations in human
life can stretch so far back as the rebellion of the
first apostate; and no fighting against the church
of God can exceed his malevolence. If Satan is
not sinless, though long and thoroughly ungodly, any
man is wicked who stands off from the truth and the
church of God; or sets himself in opposition to Jehovah. Hear ye this, all ye sons of men! Woe, on
the one hand, to that ungodly child of a pious parentage, who breaks the covenant of God that has
descended to him through a long line of those that
loved and served the Lord; that breaks down in his
household that altar of piety whence the flame of
devotion has ascended for ages back; and that
begins a new generation of the sons of Belial,
trained without prayer and without the covenant
seal of consecration upon them! And woe, on the
other hand, to that man whose father and whose fa



THE SLEEPLESS NIGHT.          153
ther's father were " aliens from the commonwealth
of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise."
Eph. ii. 12; were careless of salvation and hardened in sin; who adopts and endorses the bad principles in which he was trained, refuses the wiser and
holier teachings by which God would correct his
ways, and trains up his household to a like and a
more resolute ungodliness! The curses of a righteous God will smoke against such men; the fire of
his anger will burn against them, all the more fiercely
from the very thoroughness of their ungodliness.
No sinner before His eye can be justified in iniquity.
Haman is an enemy to God, and none the less so,
that his royal line has been of consistent wickedness for many generations back.
And this man is joyful and glad of heart. How
is this consistent with the declaration of the Scriptures, "The wicked are like the troubled sea which
cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt;
there is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked?"
Isa. lvii. 20, 21.
Wait a moment and you may understand. Even
the sea is not always " the troubled sea;" and you
may gaze far down into the calm and pure waters,
as if no mire could ever becloud their crystal clearness. The sea is the emblem of instability. A
passing breeze disturbs that deceitful calm; and the
swelling and turbid waters show their angry might.
The peace of the wicked is like the sea; as deceitful, as unstable, and as dangerous in its stormy re



154        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
coil. Another bold step-we will not say a proud,
much less a haughty one-another step, firm and
bold, advances in these scenes, to teach us how easily that deceitful joy in Haman's heart may change
to the turbid swellings of hatred and malice. As
Haman passed out of the palace, his eye fell on the
impassionate form of Mordecai the Jew.
This, it may be, is their first meeting since the open
understanding that they are mortal foes. And now
surely that so important a matter is at issue between
them; when even Esther the queen seems to show
complaisance and policy enough to extend to the favourite an invitation to her banquet of wine; when
it seems important that no new provocation be
stirred up in the breast of so powerful a foe, surely
now Mordecai will give some tokens of external respect; the lips that bewailed the edict with a cry so
bitter, will speak one soft word, to mollify increasing wrath. At least Mordecai, having sufficiently
wounded Haman's pride, may now step silently
aside, and avoid aggravating the wound. But let
not the standard of worldly policy be used in judging this high principled and manly Jew. "It is
better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in
princes." Psa. cxviii. 9. We cast no reflections
upon Esther's prudent policy, as if it implied less uprightness of character. Possibly Mordecai sees here
a principle, which had not occurred to the queen
in her apparent court to Haman; or we may have
here an example of the differing judgments of even




TIEE SLEEPLESS NIGHT.          155
pious minds, touching the same things. Even deciding that Esther adopted no wrong policy, we may
admire Mordecai's consistent firmness.  "Mordecai stood not up nor did him reverence." His trust
is fixed upon that God who can deliver; he asks no
mercy from that man's hands from whom he would
scorn to receive it; and he has no mark to show of
a respect he does not feel, for the foe of his God
and of his race.
" Then went Haman forth that day joyful and with
a glad heart."  But how shallow the joy of a wicked
mind! how easily is it disturbed by trifles for which
a good man would care nothing! As he passed forth
from the palace he saw Mordecai the Jew. The
sweet is turned to bitter; the gladness has become
wretchedness; the muddy sediment at the bottom
of his cup of earthly pleasure is stirred up, and the
potion tastes like gall and wormwood. Look carefully at the principles here involved; for they govern widely the scenes of earth. Look at the contrasts between these two men; between their characters primarily; between their conduct and their
enjoyments, as flowing from their characters; and
learn that lesson of salutary wisdom from our Divine Teacher of far later days, "A man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he
possesseth." Luke xii. 15. We are not told how
Mordecai felt at this casual interview; but we have
no reason to suppose that with all his anxiety for
the hastening issue, there was a sihgle sting of that




156         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
remorse, which poisons the current of vital joy in a
mortal's veins. We know this much, that every intelligent mind would prefer to share the feelings of
Mordecai, rather than those of Haman. The favourite of the king is deeply wretched. He hurried
home, and in the presence of his wife and his confidential friends gave utterance to feelings, which
may often dwell in the minds of wicked men; but
which in the usages of our social manners, as compared with oriental customs, far less frequently
among us, find utterance in language so explicit.
He recounted in their ears, as an oriental would, his
riches, his children, his honour; he told them of the
new mark of respect, which he had that day received from Esther the queen; and then the lamentable confession is, after all, that these are empty
baubles; that these coveted things of earth can afford no real happiness —" All this availeth me nothing so long as I see Mordecai, the Jew, sitting at
the king's gate." Let Haman tell us, for he has had
experience; let Haman tell us, for in the confidence
of his friends he speaks the truth; let Haman tell
us the true value of those glittering, those attractive
things for which men so earnestly toil, through all
their busy lives. Wealth, honour, earthly pleasure
never made a man either wise, or good, or happy.
It is not in their power to subdue the strength of
evil passions; they are the very food they live
upon. As wisely might we try to quench a fire with
oil, as to allay the thirstings of pride and ambition




THE SLEEPLESS NIGHT.           157
and revenge by larger measures of worldly prosperity.
What the Scriptures say of one such passion is applicable to others, " He that loveth silver shall not
be satisfied with silver, nor he that loveth abundance
with increase." Ecc. v. 10. Indeed no man under
the sway of an evil passion is the keeper of his own
spirit. The sight of one, who has never harmed
him, may make him a prey to corroding thoughts;
the silent rebuke of good men upon his evil becomes
a torment; and, like Mordecai before Haman, he
sees those as he passes along the streets, who fill
him with bitterness.
How different is it with him, who in the language
of a great worldly poet,
"Feels within him
A peace above all earthly dignities,
A still and quiet conscience!"
See this exemplified in Mordecai. He is not
honoured of the world; he holds an humble office
in the king's gate; he is the special object of that
stern decree, which has called forth his people's
sorrow; but the calm of his heart, neither Haman
nor Ahasuerus can disturb. If Haman is more
honoured, Mordecai is more worthy of honour. If
Haman is a prince, Mordecai deserves a nobler title;
he is truly A MAN. What is the secret of the difference? The same that obtains in all ages and in
every land. Not a difference of rank or title; of
robes or wealth; of strength or learning. Not a
difference solely of education. But deeper than
14




158        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
all this, a difference in the sterling principles of
truth, uprightness, and the fear of God, which form
the character and control the life. True piety in
any age is based on principles which exalt the man.
True piety is true dignity; true piety alone gives
true happiness, and lifts us above the agitations of
the baser passions; while the joy of the wicked may
turn to gall at any unexpected moment.
"Then went Haman forth that day joyful and
glad of heart." But he teaches us that the wicked
have need to tremble in the very hour of their highest mirth. His joy was founded upon false conceptions; and was felt upon the very verge of his
destruction. He was elated that moment by the
invitation to Esther's feast; but had he understood
the matter, it would have filled his heart with
terror. Thus is it with man; often fearing, where
God designs his highest good; often rejoicing on
the eve of sorrow. Indeed there is no reasonable
ground for happiness for ignorant and sinful man,
unless first he has been reconciled to God as his Father, has been purified as to his conscience by the
precious blood of Jesus, and is going forward
under the teachings of the Spirit of grace in the
path of duty. He may be walking by faith as was
Mordecai in that dark day; but he is inexpressibly
happier than Haman. For he is assured that infinite justice, and wisdom, and power, control all current events; and he need not fear their unforeseen
results. Infinite faithfulness is pledged that all




THE SLEEPLESS NIGHT.          159
things shall work together for good to them that
love God. Rom. viii. 28.  In short it is reasonable
that the righteous man should fear nothing, whether
prosperous or adverse; while the wicked man has
just reason to fear at all times, and to fear everything. The pleasant garden in which he finds his
delights is planted upon a thin crust over a raging
volcano. His highest joys may prove the sources
of his deepest griefs; and the hour of highest exaltation may precede but a moment his utter overthrow.  "Then went Haman forth that day, joyful
and with a glad heart. But that glad day, itself
not without a drop of gall to spoil the sweetness of
his cup, was the last day of Haman's earthly joy.
The sun of the next morning rose to smile upon the
exaltation of his hated foe, and to witness his own
unwilling part in a stately ceremony for the honour
of Mordecai; and ere that sun sunk again beyond
the distant mountains of the west, it shone full on
Haman's gallows. If men will rejoice while they
are afar off from God, let them tremble also beneath
his holy eye, and at the thought of his righteous
hand.  "Surely thou didst set them  in slippery
places, thou castedst them down into destruction;
how are they brought into desolation as in a moment!" Psa. lxxiii. 18, 19.
We cannot but think that the conduct of Mordecai filled Haman with surprise, as well as with mortification, rage, and revenge. Men of an imperious
temper are generally cringing and cowardly; so




160        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
Haman afterwards shows himself; and they do not
understand the high sentiments of honour in noble
men; much less can they appreciate the power of
godly principles. Had Haman now been in Mordecai's place, the trembling spaniel would have fawned
upon the hand upraised to take his blood; and have
licked the very ground on which he trod, to supplicate in abject terror the pity of his foe. He cannot
comprehend the courage that will not quail in view
of the danger now threatening the Jews. He is
mortified to find himself the weaker man of the two;
and that Mordecai had a peace beyond his power
to disturb. But Haman refrained himself. He is
enraged enough at the immovable Jew to draw his
sword and smite him dead upon the spot. But
possibly the laws of Persia protected the life of
Mordect, so that even Haman could not touch him,
till he had secured the king's approval. Haman
restrained himself, not only from personal violence,
but perhaps from giving any external notice of the
fierce passions now raging in his breast. It is the
common influence of much intercourse with the
world, that men learn to school their feelings; and
teach the cold countenance to hide the warm emotions of the heart.
We will not delay to notice long the consultation
of Haman with his wife and intimate friends. He
recounted all his grandeur and all his reasons to be
happy; but how instructive, yet how humiliating,
the confession that an humble Jew sitting in a far




THE SLEEPLESS NIGHT.           161
inferior place, could destroy all his enjoyment of
these things! In the light of this scene, how poor
are earth's best honours, riches, and pleasures!
They are no criterion of worth. Earth's brightest
crown may be upon the head of earth's greatest
villain; earth's most splendid apparelling may fall
in graceful folds around a polluted person; earth's
mightiest intellect may be the world's greatest
scourge; and the highest summit of wealth is no
proof of the worth of him who stands upon it. The
vilest of men may attain earth's most coveted gifts;
and true excellence may dwell where penury and
obscurity hide it from the notice of all.
The friends of the chafed Haman endeavoured to
calm him; and advised that without delay he should
claim revenge on Mordecai. This seems to show that
the express permission of the king was needed, before he could reach the Jew; but they doubtless
thought, that after what had passed, the king would
easily grant so insignificant a favour.  Haman proceeds as if the slight request was already granted;
as he had done before in securing his lucky day for
Jewish destruction. Indeed he and his friends had
reason to believe, since a decree had gone forth for
the slaughter of all the Jews, that Ahasuerus would
think little of anticipating the day for the death of
one specially obnoxious. So Haman yielded to the
suggestion of his friends, and erected a lofty gallows that Mordecai might be hanged upon it. The
shallow peace of a wicked mind was restored. The
14 *




162        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
thing pleased Haman. Little dreamed he whose
form should be there suspended. Little cared he
for his rebellion against the people and the God of
Jacob. "The wicked watcheth the righteous and
seeketh to slay him; the Lord will not leave him in
his hand."  "The wicked plotteth against the righteous, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth; the
Lord shall laugh at him; for he seeth that HIS DAY
Is COMING."  Psa. xxxvii. 12, 13, 32, 33.
But we may leave Haman and his counsellors anticipating a gratified revenge; and under cover of
the shades of evening that have fallen upon the
earth, let us turn our feet to the gates of the palace.
Here is another of those instructive lines, which occur so frequently in this eventful narrative: " On
that night the king could not sleep." We are not
told the immediate and natural cause of the monarch's sleeplessness. If the record ran, " On that
night Haman could not sleep;" we could easily conjecture a sufficient reason in the agitation of unhappy passions. Yet Haman possibly slept well;
as does many a sinner on the last night of his mortal life. But on that night the king could not sleep.
He complains of no pain or sickness to make him
wakeful; he seems not specially occupied with business, nor specially agitated by strong passions,
which banish his rest. It is one of those unaccountable seasons of restlessness, when we vainly
court repose; and when the softest couch cannot secure it. It is no more in the power of the highest




THE SLEEPLESS NIGHT.          163
monarch than of his meanest subjects, to secure this
great blessing. But though we do not know the
specific natural cause for the loss of sleep in Ahasuerus, there was a good reason for it. This is one
of those occasions which the most sceptical cannot
explain without the admission, " This is the finger
of God." There is a King, mightier than Ahasuerus, who never sleeps. On his head are many
crowns; his eyes are as a flame of fire; he walketh in the midst of the golden lamps which he has
placed to enlighten the earth. Rev. i 13. He
knows not only the works, and the faith, and the
patience of his people; but the opportune time to
bring these forth to light; he knows the designs of
their enemies, and the nice occasion when their
well laid schemes may best be thwarted. The King
of Zion is sleepless; and he lays a wakeful pillow
beneath the head of Persia's monarch. If the king
had not lain sleepless that night, what then perhaps?
Would Mordecai have suffered death upon the gallows before the hour of Esther's intercession?
When we introduce into the chain of providence,
which Divine skill has wrought, a single if, or a
single perhaps, we make room for a thousand. If
Mordecai had already received some trifling reward
for saving the king's life; if Esther had hastened
this by impatience for her protector's advantage; if
the sleepless king had sought amusement in music,
or elsewhere than in the chronicles of the kingdom;
a thousand ifs might have defeated the result. But




164        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
Providence made the king that night sleepless and
serious; and he commanded that the book of the
records of the kingdom should be read before him
in those wakeful hours.
The Persian kings, as we are informed by the ancient historians, kept a kind of diary of events,
in which remarkable occurrences were recorded, and
the names of persons who deserved rewards or preferment for valuable services. The Jews do not fail
at this point to introduce some fabulous and marvellous stories, to heighten the effect of this occasion
beyond the simple dignity of the inspired narrative.
The Former Targum says that the reader chosen by
the king at this time was one of the sons of Haman;
and the Latter Targum says that he opened miraculously at the very place; and when he saw recorded
there the hated name of Mordecai, he turned over
to another part of the records; but the refractory
leaves flew back, and he was forced to read the necessary passage. This is man's method of rendering more miraculous the dealings of God's providence, which are more truly wonderful without the
unlikely miracle. To us, it seems likely, that several hours of the night were consumed in restless
tossings before the king gave over the attempt to
secure repose; and several more in reading to the
sleepless monarch; so that the night was far spent,
and even day had dawned when the reader reached
the pages which told of Mordecai's unrequited
faithfulness. For when the king heard of this, and




THE SLEEPLESS NIGHT.          165
projected a reward for Mordecai, Haman was already waiting in the court of the palace. The entire circumstances following prove that day had
now dawned after the sleepless night. This passage
reminded the king how near he had been to death;
and his conscience reproached him for ingratitude to
his deliverer.
It seems obvious, from the manner in which the
name of Mordecai is mentioned here, and the effect
produced by it upon the king, that he felt no prejudice nor hostility against the Jews. It begins now
to appear that, however guilty the king's thoughtlessness in signing the decree, he had no malice
against that people; and but little comprehended the
proclamation that had sent lamentation and distress
throughout his wide empire.
Let us not be surprised if good deeds often pass
unnoticed, and work no apparent advantage to those
that do them. Should this be our experience, we
may possess our souls in patience. Well doing is so
much its own reward, that we can afford to have our
most laborious and self-denying duties unnoticed by
the eye of man. Let it be a comfort to know that
our names and deeds are recorded in the chronicles
of an eternal kingdom; that they are not forgotten
by our gracious King; that if, for the present, they
are passed by, it is not in thoughtlessness of them,
but for reasons of infinite wisdom and righteousness; and that in due time the smallest service done
for His glory shall meet a full reward. The books




166        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
shall be opened and publicly read; and every secret
thing shall be revealed. This is indeed no source
of comfort to a sinful mind; nor does it lack its
aspect of solemn awe to the most upright; "for
there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good
and sinneth not." Eccl. vii. 20. If judgment for
any of us, in that great day, must be settled simply
by what we have been and what we have done, we
may well fear for the opening of the books, in the
presence of the eternal King. "If thou, Lord,
shouldest mark iniquity, 0 Lord, who could stand?"
Psa. cxxx. 3. Happily for us there is a way
pointed out for pardon of past iniquity and for reconciliation to God; as well as a way of duty and
righteousness in his holy service. When the books
are opened, another book shall be opened, which is
the book of life of the Lamb slain; and they whose
names are there recorded shall receive the blessings
purchased by his priceless blood. Our hopes of this
infinite honour must be tested by the sincerity of our
attachment to Christ, and the zeal of our obedience
to his commands. Let us strengthen our love; let
us quicken our obedience; let us renew our faith;
let us keep in chief remembrance, that our services
are rendered to Him who tries our hearts. Little
matter if men know not the devotion of our service;
little matter if the left hand knoweth not what the
right hand doeth; little matter if our best deeds are
unrequited on earth, or if men give us returns of




THE SLEEPLESS NIGHT.          167
base ingratitude.  "In due season we shall reap if
we faint not." Gal. vi. 9.
The sacred volume brings before us, most remarkably, the true excellence of human life; and urges
us to secure it. In one of its narratives it brings
before us a friendless boy, sold into bondage by the
treachery of his own brethren, cast into prison by
a woman's wickedness, and left to languish there by
a courtier's ingratitude; yet without the guidance of
a wise and loving father, without friends or wealth,
or fame, or even liberty, it shows us Joseph, the
wise, the good; despite of all his troubles, the
happy; the benefactor of Egypt, and the Saviour
of Israel.
In another narrative it sets before us a prisoner
in chains, and under examination before the noble
and the honoured of his age; and extorts from the
lips of the highest dignitary, the candid confession,
Almost am I ready to change places with thee.
And the prisoner is not surprised. He would rather
be Paul with chains upon his hands, and the peace
of God in his heart, than Agrippa the slave of
unholy passions, though he wears a crown upon his
brow. The Bible has lessons of wisdom far other
than the men of this world. Men say, Keep up appearances. The Bible says, " Keep thy heart with
all diligence." Prov. iv. 23. Men say, Cleanse the
outside of the cup and platter. The Bible says,
Cleanse first that which is within. Men would teach
us to bow down respectfully at the feet of Haman, the




168        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
Magnificent.  The Bible bids us admire and imitate
the upright, the conscientious, the courageous, the
believing Mordecai. The true excellency of man
must be found in his principles.
Please notice, that the Bible declares to us the
true dignity of man; and sets before us the sterling
excellencies for which every man may strive. " Seekest thou great things for thyself," Jer. xlv. 5riches, or honour, or fame?  How small is the encouragement to seek these in the real gain they
bring, or in the prospect of successfully attaining
them! But few among the sons of men can reach
any high place of honour or riches. With all your
toiling to reach honour, you may fail to secure it;
just as you seem to lay your hand upon it, some
more favoured candidate for a shallow popularity
may carry off the prize. With all your striving
for wealth, riches may take wings and fly away,
just as you feel secure. To say nothing then of
the unsatisfying nature of these things; nothing
of their transient gratification; nothing of the
feeble hold you have upon them; suffice it to
say, not every man gets rich, who toils for riches;
not every man gains honour, who aspires to it.
But he that knocketh at the gate of heavenly wisdom, shall find the entrance wide thrown open; he
that seeketh, findeth.  "Blessed are they that do
hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall
be filled." Matt. v. 6. " Whosoever shall call upon
the name of the Lord shall be saved." Rom. x. 13.




THE SLEEPLESS NIGHT.          169
Possibly you cannot reach riches; holiness you may
reach. The pleasures of the world always have
disappointed those that possess them most fully.
The pleasures of piety are only the more satisfactory
the longer they are enjoyed; and he, who has the
most of them, is the most desirous of following on
to know the Lord. The Bible holds forth the
richest treasures alike to the lofty and the lowly.
The pearl of great price is offered to those that
will sell all they have and buy it. Matt. xiii. 45, 46.
And do not these scenes in the career of Haman
bring fairly before us the thought, that the crisis of
a man's life comes often at an unexpected time?
The joys and honours of Haman have reached their
highest point, at the very moment when he is about
to fall from them for ever. The soul unreconciled
to God is never one moment secure. The voice of
wisdom says, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God
and his righteousness." Matt. vi. 33. Should the
crisis of life come unexpectedly upon you, are you
prepared for it? Should the great King ask this
day, What shall be done to this man for the past of
his life? would he add, Bring forth the best robe
and put it on him? He only is wise who has made
God his friend, through a Saviour's blood; and is
thus prepared either for longer life in usefulness, or
for a sudden and an unexpected death.
15




170        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
LECTURE VIII.
THE EXALTATION OF MORDECAI.
A DAY of the most important business dawned
upon the Persian court after that sleepless night;
and the king is no sooner ready to enter upon the
engagements of the day, than Haman is ready to
wait upon him. What a faithful servant the Agagite
seems to be! He is already in attendance upon the
king at so early an hour; as if both he and his master had passed a restless night; as if eager for new
service for Persia. When the king asked who was
in the court, Haman was already in attendance.
But we may not judge from the outward appearance. It is no affection for his master, nor zeal
for the honour of the kingdom, that has drawn the
prime minister so early to the palace. He has designs of his own to secure; revenge, that fierce
and almost uncontrolable passion of a wicked mind,
impels him; and the eagerness of his pursuit makes
him blind to everything, but the gratification of his
own passions. And to his excited eye, everything
promises favourably. There is even no long delay
before he is called to go before the king; and the




THE EXALTATION OF MORDECAI.    171
way seems open immediately to make his request
before him for the death of Mordecai. But the remarkable change which has taken place in the king's
mind during that sleepless night-so different from
Haman's object and desires-bids us note the finger of God in ordering the minutest details of our
mortal life. The slow-moving interference of Esther seems about to sacrifice Mordecai to her negligence or delay; but even this is designed in infinite
wisdom to secure more illustriously the relief of the
chosen people, and to exhibit more gloriously the
workings of their covenant God. Had Haman preferred his request the night before; or had he secured an audience a little earlier, before the reader
of the Chronicles had reached the name of Mordecai, he might perhaps have secured his purpose.
But Haman knows nothing of the events that have
transpired, since he last saw the king; his ready invitation to come in, he interprets wholly in his favour; and he cannot suppose that at so early an
hour of the day, any other serious business already
occupies the king's mind.
Haman awaits the words of Ahasuerus as a servant waits upon his master. It is not becoming in
the court of such a prince, that the subject should
speak before he is asked his business, and permission is given him to address his sovereign. So when
Esther came in, the first words were uttered by her
husband. So Haman waits, expecting to hear from
the lips of Ahasuerus, What wilt thou, Haman?




172        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
And what is thy request? The man, who but the
day before had supped with the king and queen; and
who to-day has a second invitation to a similar honour, expects a liberality befitting the state of the
king. And if but the evening before, when Esther
came in unbidden, the monarch had pledged that
her request should be granted even to the half of the
kingdom; if now the king seems to be in a liberal
mood; surely Haman, when called by the king to
come, may freely make the small request he came
to offer. But instead of making the inquiry, What
wilt thou, Haman? the king seems to open the
door for larger honours to him. How gratefully
sounded the inquiry of the king, What shall be done
to the man whom the king delighteth to honour?
Haman refrained himself from. the promptings of
revenge; for pride and vanity are stronger passions
with him than even his hatred of Mordecai. How
natural the thought of that heart, so wrapped in self
and so elated with the advantages already enjoyed!
Whom can this mean, but me?  "Now, Haman
thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to myself?" How deceitful is pride! How unhappy is that world which
is full of it! How wretched do we make ourselves
and each other, when self and self-aggrandizement
engross our thoughts!
Haman's past success and his inordinate vanity
prompt the belief that these contemplated honours
are to fall upon him; and yet as the king has named




THE EXALTATION OF MORDECAI.    173
no one, he has the opportunity of telling his whole
heart upon the subject with the air of a disinterested
person. It might indeed have been dangerous for
this ambitious man to propose such honours, if they
had been openly for himself; and when we know
that his secret thought was for himself, we must
judge that for the safety of the king and the peace
and welfare of the kingdom, Haman was an exceedingly -dangerous man in the Persian court.
Every reader of ancient history knows how frequent are the revolutions in despotic empires; and
how often the monarch, separated by his state and
his luxuries, alike from the sympathies and the
knowledge of his people, is suddenly murdered, and
his throne usurped by some ambitious favourite,
whom he had lifted to honour and power.  So, as
the Scriptures tell us, Hazael put to death the king
of Syria and reigned in his stead. 2 Kings viii.
15. And Haman, here, gives us reason to suspect
that he entertained secret thoughts of treasonable
ambition. Under cover of suggesting honours to
be paid to another, he reaches forth his hand to
grasp a dignity, that was regarded as peculiarly
royal. Perhaps because the man, who looked towards kingly honours, was especially dangerous in
those eastern governments, the Persian law made it
a capital offence for any subject to wear the king's
robe. Haman perhaps would not have dared to
mention such a thing to Ahasuerus but for two reasons. 1st, the king's question allowed him to do
15 *




174        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
this, without seeming to desire this honour for himself; and 2d, the ancient historians give us two examples of persons in Persia who did wear the king's
apparel and were left unharmed; and if the date
we assign to this book is correct, these cases both
occurred not very long before this time.* It is
quite likely that one of these cases Haman had before his eyes, as it occurred through the orders of
Xerxes, when he made this representation to Ahasuerus, " For the man whom the king delighteth to
honour, let the royal apparel be brought which the
king useth to wear, and the horse which the king
rideth upon, and the crown royal which is set upon
his head; and let this apparel and horse be delivered to one of the king's most noble princes, that
they may array the man whom the king delighteth
to honour, and bring him on horseback through the
streets of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus
shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour. "
Here we seem to have in full Haman's idea of
earthly magnificence. To wear the robes of royalty; to be the object of the people's admiration;
to enjoy a triumph whether deserved or not; these
are the most empty honours of earth; these are the
gay bubbles that burst the soonest; the splendours
these, that are most speedily forgotten. Here we
may see the true character of Haman; and judge
* See the cases cited in Gill, in loco.




THE EXALTATION OF MORDECAI.    175
that he who wishes to ride the horse of Ahasuerus
and to wear his robes, would not scruple if he dared
to ascend the throne. The king has reason to
guard against Haman's ambition; and if we see
afterwards that Ahasuerus saved the Jews from the
revenge of the Agagite, we may judge from these
indications, that the intervention of Esther saved
the realm of Persia from revolution; and the life
of the king from the ambition of an unprincipled
favourite who now covets the regal robes.
What an unexpected-what a blighting stroke to
the crafty policy of the Amalekite, was the answer
of the king! Just as Haman looked for the nomination of some high dignitary thus to do for his
honour; just as he expects in his hour of exaltation
that his errand to the palace will be one of easy
accomplishment; just as the vision of Mordecai's
death fills up his imagination of that triumphal
day, the mortifying mandate issues from the royal
lips: "Make haste, take the apparel and the horse
as thou hast said, and do even so unto Mordecai the
Jew that sitteth in the king's gate; let nothing fail
of all that thou hast spoken." No more astounding
command, no deeper mortification could be given to
Haman. Mordecai, the Jew! the man he most
hated; the man whose nation Ahasuerus himself
had doomed; whose life Haman came there that
hour to seek; for whom, already, he had prepared a
degrading gibbet! Haman was so proud and selfish that he would have attended with grief and envy




176        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
upon the triumphal honours of any other man; had
he not interpreted the king's liberal designs in his
own favour, he would not have ventured so high a
bid; but that all this should be for Mordecai, and
at his own suggestion, was grief and vexation indeed.
Gladly would Haman have avoided the hated spectacle; gladly now, for once, would he allow the
precedence to some other prince of the realm; since
the stately ceremonial must occur, he would gladly
be absent from it. But the king has appointed him
to do what himself has devised; and Haman dare
not refuse.
And now the streets of Shushan echo with the
shouts of a glad multitude as a procession marches
in triumphal splendour to honour a man, who has
saved the life of the king. Haman himself has
stripped off the sackcloth with which his malice had
clothed the limbs of Mordecai; and, with a heavy
heart, has arrayed him in the purple and white garments of Persian royalty. The king's favourite
horse is brought forth, and the crown is placednot upon Mordecai's head, this would be too presumptuous-but upon the head of the horse. For
this was the custom of the realm on occasions of
great ceremonial; and even among the Romans the
horses were crowned when they drew triumphal
chariots. And the proclamation, "'Bow the knee
to the man whom the king delighteth to honour,"
was made by a princely herald; and the voice was
HIHaman's. And now as they passed in triumph




THE EXALTATION OF MORDECAI.    177
through the city; and the Jews stood amazed to see
their bitter foe thus sounding forth the honours of
one of their brethren; and the giddy populace
joined the throng and swelled the triumph; perhaps
they passed by the newly erected gallows, in full
view seventy-five feet high, rising above the surrounding buildings, meant to be a conspicuous sight,
and now quite as easily seen as the man who built
it could desire. What a contrast between that emblem of shame, and this spectacle of triumph!
Whether it caught Mordecai's eye; whether he understood it; whether his heart swelled in gratitude
to God for his deliverance, as a token of the coming
deliverance of his people, we know not. It appears
afterwards, on that memorable day, that its erection
and the object of it, were no secrets to the attendants around the king. No one knew better than
Haman why it lifted its head so high; no one felt
more deeply than he, the contrast between what the
king did for the J.ew that day, and what he would
have done.
Let us notice here, as a lesson of practical importance, that all this mortification of Haman
arises solely from the state of his own heart; and
that his trouble is the pure result of his own wickedness. Very plainly the king did not design to
put any slight upon Haman by the triumph of Mordecai; nor had the princes or the people of Persia
any reason to regard this as the beginning of
Haman's disgrace. It was one of the king's most




178        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
noble princes that was to make this proclamation
on behalf of Mordecai; and had Haman any cause
to complain that he was appointed to such an office?
The honours of Haman had not been transferred to
the Jew; and he had no reason to judge that the
king had withdrawn his esteem. The favour of the
king is still with Haman; and he is mortified only
because he hates Mordecai. The evil passions of
men are their worst tormentors; and no wretchedness in this life is greater, than when a man is the
prey of his own turbulent emotions, acting without
restraint.  The sea is troubled now within Haman's
breast, and casts up mire and dirt.
The characteristic difference between the two men
is consistently carried out here, as elsewhere in the
narrative. Mordecai is as humble and retiring as
Haman is proud and aspiring. The honour so unexpectedly bestowed does not puff up Mordecai with
vanity; he takes no part in the proceedings of the
day, save as they are put upon him.  Godly men
may receive the world's honours, yet they do not
set their hearts upon them; they are therefore less
liable to be injured by their inflaming influence upon
human pride or ambition; and they can better bear
either to be neglected, as Mordecai so long was, or
to be suddenly called forth from their obscurity, as
was his case, without undue aspirations. In our own
history we can see similar contrasts. No man less
than George Washington would take a "step in ad



THE EXALTATION OF MORDECAI.    179
vance to clutch an impending honour;"* no man deserved honours more; no man wore them more
meekly. On the other hand no man more ambitious
and scheming, no man a more miserable wretch in private life or a traitor in public, than one who had every
quality of honourable descent, and of liberal education,
and of polished manners, and of penetrating mind to
make him the idol of the people; no man more unworthy than Aaron Burr. See the modesty of Mordecai.
After the honours of such a day, he quietly resumes
his seat at the king's gate. We can hardly think
that he would be suffered to remain in an inferior
post; we cannot suppose that in the deadly strife
between himself and Haman, Mordecai regarded
with indifference any indications of the king's favour
to himself, for his people's sake. We judge that he
would gratefully and piously trace the honour thus
bestowed upon him, to the kind interference of an
Almighty hand. But just because he here discerned the workings of Divine wisdom and Divine
energy, his faith would trust to God's hand for further workings; he would not hasten by undue interference the hour of deliverance; and he passes before us with the calmness of true dignity. He does
not tarry in the streets as long as possible, to drink
in the applause of excited crowds; he does not
hastily gather the Jews together to exult over Haman, and anticipate the hour of God's full deliv* Irving's Life of Washington. Vol. i. p. 452.




180        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
erance; he does not hurry to seek an interview with
the king whose life he had saved, now that he finds
him somewhat awake to gratitude; he does not take
into his own hands the intercession he had before
committed to the queen. Mordecai uses his honour
with a moderation that seems more surprising, the
more we reflect upon it. He calmly returns to his
seat at the king's gate.  "He that believeth shall
not make haste."  Isa. xxviii. 16. Mordecai has
calmly committed his interests, and the far dearer
interests of Israel to the guardianship of Israel's
God. And here he teaches us a new lesson of faith;
different from those he taught us before, but not inconsistent with them. He has taught us before,
that faith in God is the efficient spring of zeal and
duty. When there is anything for us to do, faith
bids us do it. But here Mordecai reminds us that
there are times when God's people, having done that
which God's providence bids them do, are called upon
to leave the rest in his hands, and calmly to abide
his gracious and powerful working. When such a
crisis arrives, it is as wrong to be impatient, as at
other times it is wrong to be idle. Perhaps Mordecai recalled the momentous period of his people's
eventful history, when their hosts at the Red Sea,
though beset by imminent peril, were commanded to
"stand still and see the salvation of God."  Exod.
xiv. 13. Action, Mordecai has already taken. He
had urged Esther to use her influence; he had assembled his people and joined them in solemn fast



THE EXALTATION OF MORDECAI.    181
ing and prayer; and now, believing in God and reposing upon his covenant, he can afford to wait and
learn the meaning of the change, which God had
thus begun, in favour of Israel.
But while dark adversity and dawning prosperity
find Mordecai firm in faith and joyful in his God,
unhappy Haman has no such support in his hour of
bitter mortification and deep disappointment. Without real virtue, without true dignity of mind, he is
filled with renewed hatred and tormented with fiercer
desires for revenge. He cannot but look now upon
the darker aspects of the case. Had the king
named any one but Mordecai, he might have borne
it better; and have even congratulated himself, that
if not chief in the triumph, its details had been of
his suggestion; and to him had been entrusted the
honour of conducting it, as one of the king's most
noble princes. But as the honour fell upon Mordecai; as Haman drew the contrast between what the
king had done that day for the Jew, and what he
had designed to do for him; as he knew how fickle
monarchs are, and how speedy is the fall of an
eastern favourite when once his foot has slipped;
and as he had not personal courage to face the least
appearance of danger, Haman is filled with grief
and anxiety. He stays not to listen to the murmurs in the streets; he wishes not to pass into that
palace, where Mordecai, still unbending and irreverential, and now feared as well as hated, sits before
him in the gate; he dares not venture now before
16




182        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
the king to prefer the request that had carried him
so early to that morning audience. Haman hastened
home mourning, and having his head covered. This
was no uncommon symbol among the orientals of
grief, confusion, and shame. So Plutarch tells us,
that when the earlier orations of Demosthenes were
poorly received, he went home having his head covered and in great distress. We may imagine how
great indeed was Haman's grief, that he could not
avoid giving this public notice of his mortification,
though the king gives as yet no token that he feels
any displeasure at him. Yet we can easily interpret Haman's thoughts. The human conscience is
a wonderful power! It oftentimes runs far in advance of all the intellect can discern; and anticipates those divine judgments, which it is conscious
are so well deserved.
Haman hastened to his house and called together
the same counsellors, whose advice had embittered
the unexpected occurrences of the day. But they
have no comfort for him now. There is a lesson
which few sinful men are willing to learn, save by
bitter experience, that sin flatters only till the
wretched mind is hopelessly entangled; but when
the tide turns, everything begins to bear against his
comfort and his success. Men wisely plan their evil
schemes; and eagerly prosecute them; and enjoy
their early success in them; and the counsels of
friends and the deceitful suggestions of Satan are
embraced, with few thoughts of future failure. This




THE EXALTATION OF MORDECAI.    183
is all flattery. Little do they think that they stupefy conscience, that Satan leads them  captive;
little do they consider that God's infinite wisdom
counterplots their schemes; and that his justice and
power are arrayed for their destruction. But when
God ceases to forbear and begins his judgments,
then their companions no longer can afford them
comfort; and Satan cares no longer to maintain his
successful deceits. A good man's comforts are the
deepest when he needs them most; the wicked are
forsaken in the hour of distress.  The chief consolation of the wicked is forgetfulness; and there are
times and there are troubles, when men cannot forget. Miserable comforters are the friends of the sinner in the day when God begins to let loose upon him
his terrors. Haman may remind us of Judas, the
betrayer. The chief priests who abetted his villany
and paid him for it, refuse to share his remorse.
1" What is that to us? See thou to that!" Matt.
xxvii. 4. The apparent friends who counsel a man
to sin, stand off or croak, when the trouble comes.
The counsellors of Haman portend from these new
occurrences, only calamity and certain destruction
to him. A man's tempters to sin often prove his
tormentors; and an enemy of God and his church
can find in the end neither refuge nor comfort.
Well worthy of serious pondering are the further
words of these counsellors of Haman. " If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou
hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against




184        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
him, but shalt surely fall before him." We cannot
regard these words as the utterance of a mere superstitious feeling. Perhaps these men, like Haman,
were Amalekites, and spoke the oracular words of
a long and bitter experience. Or, this may be the
utterance of a deeper impression widely felt among
the Gentiles, and established upon the surest foundation of truth, that the Jewish people were under
the special protection of Almighty God. And truly,
the world has reason to know that there is an Eye
watching over Zion, that there is an Arm enlisted
to secure her safety, of whose watchful vigilance
and almighty power, the foes of Zion may well be
afraid. From the days of Abraham's early wanderings when God told the nations, "Touch not mine
anointed and do my prophets no harm;" 1 Chr. xvi.
20-22. Psa. cv. 12-15;-wfrom the days when
the great lawgiver lifted his rod before the king of
Egypt, and scourged his land, and desolated his
homes, and drowned his martial hosts in the Red
Sea; down to the wonders which God had wrought in
Babylon for the protection of Daniel and his friends,
the seed of the Jews had ever been victorious over
their foes. Even when Israel sinned, and their God
was angry with his rebellious people, it was a perilous commission to execute the Divine chastisements
upon them. Learn of Assyria, and learn of Babylon, (Isa. x. 12; Jer. 1. 18,) and in later days,
learn of imperial Rome, how a nation may scourge




THE EXALTATION OF MORDECAI.    185
God's people for their sins; and yet for their own
pride or severity incur the anger of the Lord.
While this is eminently true of the church of God
in all ages; true of the Jewish church before they
rejected the Divine Messiah, and were cut off from
the believing succession of the sons of Abraham;
true of the Christian church since God, by preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, has fulfilled the great
promise of the covenant made with Abraham, " In
thee shall all families of the earth be blessed;"
Gen. xii. 3; we believe it is also true of the scattered sons of Israel even in their present dispersion.
That most remarkable people are scattered now in
all the earth; they are suffering now the-judgments,
which God denounced upon them by the lips of
Moses three thousand years ago; yet it is the faith
of Christians that they are reserved for a destiny
more remarkable than their past history; that they
are to be restored to the believing succession; Rom.
xi. 24; and that with the veil rent from their faces
they shall yet recognize our Jesus as the Messiah;
2 Cor. iii. 16; and Him, whom according to one of
their own prophets, Isa. liii. 2, they have esteemed
as a root out of a dry ground, they shall look upon,
according to the words of another of their prophets,
the Jehovah whom they have pierced, and shall
mourn. Zech. xii. 10. They have been maltreated
above all people; and grossly by those that bear
the Christian name. But all such things are in direct disregard of true Christian principles. The
16 *




186         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
New Testament teaches us the deepest regard for
the Jews. Much as we have received from their
hands, we look for more. Large as the early revivals of Christianity were, we look for larger
through Jewish instrumentality. They are n U. utterly cast off. God has mercy in store for them.
Beloved for the fathers' sake, they shall yet worship
with us; and their restoration to the covenant of
our God and theirs shall bless the Gentile world,
like life from the dead. Rom. xi. 15. It is no vain
superstition; it is a prophetic and a historical principle, which we may read in all ages of the past,
there is a final triumph for the Jew. The wise men
about Haman have well read the lesson in the
records of the nations. The man that begins to
fall before a Jew, cannot find support in mortal
power.
The fatal words fall like a knell upon the ears of
Haman, echoing the forebodings of his own conscience, and tolling the end of all his ambitious
hopes. If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews!
Full well did Haman know that he was so. This
fatal truth was the basis of his great scheme of revenge. And now busy memory flew rapidly back
over the long records of his ancestry, to tell how
true were these words, No success against the Jews.
Ah! fatal and far reaching iniquity in the sons
of Amalek! Fatal infatuation of wickedness in
Haman, which made the Jewish descent of Mordecai the very cause of his deliberate and wider




THE EXALTATION OF MORDECAI.    187
malice! Against this reasoning, he has no plea to
urge.  His iniquities begin to come upon him; and
a guilty mind is proverbially a cowardly one. How
easy a thing it is to fall! A single slip of the foot,
and it is done. No matter how highf the sinner's
honours; how large his wealth; how boundless his
ambition; how great his pleasures, he stands on
slippery places; Psa. lxxiii. 18; and he should not
think that his descent will be as gradual as his rise
has been. That morning Haman rose with eager
anticipations of gratifying his revenge on Mordecai. He forgot one thing; that the God of Israel
had ever given the victory to his people; and forgetting this, the stupendous madness of his iniquity
but brought upon himself the more stupendous destruction.
But the words of the friends of Haman, which
tell their minds of Jehovah's faithfulness to his covenant, are of far wider application. It is still true,
that no weapon formed against Zion shall prosper.
Isa. liv. 17. Whether they received the truth from
history or elsewhere, God's holy word teaches it to
us; and the largest readings of human history will
but confirm it. Who can count the forms of opposition that have arrayed themselves against the church
of the living God?  "Many a time have they
afflicted me from my youth up, may Israel now say;
many a time have they afflicted me from my youth
up, yet they have not prevailed against me." Psa.
cxxix. 1, 2. Without, the church has been assailed




188        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
by persecution, with the dark dungeon, the sharp
sword, and the flaming brand; by the learning and
scorn of human philosophy; and by the ever changing and ever vigorous powers of infidelity from age
to age; and within, she has been undermined and
betrayed by heresy, and superstition, and false philosophy, and cold formality. But the oldest kingdom on the earth, the most widely extended, the
most actively energetic, the most prosperous at this
very hour, the most influential, the most intelligent, and the most largely charged with the good of
the race, is the church of Jesus Christ. Persecutors
-even successful ones-have perished, and given
place to others to die as soon. Sceptical delusions
never last very long, and could never spread far
but for the depravity of men.  False religions,
have become more and more corrupt, to show most
plainly that they are not of God. But the church
of Christ is larger now and more influential than
ever it was. The doctrinal views of Christians are
more nearly alike on the most important points than
ever. The duty of the church is better recognized
in her relation to the world; and much as we mourn
that christians give not according to their ability,
the standard of liberality is higher than ever before
since the apostolic days. Zion stands firm. "God
is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved."
Psa. xlvi. 4. " Therefore will we not fear, though
the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea." Psa.




THE EXALTATION OF MORDECAI.    189
xlvi. 2. This is our confidence, that dark appearances in the history of the church are designed to
try our faith. We will yet believe that "the Lord
God in the midst of her is mighty." Zeph. iii. 17.
His arm can protect, and his truth is pledged that
it shall. His infinite wisdom discerns the opportune
moment when his interference will most fully bless
his people and confound their foes.
There is no ordinary guilt and peril in being identified with the foes of God and Zion. This thought
we should weigh, because we all are the friends or
the enemies of Jesus Christ. His own plain declaration is, " He that is not with me is against me."
Matt. xii. 30. And doubtless many a man shrinks
back from the acknowledgment that he is a foe to
God and to his church. The only way to prove
yourself a friend is to come forth promptly, decidedly, and earnestly to take your place with his people. He will recognize you upon no less terms,
than that you adopt the principles, and exemplify
the holy practice of his gospel. And indeed you
are a foe, if you are not a friend. There are principles involved in what Christ claims, in what he is,
and in what he has done, from which no man can
innocently stand aloof. If you can hear preached
such a gospel as this, without decidedly embracing
it; if you can hear this Saviour made known, without warmly loving him; if you can read the teachings of this law, without yielding it your holy obedience; if you can receive these teachings of Chris



190        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
tianity, without cheerfully and thankfully becoming
a Christian, there must be within you a heart at enmity to God. If no obedient child can hear in carelessness a father's voice, can a creature listen in indifference to the Creator's voice? a dying sinner to
the only Saviour? They that are not with Christ
are against him. Unreconciled sinner, you are
fighting now, not the good fight of faith, but the
evil conflict of unbelief; you are fighting now
against your soul, against the Redeemer, against
the church of the living God. If you continue
upon the wrong side in this most momentous warfare,
you must meet destruction. Like Haman, who had
a Jew to contend against, you cannot prevail. You
fight madly against the very God of Zion. Stay
now before it is too late for ever.  "Agree with
thine adversary quickly whilst thou art in the way
with him."  Matt. v. 25. God now makes overtures of mercy to sinful souls. "We are ambassadors for Christ." 2 Cor. v. 20. He exhibits to
you the gracious terms of pardon and reconciliation.
Let not the pleasures and deceitfulness of sin flatter
you, till it is all too late for your salvation; till God
calls no more and withdraws his Spirit; till Satan
cares no longer to keep up the deceit and your tempters become your tormentors. Certainly you cannot prosper if you either openly oppose God, or neglect the great salvation he urges upon you. Until
you flee to Jesus and enlist under his banner, you
are in peril. Every day of your life may be the




THE EXALTATION OF MORDECAI.    191
last of hope and happiness; you stand upon slippery ground, and but a little may cast you down.
Your plans and prospects may be fair in the morning; and before evening irreversible judgments may
fall upon you. These thoughts are serious, because
applicable to every sinner unreconciled to God.
Weigh them, for the life of the soul.  The only
place of safety is the church of Christ. Every soul
that truly loves him, bears his name, keeps his commandments, and promotes his glory, shall be safe in
all the trials of earth and safe for eternity.  But to
neglect him is a fatal error; to refuse his service is
eternal death. Every sinful soul ought to regard it
as his very highest privilege that he may know the
name of Christ, hear his calls, believe his word, rely
upon his promises, and find his salvation. The day
of fire shall reveal it. 1 Cor. iv. 13. The great
King will then command, " Those, MINE ENEMIES,
that would not that I should reign over them, bring
them hither and slay them before me." Luke xix.
27.




192        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
LECTURE IX.
THE FALL OF HAMAN.
DOES it not seem manifestly true to every
thoughtful mind, that nothing of all the works of
God can afford us better evidence of his being
and wisdom, and power, and justice, than the re.
markable displays of his providence? This book
of Esther, and the narrative it lays before us, seem
wonderful beyond the frequent workings of God's
hand, only because the truth is fairly brought before
us; is comprehended in a brief history; and we
see the actors, the designs, and the results, all at
one glance of the eye. But a little careful and devout attention would enable us to see things as marvellous in other parts of the history of the church;
and indeed we may see no insignificant marvels
even in the meaner affairs of an individual believer. God is wonderful in working; and rich in
resources. It is as easy to show his glory in small
as in great matters; and he can afford to lavish his
bounty in what we call minor affairs. The same
beautiful colours that deck the heavens in the bright




THE FALL OF HAMAN.           193
rainbow or the gorgeous sunset, he can afford to
paint with unrivalled pencil upon the modest flower
that hides its head in the meadow. We must not
judge him by our weakness or our penury. The
Creator fainteth not, neither is weary, by the multiplicity of affairs which show his creative power, or receive his providential care. We will not say that God
is as much glorified by the meaner as by the great
affairs of his kingdom; but we may say, that he is
glorified as truly by minor as by greater things. You
may stand before a large and magnificent mirror,
and it will reflect back your image, one finished and
perfect form. You may break that mirror into a
thousand pieces, and each piece now will give back
an image, not as splendid, but as perfect.* So you
may look upon the universe of God as one complete
and magnificent whole which only he could create,
and which shows forth his wisdom, and power, and
goodness; or you may take the minutest fragment of
this universe-a grain of sand from the ocean, or a
single leaf from the forest, or a tiny mite from the
swarming multitudes of animated beings-and each
of these minute fragments of a world requires the
power of a God for its creation, and the care of a
God for its preservation; and his wisdom is exhibited
in adapting each particle composing the world to its
own place in the world's economy. Or you may
* Charnock.
17




194         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
take the vast providential affairs of the universe;
you may see the
Planets, and suns, and adamantine spheres,
Wheeling unshaken through the void immense.
You may consider the infinite wisdom and power
that so nicely balances them all; that directs their
motions with precision so unerring, that men can
calculate the very moment of a distant eclipse years
before its occurrence; and from considering these
vast affairs you may turn to the minute and humbler
things which some think beneath the notice of His
eye, but which are as completely and fully cared
for by this infinite God as if he had them only in
his mind. For man places in the ground the seed
of some tiny flower, and just as correctly as the astronomer can map out the path of the planets, can
the gardener anticipate just when the flower, whose
seed he has planted, will spring and bloom; just
what unrivalled colourings will be painted upon its
unfolding leaves, by light-the shadow of God; and
to just what purposes that plant can be applied in
the period of its maturity. Man has but to study
in both cases the laws of God. God's finger is in the
great and the small; because no wisdom, no power,
no beneficence less than infinite could devise or
could execute any part of these plans; and all the
parts are so nicely adjusted to each other, and so
dependent upon each other, that no mortal mind
can say what portion of all God's works could be
spared, without damage, or perhaps destruction




THE FALL OF HAMAN.           195
to all the rest. In our thoughts upon creation and
providence there is no stopping point between the
wide extremes. On the one hand, let us deny that
there is a God, and consider all these works and all
these harmonies the effect of blind chance; or on the
other hand, let us wisely and devoutly recognize
that God's hand is as truly apparent and as truly
needful in small as in great affairs; to uphold the
worlds, or to watch a falling sparrow; to guide the
destinies of his church, or to care for the weakest
believer in Jesus.
But ve arrest these reflections to proceed with
our narrative.
Haman and his friends have but little time for
consultation upon this important and threatening
change in his affairs; and the next incident keeps
up perhaps, for a little longer season, the deceitful
hope for Haman that all is not yet lost. While the
wise men are yet talking with him; and possibly before they had time to counsel him at all hazards to
make his peace with Mordecai; the chamberlains of
the palace came to lead him to that post of unusual
honour, at the banquet of the queen. Some suppose that Haman, in his agitation, had forgotten
his appointment; and must thus be reminded of it.
But thus called before the queen, the pride of the
favourite is again aroused; and perhaps he partially
forgot his mortification; and with at least some degree of composure, he went to the palace.
The select company are met together at the ban



196        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
quet of wine; and each of the three-the guests
Ahasuerus and Haman, and their entertainer Esther
-is full of emotions that leave little room to think
of the delicacies before them. We are informed
that it was the Persian custom to serve the wine at
the beginning of their entertainments; and thus
there was, upon this occasion, no long delay for the
great business of the hour. Though Haman came
there with a heavy heart, we have no reason to
think that he looked for any disgrace through the
influence of Esther; or that he had at all identified
the queen with the cause of the Jews. We see now
the wisdom of Mordecai in forbidding the queen to
make known her kindred; and up to this moment
no thought of her people had entered the minds of
her husband or her foe. But apart from any apprehensions arising from the queen, Haman has
enough to destroy his enjoyment of a feast on such a
day as that! If he tasted the wine that was placed
before him, it was through respect to his royal entertainer, rather than from enjoyment of the cup
itself; or it was to drown the remembrance of that
bitter day in the oblivion of inebriation.  "Give
strong drink," says the wise man, "to him that is
ready to perish, and wine to those that be of heavy
hearts; let him drink and forget his poverty, and
remember his misery no more." Prov. xxxi. 6, 7.
If Haman drank that day it was not for joy; and
the little company was none the brighter for his
presence.




THE FALL OF HAMAN.            197
For far different reasons Esther cared but little
for the luxuries of the banquet. Her heart too was
burdened and heavy; not indeed with guilt or
shame, but with a weight of responsibility that made
her mindful only of the important errand entrusted
to her. An important moment of her life, hardly
inferior to her venturing in unbidden before the
king, had now come; the great request for her people was now to be preferred; and Esther was painfully upon the watch for the favourable, moment to
address the king. But even Ahasuerus himself is
there in great expectation. We are told by Rollin
that upon the king's birth-day the Persian monarchs,
by established custom, granted the queen whatever
she asked; and he relates the most cruel act in the
life of Xerxes as done at the queen's solicitation.
We have no reason to judge that Esther's banquet
was upon the king's birth-day. It seems rather a
private entertainment than a public feast. But the
king came there that day expecting something.
The delicate address of Esther, while yet she had
given him no intimation of her desire; the evident
fact that some deep secret lay with her, had awak:
cned the monarch's curiosity, and had prepared him
to be liberal at her request.
Thus each heart at the banquet was fully occupied: Haman with guilt and fear; Esther with faith
and hope; and Ahasuerus with curiosity and love. So
the banquet of wine was rather a great state occasion than a feast.
17 *




198        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
The anxiety of the guests, which would naturally
embarrass Esther as she watched for her favourable
opportunity, yet resulted in her inexpressible relief.
For Ahasuerus too is desirous to come to the main
point of the present interview; and it was therefore
not long that he delayed to ask for her petition.
How encouraging to her burdened mind to hear now
the renewed inquiry, "What is thy petition, queen
Esther?" and better still the renewed assurance,
"It shall be granted thee even to the half of the
kingdom!"  Esther paused-we are unwilling to
think otherwise-to lift up her heart in adoring
thankfulness to the God of Jacob, and in devout
petition to Him in whose hand are the hearts of
kings, before she could trust her trembling lips to
utter the long-kept secret of her kindred, and her
great request for her life and theirs.
Deep emotion is ever expressive, ever eloquent,
and ever awakens deep feeling in others. Great
must have been the astonishment of Ahasuerus at
the trembling lips of his beloved queen; at the deep
feeling which agitated her frame; and at the amazing
words she utters in his ears. Here is no common
matter. He had perhaps expected from one that
was so closely shut up within the palace; who knew
so little of the affairs of the empire; and whose
world was the world of women around her; he had
expected some gift for a favourite, or some enlargement of her revenue. But he found it was a matter of life and death; of her life too, though she




THE FALL OF HAMAN.           199
was an inmate of his palace; of the life too of her
people. Astonishment kept the king silent, while
Esther told the whole. "For we are sold, I and
my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish; but if we had been sold for bond-men and bondwomen," I had kept silence, though even in that case
no adequate compensation could have been made by
the enemy for the damage done to the king and the
kingdom. All this is a mystery to Ahasuerus.
He sees in it some dark plot that is to penetrate
into his very palace and tear away his queen even
from his side. He seems to have forgotten utterly the scheme of Haman, to which he gave a
thoughtless consent; and not knowing as yet the
people of Esther, he has no aid to his memory for
recalling the transaction. In his confidence in Haman, he had perhaps never inquired what use had
been made of his seal. He is therefore now deeply
agitated by the moving recital of his beautiful queen;
deeply affected by her tears; in the hasty passion
characteristic of him, he is vehemently angry, and
is deeply resolved to revenge her wrongs. He
hastily inquires, Who is he, and where is he, that
durst presume in his heart to do so? Now we see
why Esther has planned that the adversary of the
Jews should be present upon this occasion. His astonishment equals that of the king; for it had never
crossed his thoughts that the queen of Persia was
one of the victims of his malice. Policy, if not
right, might have stayed his arm, had he sooner




200'       ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
known this important truth. Every man that dares
to do a wicked deed should know everything, before
he can assure his mind of safety. The truth now
opens before Haman, like a flash of lightning, which
reveals a precipice to the benighted traveller just
too late to stay the destructive plunge.  The trembling Agagite has no time for long reflection. At
the king's question, Esther delivers this prompt reply, " The adversary and enemy is THIS WICKED
HAMAN!" The secret is told. The amazed monarch looks upon his favourite and reads the truth of
the charge in his guilty face. " Then was Haman
afraid before the king and queen." Guilt has no
dignity; an awakened conscience unnerves the courage of even brave men; and a woman's voice, when
it speaks the truth, fills the convicted adversary with
confusion. Ahasuerus saw at a glance that his confidence had been misplaced and had been shamefully
abused; and his anger rises like an impetuous torrent. In the excess of his rage he rushed forth into
the palace garden, and every new thought strengthened the charge of Esther, and confirmed the proof
of Haman's treacherous disposition. How strange
it is that after we have long reposed our confidence
in a deceitful person, have looked favourably upon
his words and actions, and have interpreted everything in the best light, if suddenly we are undeceived and get one just glance at his real character,
we are able in a moment to strengthen this just
view by a thousand things unconsidered before, and




THE FALL OF HAMAN.           201
we change instantly our judgment of him and of
all we have known him to do! The change seems
like the opening of our eyes, as if really we had
been blind to all around us.
Whatever may have been the thoughts of the king
respecting Haman, they were not favourable to him;
the audacity of aiming at the queen's life and of
abusing his confidence to make him a partner in the
plot, inflamed his wrath the more he thought upon
it; and when he returned to the place of banqueting, the occurrences there only served yet more to
arouse him. Haman upon other occasions had seen
the king's wrath; had perhaps awakened it towards
other objects; and he easily interprets it now. " He
saw that there was evil determined against him
by the king." And now, at last, not with the
spirit of a penitent, but as a criminal overtaken by
the tardy stroke of justice, he begins to implore
mercy. He arose and approached the queen's couch.
The oriental manner of sitting at meat is wholly different from ours. They reclined upon couches upon
a level with the table on which the food was placed.
So Haman fell upon the bed where Esther was.
There is no reason to believe that there was any
other bed than the usual couch at the table of the
queen; and it is in the highest degree unlikely that
Haman had any such design as that imputed to him
in the anger of the king. In an agony of fear he
approached the queen; perhaps, as is common in
the east, he embraced her knees and plead for




202        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
mercy. He felt himself completely in her power.
He was desirous of assuring her that he had no designs against her life; that he was ignorant of her
kindred; that he was willing to employ all his influence to avert the decree, if she would only spare
his life. But we know not the entreaties urged by
Haman upon Esther; nor whether he had time, nor
whether he had spirit enough to urge any entreaties.
We know only that the attitude he assumed made
matters worse in the eye of the jealous monarch,
and hurried on his fall.
The first words of anger from the king's lips, are
eagerly caught up by the surrounding attendants.
Genuine friendship too seldom exists in despotic
courts. If Haman had been an upright minister, the
king's wrath would have found ready executioners.
Envy and ambition are ruling passions in the high
places of earthly honour; and where these dwell,
there is but little room for an esteem that rests upon
substantial merit. But a haughty and selfish minister, like Haman, would incur the hatred as well as
the envy of the courtiers; and they would more
readily join to triumph over his fall. The words of
the king are quickly interpreted by the attendants.
" They covered Haman's face." Among the Greeks
and Romans they covered the faces of condemned
malefactors; and if this be not the meaning here, it
indicates, at least, that Haman is no longer fit to see
the king's face. The favourite has fallen; and his
end rapidly approaches. The gallows which he had




THE FALL OF IIAMAN.         203
erected for Mordecai, the Jew "who had spoken
good for the king," is no secret in the palace. Perhaps the chamberlains who had summoned Haman
to the banquet had seen it in the court of Haman's
house; and the eager-witted courtiers are ready to
do themselves a double advantage; by trampling
upon the fallen favourite, and by bowing the knee
to one whose star, they perceive, is in the ascendant.
They knew, it may be, already the religion of Esther; and her intercourse with Mordecai was of
course known to some of them. Taking all things
together, and recalling the high honour that morning conferred upon Mordecai, they easily see the
influence which must be produced, if the designs of
Haman against the noble Jew are now made known.
So Ahasuerus is informed of the gallows, presumptuously erected for the king's benefactor. This new
evidence of his audacity is immediately fatal to Haman. The angry monarch gives the order that he
should be hanged upon that gallows. Executions
in the east are summary. But hanging was not the
usual mode of capital punishment. Perhaps Haman was first beheaded and then his body ignominiously exposed upon the gallows. Thus sudden was
his doom. In the morning proud and revengeful;
at mid-day humbled and dejected; in the evening
exposed in his wicked schemes, degraded from his
dignity, and put to a shameful death.
But we stay here again in the narrative. And in
resuming the thoughts already indulged touching




204        ESTIIER AND HER TIMES.
God's providence as here set before us, let us not
forget to learn from his case that the lessons of
Providence are not to be hastily read. What we
are sometimes disposed to call the indications of
Providenice may the rather be the trials of our faith
and patience. Providence seems often to teach the
reverse of what it really effects. When the edict
by royal authority was proclaimed in the Persian
empire, God seemed to give the triumph to Israel's
foes. The storms that sometimes threaten us, may
only threaten. We have one settled principle by
which to judge of Providence-God's Providence
never conflicts with God's written word. There are
apparent conflicts; and in the trial of our faith we
may be like mourning Mordecai, or like trembling
Esther. But let us keep firm our confidence in the
word; and these threatenings of Providence will
work us no harm. We are certain to be wrong if
we so interpret Providence as to distrust God's word,
or to murmur at his dealings, or to forsake his service, or to become hardened in sinfulness. When
the workings of Providence, prosperous or afflictive,
make us love God's truth more and rely more upon
his covenant; when they make us feel that he alone
can help, and drive us to fasting and prayer for Divine aid; when they make us humble and diligent
and dependent, then is God honoured; then are our
souls profited. These results, we have seen, were
produced upon Esther and the Jews.
And may we not justly say, in the wonders of




THE FALL OF HAMAN.            205
God's providence-in the book before us; or in his
later dealings with his people; or in the experience
of our own lives —that we have proof of God's
being, and power, and wisdom, and goodness, quite
beyond the reach of any imposition? The wonders
of God's providence deserve to be classed high
among the evidences of revealed religion. The
Bible is the only volume that claims for the Supreme
Ruler such a minute and particular superintendence
of his works, as will suit the facts we can trace in
the history of man, or agree with our just reasonings in the case. Providence often seems a tangled
web; and all around appears inextricable confusion.
Many a Haman triumphs, and many a Mordecai
fills the streets with his bitter lamentations. Many a
cruel edict has gone forth against the people of
God; and since God rules the world, it seems yet
darker, that these have sometimes been carried into
execution. But the end is not yet. Let the light
of God's word explain his dark dealings in providence. And this is certainly true, that the darker
Providence is, the more intricate its plans, the less
we are able to see the end; and the longer it takes
to effect its purposes, the stronger is the proof of
Divine planning and Divine working when the end
comes out right. In this book of Esther, how impossible that either of the prominent characters foresaw the end and laboured to bring it about! As we
have said before, so many actors, and scenes, and
motives; so many nice adjustments of times, and
18




206        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
purposes, and events; so many dark threatenings
of evil; so many unexpected dawnings of good, are
things which no man can counterfeit. A history
like this displays the finger of God as truly as the
creation of a man or the control of the stars; indeed
God's highest government is his control of free,
moral, and even sinful agents, allowing them to display their characters, and yet doing his will. Such
an exalted government we have shown in this book;
such, God ever holds over the world.
We have good reason to believe that, if the
pen of inspiration were commissioned to record
God's dealings with his church and people in other
ages, we would have many a record quite as wonderful as the book of Esther. We may call this entire
narrative, a page torn out, almost at random, from
the book of God's remembrance above; and transferred here for our instruction. God has the same
covenant with all his people; the same principles of
government; the same watchful care over them; he
allows their foes to rage and partially to triumph;
their fears to depress; and their faith to endure
conflicts. The world has yet its Hamans and Mordecais; its present triumphs for the ungodly; its
ultimate triumphs for the faithful. There is a practical application through all this book; and we
should be more decided, and more prayerful, and
more believing from the lessons we learn of Mordecai and Esther.
But the scene especially brought before us in the




THE FALL OF HAMAN.            207
present lecture, reminds us of the justice of God's
providence in bringing retribution upon the guilty.
The long delay that often elapses between a man's
sins and his punishment for them, has in all ages
been thought a mystery of Providence. Apparent
impunity in evil often strengthens the hands of
wicked men, and they are encouraged to go on in
iniquity; but the real design of this impunity is to
exhibit God's wisdom, and forbearance, and justice,
in the government of rational and moral beings.
When we carefully observe the issues of crime, we
learn that " the way of transgressors is hard." The
entire difficulty and its solution are most remarkably
summed up in the words of Solomon. (See Eccles.
viii. 11-13.) " Because sentence against an evil
work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart
of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
Though a sinner do evil an hundred times and his days
be prolonged,.. it shall not be well with the wicked."
In the ancient Mythology punishment was represented as lame, intimating how slowly it pursued its
objects, but it was remarked that it rarely failed to
overtake its victim. So in the current proverb of common life, " Murder will out," we have expressed the
general mind of man in the confident expectation that
God's justice will discover and punish sin. But the
wisdom of Providence is seen not only in the punishment of sin, but in the nature also of the punishment. Men often find their punishment springing
forth from their own transgressions and partaking




208        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
of their very nature.  So the inspired writers say,
"His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself,
and he shall be holden by the cords of his sins."
"He made a pit and digged it, and is fallen into the
ditch that he made."  "In the net which he hid
is his own foot taken; the Lord is known by the
judgment which he executeth; the wicked is snared
in the work of his own hands." We may find
scriptural examples, and examples in the world all
around, that the sins of men are the mirror which
reflects the image of their punishment. If Haman
erects a gallows for Mordecai, upon that same gallows shall he himself be hanged. The Lord does to
him as he would do to another that is more righteous than he. The wicked is snared in the work of
his own hands. He eats the fruit of that evil tree,
which his own hands have planted.
Though sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, retribution shall certainly be taken
against the most secret transgressors of God's holy
laws. The only exceptions are made by the proclamation of pardon through the gospel of Jesus
Christ. Let every sinner beware of the flatteries
and hopes of impunity which allure him on, only
until he is hopelessly entangled and until his sin is
ripe for vengeance. A man may see no reason why
his sin should be discovered; or he may flatter himself with resolutions for a timely repentance. These
wretched-these wicked hopes have deceived thousands, and yet thousands more will go on, to dis



THE FALL OF HAMAN.           209
cover in their unhappy experience that God is just;
and to eat the fruit of their own way and to be filled
with their own devices.
As the scenes of this book pass before us, it is not
a hard thing for us to decide where our sympathies
lie, and to which party we wish success. We may indeed feel emotions of pity even at the fate of Haman,
though we recognize the justice of it, and rejoice at
the deliverance of the Jews. And we shrink back
from companionship with Hainan, not because he
failed in his plot and perished ignominiously. It
ought to be because we abhor the principles of a
man who could so deliberately plot the indiscriminate massacre of a whole people; because we detest
his wickedness. Yet let us not lose sight of the
truth, that while men die and generations pass away,
principles, both of good and evil, are permanent
from age to age. The links which connect us with
Mordecai and Esther are the links of a common humanity, and, we trust, a common faith, and a common salvation. Haman but represents the principles
which actuate those that stand aloof from the church
of God, or oppose the progress of the church.
The church was precious then, and is equally precious now; if we sympathize with her struggles as
recorded in ancient time, we should join now to aid
her in her conflicts with an ungodly world; if we
admire the wisdom and piety, the faith and resolution of Esther and Mordecai, we should endeavour
now to follow the footsteps of their faith. Let us
18 *




210        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
justly consider that a spurious sympathy for Zion
which weeps over her past troubles and takes no interest in her present trials; and our acquaintance
with her principles and duties will but condemn ourselves, unless we adopt her principles and exemplify
them by our practice. These things that were written before-time, were written for our learning. Nor
is it within our power to decide that the times in
which we live are of less interest than those in which
Mordecai and Esther lived; nor that the transactions of our age are less important; nor that less
dangerous evils threaten us. Perhaps no generation
of men can ever understand the value to the world
of the current events in their own age.
But one thing we may certainly know. Upon
the principles involved in this sacred volume, one
matter of infinite personal importance to each of us
is to be settled in the times in which we live, and
how soon for each one of us, it is impossible to know.
It is to be decided whether your soul shall be saved
or lost. And the day of honour to every friend of
God may be as unexpected as Mordecai's advancement; and the day of shame to every unrepenting
soul, as little anticipated as the day of Haman's
"11. God gives sinful men warnings enough, without telling them when he will call them to judgment.
The principles of the church of God are the most
ennobling that can be adopted by the mind of man;
and only within her doors can safety be found for
sinful souls. Those that have made a covenant with




TIHE FALL OF HAMAN.           211
God by sacrifice shall be gathered for safety in the
great day of accounts. I may not forbear to remind you that some of you have never listened to
the warnings God has given you. Divine vengeance
against transgressors seems to sleep. But God in
justice marks every rebel against his law, and, every
neglecter of the gospel. He will become weary of
forbearance, when men are perverse in evil; and
those who have enjoyed his most distinguishing favours may fear the earliest grieving of his grace.
" Turn ye to the stronghold, ye prisoners of hope,
even to-day." Zech. ix. 12. Haman stood up to
make request for his life; but it was too late! The
king's wrath was kindled. Have we no express
warning of similar danger? "Kiss the Son lest he
be angry and ye perish from the way, when his
wrath is kindled but a little." Psa. ii. 12.




212        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
LECTURE X.
THE DECREE REVERSED.
THE work of Esther to secure the deliverance of
her people is not yet fully accomplished; though she
has secured the royal favour, and though the enemy
of the Jews has perished. According to a common
custom in eastern lands, the wealth of a state
criminal is confiscated; and either is seized by the
king, or transferred to some zealous subject as the
reward of his loyal service. Doubtless such a rule
instigated the cupidity of many to desire the fall of
the rich, that they might secure the spoils; and so
dangerous and unjust is the temptation, that the
Constitution of the United States wisely forbids
such punishments as shall affect the family of the
criminal after his death. The lands, wealth, and
honours of Haman, the riches which he had heaped
up not knowing who should gather them-are passed
over to Esther, and she placed her cousin Mordecai
over the house of their foe. Judging from the
amount Haman had previously offered to pay into
the king's treasury, his wealth was very great; it




THE DECREE REVERSED.         213
had been his pride; he was willing to spend it freely for
the destruction of his hereditary foes; but now the wise
is taken in his own craftiness, and his enemies use
his wealth against his house! We may trace in this
the retributions of Providence.
Esther now takes occasion to make known to the
king the relationship existing between her and
Mordecai. Humanly speaking, she had run a great
risk in concealing this so long; especially at a time
when Haman was plotting with all his power for
his destruction. Now that she informs the monarch
of Mordecai, and doubtless recounts his excellencies
with all the warm affection of a beloved daughter,
her influence secures the high promotion of the
worthy Jew. "The king took off his ring, which
he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai."
This was the customary mark of exaltation to a
place of dignity next to the monarch. So when
Joseph was made governor over all the land of
Egypt, and only in the throne was the king greater
than he, we are told, "Pharaoh took off his ring
from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand."
We have no just reason to decide that upon the part
of Ahasuerus this was a rash and unconsidered
movement. Truly in the realm of Persia there were
special reasons for entrusting so great power only to
a tried and faithful man. Not only were the interests involved immense; but laws that claimed to
be unalterable should be made with great caution
and wisdom. And Ahasuerus has just had experi



214        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
ence in his counsels of a reckless and dangerous
minister, and should now be doubly careful. But
Mordecai was a tried and faithful man. He had
saved the king's life; the queen had long experience
of his virtues; and the prudence and modesty and
wisdom of his course are now recognized; and the
monarch is justified in reposing this high confidence
in this excellent man. What may a day bring forth!
Yesterday the busy workmen erected a scaffold for
Mordecai's execution; to-day the gallows has its
victim; but the seed of the Jews has triumphed,
and Mordecai is the prime minister of Persia.
But the work of Esther is not yet fully done.
Haman is dead; Mordecai is honoured; her kindred
is made known; and the Jews receive a new influence from the friends they have in the court. But
so far as the Persian law is concerned, that people
is yet doomed to destruction.  The day is fixed;
the decree has been published throughout the
empire; and the changes that have taken place in
the palace are not enough to secure the Jews.
Their hereditary enemies, the Amalekites, are rather
enraged the more, than subdued by the fate of
Hlaman; the motives of cupidity and malice and
revenge are too strong when they can be indulged
under cover of a decree that cannot be repealed; and
Esther fears, justly as the sequel shows, that the
royal favour is too feeble a protection for her people.
Some means must yet be used to make the victory com



THE DECREE REVERSED.          215
plete, and to include the brethren in all the provinces
within the great deliverance.
Even Esther and Mordecai are scarcely safe, since
the law authorized their slaughter; but, supposing
that no one would venture to attack them, their anxieties are enlisted in behalf of their nation. It
seems right that the repeal of the decree, or measures amounting to that result, should be the first
care of Mordecai, now entrusted with the king's
seal; or at least that Esther and Mordecai should
jointly petition Ahasuerus to that end. But as
Esther has begun the work, let her carry it through.
So she must again apply to the king. We are not
told that her application was made on that same
memorable day. It is enough to suppose, as we
may, from the queen's deep interest in the matter,
that no long delay supervened. Esther comes
again unbidden before the king; but it is not so
trying an approach as at first. Before, she knew
not but that the king's apparent coldness for thirty
days was proof of estrangement; but that her nation was known and herself proscribed; her coming
then was an act of noble daring, but of trembling
faith. Now there was the same peril, should the
king refuse to hold forth the golden sceptre; but
she is more hopeful of gaining her end. She is encouraged by her former experience, by a knowledge
of her husband's love, by the favours he has already
bestowed, and by her faith in Jehovah's covenant.
Yet the approach is not without its fears. Esther




216         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
does not regard it as a matter of course that she
should secure her desire.  She knows not that the
king will do more than save herself and Mordecai.
There is a difficulty in the way. He might wish to
go further; but the laws of the realm are unalterable. How is Ahasuerus to repair the mischief of
Haman? The queen therefore, in this second visit
to the king's chamber of audience, shows more deep
emotion than at first. She fell down at his feet and
with tears besought him to put away the mischief
from her people.
Let us consider this new position of queen Esther
as of deep interest to us; as affording us new instruction in our duty. She now comes rather to
plead for others than for herself; and her intercessions afford us a model of the interest and earnestness that should characterize our intercessory supplications at the throne of a greater and a more gracious
King, whose name is blessed for ever! What judgment would we have formed of Esther in the palace,
if in the first place she had thought herself safe, and
made no efforts to overthrow the schemes of Haman;
or if now she stayed her exertions because Haaman
was slain and Mordecai was honoured and she herself was beloved?  What would we care for a faith
that had merely the desperate energy to approach
the king, when her own life was in danger, and
which has now no deep anxieties-no ventures to
make for her brethren yet in peril, since she regards
her own safety as secured? Think seriously upon




THE DECREE REVERSED.            217
the question-what would you think of Esther's
piety in such a case?-before you frame an answer to
it. For it involves an important principle, which
we all should ponder; and which applies, not only
to the queen of Persia, but to every professing
Christian. We must give up our esteem for Esther
and regard her as a selfish and heartless being, if,
because she is safe herself, she carelessly neglects
the interests of her people, yet subject to that inflexible decree.  It must shake our cnfidence in
her faith, as founded in piety or prompted by God's
Holy Spirit, or resting truly upon the covenant of
Abraham, if we cannot discern that faith working
by love towards her covenant brethren as well as
towards her covenant God; if we cannot see that it
purifies her heart from selfish passions. Say I these
things as a man, or says not the unfailing word of
God the same things also? "IFor," it is written,
"he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen,
how can he love God whom he hath not seen?"
1 John iv. 20.
But if Esther may not make the king's palace
her sanctuary, and the favour of the king her protection from the persecutor's sword, what judgment
are we to form of that professing Christian,who has
fled to the church of God as a safe asylum for his
deathless soul; who takes up his abode there with
thankful reflections, that the time of his deepest
anxieties is past; and who yet has no new earnest
errands to the throne of grace on behalf of breth19




218         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
ren who are afar off from Christ, and who are exposed to the just sentence of God's violated law?
There was a time in the history of this professed
lover of Jesus, when his own sins were set in array
before him; when he was in distress as he thought
of the anger of an offended God; when he drew
near to the throne of grace, and with many fears,
and with deep earnestness, besought the pardon of
his sins. Then perhaps he was willing to promise
anything; willing to surrender everything for the
feeblest ray of hope upon his troubled path. He
came to the throne of grace to ask for pardon and
salvation, like the first approach of the Persian
queen who came with deep consideration and earnest fasting. The trembling sinner indulged the
hope of pardon; his fears and anxieties for sinperhaps gradually, perhaps suddenly-vanished; and
because of new desires, and purposes, and affections,
he was led to believe that his guilt was washed away
in the blood of Calvary. Now he is safe. The
storm is past; and the covenant rainbow smiles
upon him. God is reconciled; his iniquities are no
more remembered; his hopes are fixed on an eternal
home. These hopes are precious; and better, and
surer things than we have ever thought, are true for
every penitent soul that has ever fled to Christ and
received, through his atoning blood, the pardon of
his sins.'" There is therefore now no condemnation
to them that are in Christ Jesus." Rom. viii. 1.
The truly pious soul is perfectly safe for time and




THE DECREE REVERSED.            219
for eternity.  "Who," says an inspired writer,
" shall separate us from the love of Christ?" Rom.
viii. 35. And his triumphant reply is, that there
are no possible means by which Christ and his people can be separated.
His honour is engaged to save
The meanest of his sheep;
All that his heavenly Father gave,
His hands securely keep.
The Christian is safe. For him the hand-writing
that was against us, is destroyed and taken away.
The greatest question for any man is this, Have I
truly been washed in the pardoning blood of the
dying Redeemer? The.most momentous inquiry of
human life relates to a personal and saving interest
in Jesus Christ; and no man should be contented
with answering it once for all at any single period
of life, even upon what appears to him the clearest
and most unexceptionable testimony. It is a great
fallacy to suppose that a repeated and intelligent
inquiring into the grounds of his Christian hope is
any evidence of his distrust of Divine teachings. A
true hope of our renewal should be only the stronger
for our frequent and serious inquiries into its foundations; and indeed such is the nature of a true hope,
that he who never inquires thus may doubt if his is
genuine. If any man is truly pious, his reasons for
knowing it, should be better and plainer with every
year of life; and the only satisfactory evidences are




220        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
found in the workings of God's Spirit in the mind.
We trace his workings by effects which he only
can produce. The Spirit of God impresses upon
the mind effects worthy of his holiness. " If any
man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of
his."
It pertains especially to our present reflections
to remark that if any man has taken refuge in the
church of Christ, and is satisfied there with his own
salvation secured; if the thought of personal safety
relaxes his efforts to be holy and to do good to
others; such an influence exerted upon him shows
plainly that his "heart is not right in the sight of
God," and that he has "neither part nor lot in the
matter." Christ calls no man into his church to be
content that the mountains of Divine protection
rise around Jerusalem, and to be negligent of the
very duties for which the church itself is established.
If a man feels not for the wants of others, certainly
the Spirit of God dwells not in his heart. An unfeeling heart for the salvation of others, never felt
its own need truly, nor penitently mourned over its
own sinfulness. Would we think it cold and heartless selfishness in Esther, had she been happy in the
palace, neglectful of her own kindred, and careless of
their continued exposure to that stern decree? Yet it
is infinitely worse, if the Christian does not bow, with
earnest supplications and with many tears, before
the throne of God's mercy, mindful of perishing
brethren around him. Here are causes for anxiety




THE DECREE REVERSED.          221
and solicitude far beyond the solicitude of Esther.
If we have really the spirit of the Christian profession, let us look here upon the Persian queen and
copy the interest she feels in rescuing her devoted
brethren. How can I endure to see the evil that
shall come unto my people? Or how can I endure
to see the destruction of my kindred?-are questions of solemn import to us, and they should deeply
burden every pious mind. A professing christian, not
solicitous for the salvation of souls, well may doubt
his own safety. Especially in the New Testament
age of the church, and under the teachings of the
Saviour's great commission, the best evidence of piety
is a missionary spirit. The salvation of our kindred
should call forth our earnest prayers; and the more
we have of the spirit of the gospel, the more truly will
we feel ourselves debtors to the Jew and the Greek,
to the wise and the unwise.
But leaving these thoughts to your prayerful consideration, we return to the narrative. The pious
queen is not satisfied with saving her own life and exalting her kinsman. She desires to use all the influence she has gained, to further her efforts for the
rescue of her people. Her earnestness and tears
are again rewarded by the stretching forth of the
golden sceptre; and she pleads that the letters sent
forth by Haman may be reversed. But the case
is not without its difficulty. The folly of the Persian rule that forbadeany law to be altered, placed
a barrier in the way. It seems a very strange thing
19*




222        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
that weak and foolish man who must meet with so
many clear proofs of his liability to error, through
ignorance, misconception, and passion, should so
much covet a reputation for infallible wisdom!  It
is most remarkable that the great Apostasy that
sits in the temple of God claiming, among other Divine prerogatives, this of unchanging infallibility,
should command the blind submission of so many
souls. Does it not seem that the folly in the hearts
of men to claim such infallibility, is equalled by the
folly that admits the claim? But no evidence avails
with many, to cure such vanity. "Though thou
shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a
pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from
him." Though claiming infallibility, and having this
claim allowed by the subjects of an empire wider
and more populous than that of Persia, the apostate
church has never been the same in faith and practice for any two ages-except as she has possessed
the same spirit of pride, cruelty, and domination.
It is only after the lapse of eighteen centuries that
she has defined and declared as an article of faith a
matter so important as the Immaculate Conception
of the Virgin Mary; her highest prelates cannot
foretell what new articles of faith she may yet add to
her creed, nor of what mortal sin they may be
guilty in denying what may yet rank among essential dogmas; and yet she claims unchangeableness and
infallibility; and, her own changes to the contrary




THE DECREE REVERSED.           223
notwithstanding, her followers must believe her
claim.
In the realm of Persia a long experience must
have shown repeatedly the folly and impolicy of
various decrees; and various occasions must have
forced upon the government some expedient to correct the folly of that fundamental law that no decree could be repealed. So when Esther brought
her request before Ahasuerus, and he was inclined
to grant it, the case does not seem to have presented
so great difficulty as might at first be apprehended.
Experience had perhaps already suggested an expedient to evade the law; and yet the one here
adopted, was so mischievous and so dangerous to the
peace of the kingdom that it was wholly unsuitable
to a case like this. It was here devised to set the
kingdom at war with itself; to array tribe against
tribe, interest against interest, and fierce passions
against each other. The enemies of the Jews according to the law had full power to attack them;
and this power could not legally be taken from
them. It was therefore proposed to make it lawful
for the Jews to resist, and even to spoil their assailants; and it was thought that their safety might be
secured, if the influence and power of the governmentwere thrown in their favour. It argues indeed
very little for Persian wisdom and justice, and
seems a very expensive way of maintaining Persian
consistency. This we will more fully see hereafter.
But it seems the only expedient that can save the




224        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
Jews; and yet preserve the rule of the kingdom.
And perhaps Ahasuerus and his counsellors had but
little idea of the fierce strife between Amalek and
Israel; had but little thought that the struggle
would be so severe as it afterwards proved; and
thought the matter easily settled by a counter-decree.
Mordecai knew more perhaps than he could persuade the king to believe; and his wisdom devised
the effectual means for the safety of his people, which
we will consider in a further lecture.
A new decree was issued by the king's command,
and sent forth sealed with his seal, granting
permission to the Jews to defend themselves, and
to kill, and spoil their enemies, upon the same
day appointed by the former decree for their extermination. Time yet remains to send the proclamation throughout the empire, for the important
day is yet distant nine months; but there were also
reasons for haste. To relieve the Jews from their
anxiety; to prevent many from sacrificing or even
from abandoning their property, and from hastening
out of the empire; to prevent the increase and the
insolence of their foes, it was well to publish the
decree as soon as possible. To form some idea of
the influence which such a decree might have had
on the empire within that year, if no counter influence had been used, it may suffice to say that
France, by the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes,
lost half a million of the most industrious and
thriving of her people; and this though every




THE DECREE REVERSED.           225
cruelty of imprisonment and death was used to
stop the tide of emigration.
That was not a day of railroad speed or of telegraphic communications, but the riders went forth
upon their swiftest beasts. Among these are mentioned young dromedaries. Such of these animals
as are trained for running are very remarkable, not
only for their speed, but for their endurance; and
they are especially useful in passing over the immense sandy deserts which are found within the
limits of the empire of Ahasuerus. Theirs was a
different errand from that of IHaman; and if revengeis swiftfooted, love is light of heart. The
couriers of Mordecai went forth in joyful haste.
Messengers of good tidings, they were everywhere
received with joy. Shushan, perplexed before, is
especially mentioned as joyful now. Perhaps Mordecai was well known there, and his promotion gave
joy. But in every place the Jews were made glad;
their friends waited upon them with cheerful congratulations; and they gave thanks to their covenant God for the great deliverance he had wrought
for them.
In connection with this new proclamation, we have
this interesting record, " Many of the people of the
land became Jews because the fear of the Jews fell
upon them." If we may regard this, as the brief record of a revival of religion in the ancient days of the
church of God, it is well worthy of our regard. And
we believe it is one of the scenes of religious interest




226        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
which God has been wont to grant to Zion in all
ages and in every land. There is indeed a very wide
difference between the Old and the New Dispensations of the church in respect to efforts for the
conversion of souls without. The Christian Dispensation of the church is essentially evangelistic and
missionary; she is commanded to go forth and disciple the nations; the promised presence and blessing
of the Lord can be looked for only as she is faithful
to this great trust; and experience proves that the
church prospers most, within and without, when she
is most earnest in her aggressions. The Christian
church is a missionary church; every Christian is a
missionary; and should feel himself a debtor to the
Jew and to the Greek. But the Jewish church had
no such general commission. You search in vain
from Moses to Malachi for a missionary prophet,
except as they stood afar off to denounce the judgments of God upon the sins of the gentile nations,
and as upon one occasion an unwilling Jonah was
sent in person to declare God's word to Nineveh.
Widely different was their dispensation from ours;
and the influence of it upon the Jews was to make
them bigoted and exclusive; careless of extending
their privileges to other nations; and too often
jealous that gentiles should come to partake of the
blessings of their covenant. But though that was
not a missionary age of the church, it was still by
a perversion of Divine teachings that the Jews refused to feel for the darkness of the heathen. If




THE DECREE REVERSED.          227
not commissioned as we are to preach the gospel
freely, yet their prophets plainly predicted that in
coming days the earth should glorify the Lord, and
all the kingdoms of the nations serve him; the
native spirit of true piety in every age, would gladly
welcome even the stranger who came to knock for
Divine mercy at the door of the great temple of
revealed truth; express directions were given in
the law of Moses for the reception of proselytes;
and perhaps there never was an age without its
serious inquirers, groping their way from the gloom
of the Egypt all around into the blessed light of
Divine truth that shined upon the Goshen where
Israel dwelt. Many a heart was made glad by such
a welcome as an Israelitish noble gave to a timid
daughter of Moab: "The Lord recompense thy
work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord
God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to
trust." Ruth ii. 12.
We explain the peculiar nature of the Jewish
church, by preferring to call it conservative rather
than exclusive; and by referring to the entire
Divine plan for the setting up of Christ's kingdom
in all the world. It is a most remarkable truthone which men have proved themselves too ready
to overlook, yet one of which no intelligent Christian should ever lose sight-that the church of
God was originally preached to all men; that twice
at least, immediately after the fall and immediately
after the deluge, it was universal; that the establish



228        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
ment of the Jewish church was avowedly a conservative expedient, Gal. iii. 19, which lasted only for
one third of the history of man up to this date; and
that even in its establishment a blessing for all
nations was pledged. Gen. xii. 3. In the midst of
general corruption, God separated a chosen people,
to maintain his church and to perpetuate the doctrines of true piety; but the Jewish Commonwealth
was to stand only until the " fulness of the time" had
come; and when by a long experiment it was shown
that the "world by wisdom knew not God," and
when all things were ready for the coming of
Christ, the blessing upon the gentiles, forfeited
through their sin, was again to be restored through
Abraham, and the gospel preached to all the world.
Thus the original and the ultimate designs of the
church were the same; and God's great plan of
preaching the gospel to the world, seems ever to have
been kept in view in providential arrangements.
Especially by two remarkable means was salvation
set before the nations even before the coming of
Christ. -First, the Holy Land, where God's chosen
people dwelt, was so situated as to place the truth
before the minds of the principal nations of the earth
as then populated. Let any one notice the land
of Palestine, and see how it stands, like a light house
at the end of the Mediterranean Sea, surrounded by
the great Empires of the old world, Carthage, Egypt,
Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome. The
nations around could scarcely help but learn much




THE DECREE REVERSED.          229
of Jehovah's character and claims from this chosen
central people. We believe that many important
truths did go forth among the nations, and that many
proselytes were made who forsook paganism to worship Jehovah. Especially we believe that the reigns
of David and Solomon were blessed with revivals of
religion which spread the influence of salvation
among the gentiles, and the number of proselytes was
very large that were incorporated with the Jewish
people. Religion was purest and most flourishing
then among the Jews themselves, and it had the
most influence to attract the attention of the gentiles.
But the second means divinely used to proclaim
the gospel to the world during the time of the old
economy, was the wide dispersion of the Jews
themselves. As the time for Messiah's coming drew
near, the influences preparatory to his coming were
more widely spread and decided. It is difficult to
know how far abroad the Jews were scattered.
Haman told the king that they were scattered
through all the provinces of the Persian empire.
But we know they were even more widely dispersed
than this. More influence was exerted upon the
-world by the Jews of Alexandria in Egypt, than
even by their brethren in Babylonia. They held a
position of commanding influence, and they used
the Greek language, into which they translated the
Old Testament, and in which the New Testament
was afterwards written. From the Acts of the
Apostles we learn that many colonies of the Jews
20




230        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
were scattered in Europe; while even Ethiopia on
the South and China on the East received the dispersed exiles. Thus the principles of true religion
were brought into contact with paganism almost all
over the world before the coming of Christ; and
while these scattered Jews prepared the way for the
gospel, and became its preachers after the day of
Pentecost, we can hardly doubt that much direct
and immediate influence was exerted for the conversion and salvation of many heathen-born men. During the five hundred years preceding Christ's coming,
many gentiles learned to know the God of Jacob,
and to rejoice in his covenant; and this period may
be called the dawning twilight before the rising of
the Sun of Righteousness.
Many of the people of Persia became Jews.
Thus even Haman's malice is overruled for good.
God causes the wrath of man to praise him. So
Paul cheerfully writes from prison that God was
doing good by his bonds. In God's orderings for
the church, prosperity and trouble have each a purpose to serve. If Zion was always prosperous, she
would gather too many members of doubtful piety;
if she was always enduring persecution, many of
weak but genuine piety would be deterred from
their duty, and her opportunities would be less favourable to influence others. The time of largest increase is a time of peace and rest.  Acts ix. 31.
Many of the people of the land became Jews.
Can we help but be reminded by this of our Lord's




THE DECREE REVERSED.          231
solemn warning, that many shall come from the east,
and from the west, and from the north, and from
the south, and shall sit down with Abraham, and
Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of God, but the
children of the kingdom shall be cast out? If
Persians became Jews, surely the Jews should have
increased in piety. And we have a lesson to learn:
if men born in paganism became Jews, is it not reasonable that those in our times who have been born
in the bosom of the Christian church should become Christians? Yet it is to be feared that many
of the heathen now press into the kingdom before
those that have enjoyed the full privileges of instruction in the church. Many of the Persians
perhaps were influenced by improper motivesthrough fear of the Jews it is said. Mordecai and
Esther now possessed great influence. We do not
like improper motives even for good things. But
surely there are good motives enough that should
press upon every sinful soul to bid him fly to Christ.
The victory would be half gained, if men would refuse to be influenced by improper motives which
keep them away from the service of God. And
the motives to become a Christian, good and proper,
are almost infinitely diversified. Men may truly
seek for salvation who justly tremble in view of
God's wrath against the guilty; and many are
sweetly drawn by the attractions of Jesus and his
dying love. It is unreasonable for men to object to
any motives, while yet they refuse to be influenced




232        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
by those that are the most opposite in nature and
tendency.* And while any just motive may avail to
lead an humble soul to repentance and life everlasting, how righteous is their doom who resist all the
motives urged upon them by God's word, his providence, and his servants; and who with seared consciences and hardened hearts, rush to perdition in
spite of mercy and judgment 
* Matt. xi. 16-19.




THE DAY OF CONFLICT.          233
LECTURE XI.
THE DAY OF CONFLICT.
THE twelfth month, that is the month Adar, and
the thirteenth day of the same, was a day of remarkable things in the realm of Persia, in the
twelfth year of the reign of king Ahasuerus,
Mordecai the Jew being his prime minister. That
day was fixed by two edicts of royal authority, both
equally in force, as a day of massacre and a day of
resistance throughout the empire. The enemies of
the Jews-so ran the unalterable law, might attack,
kill, abuse, or plunder that widely scattered race;
and on the contrary, the Jews, with the equal approval of a royal law, might not only offer resistance,
but slay their assailants and take their spoil. It
would have been better and wiser far, if the second
decree had merely repealed the first; but the preposterous folly, we have before remarked upon, that
allowed no alteration of a Persian statute, compels
the king to set the kingdom at war with itself, and
to sanction the greatest outrages under the name of
law. It could not reasonably be expected, in any
20 *




234        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
nation, in any age, or under the most favourable
circumstances that the two decrees would neutralize
each other; much less could it be anticipated, as
matters then stood in Persia, that that eventful
day would pass off quietly. Such is the iniquity of
man, that if in any country upon the globe, a day
was appointed upon which crimes might be committed with no other harm to the perpetrators than
that which they received in attempting the crimes,
thousands of bold and reckless men would start up,
and that day would be marked by outrages of the
most destructive character. The march of an invading army would be a trifle, in comparison with
such a rising of neighbour against neighbour. Civilization would do little to mitigate its horrors, if indeed it did not aggravate them by teaching desperate men the more complete arts of spoliation. One
such day as that in this fair land, would destroy
more property, cost more lives, and bring more
wretchedness, than  long years of foreign war.
The most thoughtful and intelligent man among us
has perhaps but a faint conception of the large and
constant protection we find in our persons, our property, and our families, from the ever present majesty of the civil law. And such a day as that
would be worse than anarchy. Anarchy is to be
without government and without law. The contradictory decrees legalized violence throughout the
empire. Like the modern enactments for the destructive sale of spirituous liquors, it was the gov



THE DAY OF CONFLICT.          235
ernment formally legalizing schemes of mischief
against the citizens whom the government should
protect. That her own sons were to do the wrong,
is no palliation of the wicked and suicidal offence.
The edict of Haman was in reality a complete outlawry of the Jewish people for that one remarkable day; it legalized religious bigotry and every
vile passion of the heart of man; and though perhaps the edict of Mordecai was the best remedy
that could be found in the circumstances, yet unquestionably it enlarged the circle of lawless action,
and put in jeopardy the lives and property of every
family in the nation. If, on the one hand, among
the adherents of Haman's party, there were daring
and desperate men, who had malice or revenge to
gratify, or whose cupidity was excited by the wealth
of an industrious and thriving Jewish neighbour,
they would seek by strength or cunning to effect
their purposes. Or if, on the other hand, any persons, siding with Mordecai's party, really Jews or
pretending to be such, had similar designs against
any man or family in the whole realm of Persia, it
would be no hard thing for him to feign that his
enemies were the assailants; and upon such a lawless day as that, it might be impossible to bring the
vilest wretches of either party to justice. When
we look through the world and see that some of the
most abandoned wretches bear the Christian name,
not because they are truly pious, or exhibit anything of the spirit of Christ, but that they make a




236        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
cloak of religion for wicked purposes, or that they
have been born in lands where the gospel of Christ
is preached, we need not wonder if many men devoid of principle were included in the multitudes of
the Persian empire, who passed under the general
name of Jews. And when we reflect that possibly
many of the professed converts to the Jewish faith, became so only for the purpose of gratifying their own
bad passions upon that eventful day, we may easily
judge that the decree of Mordecai, though no doubt
it saved much shedding of blood, did by no means
allay the anxiety of the people at large. It filled
the empire with fear. It awakened the most serious
anticipations, not now in Jewish families alone, but
in every household. For lawlessness can never be
confined, like a quiet river, within prescribed boundaries; but like a swelling flood, it spreads wide its
scenes of ruin and devastation through all its course.
No man could judge how far the passions of either
party would carry them. The judicious measures
adopted by Mordecai could do but little to allay the
anxiety of the empire; and the people everywhere
anticipated and prepared for, a strange day of civil
war.
When the important day drew on, several matters
greatly favoured the success of the Jews. Their
first and most obvious advantage was, that they had
the favour and power of the government exerted on
their behalf. Doubtless the nine months intervening between Haman's fall and this eventful day,




THE DAY OF CONFLICT.          237
Mordecai wisely employed in strengthening the
Jewish interests; perhaps in displacing hostile
officers throughout the empire and promoting his
friends. So we are informed that the rulers and
the lieutenants, and the officers helped the Jews.
The guards of the royal garrisons were arrayed for
their defence; and all who desired the royal favour
or feared the power of the government, would refrain
from attacking the friends of the queen.
But the wisdom of Mordecai secured also another
important advantage to his people. By his advice
the Jews did not remain each man in his own house
and allow themselves to be beaten in detail; but
they gathered together.in numerous defensive bands.
This arrangement involved perhaps the loss of some
property, left unprotected; but it secured other
advantages. It made them more formidable, and
saved many Jewish lives. And doubtless it brought
greater safety to the Persians, and freed the Jews
from the responsibility rising from the lawless and
irregular conduct of some that professed to be their
friends. Mordecai could not prevent men from
assuming the name of Jews; but these measures were
wise to prevent the cause of religion from being
dishonoured, by the wicked conduct of those who
said they were Jews but were not. Those that were
known to be Jews were organized in bands; officers
were appointed over them; and their defence was a
matter not of revenge or cupidity but of upright
principle. These wise arrangements show the dis



238         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
position in Mordecai to do all he could to counteract
the evil plotted by Haman.  For all the blood shed
that day the wicked Agagite was responsible. What
serious thoughts are these; that evil is so easy to
work, so hard to stay; that a man's wickedness may
bring forth evil fruits, not only months, but even
ages after he is in his grave; and that salutary as
repentance is, for the character and prospects of a
repenting sinner, even repentance is unavailing to
repair mischief already done, or to stay the evil influence of his misconduct upon others!
The Jews, being thus regularly organized for selfdefence by the prudent sagacity of Mordecai, were
also restrained far within the limits of the decree.
We are expressly told that they did not lay hands
upon the spoil. If the warfare had been conducted
in an irregular and lawless manner, allowing every
man to do that which was right in his own eyes;
if, in other words, Mordecai had consented to use
Haman's weapons-for his decree contemplated
just such lawless warfare, and the counter decree
allowed it to the Jews-then would it have been impossible to restrain many from enriching themselves,
when their passions were thoroughly aroused; and
thus unoffending citizens might have suffered. No
such scenes of outrage were perpetrated by the
Jewish party that day. Mordecai desires to secure
the character of God's covenant people free from all
reproaches; he would place them as far as possible
above the suspicion of improper motives; he would




THE DAY OF CONFLICT.          239
use only such severity as self defence required;
and therefore the command was given to lay no
hand upon the spoil.
It seems strange that the Jews found any serious
molestation upon that day after such preparations
for defence. With tlie favour of the government,
with bands well trained, and especially when the
great leader of the opposition was dead, we might
suppose they would be let alone. And certainly the
blame, in the whole matter, rests upon their enemies.
Not only did Haman, without just cause, begin the
strife, but on that day-it is worthy of distinct notice
-the Jews had power only to defend and not to
attack. Acting solely upon the defensive, they had
no responsibility for the slaughter committed; and
our wonder is greater that their determined enemies
should not retire from the now unequal conflict.
But we may suppose that during two months while
Haman lived, and every body expected the decree to
go into effect, many provocations had been thrown
out against the Jews; and many avowed themselves
to be their foes who were afterwards ashamed to
draw back. When men begin an evil course, it is
often very hard to get right; the longer they go on
the worse; and there seem many reasons for going
forward.
Among the reasons for bringing on so fierce a
conflict upon that day we may suppose that envy
and religious bigotry were the chief exciting causes.
Doubtless many were envious of Mordecai's eleva



240         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
tion. A Jew, and of an humble station, raised to so
dignified a place, and using his power to sustain his
own people, would necessarily arouse revenge and
jealousy, especially in those that fell as he rose. But
beside these political causes for strife, the Jews had
many mortal foes in the realm of Persia. For the
sake of explicitly bringing the matter before us, we
may divide the enemies of the Jews into five classes,
each distinct in itself, but altogether making a
formidable opposition even to the kindred of the
queen.
1. We class first, because already mentioned, disappointed political aspirants, envious of the Jews for
their present favour from the throne.
2. There always has been opposition in this sinful world to the church of God; and wherever true
piety exists, it will meet with hostility. The friendship of the world is enmity with God. This enmity
began with man's apostasy; and with numberless
changes of form in different ages and persons, it has
been restless, and sleepless, and undying ever since.
It is the vestal fire upon the altar in the temple of
Satan, and never goes out. It burned in the heart
of Cain when he slew his brother; and the single
and sufficient reason in the Scriptures for the first
fratricide is the contrast of their characters and
deeds: "His own works were evil, and his brother's righteous." This hatred of the world against
the church, exhibits itself all around us, in a thousand forms, both open and concealed; it arrayed




THE DAY OF CONFLICT.          241
itself against the Jews on that day; and this alone
sufficiently accounts for the madness with which
they were attacked throughout the realm.
3. Allied to these enemies by religious bigotry,
but having peculiar reasons for rage and spitefulness, we may rank the various pagan priesthoods
of the kingdom. Many of the people of the land
became Jews. This could not occur without arousing the hostility of the priests. The church of God
has suffered much in all ages from the fanaticism
and bigotry, the covetousness and ambition, of a
wicked priesthood. Every intelligent reader of history, capable of discriminating between the healthful influence of true religion, and the destroying
power of priestly domination, will understand that
the priests of the wide empire would do much to
promote this fanatical warfare.
4. The fourth class of enemies might consist of
tribes that formerly lived near the land of Palestine,
and were now captives and exiles like the Jews themselves. These had formerly had war with the Jews,
and were willing to embrace the opportunity of renewing their hostility and gratifying their revenge.
5. The fifth class, allied to these but deserving special mention in this connection for obvious reasons,
would be the Amalekites, the peculiar and hereditary foes of the Jews. Haman, we have seen, was
the chief of these. We have no means of ascertaining their number; but it was no doubt great
enough to form an important element in the strife.
21




242        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
It is most likely that the Amalekites, with the ten
sons of Haman at their head, led on the desperate
assault. Stung to madness by the remembrance
of their ancient animosity, by the disgrace of
saman, by the loss of the royal favour, and by
almost every motive that could kindle political rancour or religious bigotry, they were ready to risk
all in the effort to avenge themselves.
When we consider these different classes of
enemies to the Jews, it is not so surprising that the
strife was not ended by the issuing of Mordecai's
decree; and that the dawning of that day was anticipated with anxiety.
Time brought duly round the appointed period
here emphatically called " the day that the enemies
of the Jews hoped to have power over them." To
the pagan party it was a "lucky day;" a day chosen
by lot by Haman after an appeal to his gods to help
him.  That these vain gods could not deliver
Haman himself, has not destroyed the confidence
of his followers. They trust that they shall find
the Jews too weak for them.  The vigour of the
attack may be understood from the simple record
that 75,000 men perished on the side of the pagan
party. This however would be but an average of
six hundred men in each of the provinces of the
empire. The aggregate was large; but it was a
barbarous age, a fierce warfare, and upon a day set
apart for lawlessness and animosity, for cupidity
and revenge. The heaviest attack was probably




THE DAY OF CONFLICT.          243
made in Shushan and upon the very palace of Ahasuerus himself. In the royal city eight hundred men
were slain of the pagan party; five hundred upon
the first day at the palace, and three hundred the
next day; and'Ahasuerus had too good reason to
see that Esther was not too much in earnest when
she plead for the life of her people. Upon such a
day, while other laws were laid aside, that one was
also forgotten that sackcloth might not enter the
king's gates. Grim visaged war, authorized by the
monarch's own decree, dared to enter; and death
revelled that day in the halls of Persian royalty.
What a contrast between these scenes and those
with which the book began, when the princes of
Persia were gathered there for six months of feasting!
The palace would naturally be the chief point of
attack, and there the most desperate fighting would
occur.  The Amalekites led on the war. The
ten sons of Haman, burning with religious fanaticism, with mortification for their father's disgrace, and with revenge for his ignominious death,
were at their head. The desperate nature of the
battle there, is shown by the death of all these sons
upon the spot. They attacked the palace chiefly,
because there their enemies were, and they had full
power by the law to slay Esther and Mordecai if
they could. The decree was in full force that they
might slay whatever Jews they could; and they
would rather have slain these two, than half the rest




244        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
of the Jewish nation. If even they slew the queen
they did but what the law allowed. And if Ahasuerus should lose Esther, he could fill her place
as easily as the place of Vashti. And we must
acknowledge the superior policy of this plan. If
there was any wisdom in carrying on the war at all,
it was the strongest point of policy to make the
main attack upon the palace itself. It would be a
great victory, if, at the loss of many lives, they
could strike down Mordecai; or if Haman's own
sons could revenge on Esther herself, the fall and
death of their father.
It was no false estimate that Mordecai had formed
of Israel's foes; and no false alarm that he had
sounded in Esther's ears, when he said to her,
"' Think not that thou shalt escape in the king's
house more than all the Jews." Add to these thoughts
that these very foes of Israel once possessed the honours of the palace; that they knew the avenues of access and the best methods of making an attack upon it;
and that in all likelihood they had many secret friends
still in power, and even perhaps holding places of
trust about the queen herself; and we need not be
surprised that a severe struggle took place at Shushan
and in the palace.
At the close of that fatal day, the king addressed
Esther and asked what was her further desire. It
does not appear that she came again to ask any
new thing. Ahasuerus himself has seen enough of
the enmity of her foes, and voluntarily offers to grant




THE DAY OF CONFLICT.          245
further requests. And if in the first view of Esther's
new request she seems to go too far, and perhaps to
indulge in a vindictive spirit, let us fully understand
the case before we form our judgment. It would be
no great wonder indeed if in the fierce excitements
of that day, and with the bloody bodies of five
hundred foes and perhaps nearly as many friends in
the very palace, Esther had found it no easy task
to keep down the rising of unholy feelings; but we
think justice and sound policy, apart from revenge,
will warrant her further demands. She asks that
the decree may be so extended as to justify the Jews
in a second day's warfare; and that the bodies of
Haman's sons might be exposed upon the gallows.
So far as these sons of Haman are concerned, we
may remark that they were Amalekites, and the
curse of God was still upon them, and the Israelites
could make no peace with them; that they had
abundant opportunities to escape from Shushan within
the past nine months, or even that day they might
have remained safely at home; that they were the
assailants and chief instigators of the war, and deserved to be treated as rebel ringleaders who had
fallen that day with arms in their hands; that it
was highly necessary to strike terror to the enemies
of the Jews; and that the practice of exposing publicly
the bodies of great criminals has been common in
all ages. As before remarked, hanging was not
the usual method of capital punishment; but the
method of exposing the body after death. As to
21 *




246        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
the war of another day, the Jews were still upon
the defensive. It was necessary for their protection
that they should be upon their guard; and that the
officers and guards of the emperor should stand by
them. The defeat of the first day but aroused the
greater animosity of their foes; and had they found
the Jews unprepared, they would have fought without the colour of law. By appointing this second
day the Jews were kept from scattering; the king
exhibited his determination to support them; and
the advantage was given them in case any legal
question should arise touching their defence. But
the sufficient vindication of Esther and the Jews is the
fact that they acted wholly upon the defensive; and
the responsibility of the bloodshed was upon the
assailants. It is likely the safe victory could not
have been secured at less expense. The Jews as a
matter of principle did less than the law allowed;
did not lay their hands upon the spoil; and only
slew those that, as the allies of paganism, tried to
take their lives.
It seems a strange thing indeed; and yet the
world has reason enough to understand how true it
is, that a kingdom so holy and so beneficent as the
church of the living God, cannot exist in this fallen
world, without being the occasion of strifes and divisions among men. Even the Prince of Peace
himself has said, "Think not that I am come to
send peace upon earth; I am not come to send
peace but a sword." The principles of the gospel




THE DAY OF CONFLICT.           247
are peaceful, and of course all its legitimate tendencies are so too; but to introduce these holy
principles into a sinful world is often the stirring up
of strifes, tumults, persecutions, and revolutions.
It is a matter of interesting inquiry, How far is the
gospel of Christ responsible for these results? And
the proper reply is that Christ and his gospel are
not at all responsible for these wicked things. Men
professing religious principles have often been fanatical, persecuting, and injurious; but all this by
departing from the principles of true religion. It
is one of the necessary penalties of everything
truly valuable, that it is liable to be counterfeited;
and religion, the most valuable thing in the world, is
no exception. Indeed it is the honour of religion,
rather than the reverse, that it most of all things
has been basely counterfeited; and man's duty, here
and elsewhere, is to separate the precious from the
vile; to receive only the true among many false.
The true position of piety in all ages is that which
the Jews here exhibit. God's people hold and proclaim the principles of truth and peace; but they
use carnal weapons only in self defence, when they
stand by their principles and use legitimate means
to set them forth. The religion of the Bible may
be defended by the sword; but it may not so be
propagated.. This is the example of the Jews in
Persia. Their enemies had malice enough to attack them; and let their foes bear the responsibility. So in the days of early Christianity, the gos



248        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
pel stirred up strife; but the real cause was the
malice of its assailants.  Surely Christianity is not
responsible for the strifes where she was simply the
victim and not the assailant; where she meekly
poured forth the blood of her children, not of her
foes; and where, keeping inside of man's inalienable
rights, she did not even exert herself in self defence.
Making all due allowance for the occasional rashness and bigotry of good men in various ages; carefully distinguishing the madness and wickedness
of persecution by professed friends of religion,
whose spirit was far apart from the spirit of Jesus,
we may justly say that all the troubles in the world,
apparently originating from the church of God, have
really arisen from the wickedness of men setting
themselves in opposition to the holy principles of
piety. We may well stand amazed at the madness
and folly of man's sin! What insanity is it for
immortal men to fight against the only hopes of
eternal life, that are worthy of the name; against
the'holiest principles ever proclaimed; against their
own true happiness; against God himself! It had
been true honour and dignity had Haman and his
party forsaken their dumb idols and bowed down
before the unseen God of Mordecai.  It had been
true policy had the Roman emperors adopted, rather
than persecuted, the holy and ennobling religion
of Jesus. It had been true glory for apostate
Rome to cherish and exalt the sacred Scriptures,
rather than to burn and curse those who read them.




THE DAY OF CONFLICT.          249
Are the sufferers to blame for the sins of their persecutors? Even when weapons of self defence have
been used, are we to charge upon the defenders
the sin of the assailants? The gospel is holy, if
men are mad. Its teachings are a blessing to our
race, and its hopes are light in a world of darkness,
if even it does "' turn the world upside down." It
arouses evil passions, because wicked men wish no
disturbance. It is thoroughly foreign to the spirit
of ungodly men, because ungodly men are wrong.
When truth may be reviled for differing from error;
when light may be reproached for dispelling darkness; when good may be rejected for not agreeing
with evil; when justice is despised, because it knows
no fraud; when holiness is blamed, because it has
no fellowship with sin; then let Christ be rejected,
because he has no concord with Belial; and his gospel refused, because sinful men war against it; and
his people reproached, because they suffer for righteousness' sake.
But if we wonder at the opposition of ungodly
men in bygone days, against the church of God, is
it not even a greater marvel to see the claims of piety
yet resisted by men who have been born in the
bosom of the Christian church, who have been
trained in her principles, and who see their own
danger and ruin in neglecting their duty? We can
account for Haman's malice against the Jewish
name; he was educated in all the hatred of a hereditary foe. But men born in Christian lands, having




250        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
had Christian parents and a pious training, whose
feet visit the sanctuary, and whose hearts have often
pondered their duty to the Redeemer, yet remain
enemies of the cross of Christ. Many indeed are
not the avowed enemies of the gospel. But this
only makes it a matter of greater wonder, why
they can so long, and with so much indifference,
stand in such a position, that the Scriptures themselves can charge them with hostility. If any man
really loves Christ and his service, why does he not
decidedly and earnestly avow that love? why not
join in the ranks of Christ's people and serve
Christ with an obedient heart? Why will men allow
themselves to neglect the plain calls of duty for so
many years; and never take a decided stand? The
very fact that they can remain so, shows their true
character. " He that is not with me is against me."
When the understanding is convinced that this is
the path of duty; when the conscience declares
that they should love Jesus; it appears so much
the worse that any can delay or refuse to side with
the avowed friends of Jesus.
This day of fearful conflict in the Persian Empire
is an emblem of the strife existing, every day, in
every age, in all the earth, between the church and
the world. The victory in this strife shall remain
with the church of God. The battle is raging now,
and the tide of success seems often to turn against
Zion. The enemy often raises a shout of triumph.
On that day many of the Jews fell by the hands of




THE DAY OF CONFLICT.          251
their foes. But the issue was for them. In the
great battle all the friends of Christ shall be crowned
with victory, and every foe shall perish. Sinful men
contend, not simply against the church, but against
the Head of the church; not alone against truth, but
against the God of truth. The conflict is vain; the
apparent success delusive.  "Hast thou an arm
like God?" And vain and delusive is every excuse.
It is vain to say you are not fighting against him;
vain to indulge in frivolous excuses. The only course
of true wisdom and safety is to cast away every rebellious thought; to draw near to God; to receive
the teachings of his word; to accept the offers of his
salvation.  You cannot too much admire the riches
of that forgiving mercy which so long forbears
with the sinful sons of men; and which continues
to offer terms of pardon even to the rebellious. But
forget not that thousands have presumed too far
upon the Divine forbearance; and have delayed the
period of their submission to the Almighty king
until no terms of submission would be accepted. If
the holy Scriptures lay great stress upon our accepting the just terms of the gospel, they insist with no
less urgency that men should consider and embrace
the right time of the Lord's mercy.
If the Jews were a terror to their foes in-the day
of their defence, who shall stand when GOD riseth
up to judgment?




252        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
LECTURE XII.
THE FEAST PURIM.
THE great day of conflict was now past. If we
are right in supposing that, besides the sons of
Haman, many of those slain in the battle were
Amalekites, this is their last appearance upon the
page of history; and with the last effort of the
Agagite, closed a long struggle with the church of
God. Here then was fulfilled a prophecy uttered
many centuries before by the lips of Balaam, "And
when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable
and said, Amalek was the first of the nations, but
his latter end shall be that he perish for ever."
Num. xxiv. 20. We have long previously remarked that the first battle fought by the children
of Israel after leaving Egypt, was with Amalek,
Exod. xvii. 8; and as the book of Esther closes the
historical records of the old Testament, we may
look back upon the warfare with deep interest. For
Amalek is a scriptural type of our spiritual foes;
and there is a lesson for us where our true strength
lies. Amalek was no despicable foe; and had




THE FEAST PURIM.            253
Israel stood alone, the tide of victory might have
been adverse. Look back to the first battle fought
by Joshua, that great Israelitish leader; and while
you recall the doubtful strife, gaze up to the neighbouring hill top, where Moses holds up his heavy
hands to heaven, and where Aaron and Hur prevent
the prevalence of Amalek. Look back to David,
greatly distressed while he pursues Amalek, and
read there also, " David encouraged himself in the
Lord his God." 1 Sam. xxx. 6. Remember, too,
that this last strife which ends with the sword of
Mordecai, began with Esther's prayer and fasting.
The strength of Zion against Zion's foes is not
Zion's strong right arm; but the cry of her prophets, and her kings, and her feeble women in the
ear of Zion's King.
After such a victory, it was becoming that the
Jews should rejoice. The deliverance was great;
it was effected by the evident blessing of their covenant God; and they rejoiced in it the more, as a
triumph over that foe, whom God had commanded
them to smite. And here we have a scriptural
model, after which we might properly fashion our
Thanksgiving days: " days of feasting and joy, and
of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the
poor." And surely gifts to the poor are especially
becoming, when the very object of the thanksgiving
is God's providential bounty.
But the Jewish people were not content with
rejoicing over their victory at that time. Haman's
22




254        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
lucky day was set apart from that time even down
to the present, as a day whose anniversary should
be celebrated; showing thus their sense of the
greatness of the victory, and their gratitude to Him
who granted it. This feast is still observed by the
scattered Jewish people. On the thirteenth day of
the month Adar, which corresponds to February -or
March in our reckoning, they observe a fast in remembrance of the fast of Esther, when she went
before the king. In the evening of the fourteenth,
and on the morning of the fifteenth day of the
month, there is a service in the synagogue; and
they commemorate the happy deliverance recorded
in the book of Esther. The Chazan, or Reader,
reads and explains the entire book of Esther, which
is written on vellum and rolled up like' the Pentateuch; and this book has the honour of being written upon a separate roll, and is called Megillah or
the volume. When the reader has opened the book,
he pronounces three prayers, giving thanks to God
for the great deliverance here recorded. Every
time that, in reading the book, he pronounces the
name of Haman, the Jews stamp with their feet,
and cry out, "Let the memory of the wicked perish;" and the little children, with wooden hammers
provided for the occasion, strike loudly on the walls
or seats. They also read from the book of Exodus
that passage which records the first battle fought
by their ancestors with the Amalekites. It is regarded as a festival of great joy, and even of mer



THE FEAST PURIM.            255
riment; the Jews send presents to each other; and
the time is spent in gayety and cheerfulness. They
even think it allowable to indulge largely in wine in
memory of Esther's banquet. The imperfection
of the Jewish Calendar sometimes requires an intercalary month. This is always the month Adar,
called by way of distinction Ve-Adar or Second
Adar. This occurred every two or three years;
and the fourteenth day of the first Adar was called
the Little Purim; but none of the ceremonies of
this feast were observed upon it.
It is most likely that many of the ceremonies of
this feast have been gradually changed and increased
since its first establishment. But the appointment
of the feast itself dates back to the days of Mordecai and Esther; and we think there are some important and profitable thoughts naturally suggested
by its appointment.
The first question is, By what authority was the
feast established? Was it of human or Divine
appointment?
In reference to this question, we have no direct
proof. The feast seems to have been established
instrumentally through Esther and Mordecai; but
we have no direct declaration that they were
divinely authorized to make the appointment. The
record is made in a book of Canonical Authority;
so ever received by the Jews; so received in the
time of Christ and by our Lord himself. In this
volume no disapproval is shown of the appointment;




256         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
and the Jews have ever regarded it as a solemn
festival. These, in brief, are the reasons for supposing that they rightly kept it as of Divine appointment. And when we are told that the decree
of Esther "confirmed these matters of Purim, and
it was written in the book," we understand it as a
record in this inspired roll that the feast was established.
There is a very important principle here involved.
Few things tend more to the corruption of religion,
than the assumed authority in human hands, to appoint stated days for special religious service, and to
require their observance. In the Old Testament
times the people of God from the beginning of the
world observed the Sabbath day, which was appointed at the Creation, and even kept by our first
parents in their estate of innocence, and by the
children of Israel before they came to Sinai. After
they came from Egypt, the Jews observed a number
of feasts, of Sabbatical months and Sabbatical years,
for one and another purpose, as enjoined by the
Mosaic law. The Passover, for example, commemorated the safety of Israel on that dreadful night,
when the first born of Egypt were slain; the day of
Pentecost was a day of thanksgiving for the first
fruits of the harvest; the Sabbatical year and the
year of Jubilee (which was a more solemn Sabbatical
year twice in a century) were devout recognitions
of God's authority and propriety in the land of
Canaan, given for their use to his covenant people.




THE FEAST PURIM.            257
But in the New Testament we find not only a total
omission to appoint such days, not only no authority
given to any power to establish them, but a direct
and absolute freedom asserted from all such observances. The apostle Paul repeatedly speaks of those
who esteem one day above another; who observe
days and seasons and months and years; and tells
us to let no man judge us in respect to new moons
or holy-days or sabbaths; for these were but shadows
of good things to come. For many and important
reasons we do not understand the apostle in these
passages as denying the perpetual obligation and
Divine authority of the weekly Sabbath. Not only
is such an institution imperatively necessary for
man's instruction in religious things, and thus
absolutely essential to the very existence of the
church of God upon earth; not only were there
among the Jews several other kinds of Sabbaths of
which the apostle speaks, and which might properly
be classed with the other festivals he enumerates,
as the weekly Sabbath might not be; but there are
many other important reasons which show that Paul
had no design to invalidate the sanctity of the weekly
Sabbath. Not designing, of course, a full discussion
of the matter, we suggest these thoughts.
(1.) The weekly Sabbath was not a Jewish ordinance at all; it was ordained at the creation of the
world; it was made for man as a race, and not for
the Jews as a nation; and as not founded upon the
220*




258        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
Jewish law, we ought not to expect it to perish
when the Jewish law was abrogated.
(2.) The weekly Sabbath was enjoined in the
ten commandments-a dignity conferred upon no
Jewish festival. Thus was it evidently designed
for a moral precept-permanent like the other parts
of that law.
(3.) The entire tenor of the Scriptures enjoins
the keeping of the Sabbath day; the apostle Paul
himself kept it; and the sacred meetings of the
church were held on the first day of the week.
(4.) The Sabbath has actually been kept in the
Christian church in all periods of her history,
and in all the lands of her wide dispersion. The
convincing and indisputable proof that the Jewish
new moons, feasts, and fasts were not designed to
be permanent in the Christian church, is the fact
that they have disappeared for centuries-indeed
ever since the apostolic days. If God had designed
his people to keep them, he would have given them
directions accordingly in his word, and support in
his providence. It is a clear proof that the Sabbath
was to remain after these other days had been forgotten, that the Sabbath has actually been kept.
Is it not perfectly plain, if Paul's language had
succeeded in destroying the reverence in the church
for the new moons and the weekly Sabbaths alike,
that at no subsequent period, in opposition to his
inspired authority, could the Sabbath have been revived and re-established? It cannot be possible,




THE FEAST PURIM.            259
that the church of his own age or of any subsequent age, understood Paul to argue against the
permanence and obligation of the weekly Sabbath.
But the Apostle did mean to teach, and the
history of the church proves that he was understood
to mean, that the solemn days of the old economy
were not binding upon Christians. The New Testament gives no authority to any man or set of
men to appoint solemn days as stated occasions in
the worship of God. Such days have indeed been
appointed at various times by the authority of
church rulers; but the earliest date is far this side
of Apostolic authority. And the entire tendency
of such human appointments is to impair the sanctity of the Sabbath, to elevate the human ordinance
above the Divine, and to make religious services
formal. It is no difficult thing to discern that in
the Church of Rome her solemn festivals are more
sacredly and strictly kept than the Sabbath itself.
Indeed the sanctity of the Lord's holy day is destroyed by the festivals of the church. It is difficult, if not impossible, to decide how far such appointments are valid, unless we utterly deny that
any authority, short of inspired men, can appoint
any stated occasion of religious worship. This remark applies only to stated days of regular occurrence. So in the Directory for Worship of the
Presbyterian church, (chapter xiv. ~ 1, 2,) we have
these words: "There is no day under the gospel
commanded to be kept holy, except the Lord's day,




260        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
which is the Christian Sabbath.  Nevertheless to
observe days of fasting and thanksgiving, as the
extraordinary dispensations of Divine providence
may direct, we judge both scriptural and rational."
Every attempt to multiply religious days, beyond
the Divine appointment of the Sabbath, tends to
weaken the authority and sanctity of the day divinely appointed; and certain it is, that those
Christians, who hallow only the Sabbath, are the
most devout and exemplary in keeping the Lord's
day.
But passing from this point, let us notice a second
inquiry of some interest in connection with this
feast established in the days of Esther. How far
do such institutions establish the historical truth of
the occurrences they are designed to commemorate?
Could such a feast possibly be established in memory of certain events-could it be kept by successive generations of a widely scattered people-without any foundation in truth? Or is the history
not proved by the existence and influence of the
institution?
There are many ways in which human history
may be transmitted from one age to another, for a
long series of centuries. The simplest undoubtedly
is, that children learn from their parents,, and pass
down the tradition indefinitely. But in these oral
methods of communication too much of truth is
lost, too much of fable is added, to allow us to
place much dependence on the historical relations




THE FEAST PURIM.            261
of the barbarous ages and tribes, to which this
method of communication alone is known.
Another method of transmitting history is by
written books. But as the writers have not always
recorded their personal observations, nor even
written concerning their own times; as fictitious histories have been written, and genuine histories
altered; and as other matters arise to diminish our
confidence in ancient writings, so it is needful that
we carefully examine the proofs of genuineness and
truthfulness of even written histories.
Another method of transmitting the occurrences
of history to subsequent times, is by the erection of
some perpetuating structure. For example, the
American people have built a monument in memory
of the battle of Bunker's Hill. The object of the
building is well understood; it is so large that it
could not have been put up in a private manner
without a full understanding over the country, of its
design; the erection took place, not immediately
after the battle, but while some of the men were
still living who took part in the conflict; and a
record is made upon the structure and in our national annals, of the transaction. Does it not seem
quite impossible that future ages should doubt that
such a battle was fought? Yet such monuments
might stand, like the pyramids in Egypt, long after
the memory had faded of the events and times with
which they were connected. But it will certainly
be something wonderful, if the records long illegible




262        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
upon the ruins of antiquity, shall again be deciphered by human industry; and the world learn
that the evidences of human history can be made
almost imperishable.
But there is another method by which a true history may be perpetuated and ratified; one which
seems to place the entire facts beyond the possibility of forgery or corruption. This is to combine
a record written at the time, with such an observance by the people, as shall keep it before their
minds, make them familiar with it, and give them a
constant interest in it.
For example, on the fourth day of July, A. D.
1776, a paper was presented to an Assembly of
Delegates from thirteen States on the American
continent in General Congress met; that paper was
adopted, the effect being to make them a free people; and that paper spread far and wide among the
thousands of their constituents to be handed down
to millions of their successors as the Declaration of
Independence. But that paper did not go forth alone.
The fourth day of July, on which it was signed,
became, by common consent, a national jubilee, to be
celebrated at each annual return by demonstrations
of general joy; and among these, the public reading of the Declaration itself in the ears of all the
people. Now make a supposition. Suppose this
Union should exist for a thousand years; should
fill this Northern continent with powerful States;
and should swell its population to as many millions




THE FEAST PURIM.            263
as we now have thousands. Suppose at the end of
a thousand years, some historical sceptic should
doubt whether such a Declaration was ever made, or
that the United States ever became free by such a
struggle. Would it not be perfectly just to call
upon such a man to account for the enthusiastic national festival on the fourth of July; and for the
high regard paid by the entire people to this written paper? If he should allege that the paper was
a forgery, then let him explain how such a forgery
could possibly be imposed upon a whole people.
The whole matter as it exists now, and will exist for
ages, is perfectly plain and simple, if that event
really took place in Philadelphia in 1776: every
body could understand it; and every man, woman,
and child felt the influence of it; there was no
room for imposition, for the Declaration was publicly spread abroad from that very day. On the
other hand, no one can possibly explain how the
nation could be led to entertain such a belief without good reason and at a later time. Should any
one allege that the Declaration had afterwards been
altered, we affirm that by no possibility could a written, and published, and cherished document like
that, be altered in a single sentiment. Read by
every intelligent man; and every year read publicly aloud in a thousand gatherings in the ears of
admiring listeners, it could not be changed. Nor
could an intelligent and great nation, like this, be
induced to establish such a festival as the fourth of




264        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
July, if the great and glorious event it was designed
to keep in memory, never actually occurred at all.
In point of fact, a double monument like this, consisting of a carefully written document, and of an
annual festival held to commemorate what that paper sets forth, is the most enduring monument that
man can erect; the most incapable of destruction,
on the one hand, or of fraud or corruption, upon the
other. Such a monument to prove an important
historical truth, becomes even stronger by the lapse
of ages and by the wide scattering of those that
keep it up. And many generations hence, if the
fourth of July should be observed, and the Declaration of our Independence read, by men who reside
in such distant cities as Boston, Detroit, Charleston,
New Orleans, San Francisco, and Honolulu, every
mind must join to say, that such a thing can be explained only by the simplest of all solutions-that
the historical event they commemorate did actually
occur.  All the intervening history would corroborate the proof. The gradual growth and dispersion of the nation over so wide a territory; even
the dissensions of the people, leaving untouched
these matters of common belief; the references to
the Declaration and its results in other histories;
its influence upon other nations; and the pride felt
by the nation in recounting the past events of their
history, and this among the chief; all these things
would continue to make imposture in such a case
an impossible thing, and to give strength rather




THE FEAST PURIM.            265
than weakness to the evidence with advancing years.
The most permanent and satisfactory of human
monuments are not built of stone or brass. Like
the pyramids of Egypt, these may rise before the
gaze of ages that know nothing of their builders.
A monument erected in the hearts of a people; a
monument on which no false inscription can be
written; accompanied by a truthful record of its
institution, and kept in memory by a festival, recurring regularly and cheerfully observed, is bne which
can scarcely be perverted from its original form;
and which, taken with the document, is complete
evidence of any historical fact.
Now what we here apply to the fourth of July and
the Declaration of Independence, may properly and
forcibly be applied to the Jewish feast of Purim
and the Book of Esther. These two are as intimately connected together as the other two. The
Jewish feast has been kept for over two thousand
years; and, as we have already noticed, the entire
book of Esther is read at its annual celebrations.
That there are Apocryphal additions to the book
of Esther, is no invalidation of the argument, since
these have never been received by the Jews. That
this feast did not originate in Jerusalem, the usual
ecclesiastical capital of the nation, but that its
observance began in the empire of Persia, rather
renders the proof stronger than weaker. It could
not have spread throughout the wide dispersion from
such a beginning; it could not have led the entire
23




266         ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
Jewish people to receive the book of Esther among
their sacred books, or to observe the Feast of Purim
among their sacred festivals, unless good and sufficient
reasons had urged them so to do. Knowing, as we
do, the dispositions of men, and especially the
jealousy of the Jewish people respecting their sacred
customs and their religious books, we cannot believe
that any reasons, short of the full truth of this
narrative, would lead them to receive these things.
Here is a people more widely scattered than any
other people; no people more jealous than they of
their religious doctrines and their sacred books; no
people as a mass and for generations together having
superior intelligence; and none better instructed in
their own sacred writings. This people all keep the
Feast of Purim, and read upon it the book of Esther;
their fathers for ages have done so; their national
writers, stretching back two thousand years, own the
truth, and refer to it in different ways; these things
constitute a net-work of complicated circumstantial
evidence, impossible to be counterfeited, and more
conclusive in the certainty of its proof than any
array of positive witnesses could be in such a
case.
An eminent scientific gentleman, of whose researches and attainments and standing the American people may well be proud,* tells us that there
is a river running through the Atlantic ocean; rising
* Lieut. Maury. " Physical Geography," chap. i.




THE FEAST PURIM.             267
in the Gulf of Mexico and emptying into the Arctic
Seas; its bottom and precipitous banks formed of cold
water on either side; its stream, the heated water
of the Torrid Zone; its current swifter, and its
volume of water a thousand times beyond the Mississippi or the Amazon; and spreadingas it proceeds
northward, it tempers the climate of Western Europe
and clothes its shores with a delightful verdure, that
widely contrasts with the same latitude on the other
side of the ocean. The effects of this stream were felt
for the good of western Europe long before its existence
was known, or philosophy had investigated its causes,
and had taught us to admire in it the wisdom of
God's providence; and among the causes which led
to the discovery of this Western Continent, we must
number the drifts carried across the ocean by this
remarkable river. The brother-in-law of Columbus
found, in the Atlantic, west of the Madeira Islands,
a curiously carved piece of timber that had floated
from the west;* trees torn up by the roots had come
in the same direction; and the bodies of two men, with
features different from any known upon the Eastern
Continent were cast upon the coast of the Azores.
The Scriptures, in the bold figure of oriental
diction, liken the nations of men to "many waters;"
and through the vast ocean of human population
that has tossed its restless waves around our globe
for 3500 years past, there runs a remarkable river;
* Robertson's America, p. 44. Irving's Columbus, p. 21.




268        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
its source is in the plains of Mesopotamia; its volume
is vast beyond any other living stream that can be
attributed to one national origin; unlike the Atlantic
river, it has spread all over the world, still as distinctly dividing its waters from those in immediate
contact with it.
The maintenance of the Jewish national existence,
while they have for ages been scattered among other
nations and yet have been perfectly distinct from
them, is as strange a thing as a river running
through the ocean, and refusing to mingle with the
surrounding mass of waters; and as this great
current in the Atlantic has important uses in God's
providence, so this distinct current in the ocean of
humanity has its important design in the orderings
of God's moral government. Other nations have
been deprived of their liberties and scattered from
their homes; but a few generations sufficedin each case
to lose and absorb them in the surrounding population. Upon this continent now a great experiment
is going on, of many nations losing their national distinctions in one; and with the third generation, we can
scarcely distinguish a trace of the distinctive European origin. But, not stopping now to consider the
single and strange exception of the gipsy race, no
people has ever existed like the Jews, maintaining their
unbroken national existence and their uncorrupted
national books for so many generations, and through
such violent changes. Upon this stream in the ocean
of time, and from another stream branching off from




THE FEAST PURIM.            269
it in the form of Christianity, two thousand years
ago, have floated down to us the most important
teachings and institutions which the God of providence and grace would establish and maintain among
the sons of men. A man might just as well affirm
that the Gulf Stream, with all its beneficent influences, was the contrivance of human wit, as
attempt to class among the follies of human imposture, the proof of historical verity afforded by the
incontrovertible truths of the Jewish nationality.
Past ages have not discerned, much less designed,
the plans of Divine wisdom to govern the physical
and the moral world. We can hardly decide which
is the more remarkable: the teachings themselves,
or the historical proof of their truth. The nations
to whom have been borne the institutions and the
instructions which this Providential stream carries
along with it, exhibit an elevation of intellectual and
moral character quite as striking as the physical
differences between the Emerald Isle in the Gulf
Stream, and the frozen coasts of Labrador, which
are out of the Gulf Stream, and yet are in the same
latitude with Ireland. Let it be our wisdom to
note these contrasts in God's moral, as well as his
physical rule; and to ascribe them to their just
cause; the wisdom of Him who made and governs
the world.
If any man should attempt to construct an
argument to prove the truth of any ancient records, he cannot even imagine one more natural
23 *




270        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
than this; it is quite impossible to find one more
conclusive; and not one historical document out of
a thousand has proof of its verity in anywise comparable to such as this. And when we reflect that
the same kind of an argument and with peculiar
conclusiveness of reasoning in each case can be
adopted for at least three things in the Bible: that
there are three double monuments-a book and a
positive institution-erected by Divine wisdom and
perpetuated among men together; we may understand in some degree how remarkably the historical
proofs of the Bible preponderate over all other evidences of human history.  We have no institutions
handed down from antiquity in so direct a line, and
accompanied by the written explanation of their
founders. When Moses wrote the first historical
books of the Bible, he taught the Jewish people to
observe the feast of the Passover; when Mordecai
wrote the last historical book of the Old Testament,
the feast of Purim was established; when Christ and
his apostles gave the church the New Testament,
the Lord's supper was ordained.  These three
feasts are yet kept by Jews and Christians; and
it is impossible to give a satisfactory account of
their existence and wide adoption, without acknowledging in full the authenticity of the volume which
gives them all their authority. The doctrinal differences in Christian churches respecting the Lord's
supper only strengthen the argument; since no
differences exist respecting the history of its insti



THE FEAST PURIM.            271
tution, and all agree in referring to the same written
document. It seems impossible to give greater
historical evidence to any book, than God has
gathered around the Bible. The sacred volume
has all the evidence in its favour that any ancient
history has; and superadded, it has proofs that
belong to no ancient author. It may indeed be
questioned, whether a continued evidence from
miracles would be of more force to convince men of
the truth of the Bible, than this perfect and adamantine chain of circumstantial historical proof to the
mind that candidly and intelligently weighs it.
And now, after these long reflections, we may return again for a few moments to the narrative of
the book of Esther. As the chronicles of the kings
of Media and Persia have perished, for they had no
monument erected in the hearts of a perpetual
people to keep them in remembrance; we have no
knowledge from other sources of the tribute laid
by king Ahasuerus upon the land, and upon the
islands. Possibly among the wonders of modern
researches into the remains of antiquity, we may
yet reckon some proofs corroborative of the book
of Esther; as indeed flying rumour repeated a little
while ago that the tesselated marble pavement of
the palace of Shushan had been disinterred; and
even the names and deeds of Mordecai and Esther
had been read upon newly discovered monuments.
However this may be, ancient historians tell us that
the kings of -Persia, reigning before the time of




272        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
Alexander the Great, exacted tokens of submission
from the surrounding lands; but of any special tax
like that here referred to, or of the greatness of
Mordecai the Jew, we know only what is here told
us. It is gratifying to be informed that in his prosperity Mordecai maintained the same inflexible integrity that had characterized his earlier days.
He still sought the prosperity of his people, and
spoke peace to all his seed. None are better prepared for prosperity than those that have well endured trial. And thus we see that the God of
Jacob gave his people his protection in the land of
their exile.
After the death of Mordecai and during the
subsequent troubles of the Persian empire, and after
its overthrow by Alexander the Great, the Jews suffered many evils; both those in Persia, and those
that had returned to Palestine. It does not belong
to the present lectures to consider these matters.
As before intimated they were all preparatory to
the coming of Christ, and the spread of the gospel
was facilitated by these revolutions, and the wide
dispersion of the Jewish exiles.
Here then closes the narrative of the book.  Our
curiosity craves more; and perhaps to gratify this
craving, the apocryphal chapters were written. But
besides the refutation we have already given to their
claims, we may add that the last chapter enjoins the
Persians upon their peril to keep this festival. We
have no evidence that they ever did so; and the re



THE FEAST PURIM.            273
markable historical proof already referred to, totally
fails to support the apocryphal additions.
In concluding the lectures on this book, we may
indulge a few reflections:
1. Let us learn the great value of the Old Testament
records. They were written by holy men for no trifling or transient purpose; but for the permanent
instruction of the church of God. Christians would
take a deeper interest in them, if they studied them
more closely. This book of God, like all his works,
will bear close investigation. No man knows how
much study any subject will bear, until he gives it
his serious attention. Unwise as well as irreverent
are they who neglect the Old Testament. It has
claims on our regard founded upon the same Divine
authorship with the New. In the later books we
have more advanced principles and clearer revelations; but the two are one system of religious truth.
The Old cannot be properly read without the light of
the New: nor can the New be fully comprehended
without the study of the Old. The lessons of the Old
should much engage our thoughts. The saints of
former times belonged to the same church with ourselves; and the trials and triumphs of their faith
should support and encourage us in conflicts that are
substantially the same.
2. We have seen in these lectures the finger of
God in providence, specially as caring for and preserving his church. And our wonder is called forth
by the simplicity of the whole. All the events in




274        ESTHER AND HER TIMES.
this interesting history, if we may use the language
of common life, occur naturally. There is not an
incident recorded in the book, that seems forced or
strained; the current of events, the emotions and
feelings of men, the conjunctions of times and purposes, the influence of motives-are all such as we
see in the world around us. There is hardly a single thing of which, taken by itself, apart and
separated from its connections, we would say, this
God has done; and yet there is hardly a single thing
taken in its needful connection with all the rest,
but we must say of it, this God has done. The
separate parts of the whole, considered separately,
are no more strange for man to do, than a thousand
things going on in the world every day; but the
working of all these things together, and the result
of the whole, are infinitely worthy of the wisdom and
power, the justice and grace of God. Now when
we look at our own affairs, we look at the separate
parts; we see them disjointed; we are not capable
of putting them all harmoniously together; and we
fail to recognize the wisdom and goodness of Providence because we are incompetent to discover his
definite designs.
An ancient humorist tells a, story of a foolish
fellow who had a house to sell; and carried around
with him a brick, as a specimen. We can judge of
Providence by single incidents about as wisely as
we can judge of a mansion from one portion of its
materials.  Can any man decide what are the fig



THE FEAST PURIM.            275
ures, or what the beauty of an exquisite carpet, by
seeing a sample of the wool from which it is woven?
Let us not be guilty of the folly of prejudging God's
providence. The events around us and in which
we are taking part, may apparently be the materials
of but a common web; but the Workman is one of
infinite skill; and it is beyond our penetration to
judge what he will make out of it. The hearing of
a sermon, or the reading of a book, may be the
turning point under his blessing and direction for
infinite issues. We may be assured of this, that
faith in God's truth shall never be confounded. As
in the days of Esther, so now, "all things work
together for good to those that love God."  "All
things" are not intrinsically right; some things are
evil, and naturally tend only to evil; but " working
together," the result is good. In some complicated
machinery, we very often see one movement horizontal and another oblique, one wheel turning in one
direction, and another the reverse, yet the result of
the whole is some harmonious and beneficial result;
so in Providence, the end shows Divine wisdom. As
in the Book of Esther, we see wicked men forming
their plans and urging forward their purposes; and
righteous men praying and weeping and hoping
and labouring; and God over all, controlling both,
restraining the evil, and blessing his people; so is it
now; so will it ever be in the world. The present
is for us the time of duty and responsibility; here



276        ESTIIER AND HIER TIMES.
after we shall see the results and recognize God's
wisdom in Providence.
3. If earthly dignity and honours in their best
estate are vanity, let the humility and faith, the
zeal and holiness of Esther and Mordecai teach us
the true path of glory and h~onour and immortality.
Here is a way of discharging the pressing duties of
life, and securing in them the favour of God and the
unfading honours of a kingdom that cannot be
moved. As sinful men, the first requisite to citizenship in the heavenly kingdom, is to be reconciled to
God; to be submissive to his Spirit's guidance; and
dependent on the atoning merits of his Son. Let
each soul ponder the wickedness and the danger of
rebellion against God. Let the wicked forsake a
way that must endin destruction; and the unrighteous
man the thoughts that must end in shame. With
humble, but with sincere and believing hearts let us
draw near to that God, who invites our confidence
and encourages our hopes. If any one, in any
situation of life, and for any reason supposes thathe
can presume upon safety, though he timidly shrinks
back from the plain path of duty, he has failed
to learn a most important lesson which the book of
Esther should have taught us. The duty of each
moment and of each station, done at the proper
time and by the proper person, with a wise union
of earnest labour and of entire dependence upon
God, is an important truth again and again urged
upon us in these brief chapters.