II. THERE WAB BEYOND DOUBT A DISTINCTLY AND DECIDEDLY UTILITARIAN DESIGN ABOUT THE FEAST. Though it could not be returned in kind, it could be recompensed. At recompense it aimed, o.nd without the prospect of such recompense it would never have been "m11de." It was pre-eminently o. banquet of policy, unwarmed by one ~imple genuine feeling of the heart, unhonoured by any noble object for its motive, frngrnnt with no philanthropic beneficence. It was simply a device of an inferior type,first, for flushing to all the extremities of the kingdom the envious tidings of the central wealth, luxury, splendour, and power, and thereby riveting the tyrnnnous hold and the ghastly fascination of an Eastern arbitrary despot; and, secondly, for ingratiating that central authority with the numerous helpless, subordinate powers who were to send contingents and contributions to a disa8trous expedition into Greec\i. It was very different from an English banquet in celebration of some accomplished fact, or in honour of some worthy hero or distinguished benefactor of tlie people, though oftentimes it is not very much that can be justly said in com- mendation of even these. III. THE GIVING ITSELF-WHAT WAS IT? It happens to be well termed "making" a feast, in the undesigned idiom of the language. Did it cost much to make? It cost lavish silver and gold very likely ; but whence were theRe <lrawn? Were they not already drawn from those for whom the feast was "made"? and probably abso- lutely wrung by these again from the oppressed subjects of their grinding rule. Did it cost Ahasuerus himself much? Did it cost him anything at all? Was it drawn from the honourably-earned and diligently-acquired results of bis own past labour? No; it speaks plenty without bounty, liberality without generosity, profuse bestow- ment the fruit of no kindliness of soul, a lavish hand moving to the dictate of a selfish heart. Conclusion.-1. These are just some of the hard facts of human nature, tried in such a position as that of this king. 2. There is a great deal to explain and account for such exhibitions of human nature in Ahasuerus, to be fou.nd in his time of day, in his antecedents, &c., but these things do not justify them. They do impressively help illustrate to what human nature's time of day and antecedents bring us. 3. We could plead no extenuations whatever if our own conduct or our own principles were detected sinking to the level of those before us, and all the less for the beacon of this very history.-B.
EXPOSITION. 'fHE DISGRACE OF VASHTI (eh. i. 10-22). chamberlains that she would not come. We On the seventh day of the feast "to all in can well understand tha.t to an a.bsolute Shushan" (ver. 6), the king having excited mona.rch such a rebuff, in the face of his himself with drink, took it into his head to whole court and of some hundreds or thou- send a message to Vashti, requiring her to sands of assembled guests, must have been make her appearance in the banquet of the exasperating in the extreme. At the moment men, since he desired to exhibit her beauty when he ha.d thought to glorify hi.tnself by a to the assembled guests, a.s "she was fair to notable display of his omnipotence, he was look on" (ver. 11). His design must have foiled, defeated, made a lllughing-stock to been to present her unveiled to the coarse all Susa. " Therefore was the king very admiration of a multitude of semi-drunken wroth, and his anger burned in him." It is revellers, in order that they might envy to his credit that, being thus fiercely en- him the possession of so lovely a wife. Such raged, he did not proceed to violence, but so a proceeding was o. gross breach of Persian far restrained himself a.s to refer the matter etiquette, and o. cruel outrage upon one to the judgment of others, e.nd ask the whom he above all men wa.s bound to pro- "seven princes" the question, "What is to tect. Vashti, therefore, declined to obey (ver. be done according to law unto queen Vashti, 12). Preferring the risk of death to dis- for not performing the commandment of the honour, she braved the anger of her despotic king!" (ver. 15). The advice of the princes, lord, and sent him back a message by his uttered by one of theu· body (vers. 16-20), lfi THE BOOK OF ESTHER. [cH. I. 10-22.