computed in terms of earthly treasure. "Ye were redeemed not with corruptible things, 11s silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ." Vere 10, 11.-Power in bad hands. How all the links in the chain of evil counsel were fastened together I The tyrannical king was willing enough, in order to please a favourite, to decree the slaughter of a whole people scattered through his dominions. The cruel minister of state was willing enough to take the king's signet, and to issue the decree of extermination. The scribes were willing enough to write the missives of destruction. The lieutenants, governors, and rulers were willing enough to receive and to issue orders for the slaughter of the exiles. And, when the time came, the soldiers and other officers of injustice would be willing enough to "destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews" upon whom they could lay their hands. I. THE COUNSELLOR OF STATE ABUSES HIS INFLUENCE. It is a responsible thing to be the adviser of a throne; for such counsel, as may in such circumstances be given, mo.y mould a nation's character and determine its destinies. It is prostitution of such power to use it for selfish, far more for malicious, ends. II. THE SOVEREIGN DELEGATES HIS POWER WITH INDIFFERENCE. It does not follow that because bo.d counsel is given, it must be followed. But this is likely enough to be the case when a monarch is careless, voluptuous, capricious, and arbitrary. Such was the character of Xerxes. How natural from his lips the language, "The silver is given to thee, the people also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee.'' Scarcely less culpable was the king than his counsellor. III. ALL MEN'S EVIL DESIGNS MAY BE FRUSTRATED BY THE PROVIDE]<CE OF Goo. I£ the prime minister and the despotic king of Persia could not, with a.11 their power, destroy the Jews, who-what-could do so? Practical lessons :-1. Rejoice in the blessings of constitutional government. In our country, happily, such a proceeding as this is impossible. 2. Sympathise with the cause of liberty, as opposed to tyranny, throughout the world. What vast populations are at the present day subject to the unjust authority, exactions, and oppressions of tyrannical governors. May the Lord deliver them from the yoke! 3. Pray for the frustration of cruel and tyrannical counsels. In many places Christians have been, and are, persecuted for righteousness' sake. Let our prayer be, God deliver them from the hands of those that hate and oppress them. Vers. 12-15.-Heartless counsels of destruction. History records many massacres, and the record is among the saddest and most sickening chapters of human annals. Most of these massacres have. arisen from political fears and jealousies, or from religious hatred and bigotry. The proposed massacre of the Jews throughout the Persian empire took its origin from personal pique and pride-a motive even more contemptible than the others. Happily, the proposal and purpose of Haman were defeated. Still it may be well to regard the nefarious proposal of the king's favourite and counsellor as an illustration of the possible wickedness of the human heart. I. The EXTENT of the contemplated massacre. The Jews were scattered through- out all the provinces of the empira; and to all the provinces the letters com- manding to slay them were transmitted by the posts, hastened by the king's commandment. II. The UNIVERSALITY of the contemplated massacre. "Both young and old, little children and women," were to be sll\in. III. The SIMULTANEOUSNESS of the contemplated massacre. The bloody work was to be done in one day-the thirteenth day of the twelfth month. IV. The GREED accompanying the massacre. The spoil of them was to be taken for a prey. The king had given to Haman beforehand the silver for himself. Admire the wisdom and mercy of God which discomfited these evil plans, and brought their authors to confusion. Ver, 15.-Festivity within; perplexity without. The contrast here is striking in itself, and all the more so from the brevity and simplicity of the language in which it ie depicted. 7G THE BOOK OF ESTHER. [CH. Ill. 7-ln,
I. REMARK THF. MIRTH AND FEASTING WITHIN THE PALACE. "The king nnd Hnmnn Mt down to drink.'' This shows their indifference to human suffering. Nero fiddled., it is said, while Rome was burning. Herod feasted when he lrnd cast the Baptist into prison. Paris and Rome were mad with mirth when the mnssncre of St. Bartholomew's day had rid them of the leading Protestants of France. The wicked feast, und!sturbed by the cries and lamentations of their vic_tims. Yet it is possible thnt the kmg and Haman feasted ~nd drank to dr~wn the voice of conscience. They both knew the dee_d they au_thor1sed ~as foul; 1t _would not benr thinking upon. How often have smners strn-en to silence the v01ce of the monitor 1 the arcuser ~ithin; to overbear that voice with the shout, the laug·h, the song of folly and of riot I II. REMARK THE DISTRESS AND PERPLEXITY WHICH PREVAILED IN THE CITY SHUSHAN, The Jews themselrns were naturnlly enough distressed at the prospect before them. Ernn those who believed that deliverance would come from some source knew not where to look for it. The alternative before them seemed to be flight and homeless- ness, or massacre. There were many citizens who sympathised with the Jews in their trouble. "Susa was now the capital of Persia, and the main residence of the Persians of high rank. These, being attached to the religion of Zoroaster would naturnlly sympathise with the Jews, and be disturbed at their threatened destruc• tion." All thoughtful, prudent subjects would be perplexed at such conduct upon the part of their ruler. The land may well mourn whose princes slay, instead of protecting and pasturing, the flock. It is better to be perplexed under the infliction of wrong than to feast and rejoice over the miseries and injustice others may endure.