wherein he was wont to sit. Now, his habit bars his approach. No sackcloth might come within the court. Lo, that, which is welcomest in the court of heaven, is here excluded from the presence of this earthly royalty: 'A broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.'

Neither did it a little add to the sorrow of Mordecai, to hear the bitter insultations of his former monitors: 'Did we not advise thee better? Did we not fore-admonish thee of thy danger? See now the issue of thine obstinacy. Now see, what it is for thine earthen pitcher to knock with brass? Now, where is the man, that would needs contest with Haman? Hast thou not now brought thy matters to a fair pass? Thy stomach had long owed thee a spite, and now it hath paid thee. Who can pity thy wilfulness? Since thou wouldst needs deride our counsel, we will take leave to laugh at thy sackcloth.' Nothing but scorns, and griefs, and terrors, present themselves to miserable Mordecai. All the external buffets of adversaries were slight, to the wounds that he hath made and felt in his own heart.

The perpetual intelligences, that were closely held betwixt Esther and Mordecai, could not suffer his public sorrow to be long concealed from her. The news of his sackcloth afflicts her, ere she can suspect the cause. Her crown doth but clog her head, while she hears of his ashes. True friendship transforms us into the condition of those we love; and, if it cannot raise them to our cheerfulness, draws us down to their dejection.

Fain would she uncase her foster-father of these mournful weeds, and change his sackcloth for tissue; that yet, at least, his clothes might not hinder his access to her presence, for the free opening of his griefs.

It is but a slight sorrow, that abides to take in outward comforts. Mordecai refuses that kind offer; and would have Esther see, that his affliction was such, as that he might well resolve to put off his sackcloth and his skin at once; that he must mourn to death, rather than see her face to live.

The good queen is astonished, with this constant humiliation of so dear a friend; and now she sends Hatach, a trusty, though a Pagan, attendant, to inquire into the occasion of this so irremediable heaviness. It should

seem Esther inquired not greatly into matters of state. That, which perplexed all Shushan, was not yet known to her. Her followers, not knowing her to be a Jewess, conceived not how the news might concern her, and therefore had forborne the relation. Mordecai first informs her, by her messenger, of the decree, that was gone out against all her nation; of the day, wherein they must prepare to bleed; of the sum, which Haman had proffered for their heads; and delivers the copy of that bloody edict; charging her, now, if ever, to bestir herself; and to improve all her love, all her power, with king Ahasuerus, in a speedy and humble supplication, for the saving of the life (not of himself so much, as) of her people.

It was tidings able to confound a weak heart; and hers, so much the more, as she could apprehend nothing, but impossibility of redress. She needs but to put Mordecai in mind of that, which all the king's servants and subjects knew well enough, that the Persian law made it no less than death for whomsoever, man or woman, that should press into the inner court of the king, uncalled. Nothing, but the royal sceptre extended, could keep that presumptuous offender from the grave. For her, thirty days were now passed, since she was called in to the king; an intermission, that might be justly suspicious. Whether the heat of his first affection were thus soon, of itself, allayed towards her; or, whether some suggestions of a secret enemy, perhaps his Agagite, might have set him off; or, whether some more pleasing object may have laid hold on his eyes; whatever it might be, this absence could not but argue some strangeness, and this strangeness must needs imply a danger in her bold intrusion. She could bewail therefore, she could not hope to remedy, this dismal day of her people.

This answer, in the ears of Mordecai, sounded truth, but weakness; neither can he take up with so feeble a return. These occasions require other spirits, other resolutions, which must be quickened by a more stirring reply: Think not with thyself, that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews. For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from ano

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ther place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed. And who knoweth, whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"

The expectation of death had not quailed the strong heart of faithful Mordecai. Even while he mourns, his zeal droops not. There could have been no life in that breast, which this message could not have roused.

'What then? Is it death, that thou fearest, in this attempt of thy supplication? What other than death awaits thee, in the neglect of it? There is but this difference; sue, and thou mayest die; sue not, and thou must die. What blood hast thou, but Jewish? And if these unalterable edicts exempt no living soul, what shall become of thine? And canst thou be so vainly timorous, as to die for fear of death? to prefer certainty of danger, before a possibility of hopes? Away with this weak cowardice, unworthy of an Israelite, unworthy of a queen. But if faint-heartedness or private respects shall seal up thy lips, or withhold thine aid from the hand of thy people; if thou canst so far neglect God's church; know thou, that God will not neglect it. It shall not be in the power of tyrants, to root out his chosen seed. That Holy One of Israel shall rather work miracles from heaven, than his inheritance shall perish on earth. And how just shall it then be for that jealous God, to take vengeance on thee and thy father's house, for this cold unhelpfulness to his distressed church! Suffer me therefore to adjure thee, by all that tenderness of love, wherewith I have trained up thine orphan infancy; by all those dear and thankful respects, which thou hast vowed to me again; by the name of the God of Israel, whom we serve; that thou awaken and stir up thy holy courage, and dare to adventure thy life, for the saving of many. It hath pleased the Almighty, to raise thee up to that height of honor, which our progenitors could little expect: why shouldst thou be wanting to him, that hath been so bountiful to thee? yea, why should I not think that God hath put this very act into the intendment of thine exaltation; having, on purpose, thus seasonably hoisted thee up to the throne, that thou mayest rescue his poor church from an utter ruin?'

Oh the admirable faith of Mordecai, that shines

through all these clouds; and in the thickest of these fogs, descries a cheerful glimpse of deliverance! He saw the day of their common destruction enacted; he knew the Persian decrees to be unalterable; but, withal, he knew there was a Messiah to come. He was so well acquainted with God's covenanted assurances to his church, that he, through the midst of those bloody resolutions, foresees indemnity to Israel; rather trusting the promises of God, than the threats of men. This is the victory, that overcomes all the fears and fury of the world, even our faith.

It is quarrel enough against any person or community, not to have been aidful to the distresses of God's people. Not to ward the blow, if we may, is construed for little better than striking. Till we have tried our utmost, we know not whether we have done that we came for.

Mordecai hath said enough. These words have so put a new life into Esther, that she is resolute to hazard the old; 'Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish.' Heroical thoughts do well befit great actions. Life can never be better adventured, than where it shall be gain to lose it. There can be no law, against the humble deprecation of evils. Where the necessity of God's church calls to us, no danger should withhold us, from all honest means of relief. Deep humiliations must make way, for the success of great enterprises. We are most capable of mercy, when we are thoroughly empty. A short hunger doth but whet the appetite; but so long an abstinence meets death half way, to prevent it. Well may they enjoin sharp penances unto others, who practise it on themselves.

It was the face of Esther, that must hope to win Ahasuerus; yet that shall be macerated with fasting, that she may prevail. A carnal heart would have prepared the flesh, that it might allure those wanton eyes: she pines it, that she may please. God, and not she, must work the heart of the king. Faith teaches her rather to trust her devotions, than her beauty. Esther iii. iv. No. XXXIII.

Div.

2 R

ESTHER SUING TO AHASUERUS.

THE Jews are easily entreated to fast, who had received in themselves the sentence of death. What pleasure could they take in meat, that know what day they must eat their last?

The three days of abstinence are expired. Now Esther changes her spirits, no less than her clothes. Who, that sees that face and that habit, can say she had mourned, she had fasted? Never did her royal apparel become her so well. That God, before whom she had humbled herself, made her so much more beautiful, as she hath been more dejected.

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And now, with a winning confidence, she walks into the inner court of the king, and puts herself into that forbidden presence; as if she said, Here I am, with my life in my hand. If it please the king to take it, it is ready for him. Vashti, my predecessor, forfeited her place, for not coming when she was called. Esther shall now hazard the forfeiture of her life, for coming when she is not called. It is necessity, not disobedience, that hath put me on this bold approach. According to thy construction, O king, I do either live or die: either shall be welcome.'

The unexpectedness of pleasing objects makes them, many times, the more acceptable. The beautiful countenance, the graceful demeanor, and goodly presence, of Esther, have no sooner taken the eyes, than they have ravished the heart of king Ahasuerus. Love hath soon banished all dreadfulness; and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre, that was in his hand.' Moderate intermission is so far from cooling the affection, that it inflames it. Had Esther been seen every day, perhaps that satiety had abated of the height of her welcome; now, three-and-thirty days' retiredness hath endeared her more to the surfeited eyes of Ahasuerus.

Had not the golden sceptre been held out, where had queen Esther been? The Persian kings affected a stern awfulness to their subjects. It was death, to solicit them, uncalled. How safe, how easy, how happy a thing it is, to have to do with the King of heaven; who is so pleased with