That which caufed exclufion from the court of Ahasuerus, opens wide the portals of Heaven. The facrifice of God is a broken fpirit—a broken and a contrite heart, O GOD, thou wilt not despise.

THE public forrow of Mordecai cannot long be concealed from Efther. Her diadem, her royal purple, afford her no joy, while the friend fhe loves and honours is fitting in fackcloth and afhes. With what confternation does the learn the cause of his grief! How does her heart faint within her, when she receives the charge of her kinfman to exert all her power, all her interest with the monarch of Perfia in behalf of her afflicted people? Alas, whoever dares enter into the royal prefence uncalled, must die— nothing but the extended fceptre can refcue the offender from the grave. Efther could only bewail, fhe could not hope to avert the impending evil.

MORDECAI

MORDECAI will not be thus difcouraged-though he mourns, he will not utterly despair. Again he addresses the queen in more animated language.

"What, is it death thou feareft? Haft "thou any thing but death to expect, if "thou avoideft the prefent danger? Art "thou not of the race of Ifrael? If "these unalterable edicts exempt no in"dividual of our nation, how shalt thou

сс

escape? Wilt thou prefer certain "peril to the poffibility of hope? Away " with this weak timidity, unworthy a « believer, unworthy a queen. But if "fear or policy withhold thine aid from

thy people, if thou neglect the Church " of GOD, GOD will not neglect it. It "fhall not be in the power of tyrants.to. "exterminate the chofen feed-the HOLY "ONE of Ifrael fhall rather work mira"cles from heaven, than that his inhe"ritance fhall perish on earth, or that "his own prophecy fhall fail. Let me

"then

"then adjure thee by that tender love "which trained up thine orphan infan

cy-by thofe grateful fentiments thou "haft expreffed in return-by the name "of the GOD whom we adore-that thou "awaken thine holy courage, and ad"venture thy life for thy people. Hath "it not pleafed the Almighty to exalt "thee to that pre-eminence of honour "for this very purpose, that light may "arife by thee to them that fit in dark"nefs, that the remnant of his chofen "fervants may be faved by thee from "utter deftruction ?"

MORDECAI has faid enough-his words have infpired Efther with becoming intrepidity. "Go, gather the Jews "that are prefent in Sufa, and fast ye "for me I will faft likewife-and fo "will I go unto the king, which is not "according to the law; and, if I perishi, "I perifh." Heroic thoughts befit great actions. actions. The pious queen trufts

to

to her devotions, rather than her beauty. "This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith."

LII.

LII.

THE DEATH OF HAMAN.

THE time devoted to prayer and abftinence is expired-Efther, arrayed in royal apparel, meekly fubmitting herfelf to the will of Heaven, advances to the throne of Ahafuerus. In her look, in her demeanour, courage feems blended with diffidence. As if fhe faid, "It is "neceffity, not difobedience, that leads "me to this bold approach-according < to thy will, O king, I live or die"I am prepared for either alternative."

THE unexpected prefence of Efther, her beauty, her magnanimity, at once delight her lord, and excite pity in his breaft. Love haftens to banish fear. The