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, O 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 opened, which is

are opened, another book shall be 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

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

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. 5— riches, 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.

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

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