PAUL'S VOYAGE.

"Ir is a thought full of interest in connection with the subject before us that Paul's voyage to Rome gives us the history of the Church as regards its earthly destinies. The vessel sets out in due order, as a compact and well-regulated thing, framed to endure the violence of the stormy ocean over which it had to pass. After a time the apostle offers a certain suggestion, which being rejected, the ship is dashed to pieces by the waves. There was, however, an important distinction between the vessel and the individuals on board the former was lost, the latter were all saved. Let us apply all this to the history of the Church in its earthly path. The testimony, as we know, emanated from Jerusalem, from whence Paul started on his way to Rome. Apostolic testimony was designed to guide the Church in its earthly course and preserve it from shipwreck; but this being rejected, failure and ruin were the consequences. But in the progress of the failure we perceive the distinction between the preservation of the Church's corporate testimony and individual faithfulness and salvation. “He that hath ears to hear" will always find a word of instruction and guidance for him in times of thickest darkness. The waves may dash in pieces the corporate thing, everything connected with earth may vanish away, "but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever."

ESTHER.

In the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, there is frequent reference to God, and especially as "the God of heaven," but in the book of Esther the names of God, Lord, or Jehovah do not appear. But though God is not openly alluded to, His actings, to a Spirit-taught mind, are clearly manifest in caring for His own, however low their condition and degrading the circumstances in which they are found.

The scene is the palace of a Persian king. With all its splendour it is man without God. Two Jews are found there, and so far sunken from the sense of their standing of blessedness, as the peculiar objects of God's love and care, that they are hanging about the Persian court seeking its honour and favours. Besides these, multitudes of Jews are scattered throughout the king's provinces. They had been left in captivity in weakness and reproach, and still are under the world's power. They are not therefore now standing in open relation to God. It is no marvel then that the name of God does not appear throughout this little book.

Mordecai was a Benjamite. He had been carried captive to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar. He had brought up Esther, his uncle's daughter, because she was an orphan. Her beauty was proverbial, and she was taken to the palace to be the king's wife, because he had set aside Vashti, the Gentile wife. The king delighted in her, and she and Mordecai kept quite secret that they were Jews. The king made a great feast, and called it Esther's feast. Mordecai was

faithful to the king, and when he knew the king's life was in danger through two of his chamberlains, he told Esther, the queen, and the facts being brought to light, both of the chamberlains were hanged on a tree. In all this we see nothing superior to heathenism. (Chap. ii. 5–32.)

The man, however, who was in the highest office in the empire, even above all the princes, was Haman, an Agagite, a descendant of Amalek. To him therefore Mordecai refused to pay any respect. This was faithful as a Jew. No doubt he remembered that God had sworn that He would have war with Amalek, from generation to generation. (Ex. xvii. 16.) In this he firmly persisted, and it so wounded this Amalekite that he got the king to issue a proclamation, that on a certain day all the Jews in all the king's provinces should be killed. (Chap. iii. 1–3.) But this was not all, Haman also ordered a gallows to be made fifty cubits high to hang Mordecai thereon.

At all this Mordecai and Esther were greatly distressed, and in fact Mordecai also rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the middle of the city, and cried a loud and bitter cry; he came to the king's gate, and sent word to Esther to make supplication for him and his people. In every province also there was great mourning and fasting among the Jews. (Chap. iv. 1, 3, 8, 16.) Haman's hatred to Mordecai becomes intensified (chap. v. 13, 14), but when at its height, and before Esther had made supplication to the king for the Jews, the power of God is manifestly put forth on their behalf; for however sunken and degraded they may be, God is still Israel's

God. In a certain sense it is still true, that "He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath He seen perverseness in Israel. God brought them out of Egypt.

Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel," &c. (Num. xxiv. 21-23.) Observe, therefore, that "On that night could not the king sleep," and he orders the word of the chronicles to be read before him. In this way he heard of Mordecai's faithfulness in saving the life of the king, and that nothing had been done for him. (Chap. vi. 1-3.) The result was that Mordecai was exalted to honour; and observe, Haman was commanded by the king to take "royal apparel and the king's horse, and he arrayed Mordecai, and brought him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour" (v. 11). But Haman was hanged on the gallows he had made for Mordecai. Haman's sons also were hanged upon the gallows, because he had his hand against the Jews. Through the intercession of Esther the queen, a proclamation was sent through all the provinces, that the Jews were to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and cause to perish, all that would assault them." (Chap. vii. 3-10; viii. 1-11.) The result was that the Jews had rule over them that hated them, and the whole thing turned from sorrow to joy. Mordecai (no doubt a type of Him who was first hated and rejected, but will yet be ruler over Israel) was "great among the Jews, accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed." (Chap. x. 3.)

"BEHOLD, NOW IS THE ACCEPTED TIME."

Nor next year, but now; not to-morrow, but to-day; for we know not what an hour may bring forth. Your case is urgent. To you it may be said, "This night thy soul shall be required of thee." To-morrow you may be in eternity. Beware then, we most lovingly say, of trifling with your soul's salvation, for every one shall give account of himself to God. Remember the solemn, searching questions of Jesus, "What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"

Turn to

Consider then, dear reader, that "now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." the Lord now. Oh, do not put it off! It is of vital moment. God says, "To-day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts." Do hearken to God's voice now, and do not harden your heart. You are doing one or the other-hearkening to His voice, or hardening your heart. Which is it? How very solemn is the fact that under the sound of the gospel men are hardening their hearts, refusing God's voice, not receiving His word, many hearing as if they heard not, making a thousand excuses for not coming to the stretched out arms of the sinner-loving Saviour, and receiving forgiveness of Him and eternal life. Do, dear reader, solemnly think of this. Beware of refusing Him that speaketh, for God has spoken to us in these last days by His Son, and still He speaks