blessings and horrible prophanesse but to be so angry with his Queene that she would not come at his call this rather shewed that anger was his maister then that he recouered therein the contempt of his authority Exod 32. Moses did wel to be angry when the people had committed idolatry so did not Ahashuerosh because his wife would not make an Idoll of him God did well to be angry for the neglect of his ordinaunce so did not Ahashuerosh for the contempt of his Christ did wel to be angry because the cause was waighty and he tempered his anger against sinne Exod. 14. Matth. 3. with compasson towards the person so did not this King the cause was smale and the measure immoderate no place left for compassion no hope of reconciliation Let not the sonne go downe vpon our wrath Ephe. 4. 26. Sampson did well to be angry to whet his couradge against Gods enemies so did not our hot-spurre to enflame him-selfe against a silly woman and so to depriue him-selfe of his deerest friend Obser 37. Iudg. 14. 19. The lawfulnes of anger and it bounds Exod. 16. 1 Cause In a word to be angry is Lawfull so we consider 1. the cause it must not be at good but at things onely euill and that properly an euill of sinne neither naturall defects nor necessary burthens must be cause of anger but onely sinne and that committed with an high hand 2 Obserue the manner of anger though their be waighty cause Gal. 6. 1. 2 manner yet we must not sodenly giue the bridle to this passion for it is the part of a foole to be of an hasty spirit but consider our selues Iea. 1. 10. Math. 5. 22. whether wee be now fit for anger or no and so accordingly giue way to this passion and then it must be tempered both with loue Mar. 3. 5. 2 Cor. 12. 21. and commiseration of the party 1 Sam. 20. 3 Measure and accompanied with patience and bounded within our callings least we breake out into reuenge 3. We must obserue a measure in our anger it must both sort with our persons as lest guilty of that we are offended in others and be tempered also according to the signe of tbe person whom hereby we do humble and it must not onely end with the occasion but euen preuent the same to the better reforming thereof because where it resteth it is in the bosome of a foole Ecle 7. 11. 4 We must be sure to leuell our anger at a right marke 4 Obiect the sinne we must ayme at and spare the person and it must not be the wrong done to vs but that which concernes God that we must be angry at 5. And lastly the end of our anger must be wisely considered 1. not our credit or reuenge 5 End but the glory of God 2. not the hardning of a sinner but his breaking and conuersion Thus if we will be angry we shall not sinne Ephe. 4. 25. And herein sinned this King because he was not thus angry And therefore it had beene good for him to haue repressed this causelesse anger Obser 38. Anger causelesse how to be repressed by not giuing way vnto it or turning the matter into a iest by seeing a forehand into the euent and considering in what case he was he might haue wisely wayed that his wife was no fit obiect of anger and that she might haue had cause rather to haue beene commended he might haue not beleeued what report the Eunuchs brought or if he did beleeue them loue and wisdome would have taught him to haue let it in at one eare and out at the other Thus maist thou preuent vnseasonable anger Onely one thing the Holy Ghost addeth which may seeme to quallifie this sinne Namely that vpon his anger hee fell not presently to reuenge hauing power in his hands as furious husbands haue done vpon such occasions Verse 13. but Hee saide vnto his wise-men which knew the times That is hee takes great aduise in this small occasion as if the state of his Kingdome were now in question wherein as I take it he doth increase his sinne not only by this deliberation giuing way to his anger which being now silent was thereby more setled and so like to doe more hurt But in that hee calls a Councell to determine of so light a matter which might haue beene better decided within the curtaines mee thinkes vnto his anger hee added extreame follie disenabling his wisdome and abasing his state Behold here the wisdome of carnall men Rom 1. 1 King 13. Ioh 11. 48. when they seeme to bee wise Obs 39. The cloakes of sin are occasions to increase the same they become fooles the fairer cloake they haue for their actions the deeper thereby are they plunged in iniquitie and so prepare them to their greater distruction because the ciuill forbearing and bridling of sinne doth both secretly iustifie the same to their deceiued conscience and so furthers the committing thereof with greedinesse and securely increasing and ripening the same makes way thereby to suddaine destruction Whereby wee may learne aboue al things to take heed of being wise to do euill Vse 1. Ierem 4. 22. either blessing our soules in the outward bridling of sin or contenting our selues with the shewes of vertues but rather to become fooles in the full discouery of sinne that so being cast out of our selues we may be cast vpon Christ in whome of fooles we shall be made wise to God See wee heere the vaine imployments of the greate Councellors of the world 40 Ob. Worldly councellors how vainly imployed The best that they do is to satisfie the lusts of their Princes as whom only they count happy and by whom only they are happpy and the worst they do is to bandy against God and his Christ 1 Cor 2 8. psal 2. 1. 2. 3. whom as they know not so his yoak they will not indure vain men y â— are here said to know the times and seasons and yet were ignorant of the time of their visitation Luke 12. 56. Whereby the truly wise may learne their lesson that as they must bee skilfull which shall see the Kings face and bee principall in his kingdome so to imploy their speciall skill for the aduancing of Christs kingdome least hee count them his enemies that will not let him raigne ouer them and hauing first sought the kingdome of heauen and the righteousnesse thereof as hereby they shall best prouide for the safety of the Prince whose crowne sits most sure when it is cast at the feete of Christ so they shall finde godlinesse to bee profitable for this life yea the people hereby shall fare the better poore and rich shall dwell in safetie there shall bee no complaining nor leading into captiuitie in our streetes yea which is the greatest wisedome they shall bee wise to themselues in setling their slipperie state and
ground of that grosse opynion that we may be so perfit as not to erre in our iudgements It casteth to ground all pleas for sinne whereof few can hold but from this assumpsit that wee may and must be iudges in our owne cases whatsoeuer you say I know it is otherwise you know not my case and if you were in my steed you would thinke otherwise All which proceed from this only ground that their is no competent iudge of my estate but my selfe A notable fallacy whereby Satan deceiues sinners that because others many times iudge wrongfully of them therefore they conclude that they best know themselues and best may be their owne Iudges concerning their sinnes A priueledge which how-soeuer they stand vpon principally for this end that their iniquity may be hidden from the eye of the world seeing this is an especiall meanes not onely to ripen the sinne but further also to harden the heart of the sinner Therefore behold the admirable iustice of GOD in taking the wicked in their owne snares that hardnesse of heart continuing impenitency and so in the end working despaire hereby it comes to passe that they which would haue the iudgment deuolued to themselues that so they may not discerne the true iudgment of sinne it shal be vnto them as they do desire they shall haue iudging enough euen to sinke them to hell they shall truely iudge of their damnable estate and many times pronounce sentence against themselues and therein mis-iudge of the mercies of GOD. And this is a third point condemned herein If therefore Obser 51. Wherein a man may be Iudge in his owne case we wil be safely Iudges in our cause let vs iudge our selues for sinne that wee bee not iudged of the LORD And that we may thus iudge our selues let vs bee iudged by others submit we our selues wisely to the iudgement of the word and let vs not neglect the Iudgement of the world if it iudge wrongfully we haue wherein to reioyce If it iudge aright be we the more confounded that our righteousnesse is cracked in the worlds opynion only beware we here of desperat iudgement whereby we may exclude our selues from hope of mercy so iudging ourselues by the law that we also seeke pardon in the Gospell that so wee may be eased of our heauy burthen Math. 11 Thus being iudged we shall come to true repentance and recouering againe the fauour of God we shall also recouer the vprightnesse of our conscience and so we shal be able to iustifie our owne innocency 1 Cor. 4. 4. And theÌ„ we may safely not esteeme to be iudged of mans iudgment and yet not esteeme our selues iustified thereby seeing as what the law condemnes for is in our selues so that for which we are acquitted is ours onely in Iesus Christ 2 Cor. 1. 12. and though our reioycing bee the testimony of our good conscience which we may lawfully cleaue to and thereby acquite yet seeing that GOD is greater then the conscience Iob. 9. and wee know not our owne soules and also that vprightnesse which wee know proceedes from the righteousnesse of our Sauiour therefore as by the imputacion of his righteousnesse we are onely happy so to the same only we must ascribe euen the power of that iustification before men that not withstanding proceeds from inherent righteousnesse Obser 52. Princes are to refer themselues to the iudgment of their lawes that so Christ may be all in all Vers 22. Well the King will not be his owne iudge whom then will hee bee iudged by The holy Ghost answereth by the lawes of his Kingdome which generally no doubt did determine of the dutie of Mariage though perticulerly for this case the Law was made afterward Now seeing this was practized among the heathen how much more righteous wise a course is it that euen yet Christian Princes though in cases concerning themselues should refer themselues to the iudgment of their owne lawes Because as they are of their owne making and therefore it stands with their honor to iustifie the same so it is in their power to expound their owne lawes and therefore may lawfully make fauorable constructions for themselues according to the equity of the law Yea beeing also Iudges of the law themselues and therefore may in discretion mitigate the same Vse 1. Which as it condemneth the grosse flattery and iggnorance of those that exempt the Prince from y e gouernement of his owne lawes making him thereby not onely a grosse hipocrite but a very Tyrant so it iustifieth that lawfull prerogatiue of Princes which is to bee makers and interpreters yea Iudges of their owne lawes Againe this also reprooueth the abuse of lawes which great ones breake thorough and onely small flies are caught in As also that man of sinne is here condemned who hath reiected the law of GOD and wil be gouerned onely by his owne filthy lusts Lastly whosoeuer measure their righteousnesse by example or opinion stand vpon custome or any such like reiecting the law of God for the rule of their life they are also condemned in this place Sixtly we are here taught to blesse GOD for good lawes and to pray vnto him for the executing thereof that great ones may lead and the rest may follow and that euery man may do as he lift may not bee heard of in our streetes Well thus hath the King referred the matter to the Iudgment of the law and surely herein he did not amisse onely in this may he be iustly charged of folly that he kept not the sword of expounding and approouing the law in his owne hand but vnwisely puts it ouer to the determining of his Councellors The reason whereof although we may partlie gesse because he would not be rid of his wife but with some colour and other must do that which he would not be seene in Obser 53. Wicked Princes imâ—loy their seruants in base purposes A matter vsuall in wicked Princes to deuolue the enuie 2 Samu. 12. of their vile courses vpon their Ministers of state by putting for a time the sword in their hands as Dauid did into the hands of Ioab yet that this was not done without great inconuenience may appeare liuely by their handling thereof See what it is to put a sword into a mad-mans hand harke how Memucan the Eunuch laies about him And Memucan said before the King and the Princes Vers 16. 17. 18. The Queene Vashty hath not onely sinned against the King but against al the Princes and people which are in all the Prouinces of the King Ahashuerosh c. Thus insteed of a Iudge he becomes an accuser and the Summe of his exaggeration or rather indeed accusation contained in these three verses is this that Queene Vashties sinne is herein exemplary such as shall prouoke like contempt throughout the Land among all sortes as pleading herein the example of the Queene and thereby taking occasion to disobey
him-selfe to iustifie the equity of this his extreame sentence doth he plead as Diuines do that sinne was committed against the greatest person and the thing commaunded being very indifferent therefore by these circumstances the offence was more haynous and so did deserue so haynous a punishment or doth hee rather like a Polititian heereby iustifie the Kinges anger by inflicting so extreame a punishment for the prouoking thereof Doth hee as a bawde heereby make way for change as happily smelling the Kinges purpurpose heerein Surely though happily in pollicy hee intended both the one and the other because rather then Princes must erre the subiect shal deeply smart for it and Courtiers many times are glad to be such cooks that they may also licke their owne fingers Yet in pollicie he hides all these and makes a faire glose vpon it he implies that one must be made an example for the procuring of peace to many better one perish then that vnitie bee destroyed For saith hee When the decree of the King which shall bee made shall bee published throughout all his Kingdome though it bee great all the women shall giue their husbands honour both great and small Vers 20. Heere wee may see the height of his wisdome Worldlinge prefer the priuate before the publike good hee prouides for him-selfe and his like that they may haue honour of their wiues But for his Lord and maister hee must haue no honour from his but rather he must be dishonoured In putting her off vppon so slight a cause and the miserable Queene must bee dishonoured also and that with apparant wrong and eternall contumely So cunning are Polliticians to secure them-selues with the dishonour of their princes So foolish are such Princes thus to bee ledde by the nose by them so righteous is the Lord to make the one here by a rodde vnto the other that Polititians hereby growing insolent and great are catcht in their month and so emptied in their Princes as beeing spunges to fill them-selues with the spoyles of others that they may afterwards wring them out at their pleasure Thus you see the depth of his councell Wicked haue glorious clokes for e-euill purposes and yet behold what a goodly vaile he hath to cast ouer it The woman shall giue honour As if hee had said that they being made wise by the Queenes punishment would hereafter not dare but honour their husbandes least they also bee subiect to the like censure Doe you not see what a maske heere is to couer his crueltie It is good saith hee that some should bee made examples to keepe other in awe and therefore let Vashty smart soundly for it that all wee may liue more peaceably A most righteous thing Exemplary Iustice when to be vsed that some should bee made examples and yet the Queene might well haue beene spared out of the number of those some if her fault would not yet her state at least should haue priuiledged her euery small fault must not make an example though exemplarie Iustice bee profitable for others But shall it bee graunted that this example would bee profitable Terror to breeder of true loue will terror breed true loue and can their be honour without loue Well therefore might this Persian hereby dominere ouer his wife bouldly well might shee crouch for feare and play the hipocrite with him well might she flatter him in his sinne and further him to hell as being all the honour that carnall men looke for of their wiues but true honour will neuer bee yeelded by terror flattery is not loue nor soothing true submission So that howsoeuer in other cases this course might haue had successe yet in this case betweene man and wife a farre better might haue beene taken Namely to haue laboured with the King to bee reconciled to his wife Oh this example of mercy had beene more vndoubtedly profitable Vse 1. So let vs make vp the breach and not set it more open Let our censures ayme at the sinne for the recouery of the partie and let charity couer especially small offences build we not vpon surmizes to cast away life least we exalt our selues by the fall of others Aboue all things keepe we holy and inuiolable the marriage bed and let onely the defiling thereof be the cause of perpetuall seperation as for such ordinary breaches as are betwixt man and wife Math. 19. let vs compose them wisely among our selues Is their none wiser then other that we must beray our owne nests and discouer our weaknesse abroad that wee may be snared with our owne infermities Had Ahashuerosh beene wise the matter needed not to haue gone any further and then his Princes had spared that labour and he had escaped this dishonor yea the miserable Queene had not thus wickedly beene diuorsed But as it seemed the King was set vpon it and therefore no sooner had Menucan pronounced the sentence without demurre on the matter or delay of the execution Verse 21. Wicked Princes easily yeelde to bad councell but the holie Ghost addeth that The saying pleased the King and the Princes So hard are wicked Princes to be pleased with good Councell and so easily doe they embrace euen that which is pernicious But how shall it appeare the Kinge was pleased here-with It followeth because hee ratifies the sentence pronounced Hee did sayth the spirit According to the word of Menuchan and to shew his willingnesse therein Vers 22. least after-witte might crosse it hee sendes his lawes throughout all the Prouinces to this effect That euery man should beare rule in his owne house And that the law concerning all each might take notice of it It must bee published in the Language of that same people That so the lawe beeing published might not afterward euen for his credite be abrogated But what might bee the cause of all this haste Surely lette vs heere looke vp to GOD and the matter will bee cleared The Church of GOD was like to bee in extremitie and delaie was dangerous Hester was to bee aduanced that shee might be meanes of deliuerance and therefore Vashty must bee depriued of her Regall dignitie that so according to the sentence Wicked instruments of fulfilling of gods righteous wil in their punishments for his glory and the good of the Church her royall estate might be giuen to her companion that was better then shee So doe the wicked therein fulfill the will of GOD wherein they doe agaynst his will and in their wickednesse are his righteous instruments that hee may haue the glorie in bringing light out of darkenesse and they might confounded in their owne mallitiousnesse Whereby wee may learne in all such Accidentes as principally to looke vp to GOD in the vse of such instruments so not to iustefie the instrument though well vsed of the LORD nor to condemne the LORD for the obliquitie of the instrument but wisely here to discerne betweene thinges that differ giuing God
all at once least they should be drunke thereby and so returning to their vomit Esay 17. make no right vse thereof but by degrees Obs 55. God chastiseth his children in measure and by degees now a little then som-ewhat more the rod being a teacher euen while it lay vpon them and therein teaching vs the singuler wisdome and mercy of our God in the chastising of his children he comes not vpon them sodainly neither sweepes he them away at once but as he giues them warning of the rod that so they may be prepared for it so he orders his iudgements that they may best preuaile And therefore first he shootes forth his more gentle and scattering arrowes of the famine and pestilence which though they hit some yet they flye ouer the heades of many that by these being warned they might be brought to repentance when these milder corrections will not serue then hee smites them yet seauen times more Leuit. 1 here come in ciuill dissentions and forreyne Inuasions to humble abait the pride of the great ones and if as yet they will not returne vnto him then behold hee will smite them seauen times more Amos. The cuppe of Capiuitie shall be ministred vnto them yet shall they drinke thereof at times in measure and by degrees So doth the Lord in iustice remember mercy so doth hee measure out his Iudgements both that wee may beare them and that by them we might be brought to repentance As for the wicked the Lord deales not so with them Affliction shall not rise the second time 1 Nehemia with one stroke will he make an end of them roote and branches head and taile Genes â—9 will he cut off at one blow Vse Which prouidence of God is manifested most infallibly in the course of his chasticements vpon his Church as it namely confoundeth the insolency of the wicked who thinke to make an end when God doth begin so it is also a gratious checke to the preiudice and impatience of Gods children who notwithstanding this apparant difference that God makes between them and the wicked in the seuerall chasticements which he laies vpon them for many times in y t folly doe they both censure God as their enemie Iob. Lament 2. and them-selues to be dealt withall not as friends but enemies And seeing affliction giueth vnderstanding and the Lord especially aimeth hereat in this ordering of his chasticements Therefore lette the man of God feare the rodde and who hath appointed it Lette vs taker notice hereby that God appointeth them in that they are so wisely and mercifully ordered and so let vs patiently vndergoe this burthen and be comforted therein that wee are vnder the hands of a father who knoweth whereof we are made and therefore will lay no more vpon vs then we shall be able to indure And seeing the Lord hereby intends our repentance Amos. 2. â—3 that if we will â—ase him of our sinnes he will ease vs of his rods Let vs here wisely take notice of the cause of the continuance of his iudgements namely impenitencie and increase of sinne And lette this be our marke to looke for seauen times more if we do yet multiplie our sinnes against the Lord of glory And therefore let vs meet the Lord by repentance that he may stay the hand of his iustice Let al States be humbled because y e Lyon hath roared Ierem 13. Amos. 3. And seeing the hand of the Lord is stretched our stil let vs not liue by examples build our happines vpon y â— broken reeds of Egipt Let vs not run to Ashur trust in vain helps but let vs turn to y e Lord for he hath wounded and he wil heale vs he wil render vs the losse that the pestilence and inundations the intollerable frosts and fearefull earth-quakes our cruell oppressors at home and treacherous friendes abroad have made he wil yet devell among vs for his name sake and restore beauty for ashes yea we shall for euer liue in his sight Thus haue we now the condition of Mordecai he is in the state of bondage and slauery to y s â— wicked How doth he now behaue him-selfe in this condition Doth he yeeld to necessitie and imbrace the present world Doth he renounce he God and the care of his country to eat of such things as please the wicked No you haue heard before that he liued vnrebukeably but what instance haue we to giue euidence thereof It followeth therefore He nourished Hadassah that is Hester Verse 7. his vncles daughter What reason had he to moue him thereto Here is first the bond of nature She was his vncles daughter Secondly Here is the bond of necessitie for she had neither father nor mother Thirdly here 's a priuiledge of nature And the Maid was faire and beautifull to looke on rather to allure and perswade him thereto Fourthly here is the bond of conscience likely it is she was committed vnto him after her fathers and mothers decease and therefore it is said And after the death of her father and mother Mordecai tooke her for his owne daughter First he not only tooke vpon him her education and maintenance but adopted her also as his owne daughter and so to conferre vppon her the priuiledges of a Child Wherein first we may behold the great mercie of God vnto his children that in their greatest afflictions they shall be prouided for Mordecai shall be able to nourish Hester and Hester shall haue her Vncle Mordecai not only to preserue her from the extremitie of misery which Orphanes are subiect to but to traine vp this tender Maiden in the feare of God and to defend her chastitie froÌ„ the rage of lust Two notable priuiledges of Gods children vnder the crosse that either they shall be able to succor others or they shall find reliefe with the safety of their credit and peace of conscience And surely that Gods children in their troubles Obser 56. Gods children are to comfot releeue each other in their troubles as they are able so they should comfort others this serues to the magnifying of GODS power and faithfulnesse towards them and also to the great tryall of their most holy faith The power of God is seene herein that the wicked are brideled who out of question would not haue the righteous liue by them vnlesse they will hang vppon them if they might haue their wills they would keepe them bare ynough from doing good to others and so the children of God are planted in the midst of their enemies and herein also doth appeare the great faithfulnes of our god who inables his children to lend where they should borrow and by this to be assured of a good successe in al occasions seeing in y e land of their captiuity they can minister to others and is not our faith very gratiously tried herein when hauing our liues continually in our hands and therfore no certainty of
because Eunuches did sometime attend in such places therefore it came to passe that all which were of any honorable imployment about the Prince whether they were gelded or no were called Eunuches By which it appeareth what condition of men are vsually actors in treasons namely not base inferiour persons whose spirits are deiected and hopes lie groueling on the ground But men of sort and quality such as haue aspiring spirits and therefore will be leaueling at the highest and what more ready then treason to serue their ambition such I say as by reason of their credit and accesse haue best opportunity to committee such hidden mischiefes Yea such as go not without their disgraces and snubbes from iealous and licentious Princes and therefore are prouoked to be auenged of them And which is the most materiall of all Such as haue beene imployed by wicked Princes in treacherous and vile oppressions of the subiect and therefore by the iustice of God do many times practise their lesson vpon their teachers and such as by reason of natures gifts and the abuse thereof are giuen vp to commit all sinne euen with greedinesse and therefore no maruaile if they will make no bones of this sinne by which they may hope to haue a protection for all the rest And yet are heerein met withall by the diuine iustice who many times turnes this sinne to be pay-maister for all the rest as bringing to shame and confusion the Authors thereof Vse 1. Which as it condemneth those that determine of sinne by the condition of the person implying that onely base and ignoble mungrells doe conceiue such monstrous sinnes as for generous mindes and heroicall spirits it comes not once into their thoughts to commit such outrage whereas we see the schoole of Rome hath set downe this as a marke of the most heroicall spirit to rise vp against the Prince and experince hath made it too apparant in the poulder Treason howsoeuer Popery would haue daubed the matter So here generally the best priuiledges of nature are condemned as beeing the most desperate instruments of sinne if they be not sanctified by grace And therefore here men of reputation may wisely learne their lesson to season their gifts with good education and religion that so they may be kept within the bondes of obedience to God and man And Princes also may learne here their lesson as not to abuse their attendants to the hurt of others so not to giue them iust cause of discontent Yea all flesh may here learne it lesson Mich. 7. not to trust in a friend not to put confidence in a Councellor No not to trust the wife that lies in the bosome otherwise then to subordinate all to God and for his sake to renounce them all so shal they be faithfull vnto vs so farre as shall make for our good and though they bee vnfaithfull yet the infidelity of men shal not make the faith of God of none effect But let vs consider a little further of the name and office of these Eunuches For their Names they are called Bigthan Teresh by which it seemes that one of them namely Bigthan was sent with others Obs 147. God makes instruments of sin rods to punish the same when the King was in his cuppes to conuay Vashty the Queene to the presence of the King And beholde hee is now one of them that cal the King to an account for that his notorious wrong done vnto the Queene So iust is the Lord to make instruments of sinne weapons to punish the same to the magnifying of his prouidence and reformation of y e same or else to make him more without excuse to his greater confusion but of this heretofore The Office that the holy Ghost ascribes to these Eunuchs though their name do imply it to be diuers yet both concurre in this Obs 148. In greatest trust greatest Treason that it was an Office of some trust and thence we may learne not vnprofitably that Treason is in trust Those that are most in place of trust they proue many times the greatest traytors because these being Princes creatures as they call them new molded to their bent the more confidence is hereby put in them the lesse suspition there is of them Wher-vpon it commeth to passe y t security is bred in the Prince God he is robd of his honour the subiect he is puft vp and so prouoked to mischiefe the Lord he avengeth his glory in giuing him vp to his lusts the securitie of his maister cries aime therto Which as it condemneth that complaint of flesh blood that they are deceiued in those whom they out most in trust because them-selues are the cause thereof so it doth not excuse such as are put in trust because their sinne is the greater by how much the more they were the better thought off And yet Princes also are not to be excused neither because it is much in them to preuent this mischiese And therfore seeing there must be some whom necessarily they must trust Princes to preuent treachery That they may not be deceiued by them Let them make God their confidence by keeping them-selues in the bounds of his prouidence as walking faithfully in their callings and so bring good examples to their subiects not being causelesly iealous of them nor estranging our selues from them But vsing them so that they may rather see they haue need of them then that Princes haue indeed other need of their people the what may as well concerne their good tempering their loue with Maiestie and their indignation with clemency And though they ought to despise none yet not rashly admitting each one into their seruice before they haue good approbation of his zeale and loyalty and therein also to make some tryal before they trust especially concerning their person or the good of their Kingdome And when they trust yet to keepe such secrets to them-selues as are not fit for them to know nor safe for Princes to reueale I meane these Misteries of gouernment which extraordinarily God reueales vnto them And when they haue trusted yet not further to rely thereon Then considering they now saile as it were in another bottome such as at least is apt to leake they be so far from remitting of their care or yeelding to security as the manner is as that now rather they ought to haue a more vigilant eye vnto the maine and in all humility to cast their care vpon God As knowing that the right end of the subiects imployment by the Prince in matter of trust is not to take away the care of the Prince as if then there were no need but rather to settle it more constantly on God because as it will be imputed vnto the Prince for iealousie if hee will not trust his subiect and therefore he must needs put some in trust least hee discouer feare of his owne estate which doth proceed from bad desert So wil it imply
the LORD hath bestowed a larger portion in his generall prouidence that so hee may haue wherewith to take his libertie so hee finds this portion sanctified vnto him by the speciall prouidence and loue of GOD in Christ Iesus that so hee may vse this liberty aright Vse And this as it condemneth all Popish and Heathenish-feasting 1 Tit. â— vnto whom beeing impure all things are impure so also by the same rule is this feast of Ahashuerosh in the place 1. condemned 2. Wee are to way the fit causes of feasting Causes of feasting which the spirit of God sets downe to be these 1. The 1. is the approouing or externall efficient cause Efficient Magistrate vnder GOD which is the Magistrate who onely hath power to authorize these publique feasts Nehem. 8. and from whom the true justification thereof doth proceed 2. Is the materiall cause Materiall cause namely the plentifull prouision to supply the same Wherein these rules are to bee obserued The prouision must be such as must bee whole-some for norishment 2. Prouision easie of prise 3. not farre fet when it may bee had neerer hand as if nothing were good which were not outlandish and the more cost more worshippe 4. prepared also frugally rather to further sobriety then intice to gluttony For the forme and manner of the feast here must be considered 1. the time Formall cause â— Time Luk. 16. Esay 58 4. Rom. 2. 15. Esa 5. which is not euery day but seldome 2. not the Saboth but on some weeke day 3. not when the Church of God is in troubles for then we must weepe with them that weepe 4. nether many daies together as here it was but onely some seasonable part of one day so that wee may withall follow both our generall and particular callings By which circumstances this feast of Ahashuerash is condemned Verse 4. in that it is said to be An hundred and twenty daies Obserue the fit guests to a feast Guests wherein as we are to vse an holy indifferency Esay 5. 8. in regard that all are of our flesh so in this differency wee are specially to respect those that excell in grace and so to haue our tables furnished with the house-hold of faith not the rich onely but the poore aswell as they Gal 6. 10. Mat. 5. Mat. 11. and the poore not simply because they are poore but because they are poore in spirit and receiue the Gospell See we prouide good sauce to our feasts Sauce not idle talking and foolish iesting not slaundering and reuiling nor amorous daliance but our speech must be seasoned with sault that so it may season our feasting To this end as it is fit to sanctifie the feast by prayer and the word so to preuent vaine speeches 1 Tim 4. 5. Mat. 14. 15. intermediate holy conference is most fit and necessary or else some quick and sauory questions and lastly the strength thereof is to be returned vnto GOD in thankesgiuing Iudg. 14 Musicke hovv lavvful at feasts If any thinke that musicke is not an vnseemely companion of state feasts surely as I gaine-say it not altogether in them so would I wish great wisdome to be vsed therein both 1. for the makers of the musicke that they be not of the ordinary mummeries in that kind and 2 for the manner of the musicke that it be graue and reuerent as also for the vse that it bee rather onely to shew that I haue liberty therein then to venter on a more liberall vse thereof Stevvard and Attendants lest it tend to the satisfying of the flesh Better attendance without exception are frugality and sobriety Frugality Sobriety the former teacheth vs not to make spoyle or riot as the minde is but to husband well the feast and to gather vp the residue that none be lost the latter instructeth vs to Keepe our right in the creature not to make them our maisters by surfeting and drunkennesse but so to rise from feasting as that we may be fit for prayer or any other duty of our callings whatsoeuer neither of which because they were kept in this Kingly feast Ciuiâ—ity but all to the contrary therefore is this feast also condemned from the mannner thereof Onely one thing is here specially obserued by the holy ghost Namely that the drinking was by an order none might compell verse 8 but euery one was left to his liberty to take what hee pleased which though it be no simple approbation of the feast because it was rather a qualifying of that euill custome in ciuilty which then it seemes was in vse namely to compell men to drinke by measure then an holy rule to prouide for sobriety whereas indeed their should rather haue beene an order to haue stinted that liberty to which euery one was left whereby they were apt enough to exceed though they were not compelled by others such glorious sonnes are the vertues of the wicked yet shall this shadow of vertue proceeding either from the light of nature or from common ciuility be a swift witnesse against our abhominable custome in this kind where the grace of our feasting is thus to be compelled where not to lie vnder the table is counted disloialtie and cruelty against a mans soule is esteemed the greatest curtesie Now touching also the end of feasting Finall causes and ends of feasting they are these i the glory of God not the setting out of our owne magnificencie our ostentation of Our riches and glorie as is the-manner of rich mens feasts 1 Cor 10. 31. for which also this feast vndergoes the censure neither for suspition as if there were more holynesse in these festiuities A fearefull brand vppon Popish feasts A second end is thankefulnesse vnto God for his mercies which we doe vsually expresse by the more liberall vse of the creatures there-by intending to shew our mercy towards others and herein this feast was faultie A third end is continuance of loue and amitie among Christians not that our tables should be snares to intrap our brother Abac 2. that wee may see his nakednesse or strippe him of his clothes not by inflamation of the creature to bee inraged one against another as here it fell out in this prophane feast A Fourth end is to shew our Christian libertie in the bountifull vse of Gods blessing Esay 25. and so to resemble vnto vs that feast of satisfying in the Kingdome of heauen And lastly the releeuing of the poore hath heere its place for whome wee are especially stewards in what is ouerplus A shadow whereof though wee finde in this feast in that it is saide The King made a feast to the people yet was this no true charitie because without faith and in-deed rather to shew his pompe and gratefie the people that they might bee more willing afterward to drudge for him then of any conscience to comfort and refresh them Especially
we say and see the Kings face A very fit thing that Councellors should haue more free accesse to Princes then ordinary men Obs 45. Princes must not bee strang to their subiects because they are persons of more trust and imployment And yet not fit for Kings to be strange unto their subiects and to count it a matter of state to be rarely seene of them Wherein may a King better shew his humility then in being affable and courteous euen to the meanest may not his wisdome bee greatly seene herein that to giue contentment to his subiects that desire to see his face he in this respect shew himselfe more open and often among them and should it not be as great ioy for Kings to behold y e faces of their subiects in whom consists their glory and their safety too And would it not quit cost for Princes thus to be acquainted with their subiects to heare some-times their causes in their own persōs and so determine of them do they not hereby discharge their callings faithfully and preuent wisely much iniustice which otherwise falles out Did not Salomon and other vertuous Princes heare causes themselues Samuell Edger Did they not ride circuit to do iustice haue they not had set daies to such necessary end and haue they hereby exposed themselues rather to daunger Haue they taken more vpon them then they could well discharge Haue they abased their authority and depriued themselues of their lawfull pleasures Nay rather haue they not hereby wonne the hearts of their subiects and so their owne security hath not their honour beene increased by faithfull discharge of their calling And their authority iustified in beeing examples to their owne lawes Is not Idlenesse hereby preuented the very bane of Kingdomes and true contentment gained instablishing sound peace and equitie And ought not this to be the chiefest pleasure of Princes to procure their true content in giuing glory to God by faithfull execution of their callings Neither let them feare to be oppressed with the waight of this burthen and therefore it must follow they must put it off altogither Moises his president wil be a middle rule in this case Exod. 18. that so the burthen may be a pleasure vnto them Not to make distinction of persons as if the inferior were to base to come in triall before them but onely the ritch who may corrupt the law for this may smell of Papall pride and couetousnesse who reserues cases of such persons to his proper censure because thereby he may picke their purses but onely of Causes reseruing the waightiest and most intricate to himselfe which may aswell be incident to poore as ritch as hauing a more ripenesse of iudgment to discerne thereof and in wisdome better able then other to determine of the same Thus will Godly Princes procure their ease in performing their duties and sanctifie their honour in vnder-going the burthen thereof But what shall we say of this Persian Monarch Surely as he knew not GOD Obser 46. Tyrants their note and punishment so he knew not himselfe neither any thing that truely belonged to his calling The sword was his scepter and lust was his law pride was his glorie and feare was his protector his subiects weare his slaues and his Princes were his bauds And therefore no maruaile though he loued to be rarely seene especially of the subiect whose spoile he daily entended if happily of Princes but to be his fowlers for the prey Vse 1. A iust hand of GOD vpon tyrannicall Princes by their pride and cruelty to make them hatefull to their subiects that what they feare may come vpon them and so they may be sent to the King of feare And an excellent lesson to Christian Princes to keepe state by loue and seeke glory in the discharge of their callings that obeying GOD they may preuaile with men and so establish their Kingdomes in this mortall life as to make them steps to the crowne of glory It followeth What shall wee doe according to the Law Vers 15. Here we may see a shew of equity in this Godlesse Obser 47. Wicked pretend law for the satisfying of their mischiefes Prince though the disobedience of the Queene had much enraged him yet neither in his rage doth he aueng himselfe of her neither doth hee claime a priuiledge to do it contrary to his lawes which happily he might haue done because the matter immediately concerned himselfe neither doth he take vpon him to be iudge in his owne cause but referres the matter to the iudgment of the law and that to be scanned by the wisdome of his Councellors wherein that he would not be his owne Iudge in his owne cause but referres himselfe for satisfaction to the right censure of his lawes herein if we iudge him by the outward action he did not amisse his basenesse appeares in that that whereas though he had referred himselfe to the sentence of his lawes yet he should haue reserued both the exposition and iudgemen of the Law vnto himselfe as being a part of his royall prerogatiue these his proper rights he leaues to their lusts who happily gessing his minde might hereby satisfie both their owne and his vnlawfull purpose concerning the point that a man may not be Iudge in his own case The equity hereof appeareth in this Obs 48. Whether a man may be his owne Iudge that as men are blinde in their Iudgements and so cannot know themselues so they wil be likely partiall in their owne matters as louing themselues to well And therefore we must auoide all occasions of euill And seeing we must auoide all appearance of euill therefore howsoeuer it may bee that a man may herein Iudge righteously yet seeing to the world it will appeare otherwise therefore for the approouing of his good name in the eye of the world he is not in my opynion to be iudge in his owne case Obser 49. How a man may be a witnesse in his owne cause If it shal be here demaunded how then may a man be produced in his owne case to the satisfiyng of the world the answere is plaine he is not produced as a Iudge but as a witnesse thereto and not so as a witnesse as if the Iudgement depended vpon himselfe therein but seeing his allegations are confirmed by an oath as being the meanes which the Lord hath appointed to end controuersies whereby as he calls the Lord to be witnesse to the truth so he conuinceth the conscience of the Iudge to assent thereto Obse 50. How a man should be approued when he stands vpon the testimony of innocency contrary to the verdite or report of the world therefore it is not the bare witnesse that caries the matter but God that Iudge they approue the same Vse 1. This vtterly conuinceth all popish religion and proceedings if they may not be their owne Iudges but stand to the Iudgement of the world and it condemneth also the
their husbandes Wherevpon will ensue much despitfullnesse and wrath And surely Obs 54. Sâ—â—nes of great ones exemplary in that he apprehends the sinne to bee exemplarie herein hee iudged not amisse For indeed the sinnes of great ones they are both patternes and priuelidges to the inferior for the like Who liue by examples and take heart thereby seeing the greate ones sinne vsually without controulement Vse 1. And therefore of all sortes great men are to take least liberty in sinne because the eye of the world is fixed on them and they shall answere deepely for the sinnes of others in that by their example they giue warrant thereto And inferiours also may here learne their lesson not to pleade example but to liue by the Lawes seeing how-soeuer examples may hinder obedience to the law yet the Law shall preuaile to the punnishment of those that by the example of great ones breake the same Obser 55. â—oâ—â—ticians in satâ—sâ—ying the lust of wicked Princes provide for their owne But that he falles to accuse where rather he should haue excused and in steed of healing the wound makes it farre wider this howsoeuer it may be good for an orator yet it cannot stand with the wisdome of a graue Councellor But some-what was in the winde hee must needes speake thus because he had his fee the King was angry and hee ment to set him going the Queene was an eye-soare and shee must bee remooued Such slaues are ambitious statistes to their owne and their Princes lusts 2 Reg 13. but especially when their owne plow is driuen forward withall 2 Reg 11. Then the honour of the King Ioh 18. and good of the land must be pretended Luke 23. when indeed they wil especially serve their owne turne therein 1 Vse This may teach Princes how they put such to much in trust and therein also to vse the fauor of their Princes more moderately not exasperating them against other least the soame light vppon them-selues and their owne stroke returne vppon their owne pates Their owne iniustice deserues no lesse and the iustice of God shall finde them out in their sinne Hamans gallowes in the end catcheth himself But let vs a little further examine the truth of this accusation Obs 56. Flatterers malitious persons abuse Princes with whisperings and surmises Must all the Land know of this fact of Vashty doth the country know alwaies what 's done at Court see here what a sandie foundation mallice groundes vpon how flatterers abuse Princes with surmizes scarce likely-hoods Was this a sound argument to vnloose the marriage knot Shall the state of a Queene depend vppon such dalliance Shall a King be abused by if and peraduentures Well wee see here that a friend in Court is better then a good cause and it is an easie matter to finde a staffe to beat a dogge withal Obs 57. Euidence must be of thinges knowne not surmised and such as know the paâ—ty delinquent Light out of darknesse as we say in the prouerbe Poore Vashty must be condemned without repriuall and therfore the countrie must come in to giue in euidence against her that happily neuer saw her by the face nor euer had to doe with her And yet the Lord had a righteous worke herein both to punish her pride which likely the country paid for and to punish the King who abused her pride yea most cspecially to punish these Counsellors euen in this their wrong collection as hereby bringing this shame vppon them that they were not maisters of their owne wiues This was all they gotte by it euen reproach and ignominy let all vnrighteous Iudges looke for no better that in steed of quallifying small offences will set them on the tenters to satisfie the lusts of prophane Princes But consider I pray you a liâ—â—le further the inconsequence of the accusation so that all the women of the Land should heare of it yet must euery wife here-vppon of necessitie rebell against their husband might not priuate loue ouer-rule a publike example and wise gouernment of the husband preuent the like disobedience probable happyly it might bee that some might thus resist which without this example would haue bene forward ynough thereto but that all of necessitie must follow this may discouer the Accusers blind mallice but was no reason to inforce the poore Queenes punishment But here you may see when flattery and mallice giues information Mallice and flattery vnfit accusers shadowes are made substances improbabilties necessities so deceiptfull is flattery mallice so vnreasonable and yet herein also the Lord is exceeding righteous who meets hereby with other sins of this insolent Queene that wheras no doubt she was an example of pride and vanitie more generally to other women then shee was likely to be in this point therefore is shee heerby found out in her sinne and by this vnlikely accusation condemned of a true fault Well thus wee haue heard this Persian play the Accuser now let vs heare how he plaies the Iudge Thus hee shooteth his bolt If it please the King let a royall decree proceed from him Verse 19. and let it be written among the Statutes of Media and Persia And let it not be transgressed that Vashty come no more before the King Ahashuerosh and let her estate royall be giuen vnto her companion that is better then she Behold here the sentence of this vnrighteous Iudge Punishment must needes exceed the nature of the sin discouering most apparantly his folly and crueltie was it not ynough for him to aggrauate a small fault by surmizes and improbabilities therby to incense and so wrong the King but now hee must sentence the sinne with so extreame a Iudgement as had beene proportionable to the greatest offence Indeed had hee onely aggrauated the matter to haue satisfied the King and that the Queene might haue beene brought to acknowledge her fault that so the King beeing satisfied might bee inclyned to mercie and the Queene heereby also fitted to mercy Hee had shewed the part of a faithfull Counsellor and performed the dutie of a wise Iudge But thus to adde drunkennesse to thirst in condemning so extremely when hee accused falsely shewed his treachery in councell and corruption in iudgement Only heerein wee may somewhat excuse him Iudges ought to be impartiall in iudgement not to respect persons and in this may hee be a patterne of righteous iudgement that hee seemes to bee impartiall in pronouncing of his sentence hee spareth not the Queene seeing shee hath offended and doth hee therefore well to pronounce so seuerely against her For admit we the fault deserued some punishment is their therefore no measure but euen extremity could hee haue deuised a greater could the poore Queen haue vndergone an extremer Is this to kill the sinne for the good of the offender and not to strenghthen the sinne by driuing the guilty to dispare What then doth this Iudge plead for
with the righteousnesse of God that they which are heyres of the couenant should also be partakers of the blessing thereof â—al 112. so it concernes his power to maintaine the righteous seede 〈◊〉 37. 26. 28 29. which the world especially labours to roote out y e yea his mercy is exalted in giuing his children herein a pledge of eternall happinesse and his Church is by this meanes continued and aduanced on the earth Which as it containeth that Doctrine of diuels which forbiddeth marriage to the best sort of men as if it made them bad and their posterity worse so it also checketh the infidelity of such who esteeme the plentiful issue as a crosse vnto them if they be otherwise crossed and pinched in the world Neither can they also here be excused who hauing children do rather nourish corruption in them that so they may depriue them of the blessing of the couenant then by holy education fit them thereto Math. 2. surely that Lord that therfore made one though he had aboundaunce of spirit because he sought a Godly seede Pro 2. will vndoubtedly destroy the seed that the stranger hath sownne and the bastard slips shall not take roote Obs 45. Posterity how to be continued Wouldst thou therfore know how thy posterity may abide for euermore First then graft thou in an holy stocke and then drinke the waters of thine owne cisterne Pro 3. 15. offer vp the first borne to God and prune thy oliue plants with holy discipline Set not thy heart vpon them neither dishonor the prouidence of thy God in a distrustful scraping for theÌ„ imploy them in such callings as may humble the flesh and season them with instruction to set them to grace so shalt thou be a happy father of gratious children and thou shalt not only to thy comfort see thy childrens children but to thy greater comfort peace vpon Israel Wel thus we have heard of the habitation and country of Mordecai Now lets a little further confider of his condition it followeth Psa 128. Which had beene caried away from Ierusalem with the captiuity that was caried away with Ieconiah King of Iudah Vers 6. whome Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel had carried away Obser 46. They let Gods Church to go into captiuity In which word being referd as we haue proued before to the faith of Mordecai the spirit of God sets downe the estate and condition of Mordecai by a consequent namely that he was borne in the land of his countries captiuity He was a captiue in a strange land so were his fore-fathers in Egypt and so are his posterity now slaues to all nations so are the children of God exercised with this affliction Ioseph was sould for a bond-slaue it is the lot of y e poore Christians vnder the Turke and such enemies of the Gospel to be sould led captiues into a strange land And that not without the especiall prouidence of God both to put his children in minde of their naturall condition that they are no better then the slaues of Satan Ecele 23. and also punish them iustly for their â—ornications with other nations by giving them vp as a prey vnto them and yet even to their especial good and his great glory Psal 137. Who while they are in Babilon remember Sion and thereby not only apprehend the true cause of their affliction namely the contempt of Sion and the comforts thereof but remembring Sion they also reuiue such comforts as before they had stored vp thereby to maintain in them the true life of grace and so often remembering Sion and meditating thereon as ther by they witnesse their harty longing after the same so hereby they fit them-selues to the restoring of Ierusalem To this end is it that while they are in captiuity they hartily labour the conuersion of others that so they may offer vp the riches of the gentiles vnto God and so the prouidence of God is magnified ouer them not only in humbling the flesh in the land of their captiuity their soule refuseth comfort Exod 54 but further also in quickning the life of grace their vowes are renewed Ezra 45. and heauen suffers violence Eehe 45. whereby preuayling with God they do also preuaile with men and so find such fauour in the sight of the heathen that once by them they are sent forth to Sion againe Obs 47. Church how prepared to Captiuit Vse Thus captiuity being a iudgment with may befall the Church of God as this condemneth the vaine presumption of those that dreame of a locall perpetuity and visibility of the Church of God so it also chalendgeth their extreame folly that prepare the Church of God to so heauy a iudgement either by bringing the Church in bondage at home while they captiuate the liberty here of to the lusts of men or by impudent communicating the wickednesse abroad they do thereby choose the threshing floore where the Church must be purged Surely as God is righteous in his iudgements so is he mercifull and therefore we shall beare the rod before we feele it yea one correction of the almighty shal foretel another that so we may see the plague and hide our selues and happily avoyd the vengenace to come who so is wise let him vnderstand these things and to whom the arme of the Lord hath reuealed them Well the Churh of GOD is in Captiuity and is it not to some purpose that the holy Ghost makes such perticular and often mention of it Iere. 39. 1 Yea surely Iere. 51 2 As the Lord is knowne by executing of Iudgements Reg 25 2 2. So would he have vs meditate and contemplate the same Chro. 36. c. that so we may be confirmed more and more in knowledge Obs 48. Gods Iudgements are to be recordeâ— meditated 3. And surely as they are some of those workes of God which are worthier our consideration 4. So do they keepe vs from security in sinne and presumption of Gods mercies They confound Atheists and scorners of religion Psa 16. They keepe vs in obedience and increase our faith Psal 111 Vse 1. And therefore seeing the Lord doth daily bring his iudgements to light Psal 10. 4. let them not passe aboue our sight as if they concerned vs not Let vs not esteeme them as the ordinary effects of nature and therefore haue no reference at all to sinne Let vs not suppresse them in policy or depraue them by malice Let vs not in pride diminish them or in security forget them But in the feare of God take we speciall notice of them as the admirable workes of God though nature be vsed in them As seasonable messengers or Gods will and therefore to be hearkened to Profits of Gods iudgements as liuely glasses to see our faces in and therefore not to forget our iniquities that are censured thereby and as profitable furnaces to
what we haue yet depeÌ„ding on Gods prouidence we do comfort others that had more need of comfort and remedy our selues Would not some carnall wise virgins haue here replyed wee haue little ynough for our selues we cannot spare it least wee want in the time of need we must keepe somwhat to appease our taskmaisters somewhat to buy our liberty we shall be thought to be rich if we be harbourers of others and so shall bee markes to the mallice of the spoylers We shal hereby discouer our selues to be patrones of such out-casts as being enuied where they deserue to be pittied may breed no good blood for our quiet setling Thus would blind reason haue schooled a carnal man but the man of God hath another rule hee sees his life is in his hands and therefore he will do good while hee may he knowes now there is more need and therfore he wil cast his bread vpon y e waters and where shal he haue such comfor portion in wel-doing as in releeuing the houshold of faith he sees his brethren like to go to the wal Moyses 1 Exod. and therfore hee wil rescue him though it cost him the setting on he knowes y â— to feare well doing in regard of the wicked is to giue strength to the wicked and so depriue himselfe of the oportunity of doing good He beleeues y t God wil then come to deliuer when he casteeh vp a Moses to take the cause in his hands he sees it will daunt the enemie when Gods children make much one of another and hold together and therefore hee becomes a meanes to strengthen the weakest and vnite them in families and so bind them in holy leagues and assentations togither he feares no euill tidings no not the spoile of his estate Psal 112. because his heart is stablished and beleeues in God and hee disiributes thereof to the poore wherby he wins the hearts of the enemie yea hee will not feare vntil he see his desire vpon his enemies And why the Lord is his sheepheard and he liues by faith in the son of God and though he passe through fire and water yet the Lord shall bring him into a wealthier place This is y e merciful man that sowes in teares the Lord wil recompence him aboundantly he shal reap in ioy so was Mordecai and so hee did finde 1. Vse A notable president of trâ—e bounty and therein also a liuely marke of the true child of God And therefore lette not inabilitie hinder vs from comforting others least the widdowes mite be a witnesse against vs Let not pollicie discourage vs from releeuing the Saints of God least while we please men wee make God our enemie Lette vs not feare want when God is the borrower let vs not doubt of requital where his children are ingaged let vs not be newters in such cases where not to be with is against God but let vs maintaine Gods side that he may maintaine vs. Obediah wil nourish the Prophets of God though Iezabel intend the contrary and Ionathan will succor Dauid though his father seeke his life and did they want their reward Mordecai nourisheth Hester who happily for her sake beeing beutyful might haue indangered his estate Oh let vs not consult with flesh where God coÌ„mandeth But how I pray you is Hester nourished What doth she pay for hir outward maintenance Is her conscieÌ„ce set to sale for y e belly Is her beauty made the broker to maintaine this miserable life Vers 12. 10. Doth she offer the sin of her soule for the fruit of her body Vers 23. Surely no vpoÌ„ these tearmes she might haue found fauour in the eies of a Persian Psa 69. 22 such mercies of the wicked had bin extreme cruelties Obs 57. The bounty of Gods children is no Snare but especially labours the good of the soule Behold here then the true bounty of Gods children their table is no snare their riches are no bait to corrupt y e souls of men they intend not to make Dauid their slaue by their kind intertainment they giue him not Michel to bereaue him of his life They blind not the eyes of the wise by their bosome liberality nor hunt after the pretious life of men with their sacrifices and peace offerings Deut 16. they kill not when they kisse but giue that it may bee giuen Vers 7. their principall marke is to winne the soule Ioh 2. So did our Sauiour trune water into wine that nature might bee turned to grace so did he giue a great draught of fish to make fishers of men so doth GOD bestow these outward blessings that beleeuing in him we may see greater things theÌ„ these And so are his children like their heauenly Father so they do find their bread after many daies againe when it is thus distrstâ—buted in conscience and wisdome Vse 1. A notable rule for true liberality that the streame thereof turne good to the soule Not that we should be exempted hereby from doing good to the wicked vpon pretence to harden them in their sinne Neither that we should content our selues with that liuelesse bounty of many who will seeme to comfort the soule with a little lip-labour God helpe c. neither yet to neglect our ordinary callings in an honest care of this life as if all were lost labour which is not immediately imploied vpon the soule But so to supply the bodie as that it may serue the soule So to seeke the Kiâ—gdome of Heauen as not to neglect the care of our families So to shew our true loue to the soule by releeuing the body for it sake And so to humble the sinne as that we haue compassion in the person Making difference therein where wee see likely-hood of most inward good And shortning our bounty where it may be an occasion to the flesh Thus he that scattereth shall haue plenty So did Mordecai distribute and so the Lord gaue a blessing And was it not a wonderfull blessing of GOD that a beautifull Maiden left fatherlesse and motherlesse should meete with such a gardian who did not set her beauty to sale Obs 58. God prouides for his children in trouble with the safety of a good conscience and her conscience on the racke how many destressed soules are there that in the land of their captiuity thinke it an high blessing if the ship-rack of their conscience may procure their quiet and the prostituting of their beauty may winne them fauour Behold here then an excellent priuiledge of Gods children in their extremities that they shall finde releife with the safety of a good conscience not one haire of their head much lesse the peace of the minde shall miscary thereby and why are they not the beloued of God and in their chastizements most beloued and how shall this loue appeare if they bee not kept fit for it hath not God promised that all shall turne to their good If they be not
hath a cloake to keepe it from shame Thus pretending what they may doe what euill will they not prosecute with greedinesse seeing power is in their hands and so hauing made vp the measure of their sinne bee suddenly caught with destruction while they say peace and security 1. Thess 5. 3. Vse 1. Oh that we would trie our selues whether we stand in grace or no! To sinne is naturall but to cloake sinne is diuelish 2 And therefore though outward ability may afford meanes of such excesse Rules for moderation in the creatures yet the ability of the minde should temper such meanes for the good of both and though it be lawfull for me to take my fill of Gods creatures yet expediency will moderate as may best fit me to glorifie my Creator And what should necessity do with such superfluity what seemelinesse can their be where Nature is thus adulterated As for complement of state to be furnished hereby what greater abasement of state then to be a slaue where it should rule and what more enthrals greatnesse then abuse of it power then excesse in it libertie Let vs therefore cast away these cloakes of shame and in the feare of GOD 1 Cor. 10 31 learne we an holie and sober vse of the blessings of God let not examples deceiue vs nor libertie enthrall vs let not necessity make vs â—antons nor fulnesse make vs miserable But vse we the blessings of GOD to the glorie of the giuer Let our callings be the measure and our saluation the end let necessity bee the motiue and true liberty the moderator Let experience be the Iudge 1 Cor 10. 8 Rom. Math. 25 and edification the marke we aime at so shall we vse aright the good blessings of God and being faithfull in a little we shal be made stewards of great blessings Well thus we haue remoued these shamelesse vyzards and pretences for this Now let vs examine the true cause of this excesse It followeth in the. 13. verse What soeuer she called for Obser 93. The wicked most eagerly beâ—t vpon their lusts and spare no cost for the sat flying thereof Exod. 32 it was giuen vnto her to go with her out of the womens house into the Kings house Lo here the maine cause of all this superfluity It was to go into the house of the King to satisfie his lust And therefore spare no cost let there be giuen what-soeuer is called for So engerly are the wicked bent to the satisfying of their lusts so do they spare no cost for the fulfilling thereof Not their eare-rings and bracelets but shall go willingly to make the yea the fruit of their bodie for the sinne of their soule Mich. 6. Such paines do they take to increase their paine so foolish are they to bestow such cost vpon so hard a reckoning And yet how shall they bewray their loue to sinne vnlesse it cost them thus deare How shall they iustifie this vanity in the eye of the world but by being at so great cost for it if it were not worth it surely such wise men would not lay out so much vpon it It were not worth the hauing vnlesse it cost them thus deere How should they make others in loue with sinne but by prizing it so highly How should sinne bee nourished but by such aboundance of fuell There credit now binding them hauing laid out so much vpon it to make the best of their bargaine And this cost giuing for a time some miserable comfort in the sinne that so they might at length make vppe the measure thereof Vses 1. Which as it condemneth that opinion of the world that rich men are onely righteous and onely the poore wicked whereas rather these being not able to be at the cost of sinne are so kept from it the other hauing where-withall are the likelier chapmen So it much more condemneth these badde market-men who cast away their money on such trash as sinne is yea hereby also do cast away themselues Surely if GOD be the bestower of those outward blessings and to this end they were giuen that he might haue the glorie are not great ones here tied to Gods seruice with a greater bond haue they not better meanes and leisure then others to intend the same And yet this shall not excuse the poore but they are badde husbands also Though they haue not such meanes yet they can bestow to much cost on sinne they will bestow their Time and whatsoeuer they haue their wills are as good though they cannot put it in practize and what can the diuell haue more then all that they haue Well let such consider of this that thinke all cost to little 〈◊〉 seruice of GOD 1 Malack that robbe the LORD in tythes and offerings that giue him but the lippes and out-side in his seruice that rent him in the power and plenty thereof as if we could be to righteous or he too much serued shall not the grosse sinner rise vp in iudgement against them But what must these wantons haue whatsoeuer they call for must they do what they list as if their were no King in Israel and yet doth the King commande it Indg 17 doth authority allow such licence to sinne Behold here a note of wicked Magistrates Obser 94. Wicked â—agâ—tâ—rates giue the bridle to sinne and countenance wickednesse in others instead of bridling sinne they giue the reine to it Else how should their example bee warranted if they did not warrant others How should they hope for the loue of their people if they gaue them not this liberty if they made them not like vnto them How should they as they thinke keepe their subiects from plotting against them but by drowning them thus in all kind of filthinesse How should they hope to rule them at their pleasure if they did not thus infatuate and abiect them to all kind of pleasures Thus doth Atheisticall policy giue liberty to sinne But not I pray you to the confusion thereof Let vs a little examine these grounds must sinne be made common that I may goe vncontrouled what extraordinary priuiledge and delight can I haue herein seeing I abase my pleasures as common to euery one What security can I haue in the continuance of them when I haue so many sharers and spoilers thereof Ought I not therefore rather restraine sinne in others that so I may in them reforme my selfe that my ill example may be better indured when I am beloued not for my owne worth but for conscience sake surely euen a bad husband will yet see his seruants shall worke that so he may haue to maintaine his vnthriâ—tinesse with all And shall I hope to bee beloued of my people by giuing that libertie which makes them hatefull to themselues and vnfit for any duty wherby they might shew their loue Surely though by this meanes I make them like vnto me yet neither is likenesse in sinne the ground of loue especially
either Those which are common to both are either simply common to both or respectiuely and comparatiuely Those which are simply and generally common to both callings are 1. Reuerence 2. Loue and 3. Naturall affection c. generally such as simply respect their persons as they beare the Image of God and resemble his authoritie ouer vs. Those which are common to both with respect prolation are Obedience Maintenance c. which though we owe to both yet are wee to performe them in their order Obedience first to the husband before the Father maintenance to the wife before the parents yet herein also being lead by the chiefest bond Galat. 6. 10 Namely to doe good especially to the houshold of faith and wisely discering the inuinciblenesse of necessitie not standing on what want may bee neither what superfluousb â—e wee thinke fitte but so depending on the prouidence of God as not to neglect present reliefe and therein to bee led by the neerer bond As for such duties as are proper to either such as are due beneuolence cohabitation in the state of marriage these not concerning parents may well be performed without impeachment to their honour As likewise such dueties as are not proper betweene the Father and the Sonne may very well stand with the performance of such as concerne the State of marriage so that they all tend to the glorie of God and principally intend the saluation of the soule Vse 1. Which as it condemneth those Parents that hauing aduanced their Children to this honorable Estate of marriage do either basely crouch vnto or by too much indulgence loose the right in their Childrens subiection So doth it conuince their extreame folly which is the cause thereof Namely their parting with too great portions or putting ouer their estates vnto them By which it comes to passe that their Children being puft vp and hauing the sword put into their hands in steed of obedience to Parentes do many times beate them with their owne rodde And so by Gods iudgement prouoking hereby their Parents in the bitternesse of their soules to cursing and complayning the Lord heares their crie and punisheth such rebellious plants by rooting them out and laying wast their habitations And therefore also such children may here learne their lesson As not so much to stand vpon portion or such outward complement for their preferment so to performe conscionable obedience while they are at home so shall they not forget it when they are abroad And married folkes also may here take out their lesson not to despise their aged Parents but rather now to performe them double honour because they were not onely the cause of their beeing but in placing them thus comfortably a good meanes of their well being Yea they that are left of their Parents to take their chance as we say and to get it out of the fire these haue most cause to honour their Parents because as they can more sufficiently requite them in that they were meanes of their being So being now put to a more iust triall of the sincerity of their obedience and being certainely perswaded that as what was wanting in Parents hath beene supplied by the Lord so his hand shall not be shortned if they enlarge theirs euen where they haue no other cause but only for Gods sake when they can hope for no better pay-maister then God himselfe And thus farre câ—ncerning Hesters obedience But what are all of Hesters minde to performe obedience to their superiors doth Ahashuerosh finde as faithfull subiects as Mordecai found faithfulnesse in his aduanced Nephew Surely no Behold Hester so highly preferred yet performes dutie to her Father and yet ahashuerosh being chiefe Commander cannot finde loyaltie in his subiects but while he is wallowing in the fulnesse of his pleasures and blessing his soule in his security and false content his life is sought for by two of his attendants euen those that he appointed keepers of the doore or of the entry for his greater safety so it followeth In those daies when Mordecai sate in the Kings gate two of the Kings Eunuches Bigthan Vers 21. 22. and Teresh which kept the doore were wroth and sought to lay hands on the King Ahashuerosh c. In which words the spirit of Gods sets downe a very seareful and yet vsual accident vnto Tyrants befalling this voluptious Prince in the glut of his pleasures to sauce the same so to make him more without excuse namely a desperate treason entended by two of his seruants whom he put in some trust tending to no lesse then the taking away of his life Wherein we may obserue these circumstances 1. The time when this Treason was committed In those dales i. in those daies of pleasure and security of rauishing and deflowring of Virgins of enioying delight with the wronging and oppression of others then is this luxurious Prince summoned to his account then is his life sought for then is he most in danger 2. The person is described by whom the Treason is discouered and the daunger preuented who is Mordecai the seruant of GOD he prooues the faithfull seruant to his Prince he that is most despised yet does most good Now Mordecai is here described 1 by his faithfull attending on his office he sate in the Kings gate 2. by his intelligence of the Treason The thing was knowne to Mordecai 3. by his wisdome in the discouery of it He told it vnto the Queene Hester and Hester certefied the King thereof in Mordecaies name 3. The parties are set downe by whom this treason is committed and that 1. by their number they were two Secondly by their quality they were Eunuches 3. by their names they were called Bigthan Teresh 4. by their office they kept the doore 5. by the occasion mouing them thereto they were wroth 4. The Treason it selfe is layd open Namely to laie hands on the King Ahashuerosh to take away his life 5. The person is described against whom the Treason is committed namely King ahashuerosh 6. Here is set downe the discouery of the Treason and that both by the Author as before and manner of the discouery namely inquisition was made and it was found to bee so 7. Here is commended vnto vs the execution of these Traitors They were both hanged on a tree 8. The holy Ghost concludes this history with a notable relation of wisdome euen of those Godlesse men namely it was written in the booke of Chronicles before the King that so memorable a deliuetance might neuer be forgotten and the seruice of Mordecai might hereafter be remembred These are the particulars in this memorable accident And 1. conceruing the Time when it fell out In those daies That is when the King is drowning himselfe in pleasure and saith soule take thy ease Then doth the Lord raise some of his owne house to call him to an account Psâ— 73 Obs 133. The prosperiâ— of the wicked slippery and subiect to great
further a distrust there where there is no apparant cause and so happily prouoke to giue iust cause of distrust And therfore seeing those whom he must vse he must also trust yet in trusting of them both giue them occasion to thinke the Prince hath need of them as also that they are well conceiued and approued off least heereby such might either grow to worke upon their Princes secrets to keep the state in awe and thereby to get the head Very necessary it is that as Princes be wise what they commit in trust so they be not secure in the issue of it but rather watch dilligently ouer the trust committed and to keepe the bridle in their owne handes by putting it wisely to God Whereby it shall come to passe that the subiect hereby perceiuing that he is rather honoured in the case committed then the Prince disburthend of the care of his calling will more faithfully behaue him-selfe to giue sound contentment And so the Prince being more secured by the loyalty of his subiect will bee more still prouoked to rest vpon God In whose hands seeing the hearts of all men are therefore hee cannot better secure the issue of his affaies then by resigning the same into the gratious hand of God Thus wee see who they are that intend this mischiese against y â— King Obse 146. Anger incident to Courtiers But what might the cause be that moued them thereto It followeth they Were wroth some-what had displeased them either they were not preferred according to their desarts and expectation or they wanted their stipend according to their places or they were offended for the diuorcement of Vashty or they were so full fedde they must needs bee kicking So apt are such stallions to fume and champe the bridle So truly is anger the complement of Courtiers as whereby they show their spirits and vphold their credits whereby they obtaine their desires and put of their dangers Whereby they dare their enemies and hold their friends By it they iustifie their wrongs and pay their debts Which as it is no warrant for meane ones to giue the reyne to this sinne because the greater flies will breake through when the lesser are intangled And if it were not yet we must liue not by examples but by lawes so let euen the greatest make this account that the more they ryot in this sinne without concealement the deeplyer are they engaged in the sight of God and the more their sinne serues there turne in this life it doth the more make them indebted to it and when they haue not where withall to pay they must lie by it in hell till they haue answered the vttermost farthing Thus wee see great ones will easely be prouoked Obs 150. Anger the occasion of out ragious sinne and particularly of treason and some such cause there might be of this wrath of these Eunuches but whatsoeuer the Sire was the bastard is anger and rage likely is the mother of treason and outragious sinnes because as it banisheth reason and so giues way to all vnrulinesse so â—it ends in malice and malice will haue bloud yea such is the progresse of this sinne of anger that it will not spare it selfe to hurt another yea none can be priuiledged froÌ„ the furious man he makes no difference of persons all causes are a like Vs 1. Which as it condemneth natures prophets that determine anger to be the whet stone to couradge Obs 151. Princes marks of treason and rebellion and so giue way vnto it as a passion of credit and no small aduantage so we may learne to suppresse the same being fully perswaded that as the wrath of man cannot fulfill the will of God so much more will it make vs vnseruiceable to men The way to doe this we haue taught before Well these Eunuches are enraged and whome is it that they ayme at Surely no meaner a person then the King Kings are the markes for euery one to shoot at They are faire markes that may be easily discerned and many times they are foule markes to betray Gods glory and therefore he iustly giues them vp to be betrayed of their subiects yea they make buts of their people and so the arrowes some-times rebounds on them-selues so doth GOD transpose scepters without the shedding of innocent blood so when conscience will not euen by this feare of danger doth the Lord keepe wicked Princes in awe that so they may be seruiceable to others thought it tend to their further condemnation so doth hee make great one more inexcusable that will build their nest on such sandy foundations Vse 1. And therefore as this may humble Princes in the greatest high of their happinesse so it may comfort them to that they have right in an other happinesse because this present is so vncertaine and slippery And seeing by the ticklishnesse of the present the Lord prouokes them to aspire to the certaine happinesse and yet so as euen by this tottering ladder they must climbe thereto Oh let them learne to sanctifie this their present estate vnto them that it may so farre be secured as may further them to heauen let them giue God the glory and maintaine peace among Men by promoting his Ghospel and in ioyning obedience to the same So did he preserue good Elizabeth from a world of treasons so hath he preserued our annoynted from many conspiracies so great shall bee the glory of the King in the saluation of the Lord. Thus we haue heard the summe of the treason now let vs further consider the prosecution of the discouery thereof We haue heard heretofore that Mordecai was the man that had the first inkling of it hee relates it wisely to Queene Hester and Hester to the King what now doth the King in this case doth he presently beleeue it though the reporter were of credit surely No as Princes are not to be credulous especially of such reports because they may wrong themselues in discouering a needlesse feare yea they may wrong the innocent who happily may be misreported yea though he were guilty yet might they wrong him to if they proceeded to censure before the matter be throughly sifted So euen this heathen Prince keepes decorum herein so it followeth That after inquisition made when the thing was found out Behold here the equity of this heathen Prince Obser 152. Sinne not to be punished before it be conuinced Gen. 10. in a case of life and death so neerely concerning him-selfe and the preuention wherof consisted in speed yet is he not hasty to credit a report muchles to proceed against a suspected offender before the offence be manifested conuinced So doth the Lord proceed in iudgement so is innocency preserued wheÌ„ only accusation goes not currant so is authority iustified when sinne is thoroughly convinced and the offender happily prepared to repentance Exod. 23. Doth our law condemne any before his cause be heared Vse 1. By which wee may learne
Leuit. 19. as not to beleeue reports without due inquisition Iohn 7. so to condemne such rash iudgements Act 23. which execute in the morning and then fitte vpon him in the afternoone Festus Pilatus I remember policy doth aduize in these cases of treasons to strike while the yron is hotte if the offender bee so mighty as that he bee able to out-dare the law as the case of y e Guise was vnder Henry y e third here saith wisdome its good cutting him off first then declare the cause for iustifying of such execution And surely if the offences of such great ones bee dangerous and notorious seeing the apparantnesse thereof is a sufficient conuiction of the same it many not be euill pollicie by such authority as we may priuately cutte him off especially if he bee of power to preuent publique iustice So doth God iustly strike before the fault bee published and so may earthly Princes proceed to execution when the inquirie and discouery of the fact may hinder the same and indanger their estates Onely herein they must be carefull not to pretend lust for a law and to make their wills a rule of it righteousnesse This is a prerogatiue w t belongeth onely vnto God As for worldly Princes they must dye like men and therefore the liues of men ought to be pretious vnto them as they will answer an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth And therefore as suspition must not blind them or reports misleade them to call the life of their subiects into question so when reports come to them Ierem 41. lette them not be secure It is good to feare when they see but a smoake least Gedaliah loose his life by contemning the danger And if raking vp the ashes they discouer the fire and so the fact proue cleare and euident let them secure them-selues and deliuer the innoceÌ„t by punishing the offender according to y e quality of his sinne So doth this heathen Prince very maturely proceed to execution The thing being found out saith the holy Ghost they were both hanged one a tree A fit recompence for Traitors and a iust fruit of their sinne whose end is death Obs 153. Traytors are executed for their outragious offences and whose wages is damnation And a very safe course to be taken especially with such offenders whose sparing as it doth hazard the life of the Prince so it endaungers also their owne soules yea encourageth the wicked and discourageth the loyall breedes confusion of lawes and is indeed the very scorne of iustice and gappe to all licentiousnes Whereas by punishment of notorious offenders the lawes are established iustice is honored and iniquity bridled the wicked humbled and God himselfe glorified So Adoniâ—ah being spared will rebel againe but when he is cut of the throne wil be established 1 Reg. 12. Vse Oh that Princes would looke to it haue they care to haue compassion on themselues while though soole-hardines or fond clemency they spare such desperate enemies that treason might hop headles and so loyalty might be secured Surely though there is difference to be made in a multitude of offenders yet is the safety of the prince more pretious then the liues of ten thousand And better it is to cut of many rotten branches then endanger the roote and hinder the fruit It is but cruel mercy that hazards y e soule and very foolish pitty to nourish a viper in my bosome which hereafter may sting me But the King of Kings shall teach them true wisdome that if they be wise they wil be wise to themselues Al the doubt may be concerning these Eunuchs whether they deserued this hainous punishment or no Obs 154. The intent of treason discouered is to be punished seeing they missed of their purpose were preuented therein The King had no hurt and why then should they be touched Surely though purposes are sinnes in the sight of God yet onely actions may seeme liable to the censure of men Who onely can iudge by the out-side and so may proceed accordingly how stands it then with equity that these mens purpose is punished especially seeing in other offences the intent is not taken hold of so that the act by any meanes be hindered or preuented Indeed if we do consider sinne in it owne desart so not onely the act but the purpose yea the very thought it selfe deserues eternall punishment but if we measure sinne by the subiect wherein it is then seeing God hath reconciled our persons vnto him in Iesus Christ and will remember our iniquities no more to punish them euerlastinglv so neither doth he to any other end chastize them in this life then may make for the good of the sinner the glorie of his name And to this end serue the lawes of men Which intending the saluation of the sinner in the inflicting of punishments as they cannot reach to the thought which is only Gods prerogatiue so neither do they otherwise fasten on the purpose then for a greater good vsually they are confined to the outward action and so only censure that and yet therein also are so farre ouerruled by the condition of the offendor as to admit qualification for his peculiar good that if clemencie be fitter for him it is not to be denied if seuerity be necessary yet with this intent that by the distruction of the body the soule may be saued 1 Cor. 5. The intent then of the law being the good of mankind herevpon it followeth Reasons why the purpose of treason is to be punished with death that though other sinnes be only censured by the act as Murther Theft c. Yet Treason is to be censured by the intent Because though it hath not taken effect yet being a sinne so dangerous both to the committer and the Kingdome some such course is to be taken by the wisdome of the law that such desperate mischiefes might be vtterly preuented how shall that be done Surely by inflicting the punishment vpon the intent that so the intent being met withall the act may be preuented and all hope cut off from being pardoned for the act seeing the very intent discouered is so deadly to the Author And doth not the general good necessarylie force this seuerity seeing the suppressing of the Prince is the ruine of many thousands yea threatens the destruction of the whole common-wealth What should I tell you of the calling of the King doth he not represent the person and administer the office of God himselfe who if he punish the thought of the heart as being his prerogatiue why may not the Prince also punish the intent seeing he is Gods vice-geâ—ent so to meet with sinne as that the holy purpose of the Lord in his ordinance might be best accomplished to the good of the sinner and safety of gouerment And therefore seeing intent of treason pardoned doth but giue further breath thereto because ambition is vnsatiable