equitie then reuenge lette euerie one according to his vocation study to attaine true wisedome and the knowledge of rights lawes and iudgement especially those who ought to gouerne others with good counsaile that in all our meetings a lawfull order may be obserued and the endes of them may bee happie beeing ioyned with the glorie of God to whom only be alhonor strength and power for euer more Amen THE FOVRTH SERMON The sentence of those seuen wise men of the question proposed what by law was to be done to the Queene Vashti from the sixteenth verse to the end of the Chapter 16 Then saide Memuchan before the King the Princes the Qeene Vashti hath not onely done euill against the King but against all the Princes and against all the people that are in all the prouinces of King Assuerus 17 For when the Act of the Queene shal come abroad vnto all women it shall come to passe that they shall despise their husbands in their owne eyes saying The King Assuerus commaunded the Queene Vashti to bee brought into his presence but she câ—me not 18 Also thus shal the Princesses of Persia and Medea this day say vnto all the Kings Princes when they heare of the act of the Queene thus shall there bee among vs much despitefulnesse and wrath 19 If it seeme good vnto the King let aroyall decree proceede from him and let it be written among the Statutes of Persia and Media that it be not transgressed that the Queene Vashti come un more into the presence of King Assuerus and let the King giue her royall estate vnto her companion that shall be better then she 20 So when the decree of the King shall be heard which he shall publish throghout all his Kingdome though it bee great all the women shall giue their husbands honour both great and small 21 And when this saying pleased the King and the Princes the King did according to the sentence of Memuchan 22 For hee sent letters into all the prouinces of the King into euerie prouince according to the writing thereof and to euerie people after their language That euerie man should beare rule in his owne house which euerie officer published in the language of his people RIghtly doth the wise man say in the Prou. 11. 14 Prouerbs as VVhere no counsaile is the people fall so in the multitude of good councellors there is health Rightly also haue the ancients said That counsaile is 〈◊〉 sacred holy thing For where all things are diligently weighed and decerned by deliberate counsell there right determinatioÌ„s are made which bring both profit vnto al men remedy for all mischiefs But there 〈◊〉 no good counsaile without God Therâ—ore Wisdome cryeth out I haue counsaile Pro. 8. 14. 15. and equitie wisedom is mine a little after By me Kings raigus rulers decree iustice Therefore vnlesse God sit president in â—he counsaile of the wife they quickly â—urne away from that which is right wherâ—f this Historie wilgiue vs sufficieÌ„t proofe 〈◊〉 which the king beeing as yet hot in wrath â—emaÌ„deth of his couÌ„cellors what they think 〈◊〉 to be done to the Queen Vashti because she â—bâ—yed not the kings commandement one â—f the couÌ„cellors pronouncing the sentence â—he king without further inquiry alloweth 〈◊〉 the rest confirme it with their consâ—â— â—hat by by therâ— shuld a decree be made â—hereby the Queen should be depriued of â—er dignitie and so be diuorced least that women should afterward become disobedient or stubburne against their husbands but euery man should be ruler in his owne house The ende of this decree was good and commendable but the manner of the proceeding vnlawfull and no proportion or equalitie obserued betweene the fault and the punishment and therefore no regarde had either of iustice or of publique commoditie which will better appeare by the diligent consideration of euery particular First therefore let vs weigh the question propounded by the King and afterwards examine the sentence of Memuchan one of the councell Lo then this is the question proposed by the King to be deliberated of what shall bee done according to the Lawe to the Queene Vashti because she fulfilled not the commaundement of the King Assuerus â—sent by the Eunuches A plaine proposition and as it seemeth not vniust for he requires to haue her iudged by the law But was a matter of so great moment to be referred to the couÌ„cell when they had well drunke or whiles the king was yet inflamed with wine and incensed with anger For as yet his wrath was not asswaged as appeareth by the decree of the councel and those things which expresly are spoken in the beginning of the next Chapter Besides is not a matter of so great weight ouer-hasfily handeled when he wil haue sentence giuen euen in their banquet Moreouer what iustice was it to giue iudgement against so noble a personage the cause being neuer heard seeing there is none so vile or abiect who can bee condemned in the equitie of any lawe either diume or humane wheÌ„ neither he hath pleaded his cause neither is lawfully conuict Last of all euen by the lawe of nations euery man is to be heard in his own cause before he be condemned First therfore they should haue enquired whether the matter were worthie to be called into consultation which if it should be found so to bee then both the day should haue bene assigned and a conuenient place appointed and the partie accused called if this had bene done that ioyfull meeting of theirs had not bene turned into so wofull a tragedie He desireth indeed that the queene Vashti should be iudged according to the lawes but the contempt of lawes in this action sufficiently sheweth that he maketh mention of the lawes onely for fashions sake So for the most part Kings are vvont to talke of lawes statutes as though they would submit themselues vnto them but indeede they meane to haue their will to stand for reason and their passion to possesse the place of iudgement So euerie one that goeth to lavv pretendeth law equitie vvhich the greater part of them haue an hundreth times broken or at the least turned to their own commodity So those who sit in the place of gouernment wil seeme to speake nothing but lawe and statutes which notwithstanding for the most part they wrest and alter as they list Notwithstanding this saying of the Kings if it bee rightly vnderstood prescribeth a rule whereby all controuersies as wel ciuil as Ecclesiastical may bee compounded For vvhereas vve liue so heere vppon this earth by reason of the infirmitie of man that it cannot be but that strife vvil sometime arise they must all bee iudged according to the lavve VVherefore it behooueth that in iudgement the Iudges haue the lavves alvvaies before theyr eyes and diligently enquire of the cause and euerie circumstaunce thereof as Iob protesteth of himselfe that hee was wont to Examine diligently the
it had beene ioyned with exceeding great contempt But among the Medes Persians ouer whom their kings challenge an absolute power this fault was the greater though not therfore to bee chaunged into so hainous a crime nor so farre to be vrged that the inconuenience should so hardly be scanned which therof might follow among others By this speech also of Memuchan we gather that in Persia the husbands had obtained great authoritie ouer their wiues were willing to retaine it and also that the women would gladly shake off this yoke of hard bondage which mischiefe Memuchan here seeketh in time to preuent VVee learne also out of his wordes that to pronounce right iudgement of any matter it is requisite that all things bee weighed what may followe vppon any thing that the euils which may ensue bee preuented but yet by such conuenient remedies as shall not be more dangerous theÌ„ the euils which be feared By the way also this is to be noted that there is nothing that so easily stirreth vp strife between the married as when the wife despiseth and conteÌ„neth her husband And these things touching the sentence of Memuchan concerning the fact of the Queene Vashti There followeth now what punishment is fit for such a fact to wit Let it please the king that a royal decree proceed from him and â—â—â— it be written among the statutes of Persia and Media that it be not transgressed That the queene Vashti come no more into the kings presence and let the King giue her kingdome vnto her neighbor which shall be better then shee This is a most greeuous punishment whether it be considered in it selfe or in the manner of the publishing For he will haue her to be diuorced with shame reproach and her princely dignitie to be taken from her as being rebellious against her king and husband another to be appoynted in her place whereby her greefe might be increased with greater indignation As touching the maner there must a decree go forth from the king which shal be published through all prouinces and layde vppe in record among the statutes and not to bee called backe againe In which poynt Memuchan seemes to prouide for his owne safetie for hee might chance to heare of it afterward if the decree might be recalled This sentence seemeth iust vnto many such as the pride and stubburnnes of the queene Vashti did well deserue But to him that shall weigh the matter in equall ballance it may well appear that the punishment was far greater then the offence and so more seuere then right For simple disobedience is not a sufficient cause to dissolue the band of matrimonie especially it beeing grounded on a seasonable shew if any list to bee the queenes patrone in the cause Asa the King of Iuda did indeede depose his mother Maacha from gouerning the people but it was for her horrible idolatrie I confesse that the people of the East partes did neuer greatly esteeme of marriage hauing ioyned vnto themselues many wiues at once yea euen of those who were neere of bloud vnto them and vsing also for verie light occasions to diuorce them againe Neither ought this to seeme straunge when euen among the people of GOD these vices founde place But these things are not to bee measured by theyr abuse but by the truth and the auncient lawe of nature Besides the deposing of a personage of so great Maiestie especially ioyned with so great reproach and perpetuall note of infamie is most commonly more bitter then death it selfe But far be it from me that I shuld go about to search out the iudgments of God which seeing they are alwayes holy and iust we must confesse that the Queene Vashti was for iust cause throwne downe by him which thing the blessed virgin doth in her song confesse that God hath put downe the Luâ— 1. 52. mightie from their seates and exalted them of low degree But those things which God by his secret decree doth bring to passe and those which men decree do many degrees differ the one from the other wherein men may easily passe their boundes and deale vniustly though God alwayes deale iustlie This is plaine vnto vs in the example Gen. 37. of Ioseph when God iustly humbleth and tryeth when his brethren traiterously and with more then barbarous trecherie do sell him Wherefore the punishment of Vashti if they had obserued the proportion between the fault and the punishment might haue beene gentler neither needed they to haue dealt with her by extreame lawe which often times is extreame iniurie By this let the mightie learne not to trust in their dignitie which is so brittle for those fals are most dangerous which are from high places And any man may easily coniecture how great the sorrow of this great Ladie was being â—ast downe so sodainly from so high degree of honour That custome of the Persians to make lawes that shoulde not bee repealed is most commendable so that care be taken that fewe lawes be made and that those bee iust and diligently weighed with deliberate counsell before they be confirmed and published For it auaileth little or nothing to haue good lawes made vnlesse they be kept in force and diligently obserued and to set forth statutes which in short time shall be repealed is to lay them open to contempt and cause them to bee despised and it taketh much away from the authoritie of lawes when men see that they must either be taken away againe or at the â—east somewhat chaunged in them Yet notwithstanding there bee some things which may ought to be altered with the â—ime seeing as men are variable changeble so also are their lawes and affayres and some thing may bee fit and necessarie for one time which is not so conuenient at an other It is further to be noted that then common-weales are best gouerned and their â—state preserued when punishments are â—rdained for those that offend and contraâ—â—wise those that deserue well of the common-wealth are by the authoritie of the lawes sufficiently rewarded which two if they be wanting all things will be full of troubles and confusion And thus much hitherto of the punishment to be inflicted vpon the queene Vashti He confirms his sentence afterward with the profite that will follow to wit that all women afterwardes yeelde the greater honour to their husbands Hee seemeth indeed to iudge aright but hee seeth not on the otherside that many husbands beeing by this meanes made more insolent will abuse their authoritie and chaunge it into tyrannie and that many women may easily bee compelled vnto many things scarce honest as oft as their husbandes shall require and that by this meanes manie marriages by diuorce shall bee broken so that this wise councellor seemeth but with one eie to haue looked into this fact But when as he dealeth about a decree which should be irreuocable he was to haue had a more diligent care of all things that
Queene â—efore them all would make it known that she was his spouse and wife of which feast also the end was quiet happie He had indeed many women besides her as the corrupt maners of that age did beare but in a far lower degree for which cause also they were called concubines But this fact was especially praise worthie in this feast because he gaue great occasion vnto his subiects of publike ioy in that hee granted them release froÌ„ their burthenâ— and payments It is not declared whether that immunitie was granted for oney earâ— or moe but it is likely that it was granted at the least for a yeare wherefore the people being set free from this burthen 〈◊〉 iust cause of gladnesse and to reioyce 〈◊〉 Ester was made Queen Neither is it expressed to whom those royall gifts 〈◊〉 giuen but it is to bee supposed that 〈◊〉 were giuen to those that were bidden vnto the feast euen as at this day in som places it is a custome to giue giftes to 〈◊〉 that are inuited to a banquet By the example of this royall magnificence and liberalitie of Assuerus let king and great men learne that their feasts anâ— pastimes be not the cause of weeping 〈◊〉 teares vnto their poore subiects by 〈◊〉 hard exacting of taxes other tributes â—hich yet notwithstanding at this day is 〈◊〉 to bee done in the Courts of many â—reat Princes so that they neither celeâ—rate feasts nor mariage nor come almost 〈◊〉 any of their Cities without great 〈◊〉 and oppression of the miserable â—eople whose very marrowe as it were 〈◊〉 sucke out so farre off be they from â—eeing liberal and beneficiall vnto them 〈◊〉 the ioy may be common to all but â—here is scraping euery where and violent â—atching to satisfie the sacred famine of a 〈◊〉 Courtiers which indeed can neuer 〈◊〉 satisfied Moreouer here is set downe a patterne â—or all vnto which they must conforme â—heir marriage feasts whosoeuer aâ—ong Christians will celebrate them â—ith holy mirth that the beginning 〈◊〉 so holy a bande and league bee â—edicated vnto the author thereof of whom onely the blessing thereof doth â—epend But here euery man must measure himâ—elfe according to his abilitie least those â—hings be consumed in a few daies which ought to haue sufficed for many yeares Besides men must abstaine in such feastes from all intemperancie in meate and drinke from all filthie speech and prophane wantonnesse and we must take care that the poore bee made partakers of our ioy finally wee must labour that all things be done holily in so holy an action for whereas for the most part men let loose the reines to all intemperancie it is the cause wherefore wee see so many vnhappie endes of marriages which God doth not blesse because hee dwelleth but onely with the holy The wisedome of Ester is afterwardes foâ— down in coÌ„cealing those things which Mardochaeus had willed her that is of her kindred people In that the virgins are said to bee gathered togither the second time it hath some difficultie in it and may beare diuers senses But this seemeth to be the most simple meaning if we shalâ— say that the king hauing so many Concubines and Ester beeing declared to bee Queene and that there were as yet many maidens in the custodie of Hegai which had not yet bene brought in vnto the king did gather those rest againe togither that they might be restored euery one vnto their friends and parents For seeing he had chosen one out of the whole number to be his Queen it was right that the rest should be sent backe againe to their home It is not altogither also without difficultie how it might come to passe that Ester beeing so suddainly exalted into so high a dignitie could conceale her people for men are wont most especial 〈◊〉 to make enquirie concerning such and that very diligently Wee must therefore suppose that in those daies the people were 〈◊〉 so curious as they be now especially concerning a woman and that they gaue themselues only to miâ—th and ioy not regarding whence shee was But especially the fauour of God is to bee considered whereby Ester was preserued safe that it might not be known of what kindred she was or what religion she did professe vnâ—ill there were fit time for it the Lord so defending her against that contempt and â—nuie which if it hadbene knowne shee â—ad bene a Iewe a captiue she should â—aue runne into Behold how the Lord â—oth direct the waies of his how hee â—efendeth and maketh plaine their paths 〈◊〉 giueth them at last the thing they wish for To what ende then should Ester speake any thing of her kindred or nation when no man made demaunde concerning it vntill fit opportunitie and her dutie should require it Heere then her wisedome is greatly to bee commended but especially therein is she to be praised that although she were a Queene yet she is obedient to her cosin Mardochaeus eueÌ„ as before when she was brought vp with him and vnder his custodie This vertue is most rare that those who are exalted out of base and lowe degree to any estate or dignitie do acknowledge their poore kinsmen or will vouchsafe theÌ„ of any honour which pride and insolencie is especially found in those Ianissaries which the Turke bringeth vp For how can those who are lifted vp into dignitie and so set free from their Parentes power almost but waxe haughtie when wee seâ— those who yet are vnder their parents gouernment do account it a small matter to contemne them and behaue themselueâ— stubbornly against them What faire excuses might Ester haue preteÌ„ded to Mardochaeus if she had refused to yeeld to hiâ— precepts to wit that shee was now vndeâ— the power of her husband who being so mightie a Monarch hee ought to knowe that her former estate was greatly altred which now might not suffer her to bee subiect to a priuate man other matters of like sort But shee whatsoeuer honour and felicitie shee attained vnto she attributed it vnto the good education she had vnder him and to the good lessons instructions she had receiued from him For what dignitie what honour can be compared to the incoÌ„parable treasure of true pietie religioÌ„ which by the care of our Parents their diligent education wee attaine vnto How great then shall the vice of ingratitude vnthankfulnes be vnlesse children alwaies haue it fixed in their memorie what a madnesse finally is it to esteem lesse of such a precious tresure then of worldly riches transitorie honours The godlinesse which Ester had learned vnder Mardochaeus was it not far more profitable vnto her then her royall crown She did then iustly obey him whoÌ„ she did honour as her father What then shall become of those miserable wretches who attaining to the least honours do arrogantly despise euery man Truly they are worthie to be hated of all men and as they set light by their old
executing of that which he had cōsulted in which thing he was deceiued as he deserued for before that day shame fell vpon himselfe and that destruction which hee had prepared for others Now Haman as we see fleeth vnto Lots to ask counsel of his gods and to enquire whether that were acceptable vnto them which he went about what opportunitie they would yeelde him for the performance thereof For there is nothing so vniust which idolaters do not perswade themselues to be acceptable to their gods when as it once liketh themselues What kinde of lotte hee vsed no man knoweth because the holy Scriptures do not declare And it is euidently knowne that these miserable heathen being blinded by Satan who is the spirit of errour did vse diuers kindes of lots and diuinations for some did coniecture diuine by the earth some by the water some by the ayre some by the fire some by the concourse aspects of Planets other Stars some by diuelles which the Scriptures call Pythons or spirits of diuination some by those answers which the Images and statues of their false gods doo giue and the most of them by the entrailes of their sacrifices Finally there is nothing created which these miserable blinde men haue not abused to their diuinatiōs I leaue out lots which euery one by himselfe might deuise So the father of lyes after he had turned men away from the word of God and those answeres which hee gaue by his true seruants and Prophets which are the only rule according to which our life and all our actions are to be framed he did euē make them madde with so many sorceries and diuinations which he brought in in steed of Gods word and bewitched them by all meanes with diuers sorts of lyes in steed of Gods truth that if at any time he spake any thing that were true and that things came to passe as he foretold them it was done by Gods iudgement giuing to the vncleane spirit the efficacie of error and granting him libertie that those who had left the loue of the truth might 2. Thes 2. 11 12. beleeue lyes So Satan by reason of that great knowledge and experience hee hath of things past might a great wayes before by the causes gather the effects and by certain cōiectures foretel of things to come which is not to diuine but by the causes to iudge of the effects which all men are wont to doo who haue attained to any perfect knowledge of any science Now seeing this pestiferous vanitie hath place at this day amongst men and namely amongst those who professe thēselues Christians wee are to be warned how great a fault yea wicked and abhominable before God lot-casting is or any other kind of witchcraft or diuination Which is apparant by those things which are written Leuit. 19. 31. and 20. 6. and Deut. 18. 10. 11. 12. in all which places they are adiudged to death whosoeuer giue their mindes to any of those diuinations And 1. Sam. 28. Saul is said to haue added this as an heape to all his euils that hee had recourse to those that had familiar spirits and 1. Chron. 10. 13. these are the words of the holy Ghost So Saul died for his transgression against the Lord euen against the word of the Lord which he kept not and in that hee sought and asked counsell of a witch which had a familiar spirit and asked not of the Lord. And herevnto belōgeth that of Ochozia or Ahazia the K. of Israel who when he fel into a disease and had sent to aske concerning the euent thereof of the Oracle of Beelzebub the God of the Accaronites was therefore so sharply reprooued by Elia the Prophet who told him of his death 2. King 1. Finally the scripture to shewe foorth the corruptions and extreame iniquitie of Manasses the king of Iuda saith that hee also gaue his mind to diuinations 2. King 21. Let no man therefore thinke the sinne of Diuiners Sorcerers Enchanters Necromancers and those who vse familiar spirits to be a light sinne for they all leaue God to followe the diuel and the light that shineth in the holy scriptures to delight in lies and for Christ their Maister they follow Beliall in stead of the light of his spirit they run after the deceits of the spirit of darknes It is further to be obserued that there be many sorts of witchcrafts diuinations which proceed from the wicked spirit which yet vnskilful men accoūt to be but sports pastimes or else things lawful to be vsed as to knit a point to hinder the effect of holy matrimony to moue a siue to know who hath taken or stolne any thing to throw the key of the chief doore of the house into the fire that the witch may come who is suspected to haue bewitched any to run to soothsaiers or diuiners either to recouer things lost or to get helpe for any disease or to know whether a disease be deadly or to heare foretelling of good fortune by them finally out of dreames or the meetings of any thing to search out the trueth of diuers euēts to come For Sathan cunningly mingling himselfe in all these things doth guide them that he may turne away the minds of men from the word of God from his feare from trust in his fatherly goodnesse and finally from care heedfulnesse to learn of the spirit of God the way whereby we may be gouerned in all distresse calling vpon him and attentiuely reading and hearing his word For that malicious spirit leaueth nothing vnattēpted and searcheth all crafts wherby when hee hath turned vs from the onely voyce doctrine of our good shepheard Christ Iesus hee may leade vs after himselfe to seeke counsell ayde and helpe at his hand But those that turne away from Christ Iesus to these vaine and idolatrous things must looke for nothing else but ruine and confusion For what other thing can hee bring vnto man who was a liar a murtherer from the beginning Ioh. 8. but onely death and deceit Now heere by the way we may note the means which they followed who were the chiefe promoters of that slaughter and horrible butchery of the poore faithful ones in Frāce euen they vsed the art and counsell of Witches Soothsayers and wicked spirits as there are in the Church of Rome yea and in the Courts of Princes many very diuels incarnate who are addicted altogither to those deceits and to all kinde of magicall incantations and diuinations Also I beseech yee vnto what thing doth the greatest part of the seruice of the Church of Rome leane more then as they perswade themselues to the apparing of the spirites and ghosts of the dead And what other thing is that but a kinde of Necromancie Therefore what maruell is it that a religion founded vpon lies is maintained by the same arts and giueth place to the crafts and deceites of Sathan to oppresse the Church of God And
afflicted That Mardochaeus refuseth the garments offered it partly proceeded of the greatnesse of his sorrow which he could not dissemble partly that he would not seeme to be carefull of his priuate commoditie but remaining in mourning would more and more make appâ—rant the greatnesse of his sorrow both to Ester and to all his brethren By which example we are admonished that in publique calamities wee must not haue regard of our priuate securitie but of the defence of the whole common-wealth and by our example to moue others to seeke those remedies whereby the safetie of all may be prouided for and that we may moue others there ought to appeare in vs euident signes that wee are touched with the sence of Gods wrath and feeling of the common calamitie Now Ester is not offended with this efusing of the garments as Princes are â—ommonly wont to be angry if all things â—e not done as please them but shee senâ—eth Hatach one of her Eunuches to enâ—uire diligently the cause of this mourâ—ing that when it was knowne shee â—ight remedie it For shee knew that Mardochaeus was not wont to be so moued â—r a matter of nothing By her carefulnesse and sollicitude we learne not to neglect the teares and mourning of the afflicted as though they touched vs not For it is the property of an arrogant and disdainful person not to be moued with the teares and grones of those that mourne When as this is one of the greatest griefes in miserie to be contemned by those that are at case besides that if we diligently looke into the causes of sorrow we shal find that our state is in handling and that wee had need take heed when our neighbors house is on fire which thing we heere see that Ester had experience of Mardochaeus being demanded doth particularly vnfold what hapned vnto him the conspiracie of Haman against all the Iewes and the kings commandement to destroy them and withall sendeth a copie thereof vnto Ester shewing besides what had befallen he confesseth that he hath enflamed Hamans wrath against him because he wold not bow vnto him as other did though he were often solicited there vnto and so sheweth that he neither waâ— ashamed nor did repent not to haue yeeâ— ded to a mortall man him accursed bâ— God that honor which was due to God â— lone Therefore when as doing well resisting the pride impietie of the wicked we suffer calamitie affliction let vs not be ashamed if by occasion our fact shal draw others into any great danger and calamitie let vs not therefore thinke that we are to be blamed as we oght not to blame Dauid for hatred of whom Saul did slay 1. Sam. 21. foure score Priests at Nob and afterward wasted their whole Citie with sword and fire neither also those wise men which Math. 2. came out of the East to worship our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus who being warned in a dreame by an Angell kept not promise with Herode but departed secretly from him and so were the cause of the slaughter of those infants in the region of Bethlehem are therefore to be condemned That which he telleth of the mony offered by Haman that he might obtaine of the king authoritie to kill the Iewes it serueth to shew that he was the author of the conspiracie and so to thirst for the Iewes bloud that hee thought to buy it though with so great a price So that Haman of â—ur time did liberally bestow and would â—aue bestowed euen that which hee held most pretious as did also the Romane Cleargie in hope to roote out the Church and to abolish the Gospell vnder the name and pretence of heresie whereof they falsly accuse it He deliuereth also the copie of the Edict that all doubt might be remoued from Ester and that he might euen set before her eyes how certaine and present a danger did hang ouer all the Iewes So it behoueth vs before we be mooued and spread any report of feare and trouble that we haue certainly tried the truth of those things whereof we speak not to trouble any with vain and vncertaine coniectures I confesse that we haue cause to feare all euils at the hand of our enemies but yet not without wisedome that we be not moued but so farre forth as God reuealeth their malice vnto vs. The whole drift of all this relation is declared about the end of the 8. verse for Mardochaeus willeth Ester as one whom he had broght vp that she should go to the King to entreat him and to entreat in his presence for her people In a matter then of so great momeÌ„t he speaketh with authoritie least Ester shuld pretend any euasion or excuse not to go in vnto the king to become â— suter vnto him for her people So that Mardochaeus here teacheth them who are in fauour with Princes not to fauour theÌ„selues if they feare God but to make supplication vnto them for the Church wheÌ„ it shall be in calamitie and oppressed by iniurie Yea and those Kings and Princes who are neighbours vnto those that oppresse the Church ought to be intercessors vnto them both by intreatie and admonitions to release the Church nay further if necessitie so require to ay de it with men munition and money which in these last persecutions of Antichrist many with praise haue performed By this exaÌ„ple we are also admonished that we must not reiect those lawfull means which God doth offer for the preseruation of his Church Now what can be more conuenient then that the wife should intreate the husband for innocents What more iust then to desire the stay of the vniust sheading of maÌ„s bloud for in what thing may wee better employ that fauour and authoritie which we haue Wherefore woe vnto them who for feare of their delights profits which endure but for a while dare not once open their mouths for the defence of the poore members of the sonne of God whom they see daily to bee murdered woe vnto our sloth and carelesnesse vnlesse when as we see and heare the Lords inheritance to be wasted far and neare with fire and sword with these robbers we do not at least ioin our prayers with those who haue not ceased coÌ„tinually these many years to powre out their praiers vnto God for the deliuerance of his Church Dauid sheweth with how earnest affection he wept and fasted Ps 35. 13. for his enemies when they were afflicted what then may we think that we ought to do when we see the poore church of God so many wayes on euery side to be oppressed Assuredly our prayers supplicatioÌ„s shall not bee in vaine with that Father of mercie we haue many testimonies by vndoubted experience Let vs not then be wearied in praying looking wheÌ„ that iust Iudge will come to reuenge the cause of his to set them at libertie For God will Ps 12. 5. arise because of the sighing of
place offeare and terror So did not the good Kings and Emperours in old time but themselues would iudge the causes of euery priuate man and heare 1. King 3. 16. euery one as we see that Salomon did patiently heare the controuersie of those two harlots and with exceeding wisedome did decide it So the good Emperours of Rome did themselues openly iudge the controuersies of their subiects Now what a miserie and what a mischiefe is this the kings house and eares are at all seasons open to Hamans false accusations and slanders but it is not lawfull for the Queene to make intercession to the king for the iust defense of her selfe and her people I confesse that there ought to be great regard to be had of the safetie and dignitie of Princes but they are not to be depriued of clemencie and iustice then which they haue not either surer pillers or safer defence for their State And thus farre of Esters excuse Yet Mardochaeus accepteth not of this excuse but couragiously exhorteth yea in a manner compelleth her to do her duetie Thinke not sayth he in thy minde that thou shalt be deliuered in the Kings house onely and alone of all the Iewes For if thou altogether hold thy peace at this time a breathing and deliuerance shall come to the Iewes by some other meanes but thou and thy fathers house shall perish and who knoweth whether thou art come to this kingdome for such a time In fewe words hee propoundeth vnto her three chief points of great moment First that she is greatly deceiued if she thinke that she alone should be deliuered from the common danger Next that if she held her peace yet God would otherwise prouide for his people and shee should perish The third point is Gods prouidence whereby not without some great cause shee was lifted vp into the dignitie royall to wit that in this vrgent necessitie shee should helpe the Church of God Hee may seeme to haue spoken these things as a Prophet of God for otherwise some will say how could hee so confidently say that succour and deliuerance should come vnto the Iewes and Ester if shee held her peace should perish Yet because hee followeth not the vsuall manner of speech of the Prophets Thus sayeth the Lord therefore in this historie the words of Mardochaeus are not to be taken as a Prophecie but as an application of the generall doctrine of the lawe and of the Prophets to this speciall fact And these things will better be vnderstoode by the explication of euerie part The drift of Mardochaeus is to put out of Esters minde the feare of the danger which priuately might light on her if not beeing called shee had gone in vnto the King to make supplication for the Iewes that hee might effect this hee obiecteth a greater feare vnto her and that in two sorts first that shee shall not escape free from this slaughter if by force of this decree all the Iewes bee put to death then she also hath cause to feare least if at this tyme shee denye her helpe vnto the Church it should be deliuered by some other meanes and God would punish her sloth and cowardise The first point was very likely if you consider Hamans malice and his fauour and authoritie with the King which was so great that the King easily beleeued him in all things And truly when all the rest of the Iewes were destroyed as the furie and rage of cut-throates encreaseth by sheading of mans bloud it would be an easie matter to perswade this prophane king to take away her life also who onely being left aliue of that whole nation would euen do nought but breath out reuenge for the iniurie receiued The other point dependeth vpon the promises of God to preserue and defend his Church to heare the cry of the afflicted to arise for their help to haue his eares open vnto their prayers and his hands stretched out to saue them and others of this sort many whereof the whole Scripture is full and on the contrarie part vppon the threatnings against those who do not help and ay de those who are in miserie and affliction and this by force of the couenant made with Abraham I will Gen. 12. 3. blesse them that blesse thee and curse them that curse thee As also Debora doth curse Iud. 5. 23. the inhabitants of Meroz who came not as their dutie required to helpe the people of the Lord. Mardochaeus therefore fitly doth apply to the present purpose the promises and threatnings made by God in his law and so teacheth vs in our greatest dangers both publique and priuate to apply those pretious testimonies of Gods fauor as for example that saying of the Prophet He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of Zach. 2. 8. vers 5. â—ine eye Also I will be a wall of fire about â—ou And againe to the stirring vp of our owne and other mens slouth and cowardise the threatnings are to be considered wherein God threatneth punishment not â—nely to those who oppresse the Church â—r laugh at her calamitie but also to all â—hose who do not helpe her if they may â—oth by word and deed for this which Mardochaeus setteth down is to be noted â—f thou hold thy peace at this time thou and â—y fathers house shall perish So that in the â—ngerous times of the Church to take â—re for thy selfe alone and for thine own â—curitie and not to dare to speake any â—ing in the defence of the Church and to seperate thy state and cause from the people of God is to procure ruine and destruction to thy selfe For if safetie be any where it is in Gods house Whereunto appertaine those things which are spoken Pro. 24 11 12. How great then is the madnesse of those who go out of the Church and abiure the truth that they may prouide for themselues their state and how great is their furie who hunt for commoditie onely by the losse and ruine of the Church Further out of this place we may learne that as the weak and fearfull are not altogither to be reiected so also they are not to be nourished in their infirmitie but to be pricked eueÌ„ to the quick by the proposing of Gods threatnings and iudgements vnto them and when the question is of the safetie of the Church all feare of dangers and threatnings which may proceed from meÌ„ are to be despised The King Assuerus forbiddeth that any shuld come vnto him vnlesse he were called great danger hangeth ouer his head that doth the contrary but God biddeth euery one according to their power abilitie to help his Church Woe then vnto vs if we shal be slacke or slothful and vnlesse we rather obey God then man which Act. 4. 19. thing the Apostles themselues in theyr greatest daungers by their example haue taught vs. The third reason is of greatest weight from Gods prouidence whereby Ester was exalted into so great dignitie for so
both are an abhomination vnto the Lord. And without all doubt they who are hardned in their mischiefe can be tamed made gentle by no good turnes Heerehence sprang the Prouerbe Deliuer a thiefe from the gallowes and he will hang thee thereon if he can Yea it is an vnmercifull mercy to let a wolfe escape with his life who can do nothing but hurt the sheepe Wherefore by very good right he who had wrought the death and destruction of the poore faithfull ones who had appointed a shamefull death for Mardochaeus that same day he himself is couered with shame and hath no man to take pitie of him as Dauid prayeth and wisheth against the enemies of the Church Let there be none to extend mercy Psal 109. 12. vnto him when he is in miserie The king in the meane while returning out of the garden and perceiuing Haman to be fallen downe vpō the bed whereon Ester sate is reported to haue kindled with greater furie and to say Wil he force the Queene also before mee in the house The wretched man was fallen downe vpon the bed whereon the Queene after the maner of that countrie sate at the beginning of the feast being astonished with griefe the king perswadeth himself or faineth himselfe to beleeue that hee would offer violence vnto the Queene that might haue the better shew of occasion to condemne him to death although that those who are angrie do faine any thing against those whome they hate though they be neuer so vnlikely or contrary to the truth Haman then is accused by the king as one that would haue violated the Queenes chastitie And the word is to be noted which he vseth Will he also force as though he should say Is it not enough for him that by his wiles he hath layd snares for the Queenes life but that also he wil force her in the house before my face And these things do make his fault the more hainous So hee who with his false accusations did ouerwhelme euery man and troubled the whole world and filled all things with violence he is himselfe oppressed with a false surmise and is accused as a violater of chastitie So wee see that fulfilled which the Sonne of God speaketh With what measure ye meate it shall be measured Mat. 7. 2. vnto you againe So likewise that hapned vnto him which Dauid wished vnto his enimies That their prayer should be turned Psal 109. 7 into sinne and that the wicked should be condemned without either hearing or enquirie of his cause and that which is spoken in the 69. Psalme vers 27. Lay iniquitie vpon their iniquitie and heape vp sinne vpon their sinne And yet not withstanding in this respect Assuerus doth him iniurie and anger hindereth him that he cannot in this case see the truth so that he iudgeth otherwise of Hamans fact then he ought for there was not any the least suspition of this fact in respect of his present estate neither was the Queene left alone without companie But as our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ said that the bloud of all the iust euen frō Abel should Mat. 23. 35 come vpon the murderers of Ierusalem as though they had shead it in as much as they hated the iust and all righteousnes So in respect of Gods iustice it was right that this wicked man who would by ouerthrowing the Church abolish all remembrance of God should be accounted guiltie of any crime For being as it were made of nought but sinne they are readie for any mischiese if occasion only Psal 36. 4 be offered vnto them as the wicked is said to abhorre nothing that is euill As soone as the word came out of the kings mouth they couered Hamās face as one that was vnworthy the kings sight or to enioy the vse of the light being cōuicted of such crimes This was vnto him a messenger of death being aliue he begā to feele the darkenesse of death euen as Zophar in Iob sayeth chap. 20. vers 26. All darkenesse shall be hid in the secret places of the wicked that his light shall be put out and the sparkle of their fire shall no more giue light Finally that they shall be driuen out of the light into darkenesse and be rooted out of the land of the liuing as is sayd chap. 18. vers 18. And surely it is right that his face should be couered that he may looke for nothing but for the darknesse of death who would haue taken away the light of life from others The Kings of the West are not wont to couer their faces whome they wil see no more but command them presently to be caryed out of their presence Now heere steps forth one of the Eunuches Harbona who furdereth the sentence against Haman Behold sayth he the tree which Haman prepared for Mardochaeus who spake good for the king standeth in Hamans house fiftie cubits high Haman is heere accused of foolish arrogancie who of his owne priuate authoritie did set vp so high a gallowes then of extreme crueltie for that he would haue Mardochaeus to be hanged thereon an innocent man and the Kings seruant lastly of vnthankfulnes and rash boldnes desiring to lay on him a shamefull death who had done a singular benefit for the king Harbona may seeme heere to folow the maner of courtiers who bend themselues with euery blast as the king seemeth to fauour or dislike and are friends in prosperitie and in aduersitie enimies But it may also be that Harbonah had before noted and disliked the pride insolēcie of Haman and had also obserued the innocencie of Mardochaeus and therefore to shewe his affection towards his cause doth accuse the pride and crueltie of Haman Howsoeuer it were it appeareth sufficiētly that Hamā did not couer his mind and purpose and God by this meanes would haue his arrogācie disclosed This is that which is spoken by Zophar in Iob Iob. 20. 27. Iob. 15. 25. The heauen shal declare the wickednes of the vngodly the earth shal rise vp against him and euen as he hath lift vp his hand against God and made himself strong against the Almightie so the hand of all should rise vp against him It is not therefore simply to be condemned that those who stand in the presence of kings should hauing occasion offered admonish thē and help to furder their cause whome they see to be oppressed by iniurie and on the other side detect their malice arrogancie who oppresse them so that it be not done to flatter the Princes and please their passions but with a loue of truth equitie which very seldome do possesse a place in the minds of Kings or of the greater part of courtiers But why touch I here this fault Psal 12. 2 in courtiers whē as Dauid saith Euery mā speaketh falshood vnto his neighbour flattering with their lips speaking with a double heart We haue then Hamans cause furnished on euery side partly
their pleasures abounde in riches and honour and they who are stirred vppe with greater rage of vnrulie minds go about to compasse the death and destruction of the poore faythfull ones by which wicked counsels Kings easily suffer themselues to bee perswaded and so deceiued But all these things happen not without Gods decree and prouidence to those whom by these meanes hee will haue exercised and prooued that they may acknowledge the greatnesse of theyr sinnes bee remooued from the loue of this worlde be brought to true repenâ—ance bee made like vnto theyr head yeelde testimonie and witnesse to the trueth and bee lifted vppe into the hope of the Kingdome of heauen The causes then of the afflictions with which for the most parte wee see the Church of GOD to wrestle are on the one side the will of God both that the spots and blemishes wherwith as yet shee is dimmed may bee washed away and also that the vertue wherewith GOD hath endued her may shine the more bright On the other side the most venemous hatred of the worlde against the truth and pure Religion and also the credulitie of â—â—ose who sitte at the stearne of the â—â—eatest Empires together with theyr 〈◊〉 great carelesnesse to search out the 〈◊〉 or false Religion or to iudge of 〈◊〉 vprightly Especially wee are to obâ—â—rue the trecherous and exceeding rage 〈◊〉 Satan moouing and driuing men at 〈◊〉 becke and going about by all meanes â—â—ssible to extinguish the light of the â—â—auenly doctrine Next wee are to note what are the â—â—ercises of the faythfull when afflicâ—â—â—ns growe vppon them to wit teares 〈◊〉 prayer whence they hope for â—elpe with what constancie and boldâ—â—sse they ought to bee endued that are â—â—noured with the greatest gifts in the â—hurch who ought following the â—â—ample of Mardochaeus and Ester oâ—â—rcomming all difficulties to employ â—â—eyr whole labour for the Church â—â—ensoeuer any daunger is like to fall 〈◊〉 it For lette this be the onely ende of â—â—ose gifts whatsoeuer which men haue receiued from God and of the authoritie and fauour whereby they be of power 〈◊〉 euen the glory of God and the good of the Church leauing the euent of thoâ—â— things which by reason of our dutie 〈◊〉 the feare of God are taken in hand 〈◊〉 his good will and pleasure Nowe wherâ— as God is at hand the helper of his in 〈◊〉 fitte time and by so many meanes 〈◊〉 learne first that it was not without 〈◊〉 said that The â—ye of the Lord is vpon 〈◊〉 Psal 33 18. Psal 121. that feare him and hope in his mercie 〈◊〉 that He that keepeth Israel doth not slumbeâ—â— and therefore that wee may safely 〈◊〉 vnto him and looke for his helpe Nexâ— that the Lord is admirable in the defencâ— of his and reuenge of his enemies that 〈◊〉 may know that it is hee alone that sauet◠〈◊〉 43 â—â— and none other that prayer and supplicatâ—ons are not powred out before him 〈◊〉 trust reposed in his goodnesse in vaineâ— and that al may be compelled to acknowledge in his works his hand and powerâ— Therefore often times by himselfe without any meanes of man rouengeth he 〈◊〉 himselfe on his enemies So in olde timâ— Pharao runnes headlong into the sea with his horses chariots so the hoast of Sennacherib Exod. 14. 1 King 19. was slain and discomfited Sometimes indeed he vseth humane meanes but thâ—se so strange and vnlooked for that all men are driuen to wonder at it as Iudg. 3. 2â— 22. 4. 21. 7. 22. 〈◊〉 Eglon was slain by Ehud Siserâ— by 〈◊〉 the hoast of the Madianites ouerâ—â—â—wne with a great slaughter by three 〈◊〉 men following Gedeon who 〈◊〉 not but onely blew their 〈◊〉 and as this Haman of whom we are 〈◊〉 hanged vpon the same gallowes 〈◊〉 himselfe had sette vp euen by his 〈◊〉 of whom before he had 〈◊〉 so great honours Hereby it is 〈◊〉 that the hearts of Kings are in the Prou. 21. 1. 〈◊〉 of the Lorde which hee turneth at his 〈◊〉 so that in a moment hee so 〈◊〉 the hand of him who had signed and 〈◊〉 the death of the poore and innoâ—â—â—t faithfull that he turneth the same to 〈◊〉 punishment of them whom before he 〈◊〉 furnished with authoritie and power 〈◊〉 the ouerthrowing of the true 〈◊〉 Here also this is apparant that when 〈◊〉 goeth about to deliuer his Church 〈◊〉 the oppression of tyrants hee first 〈◊〉 taketh away with shame and 〈◊〉 the cheefe and head and after 〈◊〉 vp his reuenging hand against the 〈◊〉 of the members of the conspiracie 〈◊〉 Pharao perished not alone in the sea but together with his hoast So Egloâ— slaine and then the restare punished Sisara is put to flight with his armie Haman is hanged after that his 〈◊〉 and a great multitude of the 〈◊〉 of Gods people are vtterly destroye those beeing chosen to execute this 〈◊〉 geance and strengthened therunto by 〈◊〉 authoritie of the lawfull Magistraâ—e 〈◊〉 were before appoynted to the 〈◊〉 Neither are the examples fewe of 〈◊〉 uers such exployts occurring 〈◊〉 where in holy Writ as in the 〈◊〉 of the Iudges Samuel and the King in which we often see the people of 〈◊〉 defending themselues with lawful arme to haue destroyed their enemies 〈◊〉 great slaughters and not to haue span often times neither women or childrenâ— great is the wrath of God in reuengin the iniuries offered to himselfe in thâ— person of his Church whome hee loueâ— as his most dearest spouse So many time when the enemies of the people of 〈◊〉 are most ioyfull and tryumphant as 〈◊〉 ming vnto themselues to haue fully 〈◊〉 the euent of their practises theÌ„ is the ioy triumph turned into mourning 〈◊〉 sorrow Contrariwise the groanes of the 〈◊〉 and her teares are changed into 〈◊〉 voyce of a song and mâ—â—th as the 〈◊〉 singeth Sorrow may lodge with her for psal 30. 5. 〈◊〉 but ioy commeth in the morning and 〈◊〉 wrath of God endureth but a moment but 〈◊〉 fauor is life euerlasting Let the 〈◊〉 therefore consecrate vnto the Lorde 〈◊〉 ioy gladuesse and let them in it 〈◊〉 vp a perpetuall monument 〈◊〉 of his benefits as here we shall see 〈◊〉 be done by these seely captiues who 〈◊〉 so great a safetie from the Lord 〈◊〉 thus much sufficeth to haue spoken 〈◊〉 the fruits of this Historie Let vs now then set in hand with the 〈◊〉 it selfe and first heere offereth 〈◊〉 vnto vs the greatnesse of the 〈◊〉 of Assuerus which is described vnto 〈◊〉 by two circumstances the first that he 〈◊〉 from India to Aethiopra the 〈◊〉 that twentie seauen prouinces 〈◊〉 him that he had his emperiall seate 〈◊〉 the royall Citie Susa among the 〈◊〉 So that the greatest parte of the 〈◊〉 world was subiect vnto him euen 〈◊〉 goodliest richest most fruitful 〈◊〉 seeing he had vnder his dominiâ—â— all Asia and no small part of Affrica in the which Egypt and Aethiopia
are scituate So Babylon Assyria Syria and Iudaea were at his commaunde and hee gouerned al these kingdomes in great peace being free from the feare of all enemies either abroade or at home which is easily gathered by that feast of which a little after we shall entreate So the Church then was vnder his Empire for they that were returned againe into Iudaea by Cyrus permission acknowledged him for their King did yeeld him fealtie and paid him tribute But be it farre from vs that weâ— should iudge by this dignitie and largenesse of so peaceable and flourishing an Empire that Assuerus and the Persians were more fauored cared for by God then all other Kings and people For God did more esteeme those poore and miserable captiues dispearsed here and there and subiect to that great monarch then either the King himselfe or the rest of his subiects seeing they were the Lords 〈◊〉 Ekod 19. 6. 1. Pet 2. 5. 9 ritance a chosen people a holy nation a kingly priesthood Wee may not therefore iudge of Gods loue or hatred by the glorie dignitie or largenesse of great Empires but by the forme of the couenant which hee 〈◊〉 made with his and by the 〈◊〉 of that free adoption into the which 〈◊〉 the most part are receiued the base 〈◊〉 contemptible before men when the 〈◊〉 and hautie are reiected because they 〈◊〉 haue disdained it In the meane 〈◊〉 God will haue his to bee subiect 〈◊〉 vnto Infidell Kings that wee may 〈◊〉 sufficient experience That the Lords Iohn 18 36. 〈◊〉 is not of this world neyther that 〈◊〉 church is to be sought for in the 〈◊〉 of the Empires of this worlde 〈◊〉 notwithstanding I denie not but that 〈◊〉 giueth Kingdomes and 〈◊〉 to his euen that it may be made 〈◊〉 that Kings are appoynted by God 〈◊〉 that he placeth in the Throne whom 〈◊〉 him Although the glorie of 〈◊〉 and Empires in the Church 〈◊〉 not continued long Dauid indeede 〈◊〉 a mightie King but how great I pray comparison of the Monarchies of 〈◊〉 and Babylon Constantine obtayned 〈◊〉 Empire both of the East and VVest 〈◊〉 after him some godly Emperours as 〈◊〉 the Theodosii but the glorie of so 〈◊〉 an Empire quicklie fell the barbarous Nations that came out of the North spoyling and waste it and seasing on the chiefe greatest part of it the Turke also and Saracens and other fauourers of Maâ—â—homets sect at this day possessing the greatest part of the worlde And this not without great cause least the faythfull should suppose that this outward glorie and greatnesse of Dominion were a note of the Church but rather that they shoulde followe the light of the Gospel for there indeede is the Church where Christ Iesus is acknowledged for the one lie authour of saluation Nowe GOD gaue so great an Empire vnto Assuerus for none other ende but to preserue pollicie and the estate of those Nations to establish lawes to represse confusions wherewith among themselues those fiero people woulde haue beene troubled and to brydle Tyraunts whose pride and arrogancie quicklie woulde bee kindled if they were not restrained by a greater power For great Empires though in there most corrupt men haue the gouernment yet they bind togither as it were with firme bande manie people though otherwise much different in maners and condition and draw them backe by good lawes and orders to a more ciuil kind of life God by this meanes making a way to his word as oft as it seemeth good vnto him to frame men vnto the obedience of his will Let vs not therefore thinke that there is heere mention made of the largenesse of Assuerus Empire to the commendation of his prowesse and wisedome as though he by his power and counsell had gotten to himselfe so great a Dominion 〈◊〉 to lay before our eyes the prouidence Dan. f. 32. of our God who at his pleasure appoynteth and establisheth kingdoms and transâ—ateth them from one nation to another as it was foretold by Daniel and deliuered in 〈◊〉 dreame to Nabuchadnezar in the vision of that great Image whose head was of gold the armes and breast of siluer So we haue seene it come to passe that that great Monarchy of the Babylonians which was figured by the golden head was taken away by the Monarchie of the Persians and Medes begun by Cyrus encreased by Cambyses and confirmed by Assuerus who did not discend from Cyrus but was chosen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 King by the neighing of his horse as Hystories report Hee is sayde heere to sit on his throane whereby his Kingdome is noted to bee peaceable and quiet so that hee had no neede to go from place to place to represse his enemies or to appease seditions amongst his subiects So God oftentimes giueth rest vnto mightie Emperours that theyr Subiects may feare their power which if they shall attribute to their owne wisedome and industrie they truelie commit sacriledge and GOD oftentimes reuengeth their pride Of which diuine vengeaunce let Nabuchadnezar bee an example who when hee gloryed with himselfe in these woordes It not this that great Babylon which my handes haue built was on the suddaine dispoyled of his Kingdome for a while and throwne out from the societie of men to eategrasse with the beasts of the field This Assuerus chose for the chiefe Citie of his Kingdome Susa and so translated the seate of the Empire from Babylon where before it was into Persia Dan. 4. 27. whereby the Persians might bee acknowledged for the first and principall erectors of this Monarchie So great then was the power of his Monarch vnder whose shadowe there was giuen a seate and some rest to the Church but not without great troubles as in regarde of them who were returned into Iudaea the Booke of Ezra dooth witnesse and this booke will teach concerning those who remained as yet despersed in Chaldaea Persia Media and other Prouinces And such shall see the state of the Church vntill the sonne of God come to gather and receiue â—er into the triumph of eternall glory and to carry her with himselfe far aboue all the heauens To whom alone bee all honour and glorie for euermore Amen THE SECOND SERMON Of Assuerus feasts from the third verse to the tenth CHAP. II. 3 In the third yeare of his reigne hee made a feast vnto all his Princes and his serâ—â—nts to the Princes of the hoasts of persâ—â— and Media and to the Captaines and gouernours of the Prouinces in his presence 4 Shewing his riches the glorie of his Kingdome and the honour and Maiestie of his greatnesse manie dayes euen an hundred and foure score dayes 5 And when these dayes were almost expired the King made a feast to all the people which were found in the royall Citie of Susa from the greatest to the least seauen dayes in the Court of the Garden of the King s Palace â— Hauing hangings of white greene and blewe fastened with Coardes of fine Linnen and
of his goods the too much carelesnesse of necessarie affayres which could not but fall out to bee many and of no small weight within so large an Empire in the space of sixe moneths and especiallie the contempt of the true God who is neither acknowledged nor worshipped by these feasters and finally that prophane mirth and gladnesse without any note of holynesse which ought principally to shine among the faithful so that it was not much to be maruailed at that the issue was so mournefull as God granting we shall see VVherefore if we desire to haue our ioy and mirth continue long and haue it ioyned with Gods blessing let vs beginne with calling vpon his name and let vs end with the same yea let vs direct the whole course of our life to his glorie For therfore are we borne that when we haue serued him in this world and yeelded vnto him the glorie that is due wee may at the last be made partakers of euerlasting ioyes with him in heauen Amen THE THIRD SERMON Of the mournefull ende of these feasts from verse 10. vnto 16. 10. Vpon the seuenth day when the king was merrie with wine hee commanded Mehuman Biztha Harbona Bigtha Abagtha Zethar and Carcas the seuen Eunuches that serued before the King Assuerus 11 To bring Queene Vashti into the Kings presence with the Crowne royall that hee might shew the people and the Princes her beautie because she was fayre to looke vpon 12 But when the Queene Vashti refused to come at the Kings worde which was brought vnto her by those Eunuches the King was verie angrie and his wrath kindled in him 13 Therfore the King sayde to the wise men that knewe the times for so the Kings businesse was wont to be propouÌ„ded to all that knew the law and iudgement 14 And to those that were next vnto him Carshena Shethar Admatha Tarshish Meroe Marsena and Memuchan the seven Princes of Persia and Media which saw the Kings face and sate the first in the Kingdome 15. VVhat shall wee doo to the Queene Vashti according to the law because she did not obey the commnudement of the King Assuerus sent by the Eunuches HItherto we haue seene the Court of Assuerus and the whole citie of Susa ful of ioy the King feasting with his Princes and all the people of Susa the Queen Vashti likewise banketting with the women Now let vs heare the holie Ghost reciting howe all this ioy ended in great sorrow and that for light cause to wit on the one side by reason of the Kings intemperancie coÌ„manding the Queen to be brought into the kings presence to boast of hir beauty in the sight of the people on the other side by reason of the Queenes disdainfulnesse refusing to come vnto the King wherby the Kings wrath is kindled and the banquets disturbed the King consulting with his Nobles and demaunding their opinion what they thought was to bee doone to the Queene Vashti for his stubburnnesse Like for the most part 〈◊〉 the ende of prophane and immoderate 〈◊〉 So often times the ioyes of mortall 〈◊〉 ende in sorrow God accursing all inâ—emperancie and ryot and turning the â—assions and desires of great men whose â—oyes no man dares to trouble to bee the â—ause that they themselues trouble themâ—elues Wherefore God forbidde that we â—hould enuie at their prosperitie and deâ—ights but rather reioyce with spirituall 〈◊〉 beeing content with our owne estate For it is better being content with a little to feele the fauour and blessing of God â—hen in the middest of carnall delights and â—leasures to feare his wrath For diuers times it so falleth out that when men most desire to take theyr delight they receiue the message of death As it was saide to that rich man which stirred vp his soule to liue Luc. 12. 19. 20. at ease Eate drinke and take his pastime O foole this night will they fetch away thy soule from thee then whose shall these things bee which thou hast prouided And this in generall is to be noted Let vs now weight euery thing seuerally Vpon the seuenth day which was the last of that feast which was made for the people it is saide that The Kings heart was mâ—rie with wine that is that hee exceeded measure in drinking and that there was in him an immodest mirth vnworthy the person of a king his mind being thereby benâ— to speake and doo things scarce seemely which is wont to happen to those who are ouer-ful of drinke So that he transgressed that law which himself had made For why had he forbidden that no man shuld compel another to drink but because he might take away excesse and intemperancie So many times Kings set downe good lawes which shortly after they breake and take away perswading themselues that it is vnseemely for the Maiestie of a king to bee subiect to the lawes which hee hath made Which thing also is often beateÌ„ into their minds by flatterers but in vaine do they publish good lawes vnlesse by their owne example they procure them authoritie And in lesser common-weales good lawes made either against drunkennesse or anie other excesse are vaine and voyde vnlesse the magistrates also be subiect vnto them For with what face can hee punish those tliat be drunke when he himselfe is guiltie of the same offence Neither are they here to be hearkened vnto who that they may make small fault of intemperancie in drinke say that it is a farre other matter to be merrie with wine then to be drunke For where the boundes of mediocritie are passed and men waxe hot with wine it is a fault so that although the vse of reason be not quite taken away with wine nor all the senses astonished as it coÌ„meth to passe in those wretches whom we may see staggering in the streets Yet the effects of this halfe drunkennesse are farre more dangerous then those which and wont to accompanie that other great excesse wherby those who are drunke be quite benummed and as it were in a trance for he that is merie with the wine if he be bent to anger quickly picketh a quarrell if hee bee prone to lust breaks out soon into vnchast and filthie wordes and actions if hee bee a pratler vncouers euerie secret if hee bee a tale carrier or backbiter spares no mans good name neyther abstaineth euen from contemning GOD and treading vnder foote all honestie as the wise man notably teacheth in these wordes wine is a mocker and strong drinke is raging What neede wee then set fayre colours Prou. 20. 1 on vices away with such patrons of most wicked causes For against such men Isaie pronounceth a curse because they call euill good and darknesse light Neither doth hee Isa 5. 20. onely inueigh against those which fill their tables with vomit which is the propertie of filthie dogs and beasts but against them that continue sitting till the wine doo inflame them for then is the minde readie bent to
Vers 11. dare to do any thing So Assuerus when his minde was merrie with the wine commaunderh those seuen Courtiers that serued him to bring his wife in to the baÌ„quet to shew to the people her beautie Which before when his minde was quiet hee did not neither would haue done vnlesse the force of the wine had takeÌ„ away the vse of his reason because it was repugnant to honestie and the custome of that countrey and besides it must needs be a most vaine thing and vnseeming the maiestie of so great a Prince to shewe the beautie of his wife to all and that among the cups For this could not bee but with great shame to the Queene and not without allurements and scant honest affections in the mindes of those who were no more temperate then the King Moreouer it was a matter of verie euill example to his subiects to abuse the beautie of their wines after the excesse of banquetting And if hee needes would haue her beautie seene had it not been a great deale more conuenient to haue called hir to banquet with them at the beginning of the feast By this it is made out â—oâ—t vnto all men how vaine and voyde of reason many times the iudgements of great men are 〈◊〉 whome notwithstanding all men are wont to maruaile by reason of the opinion they haue of their wisedome and that he wife man to purpose waâ—â—eth in the Proverbs that it is not for 〈◊〉 to drinke wine Pro. 31 4-5 〈◊〉 they forget the decree and pâ—ruert iudgeâ—ent as also for the same cause the Lorde â—â—rbiddeth his Priests which shall come Leu. 10. 9. 〈◊〉 vnto his tabernacle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wine or 〈◊〉 drinke Hereby also it appeareth the beautie 〈◊〉 women make so great account turneth â—any times to hee the cause of mourning 〈◊〉 of death vnto them But this seemeth 〈◊〉 to be maruailed at that so many wife â—ounsellors sitting with the King none of 〈◊〉 dares to disswade him from his purâ—se beeing so 〈◊〉 and vnhonest both for the king and the queene who though she had come when she was called might not without iust cause haue coÌ„ceiued indignation that she was brought forth as a gâ—â—ing stocke vnto her subiects in the midst of their pots as we read that the wife of Câ—ndaâ—leâ— long of Lydia did who when she perceiued that she had bin shewen naked by her husband to one of his familiar friends lying hidden in a secret place shee neuer was quiet vntill shee had reuenged that iniurie done vnto her her husband being slain by the hand of the same his friend Finally as this king dooth all things to the shew so he hath his ministers most obedient to follow his lusts his Princes most readie for such ieasts and his people prepared for this shew But the queene Vashti by not obeying deceyues all their expectation which fact of hers those who measure al mens deliberations and actions by the successe do condemne of pride stubburnnes rashnes and folly froÌ„ which vines perhaps she was not altogither free For seeing she was the daughter of Cyrus and sister of Cambyses Assuerus but the sonne of Hystaspis it might be that in contempt of her husband she refused to come at his call Yet neuerthelesse 〈◊〉 might defende her selfe by no slender â—â—asons to wit that this coÌ„mandement of 〈◊〉 kings was repugnant to the lawes of 〈◊〉 Persians contrary to common honeâ—e and full of very euill example neither 〈◊〉 it be but by this means the banket of 〈◊〉 ladies should be disturbed And this is 〈◊〉 especially to be commended that she 〈◊〉 not make shew of her beautie for 〈◊〉 at this day womeÌ„ are so carefull that 〈◊〉 desire this only and thinke that it 〈◊〉 not well with them vnlesse they can 〈◊〉 all mens eies towards theÌ„ Notwithâ—â—â—nding shee might haue taken a middle 〈◊〉 which is in stead of so suddain a 〈◊〉 so to haue excused her selfe that yet might haue shewed foorth her obediâ—e and haue gotten some of themessenâ—s to approue her excuse vnto the king 〈◊〉 vnlesse the King would accept it beene better to haue obeyed him in a 〈◊〉 in it owne nature not euill then by 〈◊〉 to haue prouoked the Kinges 〈◊〉 agaynst her and so to runne into 〈◊〉 suspitioÌ„ of coÌ„tempt stubbâ—mnes 〈◊〉 in so noble an assembly in whose 〈◊〉 the King was willing to shewe his power and magnificence from which by this her rebellion she seemed much to dâ—â—tract Here hence let women learne not to prouoke their husbandes in those thing which may bee done without offence 〈◊〉 God neither to make account of theyâ— stock or beautie or riches in their disgrace neither frowardly to denie those things 〈◊〉 denying whereof the peace and quiet 〈◊〉 their house might bee disturbed For 〈◊〉 though peraduenture they cannot be 〈◊〉 without some inconuenience yet is it beâ—ter if of their owne nature they bee 〈◊〉 euill by obeying to nourish peace 〈◊〉 by resisting to breake it This repulse the King tooke in 〈◊〉 euill part and brake forth into exceediâ—â— great wrath because by this meanes 〈◊〉 thought himselfe to be despised and lighâ—ly regarded by his wife and that it woulâ— bee a reproch vnto him especially in 〈◊〉 view of all the Princes of his kingdomâ— This so great heate of wrath is a fruit drunkennesse by which most especiaâ— bankers are disturbed and ioy is turn into sorrow the king taking such indigâ—tion at the matter and so immeasurabâ—â— boyling with anger by whoÌ„ theÌ„ rest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cheared and made merry For as Salomon Pro. 16 20. 〈◊〉 The Kings wrath is the Messenger of 〈◊〉 or of some great calamitie vnto him â—â—ainst whoÌ„ it is stirred and therfore it beâ—ueth kings to be so much the more 〈◊〉 in their anger when as yet notwithstaÌ„â—â—â—g meÌ„ wax so much the more vehemeÌ„tly 〈◊〉 by how much greater is their power 〈◊〉 their eie rather vpon their power 〈◊〉 vpoÌ„ their dutie whereby it coÌ„meth to 〈◊〉 that they wil not suffer themselues to be moued froÌ„ their affections whether they good or euil But they shuld haue regard right and not to their power or affectiâ—â—s For therefore doo they raigne with great power that they may establish 〈◊〉 preserue good lawes defende the 〈◊〉 punish the offenders yeeld vnâ—eason and compell others to obey it that there is nothing that is more 〈◊〉 for Kings then to giue that place â—assions where reason ought to beare â—sway For their Subiects take from 〈◊〉 the patterne of good and honest life 〈◊〉 clemencie and mildnesse are the 〈◊〉 ornaments of Kinges and anger 〈◊〉 woorst counsellor that may bee for 〈◊〉 it is it selfe vniust and the mother of all iniquitie and giueth any forme vnto a matter but that which is the right as when we beholde any thing through a coloured Glasse Therfore Saint Iames saith That the wrath of man doeth not fulfill the Iam. 1. 20. Ephes 4. 27 righteousnesse of God and Saint Paule
warneth That hee that refraineth not his anger giueth place to the Diuell Now the wrath of Princes is so much the more dangerous by howe much they are of greater might and there are none which dare reprehende them or oppose themselues against them no more then against a Lion or any other wilde beast For which cause they shoulde be like vnto the lawes wherof they are the executours and giue their iudgement of euerie cause without passion So should Assuerus haue thought that the queene Vashti wanted not sufficient excuse whereby shee might approue her dooing vnto him if he would not haue let loose the reines to his anger Such a moderation is required in all Iudges and in all them who haue anie kind of power ouer others For vnlesse the minde be quiet and calme and setled in the feare of reason it can not but erre from the truth and trouble both it selfe and others In this rage the King asketh the opinion of his Councellours what they thinke may bee done to Vashti by the lawe It is prayse worthie to aske the aduise of wise men and for an angrie man to bee willing to heare their opinion but it is to bee feared least hee kindle his Councellours with his ouer-great heate because oftentimes wee see it happen how euerie one dooth frame his affections to the kings humour and giues him counsaile according to his passion The king therefore asketh those seuen Councellors whose names here are recited who sate the chiefest in the Kingdome of Persia and Media and sawe alwayes the Kings face that is were alwayes present with him to giue him aduice in all hard and doubtfull cases according to the manner and custome of the Countrey by which it seemeth that the Kings were subiect to this counsaile And surely that was an excellent order euen as in all Empires which are not tyrannicall there are appoynted vnto Kinges a certaine number of Councellours without whose aduice they doo not any great matter But in processe of time many kings giue themselues such libertie that they abuse the name of their counsellors to get the greater authoritie to their owne wilfull decrees For so it commeth to passe that great power cannot long abide any peere Those seauen who heere are named are adorned with excellent titles Of wise men which knew the times and were skilfull in iustice and iudgement And truely these gifts are verie requisite in Kings counsellors For by their wisedome and discreete counsaile profitable lawes and statutes are made as wel in peace as in warre by them the whole kingdome is gouerned they dispose of all matters both publique and priuate They create Magistrates and publique officers they vnfolde difficulties arising they preuent confusions or appease them when they are sprung vppe finally they repayre all losses and preserue the estate of the Common-wealth In all which there is required great wisedome long experience exquisite knowledge of the lawes True wisedome containeth the knowledge of things both diuine and humane and of their causes also Now because these men had not attayned the knowledge of the true God they were furnished onely with worldly wisedome which yet is also the gift of God and a light which is bestowed by him vppon some for the gonernment of great Empires whereby they may bee profitable to mankind who otherwise would become the instruments of great confusion in the same Next the knowledge of the times is attributed vnto them which containeth the skill in Histories out of which may bee drawne the examples of memorable acts in all ages to which must be adioyned experience a surer instructor a great deale then Histories which affoordeth sounde counsaile according to the varietie and necessitie of occurrents The knowledge also of Lawes is required for out of them is to be gathered the deciding and defining of doubts proposed Now that which is spoken of iudgements is referred to the knowledge of equitie whereby in many things the rigour of law is moderated and euerie â—ction with great wisedome is weighed by the circumstances that iudgement may be giuen in euerie case with equitie moderation VVherefore there is none other to be looked for but the ouerthrow of those states whose gouernment is managed by rash councellors and without knowledge by yong heads and without experience of which let those young Councellors of Rehoboam be a memorable example vnto 1. King 12. 10. vs by those that are vnskilfull in the lawes and not carefull of equitie but only wittie in subtile inuentions whereby they frame themselues to the will of their Prince Furthermore these vertues are not sufficient neither vnlesse they be grouÌ„ded on a good and vpright conscience which in euerie matter shall loue the truth right For otherwise wisedome is turned into subtilty experience into deceit the knowledge of the law into craftie cauils and equitie into a maliciouâ— interpretation of the statutes So that great authoritie dignitie knowledge of the Law in a wicked man is as a sword in the hand of a mad maÌ„ The lawes are holy and pure therefore they require a pure holy mind IudgemeÌ„ts are of God and in his feare ought they to bee administred as Iehosaphat warned his Iudges whoÌ„ he had appointed ouer the people That 2. Chro. 1â— 6. they should remember that they executed not the iudgements of man but of the lord Wherfore in the choyse of councellors iudges there is not greater care to be had of their industrie knowledge which yet are required in them then of their honestie and good conscieÌ„ce Neither do wise skilful councellors any whit profit a king vnlesse they be also iust seuere executors of the lawes And finally the wisedom of a good and discreet prince is not more known in any thing theÌ„ in the choise of good councellors in the approuing of right lawfull counsels For to no purpose are good couÌ„cellors vnlesse their couÌ„sels be obeied Behold here then at the last the ende of laughter to be anger behold in steed of a banquetting house a iudgement hall behold a feast turned into a consultation of a matter most intricate of great moment seeing on the one side is proposed the question of the Queens person her whole estate dignity on the other side how the kings mind though he were ful of wine wrath may be satisfied how his magnificeÌ„ce maiestie may be preserued whole and sound which he himself could not sufficiently defend So many times kings and princes stir vp troubles confusioÌ„ which afterwards their councellors must remedy But we will defer this consultatioÌ„ of theirs vnto the next Sermon in the mean while let vs be warie by others mens examples let vs retaine temperance and sobrietie in our feasts let vs auoyd all vanitie and vnseemly ostentation let vs bridle our wrath and the rage of our mindes let vs seeke counsaile of wise men but without passion seeking rather right and
cause which hee did not knowe Therefore Iob. 29 16 1. Tim. 4. 13 5. 21 Deut. 17. 19 Paul willeth Timothie to giue attendance to the reading of the Scriptures which were able to make him wise and giueth him warning That hee encline not to one part more then another in iudgement Therefore were the Kings of Iuda commanded to cause to be written and to read the law of God al the dayes of their liues â—out of which they might learn iudgement and iustce For wherehence doo wrong iudgements arise but out of the ignorance of the law or of a malicious wandering from the same VVee learne besides out of this fact of Assuerus that no man ought to bee â—udge in his owne cause but leaue it to â—he iudgement of others how great soeuer â—is owne authoritie bee But indeed if Assuerus would haue sentence giuen according to the law of the question propounded this knot must first be dissolued wheâ—her at this time the queene were rightly called by Assuerus to shewe her beautie â—o the guests or no Nowe euerie man â—ootheth and flattereth himself mighty â—en will not haue their actions enquired of by any as though they could not slide erre or be deceiued in which opinion they are also confirmed by the impudencie of flatterers Of which thing let that courtly flatterer be a witnesse who said vnto Alexander the great that Iustice was the inseperable companion of Kings thrones that they might not erre in their iudgements And so the flatterers of our time say Kings can doo nothing vniustly the Popes holinesse cannot erre finally if euerie one might be iudge in his owne cause would he not say the like And thus farre of the question propounded by the King Let vs now then heare the sentence of Memuchan one of the councell who was last recited but speaketh first either because hee was the yongest or else the King commaunded him first to shewe his opinion His sentence is contained in fiue verses and in the three first hee iudgeth that the Queene hath offended as well against the Kings maiestie as also by her euil example which she hath shewed to all women and in this part hee is somewhat long in the two other verses which are the 19. and 20. hee setteth downe the punishment fit for such a fact proueth his sentence by the profit which shall come thereby to euerie maÌ„ Whose sentence the king alloweth of the rest of councel confirm verse 21 and in the last verse followeth the suddein execution of that sentence Lo then this is his â—udgement of the fact of O. Vashti That â—he Queene Vashti hath not onely done euil aâ—ainst the King but against all the Princes â—nd against all the people that are in all the 〈◊〉 of the King Assuerus but that shee â—ath done euil against the King he 〈◊〉 by no reason vvhich yet principally 〈◊〉 should haue done onely he taketh for 〈◊〉 and as a maxime vvithout all 〈◊〉 that they do euil vvhich are not â—bedient to the Kings vvord vvherein he 〈◊〉 greeuously for that vvhich the king 〈◊〉 is not by and by the rule of 〈◊〉 and then although the queene had 〈◊〉 in this point yet not 〈◊〉 of a peruerse minde but moued 〈◊〉 by feare or bashfulnesse or some 〈◊〉 ciuil and honest cause Moreouer he 〈◊〉 not that it is reason the queene shuld 〈◊〉 heard and so in this action hee maketh 〈◊〉 kings fault his owne Yet notwithstanâ—â—ng great is his liberalitie in speach which 〈◊〉 beseemeth counsellors which folow the right way but is most dangerous in them who do erre from the same A councellor therefore ought to bee most free in pronouncing sentence but he must also be a wise discerner of equitie least enclining to the mightier part he oppresse the weaker with his iudgement which thing we here see to be done by this Memucha who giueth seuere sentence with rigor against the queen though absent framing it according to the lust of this angrie king and inclining in that his sentence which seemeth to be so freely vttered rather vnto the one part then vnto the other It is then a vertue of a good councellor freely and without respect of persons to declare his sentence to iudge of euerie matter as it is but he must also be wise and warie least he erre in the fact and make it more hainous then it is indeede Furthermore Memuchan confirmeth the other part of his sentence to wit that the queen had don euil against al the princes against al the people of the whole Empire with this reason That the queenes fact shall come abroad to al women wherof they wil take occasion to despise their husbaÌ„ds so the princesses of Persia and Media who haue seenâ— and heard the fact of the queene shall so answere to all the Princes of the King whereof shall arise much despightfulnes wrath despightfulnes and contempt of the women towards their husbands wrath of the men against their wiues not enduring such contempt He therfore weigheth the consequeÌ„ what will follow of this fact the euil example giueÌ„ to the womeÌ„ by the queen And without doubt he that wil iudge right must weigh diligently al circumstaÌ„ces namely what will be the consequent of any euil act especially if it be done by theÌ„ who are in high authoritie estimation For their euil deedes do more hurt by reason of the example theÌ„ if they were otherwise considered by theÌ„selues But we must diligently take great care to distinguish an offeÌ„ce â—aken froÌ„ an offence giueÌ„ least that we rashâ—y impute vnto him who hath comitted a fault whatsoeuer peruerse malicious meÌ„ wil gather thereof For there may be some especial coÌ„sideration of a mans fact which others know not therfore shuld it be an vnaduised part to go about to follow it Moreouer when men are to giue theyâ—â—udgement of those controuersies which â—rise betweene such as are ioyned with so â—eare bonds as is matrimonie especially â—mong Princes all things are not to bee interpreted in the worser part Neither must wee as the Prouerb is cast oyle into the fire to increase the flame but all waies and meanes must be sought of reconciliation and renuing of loue yet so that the euill committed be not thereby altogether couered Last of all we must prudently discerne betweene a light fault and an haynous offence This deniall of the Queene was indeede a fault but it was not any hainous offence as iâ— shee had beene guiltie of adulterie or some other vnchaste act or had conspired against the Kings maiestie or had practised any rebellion or alteration of the Kings state Neither had those offences beene to be punished only with diuorce but with greater punishments euen with death I confesse that a fault may be either lesser or greater according to the manners or customes of people or regions In other countreyes this refusall would not haue beene so hardly taken vnlesse perhaps
friends and despile good counsell so deserue they to be deprined of them and to be suffered to sink vnder the burthen of their honour And these things are thus farre spoken of the modestie and wisedome of Ester who would to God shee had many followers that would be desirous of her vertues both publikely and priuately It remaineth that wee heare a singular dutie performed by Mardochaeus to the King whereby hee made himselse a way to great honour and authoritie with Assuerus though not so soone as hee deserued which was that hee declared vnto the king by Ester the treason of two courtiers who conspired the death of king Assuerus and so he deliuered the king from death and when as the whole trueth being examined was found out and they were executed by iust punishment the matter was written before the king in the booke of Chronicles In this Historie first these two Bigtan and Teresh offer themselues to our consideration who in their wrath conspire the kings death What occasion they had of this wicked counsell is not expressed and there fore we ought not to be ouer curious in searching of it but this is to be obserued that Courtiers as they are drawne with desires and passions do many times very quickly take any occasion of sedition and treasons For they oftentimes conspire against their Prince either vpon the deniall of their petition or for indignation and hatred and enuie which they conceaue at other mens honour whom they cannot abide should be preferred before them or mooued with ambition and desire of alteration as Absolom did against 2. Sam. 15 Dauid And what Prince is there who may iustly boast that he hath no such traitors in his Court Princes also themselues oftentimes by their own insolencie pride and crueltie diuers times by their sloth and negligence doo yeelde occasion to their Courtiers to rebell Neuerthelesse they are wicked and vngodly men who cōspire wilfully the death of their Prince and especially those whom hee hath so trusted that they are admitted to the keeping and guard of their persons as these were by Assuerus whom hee preferred to the custodie of his gate For vnto such men the way is easie to execute their conspiracie as it is reported that diuers of the Nobles his most familiars did conspire the death of Alexander the great But kings are enforced to commit themselues their life to such men And look how much the greater the trust is that is reposed in them so much the more vgly is their treason and detestable in the sight of all men But vnto such wickednesse are we growne in this age that euen the Phisitians from whom Princes looke for the meanes of their preseruation commit their bodies to their direction haue bene found to haue cōspired the death of those who haue bene the causes of their wealth and honor Wherefore those Princes are blessed who put their trust wholly in God and not in mans ayd those are happie whom God doth shield and protect Besides in the person of Assuerus wee see how greatly the life of kings great men is many times endangered though their guard do seem to defend them against all daunger But often doth it happen that they are more in daunger then meaner men especially if they turn their iust gouernment into tyrannie Wherefore the auncients haue vsed it for a prouerb that fewe Tyrants descend to Pluto by drie death that is die without bloud So Alexander the great was made away by poyson so Iulius Caesar was murthered in the Senate so very many Romaine Emperors were slaine by their souldiers so Bennadab was choked Isboth slaine by two wicked men on his bed Ioas the king of Iuda by two of his seruants Amasias was slaine at Lachis finally of twentie kings which raigned in Israel tenne of them died by violent death that he seemeth not to haue spoken vnwittily who said that a Tyrant was like to him who sate at a table furnished with all daintie dishes accompanied with all kinde of musicke and a great many of wayting-men readie at all commaunds but seeing a naked sword hanging ouer his head by a small thread and euery minute readie to fall vpon him Therefore many wise men amongst thē haue wished that they might resigne those great honours which they had attained if safely they might to leade a quiet and sure life without daunger as it is written of Augustus Caesar Yea very many haue quite giuen ouer their Empires as Diocletian and Maximian those capitals enemies and persecutors of Christiaris Antigonus King of Macedonia when he was to set the Diademe on his head said very fitly truly O crown if men knew how great cares thou bringest with thee none would so much as stoupe to take thee vp though thou layest in his way So that state of life which wee account so happie is oftentimes condemned as most vnhappie euen by those who are esteemed most happy as being most opē to so many entrappings partly of opē enemies partly of faithlesse friendes from which indeed none could be safe were it not that the eyes of the Lord do watch for the safetie of kings though euen vnworthie of his fauour good wil. Which heere wee see done for this Assuerus vnto whom God raised vp Mardochaeus by whom hee is in time admonished of the conspiratours that no good turne bestowed on God should bee bestowed in vaine That benefite which Assuerus did for Ester and the whole people of God was very late and fresh in memorie and god by and by doth requite it deliuering him from the handes of those who had conspired his death that Dauid doth not without cause say That it is God which giueth deliuerance vnto kings and rescueth Psa 144. 10. them from the hurtfull sword as he himselfe had often by experience found It is also to he noted that Assuerus was warned of the treason that was practised against him by the relation of a mean man that kings may learne to contemne none though they be but of base and low degree If any demaund how Mardochaeus could detect that conspiracie it may be aunswered that he was one of the porters of the kings gate which is apparant out of this and other places especially the fift and sixt chapter and therfore he might heare and see somewhat wherby he might perceiue the matter and peraduenture hee might be sollicited by the traitors to see of what good will he was in the case and to drawe him to their partiallitie Whatsoeuer it was it pleased God to vse this instrument as well to preserue the Kings life as also to make knowne Mardochaeus fidelitie so much the better We are here then to obserue that nothing is done by fortune but all things are gouerned by Gods prouidence who by this prepared in time another helper against the imminent daunger of his Church Here let all naturall subiects and inhabitants in any Realme learn what is their dutie
in one kingdome that the diuersitie of religion is the cause of sedition and war that the people which liue after their own fashion will easily rebel and reuolt vnto the enemies of the kingdome Thus sayd that stubborn Pharao when in Exo. 1 10 the counsell of his states they concluded that the Israelites were to bee oppressed with hard bondage And againe the purpose and determination Dan. 3 of Nabuchadnezzar in erecting that great golden Image to establish one onely religion in his whole Empire But the experiēce of al times hath made it manifest as euen at this day it also doth that true religion is not the cause of stirres and troubles but the malice of them that cannot abide it Indeed false religions doo easily beare one an other but all hate the true for truth and lying cannot stand togither For who knoweth not how many sects of Monkes the Church of Rome doth nourish what diuersities of opinions which yet defend one an other and that only vpon an hatred of the truth and in that consent whereby they acknowledge one Head who easily tollerateth all errors and disordered orders so that they yeeld him faith and obedience but cannot in any wise abide the truth whereby his pride may bee detected yet is this a most pleasing voyce and acceptable vnto all that there ought to be one King one Faith one Lawe And indeed it is a most excellent saying so that it be well vnderstood but when error is placed in steed of faith and abuse for law and a tyrant for a King that vnion and vnitie which is so much desired is turned into a miserable destruction scattering of true doctrine Furthermore that sentēce is so far of from being true that it is hurtfull and damageable to kings to suffer in their Kingdoms Gods people professing pure doctrine that on the contrary it is most profitable and their preseruation dependeth vpon it For God doth preserue the world for his elects sake although wicked men perswade themselues that the faithfull are the cause of all calamities and euill Insomuch as that which Haman thought was not profitable for King Assuerus was the commoditie and glory yea and the preseruation and defence of his Kingdome For did not Mardochaeus disclose that cōspiracie which was made against the king and by his wisedome preserued him from it And therefore so much the more is the conclusion of Haman to be condemned that the whole Nation of the Iewes was to be destroyed and so much the more his froward malice to be abhorred that perceiuing his request to bevniust he promiseth tenne thousand tallents of siluer whereby the losse might bee supplied which it seemed the King should sustaine by the slaughter of the Iewes So that he sufficiently sawe his purpose was voyd of all humanitie damageable to the kings reuenues and therefore he promiseth to recompence that losse with the sum of 10000 tallents of siluer And by this reason it appeareth how thirstie he was of the bloud of these wretched men when he endeuoureth to buye it hee careth not with what sum and goeth about to deceiue the King in faigning himselfe to be most carefull of his profit in as much as he sticketh not to bestowe so great a sum from which there shall arise a double profit to the King both by making away that stubborne and rebellious people and by encreasing the Kings treasure by such an heape of siluer in such sort do the wicked account nothing so deare or pretious which they will not willingly bestowe on the destructiō of the Church Some there are that thinke that Haman did not offer this summe of his own but of the spoyles of the Iewes and that he was not so prodigall that he would buye their bloud at so deare a price whome hee esteemed no better then dogs as for the most part Idolaters are wont to set light by the bloud of the faithfull but by the comparing of this place with those things which are after spoken in the 13. verse of taking the spoyle of the Iewes and with those things which are set downe in the 7. verse of the next Chapter that Haman had promised to pay that summe of siluer into the Kings treasure for the Iewes to destroy them it appeareth sufficiently that he offered this sum of his owne For otherwise to what purpose shuld a subiect offer such a sum vnto his King of the spoyle of subiects Therfore althogh the enemies of the Church be exceeding couetous yet the desire of reuenge and that deadly hatred wherewith they are driuen doo compell them to any prodigalitie so that they may shead the bloud of the faithfull at theyr pleasures This is apparant in the Romane Cleargie whose insatiable couetousnesse is knowne vnto euery man yet they spare not any cost to solicite Kings and set them on to the slaughter of the godly buying their bloud with the greatest most pretious part of their Ecclesiastiall reuenues And the people also being bewitched with the importune cryes of false teachers and Iesuites do willingly spend part of their goods so that religion may vtterly be abolished and destroyed with such and so great hatred which by no meanes can bee appeased doth the world fight against Gods people and his truth so Satan speweth out his rage and venome against the Church by his ministers and so is the bloud of the faithfull solde for ready mony But God forbid that we shuld grudge at this when we know that Christ Iesus our Lord was so betrayed and sold for a certaine sum of mony And this is Hamans opinion for the destruction of the nation of the Iewes Let vs then go forward to the kings answer in which his exceeding great inabilitie and vnskilfulnesse is seen for without any cōtradiction taking his Ring from his finger he gaue it to Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite that wold oppresse the Iewes besides he said to Hamā that he giueth him all that siluer besides that people also to do with them as seemeth good in his eyes The ring is giuen him in sign of the authoritie power which he receiued of the King to vse as shuld seeme good vnto him And this further appeareth in that hee giueth him the mony offered permitteth him to vse his pleasure with the people So we Gen. 41. 42. see that Pharao but in a lawfull cause whē he wold giue absolute authoritie vnto Ioseph in his Kingdome to dispose all things as he pleased gaue vnto him his Ring But what shal we most wonder at in this blockish king whether that hee gaue ouer his power to an other and him a stranger or that so rashly he admitteth his accusation or that so cruelly he condemnethso many innocents and gaue their goods for a pray or that without any mans aduise not hearing the accused neither making any inquisition of the cause hee deliuereth ouer so headdily so many thousand men to so bloudie a
in the Church yet hath shee retayned fasting teares and sighes as the most conuenient furtherances for our weakenesse and most beseeming the grauitie of publike assemblies Priuately it is lawfull for euery one to vse those meanes whereby hee may be stirred vp to true humilitie and repentance whether he put on sackcloth or lye on the ground putting his mouth in the dust as Ieremie Laâ— 3. 29. 1. Tim. 4. 8. speaketh so that he knowe that all this bodily exercise hath little profit as Paule sayeth and that hee place not the seruice of God in these exercises or faigne vnto it an opinion of merit as vnskilfull men are wont in the Church of Rome So that when these outwarde things are referred to their right ende and vse which is that wee may be the more cast downe and humbled before God by them and raysed vp to true repentance that our zeale may be increased and our prayers more feruent then they helpe and are pleasing and acceptable to God who as hee hath created the bodie no lesse then the soule doth also require to bee serued with both and in both will haue vs to giue testimonie of earnest repentance and amendment But wee must especially take care that the contrition and humilitie of the heart placing his hope and trust in the mercye of God doo goe before these outwarde things after which the confession of our sinnes must followe and an acknowledging of Gods iustice with earnest prayer desire of pardon and deprecation of the deserued punishments and last of all an ardent petition of help and defence to the glorie of his name The sprinklings of such a sacrifice are fastings sighes and teares and from that as from a fountaine do these outward things drawe all the dignitie that they haue but faith repentance hope are the gifts of God of his meere grace which receiue all their dignitie from the onely merite of Christ Iesus and his obedience Wherefore our whole repentance with all the parts fruits and testimonies thereof are the gifts of God whose whole merite commeth from that onely sacrifice which our Lord Iesus Christ offered once vppon the Crosse for vs by which alone God is appeased turneth away his wrath from vs and forgiueth vs our sinnes Therefore beeing reconciled vnto God by so excellent a price our repentance which is the gift of his grace is pleasing and acceptable vnto him because that by our humilitie wee magnifie his glorie and by acknowledging of our sinnes wee commend his iustice and in that wee flee vnto him in the middest of our miseries yea and death he is acknowledged to be the author of life and saluation a gratious gentle and mercifull God How then can it be but such a repentance shall be acceptable vnto God when he deferred the sentence of vengeance alreadie giuen against Achab for 1. Reg. 21 29. for that he humbled himselfe before God although his heart were not syncere and vpright and oftentimes did hee patiently beare with his people in the wildernesse although their heart were not Psa 78. 37. pure and right with God Thus haue wee how Mardochaeus and the rest of the Iewes did publiquely testifie their repentance looking for helpe and deliuerance from God If any man demaund what their sinnes were the answere is easie that besides the vsuall sinnes whereuâ—to men are giuen this also was added that through feare and negligence they remayned in those strange countryes when the rest of their brethren by the commandement and leaue of Cyrus were returned to Ierusalem and the holy land And it behoued them when they were thus appointed to the slaughter to feele how great a sinne they had committed in not returning with the rest into their country By this example and such like in which we see that the faithfull neuer found more safer protection then Gods mercie nor more strong weapons then prayers and teares our sluggishnes must be rowsed vp especially at this time in which we see the furie of the enimies more then euer to be kindled and that they take greater courage to oppresse Gods truth and destroy Gods pure seruice to flee vnto him and to be conuerted with our whole heart that hauing mercie on vs he will appoint an ende of our miseries or at the least moderate them and giue vs strength whereby through his name wee may ouercome all incommodities and daungers whatsoeuer And of the remedie which Mardochaeus and the rest of the Iewes did seeke thus farre The other remedie vnto which Mardochaeus did flee is the fauour of Ester for which cause it is sayd that he went euen vnto the Kings gate to wit that hee might be seene by some of Esters retinueâ— and so declare vnto her in how greaâ— danger both he and the whole nation oâ— the Iewes were for hee might not enter within the Kings gate beeing clothed with sackcloth Where by the way we are to note that the Kings of Persia that nothing might either come to their eares or be in their sight whereby they might be made sadde as are cryes and weeping and sighing and the very attyre of the afflicted testifying their sorrowe would not that any should come into their sight in such apparell and besides that this was vsed to be done by them that they might driue farre away all memorie and thought of death But this is not onely a great nicenesse and effeminacie but it is also exceeding great and more then barbarous crueltie For to what ende are Kings appointed but that they should be the refuge of the miserable and afflicted So it commeth for the most part to passe that there is no entrance for the distressed into the house nor any waye or meanes to complayne vnto them but they must comfort themselues with this that the gate of heauen is alwayes wide open vnto them in as much as the Father of heauen calleth all that are afflicted vnto him and promiseth them helpe and ayde Therefore Mardochaeus seeing he could not enter into the kings house cryeth out in the streetes that Ester may be certified of this his sorrow which also came to passe by her maidens Eunuchs whereat she was grieued exceedingly and sent him other garments that so he might enter into the kings palace but Mardochaeus refused them By this wee may know that Esters gentle disposition and nature was not altered by her royall dignitie and greatnesse but that she had a most louing carefulnes towards Mardochaeus whome she worthily acknowledgeth as her neere kinseman and holdeth him in steede of her father and besides would gladly relieue him and if it were possible rid him of all care and doubtfulnesse A most worthie example for all to behold and namely for mightie men who haue all delights in abundance that they may learne to relieue the distressed for for this end haue they receiued at Gods hande riches and aboundance of all prosperitie that they should communicate them vnto others and succour the
if wee haue regard to the prohibition that none should enter into the court without commandement it seemeth that her trayne stayed at the gate of this court into which she alone entred for so great was her charitie that she would not drawe any with her into danger being content with these companions onely Faith Charitie and Repentance She adorned herselfe with royall apparell not for pride or vaine shew when she was as yet in danger of her life but for ornament and seemelinesse least peraduenture she should haue been lesse acceptable to the King her husband if she should haue presented her selfe vnto him in mourning apparell Her bodie then was decked with magnificent ornaments but in her heart she retayned deepe sorrowe Neither is that to be accounted dissimulation but wisedome to obserue that which was seemely in the presence of the King For it appeareth that she rather sought to please God then men when by her three dayes fast she had made her selfe pale and wan but it was enough that God did fauour her who granteth beautie and grace according to his will Wherefore they who are delighted with the noueltie and vanitie of sumptuous and most luxurious apparel that they may turne al mens eyes to gaze on them and their tongues to talk of them glorying in their riches and bewtie are nothing holpen by this example neither doth it auaile any whit to excuse their pride and vain-glorie Neither do we condemne that euery one be apparelled according to their degree and dignitie so that they seeke not new fashions of apparell and those immodest and vnchaste and that the heart bee adorned within with true humilitie and the feare of god with charitie submission to learne and modestie Ester then entereth with her royal robes into the inner Court but she dares not enter into that part of the house in which the king sate but stayed in the inner court ouer against the Kings house vntill such time as she might be espied by the King which was not done without feare of that danger which she had cast her selfe into A most couragious enterprise of Esters proceeding from faith and charitie by whose guidance shee ouercame all feare for she might alwaies think with her selfe that shee offended against Assuerus lawe and that therefore she might bee in like case with Vashti for comming when shee was not called as Vashti was for not comming when she was called This also augmented her feare and distrust that for a moneths space shee had not beene called vnto the king But on the one side her confidence in the promises of God that he would be with them that feare him and walke in his wayes and on the other her charitie and desire that she hath to helpe the Church do cause her that shee preferreth the doing of her dutie before all dangers Hence wee are admonished straight after our prayers to set hand to worke and constantly to prosecute our enterprise as we see this holy woman to haue done who after her fast early in the morning without any delay doubteth not to go in vnto the King Assuerus And besides we are taught that our faith if it be liuely and working through charitie shall neuer bee remooued from performing her duties whatsoeuer danger seeme to threaten vs destruction for faith will affoord vs Gods present helpe in the middest of daungers all which through charitie and desire to helpe others we shal easily ouercome And this is Esters fact You shall now see the happie successe which it had from the Lord. Assoone as the king saw her she found fauor in his sight and he held out towards her the golden Scepter and kindly calleth her by her name adding also the titles which belonged to the dignitie royal Ester also draweth neare and toucheth the top of the Scepter in signe of reuerence and subiection which modestie most beseemeth al married women So God holdeth the heart of the King in his hand and he turneth it in a moment whither so euer it pleaseth him as is said Pro. 21. v. 1. Hee also bewtifieth the countenance of Ester with sweetnesse and amiable fauor that shemay be the more acceptable The golden Scepter which is holden forth vnto her is a token of pardon against the transgression of the law in that the king calling her by the name of Queen asketh what she would haue it is a signe of fauour and good will and in that he also inuiteth her to aske with so liberall an offer euen vnto the halfe of the kingdome it putteth her in hope of obtaining her supplication of the king For the King might easily gather both by this extraordinarie fact and by the countenance and gesture of Ester that she had some great thing in her minde Yet the King was too liberall in promising and might rashly haue ensnared himselfe if Ester had bene as readie in demanding as he was in promising But Kings can hardly moderate themselues whether they promise or threaten and surely it would better a great deale beseeme kings who oght to do nothing without iustice first with good counsell and mature deliberation to vnderstand what is demaunded before they binde themselues by any rash promise We see that it turned vnto euill to Herode that he bound himself in a Marc. 6. 23 rash promise for thereby he defiled both himselfe and his table with the innocent bloud of Iohn the Baptist. Neuerthelesse God would haue the minde of Ester to bee filled with good hope and ioy and assurance by this immoderate offer of the King Now if Ester had iustly occasion of reioycing for that she found the Kings fauour and good will towards her to bee so great what may we do who haue so excellent and large promises from God as well of this present as of the life to come For God who neither can lye nor be changed Tit. 1. 2. Iam. 1. 17 doth promise vnto vs eternall life and not a part onely or parcell of his Kingdome but a full fruition of himselfe and all his good things as it is written that God shall be all in all and that we also shall 1. Cor. 15. 28 2. Pet. 1. 4 be partakers of the diuine nature Heere we see how effectual prayers be by which the entrie is made open vnto Ester into the Kings house and the way made easie and the Kings heart mollified and made soft which haue in greatest distresses procured an issue in danger obtained securitie and in the very momēt of death haue wrought life and deliuerance If therefore we desire to wade out of our euilles and distresses to haue an happie end of our affayres to find fauour with the fiercest men behold here the onely meanes and easiest waye that casting our selues downe before God with ardent praier we desire his helpe and place our whole confidence in him For as the Prophet singeth sweetely Psal 34. vers 5. They that looke to him shall be lightned and their face shall not
bee ashamed as also in an other place he praiseth Gods goodnesse when he saith Vnto Ps 59. 17 thee ô my strength will I sing for God is my defence and my mercifull God Thus you see how happie Esters entrance was Let vs heare how wisely she vseth this prosperous gale of the kings fauour to wit She biddeth the King and Haman to a banket In which thing her modestie wisdome and integritie do shine for shee doth not abuse the kings fauor she breaks not forth by and by into teares and howling and sobs as perhaps there seemed fit occasion offred vnto her by the kings fauour and Hamans absence Her modestie is exceeding great in that she restraineth her affections and patiently expecteth a fitter opportunitie to complain vnto the king and make her supplication By this we learne that we must bridle our affectious and passions least we be carried headlong by them and that it is a commendable moderation not to bee rashly mooued although there bee iust cause of complaint for oftentimes a iust griefe doth driue vs beyond the bounds of moderation that hardly men or women can temper themselues when they finde patient eares lent to their complaints whereby it commeth to passe that oftentimes the bitternesse of our most iust complaints doth take much away from their waight and force Her wisedome appeareth in that shee inuiteth the King to a banquet because shee knewe that thereby shee should further procure his good will for that shee had experience that hee was delighted with feastes as in the first Chapter wee haue seene that hee spent halfe a yeare in banqueting and drinkings So the faithfull know how to vse things indifferent without euill to serue their commoditie Yea euen our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus did take occasion at those banquets whereunto he was bidden to teach the chiefe poynts of our saluation So he conuerted Zachaeus Lu. 19. 8. 9. at a banquet and in the house of Simon the Pharisee he receiued that miserable Lu. 7. 36. c. sinner into fauor teaching the Pharisee the doctrine of faith repentance and by the occasion of being entertained by Matthew whome of a Publican Mat. 9. 10. hee made an Apostle hee shewed the ende of his comming into the world cleared himselfe and his disciples from slaunder and set open the doore of consolation to repentant sinners Ester therefore is not to be blamed if she sought the opportunitie of a banket more fitly to make her supplication to the King But it seemeth that her dissimulation cannot be excused in that she biddeth Haman the enemie of the Church togither with the King but in that so much the more appeareth her integritie vprightnesse for she prepareth her complaint to be vttered in his presence that she might before-hand take away all matter of exception and excuse laying open the fraude wherby he did obtaine of the King so vniust an Edict And so Ester by those things which might seeme to turne to her blame as though she were guiltie of dissimulation and treacherie doth receiue the praise of great integritie and iustice For the wicked haue no cause to complaine whether their wickednesse be detected priuately or publiquely whether at a table or in the place of iudgement so that there be no place for fraudeor deceit but that the fact bee simply and truly propounded neither in a good cause is it a fault to vse things indifferent vnto profit and aduantage For right and equitie do not depriue vs of the vse of those things which without blame we may employ in the defense of a good cause To be silent in prosecuting our right is not to betray to deferre til occasion be offered is not to do iniurie to the aduerse partie it is not crueltie or hypocrisie to bid him to a banquet whome you meane to accuse to entertaine an enimie at a feast is not to lye But some will say it is at least to dissemble I confesse it But all dissimulation is not euill and to be condemned Christ Iesus a great while suffered Iudas Mat. 26. at his table and committed vnto him his purse as to a good and faithfull disciple and yet he knew him to be a diuell and a traytor of which yet at last he warned him at his last supper So Ester calleth Haman to her banket because it is not forbidden to do good vnto the wicked she entertaineth him and after accuseth him to the King because the benefits bestowed on euill men doth not exempt them from punishment but make them more inexcusable Wherefore traytours and treacherous persons are nothing holpen by this example in the couering of their fraudes deceits and guiles whereby they set vpon good men to oppresse them Neither is this fact yet rashly to be imitated but onely the occasion is to be obserued if any like vnto this shall happen for in this present world so full of miseries deceits and entrappings wee must not onely abstayne from euill but also from all shew of 1. Thess 5. 22. euill The King willingly agreeth vnto Esters request and bringeth Haman with him who accounteth it no small honour that hee onely was inuited by the Queene to accompanie the King Whiles they were in drinking the King Assuerus renueth his former promise thinking belike that Ester durst not propose her demaunde for the greatnesse of the thing Therefore againe hee sayeth that it shall be in her choise to demaunde euen the halfe of the kingdome But who can heere sufficiently wonder at the impudencie and blasphemous speeches of the Doctors of the Church of Rome For one of them Gabriell Biel is not afrayde to say that that which Assuerus heere offereth to Ester was a figure of those things which God in deede hath bestowed on the Virgine Marie euen the halfe of his kingdome For whereas sayeth he the Father of heauen hath these two the chiefest gifts of his kingdome Iustice and Mercie reseruing Iustice vnto himselfe hee hath graunted Mercie vnto the Virgine Marie Heere hence it is that amongst them they giue this title vnto her The Mother of Mercie But let vs leaue those blasphemous speeches whereof euen the most impudent amongst them are almost ashamed Let vs rather heare Esters answere who yet referreth her request vntill the morrow with that condition that it will please the King againe the next day to returne with Haman vnto the banket which should be prepared for him It is not easie to say what moued her to defer her request whē she had the king so ready easie to be intreated to grant whatsoeuer she would But whatsoeuer was her purpose it is certaine that God ruled the thoughts of her heart and her speech that by those things which the next morning happened to Mardochaeus who by the Kings commandement and the ministerie of Haman himselfe did obtaine such solemne honors she might haue a certaine assurance of obtaining her petition and that Haman who a little
it is euident that he aspired to somewhat more and indeede to haue desired the kings apparrell that hee might spoyle the king thereof to be caryed on the kings horse that he might make him go on foote and to put the kings crowne vpoÌ„ his head that he might thrust him into a monasterie and so hauing deposed his king he might vse the seruice of the Peers of the bloud royall and be caryed with triumph through the cities royall and command to be proclaymed not by one but by all not thus shal it be done to the man whom the king will honour but God saue the king him who is worthier of the kingdome then the king himselfe When ambition hath taken roote in the mindes of Nobles it can abide no moderation but desireth to be lifted vp aboue all dignitie and excellencie But how can it be that warlike men made drunke with the wine of the fornicatioÌ„s of that whore of Rome should not do thus when that whore dareth to lift vp her selfe aboue all that is called â— Thes 2. 4 God Thus haue you Hamans aduise promising vnto himselfe royal triumphes but the foole fell farre from his imagination which let vs consider out of the kings decree expressed in these words Make haste saith he take the apparell and the horse as thou hast said and do so to Mardochaeus the â—ew who sitteth in the kings gate omit not any thing of all that which thou hast spoken The prouidence of God is to be obserued in this commandement of the kings who so suddenly changed the Kings will that he would command this Courtier so beloued so magnified to serue Mardochaeus and to be compelled to so base an office from so high a degree of honour and this is so much the more to be obserued because the King could not be ignorant with how great hatred Haman followed all the Iewes Now Kings are not wont for a light cause without offence so hardly to entreate and debase their deare attendants and those whom they haue magnified aboue the rest but heere the kings commandement is straight and precise Make hast take the apparell do as thou hast said omit nothing of that which thou hast spoken What could a man more straightly enioyne his seruant But God would haue the King speake thus peremptorily that Haman might be terrified and his pride beaten downe neither that he should flee vnto the excellencie of his dignitie but that he should execute the aduise which he himselfe had giuen Such is the estate and condition of Courtiers that after the lust of Kings and at a word they are suddenly lifted vp and suddenly throwne downe so changeable and vnconstant is their condition and dignitie which hangeth vpon that slender and rotten threed of mans fauour Who oftentimes to make shew of his power is delighted with such sudden changes throwing downe those whom he hath lifted vp treading vnder feete those whom before hee did extoll ouerwhelming with shame those whom they had ennobled with honor finally vsing them as things created by themselues and that worthily seeing the courtiers are delighted with this maner of creation with wicked sacriledge transferring vnto men that which is due vnto god alone Haman affrighted with this voyce neither dareth answere nor resist but though against his will executeth that which hee was commaunded Heereby appeareth how great the authoritie and power of Assuerus was to wit absolute such as at this day the Turke doth exercise ouer all his subiects And heere also appeareth the cowardise and base minde of Haman He might as it seemeth obiect many things to wit that this Iewe was his most hatefull enemie already condemned by the Kings proclamation that he was rebellious against the Kings commandement of honouring him that it should not bee honourable for the King to bestowe so great honours vpon a man of so base estate that his benefite was not so great which proceeded not from any manlinesse or courage but onely from the bare reporting of words which might bee by any the most cowardly slaue who should not therefore bee accounted worthy so great honour finally if hee had obiected nothing else but that hee could not in a matter so base cast downe himself before his most deadly enemie it might haue bene sufficient for had it not bene farre more commendable for him before men to haue dyed manfully then so against his will to frame himselfe vnto the Kings will But this for the most part is the nature and disposition of them who place their hope and felicitie in the grace and fauour of Princes that they do most seruilely abase themselues to the ministerie of many things which ought to be vnto them more greeuous then death it selfe So God oftentimes is wont to throwe down their courage who seeme that they will rather die for madde then to yeelde but one iotte of their dignitie and magnificence Marke heere a wonderfull change iâ— the persons as well of Haman as of Mardochaeus For Haman is compelled to apparell him whom he desired to spoyle anâ— to carrie him vpon horsebacke of whom hee would needes be adored to adornâ— his head with the Crowne royall whosâ— necke he desired to breake with an haulter to prepare a triumphe for him foâ— whom he had erected a gallowes and tâ— proclaime before him whom hee woulâ— haue oppressed with reproach Thus shâ—â—â— be done to the man whom the King will honour Finally Haman heere is compelled to play the part of a seruant in apparelling of Mardochaeus of a horseman in helping him to horse of an vsher in going before him and of a cryer in proclaiming his honour On the other side Mardochaeus beeing â—ppressed with teares and sorrow is apâ—arelled with gladnesse he that lay in the â—ust is carried on the kings horse he that altogither was swallowed vp with sadâ—esse is Crowned with ioy hee who was â—ppointed to a shamefull death is honouâ—ed and that by him who had wrought all 〈◊〉 mischiefes against him Worthily â—â—en might this faithfull seruant of God 〈◊〉 out the Innocent shall not loose his laâ—our How pretious is thy goodnesse ô God to them that put their trust vnder â—â—e shadow of thy wings and that * How Ps 31. 20. 21 â—â—eat is thy goodnesse which thou hast layd vp â—â—r those that feare thee and that Saluaâ—â—on Ps 37. 39. Ps 92. 11. 12. belongeth vnto God also that Thou 〈◊〉 lift vp my horne as the horne of an Vniâ—â—rne for I am annoynted with fresh oyle And 〈◊〉 eye shall behold thy iudgements against â—â—ose that lie await for me Now these â—â—ings are written not that out of them euery one of vs should imagine to himselfe the like triumphes that Mardochaeus had or like honour in this world but let it suffice vs to haue made triall that God is the defender of our honor and that hee wil bring forth thy righteousnesse as the light Ps 37. 6. thy iustice as the noon-day
that those who desired to seevs ouerwhelmed with shame and slaunders shall be compelled to approue the righteousnesse of our cause and to honour our right yea euen the very enemies of the truth shall be compelled to acknowledge the innocencie of the Martyrs and of those whom they haue persecuted The full accomplishment and effect whereof if wee see not in this world at the last when the time of refreshing shall come wee shall behold it Wherefore take courage my brethren let vs follow righteousnesse and innocencie let vs constantly suffer the crosse of Christ Iesus let vs not enuie at the prosperitie of the wicked let vs repose our hope in the grace of our GOD let vs waite for the euent of his promises and we shall see at length the confusion and vtter destruction of his and our enemies and shall bee Crowned at the last with glorie and felicitie in the life euerlasting with Christ Iesus our Lord to whom onely be power glory and dominion for euermore Amen THE SIXTEENTH Sermon Haman being beaten downe with sorrow hides himselfe at home and asketh counsell of his friends who denounce vnto him a wofull euent thence hee is called with haste vnto the banquet which is turned into a snare and deadly net vnto him From v. 12. of this 6. Chapter vnto the third verse of the next 12. And Mordecai came againe to the Kings gate but Haman hasted home mourning and his head couered 13. And Haman tolde Zeresh his wife and all his friends al that had be fallen him Then said his wise men and Zeresh his wife vnto him Seeing Mordecai is of the seed of the Iewes before whom thou hast begun to fall thou shalt not preuaile against him but shalt surely fall before him 14. And while they were yet talking with him the Kings Eunuches came and hasted to bring Haman to the banket that Ester had prepared CHAP. VII 1. So when the King and Haman came to the banquet with the Queene Ester 2. The King said againe vnto Ester on the second day at the banquet of Wine what is thy petition Queene Ester and it shall be giuen thee and what is thy request 〈◊〉 shall be euen performed vnto the halfe of the Kingdome WHen as the Lord once beginneth to draw the most cruell enemies of his church into iudgement to execute vengeance vpon theâ— according to the desert of their pridâ— and crueltie suddenly are they seene tâ— be intangled in the bands of their iniquitie amazed with sorrow and mourning ouerwhelmed with shame to seeke to hide themselues to be condemned by their owne friends and sentence to be pronounced against them in the middest of their delights wherin they looked for comfort in their distresse Which heere we see to happen vnto Haman who when on the sudden he was fallen froÌ„ his hope hieth him home with his head couered by reasoÌ„ of his exceeding sorrow there he heareth sentence to bee pronounced against him that most assuredly he shall fall seeing he hath to doo with the Iewes Thence is he brought vnto the banquet with the King and the Queene but that table was vnto him a iudgement seate of condemnation at which as anon after we shall heare iudgement is giuen against him that here may be an example of the fearefull vengeance of God vpon his enemies when once he hath turned his angry countenance against them And â—his is that which is spoken Psal 39. 11. When thou with rebukes doest chastice man for iniquitie thou as a moath makest his â—ewtie to consume And in an other place Psal 68. 1. 2. Let God arise and his enemies shall be scattered they also that hate him shall flee before him As the smoake vanisheth so shalt thou driue them away and as waxe melteth before the fire so shall the wicked perish at the presence of God Heere also we see that fulfilled which is spoken by Eliphaz Iob. 5. 13. God taketh the wise in their craftinesse and the counsell of the wicked is made foolishnesse and that which the wise man speaketh in the Prouerbes Chap. 11. 6. 8. The transgressors shal be taken in their owne wickednesse when the righteousnesse of the iust shall deliuer the. And The righteous escapeth out of trouble and the wicked commeth in his stead But yet notwithstanding this is not to be drawne into a generall rule as though God dealt withall the wicked after this maner in this world or as though they were all to be accounted wicked and vnrighteous as many as are oppressed with great and sudden calamities For many good men are oftentimes shaken with the greatest miseries and sorrowes in this life and on the contrary part many wicked vngodly men liue in prosperitie die quietly as though they had escaped gods hand Howbeit god doth oftetimes shew forth in this world notable signes of his wrath against the enemies of his truth Which although he execute after diuers sorts yet this in generall is most euident that they are ouerwhelmed with sudden mischiefe as a woman with childe and to heare their condemnation before their death euen by their dearest and nearest friends and that oftentimes the place where they imagined to find rest and quiet is turned vnto a deadly baite And these things in generall are most worthy the noting in this Historie but let vs also discusse euery part thereof First heere is offered the modestie of Mardochaeus who hauing receiued that honor which we haue spoken of before returneth to his ordinarie office as it seemeth to wit to the Kings gate testifying thereby that his minde did not swell with any pride but to thinke of his dutie with feare carefulnesse and to remember that he is not yet deliuered from all danger that Edict remaining yet written against the Iewes Besides that honour bestowed vpon him although it were very great and almost immeasurable in regard of his state passed away in one morning that rightly it may bee sayd if he receiued none other reward that it was honour without gaine yea honor full of vain ostentation and pride onely and of no firme and stable dignitie But these were but an entrance a shew before of greater and more continual honor to follow when Hamans malice was detected and worthily punished Heerehence therefore wee learne not to bee puffed vp and waxe insolent with any courtly grace fauour or any other honor For the fauour of men is momentanie and all honor slideth away and vanisheth as smoake into the ayre It remaineth that wee vse it well to the defence and commoditie of the Church and depend altogither vpon Gods goodnesse not placing our trust in any earthly Prince seeing that the greatest and most mightie Princes are nothing else but vanitie nay altogither lighter then vanitie as it is said Psal 62. 9. Let vs beware therefore that we be not turned away the least iot from our dutie by any blast of courtly grace or fauour or from any honest thought which
on Mardochaeus make her any thing the more insolent or proude but that most modestly most humbly shee layeth open her petition for shee more esteemeth of the greatnes of the matter whereof she was to speake and the maiestie of the king then that leaue which was granted her to speake freely Shee beginneth with the kings fauour and good will when she sayeth If I haue found fauour if it please the King shewing that in this petition she dependeth as well on the kings good will and fauour as to trust to the equitie of the cause Her petition is simple and not painted with deceit although it concerned great matters her owne life and her whole peoples Let my life sayth she be granted me at my request and my people at my petition She desireth her life to be granted that she may shew that she receiued a great gift and reward of the kings liberalitie and bountie both for her self and her people if shee were deliuered from the present danger that hanged ouer them She openeth the cause of her most iust petition and the certaintie of the danger in that she addeth For we are solde I and my people to be destroyed to be slayne and to perish She sayeth that they were solde because they were deliuered vnto death and set in open market as sheep vnto the slaughter For although there were no bargaine made of their sale yet as those who sell any thing deliuer it ouer to be vsed at the will and pleasure of him to whom it is solde so also in that Edict which was set forth against the poore wretches they were laide open to euery mans furie as many as would kill slay or destroy them And indeede shee retaineth the very words of the decree as wee heard them before Chap. 3. vers 13. that thereby she might more and more make knowne the equitie of the demaund Shee might also haue respect vnto the offer made by Haman of the ten thousand talents of siluer although the King accepted it not thereby to note his malicious mind who would not spare any cost to bring his bloudie purpose to passe She adioyneth by way of yeelding an argument of great modestie and humilitie If saith she Wee had bene solde for seruants and handmaides I would haue kept silence so that it had bin profitable and gainfull to the King but he who goeth about to deliuer vs vnto death is not profitable but indammageth the King And this also she most simplie setteth downe for shee might boldly haue said What profit can there any way come vnto the king by such crueltie and the bloudy slaughter of so many innocents without difference of men women olde yoong high or low degree But she tooke diligent care not to speake any thing that might prick or trouble the kings minde who had consented vnto such a decree which might haue bene if shee had made any mention of crueltie or had amplified the hainousnesse of the decree But we must yet more exactly weigh the vertues of Ester which doo shine in this Oration For therein as in a Glasse do appeare her wisedome faith charitie humilitie and modestie her vprightnesse and integritie ioyned with an holy boldnesse Her wisedome is seene in all the parts of her speech For from the beginning that she might procure the Kings good will she maketh no mention of her dignitie value merit or worthinesse for kings do not willinglie heare those things to bee spoken of by their subiects and inferiours but shee speaketh onely of the Kings fauour of his good will and pleasure onely for which things Kings especially delight to be commended It is wisedome that in her petition she craueth not reuenge of the iniurie offered vnto her but saith that she will account it in lieu of a great benefite if her life and the life of her people bee graunted her at her request How great wisedome also is there to be seene in these words Wee are solde I and my people to bee destroyed to bee slaine and to perish For in fewe words both shee expresseth both the truth of the thing and the barbarous crueltie of the fact yet so that shee toucheth not the King whom shee passeth ouer vnnamed although hee suffered that inhumane and bloudie Edict to passe For though Kinges erre and bee deceiued yet they cannot abide to haue their errours in expresse words to be laid before them or to bee reprooued Shee doth not also name Haman vntill shee had tryed the Kings affection towardes her petition This also is wisely added by her That shee would haue helde her tongue if they had onely bene solde for slaues so that it had bene profitable and gainefull to the king For Kings are greatly delighted with such humilitie and liberall offer that for their sake and profit men auoyde no incommoditie Besides nothing could make more to procure hatred and enuie against Haman though hee were not named then when shee sayth that the enemie who goeth about the death of so many doeth not care for the Kings profit but shall rather hinder and endammage him And this is her wisedome Her faith is apparant in that she saith Let my life and the life of my people be granted me And I and my people are solde For so shee confesseth and in the middest of dangers professeth that she is of the kindred of the Iewes that shee embraceth their doctrine and religion and that shee neither hath nor is willing to haue any thing separated or apart from the people of God but that she would both liue and die togither with them Whereby it appeareth that when by Mardochaeus commaundement she concealed her kindred and her people it was not done for want of faith or godlinesse to dissemble her religion but of an holy wisdome God so gouerning both her mind tongue that she might more conueniently helpe both her selfe and her people in their greatest danger And if at first by reason of feare there had bene any defect in faith this confession is so plaine and simple that it taketh away all matter of excuse from those who in time of persecution forsweare their religion at what time they should more freely make confession therof So Nicodemus who when before hee was somewhat fearefull and a secret Disciple of the Lord did in the time of greatest danger make himselfe knowne together with Ioseph of Aramathia begging Iohn 19. 39. the body of our Lord Iesus Christ and taking it downe from the Crosse and laying it with honour into the Sepulchre How great a shame is it then for those that glory in the name of Christians so cowardly to forsweare the Gospell for feare of losse of their goods The charitie of Ester consisteth in this that she desireth nothing for her selfe alone but beareth a like care for her people as for her self and holdeth the church of God more deare then her life Easily might she haue obtained for her selfe by name whatsoeuer shee had demaunded
without any ones hatred or enuie by reason of that dignitie and state which shee held with the King but with the same feruentnesse of mind doth she make her supplication to the king as well for her people as for her ownelife which it seemeth she shuld haue liued prolonged very sorrowfully vnlesse the same at her request had bene granted to her people Such ought our charitie to be that we should loue our neighbors as our selues so that they who are carefull for their owne securitie and quiet onely little caring what becomes of others are voyde of charitie and worse then Infidels Her modestie and humilitie appeareth in this that she saith She would haue held her tongue if they had onely gone about to bring them into bondage and slauerie although shee and her people had bin sold for the Kings profit and aduantage which maketh much to procure the Kings good will and to moue his minde to mercie For who is so stonie hearted who would not be moued to heare so Noble a Lady so farre to abase her selfe that shee would suffer her selfe to be solde if it seemed good vnto the King and might turne to his profit Besides it made to shew with how great a terror of death shee was affected refusing no condition though it were of most hard slauerie so that shee might escape death It serued also very much to stirre vp more vehemeÌ„tly the kings pitie towards her whom he had vouchsafed so great fauour and bestowed the crowne royall vpon her afore all other if hee should see her to stand in danger of her life and so vehemently carefull for her safetie that she was ready to vndergo any slauerie to redeeme her life Furthermore her modestie is manifest by this that shee doth not make her complaint more hainous by great outcries and exclamatioÌ„s or importune desire of reuenge but she committeth the whole matter to the kings wil good pleasure esteeming of it as of a great gaine benefite to redeeme her life and the life of her people from the crueltie of that Edict which was published against them Her integritie and vprightnesse appeareth in this that shee faineth or deuiseth nothing neither addeth any thing besides the matter to the commendation thereof or hatred of the enemie of the people neither doth she fawne vpon the king with any flattering words to excuse his rashnesse to wit that the goodnesse of his nature and his vprightnesse in iustice would neuer haue suffered so great crueltie that it could not bee but that those Letters were obtained by deceit or were forged for his goodnesse and clemencie would neuer haue consented to so barbarous a fact to conclude shee inuenteth no flatterie for the Saints of God know not how to lie or flatter Last of all her courage and constancie is wonderously to be praised that she dare complaine on so mightie an enemie so deare and in fauour with the King to accuse him of such a crime to his face and that vnto the King without whose disgrace and reproach it could not be done when as rashly he had consented vnto that mischiefe which Haman wickedly had deuised Such is the boldnesse and strength of the Saints who to the defence of the Church are more bold then Lyons as Salomon speaketh Heere hence wee learne that all our affaires must bee managed by reason which must be accompanied with true faith in which charitie must rule vnto which must be adioyned modestie integritie vprightnesse courage in defending a good cause that neither for feare or shame we start from doing our dutie if we desire to haue the issue of them happie For where these vertues are wanting either the truth is betraied or not wel defended and a good cause is ouerthrowne by impudencie or pride and rashnesse But who doth at this day so gouerne his actions with reason that he could be content to haue iudgement giuen of them with like integritie and modestie Who is now of such constancie that in the presence of Princes hee will manfully defend the cause of the distressed Who is enflamed with so great an heate of charitie that he will take care of the life of an other man no lesse then of his owne Who is of such courage that he will constantly professe himselfe a member of the Church when he shall see it on euery side to be oppressed with slanders and condemned to death Truely you shall see few Esters at this day who so faithfully and wisely and with such successe will take vpon them the defence of the Church but there want not on the contrarie many like in disposition to Iezabel and Athalia by whome the furie of Kings shall be kindled to the hatred and destruction of the Church Furthermore if Ester did with so great reuerence feare and humilitie speake vnto a mortall King what shall wee thinke is our duetie to doo when wee come into the presence of the infinite and immeasurable maiestie of the King of Kings Shall wee bring our owne Luc. 18. merits as did that proude Pharisee Or shall wee speake with hatred and contempt of our neighbours as hee did Or shall wee proudly lift vp our heads vnto the skyes Or shall it not rather become vs following that Publicane to cast downe our countenance to the earth and to throwe downe and prostrate our selues before God with â— true feeling of our sinnes and sorrow for the same praying most humbly vnto him for our selues and the liues of our brethren And thus farre of Ester Let vs now hearken vnto the Kings answere Who sayeth he is he or where is he that presumeth to do thus By these words hee sheweth that hee was moued not onely to graunt Esters petition but also to take vengeance of him who had conspired against the life of her and of her people saying that he must needes be a presumptious and bolde man who dare attempt so great a wickednes For who can practise any thing against the life of the Queene and not touch and violate the maiestie of the King He asketh therefore who he may be and where hee is that hee may punish him as it is the duetie of Kings to pull downe those who extoll themselues contrarie to their duetie as Dauid protesteth concerning himselfe That hee would not suffer him that had Psal 101. 5. a proude looke and an high heart But who could tell better then the King who it was who had inuented so hainous a fact when hee himselfe not full â—wo moneths before had graunted vnto Haman whatsoeuer hee desired for the destruction of the Iewes had commaunded the Scribes to write the proclamation after Hamans direction had giuen him his Ring to seale it had sent his posts to carrie it with speed into euery Prouince as before in the third Chapter hath bene declared Had he forgotten so great a matter of weight so suddenly Or if he did remember it why doth hee dissemble it It may bee said that the
with true accusatiōs partly with false The king without stay without counsaile pronounceth sentēce Hang him thereon A short iudgement as the whole handling of the cause was short so the sentence was shorter pronoūced in one word without farther aduise For he who had wrested out so bloudie a decree admitting none into counsaile is worthy to be condemned to death without any counsaile The sentēce is iust For it was conuenient that he who had lifted vp himself against God in seeking the destructiō of his Church should be lifted vp vpō an high gallows that his infamie might be manifest vnto all men Besides it is iust that the wicked perish by their owne crafts that wicked counsayle bring destruction vnto those that giue it that they be taken in the nets that themselues laid that they be entangled in their owne coards fall into the pit which they digged be consumed with the fire which they kindled to haue the mischiefe fall on their own heds which they had prepared for others that God may be acknowledged to be iust when the wicked is snared Psal 9. 16. in the worke of his own hands The king by this sentence sheweth his absolute power rule without law measure such as the Turke exerciseth at this day ouer his subiects by his word beck appointing to death whomsoeuer they please euen his owne children without any iudgement Which kinde of gouernment almost all the kings of the world do now challenge vnto them The lawes of this realme and sentence of death are executed and determined by Iudges thereunto appointed and by ordinarie course and not immediatly by the Prince And this is iust and most seemely least that Princes in their rage abuse their authority hasten iudgement wherein the life is called in question which being once lost can not be restored for nothing is so sacred and inuiolable which the lust and affection of wicked Princes doth not sometime prophane and violate The courtiers vnto whom that charge was committed do speedily execute the sentence Marke heere a wonderfull change they who very lately adored Haman draw him now to the gallowes he who consented with him vnto the death of the Iewes in fauour of the Iewes condemneth him to death Such is the iustice of God who putteth enimitie betweene the sworne enemies of truth and equitie that one of them destroyeth another Nay you shall not lightly see any who haue conspired together in wickednes to remaine long at accord but at the length one of them riseth against another as it is sayd that a fire went out of the Iud. 9. 15. bramble and consumed the cedars of Lebanon So Assuerus who had consented vnto Haman for the death of the Iewes and destruction of the Church now bringeth him to a shamefull death then which thing what could be more strange and vnheard of He who caused that Haman of our time to be slaine had consented with him to the butcherie of the french Churches and by warre sought the ruine and destruction of the professors of the Gospell Who will not heere wonder at the profound wisedome of the secrets of God Who can choose but acknowledge his iustice Who can but declare his wonderful works and praise them exceedingly Who would not cry out with Dauid Psal 92. 5. O Lord how glorious are thy workes how very deepe are thy thoughts And Psal 36. 6. Thy righteousnes is like the mightie mountaines thy iudgements are like the great deepe thou Lord doest saue man and beast What talke shall we thinke was then in Susa what words of the faithful but euen those which Dauid setteth forth in this Psal 118. 15. 16. manner The voyce of ioy and deliuerance shall be in the tabernacles of the righteous saying The right hand of the Lord hath done valiantly The right hand of the Lord is exalted the right hand of the Lord hath done valiantly Worthily might they say when they sawe that wicked man punished as he had deserued that which is in the Psal 52. vers 7. Behold the man that tooke not God for his strength but trusted in the multitude of his riches and put his strēgth in his malice For as it is sayd Psal 58. 10. The righteous shal reioyce when he seeth the vengeance he shall wash his feete in the bloud of the wicked Yea they might also say that which Debora sometimes sang in her song So let all thine enemies perish ô Lord Iud. 5. 31. And that which is Psal 129. 5. They that hate Sion shall be ashamed and turned backward Yea and Mardochaeus himselfe might rightly say with Dauid I will be glad and reioyce in thee I will sing prayse to Psal 9. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. thy name ô thou most high For that mine enemies are turned backe fallen and perished at thy presence For thou hast maintayned my right my cause Thou art set in thy throne iudgest right Thou hast rebuked the Heathen thou hast destroyed the wicked thou hast put out their name euē for euer and euer O thou enemie are destructiōs come to a perpetuall end Also Psalm 54. 6. 7. I will sacrifice willingly vnto thee I will prayse thy Name ô Lord because it is good For God hath deliuered me out of al trouble and mine eye hath seene that which is right vpon mine enemies And what on the contrarie part might they thinke who were ignorant of the wonderfull works of God but euen that which is spoken Psal 64. 9. All men shal see it and declare the works of God and they shall vnderstand what he hath wrought For as Isai saith According as thy iudgemēts Isai 26. 9. are in the earth so the inhabitāts of the world shall learne righteousnes So is that also fulfilled which is Psal 73. 19. How suddenly are they destroyed perished and horribly consumed Therefore they which enioy prosperitie in this world and those who are in fauour in the court let them learne not to trust in those things nothing is sooner defaced and decayeth then fauour and dignitie in court nothing is sooner blotted out then the deceitfull shew of this world But it may not without cause be demanded whether the king did not offend and do amisse herein seeing he was chafed both with wine wrath and pronounced iudgement so hastily without appeale neither hearing the partie accused neither giuing him space to answere or to repent finally no forme of iudgement being obserued It may be answered to this question that there are diuers formes of iudgement according to the varietie of time and place and that which at this time and vpon this occasion and circumstance is right and iustice is not so at others Besides that euen in the same countries there are obserued diuers formes of iudgements according to the diuers circumstāces of time fact and persons In warre there is an other forme of iudgement then in peace an other when things are quiet then in sedition an
in the middest of our dangers and greatest distresse And thus farre of Mardochaeus glorie The ioy and gladnesse of the Iewes is next to be considered and first of those who dwelt in Susa and then of those who were dispersed in other Cities and Prouinces ver 17. Of the Iewes which were abiding in Susa it is said in the end of the 15. verse that the naturall inhabitants reioyced for their sakes vnlesse we will follow a more simple sense of the place and say that there was light and ioy in the Citie of Susa that is among the Iewes But it may also be that many of the Citizens of Susa perceiuing the kings fauour to the Iewes the authoritie of Ester and loue which the King bare to her and the hoâ—our of Mardochaeus did giue forth some â—â—gnes of reioycing for this felicitie of the Iewes as for the most part wee see it to â—appen that vnto what part the Kings â—â—uour and affection doth bend to the 〈◊〉 also the good wil of the people doth â—â—cline Many therefore being moued â—ith so sudden and wonderfull changes and seeing them reuiued whom before â—â—ey thought dead might well say with 〈◊〉 Prophet Psal 126. 2. The Lord hath â—ne great things for them And so 〈◊〉 vnto them that deliuerance which the Lord had wrought for his Church Wherefore it is rightly said concerning the Iewes whose this happinesse properly was that there appeared vnto them a light and gladnesse and ioy and glorie Light is set against the darknesse of affliction gladnes against sorrow ioy against tears glorie against shame and abasing The fountaine of this gladnesse was the light of the countenance of the Lord which did shine ouer them for their safetie The matter was that happie changâ— of their estate their chiefe and most hate full enemie being dead and destroyed the king greatly fauouring them the coÌ„mandement sent forth in their behalfe Ester and Mardochaeus being exalted intâ— the highest dignitie and grace with thâ— king the ende of this ioy was the testifying of a mind not vnthankfull for so many benefites bestowed vpon them bâ— God It is lawfull then nay it is expresâ— commanded that the faithfull reioyceâ— be glad when as they receiue the testimonies of Gods fauour Therefore is Dâ—uid wont most often when he would she the greatnesse of his ioy and his thanâ—full minde for the benefits which he 〈◊〉 receiued from God to inuite and stirre Ps 103. vp all the workes of God to praise God with him Let vs not therefore suppose that this was a prophane ioy or the laughter of the children of this world who delight themselues with all intemperancie and ryot but a true spirituall ioy proceeding from God which had taken so deep roote in their minds that they did shewe forth the effects thereof in all the parts of their body and namely with their mouth in so much that they brast foorth into Psalmes and praises of god togither with the faithfull in these words Praised be the Ps 68. 10. 20. Lord eueÌ„ the God which ladeth vs daily with benefits This is our God euen the God that saueth vs and to the Lord God belong the issues of death Likewise also the rest of the Iewes which dwelt in euery Prouince are said to haue ioy and gladnesse feastes and mirth for they did not keep any festiuall day vntil after the executioÌ„ of the decree and destructioÌ„ of their enemies as afterwards we shall see Feastes agree with prosperitie fasts with aduersities and calamities but the â—easts of those which reioyce in the Lord â—re seasoned with teÌ„perance with thaÌ„ks giuing and adorned with the remembrance of the exceeding glorious workes of the Lord. For if the very Ethnickes in whom there was any sparkes of honestie left were wont in their feasts to treate of graue and honest matters and to tell of the false miracles of their Gods what is seemely for Christians to do vnto whom so abundant an argument of praising god is offered as wel in the former deliuerances of his church as in these latter which daily we see to be performed but some man will say there is not yet so great an occasion offered vnto the Iewes of gladnesse but that by reason of the dangers to ensue there remaineth yet much more cause of feare and carefulnesse For the former Edict as yet being in force and the Iewes hauing many enemies who are as well armed with publike authoritie to inuade them as they are for their owne defence dooth there not seeme to be greater occasion of feare and dread then of ioy and gladnesse especially seeing the successe of warres is so diuers and when as no part ouercommeth without greate losse It is not to be thought that the Iewes did so giue themselues to ioy that they were not carefull for their affaires or did not prouide themselues against the day of executioÌ„ and no doubt to this end did they often call vpon God in their prayers The ioy then that was bred in their hearts for this new benefit which they had receiued from God did likewise encourage them to hope the more boldly for that which was to come because God being so excellent a workeman is not wont to leaue his worke imperfect as Psal 138. 8. it is said The goodnesse of the Lord endureth for euer and that he neuer for saketh the worke of his hands The Lord therefore doth so make glad those that are his that not withstanding he leaueth them sufficient occasion to pray vnto him and to looke carefully vnto their affaires And yet not with standing leauing vnto them a certaine pledge and earnest of full deliuerance he giueth them hope of happie successe which yet dependeth wholy vpon him as also the Prophet Isai speaketh chap. 26. 12. Thou ô Lord wilt giue vs peace for thou also hast wrought all our works for vs. That which is added in the end of this verse might auaile much to raise vp the Iewes into a good hope to weete that many of the people of the land became Iewes because the feare of the Iewes fell vpon them So that it came to passe that on the one side many for desire tooke part with the Iewes on the other side they were striken with feare whosoeuer went about to procure their death That it is sayd that many of the people of the land were made Iewes may thus be vnderstoode that either they tooke part with them or that they did embrace their Religion acknowledging the God of the Iewes for the true God who alone can saue and deliuer out of danger those that put their whole trust and confidence in him And this is one of the fruites which is gathered out of danger those that put their whole trust and confidence in him And this one of the fruites which is gathered wonderfull deliuerances of his church that many who before were ignorant and despised or euen hated and persecuted the Church and her doctrine when as they
waxed greater and greater 5. Thus the Iewes smote all their enemies with strokes of the sword and slaughter and destruction and did what they would vnto those that hated them 6. And at Susa the citie royall slewe the Iewes and destroyed fiue hundred men 7. And Parshandatha and Dalphon and Aspatha 8. And Poratha and Adalia and Aridatha 9. And Parmashta and Arisai and Aridai and Vajezatha 10. The tenne sonnes of Haman the sonne of Amedatha the aduersarie of the Iewes slewe they but they layed not theâ—â— hands vpon the spoyle WE haue hiterto heard many notable and excellent effects of prayers which proceede from true faith and repentance For those prayers piercing the heauens found fauour with God made open a safe entrance for Ester vnto the King obtayned his good will got a place for her petition yea and obtained that which at the first she would not hope for to weete the shamefull death of Haman the most cruell enemie of the Church the great honours of Mardochaeus succeeding in his place a Proclamation in fauour of the Iewes froÌ„ which there arose a publick ioy vnto al the people whereof we spake in the last Sermon Such and so great were the fruites which the prayer of faith brought vnto the Iewes who fled vnto God by their prayers as vnto their only helper and defender in their greatest troubles and distresse There remaineth the greatest and most excellent effect proceeding froÌ„ the same cause to weete the victorie which they had ouer all their enemies whome being armed with the authoritie of the chiefe Magistrate they vtterly destroyed to execute the iust vengeance of God against the enemies of his Church Lâ—â— then the execution of the decree thâ—â— very same day wherein the enemies 〈◊〉 the Iewes hoped to haue dominion ouer them they could not resist them because the Lord had cast a feare into them and because Mardochaeus had gotten so great fauour and authoritie with all men that euen the greatest and noblest peeres did reuerence him So that it was no marueile if the Iewes euen at their pleasure did turne backe againe vpon their enemies heads the mischiefe which they practised against them This whole matter is generally proposed in the fiue first verses and then particularly explicated vntil the 17. verse We shall deale at this present concerning those fiue hundred meÌ„ which were slaine in Susa with the tenne sonnes of Haman where there is set forth vnto vs very notable and most necessary doctrines to weet that by feruent and faithfull prayer all things are obtained from God euen victorie against allsorts of enemies as Dauid sheweth Psal 56. 9. When I cry vnto thee mine enemies shall be turned vnto flight Also that God giueth strength vnto the weake weakeneth the minds of the strong when it seemeth good vnâ—o him And farther that the end of the â—nemies of the Church is at the last shamefull and full of sorrow and their wicked counsailes turne at the last to their destruction and are made a ruine and coÌ„fusion vnto them But these things will better be learned in the explication of the particulars First therefore the day of this execution is noted the thirteenth day of the xij moneth Adar which answereth to part of our February and the beginning of March. In that day the counsailes of the enemies are reported to fall out contrary to their opinions for wheÌ„ they hoped to exercise dominion ouer the Iewes they were ouerthrowen and subdued by the Iewes So the lots which Haman cast that he might find out a fit day to roote out the people of God were found to be deceitfull and lying and those who 〈◊〉 their trust in them receiued a iust reward of their impietie Although therefore sometimes it fall out that Satan the author of all sorceries inchantments and diuinations do speake truth God by his 〈◊〉 iudgement vengeaÌ„ce giuing force 〈◊〉 to his errors yet this is his only end 〈◊〉 delude and draw into perdition all those curious folke which employ themseluâ—â— to such artes full of sacriledge and impietie that those who were not louers of the truth may perish as they haue deserued for as much as they haue left God in whome is the fountaine of life and truth to turne themselues vnto the author of death and father of lyes By this meanes were our idolatrous Leaguers deceiued who by force of the Bulles and Pardons they had from the Pope of their Iubilees Pilgrimages and Processions of their madnesse in the worshipping of images and foolish deuotions and by the foretellings of certaine Almanacks and deceits of other like leger-du-maines did promise vnto themselues the wished and happie end of their purposes which was the abolishing of the Reformed Churches and doctrine of the Gospell but the time and day which seemed vnto them most fit for their designements was turned vnto them into a day of sorrow shame and eternall confusion Hearken now what way the Iewes tooke by the Kings permission to destroy their enemies They gathered themselues together in their cities through all the proâ—inces of the King Assuerus to lay hand vpoÌ„ those that sought their hurt They did then wisely prouide for their affaires so that they did not giue theÌ„selues so to ioy and gladnes but that they did diligeÌ„tly stand vpon their guard prouided them of armour gathered theÌ„selues together at certaine times places and principally did flee vnto God by prayer desiring that he who hitherto had shewed theÌ„ so great fauour would make perfect the worke of their deliuerance And surely then had they most neede of Gods help wheÌ„ they were to fight with their enemies for vnlesse God had daunted their courage and weakened their force prowesse there was no hope that the Iewes could be vanquishers of their enemies Furthermore they contained themselues within the bounds of the Proclamation that they would only vse force against those that sought their hurt that is those that were in armes to hurt them their wiues and children for this was the forme of the first edict chap. 8. vers 11. So that wee must needes say that the same day the enemies of the Iewes assembled to destroy and slay them for else how could they know who were their enemies or by what lawe could they haue vsed violence against those who kept themselues quiet and peaceable in their houses But by what lawe did the enemies of the Iewes take armour against them Euen bearing themselues bolde vpon the Kings Decree which was not called backe although one contrarie were published Besides vpon the confidence of their lot-casters and moued with the hatred of God and true religion being then principally driuen by Godssecret prouidence to gather themselues together that he might deliuer them into the hands of his people and that they should receiue a iust vengeance of their vngodlinesse and crueltie as God is sayd to harden the hearts of the Canaanites Iosh 11. 20. to goe out to meete the Israelites in
battaile that so he might destroy and ouerthrow them vnder the pretence of this Proclamation Whereby it appeareth that the King was not very carefull of the quiet and safetie of his people For if he would not or could not call backe againe the former edict why did hee not at the least secretly signifie that hee woulde haue euerie one remaine quiet and leaue the Iewes vntouched But marke heere the iust vengeance of God when he is bent against any kingdome there is easily place giuen vnto euill counsaile and so all things are troubled and turned vpside downe so that no place is left for sounde aduise Kings do not in time represse the furie of the wicked but by their lenitie and negligence rather nourish it and the people following euill leaders are caryed headlong willingly and with a blinded course into their owne destruction The enemies of the Iewes therefore do assemble themselues furnished with weapon and a minde to hurt them but they can not stand before the Iewes nor resist them so much can a good cause which vseth good counsaile and lawfull meanes preuaile when it pleaseth God to cast a feare vpon the enemies as heere it is sayd That the feare of the Iewes fell vpon all people For whence came this feare but frō God who made his seruants though fewe in number to be terrible and cause of feare to those of whome most mightie nations and all the people of the world stoode in feare Is victorie then from any other then from god who feareth the enemies and giueth vnto his strength courage So say the faithfull when they set foorth Gods praises that neither by their owne nor their fathers sword came they into the possessiō Ps 44. 3. of the lād of Canaā or did hold it so many yeares but by Gods right hand and the light of his coūtenance So Dauid giuing God thankes for the victories which hee had gotten saith that he followed his enemies Ps 18. 38. 39. 40. and stroke them so that they were not able to arise because God had girded him with strength and had bowed downe those vnder him who had risen vp against him And in an other Psalme he acknowledgeth that Ps 144. 1 it is God that teacheth his hands to fight and his fingers to warre For this cause also the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrewes saith that the auncient fathers through Heb. 11. 34. faith were made strong in battell and turned the Armies of the Aliants into flight These are the most sure and strong armor of the faithfull whereby they are vnto all their enemies most fearefull and inuincible Wherefore their arrogancie and rashnesse can neuer sufficiently be reproued and condemned who professing themselues Christians and fighting for religiō think of nothing lesse then of calling vpon God Hence also we haue sufficient proofe how great the fauor of God is towards all that feare him and call vpon his name and defend a iust cause with lawful armes when as he maketh euen an handfull as it were ofseely captiues dispersed heere and there to be terrible to all the people of so great a Monarchie These things then will vs to hope well in the lawfull defence of a iust cause against the disturbers of publike peace and tranquillitie and the sworne deadly enemies not only of the state but also of the truth Thus haue ye the first chiefest cause of the victorie which the Iewes had ouer their enemies who were terrified with feare and fled from them The other followeth that the Rulers of the Prouinces and the Princes and the Captaines the officers of the king furthered the Iewes How much the fauour of rulers and those who are the kings officers can preuaile in the furthering of any part no man is ignorāt But marke you heere a strange matter the Princes and rulers take part with the Iewes against the naturall subiects of the land but they sufficiently perceiue◠to what part the Kings affection did bend whose fauour when as they were willing to haue they fauour that part which the king is most affectionate vnto although perhaps they wish the Iewes vtterly destroyed Moreouer the feare of Mardochaeus had taken hold of them that when they saw him in such fauour and authoritie with the King and that all things were guided by his counsell and ruled at his becke they would also seeke to gratifie him Out of which also it is euident how that God not onely in a moment lifteth vp whom it pleaseth him but also doth furnish them with Maiestie spreading farre and wide the honour of their name by their exceeding great glory casting a fear of them far and neare into the harts of men and at the last repressing the sparks of enuie which cōmōly are wont to be kindled against such as out of base estate do suddēly rise vnto high honor For who could sufficiently maruel that a man newly risen and a straunger and bringing a maruellous change into the state at his first comming euē such as was hurtfull dammageable vnto the naturall subiects of the King should not be open vnto the hatred enuie and slaunders of all men and especially of those who thought so much to bee abated from their dignitie how much he was exalted but so much the more clearely doth God shewe himselfe to be hee who at his good pleasure lifteth vp men and throweth them down and that he hath in his hand the harts and wils of men which he turneth what way pleaseth him Wherefore wee are heere taught to depend on his prouidence and to rest wholy thereon not curiously seeking how they are promoted vnto honor who take vpon them the defence of the Church or by what meanes they retaine it and how they auoyd the hatred of one and the deceits of an other and finally how they defend themselues from many daungers which stand round about them For hee that exalted Mardochaeus and made him to be reuerenced and feared of the Princes and preserued vnto him his dignitie safe and whole knoweth also by what meanes to defend and protect those whose worke he will vse to the defence of his Church scattering and turning to nought all the craftie counsels of the enemies which shal threaten any euil against them But heere especially this is to be obserued that Mardochaeus did ascend vnto this honour by these steps godlinesse the feare of God zeale of his glory a pure affection of helping and defending the Church so farre forth as it pleased God to put to his hande to giue any quiet and tranquillitie vnto the Church which was so miserably afflicted By these vertues then is the dignitie of those who vndertake the defence of the state of the Church encreased and by the same shall it continue These are the meanes which it pleaseth God to vse to the succouring of his Let vs now looke into the execution of that vengeance which was granted vnto the childrē of God
remayne those things which belonged to the institution of the dayes of Purim prescribed both by Mardochaeus and by Ester from the 25. verse vnto the end of the Chapter 25. And when she came before the King he commanded by letters Let this wicked deuise which heâ— imagined against the Iewes turne vpon his owne head therfore they hanged him his sons vpon the tree 26. Therefore they called those daies Purim of the name of Pur and because of all the words of this letter and because of that which they had seene besides this and of that which had come vnto them 27. The Iewes also ordained and promised for themselues and for their seede and for all that ioyned vnto them that they would not faile to obserue those two dayes euery yeare according to their writing and according vnto their season 28. And that those dayes should be remembred and kept throughout euery generation euery familie and euery prouince and euery citie euen those dayes of Purim should not faile from the Iewes and the memoriall of them should not perish from their seede 29. And Ester the Queene the daughter of Abihail and Mordecai the Iewe wrote with all authoritie to confirme this letter of the dayes of Purim the second time 30. Which letters he sent to all the Iewes in the hundred and seuen and twentie prouinces of the kingdome of Assuerus with words of peace and truth 31. To confirme those dayes of Purim according to their appointed times as Mordecai the Iewe and Ester the Queen had appointed them and as they had promised for themselues and for their seede the monuments of their fasting and of their prayer 32. So when the decree of Ester had confirmed these words of the dayes of Purim it was written in this booke WE began to declare how that custome of celebrating those two daies in the which the Iewes rested to giue thanks vnto God for their deliuerance obtained was established for a law and an ordinance for euer to weete by Mardochaeus as a Magistrate letters being written vnto all the Iewes wherein that was commanded the reason being added because they rested from their enemies and because that their sorrow was turned into mirth and their mourning into ioy wherefore they ought to consecrate those dayes of gladnesse vnto the Lord making a solemne commemoratioÌ„ of that victorie which God had granted vnto them Let vs now go forward in those things which appertaine heereunto vnto the end of the Chapter for there is contained in these letters of Mardochaeus the chiefe cause of this ordinance which is heere expressed to weere the conspiracie of Haman which by the wisdome of Ester returned vpon his head verse 24. and 25. After the names of these two feasts which are called the daies of Purim vers 26. And last of all how by Esters letters all these things were confirmeâ— in the foure last verses Whereout wee learne with how great care and diligence the memorie of Gods benefits is to be preserued good order appointed in the Church and retained when it is once rightly established Hence also we may easily gather what is the right and lawfull vse of festiuall dayes This is then the especiall and most expresse cause of the yearely celebrating of those two dayes the malice of Haman who thought to haue vtterly destroyed casting lots that he might finde out a fit day to accomplish his practises but that day by the prayer of Ester and expresse commandement of Assuerus fell vpon his owne head and was vnto him deadly but vnto the Iewes happie Therefore heere again is there mention made of the malice of Haman and of the charitie and faith of Ester that in the celebration of this feast the malice of Haman should neuer dye and the goodnesse of Ester remaine in blessednesse So it commeth to passe that the memorie of the notable deliuerances of the people of God which they haue had from their enemies cannot be â—â—peated without making mention of the faith and pietie of the one and on the contrarie of the crueltie vngodlines of the other as if at any time me fall in talke of the deliuerance out of Aegypt there is mention made of the hardnesse of heart and pride of Bhazao and of his destructioÌ„ If Ierusalem be sayd to haue bene deliuered from the siege of the Assyrians by and by there is added the slaughter made by the Angell and the shamefull death of Sennacherib himselfe Who can make meÌ„â—ion of the death of the Sonne of God Christ Iesus our Sauiour but that he shall â—eake of the treason of Iudas of the enuiâ—â—f the Scribes and Pharises of the vniust â—ntence of Pilate condemning him to each when he pronouÌ„ced an innocent â—o it coÌ„meth to passe that the names of the â—icked do so ofteÌ„ send forth their stench â—oft as there is mention made of them as if a man for examples sake would note a sworne and most hatefull enemie of Gods people he would call him another Haman if a traytour another Iudas On the contrarie by the remembrance of the Saincts their courage and constancie and their acts done for the defence of the Church and of the truth are blessed for euer and God is praysed who powred vengeance on the wicked but defended the godly deliuered them out of their throats Thus haue you the cause of these feasts The name of Purim is added from the name Pur which signifieth a lot whiâ—â— name is rather taken out of the Persian language and because Haman cast lots which yet deceiued his expectation and desire rather then from any other that the remembrance of this benefit of God might remaine also amongst the strangâ— nations and that the vanitie of all lotâ— casters and other the like superstitionâ— which the idolaters were wont to vseâ— might be the more knowen seeing thâ—â— God at the prayer of his by his prouideÌ„câ— and infinite wisdome had ouerthroweâ— all the expectation of the idolaters anâ— turned it vpon their owne heads The name then of Purim did serue to call to memorie whatsoeuer God had done in fauour of the Iewes Hamans practises being ouerthrowen which vpon confidence of the lots he tooke in hand It much auayleth to giue conuenient names vnto feasts and holy dayes which may fitly expresse the matters for memorie whereof they were ordained although â—he names we vse are not so much to bâ—â—egarded so that the matter be well vnâ—erstood and that we abuse them not to â—â—perstition There followeth the manâ—er of celebrating and keeping this feast 〈◊〉 weete that the Iewes vpoÌ„ Mardochaeus â—â—tters and vpon those things which they â—new by Hamans letters by which they â—ere put in danger of their life goods 〈◊〉 also by the contrarie letters of Assuerus 〈◊〉 which it was granted that they might â—â—fend themselues by armes against their â—â—emies did willingly consent to obserue â—â—ese things which follow 1. That they â—ll procure that these two dayes shall inconâ—ently be
32. 33. 34. 5. Of that humanitie and gentlenesse which best beseemeth great estates 35. 36. 37. 9. Of the manners and customes of diuers Nations 38. Of modestie and temperancie in common conuersation and of the contrary extreame 39. 40. SERMON III. 10. The slips of Princes in obseruing of lawes 46. 47. Against drunkennesse euen that mery drunkennesse which men scarcely esteem so 47. 11. The vanitie of the mind of great Princes 48. What inconueniences many times arise by bewtie 49. 12. Against the vnchaste curiositie of women 50. 51. Of the reuerence which wiues owe to their Husbands 52. Wrath and anger is a fruite of drunkennesse 52. How much Princes offend who are gouerned rather by passions then by reason 54. The daungerous effects of the wrath of Princes 53. Moderation is especially required in Princes 54. 13. How great the profit is of wise Counsellors 55. What manner of men the Counsellours of Princes ought to be 56. 57. By what meanes the discretion and felicitie of a Prince is knowne 57. 58. SERMON IIII. Ver. 15. What order is to be obserued in deliberating of great affaires 64. 65. 66. None be he neuer so high in calling ought to be iudge in his owne cause 67. 68. Ver. 16. Of the vertues of a wise Counsellor 68. 69. 70. How we ought to iudge of other mens doings 71. 72. 73 The vncertaintie of humane things 74. 75. Of the vse of good lawes and of rewards and punishments 75. 76. 77. The obedience which wiues owe to their husbands 78. The lawes of Nature and of Nations is confirmed by the Law of God 79. Ver. 21. Of the number of Counsellours 79. 80. Ver. 22. All hastinesse is daungerous in publike Counsailes and in Proclamations which cannot be reuoked 81. 82. CHAP. II. SERMON V. Ver. 1. Passions are asswaged in time and the vse of reason called backe againe 87. 88. Ver. 2. 3. In matters of great weight the iudgement of young men is to bee suspected 90. 91. The miserie of the flatterers in Court 93 How great the infelicitie is of Princes who raigne wickedly and yet haue seruants ready to obey and fulfill their willes 94 Vers. 4. Flatterie is the bane of Princes 95 The goodnesse of God in vsing the disorders of Princes to the commoditie and profit of his Church 97 Ver. 5. 6. The estate of certaine of Gods Church in this world 97 Ver. 7. How farre forth bewtie doth helpe women that feare God 98 Ver. 7. 11. What care Parents ought to haue of their children 99 We must haue especiall care of Orphanes after the example of Mardochaeus 100 SERMON VI. Ver. 9. 15. The meanes of procuring loue and fauour 107. 108 The fruite of the feare of God 108. 109 110 Vers 10. Of wisedome and silence 110 111 Ver. 12. Of pleasure lawfull and vnlawfull 116. 117. 118 Ver. 17. The speciall prouidence of God 120 Of the honour and greatnesse of the faithfull 121. 122. SERMON VII Ver. 18. Of what sort the bankets both of high and lowe ought to be 128. 129 Ver. 20. Modestie doth exceedingly become great men 131. 132. c. Ver. 21. Of conspirators 136. 137 The instabilitie of the state of Princes 138 139 22. The wonderfull deliuerances of Princes 140. 141 Of false accusers 143 Ver. 23. How causes are to be ordered in iudgement Ibid. Publike Histories and their vse 144 We must alwais performe our duties 144 145 CHAP. III. SER. VIII Ver. 1. The vnaduisednesse of Princes i◠chusing their seruants 149 Gods patience in suffering the wicked The church oftentimes beholdeth the prosperitie of her enemies 15◠Ver. 2. The vanitie of Courtiers 15◠The constancie of the faithfull 154. 155 Ver. 3. The inconstancie of Apostataes 157 Ver. 4. Against priuie accusors 158 Ver. 5. 6. Of the rage and furie of the proud 159 SERMON IX Ver. 7. Of Lots 167 Against diuinations 168. 169. c. 8. The accusations of the enemie of the Church 174. 175 The hatred and conspiracie of the wicked against the Church 176. 177 9. Of the expences of the wicked to ouerthrow and destroy the Church 178. 179 10. The carelesnesse of Princes and the effects of false slaunders 18◠c. SERMON X. 12. The falles of those who serue Princes 194. 195 13. Cruel proclamatiōs against the church 196 197. c. The furious zeale of persecutors 199 14. The dangers of the faithfull and Gods care ouer them 200. c. 15. The wicked will of the vngodly 206 Their pleasures and delights in the distresses of the Church 206. 207. CHAP. IIII. SERMON XI 1. What the godly ought to do when they heare the practises of the wicked 213. 214 Of the outward signes of sorrow 214. 215 Of repentance and the circumstances thereof 216. 217 4. In publique calamities priuate men may not giue themselues to mirth 222. 223 5. We must haue a care of those that are afflicted 223. 224. c. 6. 7. We may not blame that which is well done whatsoeuer ensue of it 227. The dutie of all and namely of those who are of greatest authoritie in helping the Church 228. 229 SERMON XII Ver. 9. The feares of great Princes 233 The miserie of vnequall mariages 236 The greatnesse of Kings 237. 13. The fearefull are to be confirmed but yet without flatterie and to be stirred vp to do their dutie 238. c. 16. Of holy assemblies fasting and prayer 244. 245. The dutie of all in publike dangers 246. CHAP. V. SER. XIII Ver. 1. Of the ornaments of apparell 256. 2. The fruit of faith and humbling our selues before God 258. 259 3. The immoderatenesse of Princes 260 4. Of the modestie and wisedome of the faithfull 263. 264 5. Whether the wicked are to be honored and how farre we may gratifie them 265 266. SERMON XIIII Ver. 9. What ioy is to be commended what to be blamed 273. 274 The constancie of the faithfull 275. c. What honor we may giue or refuse to giue to the wicked 278. 279 The restlesse estate of the ambitious 280. 281 10. Of bridling our passions 282 The furious rage of the wicked 283 11. Their vaine glory and foolish anger 284 285 13. What our cōsultations ought to be 286. 287 14. A patterne of wicked Counsellors and of euill counsell 288. 289 The furious crueltie of the enemies of the Church 289. 290. 291. CHAP. VI. SER. XV. Ver. 1. Of the care that God carrieth of his 296 The wonderful meanes of the deliuerie of the Church 296. 297 Of the waking and care of Princes 299 The vse of Histories 300. 301 2. Good deeds are neuer forgotten before God 302 3. Of their rewards 304. 305 Of good Counsellors 305. 306 4. The consideration of the admirable effects of Gods wil for the profit of his 307. 308 6. The foolish arrogancie of the wicked when they are neare their fall 308. 309 9. The wonderfull furie of Ambitiō 310. 311 10. The hearts of Kings are in the hands of God 313 The
necessarie a time who knoweth saith hee whether for such a time thou art come to the Kingdome as though he should say God who ruleth and gouerneth all things by his prouidence euen the very moments of time hath not without cause exalted thee to so great a dignitie by so wonderfull a meanes but that weighing with thy selfe so great a fauour of God bestowed on thee thou shouldest serue his purpose for the profit and deliuerance of his people For what vnthankfulnes shal it be not to acknowledge so great a liberalitie of Gods toward thee not to consecrate thy dignitie to his glory and thy fauour and authoritie to the safetie of his Church So it be houeth euery one wisely to consider vnto what God doth call him by his prouidence by his benefits in euery estate and vocation wherein God by his grace hath placed vs. Kings and Queenes must remember that Isai 49. 23. they are called and appointed by God to be nurcing fathers and nurces of his Church Ministers must remember that they giue themselues to prayer and the administration of the word finally by how much euery one hath receiued greater gifts at the hand of God and abilitie to helpe the Church by so much the more carefully ought he to employ himself vnto it Here also we may perceiue that whereas Mardochaeus at the beginning commanded Ester not to declare her nation and her people it was not done to teach her to dissemble her religion and not to care for her brethren but to helpe the Church more conueniently when necessitie should require So then must we vse discretion that we may shew forth our faith when time shall require by all good effects and what our zeale is towards the house of God Lo then with what reasons God would haue Ester to bee instructed by him who had brought her vp that she might be an instrument of his grace and mercie Let vs now then proceed to see her holy purpose being compelled by the force and weight of so necessary reasons Shee commandeth to call all the Iewes which dwelt at Susa togither to a fast of three dayes and three nights and promiseth that she also and her maides will fast likewise to crie vnto God for helpe and aide to whose will committing her selfe and her life shee determineth with a setled mind to go to the King and make supplication for the safetie of her people The assembling of the faithfull hath bene at all times very necessarie when any necessitie hath bene offred to pray more earnestly vnto God and to make profession of publique repentance which is most euident in the first and second Chapters of the Prophet Ioel and by the examples of the Kings of Iuda in their greatest dangers and distresse as we see that Hezechiah did when he was besieged by Sennacherib and Iehosaphat 2. Kni. 19. 2. Ch. 20. 3. when the Ammonites and Idumeans did set against him I confesse that the miserable captiues had no Temple at Susa where they might assemble themselues but they had Gods promises who is present with all that call vpon him and perhaps they had before obtained some place for the exercise of their religion So exact and rigorous a fast of three dayes and three nights without meate or drinke in colder regions should exceed measure because men in those countries could not endure it but yet in those hot countries it was not altogither intollerable thogh indeed it were very strict rigorous This fast also is not commaunded as a worship acceptable to God of it selfe but as an incitemēt to more vehemēt and feruent prayer to greater humilitie and liuely repentance Fasting therefore of it selfe is not acceptable but because of the sacrifice of a contrite and humble heart because of praiers proceeding from faith because of the confession of sinnes and expectation of helpe from Gods mercie as before hath bene said Ester wil haue Serm. 11. them fast for her not as though she alone were in danger but because shee was to make intercession for al and by her good or euill successe others were to bee dealt with so that in her life or death the life or death of others did consist The Church therefore doth not without cause pray so earnestly for her that shee might find fauour with Assuerus and obtaine that which she did demand for the safetie of the people The pietie and godlinesse of this holy Queene sheweth it selfe in this that shee desireth not more of others then she wold fulfill her selfe giuing her selfe to fasting and prayer with her maides three dayes and three nights By which also we learne what care Ester had vsed in instructing her maides in true religion and the knowledge of God and our negligence is so much the more blame-worthy vnlesse we follow the example of this noble Lady as well in prayer as in the right education of her familie But what a shame is it I beseech you in these dangerous times wherin we are fallen that the zeale of many is so cold in fasting in praying in calling vpon GOD with humble petitions and in stirring vp of one an other to the true exercises of religion Can any man marueile then that wee are ouerwhelmed with so many euilles and that our calamities encrease daily more and more That she saith she will go to the king against the law she speaketh it not in contempt of the lawe but that shee might shew that shee more esteemed of Gods commandement then of the Kings law and of the peoples safetie then of her own danger therfore shee committeth her life into Gods hand in these words If I perish I perish Thinke not that these words are rashly and vnaduisedly cast out by her as thogh she did wilfully and by despaire cast her selfe into danger for they are holy words proceeding from her who offered vp her selfe and her life for a sacrifice with obedience of faith whatsoeuer did betide being ready and reposing the euent on the good pleasure of God esteeming her selfe happie if it happened that she should die in so iust a cause So did that good Patriarch Iacob speake when he sent his sonne Beniamin into Aegypt Ge. 49. 14. with his other brethren If I be robbed of my child let me be robbed Hence it appeareth that faith which is guided by the holy Ghost is not rash and yet when necessitie shall so require and dutie binde it refuseth not any daungers bee they neuer so greate with a trust and hope to glorifie GOD in his bodie both in life and death because the faithfull are perswaded that Christ is Phi. 1. 20. 21 vnto them both in life and death aduantage Heereby also we may learne how profitable the mutuall admonitions and the holy exhortations of the faithfull among themselues are for loe Ester who before was fearefull by Mardochaeus exhortation is made more bold and that with an holy boldnesse shewing in deede that to be true which was sayd