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
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
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
do any good euen vnto the rudest and simplest for whose cause I vndertooke it I haue my desire the learned haue the Fountaines out of which they may draw in abundance this is vndertaken to help the vnlearned and vnskilfull in the tongues Touching the Authour of this booke and the occasion why he vndertooke it I am shortly to admonish thee He was a French man and sometimes Preacher vnto the King of France that now is then King of Nauarre and therefore he bendeth himselfe principally to touch the state of that Countrey and being by those broyles which then were raised by the League against the professours of the Gospell driuen to forsake his Countrey hee came into the Isle of Gernezey within her most excellent Maiesties dominions where he was accepted for one of the Ministers of that Church and there he deliuered first in French vnto his Auditorie and afterward committed to writing in latin these Sermons which here now good Reader thou hast now in English The occasion why he tooke this booke in hand was vpoÌ„ the death of the Duke of Guise who as an Haman had set himselfe against the Church of God and was by the same Assuerus whose power and authoritie he had before abused he meaneth the French King Henry the third suddenly slaine at an assembly of the states at Bloys wheÌ„ he thoght himselfe most sure of obtaining his purpose against all the godly and was most secure of his owne state The obseruing of this serueth to open the Authours meaning in diuers places which otherwise might seem somewhat dark therfore thus briefly I set it down to thee The profit that shall come by the reading of this Treatise and the principall points contained therein I had rather euery man should finde by proofe in reading the booke theÌ„ spend time in blazing it before hand And therfore I commit it to thine owne care and diligence praying God to open thine hart to vnderstand and blesse thy diligence to profit heereby both in knowledge practise euen for Christ Iesus sake to whose grace I commend thee Farewell Gods Ship Gods Church with many a tempest tost With waues of woe and furious billowes beaten Oft seemes to man to be euen fully lost Quight swallowed vp and of those surges eaten When straight at hand Gods succour doth appeare Who staies the stormes and doth all troubles cleare The worldlings proud fierce foemen to this barke Do swim in wealth and flote in honors hie So that they seeme deuoyd of any carke And beare their topsailes flanting in the skie When sodainly Gods vengeance doth appeare Which makes them buy their passed pleasure deare By those same stormes God tries his chosen pheere His Church his spouse how constant she wil stand Corrects his children whom he holds most deare Lest that they perish with that wicked band Whom when they haue those perils stoutly past He doth conduct to happie hauen at last By those faire calmes which wicked men enioy Without excuse Gods bountie doth them make And as the Oxe is fatted on with ioy Is brought at last vnto the dolefull stake The worldlings so doth time in pleasure spend But goes to paine when Death his life doth end These changes rife are each where to be seene â—pon this stage whereon we play our parts Examples strange in euery age hath beene If men had grace to laie them to their harts But specially this storie sweet and true Will laie these things apparant to thy vieu Then reade with heed what in this booke is pend And these examples to thy selfe applie Both text and Comment driue vnto this end And as it were with ioynt consent do crie First follow Vertue in thine actions all Then flee from vice for feare of endles fall Errata Page 6. l. 11 for Monarch read Monarchie Pag. 7. l. 8. foâ— remaine remained l. 16 for dets nets l. 20. of the which put our the. Pa. 18 l. 2. for waste wasting Pa 19. marg foâ— Dan. 1. 32. Dan. 2. 32 Pa. 21. l. 1. for his this Pa. 26. l. 1. foâ— Siiuer siluer l. 21. read receiued with thansgiuing l. vlâ— for these the P. 31. l. 2 for Bsides Besides P. 33. l. 1 read who euen when Bab. Marg. for Eccle. 10. 9 read 10. 16 P. 47 l. 2 read make a small l. 11. a periode put for a coâ—lon l. 13. for and are P. 64. in the title for the second Seâ— the fourth Ser. THE FIRST SERMON VPON the Booke of Ester The first Sermon containing the argument of the Booke and the exposition of the two first verses that is of the time when these things were done and of the greatnesse of the dominion of Assuerus CHAP. I. In the dayes of Assuerus this is that Assuerus that raigned from India euen vnto Aethiopia ouer an hundred and seuen and twentie Prouinces 2. In those dayes when the King Assuerus sate on his throne which was in the Pallace of Susa HIstories which contain the declaration of things true and profitable for the life of man haue alwayes beene greatly esteemed of all men who were not altogether Barbarous as well for the great pleasure as for the exceeding profitte which is receiued by them and because besides it is a most commendable matter for vs to knowe and a shamefull matter to be ignorant of those uâ—ble and vâ—liant acts which haue beene atchieued by those that liued in former ages before vs. So then Cicero the cheefe Father of the Romane eloqence did not without cause say that Histories are the witnesses of times the light of truth the life of memorie the schoole-mâ—stresse of life and the messenger of antiquitie For without Histories what certaintie can we haue of things past what truth of things spoken and done in former ages howe voyde shoulde our memorie bee of the knowledge of so many notable things which hapned before our dayes and then what skill or vse could there bee of things altogether vnknowne We should as children passe ouer our life ignorant of all reuerend antiquitie Now then if euery Historie faithfully committed to writing deserueth this prayse and glorieth worthily in these titles howe much more may wee truely say that the sacred Histories onely are free from all suspition which were endited by the Spirite of God written by the Prophets and carefully preserued in the Church which sette before our eyes the true originall of all things teach the beginning and order of times lay downe the truth of all things past stirre vp in vs and refresh the memorie of works both humane and diuine and propose vnto vs sound examples by which we may frame our whole life to the true knowledge and sincere worship of God Adde hereunto that the state of the Church is represented vnto vs by the same Histories and that the enemies of the same her fights and sufferings Gods manifold succours and at the last the full deliuerances thereof are in them plainely set downe to her view Amongst all
towards Princes to wit that there is not only honour and obedience due vnto them but also a care and watchfulnesse and defence of their life and dignitie Moreouer that it is a thing praise-worthie to bewray the guiltie though so oftentimes those who detect them incurre great danger the hatred of many especially if vpon examination the matter prooue not so Therefore Mardochaeus dealt indeed faithfully and wisely but not without daunger being a straunger and a captine but his oath and office did so require He openeth the matter by Ester either because he thought for his basenesse that hee was not worthie to speake vnto the king or because hee thought the matter would haue the more authoritie if it proceeded from a person in fauour besides by this meanes the loue of the king towards Ester his wife might bee encreased and confirmed when he should see her so carefull of his preseruation The king also handleth the matter wisely For hee maketh inquisition and doth not rashly vpon a bare report cause them to be condemned By which thing Princes are warned not to admit vnaduisedly euery accusation for if accusation onely should suffice who should bee innocent who should be safe from the tongues of slaunderers When the matter was found out the offendors were punished and hanged on a tree that is eyther fastened to a crosse as in those times they accustomed or hanged on a galous as is vsed at this day Further in the matter of treason especially where it concerneth the life of the Prince the will beeing proued is holden for the fact as also in other offences as if any prepare poyson for anothers death which yet was not drunke but giuen to be drunken seeing that hee sought his life though hee killed him not he should die for it Worthely then are these two punished by death though they did but onely conspire the kings death which matter by the kings commaundement is written in the Chronicles of the Persians Heereby it apppeareth that after a laudable custome Kings were wont to haue their Chronicles and yearely Acts recorded in all ages in which all memorable matters through the whole kingdome should be enrolled and so preserued for posteritie And this is very commendable for those manifold coÌ„modities which wee receiue by Histories as in the beginning of the booke was declared But the king remembreth not to requite Mardochaeus in which he cannot escape the note of an vnthankfull minde For as iustice hath place in the punishing of the wicked for their offences so is it also a part of iustice to reward the good according to their deserts But these things came not thus to passe without Gods prouidence which yet excuseth not Assuerus fault that in a more fit time Mardochaeus might receiue that honour which was prepared for him by God as in the sixt Chapter wee shall see Therefore let vs not be wearie of well doing though the enuie of men encrease and arise at it for the reward though it be deferred yet shall it not be lost And if men be vnmindfull of benefits receiued God who is rich towards all that call vpon him and worship him in purenesse and sinceritie of mind will restore abundantly that which notwithstanding hee oweth not and farther giuing vs the power of wel-willing and wel-working will crowne his workes in vs with immortall glorie through Iesus Christ our Lord to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all power and dominion for euer Amen THE EIGHT Sermon Haman is extolled and worshipped by al the Courtiers except Mardochaeus wher at Haman waxing angrie deliberateth to make away the whole nation of the Iewes In the sixt first verses of the third Chapter CHAP. III. 1. After these things did king Assuerus promote Haman the sonne of Ammedatha the Agagite exalted him so that he 〈◊〉 his seat aboue the sour of al the Princes that were about him 2. And all the kings seruants that entred in at the kings gate bowed their knees and reuerenced Haman but Mordecai bowed not the knee neither did reuerence 3. Wherefore the kings seruants that entered in at the kings gate said vnto Mordecai why transgressest thou the K. coÌ„mandemetic 4. Therefore when they had spoken vnto him daily and he would not heare them they tolde Haman that they might see whether Mordecaies words would stand for he had told them that he was a Iewe. 5. And when Haman saw that Mordecaies bowed not the knee unto him nor did reuerence unto him then was Haman full of wrath 6. Now he thought it too litle to lay his hands on Mordecai onely and because they had shewed him the people of Mordecai Haman sought to destroy all the Iewes that were throughout all the kingdome of Assuerus euen the people of Mordecai The wise man saith Pro. 29. 2. Wheâ— the righteous are encreased the peoplâ— reioyce but when the wicked beare rule then the people sigh vnto which also that which is Psa 12. 9. is to be referred The wicked walke too and fro when euil men are exalted to high dignitie The vse of which sentences this Historie doth plainly set before our eyes For when as Ester was exalted vnto the dignitie royall as before we saâ—e there was great ioy brought vnto all nations but now wheÌ„ Haman is promoted a fierce and cruell man there is prepared for all the godly weeping and teares and at the last by his wicked counsels threescore tenne thousande men were brought to death as in the progresse of this Historie we shall see In this Chapter is declared how HamaÌ„s indignation was so great against Mardochaeus because hee reuerenced him not as others did that hee procured acommaundement from the king to destroy in one certaine day appointed all the nation of the Iewes which was subiect to his Empire At this present wee are to consider how he was lift vp by the king into so high an estate of honour verse 1. How he was reuerenced uereÌ„ced of al meÌ„ except Mardochaeus vet 1. 2. 3 4. how throgh indignation impotencie of minde hee tooke counsell howe to destroy the Iewes togither with Mardochaeus at one massacre verse 5. 6. so cruell is Ambition so fierce and sauage is desire of reuenge in those who affect diuine honours See therefore first the Authors words When these things were done the king Assuerus did magnifie Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite and exalted him so that he set his seate aboue the seate of all his Prinoes that were about him This stranger the kings fauor did thus exalt foure years after the celebration of Esters marriage for Ester was brought in vnto the King about the end of the 7. year of the raigne of Assuerus Chap. 2 verse 6. and it appeareth by those things which are spoken after that Hamans dignitie and fauour happened about the ende of the eleuenth yeare because assoone as hee petceiued that Mardochaeus would not honour him hee conspired the death of him
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
beseemeth vs and our state and which we ought to preferre before all things euen the most precious And thus farre touching Mardochaeus who though hee thought modestly of himselfe yet he did not cease to comfort and cheere vp himselfe considering and beholding with himselfe the wonderfull gouernance of the Lord who had defended his right and brought his integritie into light and honoured his pietie and righteousnesse striking that proud Haman on the other side with feare and astonishment when he had deliuered his life out of his bloudie hands So Christian modestie doth not hinder but that wee may reioyce in those good and profitable things which are offred vs from God and magnifie the vprightnesse of his iudgements as it is said Psal 52. 6. 7. The righteous seeing the ouerthrow of the wicked which boasted of their wickednesse shall laugh and giue God continuall thankes for his iudgements So we see Dauid oftentimes to reioyce that God had broken Ps 3. 7. 27. 2. the cheeke-bone of his enemies and their teeth in their mouth and that hee sawe those who came with open mouth to deuoure him to be destroyed But we must take especial heed we mingle not carnall and fleshly ioy with that spirituall ioy which springeth from the spirit of God and a right zeale of his glorie Loe heere the ioy and gladnesse of Mardochaeus Let vs here now on the contrary Hamans sorrow and mourning He hasted him home mourning and his head couered This he did according to the maner custome of those times that those who had receiued any notable calamitie did couer their heads in signe of that sorrowe and griefe which they felt in themselues that if it were possible they would neither see any body nor be seene by any So Dauid fleeing from Ierusalem for feare of Absalom went bare-footed his head couered by this signe testifying his great sorrowe which he had for the treason of his son his people and of him whom he supposed to haue bin a faithful counsellor Achitophel So that as in prosperous matters by reason of ioy we lift vp our head countenance as Dauid did professe of himself Thou liftest vp my horne as the horne of an Vnicorne and makest me to walke with an vpright countenance so on the contrarie sadnesse throweth downe a mans countenance and harmes receiued do couer the head with shame and disgrace Loe heere then Haman who promised himselfe high honors and great magnificence is ouer whelmed with shame reproach in signe whereof hee couereth his head either with the lap of his garmēt or with somewhat else beholde him throwne downe with sorrow griefe and feare which God vseth as Bayliffes and Seriants to draw the wicked into iudgement that they may leaue off to waxe prowd in their fond cogitations vaine hope And surely Haman is not sorrowfull without cause partly because he seemed to loose that fauour and place which before he had with the King partly because that he was so abased before Mardochaeus whom hee esteemed no better then a dogge and was forced to bee Vsher vnto him whome hee iudged worthie nought but the gallowes who could neuer be brought to bowe himself before Haman whom yet all other Courtiers did honour But in very deede so must the wicked who haue prouoked the Lord vnto wrath and haue risen vppe against his inheritance so I saye must they bee pressed within with sorrow and fear without with shame and reproach which thing wee see Dauid doth most times pray for against the enemies of the Church as that Psal 109. 18. 19. Let him be cloathed with cursing as with a garment and let it come as water into his bowels and like oyle into his bones Let it be vnto him as a cloake to couer him and as the girdle that he is alwaies girded withall Also Ps 55. 15. Let death seize vpon them let them goe downe quicke into the graue And againe Lay iniquitie vpon their iniquitie and Ps 69. 27. 28. let them be put out of the booke of life Worthily then doth he lie ouerwhelmed with sorrow and shame who went about the ouerthrow and destruction of the whole Church of God By this we learn that we must giue diligent head that we go not about to worke hurt or iniurie vnto any if we will haue our sorrowes to be asswaged by the cōsolation of the holy Ghost and not to haue them made deadly and incurable as was this sorrow of Hamans who seeking solace for his euils in his house among his friends and familiars found no where more matter of dolor and dispaire For when he had declared to Zeresh his wife and to all his friends all those things that had befallen him he receiued this only answere of them Seeing that Mardochaeus is of the seede of the Iewes before whome thou hast begun to fall thou shalt not preuaile against him but shalt assuredly fall before him He felt himselfe alreadie iudged within himselfe he sought therefore remedie among his friends and by them he is adiudged and condemned to destruction So it hapned vnto him which God threatneth vnto the wicked by the prophet Amos that if they fled from a Lyon Amos. 5. 19. a Beare should meete him and if he went into the house and leaned on the wall a Serpent should bite him In this counsell of his friends Haman makes no mention as before of his riches nor of the multitude of his children nor of all that dignitie wherwith the king had magnified him but he is compelled to speake of his shame and folly For he reckoneth vp particularly whatsoeuer came to passe to weete that the king proposed the question vnto him of him whome he would honour his answere vnto it the hope that he had conceiued in his mind the straight commandement of the king to do all that honor which he had set downe vnto Mardochaeus finally how all things came to passe contrarie to his expectation This being done and his wound discouered to his friends and familiars he sought of them a remedie whereby either it might be healed throughly or at least by some meanes mitigated Heere is no mention made of seeking vnto God in prayer or of repentance or of asking pardon but onely deceits and wiles to escape the hande of God that did persecute him Haman perswadeth himselfe that his wife is not to seeke of some deuise and he hopeth that by his friends meanes hee shall finde some occasion whereby by slanders and false furmises hee may make Mardochaeus odious vnto the King and at the last triumpli ouer him as a conquerour For the wicked promise vnto themselues deliuerance out of all distresses by their malice deceits but oftentimes in steed of medicine they finde poyson For lo what Hamans friends who are called wise men do answere in few words Assuredly thou shalt fall before Mardochaeus Why so Because he is a Iewe and because thou hast begun to fall before him
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
So they hanged Haman on the tree that hee had prepared for Mordecai then was the Kings wrath pacified DAuid purposing to shew how short brittle the felicitie of the wicked is and how sodaine their destructiō which they can neuer recouer doth thus Ps 37. 36. 37. speake I haue seene the wicked strong and spreading himselfe like a greene bay tree yet he passed away and lo he could not be found so that the very signes of his place did not appeare which thing Zophar in Iob doth Iob. 20. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. more plainely declare when he sayeth Knowest thou not this of old and since God placed man vpon the earth that the praise of the wicked is short and that the ioy of the hypocrites is but a moment Though his pride mount vp to the heauens and his head touch the cloudes yet shall he perish for euer like dung and they which haue seene him shall say Where is hee Hee shall flee away as a dreame and they shall not finde him and shall passe away as a vision of the night So that the eye which had seene him shall see him no more neither shall his place beholde him any more These thinges doo therefore thus happen because as Psal 58. 11. 6. 7. 8. Dauid sayth There is a God which iudgeth the earth who breaketh the teeth of these Lyons and maketh that they passe away as water and melt as a snayle and are as the vntimely fruit of a woman which hath not seene the Sunne All these thinges wee see to bee most liuelye represented vnto vs in this historie of the fall of Haman who in a moment doth fall downe headlong into extreme confusion and destruction from that most high degree of honor which in the Persian court he had obtained We haue alreadie heard how Ester had begun her accusation against him and he held his peace hauing nothing to except against it It remaineth to see how the King proceeded in this cause what faults he was farder charged withall first by the King himselfe vers 8. next by Harbonah one of the Eunuches verse 9. then his short sentence and the sodaine execution thereof that by all these we may learne to reuerence the Lord in his iudgements to containe our selues in feare and trembling not to be puffed vp with prosperitie and patiently to expect vntill God bring forth his vengeance and deliuer his Church from the force and tyrannie of those that oppresse it The setting downe of this historie is simple but the things that are contained therein are of great moment which shall particularly be discussed First there is mention made of the Kings wrath wherewith being chafed he riseth from the banket and goeth into the palace garden This anger was vnto Haman a messenger of death who maketh supplication vnto the Queene Ester for his life perceiuing that euill was decreed by the king against him His wrath was kindled with shame and indignation as well because he had been deceiued by Haman in that he had obtained of him so bloudie an edict against the Iewes as also by the indignitie of the fact that he had so abused his name and authoritie to trouble the Queene and to bring her within the danger of her life Therefore enflamed with anger he ariseth and goeth into the palace garden with exceeding great indignation not any longer abiding the sight of him by whome he had been deceiued to the granting of so vnhonest a fact Neither doth he seeme to haue gone out into the garden to asswage but rather to sharpen his rage as by the euent of his returne appeareth But if he had well considered the matter he should rather haue been angrie with himselfe and accused his owne rashnes then with Haman For although his malice and crueltie was great yet it had been of no force vnlesse it had been strengthened by the Kings name and authoritie But when Kings offend by euil counsaile they lay all the blame vpon the wicked counsellours And surely it is a iust vengeance against such naughtie counsellours which ought to be an example vnto others whereby they may learne not to be the authors of euil counsayle Yet are not Kings therefore without blame for that ouer-rashly they gaue credite vnto them when as they might if they list take sufficient deliberation of euery particular The Kings wrath then was enflamed more and more against Haman God so preparing for him his deserued punishment If Kings be worthily angrie with those who leade them into error by deceite and shewe of reason how much more iust is their wrath against those who by practises and conspiracies by armes and threatnings by open force against their maiestie and persons go about to compell them and as it were to make them the ministers of their priuate reuenge and the seruants or rather bondslaues of their ambition In the meane while Haman maketh supplication to the Queene for his life and for griefe and sorrow falleth on the bed Loe he who would needes be adored by Mardochaeus is compelled to lye downe humbly at the feete of his cousin he that lately caryed his head aloft vnto the skies altogether swelling with arrogancie breathing out nothing els but threats and death against the Church of God maketh petition for his owne life being astonied with the gripes and sorrows of death and as it were hedged in on euery side with feares trembling And that deseruedly he that lately had filled the whole world with threatnings terrors and teares is now astonished and feareth standing as it were at the iudgement seate of the King of feare to be deuoured by the first borne of death as it is said Iob. 18. v. 13. 14. I confesse indeede that the faithfull also are griped with great sorrowes and feares as Dauid speaketh of himselfe that Psal 18. 4. 55. 4. 5. The sorrowes of death compassed him that feare and trembling came vpon him and an horrible feare couered him but in time they receiue comfort are deliuered frō their feares For as the causes of griefe wherewith the godly are affected are far other then of the infidels so likewise the issues of both are very different for only despaire followeth the one and consolation as well in life as in death accompanieth the other Haman hoped that Ester would be more easily intreated to grant him his life then the King whose wrath he knew to be violent and not to be appeased howbeit he found her as well as him not to be intreated God so restraining the Queenes affectiō that he might exercise iudgement without mercie on him who neuer vsed mercie Adde hereunto that Ester could not with a good conscience make intercession for him vnto the king and deliuer him from death who with so great a crueltie had threatned the vtter destruction of the Church For as Salomon excellently teacheth in the Prouerbs He that iustifieth the wicked Pro. 17. 15. and condemneth the innocent they
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
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
other against traytours and those who haue taken armes against the state then against those who are the breakers of any priuate lawe Moreouer what neede we to be carefull to cleare the actions of an heathen and infidell king when it chanceth many times that christian Princes do slip and erre in their iudgements It is sufficient if heere we acknowledge Gods iustice vsing what instruments pleaseth him and euen by the hand of his enimies furdering and effecting his worke and alwayes dealing most iustly in that thing which oftentimes the instruments do not but with passion and iniustice It is enough for vs to know that they are most worthy of death which vse fraud and deceit and abuse their fauour and authoritie to the ouerthrowing of good faithfull subiects and the name authoritie â—eale and armes of Princes onely to serue their owne reuenge couetousnes and â—mbition By this example also let vs learne that God doth not long leaue the open enimies of his Church vnpunished put that he taketh vengeance on them by some notable horrible destruction We haue the examples in the holy scriptures of three that were hanged Achitoâ—hel and Iudas with their owne hands and Haman by others vpon that gallowes which himself had prepared Pharao was Exod. 14. Iud. 4. 2. King 19. Act. 12. â—rowned in the middest of the red sea with his whole hoste Sisera fell by the and of a woman Sennacherib was slaine â—y his owne sonnes Herode who slewe â— lames was striken by an Angell and â—aten with wormes The Ecclesiasticall â—istorie is full of such examples of the â—udgements of God against the enimies â—f the truth of God as it noteth Nero amongst the rest who reysed vp the first â—ersecution and who flew himselfe was â—ondemned by the Romanes and drawen â—hrough the streetes of the citie Our age boundeth with examples against those â—ho haue persecuted the Church as well in France and Germanie as in England which it needeth not to follow in man words seeing they are yet fresh in mâ—morie If any man except that thosâ— who haue vndertaken the defence of the Church haue also dyed of violent death I do indeede confesse it which is also obserued in the historie of the Maccabeeâ— that many holy men were slaine in the warre or killed by the treason of the wicked enemies but the diuersitie of the who set vpon the in hostile manner as those who defended the Church doth make the death of both different for pretious before God is the death 〈◊〉 those who spend their liues for the dâ—fence of the Church as of Abel and al thâ— Martyrs since though vnto the wicked world it seeme shamefull but the death of the persecutors is abominalbe thougâ— to the world it seeme pretious and to be lamented In short when as all men dyâ— the death of one and other is not distinguished by any other meanes then â—â— faith and a good conscience which trâ—steth only to the fauour of God and defence of a good cause Finally it is to bâ— obserued that these examples of Gods â—engeance against the enimies of his gloâ—ie and our saluation are proposed vnto â—s that we should more and more be enâ—ouraged vnto goodnes be confirmed in â—ue patience and in expectation looking for help at Gods hand that we deâ—end on his prouidence that we restraine â—he murmurings and reasonings of flesh â—nd bloud that we learne more and more â—o despise the felicitie and pride of the â—icked confirme our minds against their â—hreats and be stirred so much the more â—chemently vnto prayer For if the prayers of his wife did so moue a mortal king â—hen she made supplication for her life and the life of her people much more will that great King of glorie heare the â—roanes of his Church who is his wife â—nd arise vp in his wrath to deliuer her and punish her enemies Let vs therefore â—atiently coÌ„mend our life into his hands â—lace our whole trust in him and conâ—tantly looke for his help For whatsoeuer â—hall happen vnto vs he will saue vs in â—is heauenly kingdome through Iesus Christ his Sonne our Lord to whome be â—lorie for euer Amen THE NINTEENTH Sermon Hamans goods are giuen vnto Ester and his honours vnto Mardochaeus Ester obtaineth letters from Assuerus in fauour of the Iewes the eight first verses of the eight Chapter CHAP. VIII 1. The same day did King Assuerus giue the house of Haman the aduersarie of the Iewes vnto Ester and Mordecai came before the King for Ester told what he was vnto her 2. And the King tooke off his ring which he had taken from Haman and gaue it vnto Mordecai and Ester set Mordecai ouer the house of Haman 3. And Ester spake againe before the King and fell downe at his feete weeping and besought him that he would put away the wickednes of Haman the Agagite and the deuise which he had imagined against the Iewes 4. And the King held out the golden scepter toward Ester Then arose Ester and stood before the King 5. And sayd If it please the King and if I haue fonnd fauour in his sight and the thing be acceptable before the King and I please him let it be written that the letters of the deuice of Haman the sonne of Hammedatha the Agagite may be called againe which wrote to destroy the Iewes that are in all the kings prouinces 6. For how can I suffer and see the euill that shall come vnto my people Or how can I suffer and see the destruction of my kindred 7. And the King Assuerus sayd vnto the Queene Ester and to Mordecai the Iewe Behold I haue giuen Ester the house of Haman whome they haue hanged vpon the tree because he would haue layd hand vpon the Iewes 8. Write yee also for the Iewes as it liketh you in the Kings name and seale it with the Kings ring but the writings which were written in the Kings name and sealed with the Kings ring may not be reuoked THe holy Scriptures doo represent God vnto vs after two manners on the one side gentle and easie to be intreated full of grace fauour and mercie towards those that feare him on the other side terrible and fearefull as a consuming fire to the wicked as it is said A fire shall Psal 50. 3. 97. deuoure before him and that there shall go a fire before him and burne vp his enemies round about him that we may know that God though for a time he shew an angrie countenance toward the faithfull yet his wrath is but for a short time and contrariwise his good will endureth to life and if hâ— Psal 30. 6. suffer the wicked to flourish enioy prosperitie it is but for a time but his wratâ— followeth them to destroy them for eueâ— as the wicked are said to growe vp as thâ— Psal 92. 7. grasse and all the workers of iniquitie do floâ—rish that they may perish for euer Wherefore the estate
glad with the prosperous successe of her former petition proceedeth to speak vnto the King and falling downe at his feete weeping besought him that he would turne away the wickednes of Haman the Agagite and the deuice which he had imagined against the Iewes Althogh then she had gained much the chiefe enemie of her people beeing dead his goodes beeing confiscate and shee enioying them as Mardochaeus also his honors yet she thinketh shee hath done nothing vnlesse shee deliuer her people from the present daunger Now because shee perceiued that it was a hard matter to desire the calling backe of the decree which by the law of the Persians was irreuocable she entreateth him with greater affection and humilitie falling down weeping at the kings feete that so shee might the more easily mooue his minde For how I pray could he be more moued to pittie and commiseration on so many innocent soules then by the teares carefulnesse and sorrow of his most dearely beloued wife Now Ester casteth al the blame vpon Haman because he was the mouer perswader promoter of this mischief against the Iewes whome by false slaunders hee had oppressed and wisely shee omitteth the mention of the King though by his authoritie hee had confirmed the deuice For the King had sufficiently witnessed how greatly the matter displeased him Besides when shee desireth that the deuice of Haman shuld be reuoked she couertly meaneth that as by his authoritie the proclamation was approued so also by his commandement the euill effect thereof ought to be turned away from the necks of those miserable wretches on whome it was like to light The King beeing moued with the presence of Ester holdeth out vnto her the golden scepter the signe of his fauour and good wil whereby the Queene being the more confirmed standing vp doth speake the more boldly vnto the King Her speech is like vnto that which we sawe in the former chapter full of humilitie wisdome faith and zeale towards God and feruent charitie towards her people It is most seemely to speake vnto Kings with greatest humilitie because of the dignitie and maiestie whereunto they are exalted as those who are also adorned with the title of Gods euen by Psal 82. 6. the Spirit of God from whome they receiue so excellent an office Ester therefore doth rightly debase and cast downe her selfe before the King when she speaketh vnto him not remembring her own dignitie nor desiring any thing but that which is right and beseeming the dignitie of the king And this indeede ought to be the end of all petitions so that all flatterie be away which is most hurtfull vnto kings as was that of the Tyrians to Herode Agrippa when they cryed The Act. 12. 22. 23. voyce of a God and not of a man which wheÌ„ he did not represse it was the cause of his death The summe of her petition is Let it be written that the letters of Haman be reuoked which he wrote to destroy the Iewes which are in all the kings prouinces It is most rightfull to giue life vnto them whome we know to be wrongfully condemned But if any shall except that her petition was vnlawfull and vnciuill seeing that by the lawes of the Persians all Proclamations were not to be called back againe the answer is easie that there is no place for any law of man against equitie and the lawes of God and nature For is it iust that because an euill lawe is receiued and in vse therefore no man may make any petition vnto Princes for equitie for truth for the life and innocencie of good men Heereby appeareth Esters holy boldnes what then shall become of â—heir sluggishnes cowardise who liue in those kingdomes wherein edicts do waxe olde of themselues and may euery houre be called back by contrary edicts and yet though they haue authorities dare not once open their mouths in the defence of Gods Church If Ester had sought excuses meanes to hide her selfe she would haue said that she had done as much as lay in her Haman being hanged Mardochaeus promoted into his place and dignities that it were a foolish rash and inconsiderate part to talke again to the king in his furie and that it was against the custome lawes of the couÌ„trie to go about to compell him to reuoke his coÌ„mandement but she because the matter coÌ„cerneth the safetie of the Church the glorie of God the honor estimation of the king is no whit afraid to craue that which otherwise might seeme to be vnciuill She sheweth also her zeale and charitie in the reason which she bringeth in these words How can I behold the euill which should come vpoÌ„ my people and how can I see the destructioÌ„ of my kindred for it is as much as if she should say that she had rather lose her life then with her eyes to behold the destruction of her people kindred and that nothing should be afterward more bitter vnto her then her life And so very openly she witnesseth that she desireth nothing more esteemeth nothing more then to be accounted amongst the people of God neither is she ashamed to ioyne her selfe to that people whom condeÌ„ned vnto death euery one contemned this also made much to moue the king to seeke a remedie for this almost incurable mischiefe The faith and charitie of this Queene is so much the more coÌ„mendable how much the rarer it is seeing we shall find but a few at this day to be so inflamed with the zeale of the house of God Let vs then at the least by her example with humble prayers call vpoÌ„ the King of heauen that he will turne away from our brethren the wicked counsailes and craftie practises of our enemies For although the head of this League conspiratours the oppressor of the Church of God be destroyed yet many remaine infected with this venime and the furie of his crafts and practises euen at this day euery where moueth warres and filleth al places with seditions most detestable apostasies Of Esters petition thus farre The answere of Assuerus is full of humanitie and gentlenes and in granting the protection of the Iewes easie courteous but yet it sheweth a troubled mind when he sayeth That he had done what he might hauing condemned Haman to the gallowes who would haue layd his hand vpoÌ„ the Iewes and hauing giueÌ„ his goods vnto Ester and that he doth now moreouer permit that they write for the Iewes as it shall seeme good vnto them but yet he addeth that the writing which was written in the Kings name and sealed with the Kings seale could not be called backe Notwithstanding what could be done in fauour of the Iewes but it would be contrarie to the former proclamation Lo into what straights Princes are often brought by the fraude and malice of wicked counsellours behold also how seeing the weaknes of mens wit is so great it is not expedient that all the constitutions
thirteenth day of the first moneth Besides from the publishing of this Edict vnto the execution therof there was eight months and about twentie dayes For as in the next Chapter we shall see it was fulfilled on the thirteenth day of the twelfth moneth The time is thus precisely noted not onely for the certaintie and truth of the Historie but also that the state of the Church may be set before our eyes what it was at that time first for the space of those two monethes and ten dayes wherein it was halfe buried as it were being condemned to death and destruction which seemed impossible to be auoyded After how in the space of other eight moneths beginning as it were to breathe againe she prepared her self to her iust lawful defēce yet not without many difficulties whereby she might be feared vntil God gaue her a full victorie ouer her enemies God therefore will haue the estate of his Church to be such in this world that she shal seem somtimes to be oppressed without hope of restoring sometimes armed with some iust defence sometimes also to haue the vpper hand of her enemies that so being tryed by all meanes she may the better know her infirmitie and the hatred wherewith shee is troubled by the world and yet not withstanding that she hath her whole defence resting in God alone by whom she is stayed vp and who as oft as it seemeth good vnto him turneth all things to her profit and commoditie We see then that the people of God was accounted as miserable and past hope as well in the opinion of the wicked as in their owne judgement hauing the sentence of death pronounced against them And this was not a little profitable vnto them that they might the better be stirred vp vnto repentance which in prosperitie is neglected and that she might be made like vnto the sonne of God who was consecrated by afflictions and that the wonderfull power of God in deliuering his might be the more knowne For if there were no oppression where were deliuerance vnlesse we were plunged in the darknesse of death how shuld that light of life whereby God quickneth vs be knowne God therefore being about to shew forth any notable deliuerance and great worke of his glorie first suffereth his to be drowned as it were shut vp in the graue that in their safetie his glorie may by some more excellent means shine most cleare and the hand of god may be acknowledged in it and that it may be said The Lord hath done it But he exerciseth his Church sometime more greeuously sometimes but lightly and either lengtheneth or shortneth the time of calamitie as hee seeth it expedient yeelding them strength and patience according to the measure of the time which hee hath prescribed vnto the affliction Afterward there is expressed by whom the decree is written to wit by Mardochaeus who did endite the substance therof vnto the Scribes who brought it into forme as he prescribed Heere then the king affoordeth the same fauour vnto Mardochaeus which before he did vnto Haman permitting to his pleasure whatsoeuer was needfull to be done so that he were not compelled to recall in expresse tearmes the former proclamation In which thing the King may worthily bee said to haue dealt inconsiderately to permit that whole matter vnto one mans will and pleasure which ought to haue beene done with great deliberation and stayed counsell For although in plaine words the former decree was not reuoked yet of necessitie this must be made contrarie vnto it But yet not without the exceeding great wisedome of God do these things thus come to passe for if the counsellors had bene called togither perhaps they would not haue consented to a decree so fauourable for the Iewes so contrarie to the former and so hurtfull vnto the Kings naturall subiects But so much the greater was the care and trouble of Mardochaeus because he alone must sustaine the whole hatred and enuie of that proclamation And it is not to bee doubted but that hee was greatly troubled when hee should endite that Edict vnto the scribes seeing that he was a mālate raised to that so great dignitie in a place so slipperie and in the guiding of matters of so great weight euen which concerned the whole state of so great a Monarchie hauing also to do with a King so vnconstant himselfe besides hauing in so fewe yeares bin the beholder of so many changes Howbeit God gaue him sufficient wisedome as hee is wont to bestowe gifts necessarie vpon all whom he calleth to any lawfull vocation The Scribes are called not to set downe their opinion but to write as they were commanded Wherefore they doo not admonish the King neither of the repugnance of this Edict with the former neither of the consequence which might fall out by it neither of the dammage which should come to all the Kings subiects who should destroy themselues by ciuill murther whereby appeareth that the kings authoritie was on all sides absolute and that none durst gainesay him or except any thing against his Decree Such at this day is the authoritie of the Turk but the better and more moderate Princes are wont for the most part to heare the opinion of their counsell and seruants Now these Scribes it seemeth cared not what they wrought so that they were assured that it was the Kings will The proclamation is appointed to be sent to the Iewes because it concerned their securitie then vnto the Princes Captaines and chiefe Gouernours of the Prouinces that they should publish it and least that they should hinder the Iewes in their iust defence that those who had receiued the former cōmādemēt frō the king shuld now be certified of his contrarie pleasure So we see that the king doth little esteeme what his Lieftenant and gouernors would iudge of so sudden a change and so contrarie opinions and decrees Whereby it appeareth what fearefull and absolute or rather immoderate dominion he exercised ouer his subiects These think themselues to be gods that may not be reprehended nor reproued so that no man may so much as looke into their actions much lesse gainsay them The manner of the writing of the Proclamation is diuers according to the stile and language of euery prouince that no man might pretend ignorance But if the commandements of earthly kings ought to be written in all the tongues of their subiects how much more the lawe of the eternall Iehouah which none can be ignorant of without certaine losse of their saluation Of those to whome the letters are committed to be caryed into the seuen and twentie prouinces we shall speake more commodiously afterward vers 14. So that heere we are to weigh that which is sayd That they were written in the Kings name and sealed with the Kings seale For so they were made authenticall without cotradiction For as in these dayes Kings and Princes are wont to seale their Patents with great seales that they
perceiue that so mightily beyond all expectatioÌ„ deliuer his out of the iawes of their enemies and not only our of their teeth but euen almost out of the bottome of their belly and bowels as it were whereinto they seeme quite to haue swallowed them then they take part with the Church and confesse that this God only is to be worshipped serued So when God had by so many miracles tamed and subdued Pharao and all Egypt and after the last plague when his people went out with an high and mightie hand a great multitude ioyned themselues to the Israelites to goe together Exo. 12. 38. with them out of Aegypt In the time of David when as he had obtained those noble victories many ioyned themselues vnto him some as himselfe sayeth for Psal 18. seruile feare some willingly and of their owne accord Many strangers also followed the people returning out of the captiuitie of Babylon as it is said in Ezra that Ezra 2. 59. 62. some were put from the Priesthood because they knew not their genealogie In the Christian Church also when as after that Licinius was ouercome by Constantine the persecutioÌ„s of the Church ceased which had continued almost three hundred yeeres together an innumerable company of people which before serued idols was content to be receiued into the Church So it coÌ„meth to passe that those miraculous deliuerances of the people of God are not onely profitable vnto themselues but also turne to the saluation of many idolaters so that the Church receiueth a double benefit by this helpe from God that is both her protection and defence and her encrease also and multiplication so that as Isai speaketh chap. 49. vers 21. She marueileth whence so many children are borne vnto her who was so long barren and as it were a widow We are therefore to wish not the desolation and destruction of those that hate vs and persecute vs of a false zeale being bewitched by the false doctrine of the Papists but rather their conuersion and saluation And if any come into the Church either by force or for feare and in hypocrisie in that also God is glorified for that his enemies are forced to acknowledge his power and confesse his maiestie and yeeld some signe of obedience Hence then did there arise vnto the Iewes good hope that many would stand on their part and on the other side also they receiued great comfort when they sawe that the feare of them fell vpon the people For this feare was from God who as oft as it seemeth good vnto him taketh away courage from the mightie and maketh them fall away like water that either their weapons fall out of their hands or be turned to their owne destruction And the holy Scripture oftentimes maketh mentioÌ„ of this feare whereby God protected his but terrified their enemies as Gen. 35. 5. the feare of God is said to haue fallen on all the cities neere vnto Sichem that they dared not follow after Iacob whose sonnes Simeon Leui had spoiled the citie of Sichem and slaine the inhabitants thereof And Iosue chap. 2. â—ver 9. Rahab which receiued the spies â—mongst other things telleth this I know that the Lord hath given you the land for the feare of you is fallen vpon vs and all the â—â—habitants of the land faint because of you This same God foretold vnto Moses â—hould come to passe Exod. 23. 27. I will â—end my feare before thee and will destroy all the people among whome thou shalt goe and I will make all thine enemies turne their â—acks vnto thee This is that feare I say â—hereby the enemies of the Church are â—estrained wherby their haÌ„ds are bound â—r their weapons fall out of their hands and they are made either made or sencelesse Out of all this we learne that a great part of the glorie of the Church consisteth in her deliuerance which God bestoweth vpon her after aduersitie and calamitie in which as in a furnace she is melted and purged that being so tryed she may come forth more pure out of the midst of the flame The Church then by those things which she suffereth is made more famous after that she is deliuered by God then if she had alwayes continued in one and the same estate yea Gods hand is made more knowen and his deliuerance more glorious by how much the greater the affliction was Let vs not therefore beare grudgingly the length of afflictions or despaire in mind though they be hard and violent whereby also we are as it were thrust downâ— into the graue and vnto the gates of death for so much the more admirable shall our deliuerance be how much the greater the danger was For God doth aâ— it were throw vs downe into the dust whome after he will lift vp so much the higher and casteth vs into the grauâ— that in quickning vs his force and power may be the more notable So wee see Dauid giue thanks vnto God sometimes that he had lifted him vp from the gates of death sometimes that he had made him to ascend out of the graue sometimes that he had drawen him out of the deepe pit sometimes that he had brought him out of the bowels of the earth Let not vs therefore beare it impatiently if we be as it were plunged into the graue when as the Sonne of God remayned three dayes in it being assuredly perswaded that as Iesus Christ our Lord by rising againe did abolish the shame of the crosse death and sepulcher and brought life and immortalitie to light so also it shall come to passe that we by his power being quickned together with him after the laying downe of the shame of the crosse and â—eath shall be also made partakers of his glorie and immortalitie that through â—im we may prayse God in the life eterâ—all to whome belongeth all honor and glorie for euermore Amen THE TWO AND twentieth Sermon By what meanes the Iewes did execute that which was contained in the Proclamation made in their fauour from the first verse of the ninth Chapter vnto the II. CHAP. IX 1. So on the twelfth moneth which is the moneth Adar vpon the thirteenth day of the same when it drewe neere that the Kings commaundement and his decree should be put in execution in the day that the enemies of the Iewes hoped to haue power ouer them but it turned contrarie for the Iewes had rule ouer them that hated them 2. The Iewes gathered themselues together in their cities throughout all the prouinces of the King Assuerus to lay hand on such as sought their hurt and no man coulâ— withstand them for the feare of them felâ— vpon all people 3. And all the rulers of the prouinces and the Princes and the Captaines and the officers of the King exalted the Iewes for the feare of Mordecai fell vpon them 4. For Mordecai was great in the Kings house and the report of him went through all the prouinces for this man Mordecai