that those who desired to seevs ouerwhelmed with shame and slaunders shall be compelled to approue the righteousnesse of our cause and to honour our right yea euen the very enemies of the truth shall be compelled to acknowledge the innocencie of the Martyrs and of those whom they haue persecuted The full accomplishment and effect whereof if wee see not in this world at the last when the time of refreshing shall come wee shall behold it Wherefore take courage my brethren let vs follow righteousnesse and innocencie let vs constantly suffer the crosse of Christ Iesus let vs not enuie at the prosperitie of the wicked let vs repose our hope in the grace of our GOD let vs waite for the euent of his promises and we shall see at length the confusion and vtter destruction of his and our enemies and shall bee Crowned at the last with glorie and felicitie in the life euerlasting with Christ Iesus our Lord to whom onely be power glory and dominion for euermore Amen THE SIXTEENTH Sermon Haman being beaten downe with sorrow hides himselfe at home and asketh counsell of his friends who denounce vnto him a wofull euent thence hee is called with haste vnto the banquet which is turned into a snare and deadly net vnto him From v. 12. of this 6. Chapter vnto the third verse of the next 12. And Mordecai came againe to the Kings gate but Haman hasted home mourning and his head couered 13. And Haman tolde Zeresh his wife and all his friends al that had be fallen him Then said his wise men and Zeresh his wife vnto him Seeing Mordecai is of the seed of the Iewes before whom thou hast begun to fall thou shalt not preuaile against him but shalt surely fall before him 14. And while they were yet talking with him the Kings Eunuches came and hasted to bring Haman to the banket that Ester had prepared CHAP. VII 1. So when the King and Haman came to the banquet with the Queene Ester 2. The King said againe vnto Ester on the second day at the banquet of Wine what is thy petition Queene Ester and it shall be giuen thee and what is thy request 〈◊〉 shall be euen performed vnto the halfe of the Kingdome WHen as the Lord once beginneth to draw the most cruell enemies of his church into iudgement to execute vengeance vpon theâ— according to the desert of their pridâ— and crueltie suddenly are they seene tâ— be intangled in the bands of their iniquitie amazed with sorrow and mourning ouerwhelmed with shame to seeke to hide themselues to be condemned by their owne friends and sentence to be pronounced against them in the middest of their delights wherin they looked for comfort in their distresse Which heere we see to happen vnto Haman who when on the sudden he was fallen froÌ„ his hope hieth him home with his head couered by reasoÌ„ of his exceeding sorrow there he heareth sentence to bee pronounced against him that most assuredly he shall fall seeing he hath to doo with the Iewes Thence is he brought vnto the banquet with the King and the Queene but that table was vnto him a iudgement seate of condemnation at which as anon after we shall heare iudgement is giuen against him that here may be an example of the fearefull vengeance of God vpon his enemies when once he hath turned his angry countenance against them And â—his is that which is spoken Psal 39. 11. When thou with rebukes doest chastice man for iniquitie thou as a moath makest his â—ewtie to consume And in an other place Psal 68. 1. 2. Let God arise and his enemies shall be scattered they also that hate him shall flee before him As the smoake vanisheth so shalt thou driue them away and as waxe melteth before the fire so shall the wicked perish at the presence of God Heere also we see that fulfilled which is spoken by Eliphaz Iob. 5. 13. God taketh the wise in their craftinesse and the counsell of the wicked is made foolishnesse and that which the wise man speaketh in the Prouerbes Chap. 11. 6. 8. The transgressors shal be taken in their owne wickednesse when the righteousnesse of the iust shall deliuer the. And The righteous escapeth out of trouble and the wicked commeth in his stead But yet notwithstanding this is not to be drawne into a generall rule as though God dealt withall the wicked after this maner in this world or as though they were all to be accounted wicked and vnrighteous as many as are oppressed with great and sudden calamities For many good men are oftentimes shaken with the greatest miseries and sorrowes in this life and on the contrary part many wicked vngodly men liue in prosperitie die quietly as though they had escaped gods hand Howbeit god doth oftetimes shew forth in this world notable signes of his wrath against the enemies of his truth Which although he execute after diuers sorts yet this in generall is most euident that they are ouerwhelmed with sudden mischiefe as a woman with childe and to heare their condemnation before their death euen by their dearest and nearest friends and that oftentimes the place where they imagined to find rest and quiet is turned vnto a deadly baite And these things in generall are most worthy the noting in this Historie but let vs also discusse euery part thereof First heere is offered the modestie of Mardochaeus who hauing receiued that honor which we haue spoken of before returneth to his ordinarie office as it seemeth to wit to the Kings gate testifying thereby that his minde did not swell with any pride but to thinke of his dutie with feare carefulnesse and to remember that he is not yet deliuered from all danger that Edict remaining yet written against the Iewes Besides that honour bestowed vpon him although it were very great and almost immeasurable in regard of his state passed away in one morning that rightly it may bee sayd if he receiued none other reward that it was honour without gaine yea honor full of vain ostentation and pride onely and of no firme and stable dignitie But these were but an entrance a shew before of greater and more continual honor to follow when Hamans malice was detected and worthily punished Heerehence therefore wee learne not to bee puffed vp and waxe insolent with any courtly grace fauour or any other honor For the fauour of men is momentanie and all honor slideth away and vanisheth as smoake into the ayre It remaineth that wee vse it well to the defence and commoditie of the Church and depend altogither vpon Gods goodnesse not placing our trust in any earthly Prince seeing that the greatest and most mightie Princes are nothing else but vanitie nay altogither lighter then vanitie as it is said Psal 62. 9. Let vs beware therefore that we be not turned away the least iot from our dutie by any blast of courtly grace or fauour or from any honest thought which
Vers 11. dare to do any thing So Assuerus when his minde was merrie with the wine commaunderh those seuen Courtiers that serued him to bring his wife in to the baÌ„quet to shew to the people her beautie Which before when his minde was quiet hee did not neither would haue done vnlesse the force of the wine had takeÌ„ away the vse of his reason because it was repugnant to honestie and the custome of that countrey and besides it must needs be a most vaine thing and vnseeming the maiestie of so great a Prince to shewe the beautie of his wife to all and that among the cups For this could not bee but with great shame to the Queene and not without allurements and scant honest affections in the mindes of those who were no more temperate then the King Moreouer it was a matter of verie euill example to his subiects to abuse the beautie of their wines after the excesse of banquetting And if hee needes would haue her beautie seene had it not been a great deale more conuenient to haue called hir to banquet with them at the beginning of the feast By this it is made out â—oâ—t vnto all men how vaine and voyde of reason many times the iudgements of great men are 〈◊〉 whome notwithstanding all men are wont to maruaile by reason of the opinion they haue of their wisedome and that he wife man to purpose waâ—â—eth in the Proverbs that it is not for 〈◊〉 to drinke wine Pro. 31 4-5 〈◊〉 they forget the decree and pâ—ruert iudgeâ—ent as also for the same cause the Lorde â—â—rbiddeth his Priests which shall come Leu. 10. 9. 〈◊〉 vnto his tabernacle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wine or 〈◊〉 drinke Hereby also it appeareth the beautie 〈◊〉 women make so great account turneth â—any times to hee the cause of mourning 〈◊〉 of death vnto them But this seemeth 〈◊〉 to be maruailed at that so many wife â—ounsellors sitting with the King none of 〈◊〉 dares to disswade him from his purâ—se beeing so 〈◊〉 and vnhonest both for the king and the queene who though she had come when she was called might not without iust cause haue coÌ„ceiued indignation that she was brought forth as a gâ—â—ing stocke vnto her subiects in the midst of their pots as we read that the wife of Câ—ndaâ—leâ— long of Lydia did who when she perceiued that she had bin shewen naked by her husband to one of his familiar friends lying hidden in a secret place shee neuer was quiet vntill shee had reuenged that iniurie done vnto her her husband being slain by the hand of the same his friend Finally as this king dooth all things to the shew so he hath his ministers most obedient to follow his lusts his Princes most readie for such ieasts and his people prepared for this shew But the queene Vashti by not obeying deceyues all their expectation which fact of hers those who measure al mens deliberations and actions by the successe do condemne of pride stubburnnes rashnes and folly froÌ„ which vines perhaps she was not altogither free For seeing she was the daughter of Cyrus and sister of Cambyses Assuerus but the sonne of Hystaspis it might be that in contempt of her husband she refused to come at his call Yet neuerthelesse 〈◊〉 might defende her selfe by no slender â—â—asons to wit that this coÌ„mandement of 〈◊〉 kings was repugnant to the lawes of 〈◊〉 Persians contrary to common honeâ—e and full of very euill example neither 〈◊〉 it be but by this means the banket of 〈◊〉 ladies should be disturbed And this is 〈◊〉 especially to be commended that she 〈◊〉 not make shew of her beautie for 〈◊〉 at this day womeÌ„ are so carefull that 〈◊〉 desire this only and thinke that it 〈◊〉 not well with them vnlesse they can 〈◊〉 all mens eies towards theÌ„ Notwithâ—â—â—nding shee might haue taken a middle 〈◊〉 which is in stead of so suddain a 〈◊〉 so to haue excused her selfe that yet might haue shewed foorth her obediâ—e and haue gotten some of themessenâ—s to approue her excuse vnto the king 〈◊〉 vnlesse the King would accept it beene better to haue obeyed him in a 〈◊〉 in it owne nature not euill then by 〈◊〉 to haue prouoked the Kinges 〈◊〉 agaynst her and so to runne into 〈◊〉 suspitioÌ„ of coÌ„tempt stubbâ—mnes 〈◊〉 in so noble an assembly in whose 〈◊〉 the King was willing to shewe his power and magnificence from which by this her rebellion she seemed much to dâ—â—tract Here hence let women learne not to prouoke their husbandes in those thing which may bee done without offence 〈◊〉 God neither to make account of theyâ— stock or beautie or riches in their disgrace neither frowardly to denie those things 〈◊〉 denying whereof the peace and quiet 〈◊〉 their house might bee disturbed For 〈◊〉 though peraduenture they cannot be 〈◊〉 without some inconuenience yet is it beâ—ter if of their owne nature they bee 〈◊〉 euill by obeying to nourish peace 〈◊〉 by resisting to breake it This repulse the King tooke in 〈◊〉 euill part and brake forth into exceediâ—â— great wrath because by this meanes 〈◊〉 thought himselfe to be despised and lighâ—ly regarded by his wife and that it woulâ— bee a reproch vnto him especially in 〈◊〉 view of all the Princes of his kingdomâ— This so great heate of wrath is a fruit drunkennesse by which most especiaâ— bankers are disturbed and ioy is turn into sorrow the king taking such indigâ—tion at the matter and so immeasurabâ—â— boyling with anger by whoÌ„ theÌ„ rest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cheared and made merry For as Salomon Pro. 16 20. 〈◊〉 The Kings wrath is the Messenger of 〈◊〉 or of some great calamitie vnto him â—â—ainst whoÌ„ it is stirred and therfore it beâ—ueth kings to be so much the more 〈◊〉 in their anger when as yet notwithstaÌ„â—â—â—g meÌ„ wax so much the more vehemeÌ„tly 〈◊〉 by how much greater is their power 〈◊〉 their eie rather vpon their power 〈◊〉 vpoÌ„ their dutie whereby it coÌ„meth to 〈◊〉 that they wil not suffer themselues to be moued froÌ„ their affections whether they good or euil But they shuld haue regard right and not to their power or affectiâ—â—s For therefore doo they raigne with great power that they may establish 〈◊〉 preserue good lawes defende the 〈◊〉 punish the offenders yeeld vnâ—eason and compell others to obey it that there is nothing that is more 〈◊〉 for Kings then to giue that place â—assions where reason ought to beare â—sway For their Subiects take from 〈◊〉 the patterne of good and honest life 〈◊〉 clemencie and mildnesse are the 〈◊〉 ornaments of Kinges and anger 〈◊〉 woorst counsellor that may bee for 〈◊〉 it is it selfe vniust and the mother of all iniquitie and giueth any forme vnto a matter but that which is the right as when we beholde any thing through a coloured Glasse Therfore Saint Iames saith That the wrath of man doeth not fulfill the Iam. 1. 20. Ephes 4. 27 righteousnesse of God and Saint Paule
gainsay that by search there may be found what shall be most honest and profitable Wherefore they are wide from the truth and erre most greeuously who asking counsell of their friends desire to haue their passions approued by them for in stead of counsel they finde confusion which here wee see to haue happened vnto Haman For see I pray what good counsellours these friends and Zeresh his wife were Let there say they be made ready a gallows of fiftie Cubits high and in the morning speake vnto the King that they may hang Mardochaeus vpon it and then go in ioyfull with the King to the banquet which thing when it seemed good vnto Haman he prepared the gallowes By this counsell it is plaine that Haman being fierce and cruell had his wife Zeresh and his friends as cruel as himselfe and therefore by Gods iust iudgement they were at last wrapped togither in the same destruction God rightfully reuenging so bloudie an aduise They aduise that which they thinke the king will easily graunt seeing Haman so greatly in fauour with the King and the Kings readinesse alwaies so great in granting his requests Wherby it commeth to passe that men waxe more bold in demaunding things vnhonest when as before they haue very easily obtained the like besides that that men are allured with fauour and good will to hope for greater things They do not weigh that the king receiued a great benefite by the care and faithfulnesse of Mardochaeus before Chap. 2. of which fact they could not be ignorant when as there was open execution done vpon the traytors they thinke not therefore that such a benefite might come into the kings minde but they perswade themselues that Mardochaeus is nothing else but a miserable and vile Iewe without fauour and already condemned to death wherehence it commeth that they counsel no moderate matter to Haman but runne headlong into al inhumanitie But surely any wise counsellour might thus haue dealt with Haman What stand you vpon Mardochaeus this Iewe a man of no account he is not worthy that you should once thinke of him do you thinke that your fauour and estimation dependeth vpon him turne away your mind cogitation from thinking of him be carelesse secure is hee not already adiudged to death But wicked mē delight in cruel barbarous coūsels for what needed a gallowes offiftie cubites high vnlesse it were that not onely they would satisfie their thirst with the bloud of an innocent but also they longed to expose him to all mens sight with laughter and reproach So the enemies of our Lord Christ Iesus were not content we see to haue nayled him to the Crosse but they would haue him hang in the middest betweene two theeues as a notorious and famous theefe They adde that when this is done he may go in merry vnto the banquet For the enemies of the Church of God doo feigne theyr onely ioy in the death of innocents and doo onely relish with delight those meates which are sawced with the bloud of the faithfull So Herodias doth little Mare 6. 24. care for all the dainties at Herodes table vnlesse Iohn Baptists head be brought her in a platter so furious is the hatred wherwith euery one of the wicked doth persecute gods seruants him whom he thinketh to be his enemie This counsell liked Haman well for it agreed with his passion and he thought he should easily obtain it So is it often done to ouer-loose and fearfull Kings who dare denie nothing to those that are about them There is nothing so wicked or inhonest which is not craued at their hands euen with hope of obtaining He thought besides that it would be a pleasant and a faire shew if he might see him who would not bow himselfe before him to hang with shame and infamie on so high a galows Therefore he setteth vp the gibbet in his owne house as after we shall see Chap. 7. vers 9. Neither was it a hard matter for him to get a tree of such a height when as in the East the trees are of such a length that almost it passeth all credit or else many might be grafted togither and so make the gallows of such height Neither ought it to seeme strange vnto any that hee erected such a gibbet when he was in so great fauour and authoritie and had the kings Ring was next in dignitie vnto the king So by the iust iudgement ef God it commeth to passe that the worst and most dangerous counsels please the wicked as the coūsel of the false Prophets did to Achab by whose perswasion hee went to Ramoth Gilead where he receiued his deathes wound and his armie was ouerthrowne And as the wicked are delighted with lies so are they easily allured by thē as by a bait that they may be ensnared in their owne deceirs And indeed it is iust that those who will haue their wicked counsels praised and allowed and do please themselues in them should at the last bee taken in their owne nets But let vs embrace truth and integritie let vs vse moderately our ioy and gladnesse least we abuse our prosperitie neither let vs suffer our selues to be carried away headlong with our passions let vs not worke treacherie against any let vs seeke for counsell at God who wil be our guide in all our wayes defending vs by his power and deliuering vs from all violence and reproach and whatsoeuer fall vpon vs heere at the last hee will saue vs in his kingdome with Christ Iesus our Lord to whom alone be glory strength and dominion for euermore Amen THE FIFTEENTH Sermon Of the honor which was giuen by Haman to Mardochaeus at the Kings commandement euen by Hamans own appointment in the 11. first verses of the 6. Chapter CHAP. VI. 1. The same night the King slept not and he commaunded to bring the booke of the records and Chronicles which were read before the King 2. Then was it found written that Mordecai had told of Bigtana and Teresh two of the kings Eunuches keepers of the doore who sought to lay hands on the king Assuerus 3. Then the King said what honor and dignitie hath bene giuen to Mordecai for this And the kings seruants that ministred vnto him said There is nothing done for him 4. And the King said who is in the Court Now Haman was come into the inner Court of the Kings house that hee might speake vnto the King to hang Mordecai on the tree that hee had prepared for him 5. And the Kings seruants said vnto him Behold Haman standeth in the Court. And the King sayde Let him come in 6. And when Haman came in the King said vnto him What shall be done vnto the man whom the King will honour Then Haman thought in his heart to whom would the king do honor more then to me 7. And Haman answered the King the man whom the King would honor 8. Let them bring for him royall
which was turned vnto them from sorrow to ioy and from mourning to mirth He noteth vnto vs that the memorie of Gods benefits and graces doth soone slip away except it be stayed by some notable meanes wherefore hee commandeth that those two dayes wherein they obtayned the victorie ouer their enemies should be kept holiday that they might rest in them with an holy rest thereby to call to memorie the benefit of so great a deliuerāce and to celebrate the grace of God who by a wonderfull meanes did turne their sorrow into ioy In which thing he performeth the dutie of a good and faithfull Magistrate whereof it is a part to take care that good order be preserued in the Church the worship of God retained pure and the memorie of his benefits continued for euer that in all ages euery one may learne to put his trust in God and to looke for all help and good from him Heereby then we learne that when the chiefe Magistrate neglecteth those things which make to the conseruation of pure religion because he is ignorant thereof the inferior Magistrate ought not therefore to cease but by reason of his office procure whatsoeuer shall appertaine to the nourishing and preseruing of godlinesse as heere we see when Assuerus little careth for the doctrine of the Iewes which he did not vnderstād Mardochaeus doth not therefore leaue off but decreeth those things which he thought to appertaine to the maintaining of the remembrance of so memorable a deliuerance Wherein there shineth not onely his pietie and care of the Church but also his courage and constancie For it could not choose but be odious vnto the natiue inhabitants when they shoulde yearely see this feast to be celebrated and so call to remembrance the slaughter and destruction of their fellow citizens by the Iewes seeing that no monuments or signes of victorie or offences amongst the people adioyning can be beholden without indignation and great griefe But the memorie of the benefites receiued from our God is not to be omitted for the griefe and sorrowe of minde which the ignorant take at the remembrance of true religion Yet is it wisely to be foreseene that after ciuill warres there be nothing done whereby the minds of men may be offended and olde wounds wax greene againe and warre eftsoones stirred vp Hence also we learne that it is the duetie of the faithfull Magistrate either to decree or approue by his decree that which is alreadie by authoritie well ordained to the preseruing and establishing of the good order of the Church and the outward seruice of God so that the word of God be alwaies the rule and squire whereby hee frame all his actions And this is so much the more diligently to be noted and vnderstoode by how much wee see that the slippe is easie in that part when the question is concerning the power of Magistrates in the ordering of Ecclesiasticall matters For some graunt vnto the highest Magistrate to ordayne in the Church whatsoeuer pleaseth them or whatsoeuer shall be perswaded vnto them by others But what is this other then to ouerthrow all religion by granting such licence vnto men So we see that the kings of Israel cleauing to their owne opinions did peruert the pure worship of God and also the kings of Iuda imitating them when leauing the doctrine of the lawe they followed their owne wisdome and sence as by the example of Achaz and Manasses it is apparant Othersome will not haue the Magistrate to take any care at all of Ecclesiasticall matters which opinion the Pope holdeth to vphold more easily his owne tyrannie What is then heere to be done That the Magistrate inuade not the Pastors office as to preach the word administer the Sacraments also that he change not or innouate any thing in religion at his owne pleasure or by worldly wisdome and policie but remembring that he is appointed of God a keeper and defender of the Church of wholsome and heauenly doctrine of the worship of God and of order requisite in the Church hee vse his authoritie and sword to the defence of the Church against all force that the Pastors may retaine their right and authoritie and that those who are slothfull may be stirred vp that sound doctrine and the right vse of the Sacraments may be conserued and that by the iudgemēt of the Pastors good lawes may be made agreeable vnto sound doctrine that all things may be done in order conuenient in the house of God And if the times be such that the state of the Church be altogether depraued and neede reformation the dutie also of the Magistrate requireth that he set hand vnto the worke prouide that all things be restored to their integritie according to the word of God rightly vnderstoode and applied vnto his right vse and end So we reade that the holy kings of the I. Chro. 24 25. 26 Israelites did as Dauid by the aduise of Gad and Nathan the Prophets did distribute the orders of the Priests and Leuits and the courses of their seruice and ministerie Salomon also dedicateth the Temple which he had built with that notable solemne prayer which is read 1. King 8. and confirmeth the order appointed by his father Iehosaphat restored as well the 2. Chro. 19. 2. Kings 12. State ciuill as the Ecclesiasticall Ioas also in his time after the confusions brought in by Athalia did by the counsaile of Iehoiada restore those things that were confounded and repaire the ruines of the temple But the zeale godlinesse constancie of Ezechias and Iosias are especially 2. Chro. 29. 2. Kings 23. Euseb de vit Constanti 1. 1. c. 37. alibi commended who in their times so happily reformed the Church So Constantine the great was present in the Coūcell of Nice and heard and approued the sentences of the Fathers grounded vpon the word of God and by his authoritie maintained and defended the sound doctrine and condemned heresie Out of all which examples let the faithfull Magistrates learne what parts and place they hold in the Church It remaineth to be shewed how the Iewes did execute that commandement prescribed by Ester and Mardochaeus but those things shal be after declared more at large So that it shall be sufficiēt for vs if at this present we learne to submit our selues vnto good cōstitutions by which the remembrāce of the benefits of God is cōfirmed in the Church and that we testifie both by word and deede euen in the whole course of our life that as we are the people whom God hath redeemed and freed from all miserie and accursednesse brought into libertie from the thraldome of death and sinne deliuered from so many dangers and adorned with so many gifts of his liberalitie so we will also do all that we may that his name may be set forth with worthie prayse in Iesus Christ to whome be glorie for euermore Amen THE FIVE AND twentieth Sermon There