Yea I haue sent him and hee shall preuaile Prou. 11. the foole shall make a sport of sinne and they shall thinke they doe God good seruice Ioh. 16. 2 that performe vilest parts against his deerest seruants Vses And doth the world count good euill and euill good doth the word to this purpose speake often in the worlds language Oh then what meruaile is it if the word bâ—e a stumbling block to the world what need had wee of eye-salue to discerne this difference When the spirit speaketh according to it one verity and when hee expresseth out vanitie how ought wee to maintaine the true light of conscienâ—e Certainly howsoeuer the spirit may speake fairely of sinne as therein cxpressing what the world would haue deemed Yet the conscience hereby will not excuse for sinne And though false teachers may cunningly dawbe vp the same yet the gâ—iâ—e-saying conscience will discouer the vntempered morter The best approbation of him shall be that he is a flatterer and the best comfort to the conscience that hee is but a miserable comforter Nay to adde further the shame of this dawbing euen the world it selfe shall discouer it owne blindnesse and though all should bee silent euen the sinne it selfe will speake that such mirth is drunkennesse and such good is euill Hearken I pray you to the circumstances of the Text Obs 24. Markes of drunkenesse Esay 5 Vpon the seauenth day The King it appeares sat well by it and therefore if they that tarie but one day will bee enflamed with the wine we must not imagine but the King had his burden Obiect â—say 5 Ans You will say hee was of a strong constitution and being also accustomed thereto was better able to beare it Yet there is a woe to them that are strong to drinke wine and the more strength herein the greater sinne Obiect because it is an occasion to draw others into the same excesse with vs. â—ut you will say this â—King was carefull to preuent this sinne in others because hee made an order that none should bee compelled Ans and therefore not likely to be guilty thereof As if so bee prophane Kings are not exempted from their lawes and by their examples allow that Obiect which their law condemneth If you say he might be merry with wine Ans and yet not bee drunke I would thinke so to if I knew not there were degrees in drunkennesse among the which though some may extenuate the same in the eye of the world yet they do truly agrauate the same by the effects thereof For had it not beene better for this Wine-bibber to haue bin beastly or dead-drunke as we say not able to haue spoken or known any thing then so to be merry-drunke as to be mad with reason For what greater madnesse could there bee then to call for his Queene to make shew of her beauty to such a whitled coÌ„panâ— whose heads being ful of wine their eyes must needs be ful of adulterie and so for the satisfying of their lusts might haue had their hands ful of blood and not vnlikely to haue indangered the life of y e King him-selfe And was not wine a mocker strong drink raging When for so smal an offence as not to come at such an vnseasonable an occasion this beautifull spouse was vtterly repudiate and so his merry draughts depriues him of the chiefe meanes of his contentment Obiect if you say this was done not without respect of his estate because he sent seauen of his chiefe Princes for the Queenes more honourable conuoy and therfore it may seeme hee knew what he did Ans and kept decorum herein Surely I take it this rather bewraies the strength of his intemperancie who being not inflamed with wine was therby so impotently inraged with lusts Obs 25. Prophane persons abuse their wiues to be onely baites â— lust V. 11. that he must needs presently feed his eie at least with the obiect therof Out of w e we may obserue the best vse that prophaÌ„e great ones abuse their wiues which is to pranke them vp that they maybe baits of lusts to others the people and Princes must see her beauty to vse them at their pleasure for the satisfying of their lusts here 's no seperation with consent 1 Cor. 7. to the contentmeÌ„t of both for y e king hath his change the poore Queene must be defrauded she must stand at reuersion come when he sends for hir and he wil not send but to satisfie his lust her desire must be subiect to his lust but he wil not giue hir due beneuoleÌ„ce she must come to be seen to feed y e eie with lust when happily ther was no strength to yeeld nature his due or if there were strength yet y e strange woman should haue it Thus wiues are kept fasting to be lookt vppon as babies when harlots depriue them of the crown of marriage Thus marriage is dishonoured and sin hereby ripened and the wicked many times beaten by their owne rod their babies oftentimes make them beasts and so paie their debts These ordinary harmes may proue excellent instructions both in the choyce of our wiues Obs 26. of the choyce of wiues how and in the vse of them That wee choose not onely for beauty as being a broker to lust and haruinger to shame and at the best cannot last out our loues Neither make ritches our marke which is in this case no better then fuell to sinne but that our principall aime in the choyce of a wife be the feare of God baited with the other meanes Not matching with Poperie in hope to conuert but fearing rather that it will peruert vs neither refusing religion simply without the other complements but respecting wisely some equallitie of age least wee bee vnfitte for marriage duties when they are most required at our handes and especially proposing the inward beuty togither with it not reiecting the outward Those hauing choseÌ„ aright How to be well vsed wee must further learn how to vse them y â— so they may be truly helpers vnto vs and this is performed 1. by performing our duty to theÌ„ and 2. by teaching them and exacting of them the performance of their duties The point of our duty is to gouerne them in the Lord as to dwell with them louingly and so to auoid all vnnccessary occasion of absence either from bed or boord A thing w t the Law very gratiously prouided for that at the least the first yeare there should not be seperation though the affaires of the common-wealth did necessarily require it that the gadding of the wife may bee also preuented a thing that may bring her within danger of catching so hereby loue might be happily confirmed by wise experience in each others natures He is to giue good example to preuent much schooling and he must strengthen his example with wise counsell out of the word least he
the lowest wronging and repudiating what shall not now be lawfull So politicke are great ones to cloake their owne sinnes by making them common and so iustifiable in others So wisely doth the Lord confound them in this their pollicie y t while by this communicating of the law to either they prouide for their credits they doe not hereby discouer their shame but by this meanes also ripening sinne generally they prepare the way to Gods generall iudgements Vse Well howsoeuer the drift of these politickes might herein be wicked in publishing these lawes thus to catch in their mother tongue yet is there an equitie in this point y t may teach vs many good lessons Namely seeing lawes are published in such a language that they may be knowne to all Lawes to be published in the vulgar tongues therefore as no man may clayme priuiledge beyond the law so we are hereby taught to be acquainted with the lawes not to intrap others or defend our selues from wrong onely but that so we may performe conscionably obedience to the same And if so bee we are to take notice of mens ordinances that so wee may obey them how ought then our delight to be in the law of the Lord that so we may meditate therein day and night Psal 1. 2. And by the direction of the same reforme our waies Which as it condemneth that man of sinne who lockes vp y e law of libertie in an vnknowne tongue that so not knowing the will of God wee might not care to performe it so it may cause vs to lament the ignorance of the world euen in such places where the Gospell is receiued and to feare for the fruit of this ignorance euen desperate wickednesse that the iudgements of God are not far from vs. Argument and parts CHAPTER 2. THe remorse of the King with the power of it Ver. 1. The corrupt meanes is vsed for the contentment of him Yet very holily disposed and wisely vsed by the Lord for deliuerance of his Church From the 2. verse to the 7. The intertainment of the meanes together with the preparation and approbation thereof as also the consummation in the marriage of Hester From the 8. vnto the 22. Lastly the confusion of all this Iollitie by a consequent danger which notwithstanding is discryed and preuented by the Church for the good of the Church to the end of the Chapter After these thinges .i. after the wine was out and the sentence past and executed against the Queene when the wrath of King Ahashuerosh was appeased .i. That is when y e Wine beeing out and the obiect of his wrath remoued the passion ceased for the time hee remembred Vashty and what shee had done and what was decreed against her He considered both the benefit of a wise which hee was now depriued off as also the small cause that had robd him of so great a comfort also hee could not forget the basenesse of his Councellors and the wrong sentence that was pronounced against her After these things 1. Afer that the feast was past and the wine and Ahashuerosh was parted and by the decree of his wise-men his wife was departed and so both the fuell of his anger spent and the lust therof satisfied After these things saith the word of truth was the wrath of the King appeased And so this mad fit you see is ended the spirit doth not say that he repented of his anger or that he laboured to make amends for the same but onely this that his anger was appeased that is not forsaken as a sin but only quallified and for a time laid a sleep to be raked vp againe vppon as slight an occasion 1 Ob. How the wicked leaue sinne Wherein the holy Ghost doth notably sette downe vnto vs the manner how the wicked leaue their sin or rather how sinne indeed leaues the wicked not to cleare them of the guilt of it no nor for the corruption of the same but onely for a time leaues them in regard of the rage or the temptation that so slattering themselues with the imputation of great maisteries ouer them-selues as if heereby they were great conuerts and beeing puffed vp heereby they may be drowned in securite that so the sinne returning in a seauen times worse manner it may repossesse them more fully and so their latter end may be worse then their beginning Wherein wee may behold the Admirable prouidence of GOD Sect. 1. Gods prouidence dâ—scouered herein who giuing the wicked their desire that they shall haue their fill of sinne doth by this especiall meanes dispose the same euen by brideling some-times the rage of sinne and giuing intermission to the force of the temptation For as by this restraining them he makes them more fitte for humaine society which if they should continew in their outrage would not indure them and so thereby keepes them from many legall punishments which happyly though they meete with the body might bee a meanes to saue the soule whereby hauing occasions offered to pursue their iniquities as they forslow them not yet still either for feare or credit they are somewhat brideled so the more the fire is suppressed the more it inwardly rageth and thereby takes deeper roote in the vnbeleeuing heart so y t to the wicked the outward ceasing of the streame tends to the inward increase of the corrupt fountaine which afterwards vpon occasion wil breake out with greater violence And so much the rather is sin hereby strengthned because by this stay of our sin not only y e heart is flattered with shew of vertue so therby hardned but as the falling of one waue is the raizing of an other Esay 4. 8. so the wicked are as the raging Sea foaming at their owne shame the intermission of one sinne is the prouocation to another That so by this meanes being plunged in all kindes of wickednesse they might bee giuen vp to a reprobate sence so make vp the measure of our vnauoydable destruction A matter which will yet appeare more manifest vnto vs if wee obserue the occasion of the wicked in leauing of sinne Sect. 2. which is not any worke of grace wrought in the heart proceeding from the power of Christ through the preaching of the word but onely such outward accident effects the same which inwardly reuiues the sinne and so ripens the sinner to his iust condemnation Occasions of the ceasing of sinne in the wicked Prouer 26. 20. For eitther the wine is out and so the occasion ceasing the sinne for a time slaketh from its heate or our credit bridleth though our heart be good either we feare the smart and so we dare not be medling or else we are out of date and so sinne hath left vs some such thing it is either wee are deeplier in elsewhere and so you you must spare vs heere or else as the manner of drunkards is wee will not sinne in gluttony that wee may sinne deeplier
be a meanes to increase the same Yea the enemies of the Church shal become seruants vnto it Psal 72. Her weapons are mighty to cast downe the strongest hold And her soundings are meanes to reuiue her againe 2 Cor. 10. 4 What should I say Her outward abasing increaseth inward glory her inward glory makes way to outward conquests She must be purged of her drosse that she may be cloathed with perfit beauty she must be blacke among men that she may be faire in the eyes of her God and so remaine more constant in his fauor and protection Vse Which being so 1. as therefore the bandyings of the wicked are in vaine against Gods Church So is ouâ— feare as vaine that the Church may be destroied And therefore as the Church is continued by being led aside into the wildernes so let vs now liue by faith in the discerning of this Church Let vs not forsake that fellowshippe Hebr. 10. which God wil not forsake but let vs cleaue to y t Church that shall abide for euer old things are passed away and the shadowes are renewed the vaile is pluckt off and the hand writing of ordinances put out Oh let vs not end in the flesh that haue begenne in the spirit Let vs hold the profession of our hope without wauering and continue to the end so is the crowne of righteousnesse laid vp for vs which the righteous Iudge shall giue at that day And that we may be the rather certaine hereof behold the Lord knoweth who are his he calls them by their names yea their names are registred finally recorded in the word that they may be the better perswaded that their names are written in heauen so faith the spirit Obser 41. Fit names to be giuen to our children Whose name was Mordecai See here the person whom God appoints for the deliuerance of his Church Mordecai is his name bitternes is his portion he is the son of contrition y t must be son of cosolation So do the children of God answere their names y t which they are they also make profession of So doth God sanctifie his childreÌ„ to y e accomplishmeÌ„t of his worke So are they fitted to giue him al y â— glory Vse 1 Wherby we may learne As giue fit names to our children to shew our hope of them or to put theÌ„ in minde of their natural condition or of the means of God towards them So we are to acknowledge the loue of God vnto his children that takes perticular notice of them in giuing and changing their names Sara Sarah Abram Abraham Iacob Israel y t they may be witnesses of his loue towards them Yea herein also may we obserue a special art of Gods prouidence in recording the names and generations of such champions of his as haue stood out valiantly for the cause of his church being his instruments for the peace thereof that so we may be the better conuinced in the truth of their stories and so our historicall faith iustyfiyng the truth of the word may make way for that iustifying faith in the Sonne of GOD that so we haue in him euerlasting life Ioh 3. To this end it followeth This Mordecai was the sonne of Iair the sonne of Shemei the sonne Kish a man of Gemine In which words the holy Ghost sets downe the pedegree of Mordecai by the lineall descent from his auncestors And yet very briefely too Obse 42. Genealogiâ—s how recorded in the word omitting many generations as the manner of the spirit is the recording of some being sufficient to avouch the truth of the story and among the rest mentioning espetially such who might more set forth the truth of Gods promises to the faithful and therby more settle faith for future occasions To this purpose is it that many others being omitted there is speciall mention made here of the tribe of Beniamin and of some such in speciall which may seeme to come out of the house and family of Saul That so we might know how that this Mordecai was of the house of Saul and therein behold the great mercy of God who though he reiected Saul and in a manner rooted out his posterity yet he shewed great mercy vnto the posterity of Ionathan not onely in preseruing the same in a lineall descent for the summe of fiue hundred yeares if this Mordecai draw his petigree there Obs 43. Children shall not be punished for the fathers offence and surely it must be here or not from Saul because his other children left no issue behind them but in restoring also the same in some sort to the gouernment which Saul and his posterity was vtterly depriued of A notable demonstration of the mercies of God that indeed they are aboue all his workes 2. Sam. 9. 3. he retaineth not his wrath for euer because mercy pleaseth him he will not punish the the children for the fathers transgression but the righteous seede shall lâ—ue though the wicked stock be rooted vp for shal not the Iudge of al the world do right are not al soules his hath not he a fatherly care ouer all so that it is not he but their sins that make the difference of their conditions Vse 1. Surely if this lesson were througly learned how would it humble the first borne that they loose not their birth-right how would it comfort the out-cast and despised that he may get the blessing how is he taught hereby to repaire his fathers house euen by declaring wisely the sins of his father how may hee hope by this meanes to see light in darkenesse Esay 58. and to turne the curse into a gratious blessing what glory shall it be to him to borrow the repaire of the breach and the restorer of the paths to dwell in Such was Mordecai of the family of wicked Saul such was the sonne of God many of whose auncestors in the flesh were wicked persons So will not God be tied to nature in the bestowing of his blessings and so wiâ— God make nature beholding to him in blessing beyond desert the fruit thereof And surely where God bestowes blessings they come not alone behold the same God that prouides out of the loynes of Ionathan those that shall build vp the old wast places he also continewes the line of Ionathan euen for the space of fiue hundred yeares and very likely in the posterity of Mordecai hath not cut of the same 1. Sam. 10. 15. so requested Ionathan that mercy might not be cut of from his house for euer so promised Dauid and so the Lord makes it good the seed of the righteous shall be mighty vpon the earth and the posterity of the Iust shall abide for euer Obs 44. God continueth and blesseth the posterity of the reighteous but for the seede of the wicked it shall be cut of and their generations shal be destroyd from the face of the earth which as it stands
with the righteousnesse of God that they which are heyres of the couenant should also be partakers of the blessing thereof â—al 112. so it concernes his power to maintaine the righteous seede 〈◊〉 37. 26. 28 29. which the world especially labours to roote out y e yea his mercy is exalted in giuing his children herein a pledge of eternall happinesse and his Church is by this meanes continued and aduanced on the earth Which as it containeth that Doctrine of diuels which forbiddeth marriage to the best sort of men as if it made them bad and their posterity worse so it also checketh the infidelity of such who esteeme the plentiful issue as a crosse vnto them if they be otherwise crossed and pinched in the world Neither can they also here be excused who hauing children do rather nourish corruption in them that so they may depriue them of the blessing of the couenant then by holy education fit them thereto Math. 2. surely that Lord that therfore made one though he had aboundaunce of spirit because he sought a Godly seede Pro 2. will vndoubtedly destroy the seed that the stranger hath sownne and the bastard slips shall not take roote Obs 45. Posterity how to be continued Wouldst thou therfore know how thy posterity may abide for euermore First then graft thou in an holy stocke and then drinke the waters of thine owne cisterne Pro 3. 15. offer vp the first borne to God and prune thy oliue plants with holy discipline Set not thy heart vpon them neither dishonor the prouidence of thy God in a distrustful scraping for theÌ„ imploy them in such callings as may humble the flesh and season them with instruction to set them to grace so shalt thou be a happy father of gratious children and thou shalt not only to thy comfort see thy childrens children but to thy greater comfort peace vpon Israel Wel thus we have heard of the habitation and country of Mordecai Now lets a little further confider of his condition it followeth Psa 128. Which had beene caried away from Ierusalem with the captiuity that was caried away with Ieconiah King of Iudah Vers 6. whome Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel had carried away Obser 46. They let Gods Church to go into captiuity In which word being referd as we haue proued before to the faith of Mordecai the spirit of God sets downe the estate and condition of Mordecai by a consequent namely that he was borne in the land of his countries captiuity He was a captiue in a strange land so were his fore-fathers in Egypt and so are his posterity now slaues to all nations so are the children of God exercised with this affliction Ioseph was sould for a bond-slaue it is the lot of y e poore Christians vnder the Turke and such enemies of the Gospel to be sould led captiues into a strange land And that not without the especiall prouidence of God both to put his children in minde of their naturall condition that they are no better then the slaues of Satan Ecele 23. and also punish them iustly for their â—ornications with other nations by giving them vp as a prey vnto them and yet even to their especial good and his great glory Psal 137. Who while they are in Babilon remember Sion and thereby not only apprehend the true cause of their affliction namely the contempt of Sion and the comforts thereof but remembring Sion they also reuiue such comforts as before they had stored vp thereby to maintain in them the true life of grace and so often remembering Sion and meditating thereon as ther by they witnesse their harty longing after the same so hereby they fit them-selues to the restoring of Ierusalem To this end is it that while they are in captiuity they hartily labour the conuersion of others that so they may offer vp the riches of the gentiles vnto God and so the prouidence of God is magnified ouer them not only in humbling the flesh in the land of their captiuity their soule refuseth comfort Exod 54 but further also in quickning the life of grace their vowes are renewed Ezra 45. and heauen suffers violence Eehe 45. whereby preuayling with God they do also preuaile with men and so find such fauour in the sight of the heathen that once by them they are sent forth to Sion againe Obs 47. Church how prepared to Captiuit Vse Thus captiuity being a iudgment with may befall the Church of God as this condemneth the vaine presumption of those that dreame of a locall perpetuity and visibility of the Church of God so it also chalendgeth their extreame folly that prepare the Church of God to so heauy a iudgement either by bringing the Church in bondage at home while they captiuate the liberty here of to the lusts of men or by impudent communicating the wickednesse abroad they do thereby choose the threshing floore where the Church must be purged Surely as God is righteous in his iudgements so is he mercifull and therefore we shall beare the rod before we feele it yea one correction of the almighty shal foretel another that so we may see the plague and hide our selues and happily avoyd the vengenace to come who so is wise let him vnderstand these things and to whom the arme of the Lord hath reuealed them Well the Churh of GOD is in Captiuity and is it not to some purpose that the holy Ghost makes such perticular and often mention of it Iere. 39. 1 Yea surely Iere. 51 2 As the Lord is knowne by executing of Iudgements Reg 25 2 2. So would he have vs meditate and contemplate the same Chro. 36. c. that so we may be confirmed more and more in knowledge Obs 48. Gods Iudgements are to be recordeâ— meditated 3. And surely as they are some of those workes of God which are worthier our consideration 4. So do they keepe vs from security in sinne and presumption of Gods mercies They confound Atheists and scorners of religion Psa 16. They keepe vs in obedience and increase our faith Psal 111 Vse 1. And therefore seeing the Lord doth daily bring his iudgements to light Psal 10. 4. let them not passe aboue our sight as if they concerned vs not Let vs not esteeme them as the ordinary effects of nature and therefore haue no reference at all to sinne Let vs not suppresse them in policy or depraue them by malice Let vs not in pride diminish them or in security forget them But in the feare of God take we speciall notice of them as the admirable workes of God though nature be vsed in them As seasonable messengers or Gods will and therefore to be hearkened to Profits of Gods iudgements as liuely glasses to see our faces in and therefore not to forget our iniquities that are censured thereby and as profitable furnaces to
followeth Now when the course of Hester the daughter of Abihail the Vnckle of Mordecay Vers 15. 16 17 18. which had taken her as his one Daughter came that shee should goe into the King c. In these foure next verses the holy Ghost sets downe vnto vs 1. the admittance of Hester into the Kings presence 2. her aduancement to the mariage bed and so to the kingdome and 3. the solemnitie thereof And that still wee may see the Lord is like himselfe in vsing fitte meanes to bring good things to passe the spirit of God sets downe in this 15. verse diuerse notable circumstances to shew the orderly and worthy admittance of this poore captiue to so great soueraigntie First it is sayd When the course of Hester came that is shee is not hoysed on the suddaine least shee might bee vnprepared and puffed vp therewith neither is she called before her course least her â—ellows might enuie her as being grieued at it neither shall she stay after her course to put her out of hope but euen in the fit time When her course came Obs 98. Gods children are aduanced in conuenient time then is she called then is shee aduanced So when his appointed time came and the councell of the Lord has tryed him then did the King send for Ioseph and loose him then was hee deliuered and made Lord of the house Thus hath God an appointed time to aduance his Children which shal be fittest and most comfortable for them that they may know their aduancement is not by chance but determined of the LORD that they might wait with patience the LORDS good leysure and bee confirmed in faith for the accomplishment thereof Vse 1. And therefore as in vaine do the wicked threaten as if the times were in their hands because Eliah shall prosper and his word shall preuaile against Iezabel so weake is the faith of GODS children that will prescribe GOD his time seeing when it is fittest then it shall come to passe and art thou wiser then GOD Oh that we would be still and the LORD would establish our hearts that wee would fit our selues to the time that God hath appointed Surely there is an end â—thy hope shall not bee out of Pro. 2â— 18 yea the patient abiding of the righteous shal bee galdnesse And seeing the Lord will not hide from his children what may be for their good Obs 102. The apointed time of deliuerance is not obscurely to be gathered out of the word and they that liue by faith may see a farre of though the times and seasons are in the hands of God yet hath he not left vs without very probable markes whereby we may discouer the time of a deliuerance that so we may be better fitted to the entertainment thereof and be confirmed in our faith in the enioying of the same when the signes do graciously answer our expectation To this pupose is it that as the Lord hath appointed a time when he will deliuer his Church so doth he also in the word discouer the same and also not obscurely layes open the markes of his childrens apprehension thereof Tokens hereof And these are either in regard of God who is the delyuerer or in respect of them-selues that are to be deliuered or in regard of their enemies from whome they are to be deliuered Concerning almighty God as he is the onely deliuerer of his Church 1. In respect of God so doth he commend him-selfe vnto vs by some speciall actions in the word when he purposeth to deliver his people while his people are vnder the burthen he is said to be a sleepe to forget them to be angry with them Psal â—4 c. not that indeed he is angry but because he showes such effects Psal 77. which wee do being angry neither that he forgets them otherwise then not to answere their present desires neither indeed is hee otherwise a sleepe then that gratiously preseruing them in the estate of their affliction he doth not yet deliuer them out of the same But when the Lord purposeth to deliuer his people then the spirit discribes him in another manner Namely that he awaketh and rowseth vp him-selfe as one out of sleepe he returneth to his people Psal 74. and hath compassion on them and he repents him of the euill Psal 101. c. And that we may know that the Lord is awake he doth manifest the same by many notable signes of his speciall prouidence As first he puts on righteousnesse as an habergeon an helmet of saluation upon his head â—say 59. 17. 18. hee puts on the garments of vengeance for clothing and is clad with zeale as a cloake To what end Surely to make recompence to requite the fury of his aduersaries with a recompeÌ„ce to his enemies he will fully repay y e Ilands mark I pray you how the holy Ghost sets down the order of y e execution of Gods recompence 1. He makes inquirie of the fury of his aduersaries he comes downe to see whether they haue done altogether according to that cry against God and his children Cenes 18. Psal 9. 12. He makes inquisition for blood and remembers it and forgets not the complaint of the poore But doth the Lord make this inquisition How doth hee approue the righteousnes of the complaint of the poore Surely Psal 44. 1 By making it apparent that his children for his sake suffer all these euills in that neither would their enemies persecute them Exod 5. if they would renounce their God yet they shall giue testimony of their righteousnesse 1 Sam 24. 26. though for their credits they must still proceed against them So was our Sauiour Christ approued by Pylate his wife so did Saul iustifie Dauid and yet he continued persecuting of him so haue Gods children bene iustified by their enemies By which it commeth to passe that the more the godly are iustified the wicked are more inraged and so laye more grieuous burthens vppon the Church of God What followeth here-vpon Now doth the Church of God increase her cries and so the Lord doth yet further shew him-selfe for y e deliuerance therof Iudge 5. Namely he raizeth vp some extraordinary Champions to venture themselues for the reskuing of his people Nehem. 2. Now stands vp Nehemiah 4 Hâ—stor and now resolues Hester Exod. 4. if I perish I perish Now is Moyses sent forth though sore against his will And wil not y â— Lord accompany these his seruants with extraordinary power Yea surely behold here a third note when God will deliuer his people Gen. 15. 14. Psal 106. Namely hee will send fearefull signes into the Land of Ham and shew his wonders in Egipt and the red Sea that so the wicked may bee compelled 1 Sam 5. to lette his people go he will send Emeroids among the Philistines and soare plagues vppon the vncircumcised that so
and the Godly might haue a more gratious protection of her yea her owne slippery estate might hereby be the better serued And surely Obs 106. Gods children gratious in the eies of al men howsoeuer it be the property of GODS children to be hated of all men yet is not this incident vnto all or not at all times Some may be exempted by speciall preuiledge All at some-time shall haue a generall approbation Math. 10. So had our Sauiour fauour with GOD and men who after was hated of all and forsaken of his owne so when the waies of man do please the LORD hee will make all his enemies at peace with him either they shall willingly approue him or GOD shall extraordinarily bridle them So doth Hester here finde fauour in the sight of all not that happyly some one might not repine at her but generally the most part applauded her beautie the LORD turning their eyes vppon her 〈…〉 and their hearts toward her The speech I take it is hyperbolicall we being by the vniuersall to vnderstand the most or better sort who giuing her intertainement the inferior durst not openly gainesay And yet more likely for Hester to be applauded of all because as there was that apparent which might set the eyes of all vpon her and moue their hearts towards her namely her beauty so that was concealed which would haue made her hatefull namely her religion and country especially wee are to ascribe this to the ouer-ruling hand of GOD who thus giues her fauour generally with all that so her fauour might be more easily perceiued and constantly maintained with the King who the rather would affect where his people liked and was likelier hereby to settle his affection and so to continue it to Hester for the good of the Church Obse 107. Wicked why have Gods children being forced to approue them Howsoeuer for the comfort of GODS children let mee adde this further that though it be our lotts generally to be hated yet they that cry Crucifie him shall before cry hosanna euen they shall be conuinced in conscience that wee are to bee approued yea their owne mouthes shall giue testimony vnto vs if it shall then bee demaunded why they doe after hate vs 1. Pet. 4. 4. the reason is plaine because as they loued vs to make vs like vnto them or to like of them that so the may fare the better for vs Iho 16. 2. so when they see that we neither like of them Ioh. 15. nor can be like vnto them therefore they speake euill of vs therefore they hate vs. Thus do the wicked loue vs before they hate vs. And doe they not also approue vs euen while they prosecute their malice against vs yea surely though they thinke they do God good seruice while they thus hardly entreat vs yet in that they persecute vs they shew we are not of them we are contrary to them And do they not herein wonderfully iustifie the generation of the iust Nay would they not fetch vs againe when they haue made vs away do they not approue vs when they haue made a riddance of vs Math. 23. 29. 30. else Why doe they build the tombes of the Prophets and garnish the sepulchers of the righteous and say if we had beene in the daies of our Fathers we would not haue beene partners with them in the bloud of the Prophets What can we haue more seeing they that hate vs do thus approue of vs Is not the LORD wonderfull to cleare vs by the mouthes of our enemies may not the Children of God haue this testimony to be approued of all And surely if we consider the power of GOD who hath the hearts of all men in his hands if wee obserue neither bountie of Godlinesse which is able to rauish all If wee wey the priuiledge that the Children of GOD haue that all shall do seruice vnto them If wee apprehend the purpose of GOD herein to make the world more inexcusable wee shall finde it no hard matter with Gods Children to be approued generally and haue fauorable respect of all that looke on them And therefore as this may serue to commend the greatest Godlinesse So it wil be a heauie witnesse against the vngodly that hate where they should loue Oh what comfort is here to Gods Children that the world shall iustifie them What vantage haue they of the wicked whose tongues shall condemne themselues to iustifie the righteous May wee now hope to finde such fauour as will serue the turne when GOD at his pleasure shall turne all hearts towards vs And shall we then make ship-wrack of a good conscience to winne the fauour of men Is there no way to bee gracious with the world but by doubting with it Oh that we would trie God in this case how should we preuaile with men Well Iacob Gene. 32. what may we learne further out of this point that Hester being to be aduanced is thus gracious in the eyes of all Obs 108. 〈◊〉 are to be gratâ—â—us in the eyes of their people Surely that such as are to be in authority and raised to greatnesse they are to be gratious in the eyes of their people hereby the Lord approues their gouernement and so knitting the heartes of the people vnto them confirmes and establisheth the same by this meanes the blessinges of gouernment are plentifully inioied on either side The Prince rules in loue and the people obey in truth and both subiect and people are prepared to eternall happinesse Oh that Princes would wisely lay this to their hearts and by what meanes That they did know that the loue of their subiects is the best maintainer of the Crowne and armor of the Prince Surely they would labour to gette and increase their loue by requiting ingenuous seruice and accepting it cheerefully by prizing highly the liues of their people and preseruing their Christian liberty aboue their liues Thus may Princes bee gratious in the eyes of their people if they estrange not them-selues from them nor vse them as strangers especially if they make them gratious in the eyes of God by giuing good examples vnto them and prouiding for their instruction in the word of life Thus is Hester gratious in the eyes of all men VVhat followeth here-vpon Namely Verse So Hester was taken vnto King Ahashuerosh into his house royall in the tenth month which is the month of Tebeth in the seauenth yeare of his raigne In which words the spirit of God sets downe the receiuing of Hester into the Kinges house and the time therof that so this great benefit might bee the rather remembred Obs 109. Gods children are not alwaies vnder the rod but at length find deliuerance from the same c. And that this miserable captiue is now taken to the royall Pallace of this great Monarch and after many changes and remouings from Mordecaies house to the house of the maidens is at length brought
her Queene insteede of Vashty In which words the spirit of God setteth downe what befell Hester after her taking into the Kings house Namely that she is aduanced further to bee Queene in steed of Vashtie which is notably described First by the occasion hereto Namely that the King loued her aboue all the women And secondly by the signe of this preferment hee set the crowne of the Kingdome vpon her head Concerning the extraordinarie fauour and affection Obs III. God makes his children gratious when it may serue for his glory and their good that the King is here sayd to beare vnto this gracious maiden As it was the admirable worke of God for her more speedie and sure aduancement necessarily to be taken at this time when the yron was in the fire Carnall loue being so inconstant especially when it is in some sort satisfied And the poore maiden no doubt much humbled with yeelding to the present necessity and therefore had neede of some meanes to cast light out of darkenesse that their might be hope of sanctifying of this sinne into her So doth it herein most notably commend the power mercie and Wisdome of GOD vnto vs. His power in this that he both can turne the affections of the wicked vpon his Children and settle them constantlie therevpon when as the cause in them rather threatenes change His wisdome also appeares in this that this extraordinary fauour of the Prince being now necessary for the aduancement of Hester and so for the good of the Church though afterward it bated to shew the inconstancie of flesh and also a further power of God in the reuiuing of the same yet now it increaseth contrarie to the carnall occasion which being satisfied vsually breedes loathing especiall in those whose honour and delight in is change so that aboue all the rest onely Hester is gracious the fauour of this great Monarche is constant to her And the mercie of God doth also shine herein most comfortably both to the good of the Church and perticular contentment of his seruant The Church hereby is now prouided for a deliuerer before she be plunged into the extremitie of her daunger and the poore maiden is by this aduancement recompenced for hir losse and comforted also in some measure with the sanctifying of the same in a lawfull calling Aud surely that the Lord prouided a Sauiour before man had sinned Obser 112. God prouides a deliuerer for his Church before it be cast into the extremity of daunger Esay 65. Math. 6. that Moyses is borne before Israels oppression is encreased that Iosephes aduanced before the famine is in Canaan that Hester is aduanced before Hamans conspiring breakes forth doth not this exceedingly commend the watchfulnesse of GOD ouer his Church Doth not this manifest the freenesse of his loue that goes before the particular obiect Doth not this serue much to the confirmation of our faith that before we call he will heare vs before we haue neede hee willl prouide for vs So did the LORD prouide an Elizabeth before the great and sharpe storme fell vpon his Church Vse 1. And shall we then feare that the Lord will forsake vs in our troubles when he prouides meanes of deliuerance before troubles come Is he a God a farre off and shall we not beleeue him to be a GOD nere at hand 2 Pet. 1. 8. Oh let vs learne to liue by faith so shall we see a farre off Let it stay vs in our present troubles that God loued vs before we were that euen when we were his enemies Psal 139. he sought vs and preuented vs and shall he not now much more reskue vs beeing his friends Oh wee of little faith But are the mercies of God here at an end No surely Obs 113. The mercies of God to his children past finding out the mercies of the Lord are euerlasting and his truth past finding out Wade wee yet further into them in this particular case of Hester and let vs willingly loose our selues in the meditation thereof Was it not a great mercy of the Lord to aduance her to the Kinges house And was it not a greater mercy that in the Kings house shee is humbled that so by renuing her repentance shee might bee better fitted to her further estate And was not the mercy of God very admirable herein that being abased by the King she yet finds extraordinary fauour in his sight that so shee might finde comfort in her former sorrow But was it not yet a further mercy that beeing a subiect yea a stranger and of the abhominable and inthralled Nation yet shee is called to bee the lawfull wife of so mighty a Monarch and not onely so but euen to bee aduanced to the hyghest dignitye of all So constant is the LORD that whome hee loueth Iohn 13. 2. hee loueth to the end Such a priuiledge hath godlynesse that to the pure all thinges are pure 1 Tit 14. So sure is our saluation that euen all thinges shall turne to our good Rom. 8. 29. Vse 1. And shall wee then sinke vnder the burthen of our sinnes seeing wee cannot sound the depth of the mercies of God Shall wee plead vnwisely against GOD seeing hee cannot choose but loue vs seeing his loue is manifested in our sinnes and his power in our weakenesse Shall wee repine at his chastisements seeing of very faithfulnesse hee doth correct vs Shall wee distrust his blessinges seeing hee bestowes them in mercy Surely if we see not mercy euery where wee want the eye of faith And if wee laye not hold of eternal mercies we fight not y e good fight of faith But lette vs examine a little further this case of Hester 1 Tim 4. Obs 114. Whether great prosperity be a blessing in mercy to Gods children May wee truly say that here 's nothing but mercy Was it the mercy of God that shee should bee so highly aduanced VVhy then doth the spirit teach Gods children to pray that the Lord would not giue them neither pouerty nor riches Obiect Prouer 30. least beeing full they should deny him being empty they should blaspheme God Ans Surely the prayer of the seruant of God as it was conditionall not simply renouncing either fulnesse or want but as it might stand with the will of God and good of the receiuer so thereby doth it graunt a power vnto God to giue either fulnes or impose wāt at his pleasure And seeing where God giues in loue he also sanctifies the gift may not then the Lord giue fulnesse and yet preserue in humility and obedience May he not lay pouerty on his child and yet keepe him from impatience Yet at least so farre as that he shall not take the name of God in vaine Indeed if nature be left to it selfe and that as this most likely and vsuall be considered in this case fulnesse may breed forgetfulnesse and pouerty prophanesse and distrust of Gods prouidence And therefore in
either Those which are common to both are either simply common to both or respectiuely and comparatiuely Those which are simply and generally common to both callings are 1. Reuerence 2. Loue and 3. Naturall affection c. generally such as simply respect their persons as they beare the Image of God and resemble his authoritie ouer vs. Those which are common to both with respect prolation are Obedience Maintenance c. which though we owe to both yet are wee to performe them in their order Obedience first to the husband before the Father maintenance to the wife before the parents yet herein also being lead by the chiefest bond Galat. 6. 10 Namely to doe good especially to the houshold of faith and wisely discering the inuinciblenesse of necessitie not standing on what want may bee neither what superfluousb â—e wee thinke fitte but so depending on the prouidence of God as not to neglect present reliefe and therein to bee led by the neerer bond As for such duties as are proper to either such as are due beneuolence cohabitation in the state of marriage these not concerning parents may well be performed without impeachment to their honour As likewise such dueties as are not proper betweene the Father and the Sonne may very well stand with the performance of such as concerne the State of marriage so that they all tend to the glorie of God and principally intend the saluation of the soule Vse 1. Which as it condemneth those Parents that hauing aduanced their Children to this honorable Estate of marriage do either basely crouch vnto or by too much indulgence loose the right in their Childrens subiection So doth it conuince their extreame folly which is the cause thereof Namely their parting with too great portions or putting ouer their estates vnto them By which it comes to passe that their Children being puft vp and hauing the sword put into their hands in steed of obedience to Parentes do many times beate them with their owne rodde And so by Gods iudgement prouoking hereby their Parents in the bitternesse of their soules to cursing and complayning the Lord heares their crie and punisheth such rebellious plants by rooting them out and laying wast their habitations And therefore also such children may here learne their lesson As not so much to stand vpon portion or such outward complement for their preferment so to performe conscionable obedience while they are at home so shall they not forget it when they are abroad And married folkes also may here take out their lesson not to despise their aged Parents but rather now to performe them double honour because they were not onely the cause of their beeing but in placing them thus comfortably a good meanes of their well being Yea they that are left of their Parents to take their chance as we say and to get it out of the fire these haue most cause to honour their Parents because as they can more sufficiently requite them in that they were meanes of their being So being now put to a more iust triall of the sincerity of their obedience and being certainely perswaded that as what was wanting in Parents hath beene supplied by the Lord so his hand shall not be shortned if they enlarge theirs euen where they haue no other cause but only for Gods sake when they can hope for no better pay-maister then God himselfe And thus farre câ—ncerning Hesters obedience But what are all of Hesters minde to performe obedience to their superiors doth Ahashuerosh finde as faithfull subiects as Mordecai found faithfulnesse in his aduanced Nephew Surely no Behold Hester so highly preferred yet performes dutie to her Father and yet ahashuerosh being chiefe Commander cannot finde loyaltie in his subiects but while he is wallowing in the fulnesse of his pleasures and blessing his soule in his security and false content his life is sought for by two of his attendants euen those that he appointed keepers of the doore or of the entry for his greater safety so it followeth In those daies when Mordecai sate in the Kings gate two of the Kings Eunuches Bigthan Vers 21. 22. and Teresh which kept the doore were wroth and sought to lay hands on the King Ahashuerosh c. In which words the spirit of Gods sets downe a very seareful and yet vsual accident vnto Tyrants befalling this voluptious Prince in the glut of his pleasures to sauce the same so to make him more without excuse namely a desperate treason entended by two of his seruants whom he put in some trust tending to no lesse then the taking away of his life Wherein we may obserue these circumstances 1. The time when this Treason was committed In those dales i. in those daies of pleasure and security of rauishing and deflowring of Virgins of enioying delight with the wronging and oppression of others then is this luxurious Prince summoned to his account then is his life sought for then is he most in danger 2. The person is described by whom the Treason is discouered and the daunger preuented who is Mordecai the seruant of GOD he prooues the faithfull seruant to his Prince he that is most despised yet does most good Now Mordecai is here described 1 by his faithfull attending on his office he sate in the Kings gate 2. by his intelligence of the Treason The thing was knowne to Mordecai 3. by his wisdome in the discouery of it He told it vnto the Queene Hester and Hester certefied the King thereof in Mordecaies name 3. The parties are set downe by whom this treason is committed and that 1. by their number they were two Secondly by their quality they were Eunuches 3. by their names they were called Bigthan Teresh 4. by their office they kept the doore 5. by the occasion mouing them thereto they were wroth 4. The Treason it selfe is layd open Namely to laie hands on the King Ahashuerosh to take away his life 5. The person is described against whom the Treason is committed namely King ahashuerosh 6. Here is set downe the discouery of the Treason and that both by the Author as before and manner of the discouery namely inquisition was made and it was found to bee so 7. Here is commended vnto vs the execution of these Traitors They were both hanged on a tree 8. The holy Ghost concludes this history with a notable relation of wisdome euen of those Godlesse men namely it was written in the booke of Chronicles before the King that so memorable a deliuetance might neuer be forgotten and the seruice of Mordecai might hereafter be remembred These are the particulars in this memorable accident And 1. conceruing the Time when it fell out In those daies That is when the King is drowning himselfe in pleasure and saith soule take thy ease Then doth the Lord raise some of his owne house to call him to an account Psâ— 73 Obs 133. The prosperiâ— of the wicked slippery and subiect to great
of writing and printing but herein especially to magnifie his prouidence that by this meanes the word of truth hath bene preserued and purely conueied vnto vs. Surely though the soule be the register of the blessings of God yet must the flesh vse such meanes to stir vp the heart as humbling the same in that it needs these outward helpes may therby sanctifie and continue the right vse of God mercies in the holy remembrance and y e meditation thereof let those boast of the spirit which are not clad with the flesh and let such despise these helpes as haue not a body of â—inne to hinder spirituall duties And seeing though the letter of the word be not the power of it yet y e power cannot bee conceiued but by meanes of the letter let such despise the word writteÌ„ Anabaptist that desire not the power of it and in the pride of their harts wil not be confined within the bounds thereof And doth not the spirit of God herein further teach vs to record the blessings of GOD to posterity Obs 159. The blessings of God are to be recorded to posterity and to commend to the generations to come the wonderfull thinges that the Lord hath done for vs yea certainly this shal be written for the generations to coâ—â— and the people that are created shall praise the Lord. The Lord hath commanded great mercies to be commended to posterity Psal 102. and hath appointed the monuments therof to be preserued to all generations 〈◊〉 18. so were the rod of Aaron and the potte of Manna kept to this end Exod. 14. so were Alters erected Heb. 9. 4. and new names imposed Exod 16. to put Gods children in mind of his mercies towards them Genes 17. Genes 32. so did Samuel write the office of the King in a book 1 Sam. 10. 25. and laid it vp before the Lord y â— it might be a perpetual glasse Num 2â— 14. for the Prince to look his duty in so are the memorable Acts of God which hee did at the red Sea and at the riuer of Arnon written in a booke So doth Iob wish that his words were written in a booke that so y â— equity of the cause might remaine for euer Iob 19. 13. So when the Lord will publish his wil and haue it commended to the vse of posterity for our better assurance of the accoÌ„plishment therof he commands it to be written in a booke yea in a great volume Esay 8. Yea not only to a book hath the Lord committed his blessings Ierem. 36. 2. but he hath called also the times to witnesse the same Exod 14 he hath appointed special daies for y e perpetuall memory of his mercies to be kept sollemnly throughout al generations this care hath y e Lord taken for the remeÌ„brance of his blessings as being worthy to be had in remembrance and profitable for vs to preuent forgetfulnesse the maine cause of prophanesse Psal 78. and whereby the blessings of God are taken away from vs we exposed to the burthen of his Iudgements And shall not this care of the Lord for the remembrance of his blessings bee an heauy conuiction of our vnthankefulnesse for the same Shal God thus striue to put vs in minde of his mercies Shal he cause vs to record them in bookes to posterity Shal he moue vs to set a part a day for the memoriall thereof for euer And shall we not bee stirred vp by this meanes to cleaue vnto our God and to root out the name of Amelecke from vnder heauen Who so is wise lette him vnderstand these things to whom the arme of the Lord hath reueald them FINISH