his presence who refusing is by the aduice of his Princes and Councel put from all regall societie to the end of the Chapter Vers 1. In those dayes that is in the peaceable and prosperous raigne of Xerxes then fell out this danger of the Church then did the Lord performe this deliuerance as if the spirit could declare vnto vs that When the wicked are in greatest security Obser I1 The vvickeds prosâ—erity is the meanes of their greater affliction and prosperitie then is the Church of God subiect and neere greatest danger 1. So doth the Lord hereby make way for the greater confusion of the wicked in giuing them vp to such a reprobate sense that whereas they should vse their prosperitie to the glory of God and good of others it turnes on the contrary to the speciall hurt of those for whole sakes specially they do enjioy it 2. And the vvicked in this state haue more power and leisure to doe mischiefe 3. As for the Church of God it is more subiect to contagion by smelling of the wickeds prosperity yea happily escapes not defiling thereby and therefore had need of such preseruatiues and purgation to preuent or purge out her drosse Vse 1. And is it then good wisdome to shroud the Church vnder there prosperity by making leagues with them who are the likeliest rods to correct the same May we not see herein the folly of Gods children who many times proue stirrops to raise such to promotion who when they are aloft will proue their greatest scourges ought we not to mourne for the Prosperity of the wicked pro. 29. and then to prepare our selues to some great trials presaged thereby Let vs wisely looke our owne faces in this glasse and and see whether our daunger was not neerest when we were most secure reioycing our selues in the hight of our prosperity and let vs keepe downe those Canaanites that they may not prosper vnder vs. Of Ahâ—shueroth That is the Hereditary Prince Obse 1. Whereby me thinks that great controuersie among the Interpreters what King is here ment whither Cambises Darius or Xerxes may easily be resolued That it cannot be Darius i. because he was not the hereditary Prince in that he was chosen by an accident and therefore it must needs be Xerxes who not only was hereditary from his father in that he was the naturall sonne of Darius but further also by the mothers side may be truly called the Hereditary Prince as being borne of Atossa the daughter of Cyrus his great grand-father Secondly it may be plainely resolued from India to Ethiopia or a hundreth and seauen and twenty Prouinces which cannot be vnderstood neither of Cambises because hee had not so large a dominion neither rained ful 8. years wheras this Ahashueroth is afterward recorded to haue raigned 12 neither of Darius because so large a kingdom is not ascribed to him by any memorial therfore it must need decifer Xerxes vnto vs And surely how fitly did the Lord dispose the trial of his Church in his time who as by his basenes and intemperancy â—e was made an instrument to bring the Church of God to the pits brinke so was he after the deliuerance of the Church made a memorable spectacle of Gods wrath in the ouerthrow of that his huge army by a small hand-full of the Grecians according to that of the spirit of God The rightious escape out of trouble Pro. 11. 8 and the wicked come in their stead It followeth This is Aâ—asueroth by this repeating of the name in this Parenthesis with an adition of distinction Obser 1. Auoucheth the truth of the Scripture we may obserue the care of the spirit of God to iustifie the truth of the story by a circumstance of Cronology and thereby are taught That whereas this name Ashachuerosh signifieth an Heriditary Prince and was giuen vsually to the Kings of Persia as an ensigne of honor as Pharaoh and Ptolomy was to the Egiptians 1. that our speciall triall of the truth of the Scripture is from y e exact agreement in the computation of time 2. That ciuill titles of honor are to be giuen euen to prophane magistrats That raigned from India euen to Ethyopia Here the holy Ghost sets out vnto us the large bounds of this Persian Monarchy when it drew neere to it dissolution out of which we are taught many notable obseruations Doctr. The vvicked enioy great prosperity As. That euen wicked and reprobate Princes haue attained very large fruitfull dominions the reason is 1. because the Lord hath free power to giue the earth to whome it pleaseth him 2. because the Lord vseth them as scourges to the wicked that so his iustice might appeare more gloriously 3. He shewes his great bounty and long suffring to the wicked in giuing them herein more then their hearts can desire to make them without excuse 4. he makes way for the breathing and increase of his Church which hath both some shelter in these large dominions and hath wonne some hereby to God and lastly hereby hee prepares the wicked to their greater destruction Luke 12. who the more they receaue shall haue more required at their hands and the mighty shall be mightely tormented Psal 37. Hence we learne not to marueaile or fret at y e great prosperity of Gods enemies Psal 72. neither to enuy them therin nor desire to be like them assuring our selues that all there prosperity shall serue the Churches turne Mat. 5. and if they y e knew not God are thus recompenced on earth how great then may we imagine our reward to be in Heauen Raigned in that the holy Ghost implies a peaceable subiection of so many diuers Prouinces and different nations both in language and nature vnder one Monarch God is the author of gouernment we learne here also by a consequent that gouernment is of the Lord. Pro. 8. by him Kings raigne it is the Lord that sets vp and pulleth downe 5. Doctr. Psa 75. for he onely makes to be of one mind in an house he only knits the hearts in such vnity he only can bridle the different natures and conditions of the most barbarous and therefore as our Christian liberty must not take away ciuill obedience Rom. 12. 2. so must our ciuill obedience be also for conscience not with Popish reseruations or Anabaptisticall presumptions but we must euen pray for the life of Nebuchadnezzar and in the peace of his citty we shall haue peace Iere. 27. 19. remembring that seeing God appoints gouernment therefore he is aboue it that so we may giue vnto Caesar the body and goods with a good conscience Math. 22. which are due vnto him and reserue vnto our God the rule of the conscience which is his immediate peculiar aboue Caesars Ouer an hundred and twenty Prouinces See wee here the great benefit of gouernment that vnites together so many and different nations Obser
or at home 33. Tyrants prey and ryot on the goods and bodies of their people 34. Misery of such as liue vnder Tyrants 35. Princes how farre to command their subiects 36. The confusion of Idolatry and carnal wisdome 37. Natures infirmities to bee cleansed and abstinency to bee used therein 38. Outlandish fashions vnlawfull 39. Painting of women vnlawfull 40. Young heads fit to give councel to tyrants 41. Sinne in patient of delay 42. Sinne how to bee preuented 43. MotioÌ„s of Gods spirit how to be entertayned 44. The prophane guise of effeminate Princes 45. That Mordecal was not carryed away in the Captiuity 46. Scripture not to bee strayned 47. Gods prouidence in planting his children fitly and for his glory and their good 48. As also in planting the godly among the wicked 49. Gods children remoued out of their habitation and why 50. Gods children kept vndefiled among the wicked 51. The Godly best company 52. Why we may conuerse with the wicked and how 53. GOD giues his children fauour in the eyes of the wicked 54. God no accepter of persons 55. The continuance of the Church and condition therof to the worlds end 56. The lot thereof to be scattered vppon the face of the earth 57. Gods faithfulnesse in preseruing the Church for euer 58. The names to bee giuen to children 59. Genealogies how recorded in the word 60. Children shall not bee punished for the fathers offence 62. God continueth and blesseth the posterity of the righteous 63. Posterity how to be preserued 64. The lot of Gods children to go into Captiuity 65. Church how prepared to captiuity 66. Gods iudgements are to bee recorded and meditated 67. Benefits of Gods iudgements 68. God often changeth the outward porsperity visibility of his Câ—urch 69. Changes of the Church tend to the exceeding good therof 70. The world confounded by the changes of the Church 71. Vses of the afflictions of the Church 72. Great ones drinke deepe of the cuppe of vengeance 73. God vseth great mighty enemies for the chastning of his Church as 74. Standing with his iustice also 75. With his mercy 76. How to make flesh our friend 77. God often chastieeth his children with the same rodde 78. God chasticeth his children in measure and by degrees 79. Gods children are to comfort and relieue each others in their troubles 80. The bounty of Gods children is no snare but especially laboures the good of the soule 81. God prouides for his children in trouble with the safety of a good conscience 82. Whether lawfull for Christians now to change their names 82. Those which are raized to vp greatest dignities are vsually in most desperate and low estate 83. Kindred to bereleeued 84. Gods children left orphanes in the world 85. The more excellent gifts of nature need the straighter bridles 86. The gifts of nature beeing sanctified are good meanes of preferment 87. How to vse natures gifte aright 88. Adoption lawful though 89. A thing not commanded but left arbitrary 90. Who especially to be adopted 91. â—Einds of adoption 92. Orphanes to bee prouided for 93. God aduanceth his children by fayre and likely meanes 94. Gods children to yeeld to present necessity keeping them-selues from apparant euill and depending on Gods protection 95. Gods children the neerer preferment the greater extremities 96. God prepares his Church by afflictions to great blessings 97. God breaketh the force of tentations and prouideth preseruatiues against them 98. Gods children find fauour in the eyes of strangers 99. Wicked haue the shadowes of many excellent vertues 100. Markes of true liberality 101. Officers are to be faithfull in distributing according to their charge 102. God raiseth his to preferment by degrees 103. What attendance fit for each sex 104. Gods giues signes of his fauor to his children 105. The best is due and bestowed on Gods ChildreÌ„ in this life 106. Truth may bee concealed and how 107. Cautions to be obserued in concealing truth 108. Religion when and how to be giuen accoumpt for 109. GOD disposeth the weaknesse of his children in the accomplishment of his mercy towards them 110. Gods children season each other with graue councell and wholesome instructions 111. Silence a speciall lesson for Courtiers 112. The safety of Gods church ought to be our speciall care 113. Obedience to lawfull authority a true marke of the child of God 114. Sincere obedience rather respecteth the power of the Commaunder then the worth of the thing commanded 115. True obedience is performed as well in absence as in presence 116. Parents how farre to extend their care for their children 117. Care how it may stand with the prouidence of God 118. A marke of the wicked to riot out time 119. Tyme how to be redeemed 120. Another badge of the wicked to riot out Gods good creatures 121. How to preuent the abuse of the creatures 122. The wicked haue pretences for their greatest abuses 123. Rules for moderation in the Creatures 124. Wicked most eagerly bent vppon their lusts and spare no cost for the satisfiing thereof 125. Wicked Magistrates giue the bridle vnto sin and countenance wickednesse 126. Princes how to secure their estates 127. Pleasures of the wicked short and slippery 128. Variety in sinne greatest snare thereto 129. Wicked fall deeper and deeper into sinne 130. The vâ—satiablenesse of the wicked in sinne hath this punishment attending on it in this life that it shall not be satisfied 131. Vnsatiablnesse in sin how to be preuented 132. Wicked winners or loosers fare the worse by sinne 133. God hath a fit time to aduance his children in 134. The appoyinted time of deliuerance is not obscurely to be gathered out of the word 135. Tokens therof in respect 136. Of God 137. Of his Church 138. As also of the enemies thereof 139. Gods children in this life aduaÌ„ced to the highest dignity 140. The good deedes of Gods children are not forgotten of the Lord. 141. The preferment of the righteous in faith 142. Notes of faith 143. Gods children gratious with all men 144. Wicked why they hate godly being forced to approue them 145. Princes are to be gratious in the eyes of their people and by what meanes 146. Gods children are not alwayes vnder the rod but at length find deliuerance 147. Great blessings of GOD are to be had in remembrance by speciall times appoynted thereto 148. God makes his children gratious when it may serue for his glory and their good 149. God prouides a deliuerer for his Church before it bee cast into the extremity of danger 150. Mercies of God to his past finding out 151. Whether great prosperity be a blessing in mercy to gods children 152. Whether we may pray for aboundance 153. Whether it be lawfull to receiue great blessings offred 154. Whether the minister may receiue wages for his paines 155. Whether Hesters marriage lawfull or no 156. Whether lawful to marry with an Infidell 157. Feasting lawfull at marriages 158. Dedication of Feasts
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
what perpetuall how to bee antiquated by the benefit whereof no doubt this Persian Monarchy had gained some and to the Iewes were commended by the mouth of GOD himselfe and so from them conueied to the Christians by the word of God howsoeuer I say they may not be altered because they proceed from an immutable ground and concerne especially an eternall substance yet other perticular lawes their are concerning the times persons and diuers occasions of particular states which depending onely thereon are to determine therewith Amonge which lawes seeing this was one as instituted on a perticular occasion and that neither warrantable therefore in a double respect this might well haue bin abrogated both in that the occasion thereof was mutable and so the law might be changed and also being slight and vnseemly was therfore in equity fit to be cancelled What then should be the reason why this Persian state should be so peremptory for the eternizing of such lawes Sect. I. Worldings why earnest for the eternizing of their lawes Surely is not hard to conceiue the causes thereof if we do vnderstand the nature and condition of these Kingdomes Old Adam liues not in vaine in all his Children he had a conceipt to be like vnto God and this conceipt is the rather entertained of great Monarches because they are bewitched with the peoples acclamations the voice of God and not of man Act. 12. 25. Herevpon that they might maintaine an opinion of this deity in the hearts of the people in the making of their lawes they especially extended the same Not onely in ascribing the originall of their lawes to some diuine power as if they had no beginning but further also procuring hereby an opinion of eternity to them that they shall stand for euer and not to be reuersed and all this to this blasphemous end that the lawes might be Aduocates to iustifie their deity as being the daylie rules whereby their subiects were gouerned From this conceipt of deity proceeds vsually two effects I. an opinion of extraordinary wisdome and perfection and from hence vnmeasurble pride and shamelesse insolency both which were also no meane occasions for the eternizing of their lawes For what could giue greater imputation of wisdome vnto them then to make such lawes that might endure for euer what could be added more to their perfection then hereby to ascribe vnto them that they could not Whereby they were not onely maintained their pride but further also hereby they became Maisters of their desires not onely to yoake any of their subiects whom they ment to vnhoise but euen to bridle the King himselfe and to make him a slaue to their basenesse and ambition Dani. 6. as by this meanes taking the King at an aduantage and thereby tying him notwithstanding his after wit to such inconueniences as might not onely wound his conscience but empaire his credit too This wee see here apparant in this Persian Monarch and the like may we see in his predecessor Darius that which they take to be their honour turnes to their disgrace because they preferred with Saule rather to be honored before men 1. Sam 15 then to preserue a good conscience in the sight of God Vse 1. Wherein as we may see the iustice of God in taking the wicked in their owne Councells that so their glory becomes their shame So we may behold on the contrary the great mercy of God vnto his Children that preferring a good conscience before their outward estimation in preseruing of the one they obtaine the other Whereby as the Children of GOD may reape sound comfort euen when they passe through euill report that at least they shall finde more fauor Pro. 28. then he which flattereth with his lips so it leaues a feareful brand vpon al reprobate Saules that care more for the honor of men then the glory of God I Sam 17 Obser 11. Vowes and promises what and how to bee kept that seeing God will honor those that honor him therefore all their worldly credit shall turne to their confusion Which as it may lesson vs generally to discerne betweene things that differ and so wisely to preferre our conscience before our credit so in the case of vowes and promises it may be a good direction vnto vs how farre we are bound to stand vnto them Namely if they be such as are commanded of God and do not exclude his ordinance they are within the compasse of our power greeable to our callings if they be not forced from vs but proceed from a willing minde and tend not to the annihilating of our Christian liberty Lastly if we haue power of our selues to make such promises as not being vnder the tuition of others then such vowes and promises are most lawfull and do bind vs yea though it tend to our owne hinderance Psal 15. Vse 1. Which as it condemneth all popish vowes and such like rules as neither being of things commanded but contrarying the same 1. Popish vowes condemned neither being in our power nor standing with Christian liberty but being merely forced and contrary to our callings 2 Also rash and forced promises So it also reproueth all such rash and forced couenants and promises which either being forced by our passion of others threatnings are not therefore to stand because the ground was not voluntary And therefore as the Saints of God Dauid 1. haue wisely broken such oathes and rash promises Sam. 25. so may we lawfully refuse to stand to such couenants 3. To be broken not vsing our liberty herein as a cloake of malitiousnesse or deceipt but endeuoring in all things to keepe a good conscience and so wisely deliuering our selues from the snares of the wicked And how who if they haue so catcht vs that by the law we are bound then let vs follow the Councell of the Pro. 7. 1. wise man humble we our selues sollicite we our friends and giue no rest to our bones till we haue deliuered our selues as a Doe from the hand of the Hunter and as a bird from the hand of the be Fowler 4. How to be preuented And that being warned we may the better be armed that we may preuent such cunning en-snaring Let vs not be seruants of men nor slaues to our lusts keepe wee watch before our tongue and a compasse according to our callings seake wee truth from our hearts and labour wee sincerity in all our actions Lastly to our doue-like simplicity ioyne we spirituall wisdome so shall we auoide the snare of the Hunter we shall not be en-snared with the words of our owne mouth Lastly whereas the King though he hath a Law to cleare him Obser 12. The soueraignty of conscience and a whole world to defend him yet notwithstanding his conscience doth most righteously condemne him herein we may behold the soueraignty of conscience which if it stand with vs we need not feare who is