uerthrow Wherefore it is said in Isayâ—â— Isai 37. 32. zeale of the Lord of hostes will perforâ— this and vers 23. of the same chapter vpbraideth the insolencie of Sennachâ— against his Church in these words Wâ— hast thou rayled on and blasphemed anâ— gainst whom hast thou exalted thy voyce hast lifted vp the haughtinesse of thine eâ—â— euen against the holy one of Israel By seruants hast thou rayled on the Lord. Aâ— the Lord willing to shewe the horrible vengeance of his wrath against his enemies sayeth by Moses I will lift vp my Deut. 32. 40. 41. hand to heauen and say I lyue for euer If I whet my glittering sworde and my hand take holde on iudgement I will execute vengeance on mine enemies and will â—eward them that hate mee I will make â—ine arrowes drunke with bloud euen the bloud of the slayne and of the captiues and 〈◊〉 sword shall eate flesh when I beginne 〈◊〉 take vengeance of the enemie And do 〈◊〉 not in these dayes in part see the 〈◊〉 effects of Gods wrath against his enemies after that he hath chastised his Church Could there any thing seeme â—ore to be marueiled at then that which God hath set before our eyes to weet 〈◊〉 enemies of the Church armed against â—heÌ„selues the innocencie of the Church â—pproued the conspiratours condemned 〈◊〉 disobedience and rebellion the King â—ade their enemie and he again by them 〈◊〉 far as their power stretched deposed â—epriued of all dignitie finally the whole 〈◊〉 of the warre turned froÌ„ the faithâ—ull and turned against the rebellious 〈◊〉 We haue not yet I grant obtained so happie an end neither do we as yet enioy so great prosperitie but that there is daily offered vnto vs great matter to cast down our selues before God and to pray for his fauour with teares repentance whereby at the last hee may bring an ende to those manifold confusions and all kindâ— of mischiefes which ciuill warres do draw with them Howbeit these so wonderfull works of God are neuerthelesse to be obserued that wee may extoll him with deserued prayse and giue him condigne thanks as we are inuited by the Psa 66. 5. Prophet in these words Come and beholâ— the works of God he is terrible in his doing toward the sonnes of men and like wise Psal 46. 8. O come and behold the worke of the Lord. Moreouer that we may learnâ— to flee vnto him in our greatest distresses and patiently expect his help constantly euery one do our dueties in ouâ— vocations tremble vnder his iudgements and depend on his mercie whereof at thâ— last he will make vs partakers in Christ Iesus to whome be all glorie and dominion for euermore Amen THE FOVRE AND twentieth Sermon The publike and solemne ioy of the Iewes for the victorie obtained which Mardochaeus doth consecrate to be yearely celebrated for euer with solemn rites from verse 17. vnto 15. of the 9. Chapter 17. This they did on the thirteenth day of the moneth Adar and rested the fourteenth day thereof and kept it a day of feasting and ioy 18. But the Iewes that were in Susa assembled themselues on the thirteenth day and on the fourteenth thereof and they rested on the fifteenth of the same and kept it a day of feasting and ioy 19. Therefore the Iewes of the Villages that dwelt in the vnwalled Townes kept the fourteenth day of the moneth Adar with ioy and feasting euen a ioyfull day and euery one sent presents vnto his neighbour 20. Eor Mordecai wrote these words and sent Letters vnto all the Iewes that were in all the Prouinces of the king Assuerus both neare and farre 21. Inioyning them that they should keepe the fourteenth day of the moneth Adar and the fifteenth day of the same euery yeare 22. According to the dayes wherein the Iewes rested from their enemies and the moneth which was turned vnto theÌ„ from sorrow to ioy and from mourning into a ioyfull day to keepe them the dayes of feasting and ioy and to send presents euery man to his neighbour and giftes to the poore 23. And the Iewes promised to do as they had begun and as Mordecai had written vnto them 24. Because Haman the sonne of Hammedatha the aduersarie of all the Iewes had imagined against the Iewes to destroy them and had cast Pur that is a lot to consume and destroy them BEsides that one and onely sacrifice of the Sonne of God once offered for the remission of our sinnes of which the olde sacrifices were figures there haue bin alwaies among the faithfull two sortes of sacrifice most acceptable vnto God the one the sacrifice of a contrite Ps 51. 17 50. 14. 23. and broken heart the effect of true repentance in aduersitie and the other of praise and thanks-giuing in prosperitie that the one of these may yeelde vnto God the praise of iustice in correcting vs the other may set forth his clemencie mercie in deliuering vs from euils We haue seene before in the fourth Chapter how the Iewes in their troubles offered vnto God the sacrifice of an humble and contrite heart and what fruite they reaped from this conuersion vnto God with fasting weeping and prayer to wit deliuerance by God as it were out of the iawes of their enemies and a most admirable victorie ther remaineth now for vs to see how hauing receiued so great benefits at Gods hand they offered vnto him with great ioy gladnes the sacrifice of praise and thanks giuing therof would haue a perpetuall monument to remaine In three verses then it is recited how all the Iewes willingly and of their owne accord did celebrate their day of rest with gladnesse giuing thankes vnto God for the benefite receiued they who dwelt in the Prouinces vpon the foureteenth day and those who dwelt in Susa vpon the fifteenth afterward it is declared how Mardochaeus by a publike writing ordaind that those two dayes shuld be obserued amongst the Iewes by a perpetuall decree and that this was willingly accepted by them and againe ratified in the name of Ester and Mardochaeus and these things are contained in the latter ende of the Chapter At this present we are to coÌ„sider that which is contained from the 17 verse to the 25. whereout we learne with what gladnesse and what feruentnesse of minde the benefits and deliuerances of our eternall God are to be acknowledged by vs and set foorth with praise The Iewes then which dwelt in the Prouinces out of the Citie Susa when as vpon the thirteenth day they had now obtained a full victorie ouer their enemies and rest from them rested vpon the fourteenth day and that day was vnto thema day of ioy and gladnesse but those who dwelt in Susa being as yet occupied on the fourteenth day in following the rest of their enemies rested on the fifteenth day giuing themselues vnto ioy in the honour of God and celebrating the memorie of their deliuerance this is the sum of
who punished from heauen by the hand of an Angell by whom in â—ne night the hoste of this blasphemer was slaine before Libna might be so much â—he more renoumed among Gods peoâ—le and more feared among all other So 〈◊〉 our dayes we haue seene not a fewe of â—hese deliuerances though not by the like â—iracle or so apparantly Hence we learn 〈◊〉 hope for an issue out of so many euilles â—herewith we are oppressed by those who â—aue conspired against vs who now rage â—ore furiously then at any time before And thus farre of the contents of the Eâ—ict Furthermore this Edict thus composed according to Hamans pleasure is carried by the swiftest postes into all Prouinces by the Kings commaundement the decree is first published in Susa the chiefe Citie The king vrgeth this matter as though it concerned his Crowne or the defence of the State of the whole Empire as though the enemies were at the gates So it commeth to passe that the mischiese begun by the wicked against the Church encreaseth as it goeth and the wicked wil of vngodly men alwaies runneth into the woorst so that they neuer giue rest neyther to themselues nor others vntill they haue brought their vngracious purpose to an end This vnwise King is not ashamed to publish euery where his iniustice more then barbarous crueltie and to solicite his subiects to accomplish it he little regardeth the iudgement of posteritie against him neither careth what may followeamong his subiects of so inhumane a fact so much can the words of those preuaile who daily perswade Kings to new slaughters Finally the King and Haman are said to sit drinking when the inhabitants of Susa were in perplexitie that is they gaue themselues to banqueting and quaffing after the proclayming of this bloudie decree when in the meane while those in whom there was any sparke of humanitie were troubled at it and the poore Iewes mourned with teares and lamentation These things are added to depaint vnto vs in fewe words the nature and disposition of the enemies of the Church who are neuer more merrie neither at any time giue theÌ„selues more vnto banquets and drinking then when they see her destruction to be confirmed And this is a horrible sencelesnesse wherewith Satan hath blinded them in the middest of their malice that they should not feele it or be displeased with themselues for it which were a beginning of health and conuersion Especially consider the peruerse and wicked craft of Haman who imployeth the King with delights banquets least perhaps at leisure he might considerin his minde that euill whereunto he had beene solicited by Haman and repent of the doing thereof This wicked man also drownes himselfe in delights because he knewe the decree was irreuocable and thinketh that there was an ende of the Iewes and there remained no hope of helpe for them In like sort that Haman of ours did onely talk of feasting did onely thirst after mens bloud wherein he hoped that he and his shuld wade euen vnto the girdles after he had obtained that Edict of the States confirmed by an oath set down as a fundamentall lawe of the Kingdome for the killing of all that professed the Christian religion So we see that to haue beene true in all ages which our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ said to his Apostles The world Io. 16. 20. 2. shall laugh but you shall weepe yea those who kill you will thinke they doo God seruice So our Lord Iesus Christ hanging on the Mat. 27. 39. Marc. 6. 27. Crosse all his enemies reioyced and with mockes and scoffes derided him Whiles Herode with his Courtiers banquet them selues Iohn Baptist is beheaded in the prison The Papists were neuer merrier then when they knewe that the decree was confirmed to roote out and to destroy all those that professed the reformed religion But let vs learne that it is an haynous sin and crueltie to reioyce at the euilles of the Church for which cause God by his Prophet Ezekiel doth denounce destruction Ezek. 20. vnto Chap. 34. and ouerthrow not onely to the nations who spoyled Iudea and Ierusalem but vnto all those who were glad at their desolation For which cause also Obadiah Obad. v. 12. the Prophet threatned horrible iudgements to the Edomites Nay let vs know moreouer that we offeÌ„d greatly by inhumanitie if when the people of God suffer we be not moued but follow delights and banquet as though al things were wel For we are warned to weep with them that Rom. 12. 15. Amos. 6. 6. Heb. 13. 3. weepe that we must sorrow for the affliction of Ioseph that wee must suffer with those that are in bonds euen as if we our selues were bound Wherefore a curse is denounced vnto those among the Iewes who gaue themselues to drinking and wantonnesse whiles the tenne Tribes which are meant by the name of Ioseph in the place which before I alleadged of the Prophet Amos were ledde away Captiues and destroyed Therfore the Leuites being captiues in Babylon Psal 137. 6. 2. Sa. 11. 11 do testifie that they wil not reioyce â—nd be merrie vntil they heare of the restitution of Ierusalem Also Vrias would not go downe to his house to sleepe because the Arke of God and the hoste remained in tents and were in danger of war Wherfore the blockishnesse and senslesnesse of many is wonderfull in these dayes who are not moued with common calamities wherewith the Churches of France and Flanders are oppressed and it is greatly to be feared least those who thus delight themselues whiles others weepe beeing deafe to the complaints of their brethre shall haue their own turn come at last and haue their crosse so much the more greeuous by how much the more they haue bin hardned at others calamities Go too then let vs beare pitifull minds and let vs helpe one an other with mutuall benefits duties of charitie whereby in the day of visitation our stroke may be the lighter or else we may be altogither deliuered from the euil dayes and reuenge of Gods wrath that continually dooing good we may reioyce in his saluation through Iesus Christ our Lord to whom be glory foâ— euer Amen THE ELEVENTH Sermon Mardochaeus first fleeth vnto God after to the intercession of Ester to king Assuerus in the eight first verses of the fourth Chapter CHAP. IIII. 1. Now when Mordecai knew all that was done Mordecai rent his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes and went out into the middest of the Citie and cryed with a great crie and a bitter 2. And he came euen before the Kings gate bnt he might not enter into the Kings gate being clothed with sackcloth 3. And in euery Prouince and place whither the Kings charge and his commission came there was great sorrow among the Iewes and fasting and weeping and mourning and many lay in sackcloth and ashes 4. Then Esters maides and her Eunuches came and told
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
petition of Ester as he was in promising For hee is reported to haue commanded that it should be done so that there was a Decree giuen at Susa whereby they hanged the tenne sonnes of Haman As soone then as Ester had spoken the commandement was giuen and published God so enclining the kings heart that the Church might afterward enioy the more firme peace and tranquillitie For otherwise it might worthily seeme a wonder that the King should make so little account to spend the bloud of his subiects whome he so easily layd open vnto the slaughter and that he feared not sedition in his people or that he was accounted by them a Tyrant who by coÌ„trarie edicts would arme his people one against another and play as it were wiâ—h the bloud of his subiects But hee neuer thought on any of these things it was enough for him to gratifie Ester Whereby it appeareth that his power was sufficiently established whereby he was the bolder to dispose of the life of his subiects Heereby also we may perceiue how mutable the fauour of Kings is and how shame and reproch do follow those who abuse their honor and prosperitie The commandement being published the Iewes are readie for the execution for it is sayd that the Iewes which were at Susa gathered themselues together vpon the fourteenth day also of the moneth Adar and slew three hundred men in Susa but layd not their hand on the spoyle In which their constancie and boldnesse deserueth high commendation admiration for they might haue vsed many delayes and cast many doubts they might haue excused themselues that they should runne into hatred and the note of bloudthirstie men and moreouer might haue pretended that it was to be feared least heereafter the Kings minde changing they should be called to an account for the sheading of so much bloud as wee see that such wounds often waxe rawe againe though they seeme healed in all states such a slaughter being made how good so euer the cause be They might also except that there was more commendation in remitting somewhat of their right and dealing mercifully then in prosecuting their iniuries with extreme rigour But when as they perceiued that they were called by God and armed with the authoritie of the lawfull Magistrate and did set before their eyes the chearfulnesse of their auncestors in executing Gods iudgements they ouercome all these difficulties and execute the worke they are commanded looking vpoÌ„ this that God would no lesse be praised and glorified in the punishing of his enemies then in the mercy and protection shewed vnto his They might therefore with a good conscieÌ„ce execute that which the king without sufficieÌ„t stayed counsaile had granted Howbeit it behoueth not any rashly and but with great discretion wisdome to follow these kinde of examples least both those who yeeld themselues being ouercome and those who fight in the heate of the battaile be accounted both alike and without differeÌ„ce be slain Also there is alwaies a great difference to be kept betweene an infidell and him that professeth the same religion with vs betweene a stranger and a citizen finally there are many circumstances of times persons lawes and customes whereby it falleth out that neither we may neither is it lawfull to imitate this fact in which notwithstanding it is not to be doubted but the Iewes kept themselues within the boundes of the Edict and did onely execute crueltie against those who had professed themselues open enemies and had sought the death and destruction of them their wiues and children For otherwise it had bene an vnruly libertie confusion if they might without controwlement set vpon whomsoeuer they would say was their enemie For those are the effects of an headlesse sedition to 〈◊〉 cruell against all whomsoeuer they 〈◊〉 friend or foe guiltlesse or guiltie And when as none of the other inhabiâ—ants of Susa did stirre it is to be affirmed 〈◊〉 the Iewes did not abuse their power â—either killed any which was innocent and besides that God opened the eyes of those who remained peaceable and quiet to see the barbarous iniustice of the former edict and to perceiue the good cause of the Iewes grounded as well on naturall equitie as vpon the iustice and authoritie of the latter decree so great is the force of right equitie and truth that those who were dead were iudged by their fellow citizens to be rightfully slaine And thus far of those things which were done at Susa Let vs now passe vnto those thingâ— which were done by the Iewes that were dispersed through the other prouinces to weete The other Iewes did gather themselues together that standing for their liues they might be quiet from their enemies and slew of those that hated them 75. thousandâ— but on the spoile they laid not their hand So that there was one manner and the like issue euery where sauing that the Ieweâ— which were in the prouinces in one day dispatched the whole matter taking reuenge vpon their enemies the number of whome is heere expresly set downe whereby the excellentie of this victoriâ— might be the better knowen vnto all which cannot sufficiently be extolled 〈◊〉 we consider the great fauour of 〈◊〉 towards his or the seueritie of the â—â—nishment vpon his enemies For I 〈◊〉 you who euer would haue perswaâ—â—d himselfe that the king would haue 〈◊〉 so affected to the Iewes that he wold 〈◊〉 ouer so many thousands of his 〈◊〉 to such a butcherie who euer would 〈◊〉 thought that silly men who had this 〈◊〉 time bin captiues and not exercised 〈◊〉 could so easily ouercome so warâ—â— a people which was feared farre and 〈◊〉 throughout the whole world for 〈◊〉 skil in warre was this also 〈◊〉 that the Gouernours of the proâ—â—â—ces would rather take part with these â—â—ngers fauour them rather then the â—â—â—â—rall inhabitants of the countrey that 〈◊〉 fellow citizens would so containe â—â—â—elues yeeld them no assistance in conflict and that the State could 〈◊〉 quiet after so bloudie an executioÌ„ that the Iewes not only should not 〈◊〉 all meÌ„s hatred but be after holdeÌ„â—â—eater price and estimation Finally 〈◊〉 would haue thought that there 〈◊〉 haue folowed no sedition against the King when oftentimes for less causes as feare or some light suspitioâ— subiects haue risen against their Prince All these effects therefore of the Lorâ— right hand are most worthy to be note wherunto also this is to be adioyned thâ— none of the Iewes perished in this reueÌ„g the Lord prouiding for them the sweâ— fruit of so great a victorie and admiral deliueraÌ„ce So hath the Lord oftentiâ—â— wrought that he might make it knowâ— vnto al the world that his people are 〈◊〉 vnto him as the apple of his eye as he spâ—keth in Zacharie chap. 2. v. 8. Besides that that so great a number of the eâ—mies were destroyed God would sigâ— how great a fault it is to rise vp against Church his Spouse and to seeke her