They are not without cause heere called wise men giuing such an answere for although they were not endued with the wisdome of Gods spirit yet against their wills they make a wise answere out of that feeling which they had of the wonderfull works of the God of Israel But what maner of answere I pray and how vnusuall how variable and how changeable are they in their counsailes for but the day before they gaue counsell to hang Mardochaeus on a gibbet yet they knew as wel then that Mardochaeus was a Iewe as now for so Haman had described him vnto them in the Chapter last before ver 13. Why then did they not thinke so at that time as now Forsooth they endeuoured then to curry fauour with their frieÌ„ds whose prosperitie dazeled their eyes and whereas Haman sought for flatterers it was meete that he should receiue hurtfull counsell at their hands Now his friends are more quicksighted the mist of false honour beeing remoued from their eyes and the vayle of felicitie and flattering fortune that I may so speake wherewith Haman was so deâ—ighted beeing taken away So the wise men of this world doo neuer giue sound counsell to those that are puffed vp with the successe of their prosperitie for their eyes wax dimme with that outward blaze but if aduersitie happen then the dimnesse being taken away they are cleere-eyed and they speake the truth more frankly Behold how the dispositions of men are changed with the alteration of their state But yet not withstanding they are not as wise as they should be for their friends good For why do they not at the least perswade him to throw downe the gibbet the signe of his pride and their wicked counsell Why do they not mitigate his sorrowe with comfortable words to weere that thâ—â— was but a suddaine motion of the king and the honours bestowed on Mardochaeus were but a courtly blast which would not continue long Or why do they not rather warne him to flee vnto the God of Israel to craue pardon and to reconcile himselfe vnto Mardochaeus The wicked though they see some sparkle of the truth glittering yet they are bleared in their counsels as Iob sayeth Iob. 12. 20. God changeth the lip of the eloquent and taketh away the iudgement of the auncient Besides the enemies of the Church doo â—unne with such force and furie to the deâ—truction of it that they cannot take any â—ood counsell neither can they wade 〈◊〉 of that depth whereinto labouring 〈◊〉 ruine of the Church they haue plunâ—ed themselues Haman could not call â—acke the decree made against the Iewes â—either could he honestly goe about it What is then to be done Let him be 〈◊〉 and receiue sentence of his deâ—â—ruction euen by the mouth of his â—â—iends and familiars which they do proâ—â—unce not as doubting of the euent but 〈◊〉 it were beholding his fall with their 〈◊〉 for they say Thou shalt surely fall â—â—fore him They haue reasons of great weight Thou hast begun alreadie to fall 2. Hee 〈◊〉 the seed of the Iewes And these things 〈◊〉 speake that they may acknowledge 〈◊〉 certaine hand of God in those things â—â—ich happened that so many things 〈◊〉 Mardochaeus fauour and Hamans conâ—â—sion did not meete together by chance 〈◊〉 God ruling and disposing all those â—â—â—ngs For though the Heathen gaue much vnto Fortune yet often were they driuen to acknowledge the hand of God So the sorcerers among the Aegyptians when they sawe the miracles of Exod. 8. 19. Moses which they could not imitate they sayd This is the finger of God So the Philistins when they caried about the arke of God which they had taken captiue at the last being brought vnder by 1. Sam. 6. plagues were compelled to confesse that those things came from the God of Israel So these men perceiue that Mardochaeus could not obtaine so great honours as Haman told of insteed of that shamefull death which they deuised for him without Gods hand But whence at the last grew this opinion among them that he should perish whosoeuer went about any mischiefe against the Iewes It may be answered that the wonderfull workâ— of God which he had wrought in defending his people against their enemies could not be vnknowen vnto the nation amongst whome the Iewes dwelt anâ— especially that which as yet was fresh 〈◊〉 memorie the band of their captiuitiâ— brokeÌ„ by the subuersion of the Babylonia Monarchie and that Cyrus the first Monarke of the Persians had sent home the Iewes when by publike proclamation he had set theÌ„ free and bestowed vpoÌ„ them great gifts and rewards Moreouer the Amalekites of whom Haman was descended could not be ignorant what slaughters they had sustained by the Iewes and what sentence God had pronounced against them in his law as before we haue shewed out of Deuter. 25. and Exod. 17. All these thinges then when as they might remember they did the more boldly affirme that Haman should fall seeing he had entred into enimitie with the Iewes Heerehence we are to obserue that among the enemies of the Church there are many who whether they will or no do acknowledge that God hath oftentimes stretched out his hand to the preseruation of his Church and is her most strong defence and that at the last their counsailes come to an euil end who haue gone about to destroy her But this feeling of theirs by euery light occasion is lost and vanisheth as the wicked are driuen in their diuers thoughts sometimes one waye sometimes another like vnto those who are tossed with great tempests vpon the sea Yet notwithstanding seeing the Lord sheweth himself so plainely by defeating their counsailes breaking their practises and throwing downe the heads and chiefe authors by violent death vnlesse they be altogether Atheists they are compelled at last to confesse that the godly are preserued by Gods mightie hand whome the world goeth about to ouerthrow We ought to take great comfort by this and to apply by a true faith vnto our selues as well the promises of God as the admirable deliuerances of the Church both in times past and in this present age For how often hath he dissolued the most furious practises of our enimies By what meanes did he breake in pieces that Inuincible as they called it and fearefull nauie and armie of the Spaniards against England How did he in France throw downe the head of the Leaguers and filled the enemies of the Church with turmoyles and confusion Ought not we to be affected with greater feeling of so wonderful works of God wrought for our deliuerance and safetie then are the miserable idolaters who are onely feared and astonied with them Let vs therefore assure our selues that we are made the people of God by the mercie of Christ Iesus Rom. 11. 17. and grafted into the good Oliue tree that we may be accounted the true children of Abraham and so all the promises made vnto the Church to belong
battaile that so he might destroy and ouerthrow them vnder the pretence of this Proclamation Whereby it appeareth that the King was not very carefull of the quiet and safetie of his people For if he would not or could not call backe againe the former edict why did hee not at the least secretly signifie that hee woulde haue euerie one remaine quiet and leaue the Iewes vntouched But marke heere the iust vengeance of God when he is bent against any kingdome there is easily place giuen vnto euill counsaile and so all things are troubled and turned vpside downe so that no place is left for sounde aduise Kings do not in time represse the furie of the wicked but by their lenitie and negligence rather nourish it and the people following euill leaders are caryed headlong willingly and with a blinded course into their owne destruction The enemies of the Iewes therefore do assemble themselues furnished with weapon and a minde to hurt them but they can not stand before the Iewes nor resist them so much can a good cause which vseth good counsaile and lawfull meanes preuaile when it pleaseth God to cast a feare vpon the enemies as heere it is sayd That the feare of the Iewes fell vpon all people For whence came this feare but frō God who made his seruants though fewe in number to be terrible and cause of feare to those of whome most mightie nations and all the people of the world stoode in feare Is victorie then from any other then from god who feareth the enemies and giueth vnto his strength courage So say the faithfull when they set foorth Gods praises that neither by their owne nor their fathers sword came they into the possessiō Ps 44. 3. of the lād of Canaā or did hold it so many yeares but by Gods right hand and the light of his coūtenance So Dauid giuing God thankes for the victories which hee had gotten saith that he followed his enemies Ps 18. 38. 39. 40. and stroke them so that they were not able to arise because God had girded him with strength and had bowed downe those vnder him who had risen vp against him And in an other Psalme he acknowledgeth that Ps 144. 1 it is God that teacheth his hands to fight and his fingers to warre For this cause also the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrewes saith that the auncient fathers through Heb. 11. 34. faith were made strong in battell and turned the Armies of the Aliants into flight These are the most sure and strong armor of the faithfull whereby they are vnto all their enemies most fearefull and inuincible Wherefore their arrogancie and rashnesse can neuer sufficiently be reproued and condemned who professing themselues Christians and fighting for religiō think of nothing lesse then of calling vpon God Hence also we haue sufficient proofe how great the fauor of God is towards all that feare him and call vpon his name and defend a iust cause with lawful armes when as he maketh euen an handfull as it were ofseely captiues dispersed heere and there to be terrible to all the people of so great a Monarchie These things then will vs to hope well in the lawfull defence of a iust cause against the disturbers of publike peace and tranquillitie and the sworne deadly enemies not only of the state but also of the truth Thus haue ye the first chiefest cause of the victorie which the Iewes had ouer their enemies who were terrified with feare and fled from them The other followeth that the Rulers of the Prouinces and the Princes and the Captaines the officers of the king furthered the Iewes How much the fauour of rulers and those who are the kings officers can preuaile in the furthering of any part no man is ignorāt But marke you heere a strange matter the Princes and rulers take part with the Iewes against the naturall subiects of the land but they sufficiently perceiue◠to what part the Kings affection did bend whose fauour when as they were willing to haue they fauour that part which the king is most affectionate vnto although perhaps they wish the Iewes vtterly destroyed Moreouer the feare of Mardochaeus had taken hold of them that when they saw him in such fauour and authoritie with the King and that all things were guided by his counsell and ruled at his becke they would also seeke to gratifie him Out of which also it is euident how that God not onely in a moment lifteth vp whom it pleaseth him but also doth furnish them with Maiestie spreading farre and wide the honour of their name by their exceeding great glory casting a fear of them far and neare into the harts of men and at the last repressing the sparks of enuie which cōmōly are wont to be kindled against such as out of base estate do suddēly rise vnto high honor For who could sufficiently maruel that a man newly risen and a straunger and bringing a maruellous change into the state at his first comming euē such as was hurtfull dammageable vnto the naturall subiects of the King should not be open vnto the hatred enuie and slaunders of all men and especially of those who thought so much to bee abated from their dignitie how much he was exalted but so much the more clearely doth God shewe himselfe to be hee who at his good pleasure lifteth vp men and throweth them down and that he hath in his hand the harts and wils of men which he turneth what way pleaseth him Wherefore wee are heere taught to depend on his prouidence and to rest wholy thereon not curiously seeking how they are promoted vnto honor who take vpon them the defence of the Church or by what meanes they retaine it and how they auoyd the hatred of one and the deceits of an other and finally how they defend themselues from many daungers which stand round about them For hee that exalted Mardochaeus and made him to be reuerenced and feared of the Princes and preserued vnto him his dignitie safe and whole knoweth also by what meanes to defend and protect those whose worke he will vse to the defence of his Church scattering and turning to nought all the craftie counsels of the enemies which shal threaten any euil against them But heere especially this is to be obserued that Mardochaeus did ascend vnto this honour by these steps godlinesse the feare of God zeale of his glory a pure affection of helping and defending the Church so farre forth as it pleased God to put to his hande to giue any quiet and tranquillitie vnto the Church which was so miserably afflicted By these vertues then is the dignitie of those who vndertake the defence of the state of the Church encreased and by the same shall it continue These are the meanes which it pleaseth God to vse to the succouring of his Let vs now looke into the execution of that vengeance which was granted vnto the childrē of God
slaughter Kings ought to bee a liuing lawe a sanctuary for the afflicted a helpe to the oppressed the Image of God on earth and a defence and comfort of the wretched and those in calamitie What then will come to passe when Kings giue eare onely to false accusers haue vnmercifull eyes inhumane hearts mindes without reason iudgement without equitie or right Are they not then rather the enemies of mankind the destruction of lawe the subersion of iustice the supporters of the wicked the instruments of iniustice and the vtter desolation of all good Such an one here Assuerut shewes himselfe to be not only voyd of all iustice reason and equitie but also of all common sence and humanitie But so for the most part it commeth to passe in the affaires of the Church so there be any that will accuse the eares of Princes are open to any accusation if the question be of the vtter destruction of it it shall be decreed but in other things in the least trifles euen in the death of dogges there will bee some sticking at the matter but the people of God with the Princes of this world are no more esteemed then the ofscouring and refuse of the whole world But why should we maruel at this when Barrabas was preferred before our Lord and Sauiour Against theeues there is obserued a due course of law neither are the guiltie condemned their cause not beeing heard Many times the seditious and rebellious multitude are spared by reason of their great number and because that euen very nature abhotred the slaughter of so many yea though they haue deserued it yea and the most raging enemies after the heate of the battell are wont to spare those whom they haue ouercome though they were iniured by them but this vnmanlike king in the midst of peace not being iniured no man cōplaining but one priuate slaunderer doth deliuer ouer a whole nation to the number of some two or three hundred thousand persons to a bloudy death and butchery How truly was it said that the tongue of the slaunderer is worse then Serpents then the poyson of Aspes sharper then any two-edged sword and more deadly then the biting of any the most sauage beast And that kings voyde of counsel wisedome are the plague and ruine of manking It is also a matter of great momēt to the whole state what maner of friends and Counsellours Princes haue for if they be wicked there can none other thing bee looked for from them but euill counsell to the damage of the subjects Wherefore those people are indeed wise who by their lawes prescribe vnto their Princes a certaine number of wise men for their counsell but ambition and tyrannie cannot long beare any good and stayed counsell Last of all heere-hence wee perceiue out of what fountaine the most bloudie persecutions of the Church doo spring to wit partly from the malice of certaine wicked counsellors who breathe out nothing but blood and fire and partly from the inabilitie or rather blockishnesse of Kings who making no enquirie of the the trueth deliuer ouer Gods people to their bloodie butcherie Such is the state and condition of the Church vnder vnfaithfull kings namely those who giue eare vnto euill Counsellors So haue our miserable Churches in France bene oftētimes set open to the lust of most bloudie cutthroates by reason of the rage of wicked Counsellours and the ouer-light credulitie of kings Hence therefore let vs learne not to trust in any earthly Prince but in God alone who so oft hath deliuered vs from the furie of so many most cruell enemies who also alone both can and will saue all those who flie vnto him in the name of his son our Lord Christ Iesus to whom alone be all glorie and dominion for euermore Amen THE TENTH Sermon How the day is appoynted for the vtter destruction of the Iewes and how the proclamation was published throughout all the Prouinces of the Empire of Assuerus from the 12. verse vnto the end of the Chapter 12. Then were the kings Scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month and there was written according vnto al that Haman commaunded vnto the kings officers and vnto the Captaines that were ouer euery Prouince and to the Rulers of euery people to euery Prouince according to the writing thereof and to euery people according to their language in the name of the king Assuerus was it writtē and sealed with the kings ring 13. And the letters was sent by Postes into all the kings Prouinces to roote out to kill and to destroy all the Iewes both yong and olde children and women in one day vpon the thirteenth day of the twelfth moneth which is the moneth Adar and to spoyle them as a pray 14. The contents of this writing was that there should be giuen a commaundement in all Prouinces and published to all people that they should be readie against the same day 15. And the Postes went foorth with speed with the kings commandement and the commaundement was giuen in the Pallace at Susa and the king and Haman sate drinking but the Citie of Susa was in perptexitie THe distressed Church of God can neuer sufficiently cōsider how great the malice of their enemies is nor how great are the daungers which do cōpasse her about wherof it commeth that neither is she warie enough for her selfe neither sufficiently carefull to call for necessarie ayde and helpe at Gods hand for as the Apostle saith Wee are accounted Rom. 8. 36 Ier. 18. 23 26. 11 as sheep appoynted for the slaughter or as Ieremie professeth concerning himselfe We are as an Oxe in the stall of whose slaughter men aduise Of which thing wee haue heere a most memorable example for whiles the poore people of the Iewes dispearsed through all Prouinces of the Kingdome of Assuerus thinke to bee in safetie and liue secure vnder the custodie of the Lawes and protection of publicque authoritie beholde their enemie Haman without delaye speedily vrgeth that the Kings Edict of destroying the Iewes be written according to his mind and that all things may bee performed without stop for the vtter destruction of them in so much that their name may bee abolished from among men and no mention euer after made of them Therefore it is heere declared how the kings Scribes wrote the Edict according to Hamans pleasure and direction in authenticall forme verse 12. Then what were the contents thereof verse 13. and 14. and at last how it was made knowne vnto all Prouinces by Postes and published at Susa whiles the king and Haman sat drinking in the last verse In which thing as in a glasse wee beholde how great diligence and celeritie euery one vseth in executing those bloudie Edicts whereby vtter destruction is prepared for the Church The king he giues ouer all his authoritie to Haman the Scribes they write with speed the bloudie proclamation the Postes they quickly carrie it into all partes
against their enimies which is set downe in generall in the fifth verse and after particularly prosecuted in those which follow The Iewes then are said to haue strooken with the edge of the sword and slaughter and destruction and to haue don vnto those that hated them what they listed So that although the enemies fledd and by reason of that feare wherewith they were stricken durst not resist yet were they sought out to be destroyed and to receiue a iust reward of their iniquitie Which thing the Iewes with a good conscience might doo seeing they were armed with the authoritie of God and of the chiefe Magistrate and also by all lawes both humane and diuine in a lawfull warre and naturall defence against those which sought their life it was euer permitted so to doo Neither doth it here any whit helpe to say that they were to be spared because they tooke armes beeing deceiued with the shewe of the former Edict because that euery one who was not altogither voyde of humanitie or blinded with despite might easily of himselfe iudge that that Edict was beyond all equitie But if any againe shall except that there was no place for reuenge seeing it is written Vengeance is mine and Deut. 32. 35. Mat. 5. 44 Christ Iesus biddeth his to loue their enemies the aunswere is easie that GOD who forbiddeth priuate reuenge which euery priuate man taketh vpon him in his owne cause doth also commaunde those to whome hee hath committed the sworde to doo iustice to exercise his iudgements and to execute vengeance and reuenge so that hee hath oftentimes hardly chidden and seuerely punished those who by foolish pittie and clemencie haue beene more slacke in executing those iudgements of God and who haue spared those enemies whom God hath commanded to be slaine This is euident in 1. Sam. 15. 2. Kin. 20. 42. Saul when as he spared the life of Agag the king of the Amalekites and in Achab when he made league with Benadab the King of Syria the most deadly enemie of the people of God vnto whom GOD commanded his Prophet to tell that seeing hee had spared a man that was worthie to die his life should be pledge for the others and the life of his people for the life of the people of his enemie Therfore Pro. 17. 15. also Salomon sath He that iustifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the righteous they both are an abhomination vnto the Lord. Now who I pray you are more worthy to die then those who with a setled and grounded hatred do endeuour by all waies and meanes they may to destory the godly spoyle their goods depriue them of their dignities roote out the Church and extinguish the truth why then should they whom the Magistrate armeth with publike authoritie and God calleth therunto spare those that are such But Christ commandeth to loue our enemies I confesse but after the manner of a good Iudge who doth commaund those that are condemned to be caried to execution and yet loueth them and is sorie for their euill so that to loue and to kil are not so contrarie but that they may meete at the same instant in one and the same man who by reason of his dutie and office exerciseth the iudgements of God against the wicked of whom hee hateth not the nature but the vntamed wickednesse which cannot bee cured by any meanes but by cutting off Neither dooth God alwaies obserue one manner in reuenging himselfe vpon his enemies For diuers times he performeth his worke without the worke and ministerie of men as when Pharao was drowned being ouerwhelmed with the waues of the Exod. 14. 2. Ki. 19. 35. Sea and Senacheribs hoste wholy destroyed in one night by an Angell Diuers times by his enimies themselues mutually Iud. 7. 21. destroying one an other as in the Madianites battell and in that fight 2. Chr. 20 22 23. wherein that great armie which came against Iehosaphat did among themselues destroy themselues Diuers times and that most commonly he vseth the hands and weapons of his people to beate down the fiercenesse of the enemies who rose vp against him So by the hand of Iosua the Kings and people of Canaan were vanquished and destroyed So by the Iudges were they ouercome who oppressed his people So Dauid and other Kings of his â—osteritie did subdue and bring vnder â—any Nations Here God would by the and of these poore captiues ouerthrow â—he pride and malice of the enemies of his Church that they might be certified that â—lthough God had chastised his people â—et had he not altogither cast them from â—im but rather contrariwise was present â—ithin fit and conuenient time to defend â—â—d protect them against the violence of â—â—eir enemies Moreouer hereby we perceiue what punishment the enemies of the Church doo deserue and what shall be their successe at the last Besides here it is cleare how those who conspire against the Church at the last perish through their owne deuises For Haman and all that multitudâ— whom he had stirred vp to ouerthrow thâ— Church might haue liued peaceably anâ— honorably if they had attempted no neâ— matters but by the iust and secret iudgement and vengeance of God they with great ado kindle a fire and are at the laâ—choked with the flame This same thinâ— Isai threatneth vnto the enemies of thâ— Church of God in these words Yâ— shall conceiue chaffe and bring foorth stuâ—ble Isai 33. 11. 12. your owne breath is the fire that shâ— deuoure you And the people shall bee 〈◊〉 the burning of lime and as thornes cut 〈◊〉 shall they be burnt in the fire That which was spoken in generaâ— is in partes deliuered in the verses fâ—lowing to wit that there were 〈◊〉 hundred men slaine by the Iewes in 〈◊〉 the Cittie royall and amongst 〈◊〉 the tenne sonnes of Haman whose 〈◊〉 for the greater credit of the Historie recited It is maruell that in Susa the Citie â—yall any durst mooue against them â—hen as so many signes of the Kings faâ—our which hee shewed to Mardochaeus â—nd the other Iewes could not be hidde â—ut the vengeance of God will not sufâ—â—r the wicked to rest who retaine that â—esire and rage to doo hurt in their harts â—ut of necessitie they will breake forth 〈◊〉 be carried headlong as wilde beasts 〈◊〉 into the nets vpon the lawfull 〈◊〉 which God had furnished his 〈◊〉 with Yet notwithstanding all that 〈◊〉 vp against the Iewes in Susa could 〈◊〉 in one day be taken wherefore a 〈◊〉 diligent search is deferred 〈◊〉 the next day as after wee shall 〈◊〉 As concerning Hamans sonnes they 〈◊〉 deseruedly punished by death first 〈◊〉 they were of the stocke of the 〈◊〉 concerning whom God had 〈◊〉 that they should be vtterly 〈◊〉 and not one of them left 〈◊〉 Besides because it is likely 〈◊〉 in desire of reuenge of theyr 〈◊〉 shamefull death they had done 〈◊〉 they might in stirring vp to seditioÌ„ those
mutinous fellows which they could find either in that great Citie of Susa oâ— in any other where they had any authoritie So that happened vnto Haman which the Spirit of God pronounceth shoulâ— come vpon the wicked and the enemiâ—â— of his glory to wit that which Iob saith He shal neither haue sonne nor nephew amiâ— Iob. 18. 19 his people nor any posteritie in his dwelling whereunto also appertaineth that which is Psal 21. 10. Their fruite shalt thou dâ—stroy from the earth and their seede from tâ—â— children of men Wherefore the wickâ—â— who are so carefull for their posteritie 〈◊〉 destroy them by their owne wicked dâ—uices and ouer throw them by their fuâ—â—ous practises when euen from their iâ— fancie they teach them to hate the truâ— and persecute the Church of God Aâ—â— if sometime the stocke of the God God so willing it do decay this doth 〈◊〉 happen in his wrath but with a certaiâ— testimonie of his fauour and mercie tâ—wards them For what soeuer come passe this remaineth vnmooueabâ—â— The death of the righteous is precious 〈◊〉 Ps 115. 16. God What then remaineth but that 〈◊〉 carefully employ our selues to righteousnesse and holinesse call vnfainedly vpon God in all our necessities and calamities patiently expect his helpe and wait for his vengeance against our enemies whose good and saluation yet let vs seeke that so they beeing turned vnto God rather then turned from him and destroyed we may altogither sincerely with all our hearts serue him in Christ Iesus his sonne our Lord to whom bee glorie prayse and dominion for euer Amen THE THREE AND twentieth Sermon The rest of the execution of the Edict and of the ful victorie which the Iewes obtained against their enemies from the 11. verse of the 9 Chapter vnto the 17. 1. On the same day came the number of those that were slaine in Susa the Cittie royall before the King 12. And the King said vnto the Queene Ester The Iewes haue slaine in Susa the Citie royall and destroyed fiue hundred men and the ten sons of Haman what haue they done in the rest of the kings prouinces Now what is thy petition that it may be giuen thee or what is thy request moreouer that it may be performed 13. Then said Ester if it please the King let it be graunted also to morrow to the Iewes that are in Susa to do according vnto this dayes decree and that they may hang vpon the tree Hamans tenne sonnes 14. And the King charged to do so and the decree was giuen at Susa and they hanged Hamans ten sonnes 15. So the Iewes that were in Susa assembled themselves on the fourteenth day of the moneth Adar and slew three hundred meÌ„ in Susa but on the spoyle they laied not their hand 16. And the rest of the Iewes that were in the kings prouinces assembled themselues and stood for their liues and had rest from their enemies and slew of them that hated them seuentie and fiue thousand but they laid not their hand vpon the spoyle EVery man confesseth that victorie commeth from God so that there is scarcely any found euen among the Heathen so wicked or stubborne who hauing obtained a victorie did not by some signe testifie his thankfulnesse vnto him whoÌ„ he supposed to be agod But this was so proper and peculiar vnto the people of Israel as beeing better instructed that they haue made therof a proper name of God calling him the God of Hostes And if hee worthily be acknowledged the giuer of all victories how much more of those in which expresly dooth shine his especiall fauour and goodnesse towards his Church so that in euery part thereof the beginning middle and ende an happie and blessed token of his grace and wonderful power is apparant which in this most happie victorie of the Iewes did come to passe who by Gods fauour though they were seely captiues and dispersed through the Prouinces of the Empire of Assuerus did yet triumphe ouer their enemies so that no man cannot call it into question but that the hand of God was mightily stretched out for their safetie and commoditie Wee haue alreadie seene the beginning It remaineth that wee see also the proceeding and end the summe whereof is that by the Kings permission and decree the ten sonnes of Haman were hanged on a tree three hundred men more slaine in Susa and in the other Prouinces seuentie and fiue thousand without any losse of the Iewes without any sedition following without any hatred or publike enuie against the King and finally without any conspiracie or farther atteÌ„pt against the Iewes All which are so much the more wonderfull by how much the rarer they are and obtained so happie an issue For how could the king so lay open his naturall subiects to be slaine and destroyed by straungers how could a woman obtaine so much how could seely captiues dare commit so great a slaughter how could so mightie a people suffer it without some extraordinarie motion and Gods speciall fauour There is therefore heere proposed vnto vs a most profitable doctrine of the loue of GOD towards his Church of the vengeance which he taketh on his enemies and of the peace tranquilitie which he giueth to his who call vpon him in their greatest troubles But wee shall better vnderstand these things by the seuerall explication of euery part First it is sayd That vpon that day the number of those that were slaine in Susa the â—itie royall came before the King It is not knowen by whome or vpon what intent â—he king was certified of the number of â—he slaine It seemeth very likely vnto me that it was done by some who by telâ—ing that there were so many slaine in one â—itie would willingly haue stirred vp the â—ings wrath hatred against the Iewes But whence so euer the King was certiâ—â—ed it is certaine it was a sufficient mesâ—age to haue stirred the kings mind vnto â—ust anger for the slaughter of his subiects â—ade euen as it were in his sight For in â—uch bloudie slaughters kings if they haue â—ot cast off all humanitie and naturall afâ—ection at last repent them of that which â—uer-rashly they granted and are angry â—ith those by whome they were perswaâ—ed and induced vnto it Besides this â—ng might call to mind that his subiects â—ad attempted nothing against the Iewes â—ut by his commandemeÌ„t and that there was too great libertie granted to a strange people against the naturall subiects and that the courage of his people was too much daunted But none of all these things come vnto his mind but he goeth merily vnto the Queene reioycing for her sake at the number of those that were slaine and againe giuing her libertie to demand whatsoeuer she list For these are the words of our author The king said vnto Ester the Queene The Iewes haue killed and destroyed in Susa the citie royall fiue hundred men and the tenne sonnes of Haman what haue they done in
which was turned vnto them from sorrow to ioy and from mourning to mirth He noteth vnto vs that the memorie of Gods benefits and graces doth soone slip away except it be stayed by some notable meanes wherefore hee commandeth that those two dayes wherein they obtayned the victorie ouer their enemies should be kept holiday that they might rest in them with an holy rest thereby to call to memorie the benefit of so great a deliuerāce and to celebrate the grace of God who by a wonderfull meanes did turne their sorrow into ioy In which thing he performeth the dutie of a good and faithfull Magistrate whereof it is a part to take care that good order be preserued in the Church the worship of God retained pure and the memorie of his benefits continued for euer that in all ages euery one may learne to put his trust in God and to looke for all help and good from him Heereby then we learne that when the chiefe Magistrate neglecteth those things which make to the conseruation of pure religion because he is ignorant thereof the inferior Magistrate ought not therefore to cease but by reason of his office procure whatsoeuer shall appertaine to the nourishing and preseruing of godlinesse as heere we see when Assuerus little careth for the doctrine of the Iewes which he did not vnderstād Mardochaeus doth not therefore leaue off but decreeth those things which he thought to appertaine to the maintaining of the remembrance of so memorable a deliuerance Wherein there shineth not onely his pietie and care of the Church but also his courage and constancie For it could not choose but be odious vnto the natiue inhabitants when they shoulde yearely see this feast to be celebrated and so call to remembrance the slaughter and destruction of their fellow citizens by the Iewes seeing that no monuments or signes of victorie or offences amongst the people adioyning can be beholden without indignation and great griefe But the memorie of the benefites receiued from our God is not to be omitted for the griefe and sorrowe of minde which the ignorant take at the remembrance of true religion Yet is it wisely to be foreseene that after ciuill warres there be nothing done whereby the minds of men may be offended and olde wounds wax greene againe and warre eftsoones stirred vp Hence also we learne that it is the duetie of the faithfull Magistrate either to decree or approue by his decree that which is alreadie by authoritie well ordained to the preseruing and establishing of the good order of the Church and the outward seruice of God so that the word of God be alwaies the rule and squire whereby hee frame all his actions And this is so much the more diligently to be noted and vnderstoode by how much wee see that the slippe is easie in that part when the question is concerning the power of Magistrates in the ordering of Ecclesiasticall matters For some graunt vnto the highest Magistrate to ordayne in the Church whatsoeuer pleaseth them or whatsoeuer shall be perswaded vnto them by others But what is this other then to ouerthrow all religion by granting such licence vnto men So we see that the kings of Israel cleauing to their owne opinions did peruert the pure worship of God and also the kings of Iuda imitating them when leauing the doctrine of the lawe they followed their owne wisdome and sence as by the example of Achaz and Manasses it is apparant Othersome will not haue the Magistrate to take any care at all of Ecclesiasticall matters which opinion the Pope holdeth to vphold more easily his owne tyrannie What is then heere to be done That the Magistrate inuade not the Pastors office as to preach the word administer the Sacraments also that he change not or innouate any thing in religion at his owne pleasure or by worldly wisdome and policie but remembring that he is appointed of God a keeper and defender of the Church of wholsome and heauenly doctrine of the worship of God and of order requisite in the Church hee vse his authoritie and sword to the defence of the Church against all force that the Pastors may retaine their right and authoritie and that those who are slothfull may be stirred vp that sound doctrine and the right vse of the Sacraments may be conserued and that by the iudgemēt of the Pastors good lawes may be made agreeable vnto sound doctrine that all things may be done in order conuenient in the house of God And if the times be such that the state of the Church be altogether depraued and neede reformation the dutie also of the Magistrate requireth that he set hand vnto the worke prouide that all things be restored to their integritie according to the word of God rightly vnderstoode and applied vnto his right vse and end So we reade that the holy kings of the I. Chro. 24 25. 26 Israelites did as Dauid by the aduise of Gad and Nathan the Prophets did distribute the orders of the Priests and Leuits and the courses of their seruice and ministerie Salomon also dedicateth the Temple which he had built with that notable solemne prayer which is read 1. King 8. and confirmeth the order appointed by his father Iehosaphat restored as well the 2. Chro. 19. 2. Kings 12. State ciuill as the Ecclesiasticall Ioas also in his time after the confusions brought in by Athalia did by the counsaile of Iehoiada restore those things that were confounded and repaire the ruines of the temple But the zeale godlinesse constancie of Ezechias and Iosias are especially 2. Chro. 29. 2. Kings 23. Euseb de vit Constanti 1. 1. c. 37. alibi commended who in their times so happily reformed the Church So Constantine the great was present in the Coūcell of Nice and heard and approued the sentences of the Fathers grounded vpon the word of God and by his authoritie maintained and defended the sound doctrine and condemned heresie Out of all which examples let the faithfull Magistrates learne what parts and place they hold in the Church It remaineth to be shewed how the Iewes did execute that commandement prescribed by Ester and Mardochaeus but those things shal be after declared more at large So that it shall be sufficiēt for vs if at this present we learne to submit our selues vnto good cōstitutions by which the remembrāce of the benefits of God is cōfirmed in the Church and that we testifie both by word and deede euen in the whole course of our life that as we are the people whom God hath redeemed and freed from all miserie and accursednesse brought into libertie from the thraldome of death and sinne deliuered from so many dangers and adorned with so many gifts of his liberalitie so we will also do all that we may that his name may be set forth with worthie prayse in Iesus Christ to whome be glorie for euermore Amen THE FIVE AND twentieth Sermon There
the rest this Historie of Ester which by Gods fauor we take in hand doth propose vnto vs euen as in a glasse the wonderful prouidence of God in preseruing cherishing and defending his Church then againe the treacheries and cruell mindes of her most deadly enemies and last of all the carefulnesse and dutie of the godly as well at all other times as then principally when dangers hang ouer their heads and threaten vnto them all extremitie The name of the authour is vnknowne neither doth it much auaile vs to know who wrote it as in such like Histories of the Iudges Ruth Samuel Kings and Iob so that we know that it is sacred and diuine and hath been so taken and receiued alwaies in the Church of God sith the holy ghost hath engrauen it in the hearts of the faithfull by sufficient testimonies This Historie therefore bearing for title the name of Ester because Ester was as a principall instrument which God did vse for the deliuerance of his Church when it was like vtterly to haue bin destroyed in her time throughout all the prouinces of Assuerus is adorned with this note of diuine maiestie and vndoubted truth and layde vp in writing amongst the holy monuments for the instruction and consolation of the Church throughout all ages For as the Apostle Paul saith VVhatsoeuer things are written afore time are written for our learning Rom. 15. 4. that wee through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope For so notable and extraordinarie deliuerances of the Church of God at sundrie times and in diuers manners were not gathered togither and committed to writing without the ordinance and direction of Gods diuine prouidence but that diligently beholding howe great a care the Lord hath alwayes had of his people and with how vnwearied endeuour hee hath brought vnto them present helpe in greatest distresse we may learne to place our hope in him alone and to rest our selues onely on him whose goodnesse and truth endureth for euer The time when these things happened was in the raigne of Assuerus but who this Assuerus was or at what time he raigned it is not agreed vppon by all writers yet notwithstanding by comparing of other places of holy Scripture in which mention is made of Assuerus as Esra 4. 6. it appeareth that this Assuerus is hee whom the prophane Hystorians call Darius the sonne of Hystaspis which after the death of Cambyses the son of Cyrus had obtained the Kingdome Wherefore whereas this Historie setteth down a rehearsall from the third yeare of the raigne of Assuerus and the conspiracie of Haman falles out the twelfth yeare those things which are here recited seeme to haue happened in the two and thirtieth yeare after that the people by the decree of Cyrus â—ad leaue to returne out of the captiuitie into they rowne Countrey For Cyrus and Cambyses raigned nine yeare the two Magi surprised Babilon a yeare about the ende whereof Assuerus obtained the Kingdome So that there were but only tenne yeares past from the establishment of the Monarch of the Persians and Medes when Assuerus got the Kingdome in whose twelfth yeare this conspiracie happened But then it must needes bee that Mardochaeus must bee verie olde because as wee shall heare in the seconde Chapter hee was carried into Captiuitie with Iechoniah from which time vnto this there passed more then foure score yeares But the Lorde as often as the necessitie of his Church hath so required hath preserued certaine men strong and sounde for that purpose And let these things suffice to haue beene spoken of the time For their opinion hath not sufficient grounde which place these things vnder the time of the Captiuitie because that during the time of that fast Monarchie of the Babylonians none of the Persians had so large an Empire â—s this Assuerus râ—igning from India vnto Aethiopâ—â— The drift of this Historie is to make manifest howe the poore Church of those who remaine dispearsed in diuers â—egions into which they were led away â—aptiues when as a most certain and preâ—ent destruction hanged ouer their heads was by the peculiar care and sauour of God deliuered from the slaughter and â—s it were plucked out of the iawes of â—heir enemies the death which they â—â—reâ—tned and the detâ— and traps which â—hey prâ—pared for others beeing turâ—ed ouer vppon the aduersaries owne â—eades So that this Historie consisteth â—f two partes of the which the first conâ—â—ineth the mischieâ—s prepared against the â—ewes in the fiue first Chapters the â—ther contayneth the happie issue and â—iraculous deliueraunce from them in â—â—e rest of the Booke As concerning â—e former parte in the first two Chapâ—ers is recited the reiecting of Vashti and â—he exalting of Ester succeeding in her place In the third Chapter is recorded howe greatly Haman is had in fauour and authoritre with Assuerus his courtiers and with howe great and deadly hatred hee prosecuted Mardochaeus and all the rest of the Iewes The fourth containeth the praiers and supplications of the Iewes vnto God when they sawe so certaine a destruction to be readie to light on them The fift sheweth the preparation to the deliuerance the wrath and furie of Haâ—man notwithstanding increasing still against Mardochaeus and this is the first part of the booke In the other part wherin the deliuerance is contained in the sixt Chapter is declared the honour which Mardochaeus receiueth from the King by the ministrie of Haman and heereuppon the beginning of the euils that followed and an extreame dispaire of bringing his purpose to passe is foretolde him by his wife In the seuenth it is noted howe he was hanged on the gallowes which he had prepared In the two next Chapters is recited the slaughter of the enemies killed by the Iewes as well in Susa as in allother prouinces to the number of three score and fifteene thousand men amongst whom were the tenne sonnes of Haman 〈◊〉 and after hanged vpon gallowes Herehence ariseth great ioy and gladnes â—o the Iewes and that day is appoynted â—earely to celebrate so great a benefit â—eceiued at Gods hand The last Chapter 〈◊〉 teacheth that Mardochaeus beeing â—n great fauour and authoritie with the King and succeeding in Hamans place â—mployeth al his force to the good of the â—hurch And thus this Historie containeth â—he space of fifteene yeares though some â—ount more some lesse The vse and profit of this Historie is great For first out of it wee learne what â—or the most part is the state and conditiâ—n of the Church in this world to wit to â—e dispearsed heere and there vnder the â—ower and dominion of infidell Kings to â—e basely accounted of and hated of amâ—itious Courtiers to bee subiect to manie â—launders and to be appoynted euen vnâ—o death so that it shall be free for euerie â—ne without controlment to exercise tyâ—annie against it Contrariwise that the children of this worlde whiles others 〈◊〉 are despised and subiect to the crosse follow
their pleasures abounde in riches and honour and they who are stirred vppe with greater rage of vnrulie minds go about to compasse the death and destruction of the poore faythfull ones by which wicked counsels Kings easily suffer themselues to bee perswaded and so deceiued But all these things happen not without Gods decree and prouidence to those whom by these meanes hee will haue exercised and prooued that they may acknowledge the greatnesse of theyr sinnes bee remooued from the loue of this worlde be brought to true repenâ—ance bee made like vnto theyr head yeelde testimonie and witnesse to the trueth and bee lifted vppe into the hope of the Kingdome of heauen The causes then of the afflictions with which for the most parte wee see the Church of GOD to wrestle are on the one side the will of God both that the spots and blemishes wherwith as yet shee is dimmed may bee washed away and also that the vertue wherewith GOD hath endued her may shine the more bright On the other side the most venemous hatred of the worlde against the truth and pure Religion and also the credulitie of â—â—ose who sitte at the stearne of the â—â—eatest Empires together with theyr 〈◊〉 great carelesnesse to search out the 〈◊〉 or false Religion or to iudge of 〈◊〉 vprightly Especially wee are to obâ—â—rue the trecherous and exceeding rage 〈◊〉 Satan moouing and driuing men at 〈◊〉 becke and going about by all meanes â—â—ssible to extinguish the light of the â—â—auenly doctrine Next wee are to note what are the â—â—ercises of the faythfull when afflicâ—â—â—ns growe vppon them to wit teares 〈◊〉 prayer whence they hope for â—elpe with what constancie and boldâ—â—sse they ought to bee endued that are â—â—noured with the greatest gifts in the â—hurch who ought following the â—â—ample of Mardochaeus and Ester oâ—â—rcomming all difficulties to employ â—â—eyr whole labour for the Church â—â—ensoeuer any daunger is like to fall 〈◊〉 it For lette this be the onely ende of â—â—ose gifts whatsoeuer which men haue receiued from God and of the authoritie and fauour whereby they be of power 〈◊〉 euen the glory of God and the good of the Church leauing the euent of thoâ—â— things which by reason of our dutie 〈◊〉 the feare of God are taken in hand 〈◊〉 his good will and pleasure Nowe wherâ— as God is at hand the helper of his in 〈◊〉 fitte time and by so many meanes 〈◊〉 learne first that it was not without 〈◊〉 said that The â—ye of the Lord is vpon 〈◊〉 Psal 33 18. Psal 121. that feare him and hope in his mercie 〈◊〉 that He that keepeth Israel doth not slumbeâ—â— and therefore that wee may safely 〈◊〉 vnto him and looke for his helpe Nexâ— that the Lord is admirable in the defencâ— of his and reuenge of his enemies that 〈◊〉 may know that it is hee alone that sauet◠〈◊〉 43 â—â— and none other that prayer and supplicatâ—ons are not powred out before him 〈◊〉 trust reposed in his goodnesse in vaineâ— and that al may be compelled to acknowledge in his works his hand and powerâ— Therefore often times by himselfe without any meanes of man rouengeth he 〈◊〉 himselfe on his enemies So in olde timâ— Pharao runnes headlong into the sea with his horses chariots so the hoast of Sennacherib Exod. 14. 1 King 19. was slain and discomfited Sometimes indeed he vseth humane meanes but thâ—se so strange and vnlooked for that all men are driuen to wonder at it as Iudg. 3. 2â— 22. 4. 21. 7. 22. 〈◊〉 Eglon was slain by Ehud Siserâ— by 〈◊〉 the hoast of the Madianites ouerâ—â—â—wne with a great slaughter by three 〈◊〉 men following Gedeon who 〈◊〉 not but onely blew their 〈◊〉 and as this Haman of whom we are 〈◊〉 hanged vpon the same gallowes 〈◊〉 himselfe had sette vp euen by his 〈◊〉 of whom before he had 〈◊〉 so great honours Hereby it is 〈◊〉 that the hearts of Kings are in the Prou. 21. 1. 〈◊〉 of the Lorde which hee turneth at his 〈◊〉 so that in a moment hee so 〈◊〉 the hand of him who had signed and 〈◊〉 the death of the poore and innoâ—â—â—t faithfull that he turneth the same to 〈◊〉 punishment of them whom before he 〈◊〉 furnished with authoritie and power 〈◊〉 the ouerthrowing of the true 〈◊〉 Here also this is apparant that when 〈◊〉 goeth about to deliuer his Church 〈◊〉 the oppression of tyrants hee first 〈◊〉 taketh away with shame and 〈◊〉 the cheefe and head and after 〈◊〉 vp his reuenging hand against the 〈◊〉 of the members of the conspiracie 〈◊〉 Pharao perished not alone in the sea but together with his hoast So Egloâ— slaine and then the restare punished Sisara is put to flight with his armie Haman is hanged after that his 〈◊〉 and a great multitude of the 〈◊〉 of Gods people are vtterly destroye those beeing chosen to execute this 〈◊〉 geance and strengthened therunto by 〈◊〉 authoritie of the lawfull Magistraâ—e 〈◊〉 were before appoynted to the 〈◊〉 Neither are the examples fewe of 〈◊〉 uers such exployts occurring 〈◊〉 where in holy Writ as in the 〈◊〉 of the Iudges Samuel and the King in which we often see the people of 〈◊〉 defending themselues with lawful arme to haue destroyed their enemies 〈◊〉 great slaughters and not to haue span often times neither women or childrenâ— great is the wrath of God in reuengin the iniuries offered to himselfe in thâ— person of his Church whome hee loueâ— as his most dearest spouse So many time when the enemies of the people of 〈◊〉 are most ioyfull and tryumphant as 〈◊〉 ming vnto themselues to haue fully 〈◊〉 the euent of their practises theÌ„ is the ioy triumph turned into mourning 〈◊〉 sorrow Contrariwise the groanes of the 〈◊〉 and her teares are changed into 〈◊〉 voyce of a song and mâ—â—th as the 〈◊〉 singeth Sorrow may lodge with her for psal 30. 5. 〈◊〉 but ioy commeth in the morning and 〈◊〉 wrath of God endureth but a moment but 〈◊〉 fauor is life euerlasting Let the 〈◊〉 therefore consecrate vnto the Lorde 〈◊〉 ioy gladuesse and let them in it 〈◊〉 vp a perpetuall monument 〈◊〉 of his benefits as here we shall see 〈◊〉 be done by these seely captiues who 〈◊〉 so great a safetie from the Lord 〈◊〉 thus much sufficeth to haue spoken 〈◊〉 the fruits of this Historie Let vs now then set in hand with the 〈◊〉 it selfe and first heere offereth 〈◊〉 vnto vs the greatnesse of the 〈◊〉 of Assuerus which is described vnto 〈◊〉 by two circumstances the first that he 〈◊〉 from India to Aethiopra the 〈◊〉 that twentie seauen prouinces 〈◊〉 him that he had his emperiall seate 〈◊〉 the royall Citie Susa among the 〈◊〉 So that the greatest parte of the 〈◊〉 world was subiect vnto him euen 〈◊〉 goodliest richest most fruitful 〈◊〉 seeing he had vnder his dominiâ—â— all Asia and no small part of Affrica in the which Egypt and Aethiopia
friends and despile good counsell so deserue they to be deprined of them and to be suffered to sink vnder the burthen of their honour And these things are thus farre spoken of the modestie and wisedome of Ester who would to God shee had many followers that would be desirous of her vertues both publikely and priuately It remaineth that wee heare a singular dutie performed by Mardochaeus to the King whereby hee made himselse a way to great honour and authoritie with Assuerus though not so soone as hee deserued which was that hee declared vnto the king by Ester the treason of two courtiers who conspired the death of king Assuerus and so he deliuered the king from death and when as the whole trueth being examined was found out and they were executed by iust punishment the matter was written before the king in the booke of Chronicles In this Historie first these two Bigtan and Teresh offer themselues to our consideration who in their wrath conspire the kings death What occasion they had of this wicked counsell is not expressed and there fore we ought not to be ouer curious in searching of it but this is to be obserued that Courtiers as they are drawne with desires and passions do many times very quickly take any occasion of sedition and treasons For they oftentimes conspire against their Prince either vpon the deniall of their petition or for indignation and hatred and enuie which they conceaue at other mens honour whom they cannot abide should be preferred before them or mooued with ambition and desire of alteration as Absolom did against 2. Sam. 15 Dauid And what Prince is there who may iustly boast that he hath no such traitors in his Court Princes also themselues oftentimes by their own insolencie pride and crueltie diuers times by their sloth and negligence doo yeelde occasion to their Courtiers to rebell Neuerthelesse they are wicked and vngodly men who cōspire wilfully the death of their Prince and especially those whom hee hath so trusted that they are admitted to the keeping and guard of their persons as these were by Assuerus whom hee preferred to the custodie of his gate For vnto such men the way is easie to execute their conspiracie as it is reported that diuers of the Nobles his most familiars did conspire the death of Alexander the great But kings are enforced to commit themselues their life to such men And look how much the greater the trust is that is reposed in them so much the more vgly is their treason and detestable in the sight of all men But vnto such wickednesse are we growne in this age that euen the Phisitians from whom Princes looke for the meanes of their preseruation commit their bodies to their direction haue bene found to haue cōspired the death of those who haue bene the causes of their wealth and honor Wherefore those Princes are blessed who put their trust wholly in God and not in mans ayd those are happie whom God doth shield and protect Besides in the person of Assuerus wee see how greatly the life of kings great men is many times endangered though their guard do seem to defend them against all daunger But often doth it happen that they are more in daunger then meaner men especially if they turn their iust gouernment into tyrannie Wherefore the auncients haue vsed it for a prouerb that fewe Tyrants descend to Pluto by drie death that is die without bloud So Alexander the great was made away by poyson so Iulius Caesar was murthered in the Senate so very many Romaine Emperors were slaine by their souldiers so Bennadab was choked Isboth slaine by two wicked men on his bed Ioas the king of Iuda by two of his seruants Amasias was slaine at Lachis finally of twentie kings which raigned in Israel tenne of them died by violent death that he seemeth not to haue spoken vnwittily who said that a Tyrant was like to him who sate at a table furnished with all daintie dishes accompanied with all kinde of musicke and a great many of wayting-men readie at all commaunds but seeing a naked sword hanging ouer his head by a small thread and euery minute readie to fall vpon him Therefore many wise men amongst thē haue wished that they might resigne those great honours which they had attained if safely they might to leade a quiet and sure life without daunger as it is written of Augustus Caesar Yea very many haue quite giuen ouer their Empires as Diocletian and Maximian those capitals enemies and persecutors of Christiaris Antigonus King of Macedonia when he was to set the Diademe on his head said very fitly truly O crown if men knew how great cares thou bringest with thee none would so much as stoupe to take thee vp though thou layest in his way So that state of life which wee account so happie is oftentimes condemned as most vnhappie euen by those who are esteemed most happy as being most opē to so many entrappings partly of opē enemies partly of faithlesse friendes from which indeed none could be safe were it not that the eyes of the Lord do watch for the safetie of kings though euen vnworthie of his fauour good wil. Which heere wee see done for this Assuerus vnto whom God raised vp Mardochaeus by whom hee is in time admonished of the conspiratours that no good turne bestowed on God should bee bestowed in vaine That benefite which Assuerus did for Ester and the whole people of God was very late and fresh in memorie and god by and by doth requite it deliuering him from the handes of those who had conspired his death that Dauid doth not without cause say That it is God which giueth deliuerance vnto kings and rescueth Psa 144. 10. them from the hurtfull sword as he himselfe had often by experience found It is also to he noted that Assuerus was warned of the treason that was practised against him by the relation of a mean man that kings may learne to contemne none though they be but of base and low degree If any demaund how Mardochaeus could detect that conspiracie it may be aunswered that he was one of the porters of the kings gate which is apparant out of this and other places especially the fift and sixt chapter and therfore he might heare and see somewhat wherby he might perceiue the matter and peraduenture hee might be sollicited by the traitors to see of what good will he was in the case and to drawe him to their partiallitie Whatsoeuer it was it pleased God to vse this instrument as well to preserue the Kings life as also to make knowne Mardochaeus fidelitie so much the better We are here then to obserue that nothing is done by fortune but all things are gouerned by Gods prouidence who by this prepared in time another helper against the imminent daunger of his Church Here let all naturall subiects and inhabitants in any Realme learn what is their dutie
this was the first way which Haman vsed for the executing of his determination Now let vs see by what skill he perswaded the king that hee might abuse his name and authoritie to effect his cruell purposes Haman saide to the king Assuerus there is a people dispearsed among thy people in all the Prouinces of thy kingdom yet separated from others whose lawes are diuers from the lawes of all people and the kings lawes they do not obserue and therefore it is not profitable for the king to suffer them Hee disdaineth to name the Iewes but that hee might make them odious to the king hee setteth them foorth by these foure notes 1. That they are dispearsed through all the kings Prouinces 2. That they dwell apart from others 3. That they haue lawes different from all other people 4. That they obey not the kings lawes that is shortly that they are a people singular esteeming no lawes but their owne and therefore setting light by the kings lawes they are alwaies readie to rebell and so much the more to be feared that being mingled euery where among the kings subiects in all his Prouinces they are a bad example for the rest to stir vp any seditiō The last poynot of this accusation is most false and other things also are brought to set a colour to deceiue the king and to make them suspected of rebellion Hee obiecteth their calamity as a reproach that they were dispearsed into sundrie Prouinces as though this had bene done of purpose and certaine aduise by them and not rather by the violence of those by whō they were lead into captiuitie so dispearsed according to those threatnings which many ages before god had threatned vnto them if they rebelled against him and his lawes by Moses and other Prophets Deut. 32. That which hee telleth that they are seuered from the lawes of al people respecteth their religion whereby God had distinguished them from all other people and did prescribe vnto them holy and diuine lawes that they might serue him according vnto his will For as touching the lawes ciuill and statutes politicque they could vse none other but the kings vnlesse they were permitted by the king to liue according to their owne manners and customes So that hee reprooueth and accuseth them of that whereof they did most glorie before God and which they esteemed as their greatest praise that they were segregated by God as his proper treasure and store that they might bee his holy nation a people set at libertie and parte of his inheritance and that he had giuen them from heauē most holy lawes which should be their wisedome as Moses saith For the lawes of other people concerning religion were meer folly and abhomination before God for their idolatrie and impietie But so vse the blinde and ignorant to obiect vnto the people of God as a fault their holinesse their beautie and finally the heauenly doctrine which they haue from God Last of all hee accuseth them as disobedient to the kings lawes which was most false vnlesse peraduenture maliciously hee impute the priuate fact of Mardochaeus to the whole nation and that in a thing so iust to wit that he gaue not the honor due vnto the immortall God alone to a mortall creature By this accusation it appeareth that the Iews though they were captiues had nothing to do with the idolatrie of the Gentiles but obserued their sacred ceremonies as circumcision the Sabboths choise of meates and of other cleane things which were commanded by the lawe of God And it seemeth that this was granted vnto them or at the least suffered by the kings who therein were more fauourable vnto their poore subiects then the idolatrous kings of our age who cannot by any meanes abide those that professe true godlinesse For who knoweth not but that the enemies of the Church doo vse the same speeches with Haman and are carried away by the same spirit For if the faithfull endeuour to depend vpon the voyce alone of the son of God which is the Gospell are they not by and by accused of singularitie sedition contempt obstinacie saucinesse and selfe conceit Are they not accused as contemners of lawes and the constitutions of all antiquitie of the Councels Fathers and especially of the See of Rome which they haue lifted vp aboue the seate of Christ and finally as rebelles against kings and their lawes and statutes But I pray you wherefore Forsooth because they refuse to worship that Antichrist of Rome and serue his Idoles and to preferre his constitutions before the commandements of Christ Iesus as they do So wee see the malice and wickednesse of Haman and his bloudie mind as yet to remaine in the mouthes and hearts of the capitall enemies of the Church But yet notwithstanding let vs giue exceeding great thankes to our good and gracious God who at the last made it manifest that the king had none more stubborne and disobedient and rebellious then those who accused the Church of rebellion For how commeth it to passe that at this day the Leaguers rise so rebelliously against the king but that they are bewitched with the false doctrine of the Pope Do they not sufficiently shewe that they haue onely hitherto abused the kings name that they might wrongfully accuse vs Is it not abundantly experienced that they cared not for the king edicts but so farre foorth as they abused them to oppresse vs Nay what Edicts haue not these good Catholickes despised but those which haue bene wrested from the king to destroy religion Now that which they blame vs for that wee will not bee present in their Ecclesiasticall assemblies and Churches and obserue the same ceremonies and rites with them is it not rather contrariwise a most high praise vnto vs that we will not come into any fellowship with those superstitious and idolatrous rites wherwith their Churches are stuffed And let thus much be spoken of Hamans accusation against the people of God Let vs heare now his bloudie cōclusion It is not profitable for the king to suffer thē If it seeme good vnto the king let it bee decreed that they may be destroyed and I will weigh ten thousand talents of siluer into the hands of those who shall be appoynted to this businesse that they may bring it into the kings treasurie If the accusation had bene true the former parte of it seemed cleare enough For it is not expedient for States to tollerate a part of their subiects which should contemne cast aside good laws But yet that followeth not which Hamā inferreth that they shall bee destroyed with a generall massacre There are other waies more moderate wherby those who obey not good lawes as they shuld may bee corrected and amended which are to be followed rather then at once to destroy them all In that he saith It is not profitable for the king he hath respect vnto that common speech that but one kind of religiō only is to be suffered
in one kingdome that the diuersitie of religion is the cause of sedition and war that the people which liue after their own fashion will easily rebel and reuolt vnto the enemies of the kingdome Thus sayd that stubborn Pharao when in Exo. 1 10 the counsell of his states they concluded that the Israelites were to bee oppressed with hard bondage And againe the purpose and determination Dan. 3 of Nabuchadnezzar in erecting that great golden Image to establish one onely religion in his whole Empire But the experiēce of al times hath made it manifest as euen at this day it also doth that true religion is not the cause of stirres and troubles but the malice of them that cannot abide it Indeed false religions doo easily beare one an other but all hate the true for truth and lying cannot stand togither For who knoweth not how many sects of Monkes the Church of Rome doth nourish what diuersities of opinions which yet defend one an other and that only vpon an hatred of the truth and in that consent whereby they acknowledge one Head who easily tollerateth all errors and disordered orders so that they yeeld him faith and obedience but cannot in any wise abide the truth whereby his pride may bee detected yet is this a most pleasing voyce and acceptable vnto all that there ought to be one King one Faith one Lawe And indeed it is a most excellent saying so that it be well vnderstood but when error is placed in steed of faith and abuse for law and a tyrant for a King that vnion and vnitie which is so much desired is turned into a miserable destruction scattering of true doctrine Furthermore that sentēce is so far of from being true that it is hurtfull and damageable to kings to suffer in their Kingdoms Gods people professing pure doctrine that on the contrary it is most profitable and their preseruation dependeth vpon it For God doth preserue the world for his elects sake although wicked men perswade themselues that the faithfull are the cause of all calamities and euill Insomuch as that which Haman thought was not profitable for King Assuerus was the commoditie and glory yea and the preseruation and defence of his Kingdome For did not Mardochaeus disclose that cōspiracie which was made against the king and by his wisedome preserued him from it And therefore so much the more is the conclusion of Haman to be condemned that the whole Nation of the Iewes was to be destroyed and so much the more his froward malice to be abhorred that perceiuing his request to bevniust he promiseth tenne thousand tallents of siluer whereby the losse might bee supplied which it seemed the King should sustaine by the slaughter of the Iewes So that he sufficiently sawe his purpose was voyd of all humanitie damageable to the kings reuenues and therefore he promiseth to recompence that losse with the sum of 10000 tallents of siluer And by this reason it appeareth how thirstie he was of the bloud of these wretched men when he endeuoureth to buye it hee careth not with what sum and goeth about to deceiue the King in faigning himselfe to be most carefull of his profit in as much as he sticketh not to bestowe so great a sum from which there shall arise a double profit to the King both by making away that stubborne and rebellious people and by encreasing the Kings treasure by such an heape of siluer in such sort do the wicked account nothing so deare or pretious which they will not willingly bestowe on the destructiō of the Church Some there are that thinke that Haman did not offer this summe of his own but of the spoyles of the Iewes and that he was not so prodigall that he would buye their bloud at so deare a price whome hee esteemed no better then dogs as for the most part Idolaters are wont to set light by the bloud of the faithfull but by the comparing of this place with those things which are after spoken in the 13. verse of taking the spoyle of the Iewes and with those things which are set downe in the 7. verse of the next Chapter that Haman had promised to pay that summe of siluer into the Kings treasure for the Iewes to destroy them it appeareth sufficiently that he offered this sum of his owne For otherwise to what purpose shuld a subiect offer such a sum vnto his King of the spoyle of subiects Therfore althogh the enemies of the Church be exceeding couetous yet the desire of reuenge and that deadly hatred wherewith they are driuen doo compell them to any prodigalitie so that they may shead the bloud of the faithfull at theyr pleasures This is apparant in the Romane Cleargie whose insatiable couetousnesse is knowne vnto euery man yet they spare not any cost to solicite Kings and set them on to the slaughter of the godly buying their bloud with the greatest most pretious part of their Ecclesiastiall reuenues And the people also being bewitched with the importune cryes of false teachers and Iesuites do willingly spend part of their goods so that religion may vtterly be abolished and destroyed with such and so great hatred which by no meanes can bee appeased doth the world fight against Gods people and his truth so Satan speweth out his rage and venome against the Church by his ministers and so is the bloud of the faithfull solde for ready mony But God forbid that we shuld grudge at this when we know that Christ Iesus our Lord was so betrayed and sold for a certaine sum of mony And this is Hamans opinion for the destruction of the nation of the Iewes Let vs then go forward to the kings answer in which his exceeding great inabilitie and vnskilfulnesse is seen for without any cōtradiction taking his Ring from his finger he gaue it to Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite that wold oppresse the Iewes besides he said to Hamā that he giueth him all that siluer besides that people also to do with them as seemeth good in his eyes The ring is giuen him in sign of the authoritie power which he receiued of the King to vse as shuld seeme good vnto him And this further appeareth in that hee giueth him the mony offered permitteth him to vse his pleasure with the people So we Gen. 41. 42. see that Pharao but in a lawfull cause whē he wold giue absolute authoritie vnto Ioseph in his Kingdome to dispose all things as he pleased gaue vnto him his Ring But what shal we most wonder at in this blockish king whether that hee gaue ouer his power to an other and him a stranger or that so rashly he admitteth his accusation or that so cruelly he condemnethso many innocents and gaue their goods for a pray or that without any mans aduise not hearing the accused neither making any inquisition of the cause hee deliuereth ouer so headdily so many thousand men to so bloudie a
all men are readie against the day of slaughter and Haman hauing al things perfected to his wish sitteth drinking with the king This Historie is worthie to be diligently weighed for it containeth a liuely pattern of those things which haue happened in our age First then the Kings Scribes are called as soone as the King hath giuen his assent least perhappes the matter beeing better thought on there might be left a place for repentance and occasion to call backe again that which ouer-rashly he had granted and so eyther himselfe thinking better vpon it or else warned by some other should take some newe aduise concerning so barbarous and bloudie a graunt So the wicked are wont to vrge Kings and to bee instant vpon them in a wicked purpose that there may bee left them neither time nor place to deliberate of it And thus are the Scribes called not to deliberate of the whole matter but onely to write those things which Haman shuld commaund to be sent to the Kings Nobles and to the Captaines that were in euery Prouince and to the rulers of euery people and to euery people according to their tongue that is in breefe to all which in euery Prouince had any authoritie For the Nobles were his Liefetenants generall the Captaines were the gouenors vnder them the rulers were those which in euery Citie in all meetings of the people were in greatest estimation and credit Hamans ende and purpose was that all sorts of men should doo their carefull endeuour in accomplishing that bloudie Edict which was so guarded with the Kings name and sealed with the Kings Ring which was in steed of those great seales which our Kings at this day vse So for the most part we see it to come to passe that those who are placed in the gouernmeÌ„t of the CoÌ„mon-wealth for the defence of good men the protection of lawes and preseruation of publique peace do often times kings being caried away with euil counsellours bestow their labour in murthering and massacring the most quiet peaceable subiects making no enquirie before whether it bee done by right or wrong to whom it is inough to say Thus it was the Kings pleasure neither are they mindful that they are called to that place not to serue the Princes lust who as other men is mortall but to serue the lawes and render to euery one that which is theirs Wherfore that saying Traiane of an Emperour of Rome is greatly to bee praysed who deliuering vnto the Generall of his horsemen the sword into his hand spake vnto him these words Vse this for mee if I commaund that which is right and against me if I command that which is vniust But the tyrannous will or rather lust of many Princes challeÌ„geth the force of lawe and to be the rule of equitie although euen in iest they deliberate of most vniust matters The Scribes againe on the other part yeeld themselues most obedient to Haman and obiect nothing against so bloudy and violent an Edict they would not forsooth displease the King Nothing also in so cruell a proclamation seemeth vniust or vnlawfull to the Nobles and Captains but they are ready to fulfill it So in our age if Edicts were to bee penned against religion the Scribes could neuer satisfie themselues in deuising significant words to make them more haynous and cruell the Gouernours without any exception were ready with all their might seuerely to obserue them and the people receiued them with alioy and gladnes And as here al things were written in the kings name and sealed with the Kings seale so in our age the colleagued enemies of the church and true religion with great cries and opeÌ„ mouth pretended still the kings name and maiestie and haue vsed his forces and the common treasure to the oppressing thereof running as it were to quench a fire that would bring destruction to the whole Realm Lo then how this Edict was written in authenticall forme according to Hamans will and lust Let vs come now to those things that were contained therein for of the maner how it came and was dispearsed into the Prouinces we will speake after in the 15. verse The Proclamation containeth two principall poynts The former is the killing of all Iewes without sparing or making difference and that all togither vpon one appointed day and the spoyling of their goods as a pray The other that this decree be made knowne vnto all Prouinces that all men might be ready against the day prefixed to coÌ„mit so bloudy aslaughter As concerning the former Haman is not contented with the common worde of killing the Iewes but that he might the better lay open his câ—uell and bloud-thirsty mind he saith that they should bee rooted out slaine and destroyed and that there should not any place be left for manhood or pietie wherewith mooued men at least migh spare infants he maketh mention of euery one seuerally as well young as olde little children as women This butcherie is appointed vpon one and the same day that with greater pleasure he might wallowe in aboundance of bloud flowing from al places at one time and that the cut-throates in euery place might the more bee stirred vp vnto that horrible slaughter nay farther that they may not spare any the goods of those that are slaine are set open for a pray to bee spoyled that euery one hauing this reward promised might runne vnto that slaughter with a barbarous and vnbridled furie If any man demaund with what shew of reason so detestable a fact could bee shadowed the answere is easie vpon Hamans accusation they were condemned as contemners of the Kings lawes and religion Finally the hatred of God and of true religion was a sufficient incitement vnto them to commit so bestiall a massacre Paraduenture it may seeme strange and incredible that so bloudie a decree could bee made when the most enraged enemies and most bloudie are wont in warres to spare women children vnlesse euen in our owne age we had seene farre more cruell things then these not onely to haue bene deliberated of and decreed by those who brag that they are Christians but also to haue beene executed with so great and so barbarous rage by them that euen a mans heart will quake onely to remember it For if any man call to remembrance that arrest of Parliament made at Aix against the inhabitants of Cabriers and Merindoll about some 44. yeares ago and also that most horrible butcherie begunne at Paris the 24. of August 1572. and afterward spread into the other Cities of France he must needes bee driuen to confesse that these were so cruell that they passed all others and this last so barbarous that it turneth away mens eyes from all others vnto that alone the crueltie was so fierce and vnheard of before that none can sufficiently wonder at it and bee mooued with horror who haue but onely heard the report thereof For what kinde of crueltie was there not
executed with more then diuellish rage against men of all ages qualitie and sexe what villanies omitted against those that were slaine with what slaunders were they not euen ouerwhelmed that they might be accounted euen detestable after their death But by whom I beseech you consider were those horrible sauage slaughters coÌ„mitted not by straungers not by sauage people and Canibals but by their fellow-Citizens their neighbours their alliance by them who but the day before did testifie their friendship by their oathes But at what time was this lamentable slaughter executed In the middest of a publique peace with most solemne rites proclamed and sworne vnto vnder the glorious pretence of marriage and feasts royall wheÌ„ all ioy did seeme to be hoped for By what means Euen by the most trecherous traiterous practises that euer the most faithlesse did vse Vnder what pretence of Christianitie zeale religion Oinfernal hellish zeale ô diuellish religioÌ„ which teacheth to murther so cruelly so treacherously those who only call on the name of Christ Iesus And yet notwithstanding so barbarous so impudent is the superstition of the seruants of Antichrist that all the Preachers of the Church of Rome haue extolled with most high commendation euen vnto heauen so barbarous a butcherie as an holy and meritorious worke and after did neuer make an ende of exhoâ—ting the people to newe slaughters by their seditious outcries neither ceased they vntill they had againe kindled a new fire of ciuill warre And the greatest part of the people being seasoned or tainted rather with so pestilent doctrine delighted in that sauage butcherie and were sorie they could not commit greater cruelties or that any of the faithfull should escape their bloudie fingers For this purpose not many yeares past was that League made among the conspiratours who assembled themselues and bound themselues by oath to oppresse spoyle and destroy the rest of the Church not onely in France or England but in all places of the world where the name of Christ Iesus is purely called on and his Gospell sincerelytaught And to this end indeed are all the desires counselles deceits treacheries and endeuours of the Romane Antichrist directed that by this meanes he may restore his decayed tyrannie And who euen yet at this day do moue the body of the League without a head so furiously but those fire braÌ„ds which are sent from the Pope stirring vp in the mindes of all those who giue eare vnto them a deadly hatred against the Gospel vnder the name of heresie which they falsely lay vpon it and a desire of destroying and rooting out yea euen rasing the memorie from amongst men of all those who do professe it Therefore Haman is not yet dead but his cruell minde reuiueth in an infinit number of men who beeing bewitched with the blasphemous voyces of Antichrist craftily coloured perswade themselues that there is none other zeale no other godlines but in sheading the bloud of all those who consent not to their impâ—eties yea also of those though they be Papists who allow not of the crueltie furie of the Leagurs so that they haue not spared euen their King and his officers And if the Lord himselfe had not cut in sunder all the cordes of the vngodly and shut the mouthes of the cruell Lyons so cunningly so deceitfully had they couched all their fraudes and guiles that there was not any hope left to escape their traps But blessed be the Lord who hath not suffered that these wicked cruel beasts should deuour as they hoped his people whom they had caught in their clawes and euen rent them with their most fierce teeth They had eueÌ„ already deuided the spoiles of the poore faithfull ones and laid holde on their goods but the Lord who hath stricken their Head is euen now ready to demaund an account of so many slaughters committed by them and to reuenge it And thus farre touching the first part of the Edict The other point is that the contents of this writing should be made knowne to all People and Prouinces that they might all bee prepared against that day that is that the cut-throates in all coastes should be ready to set vpon the Iewes and to kill them So that this execution should bee done without any forme of iudgement For I pray what order or shewe of law was obserued against these poore innocents All things then were to bee done with open force and armed hand as most times there want not ministers of such cruelties especially if the goods of those that are executed may remaine as a pray for such cut-throates But what a confusion is that and what disturbing of order so to allure and accustome the people to slaughter Is not this the meanes to open the way to new seditions to lay forth the lawes to bee troden vnder foote by all men to teach men to set light by the bloud and life of men and to flesh the wicked and leaud persons in robbery violence But without care is the coÌ„fusion of al things broght in without care are the lawes both diuine â—â—mane broken without care is the law of nations nature trodeÌ„ vnder foot so that â—â—ey may take reuenge of their enemies and true religion may be destroyed with 〈◊〉 that fauor it Now if any shuld take exâ—â—tions that this Edict being so speedily 〈◊〉 out did giue warning to the Iewes speedily to prouide for their safetie by flight I answere there was also as speedily prouided that there should bee no place for them to escape For whither I pray could those miserable Captiues flee with their families beeing enuironed on euery side with so many enemies For from the time that decrees are pulished against the poore faithfull there is none dates shewe himselfe a friend vnto them all men are enemies in aduersitie The Kings voyce is as thunder wherewith euen the most stout are feared Who then wil wonder that there was no means for the poore Iewes being thus condemned to escape when as it is rather to be maruelled at how their enemies held themselues backe but that they had assailed them before the day prefixed thaâ— they might the sooner enioy the spoyle as wee see that holy-hunger of gold driues men to commit any mischiefe Bâ—â— God did watch for the safegarde of thâ— poore Captiues from whom being iniuâ—â—ously condemned hee did turne the euâ—â— vpon their enemies Here we are to hold for certaine thâ— God doth often suffer his Church to bâ— plunged into so great dangers as it seemeth in the iudgement of man impossible to get out of them that therby the deliueraunce thereof may bee the more knowne and famous in the whole world So Pharoes hoste hemmed in the Israelites Exod. 14. on euery side at the redde Sea to whom God gaue a deliuerance through the middest of the Sea So Rabsake beâ—eeged 2. King 19. 35. Ierusalem very straightly without hope of helpe from any mortall man that his power
in the Church yet hath shee retayned fasting teares and sighes as the most conuenient furtherances for our weakenesse and most beseeming the grauitie of publike assemblies Priuately it is lawfull for euery one to vse those meanes whereby hee may be stirred vp to true humilitie and repentance whether he put on sackcloth or lye on the ground putting his mouth in the dust as Ieremie Laâ— 3. 29. 1. Tim. 4. 8. speaketh so that he knowe that all this bodily exercise hath little profit as Paule sayeth and that hee place not the seruice of God in these exercises or faigne vnto it an opinion of merit as vnskilfull men are wont in the Church of Rome So that when these outwarde things are referred to their right ende and vse which is that wee may be the more cast downe and humbled before God by them and raysed vp to true repentance that our zeale may be increased and our prayers more feruent then they helpe and are pleasing and acceptable to God who as hee hath created the bodie no lesse then the soule doth also require to bee serued with both and in both will haue vs to giue testimonie of earnest repentance and amendment But wee must especially take care that the contrition and humilitie of the heart placing his hope and trust in the mercye of God doo goe before these outwarde things after which the confession of our sinnes must followe and an acknowledging of Gods iustice with earnest prayer desire of pardon and deprecation of the deserued punishments and last of all an ardent petition of help and defence to the glorie of his name The sprinklings of such a sacrifice are fastings sighes and teares and from that as from a fountaine do these outward things drawe all the dignitie that they haue but faith repentance hope are the gifts of God of his meere grace which receiue all their dignitie from the onely merite of Christ Iesus and his obedience Wherefore our whole repentance with all the parts fruits and testimonies thereof are the gifts of God whose whole merite commeth from that onely sacrifice which our Lord Iesus Christ offered once vppon the Crosse for vs by which alone God is appeased turneth away his wrath from vs and forgiueth vs our sinnes Therefore beeing reconciled vnto God by so excellent a price our repentance which is the gift of his grace is pleasing and acceptable vnto him because that by our humilitie wee magnifie his glorie and by acknowledging of our sinnes wee commend his iustice and in that wee flee vnto him in the middest of our miseries yea and death he is acknowledged to be the author of life and saluation a gratious gentle and mercifull God How then can it be but such a repentance shall be acceptable vnto God when he deferred the sentence of vengeance alreadie giuen against Achab for 1. Reg. 21 29. for that he humbled himselfe before God although his heart were not syncere and vpright and oftentimes did hee patiently beare with his people in the wildernesse although their heart were not Psa 78. 37. pure and right with God Thus haue wee how Mardochaeus and the rest of the Iewes did publiquely testifie their repentance looking for helpe and deliuerance from God If any man demaund what their sinnes were the answere is easie that besides the vsuall sinnes whereuâ—to men are giuen this also was added that through feare and negligence they remayned in those strange countryes when the rest of their brethren by the commandement and leaue of Cyrus were returned to Ierusalem and the holy land And it behoued them when they were thus appointed to the slaughter to feele how great a sinne they had committed in not returning with the rest into their country By this example and such like in which we see that the faithfull neuer found more safer protection then Gods mercie nor more strong weapons then prayers and teares our sluggishnes must be rowsed vp especially at this time in which we see the furie of the enimies more then euer to be kindled and that they take greater courage to oppresse Gods truth and destroy Gods pure seruice to flee vnto him and to be conuerted with our whole heart that hauing mercie on vs he will appoint an ende of our miseries or at the least moderate them and giue vs strength whereby through his name wee may ouercome all incommodities and daungers whatsoeuer And of the remedie which Mardochaeus and the rest of the Iewes did seeke thus farre The other remedie vnto which Mardochaeus did flee is the fauour of Ester for which cause it is sayd that he went euen vnto the Kings gate to wit that hee might be seene by some of Esters retinueâ— and so declare vnto her in how greaâ— danger both he and the whole nation oâ— the Iewes were for hee might not enter within the Kings gate beeing clothed with sackcloth Where by the way we are to note that the Kings of Persia that nothing might either come to their eares or be in their sight whereby they might be made sadde as are cryes and weeping and sighing and the very attyre of the afflicted testifying their sorrowe would not that any should come into their sight in such apparell and besides that this was vsed to be done by them that they might driue farre away all memorie and thought of death But this is not onely a great nicenesse and effeminacie but it is also exceeding great and more then barbarous crueltie For to what ende are Kings appointed but that they should be the refuge of the miserable and afflicted So it commeth for the most part to passe that there is no entrance for the distressed into the house nor any waye or meanes to complayne vnto them but they must comfort themselues with this that the gate of heauen is alwayes wide open vnto them in as much as the Father of heauen calleth all that are afflicted vnto him and promiseth them helpe and ayde Therefore Mardochaeus seeing he could not enter into the kings house cryeth out in the streetes that Ester may be certified of this his sorrow which also came to passe by her maidens Eunuchs whereat she was grieued exceedingly and sent him other garments that so he might enter into the kings palace but Mardochaeus refused them By this wee may know that Esters gentle disposition and nature was not altered by her royall dignitie and greatnesse but that she had a most louing carefulnes towards Mardochaeus whome she worthily acknowledgeth as her neere kinseman and holdeth him in steede of her father and besides would gladly relieue him and if it were possible rid him of all care and doubtfulnesse A most worthie example for all to behold and namely for mightie men who haue all delights in abundance that they may learne to relieue the distressed for for this end haue they receiued at Gods hande riches and aboundance of all prosperitie that they should communicate them vnto others and succour the
the poore wil come in a most conuenient time to deliuer and saue them that in the middest of the church there may be sufficient matter of praise and thanksgiuing through Iesus Christ to whom alone be glory for euer Amen THE TWELFTH Sermon The feare and excuse of Ester the faith and constancie of Mardochaeus and the holy deliberation and purpose of Ester after three dayes fast from v. 9. to the end 9. So Hatach returning told Ester the words of Mordecai 10. Then Ester said vnto Hatach and commanded him to say vnto Mordecai 11. All the Kings seruants and the people of the Kings Prouinces do know that whosoeuer man or woman that commeth to the King into the inner court which is not called there is a law of his that he shall die except him to whō the king holdeth out the golden rod that he may liue Now I haue not bene called to come vnto the king these thirtie dayes 12. And they certified Mordecai of Ester words 13. And Mordecai said that they should aunswere Ester thus Thinke not with thy selfe that thou shalt escape in the Kings house more then all the Iewes 14. For if thou heldest thy peace at this time comfort and deliuerance shall appeare vnto the Iewes out of an other place but thou and thy fathers house shall perish and who knoweth whether thou art come to the Kingdome for such a time 15. Then Ester commanded to answer Mordecai 16. Go and assemble all the Iewes that are found in Susa and fast yee for me and eate not nor drinke in three dayes I also and my maydes will fast likewise and so will I go in to the King which is not according to the law and if I perish I perish 17. So Mordecai went his way and did according vnto ali that Ester had commaunded him A Ffliction is the tryal of our faith and the fornance in which there is made manifest both the weakenes and infirmitie of our flesh as also the strength of the spirit which remaineth in the hearts of the faithfull it is also the whetstone whereby wee are sharpened in earnest and vehement prayer vnto GOD and which maketh vs wise to seeke the ayd and help of men in a lawfull manner All which things are most euident in this historie For in that extreme affliction which hanged ouer the heads of the Iewes Ester strooken with feare refuseth to go in vnto the king to intreate for thē Contrariwise Mardochaeus with an inuincible faith and constancie exhorteth her to do her dutie which she afterward purposeth to do fleeing to most feruent and extraordinarie prayer ioyned with three dayes fast after which she is fully determined to speake vnto the King for the safetie of the Church So that there are three chiefe points heere to be discussed the first the excuse of Ester for feare of certaine danger ver 11. the second the faith and courage of Mardochaeus in exhorting Ester to the deliuerance of the Church ver 12 13 14. the third the holie purpose and pietie of this holy woman being readie against all euents and danger for the succour of her people ver 15. 16. These examples are proposed vnto vs that we may know what we should do in aduersitie what meanes we may vse to be deliuered from them with what zeale what faith what constancie and courage the Church is to be defended and our brethren deliuered Touching the first point Ester being certified by Hatach of the decree made against the Iewes and of the helpe that Mardochaeus did desire in this necessitie doth excuse her selfe by the great rigour of the lawe made against those who came vnto the King not beeing called and doth adde that that was the thirtieth day since she had been called to come in vnto the King This seemeth a faire excuse for there is lykely to fall on her a most euident danger seeing the lawe is manifest and so much the more seuerely obserued by how much it was more commodious for preseruation of the Kings Maiestie It increased her feare because in thirtie dayes shee was not called in vnto the King and therefore seemeth to be out of fauour and she distrusteth that she should obtaine her suite offending against the lawe and so it was to be feared least shee should cast her selfe headlong into certayne perill of death and do no good neither to her selfe nor her people And so Ester desireth Mardochaeus to consider of it and holde her excused But the feare of priuate danger ought not to affright her but that neuerthelesse shee should with Gods fauour trie the Kings minde and seeke to turne it to hinder that horrible slaughter Heereby we see that those who are come to great dignities and possesse much which they may lose are also more fearefull then others though for the most part men rather care for their owne hinderance then the common danger And you shall scarcely finde any who will not seeke some excuse when he should helpe the Church and hath not more regard of redressing his owne discommodities then of relieuing the brethren Moreouer it is no great maruayle to see a woman affrayde of imminent danger when it often tymes happeneth that men euen of a good courage bee so daunted with dangers that they leaue their dueties vndone This is apparant in the Apostles and namely in Peter when they sawe theyr Lorde whose myracles were yet fresh in memorie and euen as it were before their eyes to be in the hands of his enemies therefore the weake and fearefull men are not to be reiected but rather to be stirred vp and encouraged Hence also it is to be noted how inconuenient the condition is of vnequall mariage when one part is greater and more worthie then the other and how the most mightie do most easily breake the lawes of holy matrimonie which are these That the man hath not power ouer his 1. Cor. 7. bodie but the woman nor the woman power of her bodie but the man and that they ought not to be separated but for a time with the consent of both parties Wee may obserue besides how kings vnder pretence of their securitie and defense of their princely maiestie do very often make tyrannicall and vniust lawes and quite contrarie and repugnāt to the end for which they are appointed by God For what I pray is more contrarie to the office of a good king then vnder paine of death to forbid any man to enter into his court What more inhumane then to shut the doore against those to whom Iustice is due How great a barbarousnes is it that the wife dares not come into the presence of her husband but that she shall stand in danger of death Thus it commeth to passe that Princes whiles they go about to maintaine their dignitie do degenerate into beasts so that none dares safely come neere vnto them and their throne which ought to be the refuge and sanctuarie of the poore and distressed is become a
bee ashamed as also in an other place he praiseth Gods goodnesse when he saith Vnto Ps 59. 17 thee ô my strength will I sing for God is my defence and my mercifull God Thus you see how happie Esters entrance was Let vs heare how wisely she vseth this prosperous gale of the kings fauour to wit She biddeth the King and Haman to a banket In which thing her modestie wisdome and integritie do shine for shee doth not abuse the kings fauor she breaks not forth by and by into teares and howling and sobs as perhaps there seemed fit occasion offred vnto her by the kings fauour and Hamans absence Her modestie is exceeding great in that she restraineth her affections and patiently expecteth a fitter opportunitie to complain vnto the king and make her supplication By this we learne that we must bridle our affectious and passions least we be carried headlong by them and that it is a commendable moderation not to bee rashly mooued although there bee iust cause of complaint for oftentimes a iust griefe doth driue vs beyond the bounds of moderation that hardly men or women can temper themselues when they finde patient eares lent to their complaints whereby it commeth to passe that oftentimes the bitternesse of our most iust complaints doth take much away from their waight and force Her wisedome appeareth in that shee inuiteth the King to a banquet because shee knewe that thereby shee should further procure his good will for that shee had experience that hee was delighted with feastes as in the first Chapter wee haue seene that hee spent halfe a yeare in banqueting and drinkings So the faithfull know how to vse things indifferent without euill to serue their commoditie Yea euen our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus did take occasion at those banquets whereunto he was bidden to teach the chiefe poynts of our saluation So he conuerted Zachaeus Lu. 19. 8. 9. at a banquet and in the house of Simon the Pharisee he receiued that miserable Lu. 7. 36. c. sinner into fauor teaching the Pharisee the doctrine of faith repentance and by the occasion of being entertained by Matthew whome of a Publican Mat. 9. 10. hee made an Apostle hee shewed the ende of his comming into the world cleared himselfe and his disciples from slaunder and set open the doore of consolation to repentant sinners Ester therefore is not to be blamed if she sought the opportunitie of a banket more fitly to make her supplication to the King But it seemeth that her dissimulation cannot be excused in that she biddeth Haman the enemie of the Church togither with the King but in that so much the more appeareth her integritie vprightnesse for she prepareth her complaint to be vttered in his presence that she might before-hand take away all matter of exception and excuse laying open the fraude wherby he did obtaine of the King so vniust an Edict And so Ester by those things which might seeme to turne to her blame as though she were guiltie of dissimulation and treacherie doth receiue the praise of great integritie and iustice For the wicked haue no cause to complaine whether their wickednesse be detected priuately or publiquely whether at a table or in the place of iudgement so that there be no place for fraudeor deceit but that the fact bee simply and truly propounded neither in a good cause is it a fault to vse things indifferent vnto profit and aduantage For right and equitie do not depriue vs of the vse of those things which without blame we may employ in the defense of a good cause To be silent in prosecuting our right is not to betray to deferre til occasion be offered is not to do iniurie to the aduerse partie it is not crueltie or hypocrisie to bid him to a banquet whome you meane to accuse to entertaine an enimie at a feast is not to lye But some will say it is at least to dissemble I confesse it But all dissimulation is not euill and to be condemned Christ Iesus a great while suffered Iudas Mat. 26. at his table and committed vnto him his purse as to a good and faithfull disciple and yet he knew him to be a diuell and a traytor of which yet at last he warned him at his last supper So Ester calleth Haman to her banket because it is not forbidden to do good vnto the wicked she entertaineth him and after accuseth him to the King because the benefits bestowed on euill men doth not exempt them from punishment but make them more inexcusable Wherefore traytours and treacherous persons are nothing holpen by this example in the couering of their fraudes deceits and guiles whereby they set vpon good men to oppresse them Neither is this fact yet rashly to be imitated but onely the occasion is to be obserued if any like vnto this shall happen for in this present world so full of miseries deceits and entrappings wee must not onely abstayne from euill but also from all shew of 1. Thess 5. 22. euill The King willingly agreeth vnto Esters request and bringeth Haman with him who accounteth it no small honour that hee onely was inuited by the Queene to accompanie the King Whiles they were in drinking the King Assuerus renueth his former promise thinking belike that Ester durst not propose her demaunde for the greatnesse of the thing Therefore againe hee sayeth that it shall be in her choise to demaunde euen the halfe of the kingdome But who can heere sufficiently wonder at the impudencie and blasphemous speeches of the Doctors of the Church of Rome For one of them Gabriell Biel is not afrayde to say that that which Assuerus heere offereth to Ester was a figure of those things which God in deede hath bestowed on the Virgine Marie euen the halfe of his kingdome For whereas sayeth he the Father of heauen hath these two the chiefest gifts of his kingdome Iustice and Mercie reseruing Iustice vnto himselfe hee hath graunted Mercie vnto the Virgine Marie Heere hence it is that amongst them they giue this title vnto her The Mother of Mercie But let vs leaue those blasphemous speeches whereof euen the most impudent amongst them are almost ashamed Let vs rather heare Esters answere who yet referreth her request vntill the morrow with that condition that it will please the King againe the next day to returne with Haman vnto the banket which should be prepared for him It is not easie to say what moued her to defer her request whē she had the king so ready easie to be intreated to grant whatsoeuer she would But whatsoeuer was her purpose it is certaine that God ruled the thoughts of her heart and her speech that by those things which the next morning happened to Mardochaeus who by the Kings commandement and the ministerie of Haman himselfe did obtaine such solemne honors she might haue a certaine assurance of obtaining her petition and that Haman who a little
vnthankefulnesse are turned into mourning and misfortune Let vs therefore learne in our ioy and gladnesse to acknowledge the true author thereof and to reioyce in good and honest things and to keepe a measure in mirth and especially let vs take heede that it be not hurtfull vnto any or turne to contempt and disgrace of our brethren But this ioy of Haman was turned on a suddaine into sorrowe and melancholie For when Haman sawe Mardochaeus in the Kings gate who did neither arise nor moue himselfe for him he was enflamed with great rage against him Heere let vs first consider the constancie of Mardochaeus and then speake afterward of Hamans wrath We heard before that Mardochaeus was bolde vppon the most plaine and expresse commaundement of God whereby the Iewes were commaunded to haue continuall enimitie with the Amalekites out of whose nation Haman sprang the reason is expressed Exodus 17. verse 16. and Deuteron 25. verse 18. 19. because â—he Amalakites came out to fight with the â—eople in the desart to destroy them Now â—y how much the greater that Haâ—ans pride was and his crueltie against the Church so much the more is Mardochaeus to be commended that he vouchsafeth not to honor him whom God by an irreuocable decree had commanded to be holden for an enemie and had appointed to vtter ruine and destruction For among the notes of a good man this is not the last to despise the wicked Psal 15. 4. Therefore Mardochaeus did not sinne either in pride or rashnes or desperatnes when as he would not bow himselfe before such an enimie who had sworne the slaughter ruine of the people of God but on the contrarie his constancie is worthie so much the greater praise by how much the greater and certainer his danger was and so much the more commendable was his courage by how much the more the malice and crueltie of his enimie increased Wherefore this constancie witnesseth that he hath done nothing rashly from the beginning and that it repented him not that he had rather obeyed God then man and that he had not cast off his hope for that bloudie edict proclaimed against him and his nation and that he was not ashamed of his religion nor of that testimonie which he had yelded vnto the truth This constancie our Lord Iesus Christ requireth in all the faithfull when he biddeth them not to be ashamed of him and his word before Luc. 9. 26. Mat. 10. 26. 28. men neither to be feared with their threats neither to feare men but to feare him who can cast bodie and soule into hell fire This constancie brought forth so many Martyrs and constant Confessors of Christ Iesus who confessed and defended his truth in the midst of torments But if any man thinke that Mardochaeus should haue done better if he had kept himselfe farther from the kings gate either at first or at this time that Haman might not haue been so incensed I answere that he was one of the porters of the kings gate otherwise he had in deede been an impudent fellow if of purpose he had stoode there to prouoke Haman vnlesse perhaps we shall say that he was moued by some â—eculiar and extraordinarie motion of Gods Spirit which the prosperous end â—id shew If any except that although he â—ere one of the porters yet he might â—ake some excuse for his absence and â—ot prouoke so mightie an aduersarie aâ—ainst him and his nation I say that a strong faithfull couragious man doth not willingly seeke for starting-holes which may easily turne to his disgrace Besides that peraduenture they who were the keepers of the kings gate were so straightly holden to their office that it was no easie matter for them to be absent though they vsed some faire shew and pretence though at this day it be vsuall and although he had once or twise absented himselfe yet could he not always be away now Haman alwaies frequeÌ„ted the kings house and passed in and out euery day by that gate Therefore let vs rather admire imitate this coÌ„stancie of Mardochaeus then seeke out matter against it or carp and mocke at it and so that we find sufficieÌ„tly in our heart conscience by the expresse testimonie of the word of God that we obey his commandemeÌ„tâ— in not obeying men let vs little care foâ— the reproches of men who condemne â—â— as mad men and obstinate least we be caâ—ried hedlong into destruction I confessâ— that earnestly and diligently we ought tâ— desire of God the spirit of wisdome anâ— discretion least perhaps vnder pretenâ—â— of zeale and constancie we be drawen 〈◊〉 way by some vehement passion of the flesh or heate of minde And heere by the way we must vnloose this question whether at this day a faithfull man knowing the Pope to be Antichrist such as hee is described 2. Thess 2. may with a good conscience honor and worship him with those honors which others do The answere is easie when as this so great honor is giuen vnto him not ciuilly but religiously and that he thereby may be acknowledged such an one as he would be accounted to weete the head of the Church the vicar of Christ the Ambassador of God on earth nay a God on earth a faithfull man cannot with a good conscience giue him this honor nay hee ought not giue him any honor least by his assent he seeme to confesse that he is such a one as he sayeth he is And vnto this may that be referred which Saint Iohn sayeth that he is not so much as to be 2. Ioh. v. 10. saluted which professeth not the doctrine of Christ And we reade also in the Ecclesiasticall historie that Saint Iohn would Euseb l. 3. ca. 25. not go into that place where Cerinthus the heretique was And thus much of Mardochaeus constancie By reason of this fact Haman was very vehemently enflamed with rage For men are not more angred then to see that they are despised by good men nor more prouoked by any thing then by seeing the constancie and courage of the godly Hence also we perceiue that the ioy of the wicked is not durable because themselues trouble it with their owne passions vpon very small occasion For what great matter was there here why Haman should so rage Did it not suffice him that he had attained so great riches honor possessions was it not enough that he was preferred before all the rest of the courtiers that he was reuerenced of all beloued of the King inuited by the Queene although he were not so honored by Mardochaeus who was a base fellow a captiue a stranger without fauour without authoritie But ambition and the desire of honor can neuer be filled neither granteth it any rest vnto them whose minds it hath once possessed With ambition there is mingled a desire of reuenge and a greedinesse to ouercome all men and make them subiect vnto them at their pleasure which are vehement passions whereby
apparell which the King vseth to weare and the horse that the King rideth vpon and that the crown royal might be set vpō his head 9. And let the rayment and the horse be deliuered by the hand of one of the Kings most Noble Princes and lot them apparell the man whom the kiug would honor and cause him to ride vpon the horse thorow the streete of the Citie and proclaime before him Thus shall it be done vnto the man whom the king will honor 10. Then the King said to Haman Make haste take the rayment and the horse as thou hast said and do so vnto Mordecai the Iew that sitteth at the Kings gate let nothing faile of all that thou hast spoken 11. So Haman tooke the rayment and the horse and arayed Mordecai and brought him on horsebacke through the streete of the Citie and proclaimed before him Thus shall it be done to the man whom the King will honor VVE are not more troubled almost with any thing in the order which God keepeth in the gouerning and administration of this world then when we perceiue the wicked to florish and bee in prosperitie when in the meane while the good do weepe and mourne But this perturbation partly springeth from this because we looke not beyond the bounds of this life partly for that by reason of our impatience wee cannot expect the notable effects of Gods iudgements which oftentimes in this world he turneth on the head of the wicked and vngodly when the good are meane while deliuered That therefore we may meet with this so dangerous a tentation we must often call to minde those sentences which euery where are found in the whole Scriptures concerning the care which GOD beareth ouer the godly and concerning the vengeance wherewith he is reuenged of the wicked as that which is set downe Psal 33. vers 18. 19. Behold the eye of the Lord is vpon them ihat feare him and that put their trust in his mercie To deliuer their soule from death and to preserue them in famine and Psal 53. 6. That God will breake the bones of the enemies And Psal 58. 6. 11. That God will breake the teeth of the vngodly and that men shall say verily there is frute for the righteous doubtles there is a God that iudgeth in the earth Besides we must often set before our eyes the notable and memorable Histories of the iudgements of GOD whereof the holy Scripture is full and which the experience of all ages wil abundantly afford vnto vs if we be diligent in obseruing of them Such is that which in this Historie is proposed in which as in a liuely Image we see that God after hee hath tryed his doth deliuer them from reproach and affliction doth lift them vp euen by the hands mouth of their enemies whom on the contrary hee doth ouerwhelme with shame and confusion bringing to nought their counsels and wicked practises For behold Mardochaeus who out of sorrow and mourning yea euen out of death it selfe is drawne on the sudden to great honors thē which the kings of Persia did not bestow greater on their brauest courtiers dearest fauourites Assuerus fitly calling to minde the benefit which hee had receiued at the hand of Mardochaeus And Haman at vnawares doth himself set downe the maner of this rare extraordinary honor is the first author of it vnto the king afterward is cōpelled with his owne hand to performe that which he had prescribed In which action the singular admirable prouidence of God doth shine seeing that all things were so conueniently and fitly done to wit the kings waking who could not sleepe all night the reading out of the Chronicles which he commandeth to be done before him and therein the remembrance of Mardochaeus benefit occurring the readie will of the king to recompence is Hamans so fit comming though to another end the question proposed by the king of him whome the king would honour Hamans answere and conceit of himselfe and the kings commandement of leading Mardochaeus with triumph through the citie that in this narration especially if euer in any there appeareth the truth of this common prouerbe To him that awayteth all things fall out fitly For what could happen more to be wished for what more conuenient as well for Ester and Mardochaeus as for all the Iewes then that which heere God doth dispose commanding so many contrarie things to meete heerein together to the consolation of the godly who were greatly oppressed and to the confusion and shame of Haman and his confederates Let vs then more diligently weigh euery particular that we may the better taste the most wise counsaile of God in all things and his wonderfull gouernment and that wee may acknowledge how good and gentle he is towards his and how sharp and seuere to his enemies First therefore there is declared that when the King could not sleepe he commanded that they should reade vnto him the booke of the records that is the Chronicles Memorable is that night because in it by Gods purpose and prouidence there was prepared a remedie whereby the Church should be deliuered from all her feare and danger and Hamans pride should be beaten downe and all the enemīes of the Church confounded And as Assuerus tooke not his rest perhaps doutfull what the Q. Ester his wife would demaund so it is likely that Ester also was carefull by what meanes she might best speake vnto the king and propound her request vnto him and that Mardochaeus was in great feare by reason of Hamans furie whereof he could not be ignorant when as the galowes was already set vp neither would Haman cease vntill he had reuēged himself and brought his furious purposes to an end So good men watch in defence of the Church and their owne safegard the wicked watch for their destruction ouerthrow of the godly and God taketh away sleepe from the King that by his meanes he may prouide for the safetie of his and heape confusion on Hamans head Although therefore the kings sleepe was hindred by some natural cause yet God of purpose would haue him to watch and sent into his heart a desire to heare the historie of his owne time So God either sendeth or taketh away sleepe as semeth good vnto himselfe for the profit of those whom he will help so that he oftentimes waketh who would gladly sleepe and he sleepeth who would willingly awake God by this meanes furdering his worke men for the most part not knowing it or thinking of it vntill Gods decree be executed Heerehence it appeareth that the kings in those times were not like the kings of our time who turne the day into night sleeping in the day because they will not do the works of the light passing the night without sleepe bicause they are delighted with the works of darknes I cōfesse that is true which the Greeke Poet hath A counsellor ought not to sleepe all night but
it is euident that he aspired to somewhat more and indeede to haue desired the kings apparrell that hee might spoyle the king thereof to be caryed on the kings horse that he might make him go on foote and to put the kings crowne vpoÌ„ his head that he might thrust him into a monasterie and so hauing deposed his king he might vse the seruice of the Peers of the bloud royall and be caryed with triumph through the cities royall and command to be proclaymed not by one but by all not thus shal it be done to the man whom the king will honour but God saue the king him who is worthier of the kingdome then the king himselfe When ambition hath taken roote in the mindes of Nobles it can abide no moderation but desireth to be lifted vp aboue all dignitie and excellencie But how can it be that warlike men made drunke with the wine of the fornicatioÌ„s of that whore of Rome should not do thus when that whore dareth to lift vp her selfe aboue all that is called â— Thes 2. 4 God Thus haue you Hamans aduise promising vnto himselfe royal triumphes but the foole fell farre from his imagination which let vs consider out of the kings decree expressed in these words Make haste saith he take the apparell and the horse as thou hast said and do so to Mardochaeus the â—ew who sitteth in the kings gate omit not any thing of all that which thou hast spoken The prouidence of God is to be obserued in this commandement of the kings who so suddenly changed the Kings will that he would command this Courtier so beloued so magnified to serue Mardochaeus and to be compelled to so base an office from so high a degree of honour and this is so much the more to be obserued because the King could not be ignorant with how great hatred Haman followed all the Iewes Now Kings are not wont for a light cause without offence so hardly to entreate and debase their deare attendants and those whom they haue magnified aboue the rest but heere the kings commandement is straight and precise Make hast take the apparell do as thou hast said omit nothing of that which thou hast spoken What could a man more straightly enioyne his seruant But God would haue the King speake thus peremptorily that Haman might be terrified and his pride beaten downe neither that he should flee vnto the excellencie of his dignitie but that he should execute the aduise which he himselfe had giuen Such is the estate and condition of Courtiers that after the lust of Kings and at a word they are suddenly lifted vp and suddenly throwne downe so changeable and vnconstant is their condition and dignitie which hangeth vpon that slender and rotten threed of mans fauour Who oftentimes to make shew of his power is delighted with such sudden changes throwing downe those whom he hath lifted vp treading vnder feete those whom before hee did extoll ouerwhelming with shame those whom they had ennobled with honor finally vsing them as things created by themselues and that worthily seeing the courtiers are delighted with this maner of creation with wicked sacriledge transferring vnto men that which is due vnto god alone Haman affrighted with this voyce neither dareth answere nor resist but though against his will executeth that which hee was commaunded Heereby appeareth how great the authoritie and power of Assuerus was to wit absolute such as at this day the Turke doth exercise ouer all his subiects And heere also appeareth the cowardise and base minde of Haman He might as it seemeth obiect many things to wit that this Iewe was his most hatefull enemie already condemned by the Kings proclamation that he was rebellious against the Kings commandement of honouring him that it should not bee honourable for the King to bestowe so great honours vpon a man of so base estate that his benefite was not so great which proceeded not from any manlinesse or courage but onely from the bare reporting of words which might bee by any the most cowardly slaue who should not therefore bee accounted worthy so great honour finally if hee had obiected nothing else but that hee could not in a matter so base cast downe himself before his most deadly enemie it might haue bene sufficient for had it not bene farre more commendable for him before men to haue dyed manfully then so against his will to frame himselfe vnto the Kings will But this for the most part is the nature and disposition of them who place their hope and felicitie in the grace and fauour of Princes that they do most seruilely abase themselues to the ministerie of many things which ought to be vnto them more greeuous then death it selfe So God oftentimes is wont to throwe down their courage who seeme that they will rather die for madde then to yeelde but one iotte of their dignitie and magnificence Marke heere a wonderfull change iâ— the persons as well of Haman as of Mardochaeus For Haman is compelled to apparell him whom he desired to spoyle anâ— to carrie him vpon horsebacke of whom hee would needes be adored to adornâ— his head with the Crowne royall whosâ— necke he desired to breake with an haulter to prepare a triumphe for him foâ— whom he had erected a gallowes and tâ— proclaime before him whom hee woulâ— haue oppressed with reproach Thus shâ—â—â— be done to the man whom the King will honour Finally Haman heere is compelled to play the part of a seruant in apparelling of Mardochaeus of a horseman in helping him to horse of an vsher in going before him and of a cryer in proclaiming his honour On the other side Mardochaeus beeing â—ppressed with teares and sorrow is apâ—arelled with gladnesse he that lay in the â—ust is carried on the kings horse he that altogither was swallowed vp with sadâ—esse is Crowned with ioy hee who was â—ppointed to a shamefull death is honouâ—ed and that by him who had wrought all 〈◊〉 mischiefes against him Worthily â—â—en might this faithfull seruant of God 〈◊〉 out the Innocent shall not loose his laâ—our How pretious is thy goodnesse ô God to them that put their trust vnder â—â—e shadow of thy wings and that * How Ps 31. 20. 21 â—â—eat is thy goodnesse which thou hast layd vp â—â—r those that feare thee and that Saluaâ—â—on Ps 37. 39. Ps 92. 11. 12. belongeth vnto God also that Thou 〈◊〉 lift vp my horne as the horne of an Vniâ—â—rne for I am annoynted with fresh oyle And 〈◊〉 eye shall behold thy iudgements against â—â—ose that lie await for me Now these â—â—ings are written not that out of them euery one of vs should imagine to himselfe the like triumphes that Mardochaeus had or like honour in this world but let it suffice vs to haue made triall that God is the defender of our honor and that hee wil bring forth thy righteousnesse as the light Ps 37. 6. thy iustice as the noon-day
without any ones hatred or enuie by reason of that dignitie and state which shee held with the King but with the same feruentnesse of mind doth she make her supplication to the king as well for her people as for her ownelife which it seemeth she shuld haue liued prolonged very sorrowfully vnlesse the same at her request had bene granted to her people Such ought our charitie to be that we should loue our neighbors as our selues so that they who are carefull for their owne securitie and quiet onely little caring what becomes of others are voyde of charitie and worse then Infidels Her modestie and humilitie appeareth in this that she saith She would haue held her tongue if they had onely gone about to bring them into bondage and slauerie although shee and her people had bin sold for the Kings profit and aduantage which maketh much to procure the Kings good will and to moue his minde to mercie For who is so stonie hearted who would not be moued to heare so Noble a Lady so farre to abase her selfe that shee would suffer her selfe to be solde if it seemed good vnto the King and might turne to his profit Besides it made to shew with how great a terror of death shee was affected refusing no condition though it were of most hard slauerie so that shee might escape death It serued also very much to stirre vp more vehemeÌ„tly the kings pitie towards her whom he had vouchsafed so great fauour and bestowed the crowne royall vpon her afore all other if hee should see her to stand in danger of her life and so vehemently carefull for her safetie that she was ready to vndergo any slauerie to redeeme her life Furthermore her modestie is manifest by this that shee doth not make her complaint more hainous by great outcries and exclamatioÌ„s or importune desire of reuenge but she committeth the whole matter to the kings wil good pleasure esteeming of it as of a great gaine benefite to redeeme her life and the life of her people from the crueltie of that Edict which was published against them Her integritie and vprightnesse appeareth in this that shee faineth or deuiseth nothing neither addeth any thing besides the matter to the commendation thereof or hatred of the enemie of the people neither doth she fawne vpon the king with any flattering words to excuse his rashnesse to wit that the goodnesse of his nature and his vprightnesse in iustice would neuer haue suffered so great crueltie that it could not bee but that those Letters were obtained by deceit or were forged for his goodnesse and clemencie would neuer haue consented to so barbarous a fact to conclude shee inuenteth no flatterie for the Saints of God know not how to lie or flatter Last of all her courage and constancie is wonderously to be praised that she dare complaine on so mightie an enemie so deare and in fauour with the King to accuse him of such a crime to his face and that vnto the King without whose disgrace and reproach it could not be done when as rashly he had consented vnto that mischiefe which Haman wickedly had deuised Such is the boldnesse and strength of the Saints who to the defence of the Church are more bold then Lyons as Salomon speaketh Heere hence wee learne that all our affaires must bee managed by reason which must be accompanied with true faith in which charitie must rule vnto which must be adioyned modestie integritie vprightnesse courage in defending a good cause that neither for feare or shame we start from doing our dutie if we desire to haue the issue of them happie For where these vertues are wanting either the truth is betraied or not wel defended and a good cause is ouerthrowne by impudencie or pride and rashnesse But who doth at this day so gouerne his actions with reason that he could be content to haue iudgement giuen of them with like integritie and modestie Who is now of such constancie that in the presence of Princes hee will manfully defend the cause of the distressed Who is enflamed with so great an heate of charitie that he will take care of the life of an other man no lesse then of his owne Who is of such courage that he will constantly professe himselfe a member of the Church when he shall see it on euery side to be oppressed with slanders and condemned to death Truely you shall see few Esters at this day who so faithfully and wisely and with such successe will take vpon them the defence of the Church but there want not on the contrarie many like in disposition to Iezabel and Athalia by whome the furie of Kings shall be kindled to the hatred and destruction of the Church Furthermore if Ester did with so great reuerence feare and humilitie speake vnto a mortall King what shall wee thinke is our duetie to doo when wee come into the presence of the infinite and immeasurable maiestie of the King of Kings Shall wee bring our owne Luc. 18. merits as did that proude Pharisee Or shall wee speake with hatred and contempt of our neighbours as hee did Or shall wee proudly lift vp our heads vnto the skyes Or shall it not rather become vs following that Publicane to cast downe our countenance to the earth and to throwe downe and prostrate our selues before God with â— true feeling of our sinnes and sorrow for the same praying most humbly vnto him for our selues and the liues of our brethren And thus farre of Ester Let vs now hearken vnto the Kings answere Who sayeth he is he or where is he that presumeth to do thus By these words hee sheweth that hee was moued not onely to graunt Esters petition but also to take vengeance of him who had conspired against the life of her and of her people saying that he must needes be a presumptious and bolde man who dare attempt so great a wickednes For who can practise any thing against the life of the Queene and not touch and violate the maiestie of the King He asketh therefore who he may be and where hee is that hee may punish him as it is the duetie of Kings to pull downe those who extoll themselues contrarie to their duetie as Dauid protesteth concerning himselfe That hee would not suffer him that had Psal 101. 5. a proude looke and an high heart But who could tell better then the King who it was who had inuented so hainous a fact when hee himselfe not full â—wo moneths before had graunted vnto Haman whatsoeuer hee desired for the destruction of the Iewes had commaunded the Scribes to write the proclamation after Hamans direction had giuen him his Ring to seale it had sent his posts to carrie it with speed into euery Prouince as before in the third Chapter hath bene declared Had he forgotten so great a matter of weight so suddenly Or if he did remember it why doth hee dissemble it It may bee said that the
of a kingdome should be irreuocable For whē as the King dares not call back his former Proclamation what doth he but lay open his people to the slaughter by two contrarie writings being both of like authority arming his subiects one against another And if God himselfe had not holpen the poore oppressed it is most certaine that the former proclamation would haue had the greater force Heere then let vs rather admire Gods prouidence then praise the Kings wisedome These things are written for our comfort that in our greatest dāgers and hardest distresse when the mischiefe seemeth past remedie we flee vnto him who made a way for his people through the midst of the sea who lighteneth our most thickest darknes by the brightnes of his light who openeth the graues who deliuereth vs out of the shadow of death as heretofore he preserued by wonderfull meanes his people and the three children cast into the fierie fornace and finally Daniel in the very den of Lyons Howbeit the kings humanitie and courtesie is to be commended who so willingly consented that they should write in fauour of the Iewes but it is no maruell if he could not by his owne wisedome wind himselfe out of so intricate a busines and therefore committed the whole matter to the fidelitie and wisdome of Mardochaeus Heereby it is euident that Princes neede nothing more then faithful counsellors It is therefore our parts to obtaine them by our prayers for our Princes at the hand of the Lord and to pray that God will direct their minds to follow the aduise of faithfull and good counsellors For otherwise the Lord will finde out many wayes to punish the enemies of his name and to deliuer his people out of all distresse that they may giue him eternall prayse and immortall glorie for vnto him belong onely all glorie and dominion through Iesus Christ his Sonne our Lord. Amen THE TWENTIETH Sermon VVhat wisdome Mardochaeus did vse in writing the Proclamation in fauour of the Iewes in the great anguish and trouble of his mind from verse 9. to 15. of the 8. Chapter 9. Then were the Kings Scribes called at the same time euen in the third moneth that is the moneth Sivan on the xxiij day thereof and it was written according vnto all that Mordecai commanded vnto the Iewes and to the Princes and Captaines and rulers of the Prouinces which were from India euen vnto Ethiopia an hundred and seuen and twentie prouinces vnto euery prouince according to the writing thereof and to euery people after their speech and to the Iewes according vnto their writing and according to their language 10. And hee wrote in the King Assuerus name and sealed it with the Kings ring and he sent the letters by poasts on horsebacke and that roade on beasts of price as dromedaries and coltes of mares 11. Wherein the King graunted the Iewes in what citie soeuer they were to gather themselues together and to stand for their life and to roote out to slay and to destroy all the power of the people and of the prouince which shall inuade them their children and women and to spoile their goods 12. Vpon the same day in all the prouinces of King Assuerus euen the thirteenth day of the twelfth moneth which is the moneth Adar 13. The copie of the writing was how there should be a commandement giuē in all and euery prouince published among all the people and that the Iewes should be readie against that day to auenge themselues on their enemies 14. So the posts rode vpō beasts of price and dromedaries and wēt forth with speede to excute the Kings commandement and the decree was giuen at Susa the citie royall A Braham the father of the faithfull in the greatest troubles of his minde when he was in the way going to sacrifice his only sonne who demanded of him where was the lamb for the burnt offering gaue this memorable answere full of faith saying The Lord will prouide Gen. 22. 8. For in the midst of distresses which no wit of mā could haue remedied he sheweth that he depēdeth altogether on Gods prouidence and teacheth vs that in all hard and doubtfull matters we must do our dutie and vse that wisdome which God giueth vs least we be fearefull like the infidels and leaue the euēts doubts which we can not redresse to Gods prouidence and most wise gouernment who hath promised to be a light vnto vs in our most thickest darkenesse This also we see to be performed by Mardochaeus in this Historie for the King graunting him leaue to write what letters he would in fauour of the Iewes and yet not reuoking the former which were written for their destruction it is not to be doubted but that he wrestled with many doubts diuers feares perceiuing the Kings mind to be mutable and easily chaunged and besides foreseeing many daungers after what manner soeuer he should write the decree For as wee heere see the Edict written to graunt the Iewes that beeing gathered togither they might stand for their life against all that would as enemies inuade them was it not to set them open to a hard and most daungerous Combat against the naturall subiects of the kingdome armed no lesse with the Kings authoritie then the Iewes who were onely poore captiues and straungers and farre lesse in number then their enemies Mardochaeus therefore in these straights did what he could in dutie and by the authoritie graunted him from the king remitting the whole euent of the matter vnto the mercie of the Lord whose wonderful meanes in deliuering of his Church hee had alreadie had experience of in that happie end of so many dangers which the minde of man could not haue thought on hoping that it would come to passe that God who had begun the deliuerance of his Church by so sudden and vnhoped meanes would perfect the same vnto his glorie Here then we are to consider how Mardochaeus did prouide that this new proclamation might go forth absolute in all parts and forme and what was the substance and argument thereof Wherein shall be obserued his wisedome equitie and diligence in guiding and furthering the publike affaires of the Church which are particularly to be vnfolded by vs that in all things we may obserue the care and direction which God beareth ouer his and how he disposeth all things for their safetie and commoditie as oft as it seemeth good vnto him and that so we may learne to rest vpon his fatherly care doing not with standing our dutie as much as in vs lyeth The ninth verse declareth the time wherin that proclamation was made in fauor of the Iewes by whom vnto whom and how it was carried The time is the 23. day of the third moneth which is called Siuan which answereth to part of our May. Whereby it is apparant that this Edict went forth two moneths ten daies after the other which as we saw Chap. 3. vers 12. was made the
may adde force and authoritie to their graunts and commandements that same were the kings of Persia wont to do with sealing with their ring The King then sawe and allowed what soeuer the Scribes had written at the commandement of Mardochaeus So we see that it is most â—ight that Kings heare and see those things which are published in their name vnto their subiects especially in things of great moment for otherwise neither can they auoide the note of caâ—elesnesse and negligence nor their counsellors of deceit and treason if letters shall be sent out in the Kings name concerning the estate of the kingdome which the King neither sawe nor with sufficieÌ„t deliberation did weigh and consider Let vs now then view their substance and argument in these words That the King graunted vnto the Iewes in what citie soeuer they were to gather together and to stand for their liues and to roote out and to slay and to destroy all the power of the people and of the prouince which should inuade them their children and wiues and to spoile their goods In these later words there is some ambiguitie and doubtfulnes for it is vncertaine whether the Iewes are permitted to kill not only their enemies but also their wiues and children or onely to kill those who would oppresse them their wiues and children But this later sence doth better agree with the humanitie of the faithfull neither is it likely that Mardochaeus without Gods exprese commandement would haue women and children to be slaine But some man will except that the enemies of God and his Church are worthy to feele that punishment which without cause they threatned vnto others But there appeareth no such thing in the execution which shortly after did follow So that to auoide all ambiguitie and doubtfulnes of speech the Hebrue may be thus translated That it was graunted vnto the Iewes by the king that they should slay all those that went about to lay violent hands on them their wiues or children and that the spoiles of the enemies slayne was giuen by the King to the Iewes So that the summe of this Proclamation was that it was graunted by the King vnto the Iewes that they shoulde be gathered together to defend their liues and to destroy all those that would offer them or theirs any force or violence and besides to spoile their goods So that they were not to set vpon any but vsing their lawfull defence to kill those that did lye in waite for their liues And this is most rightfull that being armed with the authoritie of the chiefe Magistrate they might fight for their life for their libertie and religion for the defence of their wiues and children and as the Prouerbe is for their Temples houses For this cause warres are lawfull whereby the inrodes and inuasions of enemies are repressed in so much that they who take away from the faithfull the sword of lawfull defence as the Anabaptists do do make a way for the wicked and let loose the bridle to all maner of robberies and do as it were lay open the innocent bound hand and foote to their furie and besides condemne all the Saincts the faithfull seruants of God Abraham Moses Iosua the Iudges David and almost all the other good kings who did leade the Lords hostes and fought his battailes In the meane while the former edict not being reuoked doth still retaine his force and so there arise heere great difficulties so that it seemeth that there is small prouision made for the safetie of the Iewes For who would hope that the naturall subiects of the king being more in number and first strengthened with the Kings authoritie could be ouercome and defeated by the Iewes being onely seely captiues dispearsed here and there without armour without authoritie Besides is it not likely that the gouernours of the prouinces would either secretly or openly rather encline to their owne mens side then to the Iewes Finally it beeing graunted that the Gouernours would encline to neither part are not the naturall subiects rather stirred vp by this meanes against the Iewes euen to thirst their bloud when as they were first armed by the Kings authoritie against them and had moe wayes to set vpon them then the other had to defend Without doubt Mardochaeus did sufficiently perceiue these inconuemences But what could hee do Only this procure that it may be lawfull for the Iewes to vse their iust defence and hope that God would helpe their iust cause as hee had alreadie begun to fauour and blesse his people and that hee would send a feare vpon their enemies which thing the issue did confirme Hee did also suppose that when they shoulde knowe the cause wherefore Haman was hanged and vnderstande whereupon this newe decree was graunted and heare of the fauour which the Iewes had with the King as well in regard of Ester the Queene as also for Mardochaeus sake they would all slake that anger they bare vnto the Iewes and abstaine from inuading them seeing by that meanes also themselues might be quiet For as the fauours and graces of Princes doo leane either to this part or to the other so are the wills and affections of subiects changed Heerehence also is to be obserued that Kings howsoeuer they woulde seeme to keepe their lawes holie and inuiolate yet by subtile and by-wayes they oftentimes ouerthrow them The King would by no meanes seeme willing to depart from his former commandement which notwithstanding by this contrarie decree hee ouerturneth and in deede taketh away Had he not dealt better with his subiects expressely to haue reuoked that former decree then by this to set them thus together by the eares For this inuading on the one part and defence on the other could not be done without bloudshed on the one side or the other or both But Gods prouidence ruled and guided all these things that the enemies of the Church might receiue the punishment they had deserued Heere is also farther to be noted that the wicked counsailes of the enemies of the Church are made deadly both to themselues and their confederates And although also after their death they leaue behinde them the effects of their treacheries and conspiracies yet at the last they are all ouerturned to the great confusion of those who shall follow their most wicked counsailes Moreouer Mardochaeus retaineth the very termes of the former edict to terrifie the enemies of the Church when hee sayeth that it is graunted to the Iewes to kill slay and destroy whereby they might perceiue that the mischiefe which they had prepared for others should fall vpon their owne heads And euen in this age beyond all expectation do we see the experience of all these things For after the death of that Haman the head of the League wee haue seene the force of former edicts repealed and other proclamations sent out from the King against his companions and confederates vnto whome notwithstanding licence was before graunted to destroy
the godly These are the admirable works of our God which no man can sufficiently wonder at and in meditation where of all our senses will faile For God doth fulfill those things before our eyes which no man could expect or so much as hope for There is a set day apointed for this matter throughout all the prouinces of the king Assuerus to weete the xv day of the xij moneth which is the moneth Adar and which was appointed for the destruction of the Iewes so that the day which was by Hamans malice prefixed for their ruine and ouerthrow by the goodnes of God should be turned into safetie and deliuerance Vntill that day came they might at leisure meete and prepare and furnish themselues with things necessarie for their iust defence diligently foreseeing as well the number of the enemies as their purposes and strength whereby they prepared to set vpō them or by what meanes they sought to 〈◊〉 them So it commeth to passe that fo◠the most part those times which the enemies of the Church did thinke to be most fit to obtaine an happie issue of their deuises and practises God doth appoint for their destruction whereof wee oftentimes haue had experience And thus farre of the dutie of the Iewes Let vs see what is commanded vnto the Gouernors That the coppie of this writing should be published among the people in euery Prouince and that the Iewes shuld be ready against that day to auenge theselues on their enemies This might seem hard vn to the Lieftenants and Gouernors who lately had published an Edict altogither contrarie vnto this But they were in subiection euen as seruants vnto this great Monarch neither dared they as much as to ope their lips against his pleasure But what I pray could they imagin whē they saw such contrarie commandements but that either the King was vndiscreete or vsed euill counsellors or else was delighted with the mutuall hatreds and discords of his subiects and would therfore make tryal which part was strongest Notwithstanding they go on and proclaime the Edict Whereby it commeth to passe that the Iewes are sufficiently furnished to be reuenged on their enemies Although then priuate reuēge be in expresse words forbidden Math. 5. 39. Yet the publike granted by the magistrate in a iust cause is alwaies lawfull and commaunded by God So Dauid giueth thankes vnto God Ps 18. 41. that hee had giuen him power to auenge himselfe It is likely that many contemned this decree as being wrested from the King by the importunitie of a woman and perswaded themselues that the King indeede would not haue those things to be done which were contained in that Edict and that therfore they wold stand vnto the former But by this meanes God drew on his enemies vnto the day of slaughter So diuers in our time trusting vnto that Edict which was first made against the professors of the reformed religion accounted of the Kings latter Edicts but as trifles and to be laughed at Which opinion yet was and will be to their hinderance Let vs now passe ouer vnto those by whose diligence those Letters were caried into all Prouinces to wit by the hand of swift postes which rode on the best horses and beasts prouided for the Kings affaires for the Kings of Persia vsed to haue stage postes prepared for the iournies of euerie Prouince that so in short time they might receiue newes of the whole affaires of the Kingdome or send into the Prouinces as need required of whose faithfulnesse no man would doubt seeing they had commaundement from the King So God prouided that his should speedily receiue the gladsome tidings of theyr deliuerance that in their anguish they might be comforted and in their sorrowes cheared and made glad and that by the effect it selfe he might approoue vnto them that he had heard their prayers and vnderstood their cries So when it seemeth good vnto the Lord all things are chaunged and turned vnto the good and ioy of the Church For the Kings will and lips wish and speak whatsoeuer shall be for theyr profit the Scribes write that which Mardochaeus commaundeth them who setteth downe that which he thinketh necessarie for their preseruation the Princes and Gouernors they publish that which they are commaunded the Posts speedily carie the Letters into all Prouinces So God is wont to comfort his after afflictions Let vs therefore wholy depend on him serue him continually in feare patiently expect his helpe looking vntill he make vs ioyfull in Christ Iesus by whom our ioy is purchased to whom be glorie for euer Amen THE ONE AND twentieth Sermon The magnificence of Mardochaeus the ioy of all the Iewes and the feare of all people From the 15 verse to the end of the 8. Chapter 15. And Mordecai went out from the king in royall apparell of blew and white and with a great Crowne of gold and with a garment of fine linnen and purple and the Citie of Susa reioyced and was glad 16. And vnto the Iewes was come light and ioy and gladnesse and honour 17. Also in all and euery Prouince and in all and euery Citie into whatsoeuer place the Kings commandement and his decree came there was ioy and gladnesse afeast and good day many of the people of the land became Iewes for the feare of the Iewes fell vpon them THere is none of vs who doth not most willingly confesse that the saying of Paul is most true That God according to that power which worketh Eph. 3. 20. in vs is able to do exceeding abundantly aboue all that we aske or thinke For who knoweth not that Gods power doth infinitly surpasse the reach and desires of our minde Howbeit when as the truth of this sentence is made open vnto vs by cleare and euident examples or when as God by experience doth shew forth the same in our owne affaires then with greater assurance and delight do we prooue it to be true wherby we do powre outmore abundantly the praises of God proclayming his power and bountie which is far greater then all our wishes desires or demandes Therefore the holy Scripture doth set before our eyes many notable examples in which the liberalitie and bountie of God doth infinitly passe our hope and petitions This is cleare in Ioseph being sold sor a bondslaue into Aegypt and Gen. 39. 41 by the slaunders of his Mistresse cast into prison For what more could he desire of God in this case then to be set free out of bondes into libertie and restored to his fathers house But God bestowed on him greater gifts lifting him vp into the gouernment of all Aegypt and giuing him the next degree of honour vnto Pharao The same fauour did Daniel feele in Babylon for when as hee durst not hope Da. 2. 48. 6. for any greater matter then to be set at libertie to returne vnto Ierusalem hee was made the chiefe of all Princes by Nabuchadnezzer The same heere is seene
in Mardochaeus and the whole state of the Iewes which were dispersed throughout all the Prouinces of the kingdome of Assuerus For whereas they could not thinke or wish for any greater matter then to be deliuered froÌ„ death which by the decree of Haman did seeme to hang ouer theyr heads yea were ready to chaunge that bloudy death for the most hard bondage as we learned before out of Esters speech Chap. 7. v. 4. Behold now what God by an vnhoped meanes dooth make them to behold to wit the good will and exceeding fauour of the King towards them their enemie ouerthrowne his goods giuen vnto Ester and his honours bestowed on Mardochaeus an Edict proclaimed on their behalfe the greatest part of the people fauouring them their enemies fearing them and finally as God willing in the next Chapter we shall see a ful victorie ouer their enemies after which followed a publike ioy and a solemne feast the king allowing it Is not this to do exceeding abuÌ„dantly aboue all that we dare desire or think And do not we at this day find the like partly in respect of the churches in France partly in respect of those that defeÌ„d theÌ„ The churches beginning to enioy some peace tranquillitie and the defenders of them attaining greater honours then before they had or durst to desire the Pope in vaine thundring with his excommunications Besides the head and Captaine of the coÌ„spiracie being by so vnlooked vnhoped for meanes slaine and his other companions condemned of rebellion and treason Who I say some fewe moneths before coulde haue hoped for or thought of these things Therefore it is our dutie as well by those examples which we see in others as by those things the taste where of by experience we find in our selues more and more to be confirmed in the hope of greater fauour and help from God then in our thoughts we can attaine vnto For the Lords hand is not shortned neither is his goodnesse abated but we must certainly assure our selues that God will shew himselfe no lesse admirable in these daies then heretofore he hath done in the defence of his church Wherfore let vs so learn to discusse those things which we haue in this Historie set foorth vnto vs that we apply them to our owne vse and comfort First here is mention made of the honor and glorie of Mardochaeus then of the ioy and gladnesse of all the Iewes and lastly of the feare where with their enemies were affright The glory of Mardochaeus is commended by two things the first is his easie accesse vnto the King the other his gorgious and precious apparell for he is said to haue come out from the presence of the king in royall apparell of blew and white and with a great Crowne of Gold Such was their apparell whom the Kings of Persia would honour and vnto whom they gaue the chiefe places of dignitie about them that they might gouerne the weightiest affaires of the whole Kingdome For it is seemely that those who are called by the King to the gouernment of their State should be discerned by some notes whereby their dignitie and maiestie may be knowne and authoritie procured vnto them by that meanes now by purple and fine linnen and a golden Crowne the highest dignitie which was next vnto the Kings was noted For great Princes will haue certaine signes of greatnesse and mâ—iestie to shine as it were in theyr chiefest officers that theyr glory may thereby appeare the greater in as much as they can doo these things in those whom it pleaseth them to aduance So we see that garments which at the first were prouided onely for necessiâ—ie were at the last sought for comlinesse and ornament and for notes and distinctions of dignitie Mardochaeus then did not himselfe of his owne minde prouide this apparell so to boast of his dignitie but admitted such as the King commanded after the manner and custome of the Persian Kings Whereby it is apparant that the faithfull may with a good conscience vse all things that are meane and indifferent so that they retaine godlinesse modestie and charitie not proudly lifting vp theÌ„selues against others nor pampering delighting themselues in pleasures neither abusing that fauor authoritie which they haue receiued So Daniel of whose holinesse nomaÌ„doubteth receiued pretious ornaments a chain of gold and purple when they were offered him by the King of Babylon Wherefore holinesse and rich ornaments of apparell are not contrarie one vnto an other neither religion and the gouernment of publike affaires nor humilitie or modestie and high authoritie in those that vse it well For Ioseph Daniel Mardochaeus are neuer a whit the lesse holy for that they be apparelled in precious garments nor the Ì„TXT lesse religious for that they gouerned the affaires of mightie Monarches nor the lesse humble and modest for that they attained to high honor Nay on the coÌ„trary pride many times lurketh vnder course clothing and often they who exercise holy functions haue not the most godlinesse and vnder the emptie shew of holinesse hipocrisie and dissimulation lie hidden Lo here how god can in a momeÌ„t change the miserable condition of his seruants into an happie and flourishing estate that his power in this matter may be the more apparant For the Holy Ghost doth not lay down these things vnto our view that we should consider the gorgious garmeÌ„ts of a mortall man but that excelleÌ„t change which his hand hath wrought What then could Mardochaeus say but that which Dauid saith after he had prayed for the helpe of God to deliuer him Thou hast turned my mourning into ioy thou hast loosed my Ps 30. 11. 12 sacke and girded me with gladnesse Therefore shall my tongue praise thee and not cease Might he not also rightly say that of himselfe which is Ps 31. 7. 8. I will be glad and reioyce in thy mercie for thou hast knowne my trouble thou hast seene my soule in aduer sitie and thou hast not shut me up in the hand of the enemie but hast set my feete in a large roome Neither doth that any lesse agree vnto him which the same Prophet saith Thou art a place to hide mee in Ps 32. 7. thou shalt keepe me from trouble and compasse mee about with songs of deliuerance So God for the most part is wont to dispose the affaires of his that great ioy shall succeed great sorrow great gladnesse follow after many teares that great glory shall ensue after great disgrace and after great abasing high honor and magnificence whereof the knowne examples of Iob and Dauid do make proofe as Dauid himselfe doth acknowledge in these words Thou hast caused me to see great P s 71. 20. 21. troubles and aduersities but thou wilt againe reuiue me and take me vp from the depth of the earth Thou wilt encrease mine honour and returne and comfort me Ought not we then by these things to become more constant and bold
in the middest of our dangers and greatest distresse And thus farre of Mardochaeus glorie The ioy and gladnesse of the Iewes is next to be considered and first of those who dwelt in Susa and then of those who were dispersed in other Cities and Prouinces ver 17. Of the Iewes which were abiding in Susa it is said in the end of the 15. verse that the naturall inhabitants reioyced for their sakes vnlesse we will follow a more simple sense of the place and say that there was light and ioy in the Citie of Susa that is among the Iewes But it may also be that many of the Citizens of Susa perceiuing the kings fauour to the Iewes the authoritie of Ester and loue which the King bare to her and the hoâ—our of Mardochaeus did giue forth some â—â—gnes of reioycing for this felicitie of the Iewes as for the most part wee see it to â—appen that vnto what part the Kings â—â—uour and affection doth bend to the 〈◊〉 also the good wil of the people doth â—â—cline Many therefore being moued â—ith so sudden and wonderfull changes and seeing them reuiued whom before â—â—ey thought dead might well say with 〈◊〉 Prophet Psal 126. 2. The Lord hath â—ne great things for them And so 〈◊〉 vnto them that deliuerance which the Lord had wrought for his Church Wherefore it is rightly said concerning the Iewes whose this happinesse properly was that there appeared vnto them a light and gladnesse and ioy and glorie Light is set against the darknesse of affliction gladnes against sorrow ioy against tears glorie against shame and abasing The fountaine of this gladnesse was the light of the countenance of the Lord which did shine ouer them for their safetie The matter was that happie changâ— of their estate their chiefe and most hate full enemie being dead and destroyed the king greatly fauouring them the coÌ„mandement sent forth in their behalfe Ester and Mardochaeus being exalted intâ— the highest dignitie and grace with thâ— king the ende of this ioy was the testifying of a mind not vnthankfull for so many benefites bestowed vpon them bâ— God It is lawfull then nay it is expresâ— commanded that the faithfull reioyceâ— be glad when as they receiue the testimonies of Gods fauour Therefore is Dâ—uid wont most often when he would she the greatnesse of his ioy and his thanâ—full minde for the benefits which he 〈◊〉 receiued from God to inuite and stirre Ps 103. vp all the workes of God to praise God with him Let vs not therefore suppose that this was a prophane ioy or the laughter of the children of this world who delight themselues with all intemperancie and ryot but a true spirituall ioy proceeding from God which had taken so deep roote in their minds that they did shewe forth the effects thereof in all the parts of their body and namely with their mouth in so much that they brast foorth into Psalmes and praises of god togither with the faithfull in these words Praised be the Ps 68. 10. 20. Lord eueÌ„ the God which ladeth vs daily with benefits This is our God euen the God that saueth vs and to the Lord God belong the issues of death Likewise also the rest of the Iewes which dwelt in euery Prouince are said to haue ioy and gladnesse feastes and mirth for they did not keep any festiuall day vntil after the executioÌ„ of the decree and destructioÌ„ of their enemies as afterwards we shall see Feastes agree with prosperitie fasts with aduersities and calamities but the â—easts of those which reioyce in the Lord â—re seasoned with teÌ„perance with thaÌ„ks giuing and adorned with the remembrance of the exceeding glorious workes of the Lord. For if the very Ethnickes in whom there was any sparkes of honestie left were wont in their feasts to treate of graue and honest matters and to tell of the false miracles of their Gods what is seemely for Christians to do vnto whom so abundant an argument of praising god is offered as wel in the former deliuerances of his church as in these latter which daily we see to be performed but some man will say there is not yet so great an occasion offered vnto the Iewes of gladnesse but that by reason of the dangers to ensue there remaineth yet much more cause of feare and carefulnesse For the former Edict as yet being in force and the Iewes hauing many enemies who are as well armed with publike authoritie to inuade them as they are for their owne defence dooth there not seeme to be greater occasion of feare and dread then of ioy and gladnesse especially seeing the successe of warres is so diuers and when as no part ouercommeth without greate losse It is not to be thought that the Iewes did so giue themselues to ioy that they were not carefull for their affaires or did not prouide themselues against the day of executioÌ„ and no doubt to this end did they often call vpon God in their prayers The ioy then that was bred in their hearts for this new benefit which they had receiued from God did likewise encourage them to hope the more boldly for that which was to come because God being so excellent a workeman is not wont to leaue his worke imperfect as Psal 138. 8. it is said The goodnesse of the Lord endureth for euer and that he neuer for saketh the worke of his hands The Lord therefore doth so make glad those that are his that not withstanding he leaueth them sufficient occasion to pray vnto him and to looke carefully vnto their affaires And yet not with standing leauing vnto them a certaine pledge and earnest of full deliuerance he giueth them hope of happie successe which yet dependeth wholy vpon him as also the Prophet Isai speaketh chap. 26. 12. Thou ô Lord wilt giue vs peace for thou also hast wrought all our works for vs. That which is added in the end of this verse might auaile much to raise vp the Iewes into a good hope to weete that many of the people of the land became Iewes because the feare of the Iewes fell vpon them So that it came to passe that on the one side many for desire tooke part with the Iewes on the other side they were striken with feare whosoeuer went about to procure their death That it is sayd that many of the people of the land were made Iewes may thus be vnderstoode that either they tooke part with them or that they did embrace their Religion acknowledging the God of the Iewes for the true God who alone can saue and deliuer out of danger those that put their whole trust and confidence in him And this is one of the fruites which is gathered out of danger those that put their whole trust and confidence in him And this one of the fruites which is gathered wonderfull deliuerances of his church that many who before were ignorant and despised or euen hated and persecuted the Church and her doctrine when as they
perceiue that so mightily beyond all expectatioÌ„ deliuer his out of the iawes of their enemies and not only our of their teeth but euen almost out of the bottome of their belly and bowels as it were whereinto they seeme quite to haue swallowed them then they take part with the Church and confesse that this God only is to be worshipped serued So when God had by so many miracles tamed and subdued Pharao and all Egypt and after the last plague when his people went out with an high and mightie hand a great multitude ioyned themselues to the Israelites to goe together Exo. 12. 38. with them out of Aegypt In the time of David when as he had obtained those noble victories many ioyned themselues vnto him some as himselfe sayeth for Psal 18. seruile feare some willingly and of their owne accord Many strangers also followed the people returning out of the captiuitie of Babylon as it is said in Ezra that Ezra 2. 59. 62. some were put from the Priesthood because they knew not their genealogie In the Christian Church also when as after that Licinius was ouercome by Constantine the persecutioÌ„s of the Church ceased which had continued almost three hundred yeeres together an innumerable company of people which before serued idols was content to be receiued into the Church So it coÌ„meth to passe that those miraculous deliuerances of the people of God are not onely profitable vnto themselues but also turne to the saluation of many idolaters so that the Church receiueth a double benefit by this helpe from God that is both her protection and defence and her encrease also and multiplication so that as Isai speaketh chap. 49. vers 21. She marueileth whence so many children are borne vnto her who was so long barren and as it were a widow We are therefore to wish not the desolation and destruction of those that hate vs and persecute vs of a false zeale being bewitched by the false doctrine of the Papists but rather their conuersion and saluation And if any come into the Church either by force or for feare and in hypocrisie in that also God is glorified for that his enemies are forced to acknowledge his power and confesse his maiestie and yeeld some signe of obedience Hence then did there arise vnto the Iewes good hope that many would stand on their part and on the other side also they receiued great comfort when they sawe that the feare of them fell vpon the people For this feare was from God who as oft as it seemeth good vnto him taketh away courage from the mightie and maketh them fall away like water that either their weapons fall out of their hands or be turned to their owne destruction And the holy Scripture oftentimes maketh mentioÌ„ of this feare whereby God protected his but terrified their enemies as Gen. 35. 5. the feare of God is said to haue fallen on all the cities neere vnto Sichem that they dared not follow after Iacob whose sonnes Simeon Leui had spoiled the citie of Sichem and slaine the inhabitants thereof And Iosue chap. 2. â—ver 9. Rahab which receiued the spies â—mongst other things telleth this I know that the Lord hath given you the land for the feare of you is fallen vpon vs and all the â—â—habitants of the land faint because of you This same God foretold vnto Moses â—hould come to passe Exod. 23. 27. I will â—end my feare before thee and will destroy all the people among whome thou shalt goe and I will make all thine enemies turne their â—acks vnto thee This is that feare I say â—hereby the enemies of the Church are â—estrained wherby their haÌ„ds are bound â—r their weapons fall out of their hands and they are made either made or sencelesse Out of all this we learne that a great part of the glorie of the Church consisteth in her deliuerance which God bestoweth vpon her after aduersitie and calamitie in which as in a furnace she is melted and purged that being so tryed she may come forth more pure out of the midst of the flame The Church then by those things which she suffereth is made more famous after that she is deliuered by God then if she had alwayes continued in one and the same estate yea Gods hand is made more knowen and his deliuerance more glorious by how much the greater the affliction was Let vs not therefore beare grudgingly the length of afflictions or despaire in mind though they be hard and violent whereby also we are as it were thrust downâ— into the graue and vnto the gates of death for so much the more admirable shall our deliuerance be how much the greater the danger was For God doth aâ— it were throw vs downe into the dust whome after he will lift vp so much the higher and casteth vs into the grauâ— that in quickning vs his force and power may be the more notable So wee see Dauid giue thanks vnto God sometimes that he had lifted him vp from the gates of death sometimes that he had made him to ascend out of the graue sometimes that he had drawen him out of the deepe pit sometimes that he had brought him out of the bowels of the earth Let not vs therefore beare it impatiently if we be as it were plunged into the graue when as the Sonne of God remayned three dayes in it being assuredly perswaded that as Iesus Christ our Lord by rising againe did abolish the shame of the crosse death and sepulcher and brought life and immortalitie to light so also it shall come to passe that we by his power being quickned together with him after the laying downe of the shame of the crosse and â—eath shall be also made partakers of his glorie and immortalitie that through â—im we may prayse God in the life eterâ—all to whome belongeth all honor and glorie for euermore Amen THE TWO AND twentieth Sermon By what meanes the Iewes did execute that which was contained in the Proclamation made in their fauour from the first verse of the ninth Chapter vnto the II. CHAP. IX 1. So on the twelfth moneth which is the moneth Adar vpon the thirteenth day of the same when it drewe neere that the Kings commaundement and his decree should be put in execution in the day that the enemies of the Iewes hoped to haue power ouer them but it turned contrarie for the Iewes had rule ouer them that hated them 2. The Iewes gathered themselues together in their cities throughout all the prouinces of the King Assuerus to lay hand on such as sought their hurt and no man coulâ— withstand them for the feare of them felâ— vpon all people 3. And all the rulers of the prouinces and the Princes and the Captaines and the officers of the King exalted the Iewes for the feare of Mordecai fell vpon them 4. For Mordecai was great in the Kings house and the report of him went through all the prouinces for this man Mordecai
waxed greater and greater 5. Thus the Iewes smote all their enemies with strokes of the sword and slaughter and destruction and did what they would vnto those that hated them 6. And at Susa the citie royall slewe the Iewes and destroyed fiue hundred men 7. And Parshandatha and Dalphon and Aspatha 8. And Poratha and Adalia and Aridatha 9. And Parmashta and Arisai and Aridai and Vajezatha 10. The tenne sonnes of Haman the sonne of Amedatha the aduersarie of the Iewes slewe they but they layed not theâ—â— hands vpon the spoyle WE haue hiterto heard many notable and excellent effects of prayers which proceede from true faith and repentance For those prayers piercing the heauens found fauour with God made open a safe entrance for Ester vnto the King obtayned his good will got a place for her petition yea and obtained that which at the first she would not hope for to weete the shamefull death of Haman the most cruell enemie of the Church the great honours of Mardochaeus succeeding in his place a Proclamation in fauour of the Iewes froÌ„ which there arose a publick ioy vnto al the people whereof we spake in the last Sermon Such and so great were the fruites which the prayer of faith brought vnto the Iewes who fled vnto God by their prayers as vnto their only helper and defender in their greatest troubles and distresse There remaineth the greatest and most excellent effect proceeding froÌ„ the same cause to weete the victorie which they had ouer all their enemies whome being armed with the authoritie of the chiefe Magistrate they vtterly destroyed to execute the iust vengeance of God against the enemies of his Church Lâ—â— then the execution of the decree thâ—â— very same day wherein the enemies 〈◊〉 the Iewes hoped to haue dominion ouer them they could not resist them because the Lord had cast a feare into them and because Mardochaeus had gotten so great fauour and authoritie with all men that euen the greatest and noblest peeres did reuerence him So that it was no marueile if the Iewes euen at their pleasure did turne backe againe vpon their enemies heads the mischiefe which they practised against them This whole matter is generally proposed in the fiue first verses and then particularly explicated vntil the 17. verse We shall deale at this present concerning those fiue hundred meÌ„ which were slaine in Susa with the tenne sonnes of Haman where there is set forth vnto vs very notable and most necessary doctrines to weet that by feruent and faithfull prayer all things are obtained from God euen victorie against allsorts of enemies as Dauid sheweth Psal 56. 9. When I cry vnto thee mine enemies shall be turned vnto flight Also that God giueth strength vnto the weake weakeneth the minds of the strong when it seemeth good vnâ—o him And farther that the end of the â—nemies of the Church is at the last shamefull and full of sorrow and their wicked counsailes turne at the last to their destruction and are made a ruine and coÌ„fusion vnto them But these things will better be learned in the explication of the particulars First therefore the day of this execution is noted the thirteenth day of the xij moneth Adar which answereth to part of our February and the beginning of March. In that day the counsailes of the enemies are reported to fall out contrary to their opinions for wheÌ„ they hoped to exercise dominion ouer the Iewes they were ouerthrowen and subdued by the Iewes So the lots which Haman cast that he might find out a fit day to roote out the people of God were found to be deceitfull and lying and those who 〈◊〉 their trust in them receiued a iust reward of their impietie Although therefore sometimes it fall out that Satan the author of all sorceries inchantments and diuinations do speake truth God by his 〈◊〉 iudgement vengeaÌ„ce giuing force 〈◊〉 to his errors yet this is his only end 〈◊〉 delude and draw into perdition all those curious folke which employ themseluâ—â— to such artes full of sacriledge and impietie that those who were not louers of the truth may perish as they haue deserued for as much as they haue left God in whome is the fountaine of life and truth to turne themselues vnto the author of death and father of lyes By this meanes were our idolatrous Leaguers deceiued who by force of the Bulles and Pardons they had from the Pope of their Iubilees Pilgrimages and Processions of their madnesse in the worshipping of images and foolish deuotions and by the foretellings of certaine Almanacks and deceits of other like leger-du-maines did promise vnto themselues the wished and happie end of their purposes which was the abolishing of the Reformed Churches and doctrine of the Gospell but the time and day which seemed vnto them most fit for their designements was turned vnto them into a day of sorrow shame and eternall confusion Hearken now what way the Iewes tooke by the Kings permission to destroy their enemies They gathered themselues together in their cities through all the proâ—inces of the King Assuerus to lay hand vpoÌ„ those that sought their hurt They did then wisely prouide for their affaires so that they did not giue theÌ„selues so to ioy and gladnes but that they did diligeÌ„tly stand vpon their guard prouided them of armour gathered theÌ„selues together at certaine times places and principally did flee vnto God by prayer desiring that he who hitherto had shewed theÌ„ so great fauour would make perfect the worke of their deliuerance And surely then had they most neede of Gods help wheÌ„ they were to fight with their enemies for vnlesse God had daunted their courage and weakened their force prowesse there was no hope that the Iewes could be vanquishers of their enemies Furthermore they contained themselues within the bounds of the Proclamation that they would only vse force against those that sought their hurt that is those that were in armes to hurt them their wiues and children for this was the forme of the first edict chap. 8. vers 11. So that wee must needes say that the same day the enemies of the Iewes assembled to destroy and slay them for else how could they know who were their enemies or by what lawe could they haue vsed violence against those who kept themselues quiet and peaceable in their houses But by what lawe did the enemies of the Iewes take armour against them Euen bearing themselues bolde vpon the Kings Decree which was not called backe although one contrarie were published Besides vpon the confidence of their lot-casters and moued with the hatred of God and true religion being then principally driuen by Godssecret prouidence to gather themselues together that he might deliuer them into the hands of his people and that they should receiue a iust vengeance of their vngodlinesse and crueltie as God is sayd to harden the hearts of the Canaanites Iosh 11. 20. to goe out to meete the Israelites in
the rest of the Kings prouinces Now what is thy demand and it shall be giuē thee or what is thy petition moreouer and it shall be done By these words he doth partly gratifie Ester in the reuenge abundantly taken vpō her enemies partly also giueth her power to do somewhat more if she list that nothing may be omitted which she would desire to the full reuēge on the enemies of her people Whereby it appeareth that hee did all these things more vpon passion then by reason and that he would rather please his wife in the affection of his loue then haue care of his subiects in regard of iustice For seeing he was an infidel he sought not Gods glory whome he knew not neither the quiet of the Church whose doctrine he did not vnderstand And if in regard and loue of iustice he would haue repressed the malice of his subiects which sought the destruction of the Iewes yet vnlesse he had cast off all humanitie and all care which a king ought to haue of his subiects he wold haue lamēted that the bloud of his people armed at his cōmandement should so miserably haue bin shead Among the chiefest cōmendations of a good Prince this is not the least that he hold the bloud of his subiects deare pretious and prouide by good lawes and constitutions that by tumults bloud be not shead and that it be not made lawfull by a confused libertie warranted by the lawes for one to make assault vpon an other But for the most part it commeth to passe that Kings little esteeme the life of mē whom they thinke onely to be borne for their pleasure so that they sell nothing for a lesse price many times more carefull of a little pleasure or honor then of the preseruation of many thousand mēs liues as though that losse might most easily of al be recouered But whatsoeuer heere hapned God did vse this scarce humane affection of the king towards his people and his ouergreat willingnesse to pleasure the Queene to the procuring of peace and tranquillitie to his Church and to the taking of reuenge vpon the hatred and despite of his enemies So great then is the goodnesse of God that he maketh al things to turne to the commoditie and profite of his so great also his wisdome and puritie that those things which are rashly and inconsideratly done by men he conuerteth into his glorie For we see that Assuerus doth not any thing heere aduisedly but onely of a vehement and forcible affection to please his wife who if he had had many an immoderate and vnmodest woman would haue forced him to do many vniust and wrongfull matters And indeede it is not seemely for kings to be too large and prodigall in their promises and to subiect the liues of his subiects and gouernment of their affayres vnto the lust and pleasure of a woman This so liberall a grant made vnto Ester she demandeth If it seeme good vnto the King let it be granted vnto the Iewes which are in Susa to do to morrow according vnto this dayes decree and the tenne sonnes of Haman to be hanged on the gallowes By this demand it is sufficiētly manifest that many who either by bearing of weapon or some other meanes had the day before shewed themselues enemies vnto the Iewes were escaped the Iewes not being ignorant therof because they were not sufficient in number to follow them farder also it appeareth that the tenne sonnes of Haman conspired or consented with their father vnto the destruction of the Iews But this demand of the Queene at first blush may seeme to proceede frō too much desire of reuenge for was it not sufficient that in the citie of Susa only there were slaine with the edge of the sword fiue hundred men but that shee must also desire to rage yet more cruelly against those that had escaped when as euen in the most bloudie battailes and between the most deadly enemies after the furie of the conflict those who haue escaped either yeeld themselues and so are to be caried into bondage or set free for their ransome or else the victorie only doth suffice Besides doth not that seeme also to passe the bounds of humanitie to desire to haue the tenne sonnes of Haman to be hanged with shame and reproch being alreadie slaine when as many haue granted buriall vnto their enemies being slaine But the godlinesse of Ester which she shewed in all her life doth hinder that we should thinke that she gaue place to any passion but on the contrarie wee must rather say that shee sought the glorie of God in the reuenge of the enemies of his people and the quiet and tranquillitie of the Church which those who were escaped might when they sawe their time disturbe and therefore she desired that the rest might be punished and Hamans sonnes hanged on the gallowes as they had deserued for example vnto those who are not a shamed to abuse the name authoritie and forces of the King to effect their wicked counsels practises and to the detestation of those who with all their power go about the destruction of the Church So that the free speech and holy boldnesse of Ester is rather to be praysed in following the punishment of the wicked then to be condemned as though she had bin a slaue vnto her affections For we reade that God hath approued the like punishments against the wicked and vngodly as it appeareth in the seuen sonnes of Saul who were deliuered by Dauid to the Gibeonites 2. Sam. 20. to be hanged on the gallowes because Saul had broken the oth and faith giuē of old time by the Israelites to the Gibeonites Num. 25. Besides God commanded the Princes of the congregatiō which had led the people into wickednes with the idols women of the Madianites to be hanged and many thousands of the rest of the people to be slaine with the sword so to satisfie the wrath of God So Gedeon not content Iud. 7. 8. with this that the Madianites were slaine with their owne swords doth follow with all his force vpon the rest and did execute punishment for example vnto others vpon those who being requested would not help him God forbid therefore that we should reproue as faultie all sharp and seuere punishment which is executed against the enemies of Gods people Notwithstanding whosoeuer he be that will imitate such examples must first most diligentlie search his owne heart that vnder a false pretence hee giue not place vnto any euill passion of the flesh In which thing the slip is easie which thing by their example those two disciples of Christ do teach vs who by a peruerse imitation of the fact of Elias would haue fire to descend from heauen to consume that citie of the Samaritanes Luc. 9. 44. which shut their gates against the Lord when he would haue entred Now the King heere sheweth himselfe as easie to be intreated in granting the
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
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
great authoritie and fauour wherein Mardochaeus was and which he so vsed that he was deare vnto the king and beloued of all the people He was also carefull especially for the good of the Iewes and prouided what he might for the rest of his posteritie Whereby it came to passe that they enioyed long and happie peace the Lord bestowing his fauour on them a long while when as his wrath had passed in a moment This conclusion of this booke is now to be weighed by vs with a briefe recapitulation to be gathered of the chiefe points of those things which we haue expounded that we may constantly expect our peace and quiet from his grace and fauour who in all ages hath granted it vnto his Church after that he hath exercised it for a season vnder diuers afflictions First it is sayd that king Assuerus layed a tribute vpon the land and vpon the yles of the sea There is mention made of this tribute as of an extraordinarie matter And it is likely that it was then imposed when Xerxes the sonne of Assuerus made his preparatiō for his voiage into Greece for which he gathered so great an armie to weete of twentie hundred thousand men if we may beleeue Herodotus for which action there was of necessitie required a huge masse of gold and siluer and therefore there was neede of extraordinarie tributes and subsidies from whence it seemeth that common prouerb sprung among the Persians that Cyrus was a Father Cambyses a Lord Darius an huckster of the kingdome as though he made retayle of his people So that kings do not by any thing sooner purchase the note of tyrannie or of couetousnesse and filthie desire of gaine then by great extraordinarie exactions vpō their subiects But why is there heere mention made of this tribute It is likely that it is in regard of that which followeth wherein is declared in how great fauour and authoritie Mardochaeus was with the king and that it might be signified that the Iewes were free frō this tribute which was the greatest amplification increase of the peace and tranquillitie of the Church In which matter the singular fauour of God doth shine who causeth the poore captiues to be spared whē in the meane while the naturall subiects of the kingdome are charged some with the labours dangers of war some with exactions diminishing of their goods and substance Lo what the grace and fauour of a wise Gouernour can do in the sparing of those that haue most neede such as it is likely that the Iewes were in comparison of the naturall inhabitants Wherefore Mardochaeus did nothing vnworthy praise or against his duty whē he procured their release with especiall care I grant that some are not to be oppressed that others may be released when the case is of those burdens taxes which belong vnto the profit or defence of all but yet there is no cause but that poore strangers may wisely relieue themselues from those burdens which Princes exact of their naturall subiects So Ioseph released the familie of Iacob his father frō Gen. 47. 12 al the burdēs of the Aegyptians who were cōpelled to sell their flocks and their possessions vnto Pharao for corne when the Israelites were freely sustained by the munificence and liberalitie of the king for the loue which he bare to Ioseph for that faithfulnesse and wisdome which he had sufficiently tried to be most necessarie and profitable for him his whole kingdome in the gouernment of the affayres of the realme So that it was no marueile if the king Assuerus for the like experience which he had of the faithfulnes and discretion of Mardochaeus profitable for the gouernment of his kingdome did for his sake make the Iewes free from this extraordinarie tribute More ouer the historie passeth ouer in silence the acts of Assuerus and the setting forth of the dignitie of Mardochaeus wherewith the king had magnified him because they are written in the booke of the Chronicles of the Kings of Media and Persia There was indeede a great preparation made by Assuerus vnder the conduct of Xerxes his sonne but very vnlucky as all histories do obserue and the rest of his acts the Chronicles of the Persians being lost are now vnknowen Now as touching Mardochaeus it is to be supposed that his wisdome faithfulnes and watchfulnes were sufficiently tryed and approued by Assuerus seeing that hee made so great account of him For although sometimes Princes do promote vnworthy men vpon sodaine aduise and affection which we haue seene in Haman yet that dignitie continueth not long for in short space they bewray either their pride and folly or their wickednesse and so in a moment fall headlong backe againe Wherefore it is certaine that Mardochaeus was adorned with vertues fit for that place and dignitie which he sustained for otherwise being an alien newly vpstart and lifted vp from base state to so high honor and procuring at his first comming to his estate that edict by force and authoritie whereof the Iewes slewe seuentie and fiue thousand of their enemies at one massacre it is sure that hee was watched and await layd for him in so much that if he had not shewed great faithfulnes in his office been most trustie vnto the King and most wise and vpright in his gouernement he should not long haue retained that dignitie Nay if besides all things had not had prosperous successe which hee dealt in there would not haue wanted those who would haue accused and slandered him as the cause of all the confusions which might arise in so great a monarchie Therefore God did adorne him not onely with gifts meete and necessary to beare out so great a charge but also did compasse him with speciall grace and fauour whereby hee might be safe from all the bitings of enuie and despight and couered against all the false slanders and iniuries of the malitious So was his gouernment profitable vnto the whole kingdome and procured peace vnto the Church whereby it appeareth how great difference there is between him who ruleth the commonwelth in the feare of God and him who is ruled by his affections The gouernment of Haman was troublesome to the Church hurtfull to the people dishonourable vnto the king and hated of all men but the rule of Mardochaeus was profitable and peaceable vnto the Church gaineful vnto the kings subiects and finally most honorable vnto the king Wherefore it is for the behoofe and profite of all States that their gouernment be cōmitted vnto wise men fearing God contrariwise it bringeth destruction vnto thē if men ambitious couetous desirous of reuēge and doing all things with passion for their own profit do sit at the helme to gouerne the rest So we reade that when Ioseph gouerned Gen. 41. Aegypt the kingdome was happy and quiet and vnder Samuel the state of the 1. Sam. 7. 1. Sam. 2. 1. Sam. 31. people was blessed which vnder the rule
aunswere is easie that 〈◊〉 long as this doctrine of Christian libertâ—â— remaineth that all dayes are equall anâ— that there is no greater holinesse in 〈◊〉 then in an other but that any day mighâ— alike be consecrated to Gods worship hath beene lawfull vnto Christians fâ—â— good orders sake and for great conuenencie to instruct the simple to ordain certaine dayes for the better calling 〈◊〉 remembrance and more plaine expouâ—ding yearely vnto the people of the chiâ—fest benefits of our redemption of whiâ—â— sort are the Natiuitie Death Resurrection and Ascension of our Lord Iesus Christ and the sending of the holy Ghost And also those daies which thogh in some churches they beare the names of Saints yet are ordained to put vs in minde of some notable thing belonging vnto Christ wherein the ministerie of the Saints did concurre as the Annunciation of the blessed Virgin is proper vnto Christ conceiued by the holy Luc. 1. 31 Luc. 2. 22 Luc. 1. 76. 77. Mat. 16. 16 Act. 9. 20. 22. 21. Ghost in the wombe of the Virgin and the Purification to Christ presented in the Temple the day of the Natiuitie of 8. Iohn the Baptist putteth vs in remembrance of the preparation of Christes comming in the flesh for the saluation of mankinde the day of Peter of Christ professed to be the sonne of God the day of Paule of Christ preached euen vnto the Gentiles the day of S. Iohn Ioh. 21. 24. of Christ published by the writing of the Gospell c as it is cleare by the prayers which those churchesmake the parts of scripture which they read on those daies But yet behold what errors by litle litle haue crept in as wel in the celebrating of these feasts as in the instituting of others 1. EueÌ„ at the very beginning there by by arose an opinioÌ„ of necessitie euen with feare of sinne for the breaking of them which is coÌ„trarie vnto Christian libertie 2. Next the holines of one day was accouÌ„ted greater then of an other as thogh Gods grace were more easily found and more largely granted on the festiual daies then on others and in this feast rather then in that 3. Then also was there adioyned an opinion of merit euen by the worke it selfe wrought as though by the visiting of the temples and ceasing on these daies from work remission of sinnes were purchased and safegard or deliuerance from certaine diseases yea and as though eternall life were due vnto them for it 4. There followed a negligence and contempt to heare the word of God and giue themselues vnto holy exercises vpon other dayes 5. Lastly there ensued a carefull and scrupulous ceasing from all handiworke after the manner of the Iewes and the obseruation of the time of the feast from one twilight vnto the other But the fulâ— heap of prophanation was in the multipliing of the feasts almost without number in euery place after euery mans fancie and in dedicating of them to the honour of Saints yea euen of them of whose holinesse and sanctitie there was no certaine testimonie vnto whom also there was their peculiar worship prescribed that by this means their help intercessioÌ„ might more easily be obtained whereof it came to passe that all kinde of Idolatrie did grow into an exceeding greatnesse pride and wantonnesse as a riuer ouerflowed all and did eueÌ„ almost choke and quench all godlinesse That therefore the state of the Church so miserably fallen might be restored not without cause first were all those feasts abolished which were tainted with superstition after the right vse of godly feastes was renued in the reformed Churches which feastes notwithstanding for the olde abuses from which the people could not be reclaimed were â—n many places altogither left off which â—hing was lawful to be done because they were but the constitutions of men and men could not otherwise be taught what was Christian libertie Howbeit those Churches which in stead of all other â—eastes doo onely retaine the Lords day â—or order and publike assemblies must diligently take heed that they condemne not other Churches in which many such feasts are still retained so that mens consciences be not inthralled with the yoake of mens constitutions as thogh they were Gods and that all abuse al opinion of the holinesse of one day more then an other of merit and the like errors which before we haue spoken of be taken away and earnestly reprehended and all insolencie and excesse be driuen farre away Finally Christians are bounde all the dayes of their life to follow true holinesse preferring no day as more holy then an other continually mindfull of Gods benefites as euery day there is mention made of them in the articles of faith submitting themselues otherwise to order and Ecclesiasticall discipline that with one consent they may be partakers of doctrine Sacraments prayer praise and thanks-giuing and exhorting one an other to the worship and honor of God and to mutualâ— loue and charitie to holinesse and righteousnesse and to retain that libertie which Christ Iesus our Lord hath purchaseâ— with his bloud to whom be all honor anâ— glorie for euer Amen THE SIXE AND twentieth Sermon The honour of Mardochaeus is confirmed and augmented and peace granted to the Church CHAP. X. 1. After this the king Assuerus laid a tribute vpon the land and vpon the Iles of the sea 2. And all the acts of his power and of his might and the declaration of the dignitie of Mordecai wherewith the King magnified him are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Media and Persia 3. For Mordecai the Iew was the next vnto King Assuerus and great among the Iewes and accepted among the multitude of his brethren who procured the wealth of his people and spake peace to all his seede AMongst other reasons wherewith Dauid stirreth vp both himselfe and others to praise God hee also bringeth this That his anger endureth but a while but in his fauour is life so that if weeping lodge with vs at euening yet ioy cometh in the morning This is confirmed by many examples and ordinarie experience especially in the Church which is the house of God in which hee dooth shewe forth the riches of his bountie mercie That one booke of the ludges doth affoord vs many the like examples if the times wherein God chastised his people be compared with those in which sending them deliuerers he graunted them peace and quietnesse But this Historie which wee haue in hand â—oth clearely inough shew the same vnto vs for as we haue seene when as the Iewes beeing for two moneths space afflicted did humble themselues before God and cried vppon the Lorde they obtained at Gods hand that deliuerance which wee haue heard wherby their name became fearefull vnto the Gentiles and they obtained rest from their enemies Now this booke is concluded and shut vp with the recitall of their tranquillitie which was confirmed and increased by that