to a place of rest and honour Doth not this commend vnto vs the exceeding faithfulnesse of God that will not suffer his children alwayes to lye vnder the burthen and continually to passe through fire and water Psal 66. but at the length wil bring them to a wealthyer place Did not Ioseph at length see an end of his troubles Was not Mordecai quiet at length Did hee not finde rest and honour Yea surely the Lord is mercifull and will not alwayes bee chiding because mercy pleaseth him Mich 7. he will returne and haue mercy that his people may gloryfie him The rod of the vngodly shall not alwaies rest vppon the lot of the righteous Psal 50. 15. least the righteous put forth his hand to wickednesse The Lord will heare the prayers of his children Psal 125. Psal 21. 2. and he will make them hidings for others that are in trouble they shall haue gratious experience of his mercyfull deliuerance that they may bee more willing to committe them-selues to him in well-doing and so be better fitted to their eternall rest Loe thus shall the man bee blessed that feareth the Lord. Vse 1. Mich 7. 8. 9. Reioyce not therefore against me oh myne enemies for though I fall yet I shall rise againe Oh that wee could wait the Lords leysure and hee would establish our hearts marke well the iust man and the end of that man is peace Faint not therefore vnder the burthen neither repine thereat for thy Sauiour Christ doth beare the waight thereof and at length he will case thy shoulders of all sorrow may be in the euening but ioy is in the morning Ionas 2. Esay 54. 7 8. I sayd I mas cast out of thy sight yet will I looke backe towards thy holy Temple For a little while did I forsake thee but in euerlasting compassion will I gather thee againe though I vtterly destroy al the nations where I haue scattered thee yet wil I not destroy thee but I wil correct thee by Iudgement and not vtterly cut thee off Ierem. 30. Psal 73. But I will guide thee by my counsel and after bring thee to glory Thus is Hester now receiued into the house-royall of the King Psal 30. Psal 21. The Lord hath sette her vp and not suffered her foes to triumph ouer her and because the heart of his seruant trusted in the Lord and in the mercies of the most high therefore shee shall not slide Psal 112 her heart is established in the Lord her God and therefore shee will not feare vntill she see her desire vpon her enemies And is not so great a blessing worthy remembrance yea surely the holy Ghost precisely sets downe the day and yeare thereof that so we might be prouoked to remember the same And might learne that such blessings ought so long to be remembred of vs as the daies and times continue in our vse So hath the Lord tendered great blessings to his Church at especiall times The returne of the captiuity in the first yeare of Darius the passion at the feast of the passe-ouer Dan. 1. Math. 26. Act. 2. The gift of tongues at the feast of the pentecost c. 1. That the extraordinarinesse of the time might put vs in minde of the extraordinary blessing and be a continuall remembrance of the â—ame for the praises of God So hath the Church of God appointed and set solemne times for the perpetuall remembrance of great blessings and commended therein the celebration of Gods blessings for euer Hest 9. so was the 14. day of Ader set apart to this purpose by ster and Mordecai so is the 5â— of Nouember consecrated to the remembrance of the most admirable deliuerance of the â—ritaine State and people from the gunpowder treason Obser 110. Great mercies of God are to be had in remembrance by special time appointed thereto And surely as these great fauours of God are liuelie testimonies of his power and goodnesse so are they worthy to be had in remembrance yea very profitable is the remembrance thereof to vs both to stirre vp our thankfulnesse and encrease our faith that so they may be sanctified continued and encreased vpon vs yea be vndoubted pleadges of eternall happinesse And therefore seeing the Lord hereby prouides that his blessings may not be forgotten and so passe without their true vse this may serue for the great condemnation of the world who on the contrarie vseth all occasions to put out the remembrance of Gods mercies from the earth either ascribing Gods mercies to their wit or desart or putting them off to second causes as if not the LORD but some ordinarie meanes had compassed the same or which is worst of all imputing them to blind chance c.. And are not they also as faultie herein that diminish and obscure the great workes of GOD either not regarding them at all or speaking basely of them What shall we thinke of these that gnash their teeth hereat that repine that the Lord should bee gracious vnto his people And are there not some that thinke such great deliuerances are discredits vnto a people as signifying what they had deserued and what some of their owne bowells would haue executed on their Fathers and brethren May nor pollicie aduize that so great mercies of God should be suppressed lest the reioycing thereof vpbrading the wicked should prouoke them to renue their malice and multiplie their mischiefes Surely if there were no other euidence to condemne vs of vnthankefulnesse yet the generall security of a people and encrease of sinne is a fearefull witnesse of their forgetfulnesse of a blessing and so may bee a meanes to turne it vnto a curse Well let vs looke our faces wisely in this glasse and as the Lord hath offered vs time to remember so great mercies so let vs daylie meditate on the wonders of our GOD. Let vs keepe a regester of Gods blessings that we may keepe our selues in the possessions of them And let vs withall keepe an account of our sinnes that so we may see what need we haue of Gods mercie and so the rather meditate thereon And for our comfort let vs further learne this that as God neuer bestowes great blessings but they shal be truelie sanctified vnto some so if that by this holie remembrance we shall keepe our right in them we shall not onely be deliuered in the euill day when the LORD shall take vengeance on the vnthankefulnesse of the world but we shall see some greater things then these the LORD will deale wonderfully betweene Israel and Aegipt when the obstinate shal be confounded then shall the righteous flowrish yea the Lord will prouide meanes for the constancy of their happinesse for so it followeth And the King loued Hester aboue all the women Vers 17. and shee found grace and fauour in his sight more then all the Virgins so that hee set the crowne of the Kingdome vpon her head and made
his presence who refusing is by the aduice of his Princes and Councel put from all regall societie to the end of the Chapter Vers 1. In those dayes that is in the peaceable and prosperous raigne of Xerxes then fell out this danger of the Church then did the Lord performe this deliuerance as if the spirit could declare vnto vs that When the wicked are in greatest security Obser I1 The vvickeds prosâ—erity is the meanes of their greater affliction and prosperitie then is the Church of God subiect and neere greatest danger 1. So doth the Lord hereby make way for the greater confusion of the wicked in giuing them vp to such a reprobate sense that whereas they should vse their prosperitie to the glory of God and good of others it turnes on the contrary to the speciall hurt of those for whole sakes specially they do enjioy it 2. And the vvicked in this state haue more power and leisure to doe mischiefe 3. As for the Church of God it is more subiect to contagion by smelling of the wickeds prosperity yea happily escapes not defiling thereby and therefore had need of such preseruatiues and purgation to preuent or purge out her drosse Vse 1. And is it then good wisdome to shroud the Church vnder there prosperity by making leagues with them who are the likeliest rods to correct the same May we not see herein the folly of Gods children who many times proue stirrops to raise such to promotion who when they are aloft will proue their greatest scourges ought we not to mourne for the Prosperity of the wicked pro. 29. and then to prepare our selues to some great trials presaged thereby Let vs wisely looke our owne faces in this glasse and and see whether our daunger was not neerest when we were most secure reioycing our selues in the hight of our prosperity and let vs keepe downe those Canaanites that they may not prosper vnder vs. Of Ahâ—shueroth That is the Hereditary Prince Obse 1. Whereby me thinks that great controuersie among the Interpreters what King is here ment whither Cambises Darius or Xerxes may easily be resolued That it cannot be Darius i. because he was not the hereditary Prince in that he was chosen by an accident and therefore it must needs be Xerxes who not only was hereditary from his father in that he was the naturall sonne of Darius but further also by the mothers side may be truly called the Hereditary Prince as being borne of Atossa the daughter of Cyrus his great grand-father Secondly it may be plainely resolued from India to Ethiopia or a hundreth and seauen and twenty Prouinces which cannot be vnderstood neither of Cambises because hee had not so large a dominion neither rained ful 8. years wheras this Ahashueroth is afterward recorded to haue raigned 12 neither of Darius because so large a kingdom is not ascribed to him by any memorial therfore it must need decifer Xerxes vnto vs And surely how fitly did the Lord dispose the trial of his Church in his time who as by his basenes and intemperancy â—e was made an instrument to bring the Church of God to the pits brinke so was he after the deliuerance of the Church made a memorable spectacle of Gods wrath in the ouerthrow of that his huge army by a small hand-full of the Grecians according to that of the spirit of God The rightious escape out of trouble Pro. 11. 8 and the wicked come in their stead It followeth This is Aâ—asueroth by this repeating of the name in this Parenthesis with an adition of distinction Obser 1. Auoucheth the truth of the Scripture we may obserue the care of the spirit of God to iustifie the truth of the story by a circumstance of Cronology and thereby are taught That whereas this name Ashachuerosh signifieth an Heriditary Prince and was giuen vsually to the Kings of Persia as an ensigne of honor as Pharaoh and Ptolomy was to the Egiptians 1. that our speciall triall of the truth of the Scripture is from y e exact agreement in the computation of time 2. That ciuill titles of honor are to be giuen euen to prophane magistrats That raigned from India euen to Ethyopia Here the holy Ghost sets out vnto us the large bounds of this Persian Monarchy when it drew neere to it dissolution out of which we are taught many notable obseruations Doctr. The vvicked enioy great prosperity As. That euen wicked and reprobate Princes haue attained very large fruitfull dominions the reason is 1. because the Lord hath free power to giue the earth to whome it pleaseth him 2. because the Lord vseth them as scourges to the wicked that so his iustice might appeare more gloriously 3. He shewes his great bounty and long suffring to the wicked in giuing them herein more then their hearts can desire to make them without excuse 4. he makes way for the breathing and increase of his Church which hath both some shelter in these large dominions and hath wonne some hereby to God and lastly hereby hee prepares the wicked to their greater destruction Luke 12. who the more they receaue shall haue more required at their hands and the mighty shall be mightely tormented Psal 37. Hence we learne not to marueaile or fret at y e great prosperity of Gods enemies Psal 72. neither to enuy them therin nor desire to be like them assuring our selues that all there prosperity shall serue the Churches turne Mat. 5. and if they y e knew not God are thus recompenced on earth how great then may we imagine our reward to be in Heauen Raigned in that the holy Ghost implies a peaceable subiection of so many diuers Prouinces and different nations both in language and nature vnder one Monarch God is the author of gouernment we learne here also by a consequent that gouernment is of the Lord. Pro. 8. by him Kings raigne it is the Lord that sets vp and pulleth downe 5. Doctr. Psa 75. for he onely makes to be of one mind in an house he only knits the hearts in such vnity he only can bridle the different natures and conditions of the most barbarous and therefore as our Christian liberty must not take away ciuill obedience Rom. 12. 2. so must our ciuill obedience be also for conscience not with Popish reseruations or Anabaptisticall presumptions but we must euen pray for the life of Nebuchadnezzar and in the peace of his citty we shall haue peace Iere. 27. 19. remembring that seeing God appoints gouernment therefore he is aboue it that so we may giue vnto Caesar the body and goods with a good conscience Math. 22. which are due vnto him and reserue vnto our God the rule of the conscience which is his immediate peculiar aboue Caesars Ouer an hundred and twenty Prouinces See wee here the great benefit of gouernment that vnites together so many and different nations Obser
owne greatnesse lesâ— the smart of their sinne light most heauily vpon themselues 3 Secondly the subiect is here instructed as not to dreame of impunity seeing the greatest shall smart for it and therfore to beare the yoake with patience seeing there will be an end 4. So to mourne when Princes do eate in the morning and stâ—etche themselues vpon Iuory beds not regarding the affictions of Ioseph because this is a certaine note of some iudgement insuing Amos. 6. 5 5 And yet herein also to comfort themselues that God will set a marke on those that mourne for the present euills they shal be deliuered from the common calamity But who is the rod that the Lord appoints to this great execution the holy Ghost addeth Whom Nebuchadnezar King of Babel had caried away Behold the rod with God vseth for the chastisement of his Children Obser 53. God vseth great and mighty enemies for the chastizing of his Church euen a most proud mighty and malitious enemy whose eyes shall not spare them nay who shall hope vtterly to roote them out And yet the Lord most righteous and mercifull herein 1. Abac. 12. The righteousnes of the Lord appeares in these circumstances Esay 8. 10. 1 Because it is in his choice to vse what rod he will and the rod he vseth is sanctified thereto Sect. I. This standeth with his iustice Esay 15. 2 The wickeds teeth are an edgetil they be on this worke it is the office they desire this count they their greatest of happinesse all their honour is nothing because Mordecai wil not bow vnto them Ezech. 29. and therefore to choose they will have a fling at Mordecai I Reg. 22. 3. And is not the Lord righteous herein Hest 5. so to giue them their desire that while they spurne at a stone it breakes them in peeces Zach. 12. 4 The Godlie themselues makes choice of this rod they will commit abhomination and al filthinesse with them Exo. 23 and in their extremity they will seeke for helpe of them Iere. 2. 34 5. And is not the Lord righteous to giue his children their desire herein Sect. 2. It stands also with Gods mercy that being thoroughly secured hereby they might answere Gods desire in their vnfained repentance 1. And doth not this magnifie exceedingly the mercies of God to prouide such a furnace as shall not dally with them but purge theÌ„ thoroughly 1 Cor. 11. 32 2. That so being chastized soundly in the world they may not be condemned in the life to come Vse 1. Surely as here we may behold the estate of the Church that she must looke for great and sharpe afflictions So we may also take notice of the power of sinne in arming our owne flesh thus cruelly against vs And seeing al curses froÌ„ Adam are turned into blessings by Christ therfore lette vs learn to make our flesh our friend 1. Sect. 3. Flesh how to be mad our 〈◊〉 not by soothing in sinne nor pertaking there-with but by sound reproofe and wise preseruing our selues from the contagion thereof Labour wee to subdue the flesh 〈◊〉 God and then it shall bee seruiceable vnto vs. And in all thinges labour wee to approue our selues vnto God so shall he make our enemies at peace with vs. And seeing our greatest enemies are they of our owne flesh rest wee not in man Verse 16. 17. nor in the sonnes of men put wee no confidence in a Councellor no not in the wife that lies in our bosomâ— Math 10. but count wee â—l as dung in regard of the peace of a good conscienee so shal we hereby either make our enemies our friendes Mich. 7. or at least we shal bridle sanctifie to our good their rage against vs. Well thus wee see the Church of God is carryed away captiue But was this the first draught of this cup of affliction Surely no We shall find that this people of the Iewes Obs 54. God â—â—aâ—â—sâ—â—h his children often with the same â—od besides many fore-running Iudgements of the famine pestilence ciuill warres forreyne inuasions and the like had three great draughts before euen of this cuppe of captiuitie and after this dranke the dregges of this cuppe The first draught did the Kingdome of Israel drinke One by Tiglath Pileser the King of Ashur who carried away diuers of their Tribes into bondage 2. King 15. 19. and the latter by Shalmaneser King of Ashur who carried away the whole residue of the ten Tribes into perpetuall captiuitie 2 King 17. 9. 10. the other three draughts the Kingdome of Iudah dranke at in Manasseh his time who was carried away captiue into Babilon 2 Chro. 33. 11. and vpon his time repentance restored againe The second draught was in the time of Iehoiakim King of Iuda who hauing rebelled against Nabuchad-nezzar king of Babell after that he had serued him three yeares 2 Reg. 24. 10. therefore the King of Babel hauing first sent his Captaines to spoyle and waste the Country round about to the very walles of the Citty at length in the raigne of Iehotachim the sonne of Iehoiachim the former begirts the Citty and and strangely beseegeth it The extremitie whereof the King and his Princes beeing not willing to indure it by the perswasion of the Prophet Ieremy yeeld them-selues to the conquerors pleasure and so for this time though they saued the Citty from desolation yet both the spoile thereof was aboundantly carryed away and togither with the King Wis 14. 16. his Princes and Ministers of state and meanes of defence at least seauenteene thousand are at this time carryed into Babilon and this is the captiuitie mentioned in this booke of Hester the same which is here Iechoniah being no other then Iehoiachim as appeareth by y e euidence of the word 1 Chro 3. 16. and circumstances of the history It being no vn-usuall thing with the holy Ghost to call one person by diuers names Ienem â—2 â—4 After this captiuity in the raigne of Iehoiachim followed the last and most extreme draught of this cuppe some eleuen yeares after when Zedekiah raigned as Viceroy vnder Nebuchad-nezzar who because he rebelled against his Lord 2 Chro. 36. therfore came Nabuchad-nezzar y e second time and beseeged the Cittie and the inhabitants standing vpponâ—their defence Icrem 39. he after some two yeares siege took it 2 Reg. 25. 11. and not onely exposed it to the spoyle of his Army but after defaced and consumed it by fire The glorious Temple stately Pallaces the sumptuous building and proud walls all were desolate broken downe and ruinated And not onely so but euen all the glory and multitude of the people were carryed at seuerall times into Babilon saue only some poore that were left to Till the Land Thus did this people drinke of this cuppe of captiuitie and yet as you haue heard in measure in the branches therof not
Psal 6. 12. Psal 9. 16. Then I wil vp saith the Lord to auenge the poore then shall the Lord be knowne by exempting of iudgements the wicked shall be turned into hell and all the Nations that forget God Isay 28. 15. Yea when the wicked haue made a couenant with hell and so in their security do blesse their soules as if they had Gods children so sure that none could deliuer them as if their happinesse were so sure 1 Thess 5. 3. that none could remoue them Then shall a sodaine destruction come vpon them and they shal not be able to auoid it Then shall the destruction of the wicked bee the deliuerance of the Church Thus euen from our enemyes wee may heare good newes of deliuerance their owne mouthes will tell vs their practises cannot hid eit A second probabilitie of Hesters aduancement is that shee is of the seed of the righteous Psal 111. which shall be mighty on the earth Obs 103. Gods children in this life aduanced to highest dignity she is say they The daughter of Abihail the Vncle of Mordecai i. She is a Iew to whom belongeth the birth-right whose priuiledge it was to rule the Nations to whom Esau and all his posterity should bow and do homage So faithfull is the LORD in keeping couenant for euer So truly is Godlinesse profitable for this life so all are ours both by right and possession so are Gods children best able to vse prosperity so is eternall happines hereby sealed vp vnto them So would the Lord hereby teach vs that these temporal blessings are not euil because he bestowes them in greatest measure vppon them The vses hereof see Obs 79. Onely wee may not here forget what the holy Ghost vouchsafes vs againe to remember Namely that Hester was taken by Mordecai for his daughter Thus the Lord thinks it fit againe to make honourable mention of this charitable worke of Mordecai The good deeds of Gods children are not forgotten of the Lord. As wherin he was glorified and did delight therin to confounde the practize of the wicked that seeke to obliterat the same and to approue to his children the acceptaunce of the same as also to assure them hereby of the reward to come and withall to prouoke the Saints to the imitation thereof Oh how vainely then doth the wicked hope to put out their names from vnder Heauen whose names as they are written in the booke of life so their workes also are registred in the eternall word of God how wickedly do they depraue and obscure those gratious deeds which the Lord of glory makes glorious by his remembrance how weake are the Saints to doubt of their well doing seeing the God of truth giues euidence thereto What comfort may we haue in the acceptance of our labours seeing the righteous Lord takes such delight in them how may we be established against the reproches of the world how little need we esteeme to be iudged of men 1. Cor. 44. seeing it is God that approueth who can condemne with what confidence may we prepare our selues to stand before that righteous Iudge Reue. 3. who allready presents our prayers in the golden censor of his righteousnesse and doth not onely make mention of vs but mediation for vs at the throne of glory that wee might not bee confounded in the day of refreshing A third likelyhood here set downe of Hesters aduancement is her confidence in God and relying on his immediate prouidence specified in this that it is said She desired nothing but what Hege the Kings Eunuch the keeper of the women said Wherein the spirit of God would giue vs to vnderstand that though the other maydens standing vpon there preferment vsed all art to set out there beauty as the meanes thereof and therefore spared not to demaund of the Eunuch such meanes of painting c. as might further the same yet this gratious virgin contenting her selfe with y â— image which God had set on her and resting on the diuine prouidence that had enclinde the heart of the Eunuch towards her she doth not impudently presse him further then God should moue his heart but humbly takes what Hege directs her to who no doubt being enclined of the LORD to shew her extraordinary fauour was also restrained of the LORD that hee should not offer her otherwise then was fit for her profession The LORD as it is likely giuing her a like fauour in the eyes of this Eunuch as he gaue vnto Daniel with the other that she was not defiled with this vaine and superfluous preparation but as she was willing to leaue the Eunuch to his liberty so the Eunuch also might leaue her to hers how-so-euer though in other things she might happily submit her selfe to the present necessity as to take that which the Eunuch offers her Obse 105. Gods childrens preferment is in faith and so might discouer her weakenesse and want of courage yet in this doth her faith appeare not obscurely that she doth not ambitiously seeke by corrupt meanes to aduance her selfe but soberlie entertaines the meanes that are cast vpon her resting on GODS prouidence for the good successe thereof Sect. 1. 3 Notes of faith And surely as I take it wee may here obserue diuers notes of liuelie faith One is that she presseth not impudently to insinuate into the fauour of this wicked Eunuch though by the Kings avthority shee might haue occasion thereto lest shee should seeme to depend vpon him and giue him some aduantage ouer her pretious liberty To receiue what is offered by him especially moued thereto by the LORD herein shee shewes her faith which knowing all was hers doth herein take her right and shewes her power therein in that shee refuseth not her owne though tendred by the wicked Shee knew the prophanesse of the Eunuch could not make GODS blessing ineffectuall to his children And therefore shee receiues them aright though from an vniust possessor And lastly in that she vseth such ordinary meanes as were offered not seeking to aduance her-selfe by adulterating or prophaning of nature herein also in the third place she sheweth her faith which as it refuseth not meanes so it is not curious of meanes but takes what are offered reiects such as are not warrantable Whereby we may learne that the aduancement to Gods children is warrantable and for their good seeing it is in faith and hereby to try our selues whether we be in the faith or no. A fourth token of her aduancement is this which followeth Note of Hesters aduancement And Hester found fauor in the sight of all them that looked vpon her Thus did the Lord make her gratious in the eyes of all men that her aduancement might be with more power and lesse enuy both for her owne and the good of others that shee both to the wicked might be a great terror as being conuinced with the brightnesse of maiesty appearing gloriously in her
vppon conditions to marry with such captiues as they had taken in war And the Saints of God haue warrantably matched with strangers the Idolatrous brood c. As Boaz with Ruth Sampson with the Philistian c. When the occasions haue beene extraordinary and the dispensation heauenly And therefore no warrant for vs that haue choyce of holy seede to sowe amongst the thornes thereby to wound our owne soules and choake our seed or else by the egge of the Serpent to breed the Cockatrice to haue mungrell issue that shall speake halfe Ashur and halfe Canoon shall not this vnequall yoake cast out the yoake of Christ shall not the stranger deuoure our sdtrength shall not the curse of God cast out such roote and branches from the face of the earth Well thus wee see the mercy of God truly iustified in Hesters aduancement let vs now see how Ahashuerosh the King iustifieth and adorneth the same It followeth Hee sets the Crowne of the kingdome vpon her head and made her Queene c. Loe here the ensigne of this great honour which is due vnto this poore captiue the Crowne of the Kingdome is set vpon her head So doth this new Bride-grome striue to doe all honour vnto his bride So doth God confirme his child in this extraordinarie dignitie by this meanes is Hesters aduancement made knowne to the Church of God and by this full performance of complement is more honored and approoued But this is not all It followeth Then the King made a great Feast to all his Princes and Nobles Verse 18. c. In which words the holy Ghost sets downe vnto vs the solemnization of this royall mariage and that by fiue circumstances 1. The King makes a great feast thereat to all his Princes and seruants 2. This Feast is dedicated to the memoriall of Hester which was Hesters feast 3. Rest is giuen to the Prouinces they are made pertakers of this common ioy that the mariage of Hester might be more acceptable to them 4. The King gives giftes vnto the poore and sends presents abroad farre and neere 5. Hee shewes the power of the King in this his magnificence to signifie his true contentmeÌ„t ioy in this mariage And first to adde greater state solemnity to y e mariage of his new spouse the King yet further makes a solemne feast to all his Princes and Nobles of the lawfulnesse and right vse whereof we haue spoken plentifully heretofore Obser 115. Feasting lawfull at mariages Only thus much we may further adde concerning the occasion of this feast that the custome of solemnizing mariages with feasts hath beene ancient and commendable as being a time of great ioy and therefore fitte to be shewed in the meanes of ioy especially in regarde of such company as at such times come togeather who may lawfully take occasion of a more liberall refreshing And therefore not vnlawfull to bee vsed and hereby euen of Christians who as they know their libertie so also they can best tell how to vse it in a wise diuiding of the time and moderation of Gods blessings That which followeth concerning the dedication of the feast to the memory of Hester Obseru Dedication of feasts to the memory of perticular persons as it doth discouer the greater affection of the King towards his spouse so it magnifieth yet further the mercy of God toward his servant who by this memoriall is commended to posteritie and euen highly honored of the enemies of God which though it be no warrant for that popish custome of dedicating feasts to the honor of Saints vnlesse the fact of a wicked Prince shall iustifie the same so notwithstanding in the equity there of doth approue such holy remembrances of the Saints of GOD which may both put them in minde of Gods mercies towards them and prouoke posterity to an holy imitation thereof as tombes trophes c. Thus doth Ahasâ—uer osh celebrate the memory of Hester by a solemne feast and so shall the children of God bee honored of their enemies so shall their names and memorials be continued to posteritie And yet the affection of this Monarch stayes not here but yet furt her to grace this wedding of Hester behold he giues rest to the Prouinces which were euen tyred with taxes and exactions so dâ— the wicked fare the better euen for Gods children sake so doth the Lord make away for his children euen to be iustified of the wicked And surely whither he caused these nuptials generally to be solemnized throughout his kingdome by setting a part the day thereto that the subiect might bee pertaker in the Princes ioy and celebrate his mariage with feasting and libertie or rather spared his subiects for the time of some tribute that was due This as it makes to the great honor and celebration of Hesters mariage because God being glorified Obs 116. When the righteous are aduanced the people reioice there is peace with men so it also serues to the great approbation of godlinesse the whole land it at rest when Gods Church is respected when Gods children are aduanced Prou. 29. 2 when the righteous are in authoritie then the people reioyce Prou. 28. 12 then is great glory great peace and contentment So doth the Lord sanctifie great blessings vnto his children that they may be good foundations against y e day of Christ I. Tim. 6 so doth he secure here by their ticklish estates by knitting the hearts of the people vnto them through the benefit therof So doth he make y e world without excuse when they shall hate that which is the onely cause of their great est honor security contentmeÌ„t Vse And doth not this condemne the folly of men that complaine of righteousnesse as if it were the greatest trouble-house trouble-state that may be Nehem. 2. that thrust out Gods children as the only disturbers of their rest happinesse are not they more then blind Iob. 21. 15. which see no profit in godlinesse Psal 4. but still are poaring like the Sodomits when the doore is before them saying who will shew vs any good do not they open their mouthes against heauen Malach. 3 that say it is in vaine to serue the Lord Are not they the greatest enemies to themselues that keepe downe Gods children and hinder their aduancement that aboue all things feare least the Lord should bee glorious in his Saints Psal 2. Math. 10. 34 least hee should set his King vpon his holy hill of Syon Surely if the sonne of GOD Luk. 12. bring a Sword vpon the earth it is not because hee is not the Prince of peace Esay 9 because hee offers not also peace vnto them Math. 20 but because the world refuseth peace therefore doe they plucke downe a Sworde vpon them and the corner stone becomes a rock of offence And if any be afra de wherein they should take most comfort they are the sinners in
Ston that are thus afraide feare takes hold vpon the hypocrites these indeed shall not dwell with the deuouring fire these cannot endure the euerlasting burning Malach. 3 2. 3. 4. What flesh shall endure when hee appeares who is like a purging fire and like Fullers Soape Yet shall the siluer abide the touche and be purified thereby yea the sonnes of Leuâ— shall be fiaed and prepared that they may bring offerings vnto the Lord in righteousnesse Then shall the offerings also of Iudah and Ierusalem bee acceptable vnto the Lord as in old time and in the yeares before yea the Lord will take away the iâ—iquitie of the land in one day Then shall many bee turned away from iniquitie Malach 2. and yee shall call euery man his neighbour vnder the Vine and under the Fig-tree Zacn 3 9. 10. Then shall Ierusalem be inhabited without walles for the Lord will bee unto ber a wall of fire round about Zach. 2. 4. 5 and will be the glorie in the midst of her Then will the Lord turne to the people a pure language that they may all call vpon the name of the Lord and serue him with our shoulder Oh that the Lord would arise 1. One consent and without grudging haue mercy on Syon that he would take out of the midst of her them that reioyce of her pride and are puffed up in regarde of the holy mountaine that the lying and aequiuocating generation were rooted out Zeph. 3. 13 that the vile were seperated from the precious Then should there be an humble and poore people and they would trust in the name of the Lord then should there bee holy vessels vnto the Lord yea euery pot in Ierusalem should be holy then should not Ashur saue them neither would they ride vpon horses Ose 14 but in their God the fatherlesse should finde comfort The righteous Lord shall bee exalted in the saluation of his chosen Vse Who so is wise and hee shall vnderstand these things and prudent and bee shall know them for the wayes of the Lord are righteous and the iust shall walke in them but the wicked shall fall therein But of this point more fully by Gods grace hereafter It followeth Gods grace hereaster It followetb And gaue rest vnto the Prouinces Obs 117. Princes to the enioying of their pleasure are to be carefull not to oppresse their subiects but to give some relaxation therevvithall vnto them and gaue gifts according to the power of a King In that this Persian Monarch here releases his subiects of the burthen of subsidies and taxations when hee and his court do enlarge themselues in their pleasures herein we may seeke shadow of that substance which is required in Christian Princes namely that though their state and fulnesse affoord them pleasure and ease by the toyle and labour of others yet in the vse thereof they should so indifferently behaue themselues as to let this oyle of gladnesse runne downe to the skirts of the garment Psal 133. that those may taste at least of the cup of their pleasure who haue especially troad the Wine-presse and prepared the cup vnto them and by pertaking therein may both better beare the burthen and so still maintaine the plough in going Little therefore do such Princes know what wrong they do themselues when they will not speake comfortably to their people much lesse allow them some immunity when they take their pleasures as hereby esteeming their delight to be peerelesse and acceptable because they are singular and aboue the reach of others yea accounting their pleasures herein the better seasoned when they are procured and enioyed with the paine toyle of their people And lesse doe such know what belongs to God or the safety of their kingdomes that giue the bridle to their subiects to prophane Gods Sabaothes and contemne his word that so they mighty lesse enioy them in their godlesse pleasures or else the better endure such drudgery as they are put vnto when wicked Princes runne ryot And surely in that herein they thinke to gratifie their sinne granting pardon for any offence this as it doth most dishonor God so it shall surely tend to the reproach of such indulgence as being the speciall meanes of the disobeying of gouernmeÌ„t when God is dishonoured for the contentment thereof Oh that gouerners were wise to consider these things that they would consider how pleasures communicated are both lesse enuied and lesse set by and so both preuent danger in their vse and abuse also by wise intermitting the same And yet y t they would be wise in yeelding this liberty not to cloake their owne abuse neither with the dishonour of God not to the iustifying of sinne nor hardning of sinners not as if hereby they would make demonstration of their happinesse or basely prostitute themselues to the lust of their people but herein wisely acknowledging their common condition by nature and so to become equall with those of the lower sort recompencing hereby the labour of their subiects and keeping herein that royal law euen to do to others as they would be done vnto them-selues considering wisely that seeing they are to weepe with them that weepe Rom. 12. so they must not reioyce to make their subeects heauy Obs 118. Prince honour consists in the easing of their subiects of their continual burthens And surely if we consider this perticular wherein this heathen Prince gratifies his subiects namely to release his subiects for a time of their continual taxes as this was especially intended to honour his Nuptia's y t the loynes of his people might blesse their Prince and his marriage so we shall find it no small part of the Princes honour as not vnnecessarily to exact vpon his people for the satisfying of his pleasure so euen to remitte somewhat of lawful exactions to giue some breathing intermission therto For is hee not herein a law vnto himselfe when in that which is lawful he bounds him-selfe doth not what he may but what is most expedient And so ruling him-selfe shall better rule his people Is he not wisely to keepe some stocke in store and not still to bee laying forth least hee haue not in the season to compasse the market Doth hee not heereby keepe his subiects in heart that they may still supply cheerefully whereas the King must loose his right when there is no more to bee had And then the King must supply when the subiect hath it not Whereas otherwise the King receiuing moderately the subiect may haue where-withal and so both supplyed and contented thereby Surely happy are those Princes that know their strength Yet more happy if they knew how to vse it which is not to inioy their pleasures with their subiects payne not to empty their people to fill them-selues but as to esteeme it their glory to haue multitude of people so wisely to maintaine this multitude and will they bee maintained with nothing If
because Eunuches did sometime attend in such places therefore it came to passe that all which were of any honorable imployment about the Prince whether they were gelded or no were called Eunuches By which it appeareth what condition of men are vsually actors in treasons namely not base inferiour persons whose spirits are deiected and hopes lie groueling on the ground But men of sort and quality such as haue aspiring spirits and therefore will be leaueling at the highest and what more ready then treason to serue their ambition such I say as by reason of their credit and accesse haue best opportunity to committee such hidden mischiefes Yea such as go not without their disgraces and snubbes from iealous and licentious Princes and therefore are prouoked to be auenged of them And which is the most materiall of all Such as haue beene imployed by wicked Princes in treacherous and vile oppressions of the subiect and therefore by the iustice of God do many times practise their lesson vpon their teachers and such as by reason of natures gifts and the abuse thereof are giuen vp to commit all sinne euen with greedinesse and therefore no maruaile if they will make no bones of this sinne by which they may hope to haue a protection for all the rest And yet are heerein met withall by the diuine iustice who many times turnes this sinne to be pay-maister for all the rest as bringing to shame and confusion the Authors thereof Vse 1. Which as it condemneth those that determine of sinne by the condition of the person implying that onely base and ignoble mungrells doe conceiue such monstrous sinnes as for generous mindes and heroicall spirits it comes not once into their thoughts to commit such outrage whereas we see the schoole of Rome hath set downe this as a marke of the most heroicall spirit to rise vp against the Prince and experince hath made it too apparant in the poulder Treason howsoeuer Popery would haue daubed the matter So here generally the best priuiledges of nature are condemned as beeing the most desperate instruments of sinne if they be not sanctified by grace And therefore here men of reputation may wisely learne their lesson to season their gifts with good education and religion that so they may be kept within the bondes of obedience to God and man And Princes also may learne here their lesson as not to abuse their attendants to the hurt of others so not to giue them iust cause of discontent Yea all flesh may here learne it lesson Mich. 7. not to trust in a friend not to put confidence in a Councellor No not to trust the wife that lies in the bosome otherwise then to subordinate all to God and for his sake to renounce them all so shal they be faithfull vnto vs so farre as shall make for our good and though they bee vnfaithfull yet the infidelity of men shal not make the faith of God of none effect But let vs consider a little further of the name and office of these Eunuches For their Names they are called Bigthan Teresh by which it seemes that one of them namely Bigthan was sent with others Obs 147. God makes instruments of sin rods to punish the same when the King was in his cuppes to conuay Vashty the Queene to the presence of the King And beholde hee is now one of them that cal the King to an account for that his notorious wrong done vnto the Queene So iust is the Lord to make instruments of sinne weapons to punish the same to the magnifying of his prouidence and reformation of y e same or else to make him more without excuse to his greater confusion but of this heretofore The Office that the holy Ghost ascribes to these Eunuchs though their name do imply it to be diuers yet both concurre in this Obs 148. In greatest trust greatest Treason that it was an Office of some trust and thence we may learne not vnprofitably that Treason is in trust Those that are most in place of trust they proue many times the greatest traytors because these being Princes creatures as they call them new molded to their bent the more confidence is hereby put in them the lesse suspition there is of them Wher-vpon it commeth to passe y t security is bred in the Prince God he is robd of his honour the subiect he is puft vp and so prouoked to mischiefe the Lord he avengeth his glory in giuing him vp to his lusts the securitie of his maister cries aime therto Which as it condemneth that complaint of flesh blood that they are deceiued in those whom they out most in trust because them-selues are the cause thereof so it doth not excuse such as are put in trust because their sinne is the greater by how much the more they were the better thought off And yet Princes also are not to be excused neither because it is much in them to preuent this mischiese And therfore seeing there must be some whom necessarily they must trust Princes to preuent treachery That they may not be deceiued by them Let them make God their confidence by keeping them-selues in the bounds of his prouidence as walking faithfully in their callings and so bring good examples to their subiects not being causelesly iealous of them nor estranging our selues from them But vsing them so that they may rather see they haue need of them then that Princes haue indeed other need of their people the what may as well concerne their good tempering their loue with Maiestie and their indignation with clemency And though they ought to despise none yet not rashly admitting each one into their seruice before they haue good approbation of his zeale and loyalty and therein also to make some tryal before they trust especially concerning their person or the good of their Kingdome And when they trust yet to keepe such secrets to them-selues as are not fit for them to know nor safe for Princes to reueale I meane these Misteries of gouernment which extraordinarily God reueales vnto them And when they haue trusted yet not further to rely thereon Then considering they now saile as it were in another bottome such as at least is apt to leake they be so far from remitting of their care or yeelding to security as the manner is as that now rather they ought to haue a more vigilant eye vnto the maine and in all humility to cast their care vpon God As knowing that the right end of the subiects imployment by the Prince in matter of trust is not to take away the care of the Prince as if then there were no need but rather to settle it more constantly on God because as it will be imputed vnto the Prince for iealousie if hee will not trust his subiect and therefore he must needs put some in trust least hee discouer feare of his owne estate which doth proceed from bad desert So wil it imply
with a carnall eye which conceiuing them natural and ordinary yeeld them onely carnall and ordinary respect â—uery man prouides for his owne but the house of the Lord lyeth waste And so we flatter our selues that all is well when nothing can bee well it going ill witâ— the principall we may sowe much but reape little and what wee gather is put into a broken bagge because the Lords house lyeth waste and euery man lookes to his owne Our great deliuerance from that diuelish plot of the poulder treason as it was wonderfull so it hath passed as a dreame or as a nine daies wonder And behold now we are awoke we are a hungery pinched with famine both of body and soule The bird was in the snare but we haue let her loose A blessing was offered but the messe of pottage hath bene preferred Benaydad findes fauour and is become a broken reed to Israell and may not our hands bee pierced therwith Yea the whole heart is sick and the head is heauy from the crown of the head vnto the sole of the foot there is nothing whole therin which is the greatest misery though there be bakon in Gilead yet the hurt of the Virgine Israel is not healed Because the dead flyes doe corrupt the pretious oyntment of the Apothecary and the hurt of the daughters of Gods people is healed with sweete words crying peace peace so that we looked for peace but behold trouble because the Arme of flesh hath deceiued vs and we haue not rested vppon the strong Tower yet the liueth and is good vnto Israel euen vnto those that are true of heart The wise man seeth the vally of Achor and entereth therin as into the doore of hope And though the plague deuoure but the hindermost part of the hoast yet he sees the plague with the eyes of faith and feare and so hides him-selfe by departing from euill that so not being partaker in the sinne hee may not share in the iudgement yet must iudgement begin at the house of God that so the faithfull being tryed may find rest while the pit is digged for the wicked And whosoeuer seekes vnto the Lord God of Israel in his affliction hee is found of him The more Israel is oppressed the more it increaseth and by this we know that the Lord fauoureth vs because he suffreth not our enemies to triumph ouer vs Oh that wee could tryumph ouer them in the remembrance of that wonderfull deliuerance that our God hath wrought for vs How might we by this haue triumphed if we had pursued that victory and rooted out Ameleck that would haue rooted out vs but al for the best Ameleck must remaine as a pricke in our sides to let out our corrupt and prophane blood our enemies must yet be further meanes of our purging and preparing that when the stones are throughly squared Gods house may bee perfectly aduanced And the setting vp of the Arke will be the finall ouerthrow of Dagon In patience therefore deere bretheren committee wee our selues into the handes of our faithfull Creator That his hand is not shortned we may see in that wonderfull deliuerance In memoriall whereof I haue now the third time tendred those meditations that I might pay my vowes vnto the Lord for the sanctifing of that generall deliuerance by a speciall deliuerance vnto me the rather because the Lord hath euen now of late deliuered me out of the horrible pit and restored vnto me the Ioy of his saluation that I might declare the wonders of the Lord in the land of the liuing The Lord hath renued me as an example vnto them which shall in time to come beleeue this wonderfull worke And yet blessed be our faithfull God this is a day of good tidings The bush is not consumed the scepter of Antichrist is broken his sinne repenteth and the Lord raigneth and hell is inlarged And why should I hold my peace Surely if my sight fayle me not I see in that deliuerance Amelecks vtter ouerthrow Oh that Moses handes may be held vp still that Ameleck may be destroyed from vnder heauen for the better strengthning of my weake knees and feeble hands to the due meditation of that wonderful deliuerance I haue spared some few houres from my publicke studie and spent them in the meditation of a like wonderfull deliuerance of the Church of God in former times Very malitious was the enemie when nothing would satisfie him but the vtter rooting out of the Church of God And surely much more malitious our enemies that had plotted the extreame ouerthrow both of Church and common-wealth 2. Very patient and wise was the Lord in giuing the aduersary so far his desire as euen to haue brought his mischiefe to the poynt of execution to make his confusion the greater and the Churches deliuerance more admirable comfortable And surely that our Aduersaries had brought their plotte within lesse then eight houres execution after two yeares secure contriuing and ripening thereof This as it magnified the admirable prouidence of the Lord in ordering the actions of the wicked so it tended tò the greater astonishment and confusion of Gods enemies and notwithstanding the carelesse security of the Atheist yet hath and shall make to the eternal comfort of the true beleeuer 3. Wonderfull was the Lord in disapoynting the practize of Haman and deliuering of his Church but that the enemie was cast in the pit which he had digged for others Oh! how did this magnifie the iustice of God how did it confirme the faith of the afflicted And surely did not the Lord shew himselfe much more wonderfull in our deliuerance Was it a small matter to deliuer vs as a prey out of the snare of the Fowler vnlesse also our aduersaries were consumed with the poulder which they had prepared to blow vs vp by an ouer-ruling hand of the Almighty This was the Lords dooing and it ought to be maruailous in thy eyes And marke what I tell thee Neuer looke to see the face of God in glory for thy final release out of all thy troubles vnlesse thou dost see the especiall loue of thy God in this deliuerance and so still desirest to see further to the increase of thy most holy faith that so beleeuing thou maist see greater things then these yea best able to see a farre off euen the finall deliuerance of the Church out of all her troubles For thy further direction and prouoking therefore to this Christian duty In the feare of God make vse of this history which I doe tender thee as a glasse wherein thou maist dayly view that wonderfull deliuerance I haue as the Lord hath inabled me considered thy weakenesse and prouided accordingly That thy edge may be still sharpened and the dulnesse thereof preuented I haue deuided the story in it parts tendering thee onely for a taste some briefe obsruations on the two first Chapters which containe onely the preface and the preparation to the history yet
bee counted singuler and she more confirmed not only to auoid the euill which she is subiect vnto but to lead her forward in the waies of grace vsing counsell freely but reproouing warilie and commending wisely not for euery light matter vnlesse it bee iustified neither before company vnlesse they giue strength to sinne but in much wisedome and meekenesse by the euidence of the spirit 3 Due beneuolence must also bee afforded the husband must bring in and prouide cheerefully for her maintenance but within his cauling and to further in grace allowing recreation but what may further repentance and imploying her wisely wherevnto she is most fitted by the gifts of minde and ability of her bodie so as to keepe her from Idlenesse and yet not to discourage her easing him-selfe thereby of such laboures that so hee may more freely follow his owne calling and honouring his wife by that confidence in her The duties that wee must treach and exact of our wiues is that she reuerence vs in heart and stand in an holy aw of the husband as being her head vnder Iesus Christ This she shall shew 1. By meeckenesse in behauiour and 2. Lowlinesse in speech 3. auoyding both grosse and sowre words 4. And yet not sparing to aduise yea meekly to reproue quieting her selfe in mutuall loue yea reioycing her soule that she hath so good a steward and protector 2. We must procure obedience from them euen as Christ was obaied of his Church in all things that is in all lawfull for Christ would command no other and that willingly and cheerefully though it crosse priuate corruption Thus may we rightly vse wiues But as for Ahashuerosh his vse is for lust and lust is impatient And therefore that we may see sinne wants not wit for the speedy effecting thereof behold he sends an effectuall message Obs 27. The wicked abuse Gods blessings to their condemnation that in his opinion could receiue no repulse so hot was he vpon it so wise to do euill And had hee no better imployment for his counsellors then to send them on such a message which neither beeseemed his wisedome nor their grauity could all his fulnesse and attendance serue him for no better vse Oh how like is hee to all those happy children by nature who thinke the blessings of GOD are giuen them to satisfie their lustes 1 Vse and so to be furtherances to their condemnation i. But I would the children of the Kingdome were not guiltie of this sinne vnto whome GOD giues these blessinges to prouoke and further them in his seruice That they were not hindered in the seruice of GOD by them That they were not occasions to plunge them deeper in the worlde that Demas did not imbrace the world and Diotrephes loue preferment Surely if Natures fooles shall not teach wisdome by their experience yet our profession might lesson vs to imbrace the time of visitation and to vse our aduantages for our best furtherance to heauen To whome much is giuen much shall bee required at their handes and the greater blessings abused the greater torments not onely stored vp against the day of vengeance but many times in this life inflicted vppon them As may appeare in the case of the Queene whose beauty is the occasion of her so great misery Wherein we may behold the vse and end of Gods blessings in the wicked Obs 28 The blessings of the wicked proue their scourges in this life as they are giuen of GOD to fatten vp the wicked so for the execution thereof they are abused to sinne and thereby worke out shame Their tables are their snares Psal 69. and their riches a pitte to drowne them in their wisdome is their halter 2 Sam 1â— and their honour turnes them forth as beasts â— Tim 6. their craftinesse intrappes them and their friendes confound them Dan 4. Yea the wife that lies in the bosome shall pronounce sentence against them 1 Cor 3. Hest 6. By which wee may learne As not to enuy their prosperitie so not to desire their full cuppes but rather to feare this exceeding and be contented with a meane estate But if the Lord shall cast a larger portion vppon vs wee must not sette our heartes vppon it neither be puffed vp with the same neither abuse them to sinne but to make them weapons against the same And that by sanctifying them vnto vs by the word and prayer and that reuiuing this sanctification vppon their particuler vse onely to imploy them holylie to GODS glory soberly for our owne vse and cheerefully for the benefit of our poore neighbours that so we may lay vp a good foundation by them against the day of Iesus Christ But would these Counsellors and cheefe Princes bee sent so vnseasonably on such a message Ought they not rather to haue aduised their Lord of the vnfitnesse and danger thereof and so haue saued them-selues that labour and their Maister that shame Surely whatsoeuer might bee the cause of this their speed 29 Obs Courtiers slâ—ues to their Princes lusts whether they enuied the Queene and so sought occasion against her or were in the Kings predicament and therefore desired fuell to their fire Yet here wee may truly obserue the fearefull condition of Godlesse Courtiers Slaues they must bee if they will liue there and slaues they will be to choose so they may dance in golden fetters So corrupt are such Courts to admit no other seruants so base is our nature to make choyce of no better Maisters so strong a thing is loue that refuseth no abiect paynes so iust is the Lord in fitting wicked Princes thus according to their desires that so they may bee fitted for his purpose for their iust confusions 1 Vse O pray therefore for good Princes that they may commaund in GOD that so glory bee giuen vnto him there may bee peace among men And pray againe I say for constancy and holy resolution that so thou maist obey GOD rather then man seeing hee that thus looseth his life shall saue it and hee that saueth it shall loose it There is no seruice to the seruice of a King if still wee preferre the King of Kinges winning or loosing we shall be Kings Concerning the prophane Courtly life 30 Obs The Courtly life as how to be accepted vsed Ioseph Genes 41. as thou seest hereby thou hast little cause to desire it so if thou beest called refuse it not Ioseph was a Courtier and yet remained the childe of God Dan. 4. 5. Daniell a States-man and yet faithfull with his God Attendants on the Court. onely remember thou which wouldst serue the Prince what suiters and seruants will now haunt thee Looke to bee enuied if thou dost excell and prepare thy selfe to slaunders though thou dost neuer so well Nay looke for secret trechery to hoyse thee on the suddaine and make account of grosse flattery to make thee secure here ambition will not faile to
remooued from Canaan to Aegipt because Aegipt shall nourish vs when Canaan cannot and Aegipt also shall fare the better for vs that we may be honoured onely let vs be carefull that we fare not the worse for it Though Israel play the harlot yet let not Iudah sinne gleane we the good of Egipt but pertake not with her in her euill Lette vs labour if we can to make Sodome better but at no hand lette Sodome make vs worse Humble wee y e flesh by greeuing at Sodome and prouoke we the flesh by crossing Haman 2 Pet so the increase of their rage shal increase our faith and their plots against vs shall ripen their sinne that is their fall may be our raizing vp and the place of sorrow may be the crowne of our glory Thus did God prouide for Mordecai by planting him in Susis But was it possible that Susis did not corrupt Mordecai Could Ioseph liue in Egipt and not sweare by the life of Pharoh Did Moses leaue Pharohs Court because he would not inioy the pleasures of sinne for a season Behold here an act of Gods speciall prouidence Mordecai shall bee in Susis and yet be vndefiled Obs 33. Gods children are kept pure and made bâ—tter by their conuerâ—ation with the wicked Gods children shall dwell with the wicked and yet keepe their sincerity Else how should they know that their sinceritie is from him that the beginning and continuance thereof is from his mercy he that giues it without meanes can keep it contrary to meanes and therefore neither the terrour nor flattery nor the example nor fellowship of the Sodomites shall corrupt righteous Lot because the Lord is the giuer keeper of righteousnes where the Lord keeps contrary meanes shall further great cold without shall cause more heate within and the greater wickednesse of others shall make vs both discerne and approue better the righteousnesse that is in vs Yea wee shall hold it the faster by how much the more the wicked would plucke it from vs as more fearing our selues and more earnestly crauing the helpe of God And so growing more resolute and constant in godlynesse wee shall finde more comfort and benefit therein not onely that our enemies heereby will bee wearied and so yeeld vp the bucklers but our righteousnesse beeing iustified euen by our enemies they being hereby inwardly confounded as they are prepared to their vtter subuersion so we shal gather the fruite of such Trees which they haue planted And therefore howsoeuer wee should rather choose to conuerse with the godly Obser 34. The godly best company and why because they most please God and best suit with our affections they are trauelling our way and so shall best further vs to happinesse they onely are safe company and who yeeld true comfort 2 Cor. 6. Yet seeing we must go out of the world if we will not meddle with the wicked Obs 35. Why we may conuerse with the wicked and how and we are bound to make others better without feare of making our selues worse and God will try vs whether we do good of conscience or not and y e world must haue a stumbling-block euen by our liberty herein therfore though we are not purposely to come into euil company or principally to make choice of them yet if God do call vs we are not to refuse because his commandement is our sufficient warrant if God cast vs vpon them we cannot choose and then his prouidence is our protection Nay if they seeke vnto vs in their extremity wee may not deny them for the hole haue no need of the Phisitian but the sicke Nay we are to seek them out if they be gon astray so to ouercome them with our loue industry So shall they return vnto vs not wee vnto them Gods power shal be seen in y e land of Goshen and the righteousnes of his Saints shal haue a glorious trial wheÌ„ it is iustified desired by y e enemies therof thus was Mordecai safe in Shusan But how comes it to passe y t he is planted in Shusan the reason hereof the holy Ghost deliuers afterward namely he was called to the Kings houshold made keeper of the Court gate as chief porter keeper of the Pallace w c pallace requiring his continual attendance and the Court being vsually at Shusan therfore he is said to be in the cittie of Shusan And surely herein also the prouidence of the Almightie is no lesse wonderfull thus to prouide for his seruant in the land of his Captiuitie that he findes such fauor with the Prince as to be admitted to his seruice Obser 36. God giues his â—auour in the eyes of the wicked and that to a place of such trust imployment w c may wel giue testimony of his loyalty and dilligence as also prepare a way to his further aduancement Thus hath God giuen his children fauor in the greatest of their troubles euen with those that are Gods speciall instruments for their greater affliction Thus was Ioseph gratious Genes 39. Wheresoeuer hee came his maister highly affects him wholy hee was in his familie when he was in the prison Genes 40 41. 42. c. he winnes the Iaylors fauor when hee is out of prison Pharoh himselfe sets his heart vpon him yea he found fauor in the sight euen of all the Egiptiaâ—s who in likelyhood must needes enuy his greatnesse and practise against him But what shall we say This is the Lords doing to turne the hearts of our enemies The power of godlinesse is such as sometimes to rauish al Vers 16. 17. and God wil haue both the wicked left inexcusable hereby and his the better secured by the same as hauing a friend in the Court so gratious with the greatest who at the best are but seruants to further the cause of the Church 1 Vse And therefore though seruice of princes bee no inheritance and their fauor as them-selues partiall and mutable and so not ambitiously or corruptly to be bought or begd of vs yet neither must we neglect to demerite the same by all lawfull obedience nor if it be cast vpon vs proudly to reiect it as being both a true note that wee preuaile with God worthily if we be gratitious in their eyes who are onely vnder him and being a meanes also not so much to aduance our selues as that the Church of God may finde fauour hereby This was the end why the LORD brought Mordecai to the Court and so did Mordecai very gratiously answer this end Well thus wee haue heard of the place of his habitation But may wee not know of what Country he was Yea the holy Ghost tels vs he was a Iew by nation a son of Iacob and heire of the Couenant who in the greatest Apostacie of his bretheren remained faithfull with his GOD and therefore in that greatest misery findes fauour with men Obs 37. God no accepter of persons
be a meanes to increase the same Yea the enemies of the Church shal become seruants vnto it Psal 72. Her weapons are mighty to cast downe the strongest hold And her soundings are meanes to reuiue her againe 2 Cor. 10. 4 What should I say Her outward abasing increaseth inward glory her inward glory makes way to outward conquests She must be purged of her drosse that she may be cloathed with perfit beauty she must be blacke among men that she may be faire in the eyes of her God and so remaine more constant in his fauor and protection Vse Which being so 1. as therefore the bandyings of the wicked are in vaine against Gods Church So is ouâ— feare as vaine that the Church may be destroied And therefore as the Church is continued by being led aside into the wildernes so let vs now liue by faith in the discerning of this Church Let vs not forsake that fellowshippe Hebr. 10. which God wil not forsake but let vs cleaue to y t Church that shall abide for euer old things are passed away and the shadowes are renewed the vaile is pluckt off and the hand writing of ordinances put out Oh let vs not end in the flesh that haue begenne in the spirit Let vs hold the profession of our hope without wauering and continue to the end so is the crowne of righteousnesse laid vp for vs which the righteous Iudge shall giue at that day And that we may be the rather certaine hereof behold the Lord knoweth who are his he calls them by their names yea their names are registred finally recorded in the word that they may be the better perswaded that their names are written in heauen so faith the spirit Obser 41. Fit names to be giuen to our children Whose name was Mordecai See here the person whom God appoints for the deliuerance of his Church Mordecai is his name bitternes is his portion he is the son of contrition y t must be son of cosolation So do the children of God answere their names y t which they are they also make profession of So doth God sanctifie his childreÌ„ to y e accomplishmeÌ„t of his worke So are they fitted to giue him al y â— glory Vse 1 Wherby we may learne As giue fit names to our children to shew our hope of them or to put theÌ„ in minde of their natural condition or of the means of God towards them So we are to acknowledge the loue of God vnto his children that takes perticular notice of them in giuing and changing their names Sara Sarah Abram Abraham Iacob Israel y t they may be witnesses of his loue towards them Yea herein also may we obserue a special art of Gods prouidence in recording the names and generations of such champions of his as haue stood out valiantly for the cause of his church being his instruments for the peace thereof that so we may be the better conuinced in the truth of their stories and so our historicall faith iustyfiyng the truth of the word may make way for that iustifying faith in the Sonne of GOD that so we haue in him euerlasting life Ioh 3. To this end it followeth This Mordecai was the sonne of Iair the sonne of Shemei the sonne Kish a man of Gemine In which words the holy Ghost sets downe the pedegree of Mordecai by the lineall descent from his auncestors And yet very briefely too Obse 42. Genealogiâ—s how recorded in the word omitting many generations as the manner of the spirit is the recording of some being sufficient to avouch the truth of the story and among the rest mentioning espetially such who might more set forth the truth of Gods promises to the faithful and therby more settle faith for future occasions To this purpose is it that many others being omitted there is speciall mention made here of the tribe of Beniamin and of some such in speciall which may seeme to come out of the house and family of Saul That so we might know how that this Mordecai was of the house of Saul and therein behold the great mercy of God who though he reiected Saul and in a manner rooted out his posterity yet he shewed great mercy vnto the posterity of Ionathan not onely in preseruing the same in a lineall descent for the summe of fiue hundred yeares if this Mordecai draw his petigree there Obs 43. Children shall not be punished for the fathers offence and surely it must be here or not from Saul because his other children left no issue behind them but in restoring also the same in some sort to the gouernment which Saul and his posterity was vtterly depriued of A notable demonstration of the mercies of God that indeed they are aboue all his workes 2. Sam. 9. 3. he retaineth not his wrath for euer because mercy pleaseth him he will not punish the the children for the fathers transgression but the righteous seede shall lâ—ue though the wicked stock be rooted vp for shal not the Iudge of al the world do right are not al soules his hath not he a fatherly care ouer all so that it is not he but their sins that make the difference of their conditions Vse 1. Surely if this lesson were througly learned how would it humble the first borne that they loose not their birth-right how would it comfort the out-cast and despised that he may get the blessing how is he taught hereby to repaire his fathers house euen by declaring wisely the sins of his father how may hee hope by this meanes to see light in darkenesse Esay 58. and to turne the curse into a gratious blessing what glory shall it be to him to borrow the repaire of the breach and the restorer of the paths to dwell in Such was Mordecai of the family of wicked Saul such was the sonne of God many of whose auncestors in the flesh were wicked persons So will not God be tied to nature in the bestowing of his blessings and so wiâ— God make nature beholding to him in blessing beyond desert the fruit thereof And surely where God bestowes blessings they come not alone behold the same God that prouides out of the loynes of Ionathan those that shall build vp the old wast places he also continewes the line of Ionathan euen for the space of fiue hundred yeares and very likely in the posterity of Mordecai hath not cut of the same 1. Sam. 10. 15. so requested Ionathan that mercy might not be cut of from his house for euer so promised Dauid and so the Lord makes it good the seed of the righteous shall be mighty vpon the earth and the posterity of the Iust shall abide for euer Obs 44. God continueth and blesseth the posterity of the reighteous but for the seede of the wicked it shall be cut of and their generations shal be destroyd from the face of the earth which as it stands
with the righteousnesse of God that they which are heyres of the couenant should also be partakers of the blessing thereof â—al 112. so it concernes his power to maintaine the righteous seede 〈◊〉 37. 26. 28 29. which the world especially labours to roote out y e yea his mercy is exalted in giuing his children herein a pledge of eternall happinesse and his Church is by this meanes continued and aduanced on the earth Which as it containeth that Doctrine of diuels which forbiddeth marriage to the best sort of men as if it made them bad and their posterity worse so it also checketh the infidelity of such who esteeme the plentiful issue as a crosse vnto them if they be otherwise crossed and pinched in the world Neither can they also here be excused who hauing children do rather nourish corruption in them that so they may depriue them of the blessing of the couenant then by holy education fit them thereto Math. 2. surely that Lord that therfore made one though he had aboundaunce of spirit because he sought a Godly seede Pro 2. will vndoubtedly destroy the seed that the stranger hath sownne and the bastard slips shall not take roote Obs 45. Posterity how to be continued Wouldst thou therfore know how thy posterity may abide for euermore First then graft thou in an holy stocke and then drinke the waters of thine owne cisterne Pro 3. 15. offer vp the first borne to God and prune thy oliue plants with holy discipline Set not thy heart vpon them neither dishonor the prouidence of thy God in a distrustful scraping for theÌ„ imploy them in such callings as may humble the flesh and season them with instruction to set them to grace so shalt thou be a happy father of gratious children and thou shalt not only to thy comfort see thy childrens children but to thy greater comfort peace vpon Israel Wel thus we have heard of the habitation and country of Mordecai Now lets a little further confider of his condition it followeth Psa 128. Which had beene caried away from Ierusalem with the captiuity that was caried away with Ieconiah King of Iudah Vers 6. whome Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel had carried away Obser 46. They let Gods Church to go into captiuity In which word being referd as we haue proued before to the faith of Mordecai the spirit of God sets downe the estate and condition of Mordecai by a consequent namely that he was borne in the land of his countries captiuity He was a captiue in a strange land so were his fore-fathers in Egypt and so are his posterity now slaues to all nations so are the children of God exercised with this affliction Ioseph was sould for a bond-slaue it is the lot of y e poore Christians vnder the Turke and such enemies of the Gospel to be sould led captiues into a strange land And that not without the especiall prouidence of God both to put his children in minde of their naturall condition that they are no better then the slaues of Satan Ecele 23. and also punish them iustly for their â—ornications with other nations by giving them vp as a prey vnto them and yet even to their especial good and his great glory Psal 137. Who while they are in Babilon remember Sion and thereby not only apprehend the true cause of their affliction namely the contempt of Sion and the comforts thereof but remembring Sion they also reuiue such comforts as before they had stored vp thereby to maintain in them the true life of grace and so often remembering Sion and meditating thereon as ther by they witnesse their harty longing after the same so hereby they fit them-selues to the restoring of Ierusalem To this end is it that while they are in captiuity they hartily labour the conuersion of others that so they may offer vp the riches of the gentiles vnto God and so the prouidence of God is magnified ouer them not only in humbling the flesh in the land of their captiuity their soule refuseth comfort Exod 54 but further also in quickning the life of grace their vowes are renewed Ezra 45. and heauen suffers violence Eehe 45. whereby preuayling with God they do also preuaile with men and so find such fauour in the sight of the heathen that once by them they are sent forth to Sion againe Obs 47. Church how prepared to Captiuit Vse Thus captiuity being a iudgment with may befall the Church of God as this condemneth the vaine presumption of those that dreame of a locall perpetuity and visibility of the Church of God so it also chalendgeth their extreame folly that prepare the Church of God to so heauy a iudgement either by bringing the Church in bondage at home while they captiuate the liberty here of to the lusts of men or by impudent communicating the wickednesse abroad they do thereby choose the threshing floore where the Church must be purged Surely as God is righteous in his iudgements so is he mercifull and therefore we shall beare the rod before we feele it yea one correction of the almighty shal foretel another that so we may see the plague and hide our selues and happily avoyd the vengenace to come who so is wise let him vnderstand these things and to whom the arme of the Lord hath reuealed them Well the Churh of GOD is in Captiuity and is it not to some purpose that the holy Ghost makes such perticular and often mention of it Iere. 39. 1 Yea surely Iere. 51 2 As the Lord is knowne by executing of Iudgements Reg 25 2 2. So would he have vs meditate and contemplate the same Chro. 36. c. that so we may be confirmed more and more in knowledge Obs 48. Gods Iudgements are to be recordeâ— meditated 3. And surely as they are some of those workes of God which are worthier our consideration 4. So do they keepe vs from security in sinne and presumption of Gods mercies They confound Atheists and scorners of religion Psa 16. They keepe vs in obedience and increase our faith Psal 111 Vse 1. And therefore seeing the Lord doth daily bring his iudgements to light Psal 10. 4. let them not passe aboue our sight as if they concerned vs not Let vs not esteeme them as the ordinary effects of nature and therefore haue no reference at all to sinne Let vs not suppresse them in policy or depraue them by malice Let vs not in pride diminish them or in security forget them But in the feare of God take we speciall notice of them as the admirable workes of God though nature be vsed in them As seasonable messengers or Gods will and therefore to be hearkened to Profits of Gods iudgements as liuely glasses to see our faces in and therefore not to forget our iniquities that are censured thereby and as profitable furnaces to
Mordecai adopted Hester to be his daughter so doth Pharaohs daughter Moses to be her sonnes so doth God in Christ Iesus adopt vs to be his sonnes A case wherein the mercy and goodnesse of God is most comfortably manifested not onely that the adopter here by is supplied with the benefit of children which are the blessing of God and so-strenght of age in whom he may receaue his life and continew his posterity Adoption not commanded but a thing left to our liberty but hereby also the want and misery of orphants is gratiously relieued and that blessing of God is in part performed to a land that there shall be no begger in Israel And doth not the Lord in this liberty prouoke vs to mercy doth he not gratiously make triall of our bowels of compassion by leauing vs to this liberty though hee command it not doth he not secure vs hereby of doing good seasonably and conscionably are not vaine controuersies preuented about dead mens goods are not foolish hopes here by wisely cut of and each man sent to depend on Gods prouidence and worke out his liuing Sect. 2. surely though this may iustifie the lawfulnesse of this liberty yet because we may abuse the same to the maintenance of the flesh therefore are we to set bounds vnto this liberty Who to be adopted both in regard of the persons that wee are to adopt as also concerning the end of our adoption Concerning the persons we are to adopt as here we may safely perferre our kindred before a stranger so I take it we must haue herein a principal respect vnto the spiritual affâ—nity if so be our kinne shall not be in apparant necessity Those especially which being furnished with grace want meanes to imploy the same nay if the house-hold of faith be in like extremity we are rather to make our choyce there then any were else because we haue more and better bands to tye vs here And we may with one comparison looke for better successe of our liberty And which is especially to be heeded of vs because we haue the example of our gratious God for our warrant therein who as he onely adopts those that were eternally beloued in his sonne so especially when it is in our choice we ought to make choise of such for our children by adoption who haue best euidence to be the sonnes of God Vse 1. Which as it condemneth the practise of those that ty them-selues in their choyce simply to their kindred without respect of inward fitnes whereas they might haue better choice in the Church both for inward and outward guifts so I take it hereby they do much crosse the prouidence of God which entending by this liberty the choyce of the most worthy is hereby resisted when the choyce is thus tied to the kindred Sect. 3. If it shall bee obiected the GOD will prouide for his Obiection God will prouide for his their gifts wil aduance them and therefore I ought rather to prouide for such as by reason of there impotency of gifts are like other-wise to sticke by it indeed as the impotencies of nature are to bee supplied so her best gifts also as hath beene taught had need of a bridle of Tuition to restraine their priueledge and so fit them to grace but yet warily to be preserued to the benifit of adoption because as hereby their corruption is likely to be maintained so without this benefit of adoption such as haue best gifts of nature are most likely to shift in the world But for the gifts of grace it is not so with them they are hated of the world and so make their owners hatefull where then shall this be remedied dost thou say God will prouide for his and therefore I le passe them by I tell thee God hath bountifully prouided for his he hath giuen them his sonne and so all is theirs 1 Cor. 3. 22 they haue a right in all thou hast no vse but for their sakes thou art Gods steward for their good Their is plenty in Aegipt to releeue the Church And how shalt thou then better make thee friends of thy vnrighteous Mammon Luk. 16 then willingly to admit those into the possession thereof who as they are exposed to want to trie thy wisdome herein whether thou wilt sanctifie thy estate or no and take true comfort in thy ritches so lest the gathering of these things might hinder them in better therefore the Lord hath a time to put them into possession without their labour whither thou wilt or no though thou shouldest heape vp siluer as the dust Iob. 26 and prepare rayment as the clay thou maist prepare it 16. but the iust shal put it on and the innocent shall diuide the siluer 17. And were it not better for thee when it is in thy choice to make sure thy habitation by this life and so lay vp a good foundation against the day of Christ receiuing God into thy family in the adoption of his children then by shutting out the Lord thereby to shut thy selfe out also not onely from the earth but from heauen to and yet al thy policy shal be mightily confounded Iosephs bretheren shall bow vnto him and the righteous shal be thy haires whether thou wilt or no Vse 2 And surely this doth no lesse condemne the vanity of those that neglecting religion and onely seeking a name on earth do therefore make choice of such in this kind as are of the name reiecting also nature common humanity Little do these men consider that it is the memoriall of the iust onely that shall endure for euer as for the wicked their name shall rot and though they build them houses and call them after their names though they adopt such children as may continue the name yet looke we to the third generation if the place remaine in the name nay consider we wisely if the place it selfe can be found 3. As for those who adopt strangers and do also change their names mooued thereby neither by the bond of religion no not so much as nature but rather by the abuse of nature and fellowshippe in euill Though such things should not be named among Christians yet it is no meruaile if like will loue their like and society in euill will haue a cloake for the maintenance thereof Thus farre of the persons whom we must adopt Sect. 4. Ends of adoption Now for the ends we must propose herein proposing principally the glory of GOD the furtherance of religion and releeuing of the truely afflicted we may here also in a second place respect present comfort herein and future propagation of posterity being wisely purged of security and vaine-glorie Well thus we haue Hester now the adopted daughter of Mordecai and so by Gods good prouidence this Orphane is well prouided for And hath not the Lord much better prouided for vs whom he hath in Christ Iesus adopted to be his children
the affliction reioycing greatly at the Churches fall And with all their strength and pollicie cry it downe to the grounde But of this wee shall haue fitter occasion to speake heereafter when wee consider of Hamans and Mordecaies contrary affection heerein Thus you see the care of Mordecai for the Church of God and to this end you haue heard of his charge to his Nephew Now let vs see how Hester obeyes this iniunction It is said that Shee did not shew her people nor her kinred i. shee was obedient to the Councell of her Father Mordecai and doth not discouer her country nor her Fathers house A notable marke of the true childe of God Obs 86. Obedience to lawful authority a true marke of the Child of god 4. Sam. 15. Namely in lawful things to bee obedient to superiors commaunds 1. So hath God commanded 2. so shal we prolong our daies 3. so is corruption humbled and patience tryed 4. so is faith excercised and order maintained 5. so is God honoured better then with sacrifice 6. and man also by obeying more honored then if he could commaund obedience In a word where obedience is there is safety and all prosperity but confusiō followeth disorder and disobedience What may we then iudge of those y ◠iustifie treason and rebellion in inferiors that allow the subiect to rebel against the Prince yea to take his life from him that warrant the childe to forsake their parents and iustifie disobedience in al sorts shall we think y t this proceeds from an heroical spirit Shal we esteem it as greater obedience and honour vnto God who because hee is obeyed aboue man therfore wee must not obey man in him vnder him So the Papists aduance their traitors iustifie their treasōs Surely how necessarily must these erre not knowing the Scriptures how fearefully do these reiect God in not obeying his ordinance shall wee looke that God will honour them that doe thus dishonour him Blessed bee our GOD who hath maintained his own cause and hath iustified his ordinance in the confusion of his enemies So lette all thine enemies perish oh Lord so bee thou exalted in the protection of thine Annoynted But wherin doth this obedience of Hester shew it selfe Obs 87. Sincere obedience rather respects the power of the Commander then the worth of the thing commanded Surely in concealing a secret not fitte to be known No doubt her father had giuen her many other good lessons happily among so many she might haue forgottē this or happily she might haue dispensed with it as a matter of no great consequence and seeing it was a thing would not be long hid why might she not preuent the discouery thereof by others and so make her own peace by the benefit of such fauors w t were cast vpon hir by y e Eunuch and such like neglecting the estate of the rest of her country Surely I take it herein we may obserue the conscionablenesse of her obedience that though shee might haue thus strayned in the poynt yet the reuerent authority of the commander keepes her from these demurres and so not so much shee considers the waight of the thing commaunded as that she is simply led by the authority of her superiors A notable euidence of the sincerity of our obedience that it depend not so much vppon the thing commanded as vppon the iust authority of the commander him-selfe because as our seruice is then most acceptable to GOD when it hath least respect to our selues and most to his glory so it is most free from mercenary basenesse when we stand not so much vpon the thing commanded which doth concerne our owne good as vpon the power of the commander for whose sake we do it Thus did the Lord trye the obedience of our first parents the thinges he commandes might seeme to bee of no great waight but that the Authoritie and commander gaue power thereto which they not wayghing duely as in conscience they should but principally respecting what a smal matter was only imposed not to cutte of an Apple were therefore easily drawne to very fearefull disobedyence and so haue sette their childrens teeth on edge by eating that forbidden fruit Vse 1. Whereby wee may learne how to certifie our obedience Namely to haue an especiall respect to y e iust power of the superior and so in reuerence of that power to yeeld obedience to his righteous commaund not making difference thereof in regard of the things cōmanded but performing indifferent obedience to al alike as they proceed from a like power of those whome God hath set ouer vs making conscience as well of the least as y e greatest commaunds because the Commaunder is the same and his power as great in the least as in the greatest And our faith and humilitie beeing more tryed in obeying the least will be a good meanes to further to preferment that so not obeying man for hope of reward we may not yet be disapointed of our hope in the reward aboue Obs 88. True obedience performed as wel in absence as in presence Thus doth the Lord approue the sincerity of Hesters obedience Vnto which if wee shall adde that which further in is remembred in the 20. verse that Hester did euen as conscionably after the wordes of Mordecai beeing now from vnder his gouernment as when she was nourished by him We haue herein a further testimony of the vprightnesse thereof The holy Ghost as I take it signifying herein vnto vs the maine ground of her obedience Namely that though shee was now exempted from the sight and gouernment of her earthly father Mordecai yet shee remayned vnder the obeysance of her heauenly Father For whose sake shee performes as conscionably obedience to Mordecai being absent as if he had hir vnder neuer so much subiection So doth she approue her obedience to bee in the sight of God Col 3. 22. and so is cleared from eye-seruice and such like so doth she witnesse it also to be for the Lords sake and so purgeth it vtterly of all carnall respects And in this her bodily absence performing as true seruice vnto Mordecai as if he were present shee retaines her right in the holy family and so is partaker of the prayers and blessings thereof Yea shee keeps hereby within the couenant of God and so prepares a way for further blessings Behold here a patterne of sincere obedience And doth not the Lord requite it accordingly Yea surely as Hester obeyes Mordecai when he is out of her sight so doth Mordecai care for Hester though now she be from vnder his gouernment For so it followeth And Mordecai walked euery day before the Court of the womens house Vers 11. to know if Hester did well and what should be done with her Thus carefull is he of his Nephew euen when shee is of yeares to gouerne her selfe So ought parents not to reiect the care of their children Obs 89. Parents
how far to extend their care for their children euen when they seeme to haue least need of them Because 1. as hereby they shew the soundnesse of their affection so this riper estate of their children doth now most require this care as exposing their children to more fearefull extremities as now knowing their strength and so now strong to do euill And wherein shall earthly parents better resemble their heauenly Father then by continuall loue and care of their posteritie Nay how shall they otherwise differ from bruit beasts if they onely care for their children to hatch them vp so send them forth into the world Ruth 2. and there 's an end Had not Iob a dayly care of his children though in regard of the world they had no need of him Because the more they had of the world the longer they had liued therein the more they were subiect to greater danger Iob. 1. what care had Naomi of her daughter in law Ruth how did Moyses take care for Gods people when they enioyed great prosperity Vse 1. Wel let Mordecai condemne prophane parents that thinke much to giue their Children euen bringing vp if they haue done this they thinke they are fully discharged especially if they can prouide them some trade or portion to get a liuing withall Alas if they considered well the greatest care is behind when do children more greiue and shame their parents then at this estate when they come to their owne liberty and haue fuell to their lusts and how many iust curses doe lie vpon parents not for giuing too little when they were Children as for giuing to much libertie when they haue growne vp to be men If you say they are now past correction they are better able then I Obiect wherein then should I shew my care Surely giue good example vnto them that so they may be ordered Ans 1. Let them be often in thine eye that so thy presence may awe them Spare not to reproue them plainely and forget not instruction as occasion shal be offered Keepe them to the dueties of children without respect of their age or ritches so shalt thou keepe thy iust authoritie ouer them Keepe the staffe in thine hand and let their maintenance come from thee Let the Magistrate helpe thee if correction here be needefull But especially craue helpe of GOD that his blessing may bee vpon them Obser 89. Care how it may stâ—nd with the prouidence of God But what need Mordecai take this care of Hester was he not perswaded that GOD would care for her Yea surely and therefore also is he carefull for her because he knowes the prouidence of God to subordinate fit meanes And who more fitte to care for her then he that had bound himselfe thereto Act. 27. So then an honest carestands well with Gods prouidence and faith therein as whereby we both shew our sincere obedience in vsing such weake meanes as are subordinate thereto and so auoide security and presumption two maine enemies of our most holy faith Vse 1. Which as it condemneth their presumption that cast all vpon God neglecting the meanes So on the other side it reproueth their carnall confidence who rest all on themselues and shut out God The meane which I take it is to bee obserued herein is an obedience to Gods commandement to watch circumspectly in our callings 1. casting about the best meanes and 2. caring to compasse our desires that we neither tie 3. the issue absolutely to our labour but referre it wholy to the blessing of GOD nor 4. sacrifice to our care as if by it we had obtained nor by it make 5. sacrifices of our selues to Satan in our cruell macerating of our selues to impotency and distrust But as we must 1. care to be humbled thereby so we must also cast our 2. care on God for he careth for vs 3. contenting our selues that we haue done our best 1 Pet. 4. howsoeuer happily it may haue bad successe and beeing 4. comforted further also in the greatest plunges because our GOD shall turne all to our good Thus doth Mordecai giue God the glory of his faith while yet he shewes his loue to his kinswoman And doth not the Lord giue a gracious issue thereto Consider I pray you what followeth next 12. And when the course of euery maide came to go in to King Ahashucrosh after that she had beene c. In these three next verses the holy Ghost sets downe the abhominable custome of these maidens in their preparing to the Kings bedde and also their admittance to the same Their preparation is set downe by two circumstances First by the continuance of Time which was allotted for this preparation It was no lesse then twelue moneths 2. It is also described by the meanes thereof and those are of two sorts The first is ordinary and this also is two-fold they must be annointed and purified sixe moneths with oyle of mirrhe 2. and the other sixe monethes with sweet odours and in the purifying of the women The extraordinary meanes that is allowed for their purification is here described indiferently Namely whatsoeuer any of the Virgins did otherwise require to set out their beauty and steale away the Kings heart that must also be giuen vnto them The maidens being thus prepared are in the second place admitted to the Kings bed and herein also we may obserue two circumstances 1. The time of their admission a very short time In the euening shee went and on the morrow shee returned c. 2. The condition of her admission is here also commended vnto vs. Namely that when euer she returned shee came vnto the King no more except shee pleased the King and were called by name This is breefely the summe of these words Wherein that no lesse then a yeare must be spent in fitting these miserable Virgins to the lust of the King Obser 90. A marke of the wicked to riot out time doth not this set out vnto vs his most prodigious luxury and profusion doth it not discouer such effeminatenesse as cannot well be deciphred May we not herein obserue a note of desperate folly thus to riot out time in vanity May we not set it downe as a marke of him that knowes not GOD that he makes no conscience of the redeeming of the time Times portion but rather imploies his wits and wealth in the spending and wasting thereof Surely if time be in this regard most pretious 2 Cor. 6. 2. because the Lord therein offers vs a pearle of chiefest price no meaner a Iewell then the saluation of our soules Must not saluation be farre from them Pro. 1. 24. 25 that neglect so gratious opportunitie can they be accepted of God Act. 1. 7. that refuse this acceptable time And is it not more then madnesse thus to riot out time which is not ours to dispose but in the hands of God can we be excused when the bride-grome shall
come on the suddaine Vse Oh that we were wise to consider these things that our Time-seruers would lay it to their hearts what a heauy wittnes time wil be against them when neglecting the Iewell thereof the saluation of our soules they are only slaues to the corruptions of time Did our gamesters wisely consider of this that togither with their witte and money and honestie they also play away their time that most pretious time which can neuer be wonne againe surely they would labour with God Psa 90. â—2l that he would teach them to number their daies that so they might apply their hearts vnto wisdome And shall not time be a witnesse against our wordlings who haue no leysure to come to the marriage of the Kings sonne but all time is to little for their farmes and for their oxen What shall I say to our prophane Eâ—awes that say it is not yet time to build the house of God good time enough behinds for the saluation of our soules Let vs be wise and take the time while wee may let vs looke to the maine chance Let our owne houses go forward What is this birth-right to vs shall we die for hunger hearken how our voluptuous-persons haue disposed of time At all times let thy garments bee white and let no oyle be lacking vpon thy head Eccle. 9. 8. Let vs eate and drinke 1 Cor. 15. 25 for to morrow we shal die soule take thy ease thou hast goods laid vp for many yeares Shall not the Lord of that â—eruant come in an houre when he knowes not shall not he say and make it good thou foâ—le this night shall thy soule be taken away from thee Luk. 12. 20. But why speake we to the bellie that hath no eares Surely the voice of Time yet was in our streets and the man of wisdome Math 6. 1 Pro. Esay 55. 2 Tâ—me how to be redeemed Pro. 6 shall heare the name of God Oh yee foolish how long will yee loue foolishnesse Why doe yee lay out siluer and not for bread Why do you spend your time and strength without being satisfied Say not with thy selfe yet a little sleepe yet a litle slumbeâ— put not off as Felix did til a more conuenient time Oh boast not of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth rather admire the mercy of thy God that thou art not alreadie consumed and seeing the Lord hath spared thee Eccle. 5. 12 to recouer what thou hast lost Oh thinke it sufficient that thou hast spent the time past Lam. 3. 13. after the lust of the Gentiles the more time thou hast lost the more doe thou labour for the time to come and redeeme thy time with the price of thy former pleasures Account daily with thy selfe how thou dost bestow it and esteeme euery minuite pretious that is offered thee Eccle. 5. and be sure thou feest therein an image of eternity And considering that the patience of the Lord doth lead thee to repentance Rom 2. 4. make no long tarying to turne to the Lord thy God least abusing his patience Gen. 27. thou harden thine heart and though thou cry after yea bitterly as Esau did yet the Lord will not heare thee Pro. 1. 24. 28. because thou wouldst not heare him Oh that we were wise to consider these things But they that are filthy will be filthier still Behold his drunkennesse added to thirst you haue heard how these Princes Minions spend their time Obs 91. Another marke of the wicked to riot cut Gods good creatures a whole yeare at least must be spent to fit them to vncleanesse that so they may more desperately follow the same all their life long And shal they only giue an account of y e mispending of their time No surely what is there that escapes taynture by this abuse of time The soule that is hardned and made impudent in sinne the body is made a factor and baud for sinne the good creatures of God are made fuell to sinne heer 's no sparing of cost to maintaine sinne All the creatures of God are to little in this case but that Art also must be made a broker euen to corrupt nature six moneths with oyle of myrhe and six moneths with sweet odors and such other purifyings as do belong to women No end of excesse vpon pretence of our right in the creature No end of abuse to condemne our vsurped power ouer them so corrupt is our nature to abuse our liberty Rom. 8. 19. so iust is the Lord to turne our liberty to our further condemnation Ioel. 1. that the creature abused being subiect to vanity might cry vnto the Lord to be eased of the burthen and so hasten vengeance vpon the wicked while they heape abuse vpon the creature Vse 1. A notable euidence of the fearefull condition of the wicked who in the iudgement of the world seeme therfore to be most happy because they haue most commaunds ouer outward blessings Whose great liberty on the creatures prouoking to greater abuse doth either thereby moue the Lord to cast out such Nebuchadnezzars as beasts in this life Dan. 4. and to strippe them of all or else there continuance in these blessings encreasing sinne vpon them doth thereby further vengeance against the day of reckoning A thing which because the wicked cannot avoyd as vsurping ouer Gods blessings and therefore necessarily making them strangers vnto them How to preuent abuse of the creatures â— Cor. â— 17. 1. Tim. 4. 4. That we may therefore avoyd running into the same excesse let vs labour to be in Christ that so we may haue a right in these things and let vs renew our right by prayer and holy imployment of them in our seuerall callings that so we may attaine to a right vse of them frugally husbanding them as the good blessings of God and vsing them soberly as hand-maides to higher graces 1. Tim. 6. 19. that so we may lay vp a good foundation by them and also giue a cheerefull account for them at the day of Christ Iesus But is there no colour for this great excesse might not this be imputed as a complement of state Obs 92. The wicked haue pretences for their greatest abuses that these maidens should haue such exquisite preparations because it was for the most excellent personage might not seemelinesse and necessity be here pretended that they might be offered fitly and vnspotted to the bed of a King might not liberty be pleaded and therefore who shall restraine might not ability be avouched to iustifie this cost Surely the greatest sinnes will haue their cloakes pride must go for cleanlinesse and excesse must keepe state the clensing of the body must be with the defiling of the soule and lust will haue a law to enrage and prouoke the same Thus are the wicked deceiued while they deceiue others thus are they hardned in their sinne while it
God may powre on his 1. Well let this aduize vs not to beleeue the faire promises of the world the best recompence she can yeeld vs when she hath made vs serue her lust is to thrust vs into the house of the women to reape desperate sorrow for the same or else to harden vs further therein seeing now we are knowne to be but broken ware here is the best remedie the world affords for sinne euen to send vs to our like companions in euill that so we may haue company to go to hell withall Who so is wise let him vnderstand these things let him not hope to recouer out of sinne by giuing further liberty thereto through fellowshippe c. Let him take heed of the house of the women of pleasure sencerity c. such meanes as do harden Nay let him not enter into his brothers house in the day of his humiliation miserable comforters are these all But let him go to his God by true repentance and let him single out the Lord that so he may be more vile in his presence Abac. 3. so shall he finde rest in the euill day Psal 32. 5. I said I will confesse my sinnes vnto the LORD and thou forgauest me the iniquity of them But let vs a little further consider of that which followeth Shee came into the King no more except shece pleased the King and this was a signe that shee pleased the King if that shee were called by name Behold here a further euidence of the badde wages of sinne Obser 99. The vnsatiablenes of the wicked in sin hath thâ—s punishment attending on it in this life that it shall not be satisfied This defiled woman must now burne in lust and shall not be satisfied to the King shee must come no more but at a long leysure and for other meanes the iealousie and honour of the Prince and the watchfulnesse and safety of the keeper will looke to it soundly What then is her punishment surely not onely to be denied of that which she most desireth but by this deniall to be tormented with the rage of her vnsatisfied lust to the great vexation both of bodie and soule So is the couetous man tormented in the restraint of his vnsatiable desire so is the proude man reproched because the world will not honour him Haman 5 Hester so is the Epicure punished in this life Aristot et Plin. de Aquilis by being giuen vp to such a desire of eating that nothing can satisfie so do the birds of prey euen die for famine So patient is the Lord hereby to prouoke the wicked to repentance so iustly doth hee hasten hereby their condemnation because sinne restrained is the more enraged so wisely doth hee discouer hereby the vnsatiablenesse of the minde to sinne so righteouslie doth he seeke vppe into them there eternall vengeance by this that as their desire to sinne is vnsatiable and in this life is restrained so for this their infinite desire they shall eternally burne in hell where yet they shal be vtterly depriued of all satisfaction of their lusts 1. Oh consider this you that forget GOD and dead your consciences Eph. 4 19. Non cum satietate sed cuÌ„â—â—â—ditate indicat spâ—ritus appeâ—â—â— insatibiâ—e noÌ„ satiandum that you may commit sinne with greedinesse you that enlarge your desires as hell that you may take your fill of sinne behold the more greedie you are the lesse you shall be satisfied euen no lesse then hell that neuer can bee satisfied Doe you not see herein how sinne will owe you nothing your desires shall bee laide open how vnsatiable they are and God shall giue you your desire you shall not bee satisfied And therefore condemne not Gods iustice but the vnsatiablenesse of your desire Is not this a fearefull satiating of the wicked with his owne wayes Prou. 14. 4 when hee shall not bee satisfied wherein hee is vnsatiable when his â—atiating in sinne doth make him more vnsatiable how iust is it that offenders should burne in lust and so bee deemed the comfort of mariage Oh leaue therefore to purge the fountaine of this mischiefe labour to preuent vnsatiablenesse in sinne 1. purge it from the heart or else it must bee vnsatiable 2. Vnsatiâ—blenesse in sinne how to bee preuented refraine it in the occasions which may breed a desire of vnsatiablenesse looke to the libertie of sinne that in giuing thee thy desire shall nothing lesse then satisfie thee and consider wisely the rest of sinne euen restlesse torment and yet neuer satisfied And seeing our desires in euill haue such ill successe oh let vs labour to place them on the true obiect let Heauen bee our marke and godlinesse our race here wee shall bee satisfied as hauing assurance by faith and yet still desire beeing ledde forward by hope that so wee may at length obtaine the fulnesse of our desire in the end of our faith which is the fulnesse of ioy for euermore Thus wee may see for conclusion of this point that whether the wicked winne or loose in sinne there 's no gaine on eyther side Obser 100. The wicked winners or loosers fare the worse by sinne The King hee takes his libertie more freely and is a looser thereby hee encreaseth his sinne by abusing the chastitie of others and putting off repentance by a new supplie and his body also gettes nothing by the bargaine as for the poore Concubine her losse is apparant shee parts full vnwillingly with the bed of her pleasure and meetes vntimely with the house of her sorrow shee burnes within and freezeth without the King hath so his desire that hee may be lesse satisfied the Concubine hath not hers and therfore is not satisfied and yet the Lord most righteous herein who in not giuing her her present desire satisfies her inward and maine purpose by this meanes inflameth the same namely neuer to be satisfied but euer to burne in lust Let this impose silence to all bragging of diminishing of sinne the begger he flatters himselfe that hee is not prodigall and the gelded person that hee is not incontinent what gets hee hereby seeing hee would be so The great one he boasts that he steales not for neede he flatters himselfe that hee hath enough to doe at home what doth this aduantage him if he steale without neede nay how shall we know hereby but that he would if he had need whether wee be restrained in what we would or enioy our desire to the vtmost sinne got ground in both the outward restraint encreaseth the inward desire and the inward desire is also enraged by the outward accomplishment thereof Let vs therefore labour first to rectifie our defires by the word of GOD â—abouâ— wee to haue our persons accepted of GOD so sinne restrained or committed shall bee lesse desired And so much concerning the abhominable custome of these Concubines Now let vs see how GOD bringeth light out of darkenesse It
they may bee compelled to send y e Arke home Genes 15. 14. Thus will the Lord Iudge the Nations before he deliuer his people that their hearts hereby being hardned more indurate against God and his people the deliuerance of the Church may be more free and glorious and y e confusion of the wicked more iust and fearefull Thus doth the Lord awake and returne when he will deliuer his children giuing them herein these apparant markes Namely First The clearing of his children by the mouthes of their enemies Second The raizing some vp among them to spend their liues in his cause Third inflicting many secret and open iudgements vpon their mallicious enemies Fox So before he deliuered his Church from the tyrants of Antichrist among vs were not some of the persecutors made fearefull spectators of Gods wrath to bridle or harden the rest And to iustifie the Church of God And surely if we do consider the state of the Church of God 2 In regard of the church when the Lord prepares it to a gratious deliuerance we shall find many euident tokens therein to giue good hope of the hastening of the work by which we may be confirmed in the expectation thereof To this purpose we may obserue a different estate of y e Church of God vnder troubles First she standes vpon her priuiledge as if she had wrong herein shee looks to former times and meruailes why she is thus she growes impatient vnder the burthen and complaines of her louers that they haue deceiued her she dissembles with God and seekes to humaine helpers she yeelds to the present necessity and so she bowes her neck to the yoakes and her conscience to the lust of the oppressor she giues her most pretious things for meat and obiecting her selfe to the iniquitie of the time she giues ouer hope euer to rise againe Thus you shall find to haue beene the state of the Church of God vppon it entrance into captiuity and so along toward the time of her appoynted deliuerance As the Prophets do most liuely decipher the same Vid. Ierem 41. 42. who liued with them in the captiuity and obserued their vse therof And surely if we obserue the prouidence of God herein Lament 2. 3. 1 Lamen 11. Ezech. doth it not exceedingly iustifie this righteous haÌ„d of god against his church Doth not the church of God hereby sink deeper in the myre and so set her selfe more strongly in the bondes of Gods iustice that so the time appointed of her trouble may be accomplished ouer her And doth not the Lord admirably by this meanes bring light out of darkenesse and so prepare his Church to her appointed deliuerance Yea surely the more Gods children wrestle with the rod the more they are beaten and at length tired therewith and so in the end being throughly weary y e poore church of God would gladly find some rest And seeing the hope of the Hils is but in vaine and she findes it too true that her louers haue deceiued her Ierem 3. Therefore shee resolues to go and returne to her first husband 1 Lamen 19. to looke vp vnto the Lord and wait for God her Sauiour Osea 2. Mich 7. Assuring her selfe that her God will heare Psal 66. And being fully resolued that if there be iniquity in her hand the Lord will not heare her prayers therefore she purposeth to forsake her Louers and renounce her sinnes Heere is it Lament 1. that shee weepes continually and giues no rest to her eyes because the Lord hath forsaken his rest And that her sorrow may be more kindly Psal 137. and take deeper impression Shee remembers Syon Lamen 5. 18. while she sits in Babilon shee remembers all her pleasant things that she had in times past And withall remembers her rebellion which was the cause of that great losse 1 Lamen 7. And so apprehends her affliction from the cause and greatnesse thereof Thus is shee brought to iustifie the Lord 1 Lamen 18. because shee hath rebelled against him Psal 6. And beeing sent out of her selfe by an holy dispaire Ezec 28. 45. acknowledging that she is worthy to bee cutte off Shee recouers strength in God from her owne weakenesse the more vile shee findes her selfe the more shee striues with her God to restore her beautie vnto her 1 Lamen 21. 22. shee layes hold on GODS promises for the confusion of her enemies and in their confusion sees a farre off her deliuerance here she staies not but drawes neerer vnto God Lament 2. and so yet further abaseth her selfe in the fury of her misery Lament 3. and so farre she wades in the apprehension thereof as that she dispaires of Gods mercy Lament 5 â—1 shee concludes in her weakenesse Lam 3. that her strength and hope is perished from the Lord. Lamen 3. 54. 23. 24. 56. 57. 58. 59. 31. 40. 41. 44. 45. Being thus past hope and so euen her spirituall weapons fayling her now she is recouered by the Lord hopes aboue hope she confirmes her faith from former experience and comforts her selfe in hir true humiliation and so gathers assurance that the Lord wil not forsake for euer She is perswaded he will returne she sees him comming a farre off Here-vpon she prepares her selfe to meete her God by examining of her selfe and trying her waies she incounters her God by earnest and hearty prayer though shee haue the repulse yet she will haue no nay Her eye droppeth without stay till the Lord looke downe and behold from heauen And considering the promises of God for the reseruing of the Church she presseth the Lord to arise and haue mercy vpon Syon and by the power of faith gathers y â— the appointed time is come Psal 102. 14. 15. That his seruaÌ„ts might delight in the stones thereof and shew compassion vnto the dust of the same Thus is the Church changed and purged inwardly that so shee may bee fitter for outward glory And so being fitted shee applaudes the time thereof not so much for her owne good as for the glory of God which shall be magnified in the restoring thereof And from hir own estate may the Church of God gather apparant notes of her deliuerance Now if wee shall looke into the practises of Gods enemies 3 In regard of our enemies they will also teach vs to gesse at the time of the Churches deliuerance Psal 119. VVhen they make no spare of destroying and will roote out GODS word then it is time for the Lord to put to his hand for they haue destroied thy law wheÌ„ by their pollicy cruelty they haue made such hauock that there is none to offer him-selfe in the cause of God Esay 59. 16. then shall the Lords arme saue it his righteousnesse it selfe shall sustaine his cause when they shall open their mouthes against heauen and blaspheme the power and mercy of God
and the Godly might haue a more gratious protection of her yea her owne slippery estate might hereby be the better serued And surely Obs 106. Gods children gratious in the eies of al men howsoeuer it be the property of GODS children to be hated of all men yet is not this incident vnto all or not at all times Some may be exempted by speciall preuiledge All at some-time shall haue a generall approbation Math. 10. So had our Sauiour fauour with GOD and men who after was hated of all and forsaken of his owne so when the waies of man do please the LORD hee will make all his enemies at peace with him either they shall willingly approue him or GOD shall extraordinarily bridle them So doth Hester here finde fauour in the sight of all not that happyly some one might not repine at her but generally the most part applauded her beautie the LORD turning their eyes vppon her 〈…〉 and their hearts toward her The speech I take it is hyperbolicall we being by the vniuersall to vnderstand the most or better sort who giuing her intertainement the inferior durst not openly gainesay And yet more likely for Hester to be applauded of all because as there was that apparent which might set the eyes of all vpon her and moue their hearts towards her namely her beauty so that was concealed which would haue made her hatefull namely her religion and country especially wee are to ascribe this to the ouer-ruling hand of GOD who thus giues her fauour generally with all that so her fauour might be more easily perceiued and constantly maintained with the King who the rather would affect where his people liked and was likelier hereby to settle his affection and so to continue it to Hester for the good of the Church Obse 107. Wicked why have Gods children being forced to approue them Howsoeuer for the comfort of GODS children let mee adde this further that though it be our lotts generally to be hated yet they that cry Crucifie him shall before cry hosanna euen they shall be conuinced in conscience that wee are to bee approued yea their owne mouthes shall giue testimony vnto vs if it shall then bee demaunded why they doe after hate vs 1. Pet. 4. 4. the reason is plaine because as they loued vs to make vs like vnto them or to like of them that so the may fare the better for vs Iho 16. 2. so when they see that we neither like of them Ioh. 15. nor can be like vnto them therefore they speake euill of vs therefore they hate vs. Thus do the wicked loue vs before they hate vs. And doe they not also approue vs euen while they prosecute their malice against vs yea surely though they thinke they do God good seruice while they thus hardly entreat vs yet in that they persecute vs they shew we are not of them we are contrary to them And do they not herein wonderfully iustifie the generation of the iust Nay would they not fetch vs againe when they haue made vs away do they not approue vs when they haue made a riddance of vs Math. 23. 29. 30. else Why doe they build the tombes of the Prophets and garnish the sepulchers of the righteous and say if we had beene in the daies of our Fathers we would not haue beene partners with them in the bloud of the Prophets What can we haue more seeing they that hate vs do thus approue of vs Is not the LORD wonderfull to cleare vs by the mouthes of our enemies may not the Children of God haue this testimony to be approued of all And surely if we consider the power of GOD who hath the hearts of all men in his hands if wee obserue neither bountie of Godlinesse which is able to rauish all If wee wey the priuiledge that the Children of GOD haue that all shall do seruice vnto them If wee apprehend the purpose of GOD herein to make the world more inexcusable wee shall finde it no hard matter with Gods Children to be approued generally and haue fauorable respect of all that looke on them And therefore as this may serue to commend the greatest Godlinesse So it wil be a heauie witnesse against the vngodly that hate where they should loue Oh what comfort is here to Gods Children that the world shall iustifie them What vantage haue they of the wicked whose tongues shall condemne themselues to iustifie the righteous May wee now hope to finde such fauour as will serue the turne when GOD at his pleasure shall turne all hearts towards vs And shall we then make ship-wrack of a good conscience to winne the fauour of men Is there no way to bee gracious with the world but by doubting with it Oh that we would trie God in this case how should we preuaile with men Well Iacob Gene. 32. what may we learne further out of this point that Hester being to be aduanced is thus gracious in the eyes of all Obs 108. 〈◊〉 are to be gratâ—â—us in the eyes of their people Surely that such as are to be in authority and raised to greatnesse they are to be gratious in the eyes of their people hereby the Lord approues their gouernement and so knitting the heartes of the people vnto them confirmes and establisheth the same by this meanes the blessinges of gouernment are plentifully inioied on either side The Prince rules in loue and the people obey in truth and both subiect and people are prepared to eternall happinesse Oh that Princes would wisely lay this to their hearts and by what meanes That they did know that the loue of their subiects is the best maintainer of the Crowne and armor of the Prince Surely they would labour to gette and increase their loue by requiting ingenuous seruice and accepting it cheerefully by prizing highly the liues of their people and preseruing their Christian liberty aboue their liues Thus may Princes bee gratious in the eyes of their people if they estrange not them-selues from them nor vse them as strangers especially if they make them gratious in the eyes of God by giuing good examples vnto them and prouiding for their instruction in the word of life Thus is Hester gratious in the eyes of all men VVhat followeth here-vpon Namely Verse So Hester was taken vnto King Ahashuerosh into his house royall in the tenth month which is the month of Tebeth in the seauenth yeare of his raigne In which words the spirit of God sets downe the receiuing of Hester into the Kinges house and the time therof that so this great benefit might bee the rather remembred Obs 109. Gods children are not alwaies vnder the rod but at length find deliuerance from the same c. And that this miserable captiue is now taken to the royall Pallace of this great Monarch and after many changes and remouings from Mordecaies house to the house of the maidens is at length brought
regard of our weakenesse and aptnesse to offend in the excesse Yea considering our folly that wee knowe not what 's fittest for vs and the wisdome of God which wee must not sette to schoole The spirit teacheth vs rather to pray for the meane that God would feede vs with food conuenient for vs neither yet simply to tye God to this measure as if no other were fit for vs but to acknowledge herein our infirmity to God who as without GOD wee are not able to compasse any so least able to sway that state w t is most subiect to temptation yet this doth not preiudice but God may giue euen fulnes seeing hee doth make euen y e greatest honors conuenient for his children and therein doth shew his great mercy in their preseruation by how much the more their estate is subiect to temptation Yet if it shall now be demanded Ques VVhether a man may praie for aboundance seeing the Lord giues fulnesse whether I may not lawfully seeke it by prayer of him Ans Surely where God in particular hath promised aud leades me along with apparant likelyhoods thereof there I may safely draw on the Lord to the accomplishment of his worke because by faith we obtaine the promises and prayer is the meanes to expresse and increase our saith And this was the case of Dauid when he prayed for the accomplishment of Gods promise concerning the Kingdome But where there is no such manifestation of Gods purpose in perticular there I may safely desire in generall what God will cast vppon me for my fitting vnto him but for this or that condition I must leaue it to God least I preiudice his wisdome and discouer my distrust least I presume to come to god wheras al he giues vs is of free mercy Only I deny not but some extraordinary instinct may warrant some perticuler extraordinary practise in this case which being singular is not to be imitated of vs. If it shall be further demanded whether it be lawfull to receiue such excellent blessings as are cast vpon vs Ques Whether it be lawfull to receiue great blessings offered seeing Elisha refused Nahamans gifts c. Daniel at the first refused the Kings reward Ans Surely I see not but God being the only giuer and wee hauing the best right much good likely to be redeemed hereby and good meanes vsed in the compassing thereof these thinges considered I see not but we may lawfully receiue them as the speciall pledges of Gods fauor if there be no leprosie or such like mischiefe attending vppon them As for Elisha and Daniel their refusal was iust because the giftes of these giuers were respectiue and conditional if they would doe such a thing for them Ques Whether the Minister may receiue wages for his paines or in regard of such a thing done and therefore the seruants of God to shew they were not mercenary did iustly refuse these reprochfull giftes Say you may we not then receiue a recompence in lieu of our paines Is not the labourer worthy of his hire May hee not iustly exact it May he not lawfully receiue it Yea surely 1 Cor 9. the Lord hath appointed that they which serue at the Altar should â—ue of the Altar It is a sinne not to giue It is a greater sinne to spoile and deny and therfore it is most lawfull to receiue what is due vnto vs. And yet sometime we may refuse though not simply as Elisha did Sometime we may not exact though we haue power as the blessed Apostle Paul did 1 Cor. 11. Yea may refuse first yet receiue afterward as Daniel did refuse wee may when the wicked thinke our paines no better worth then their gifts or hope that only by these gifts they may compasse the benefit of our paines So did Daniell first refuse the gifts of the King So did Peter refuse the gifts of Simon Magus And yet to shew our right wee may also receiue them for our vse when these stumbling-blockes are remoued So did Daniel afterward receiue those honours which before he refused Ques Hesters marriage whether lawful or no And was there not some such stuÌ„bling-block in the aduancement of Hester Might she safely marry with him that was diuorced from his wife and acccording to the custome of these countries was not without his choyce of wiues Surely the Lord Iesus him-selfe the most perfect examiner of the Law he hath determined y t whosoeuer puts away his wife vnlesse it be for fornication commits adultery And therefore it followeth that who soeuer marrieth with the party that takes this liberty to be diuorced not vpon that vrgent occasion doth no lesse commit adultery And did not the Lord therefore though hee had aboundance of spirit yet appoint this knot in marriage to bee onely of two and no more because he sought an holy seed How then may Hester bee cleared from the case of adultery How can she bee freed from an vnholy marriage Ans May not the Law-giuer dispence with his Law And may not that in Hester be good by a dispensation which in others without such extraordinary priuiledge is simply euill And what though the Lord shoulde admitte sinne in the accomplishment of the worke may hee not pardon the sinner and get him-selfe the glory Surely though wee dare not simply iustifie Hester in this case yet if we shall measure things by the manner successe did not the Lord admirably bring this thing to passe Did it not tend to the great good of the Church Nay who I pray you were loosers hereby The Lord hee winnes him-selfe great glory in aduancing so highly his hand-maid from so base an estate Hester looses not heereby shee obtaines the greatest honour and content that the earth can afford and yet shee forsakes not her righteousnesse but rather increaseth it The King hee gaines hereby some truer contentment of his mind and restraint of his lusts yea his reproche in repudiating Vashty is hereby well cured The Prouinces and whole Kingdome they obtaine rest from their grieuous oppressions And the poore Church of God that is the greatest gayner as being deliuered from a most desperate extremity and aduanced also to great peace and prosperity euen in a strange land But yet ther is an other flaw in this marriage Ques Whether lawfull to marry with an Infidel she marries with an Infidell and cursed Idolater how may this bee dispensed withall Surely by the same Lord who brings light out of darknesse and turnes the euills of his children to his glory and their good And yet wee may not simply condemne this maiden herein she was a subiect and therefore could not do what she would in this case And yet the Lord here did what he would Ios 23. yea what Hester simply was not to refuse For though the Lord had commanded that his people should not marry with Idolaters Iudg. 3. Deut 21. yet doth he also not simply deny them
carnall confidence being confounded faith may be encreased And the Lord may haue the onely glory of all his mercies So Atheisme is wisely conuinced that imputes things to chance seeing such contrary meanes implies extraordinary power and wisdome in the effecting of things Vse 1. Let vs not therefore presume when the meanes are fairest neither let vs despaire when they are most crosse and vnlikely And though God vse contrary meanes because he is able to tunic them to his pleasure Yet let vs vse the most likely where it is left to our choice and not despise the vnlikeliest when God imposeth the same Because as here the vnlikeliest will best trie our faith so there the likeliest do shew our obedience 1. As being commanded of God 2. and most agreable to reason fittest for our vse and most iustifiable in the issue whether we preuaile or no. Lastly that Hester Obs 125. The greatest afflictions profitable to Gods children to the obtaining of the greatest blessings by these manifold and strange afflictions is necessarily brought to so great preferment we may here obserue the great benefit of troubles That they are means to worke out our greatest happinesse So at that wil liue Godly must suffer affliction and by many tribulations we shall enter into the Kingdome of heauen Because afflictions do both purge out our drosse 2 Tim 3. 12 and make vs fit for mercy Act 14 and they are good means so to humble vs y t we may vse happines aright Esay 1. 25 They keepe vs from going a stray that so we may come to the wished hauen Psal 66 11 and they preserue vs from such quicksands Psal 11 9 as would sinke vs in our iourney They trie vs wisely whether we will keepe the way or no proue very comfortable associates to preuent Idlenesse and wearisomnes What should I say though the world account them euill and to the wicked the proue no lesse yet to Gods Children no blessing is well seasoned without them No blessing well obtained but by their ministery Vse 1. And therefore though the world â—ee â—ffended at the Crosse of Christ and esteeme them cursed of God that embrace the same Ioh. 7. Yet let vs take vp the corsse that so we may obtaine the crowne 2 sâ—m 2. Let vs suffer with Christ that so we may reigne with him Let vs looke for troubles when we are about any good let vs distrust our goodnesse if it be not seasoned with trouble and let this be our comfort that our troubles are but short but our recompence is incomparable and shall neuer decay Thus Hester is aduanced through great tribulation and at length findes rest in a most honorable estate As for her companions it is not so with them Nay the King himselfe he findes no rest And hath not Hester also some affliction to season her great prosperity yea surely The Kings affection growes could and his lust enereaseth Vers 19. And therefore it followeth that The Virgins were gathered the second time To wit for a new supplie of the Kings vnsatiable lust So vnreasonable is lust so inconstant carnall affection so lawlesse are the wicked so short is any happinesse of perfection in this life Obs 126. The lust of the wicked vnsatiable Thus Tyrants cease not to molest and spoile their subiects that they at length may be iustly spoiled Vse 1. And shall not the righteous feare euen greatest happinesse shall they rest vpon it shall they not haue their loynes girt to follow hard after the marke Shall the wickeds torments haue an end whose lusts are thus endlesse shall we not hate this flesh that is so treacherous deceitfull shal we not be more watchful ouer our selues and others by how much our greatest happines is subiect to such foyles such is Mordecai So it is here recorded of them Then Mordecay sate in the Kings gate That is he attended on his office in these times of Hesters aduancement hee doth not presently conceiue higher matters and so neglect his ordinary calling as some ambitious vpstart would haue done busying himselfe to creepe to preferment hauing so direct a meanes to raise him speedily but soberly he attends on his office as contented therewith and for state matters he leaues them to higher powers as for preferment though the Lord had a purpose shortly to aduance him thereto and therefore it might be thought some spirits might bee put into him to this end yet wisely doth this holy man put off the thought thereof by accustoming himselfe to his meane condition and yet not without regarde of his aduanced Nephew whose aduancement growing now iealous in regarde of this new gathering of Virgins he is therefore sayd further to sit in the Kings gate to haue intelligence thereof and so to aduize and determine according And surely in this example of Mordecay wee haue many notable points worthy our consideration Obs 127. Markes of Gods childreÌ„ to be contented with our callings and walke faithfully therein One is that he is contented with his calling and imployes himselfe faithfully therein a notable marke of the childe of God who as he is commanded to abide in the calling wherevnto the Lord hath called him as being fittest for him and a tryall of his faith to exercise his humilitie so iâ— he to walke faithfully therein as whereby he doth sanctifie the same vnto him 1 Cor. 7. shall see the blessing of God therein and also make way thereby to a greater blessing 1. 2. 3. 4. Vse 1. Which as it condemnes those that will liue in no calling Psal 128. so it also reproueth such as make choyse of such callings as can yeeld no contentment Math. 25. neither with any credit or comfort can we imploy our selues therein and are not they also condemned hereby y â— hauing holy lawfull callings do either basely abuse theÌ„ to y e lusts of others or else neglect theÌ„ vnnecessarily to the satisfying of their own lust or els wickedly giuing theÌ„ ouer or changing theÌ„ for others surely though it be not simply vnlawfull to change our callings if they will not maintaine vs or wee bee lawfully called to other more necessary Callings how to be left and changed foâ— the Church or common-wealth as being fitter So we must looke that necessity and contentment bee the measures of our maintenance and that the meanes and manners of our further calling Sect. 2. be direct and sutable Rules how to walke conscionably in our callings As for our holy abiding in the calling vnto which God hath called vs Certainely if wee doe but remember the account wee must make and consider the vncertaintie when wee shall be called thereto if we looke for our reward from God and make a good conscience our rule to direct vs therein if singlenesse of heart shall season our paines and casting our care on God be the casting of our profit if our buying
either Those which are common to both are either simply common to both or respectiuely and comparatiuely Those which are simply and generally common to both callings are 1. Reuerence 2. Loue and 3. Naturall affection c. generally such as simply respect their persons as they beare the Image of God and resemble his authoritie ouer vs. Those which are common to both with respect prolation are Obedience Maintenance c. which though we owe to both yet are wee to performe them in their order Obedience first to the husband before the Father maintenance to the wife before the parents yet herein also being lead by the chiefest bond Galat. 6. 10 Namely to doe good especially to the houshold of faith and wisely discering the inuinciblenesse of necessitie not standing on what want may bee neither what superfluousb â—e wee thinke fitte but so depending on the prouidence of God as not to neglect present reliefe and therein to bee led by the neerer bond As for such duties as are proper to either such as are due beneuolence cohabitation in the state of marriage these not concerning parents may well be performed without impeachment to their honour As likewise such dueties as are not proper betweene the Father and the Sonne may very well stand with the performance of such as concerne the State of marriage so that they all tend to the glorie of God and principally intend the saluation of the soule Vse 1. Which as it condemneth those Parents that hauing aduanced their Children to this honorable Estate of marriage do either basely crouch vnto or by too much indulgence loose the right in their Childrens subiection So doth it conuince their extreame folly which is the cause thereof Namely their parting with too great portions or putting ouer their estates vnto them By which it comes to passe that their Children being puft vp and hauing the sword put into their hands in steed of obedience to Parentes do many times beate them with their owne rodde And so by Gods iudgement prouoking hereby their Parents in the bitternesse of their soules to cursing and complayning the Lord heares their crie and punisheth such rebellious plants by rooting them out and laying wast their habitations And therefore also such children may here learne their lesson As not so much to stand vpon portion or such outward complement for their preferment so to performe conscionable obedience while they are at home so shall they not forget it when they are abroad And married folkes also may here take out their lesson not to despise their aged Parents but rather now to performe them double honour because they were not onely the cause of their beeing but in placing them thus comfortably a good meanes of their well being Yea they that are left of their Parents to take their chance as we say and to get it out of the fire these haue most cause to honour their Parents because as they can more sufficiently requite them in that they were meanes of their being So being now put to a more iust triall of the sincerity of their obedience and being certainely perswaded that as what was wanting in Parents hath beene supplied by the Lord so his hand shall not be shortned if they enlarge theirs euen where they haue no other cause but only for Gods sake when they can hope for no better pay-maister then God himselfe And thus farre câ—ncerning Hesters obedience But what are all of Hesters minde to performe obedience to their superiors doth Ahashuerosh finde as faithfull subiects as Mordecai found faithfulnesse in his aduanced Nephew Surely no Behold Hester so highly preferred yet performes dutie to her Father and yet ahashuerosh being chiefe Commander cannot finde loyaltie in his subiects but while he is wallowing in the fulnesse of his pleasures and blessing his soule in his security and false content his life is sought for by two of his attendants euen those that he appointed keepers of the doore or of the entry for his greater safety so it followeth In those daies when Mordecai sate in the Kings gate two of the Kings Eunuches Bigthan Vers 21. 22. and Teresh which kept the doore were wroth and sought to lay hands on the King Ahashuerosh c. In which words the spirit of Gods sets downe a very seareful and yet vsual accident vnto Tyrants befalling this voluptious Prince in the glut of his pleasures to sauce the same so to make him more without excuse namely a desperate treason entended by two of his seruants whom he put in some trust tending to no lesse then the taking away of his life Wherein we may obserue these circumstances 1. The time when this Treason was committed In those dales i. in those daies of pleasure and security of rauishing and deflowring of Virgins of enioying delight with the wronging and oppression of others then is this luxurious Prince summoned to his account then is his life sought for then is he most in danger 2. The person is described by whom the Treason is discouered and the daunger preuented who is Mordecai the seruant of GOD he prooues the faithfull seruant to his Prince he that is most despised yet does most good Now Mordecai is here described 1 by his faithfull attending on his office he sate in the Kings gate 2. by his intelligence of the Treason The thing was knowne to Mordecai 3. by his wisdome in the discouery of it He told it vnto the Queene Hester and Hester certefied the King thereof in Mordecaies name 3. The parties are set downe by whom this treason is committed and that 1. by their number they were two Secondly by their quality they were Eunuches 3. by their names they were called Bigthan Teresh 4. by their office they kept the doore 5. by the occasion mouing them thereto they were wroth 4. The Treason it selfe is layd open Namely to laie hands on the King Ahashuerosh to take away his life 5. The person is described against whom the Treason is committed namely King ahashuerosh 6. Here is set downe the discouery of the Treason and that both by the Author as before and manner of the discouery namely inquisition was made and it was found to bee so 7. Here is commended vnto vs the execution of these Traitors They were both hanged on a tree 8. The holy Ghost concludes this history with a notable relation of wisdome euen of those Godlesse men namely it was written in the booke of Chronicles before the King that so memorable a deliuetance might neuer be forgotten and the seruice of Mordecai might hereafter be remembred These are the particulars in this memorable accident And 1. conceruing the Time when it fell out In those daies That is when the King is drowning himselfe in pleasure and saith soule take thy ease Then doth the Lord raise some of his owne house to call him to an account Psâ— 73 Obs 133. The prosperiâ— of the wicked slippery and subiect to great
and such sinners otherwise incorrigible then by taking them in the blade and so cutting them timely off Is it not more then time to preuent such desperate onsets by iust seuerty rather then to giue way through impunity to farther mischiefe And shall the Traitor thinke he hath wrong done vnto him hereby where thought of the least sinne deserues eternall vengeance if he be met withal by temporall iustice for the determinate purpose of a capital crime which may also be a meanes for the sauing of his soule And what though he faile in the execution of his mischiefe shall the Magistrate therefore faile in the execution of iustice seeing there was no good will wanting sufficient to discouer the daungerousnesse of the person and so in wisedome to haue him cut off And may not the purpose of such euils proue very hurtfull to gouerment may it not breed Iealousie therein and imputation of some bad desart may it not worke desperatenesse in loose gouernors and boldnesse in the like sinnes Let this be a lesson for preuenting of such purposes and the Lord giue vs vnderstanding in all things Thus are these rebellious seruants iustly met withal Obs 155. God vsually meeteth with treasons in this life And shall disobedient seruants scape vnpunished had Zimri peace which slew his maister did the seruants of Ammon carry their treason clearely Surely the Lord is righteous and admirable in his iustice though some sinnes especially are reserued to the eternall vengeance yet hee will punish this sinne of Treason euen in this life because it so nerely toucheth his Maiesty and chalengeth his prouidence Vse And therefore let not Traytors hope to go vnpunished 1 Rex 2. though they scape at one time Obser 156. God punisheth euill seruants yet their sinne will find them out in the end 2 Reg. 11. and Ioab shal be taken when his iniquity is at y e full And are not disobedient seruants here also iustly met withall yea surely Iehezi shall haue aleprosie and these rebellious seruants do meet with a halter Vse 1. Which as it may lesson Maisters to watch ouer their seruants least by disobedience they fall into these trobles for which they are like to giue an account though in the meane time the seruant smart for it so let seruants here learne to performe obedience for conscience sake that so looking for their reward from God and not form man they may not be driuen to such desperate courses And as they must looke for such measure if they breake out into such presumptious sins So on the contrary let good seruants be assured that the diligent shall stand before Princes they shall not want euen plentifull recompence Thus the traitors are executed and Ahashuerosh is preserued for the good of the Church Obs 155. Gods Children not vnthankfull for such kindnes as they receiue and who made the instrument thereof but poore Mordecai and gratious Hester two seruants of the most high God do this good seruice to their Prince And so is Ahashuerosh aboundantly recompenced for all his loue to Hester he hath his life giuen him for a prey so do the wicked fare the better for the elects sake so do the Children of God recompence plentifully the good that is done vnto them Ebedmelech the Black-a-moore shal haue his life giuen him for a prey and the Sunamite shall receiue her sonne to life for receiuing the Prophet and Obea Edoms house shall prosper while the Arke remaines there Godlinesse is neuer vnthankefull to the embracers thereof her enemies fare the better for her and shal not much more her friends she hath the promise of all blessings and shall she not make them good he preuailes with God and shall she not preuaile with men she brings peace wheresoeuer she comes and in her pleasure is life ritches and honor bee at her right hand yea durable ritches and righteousnesse Why are then the children of God counted such trouble-houses could the world indure were it not for them are not the wicked preserued because of them Oh let vs make much theÌ„ of such profitable guests let vs learn to be thankefull of them in this point lette vs take hold of the skirt of him that is a Iew and resolue to go with him because the Lord is with him Well the King is preserued and his life renued What must this benefit be forgotten shall Mordecaies seruice be buried in forgetfulnesse No Behold the prouidence of God in prouiding for his seruant Marke the care of the Prince that his deliuerance should be remembred It followeth And this was written in the booke of daies before the King That is this admirable deliuerance was committed to perpetuall record in the Chronicles of the Kingdome Behold here the faithfulnesse of God which forgetteth not the indeauors of his children Obs 157. The Lord taketh notice of the righteousnesse of his seruants and causeth the same to bee commended to posterity he hath a bottle to put their teares in and a book of remembrance for them that feare the Lord Hee makes inquisition for blood and so remembreth it he causeth the fact of his seruant to bee committed to perpetual record Vse 1. Shall wee then doubt of the acceptance of our workes shall wee not expect a plentifull reward thereof Will not the Lord auenge the blood of his Saints Wil he not wipe all the teares from our eyes Oh that we could beleeue How should wee be increased that we would consider wisely how God records our wel-doings what a spurre would this bee to prouoke vs to go forward What a comfort against the hard measure of the world what peace of comscience VVhat euidence of weldoing Seeing the Lord makes our enemies to record the same yea to promote vs thereby to a seasonable recompence But what should moue this prophane Monarch to haue Mordecaies faithfulnesse and his preseruation thus recorded to posterity Is this intended as a part of Mordecai his recompene Or doth he vse this as a meanes to put him in mind therof That so in conuenient time hee might accoÌ„plish the same Surely though it be not likely this proud Monarch had any such intent because al is counted but due thankfulness here is a rare bird yet no doubt but he had some respect to him-selfe Namely y â— recording so great a deliuerance of his owne person he might both prouoke his subiects to take notice thereof and so to preuent the like mischiefes as also confirme him-selfe the better in the hope of future good successe and so recreate him-selfe at his leysure with the remembrance therof The light of nature leades him thus far and policy cryes aime therto that memorable acts should bee recorded to posterity And may wee not profitably learne hence to helpe our memories with such faithfull registers Obser 158. Records and outward moâ—aments necessary for the memorial vse of Gods blesings and so not only to blesse God for the Act
of writing and printing but herein especially to magnifie his prouidence that by this meanes the word of truth hath bene preserued and purely conueied vnto vs. Surely though the soule be the register of the blessings of God yet must the flesh vse such meanes to stir vp the heart as humbling the same in that it needs these outward helpes may therby sanctifie and continue the right vse of God mercies in the holy remembrance and y e meditation thereof let those boast of the spirit which are not clad with the flesh and let such despise these helpes as haue not a body of â—inne to hinder spirituall duties And seeing though the letter of the word be not the power of it yet y e power cannot bee conceiued but by meanes of the letter let such despise the word writteÌ„ Anabaptist that desire not the power of it and in the pride of their harts wil not be confined within the bounds thereof And doth not the spirit of God herein further teach vs to record the blessings of GOD to posterity Obs 159. The blessings of God are to be recorded to posterity and to commend to the generations to come the wonderfull thinges that the Lord hath done for vs yea certainly this shal be written for the generations to coâ—â— and the people that are created shall praise the Lord. The Lord hath commanded great mercies to be commended to posterity Psal 102. and hath appointed the monuments therof to be preserued to all generations 〈◊〉 18. so were the rod of Aaron and the potte of Manna kept to this end Exod. 14. so were Alters erected Heb. 9. 4. and new names imposed Exod 16. to put Gods children in mind of his mercies towards them Genes 17. Genes 32. so did Samuel write the office of the King in a book 1 Sam. 10. 25. and laid it vp before the Lord y â— it might be a perpetual glasse Num 2â— 14. for the Prince to look his duty in so are the memorable Acts of God which hee did at the red Sea and at the riuer of Arnon written in a booke So doth Iob wish that his words were written in a booke that so y â— equity of the cause might remaine for euer Iob 19. 13. So when the Lord will publish his wil and haue it commended to the vse of posterity for our better assurance of the accoÌ„plishment therof he commands it to be written in a booke yea in a great volume Esay 8. Yea not only to a book hath the Lord committed his blessings Ierem. 36. 2. but he hath called also the times to witnesse the same Exod 14 he hath appointed special daies for y e perpetuall memory of his mercies to be kept sollemnly throughout al generations this care hath y e Lord taken for the remeÌ„brance of his blessings as being worthy to be had in remembrance and profitable for vs to preuent forgetfulnesse the maine cause of prophanesse Psal 78. and whereby the blessings of God are taken away from vs we exposed to the burthen of his Iudgements And shall not this care of the Lord for the remembrance of his blessings bee an heauy conuiction of our vnthankefulnesse for the same Shal God thus striue to put vs in minde of his mercies Shal he cause vs to record them in bookes to posterity Shal he moue vs to set a part a day for the memoriall thereof for euer And shall we not bee stirred vp by this meanes to cleaue vnto our God and to root out the name of Amelecke from vnder heauen Who so is wise lette him vnderstand these things to whom the arme of the Lord hath reueald them FINISH
them This sonne of Adam is now called to account in the cooling of his passions and his conscience remembers him of his former outrage so wise is the Lord to schoole him in his better moode so iust is he also not to leaue sinne vnpunished and all this by the power of conscience left in man by nature which though it excuse for sinne Mat. 10. 19. 20. as it is misinformed by the corrupt iudgment that so the sinner might be encouraged to do the same Iohn 16. yet withall doth it check and represse the doing thereof And though it in some measure informe vs in wel-doing Rom. 15. yet it accuseth also euen that very wel-doing to the iust confusion of Carnall confidence and most righteously also accuseth for sinne Esay 29. 13. both to iustifie God against whome the sin is committed by conuincing the sinner so to leaue him without excuse and thereby to yeeld him vp to the iaylor to be reserued for vengeance euen til he haue paid the vttermost farthing Oh consider this yea that forget God and say the Lord hath forgotten Iob. 22. 14. he is hid in the clouds behold your conscience will condemne you for sinne Ezec. 8. 1â— and God which is greater then the conscience must much more condemne you Ioh. 3. 20. consider I say you vnwise among the people that looke vpon the wine in the cuppe and count it pleasant in the going downe thereof will in not in the end bite like a serpent and wound like a Cockeatrice will not thy conscience write bitter things against thee remember that for all this thou must come to indgement and thy conscience shall beginne thy iudgement in this life hope not therefore to corrupt thy conscience as if it should not accuse labour not to dead it that it may not accuse thee flatter not thy selfe when it doth excuse thee for sinne But blesse thy God that thou maist see thy true face in it And blesse him againe that thy conscience keepes thee from security And keepe this watch true by daily setting it by the word that so it may tell true and not deceiue thee And seeing it tells true rebell not against it though it be but a worme it will turne againe and at the best it will so sting thee that thou shalt wish thy selfe with the wormes Of all torments most feare this rod and yet of al rods santcified looke for best issue of this But what doth the conscience here remember vnto this miserable King Obse 5. The particuler euidence of conscience surely she forgets not any thing that may torment him she remembers him of his beautifull Queene whose comfort he had now lost that so he might see how iustly he was punished Now he burnes in Iust yea she remembers of that small fault which the poore Queene had committed that so his sinne might yet appeare to be the greater in putting her away for so slight an offence yea she remembers him also of those base Courtiers that had beene ministers to his lust that yet hee might bee more vile in himselfe as to haue abased him to such councellors yea she remembers him of the decree excluding her restitution that so this might cut his heart the more in that the euill was remedilesse that the constancy of his lawes must make him constant in his misery Thus you see the conscience remembers with a witnesse she failes not a particuler but sets his sinnes in order before him and she plaies the Orator to amplifie his sinnes that so he may haue soure sauce for his vnsauory pleasures So doth the Lord of conscience iudge righteously so shall the sonne of God iudge the world we shall giue an account euery one euen of the things which he hath done in his body whither they be good or bad So may we beleeue that their shal be a generall iudgment when we feele the conscience thus makeing way for the sinne so by this secret arraignment may we still be put in mind of that sudden and yet most certaine iudgment that so when our Maister commeth he may find vs ready So by this particular iudgement of the conscience may we learne particularly to iudge our selues yea to make the worst of our sinnes that God may make the best of them He remembred the decree some-what more their is in this that he is said to remember the decree Obser 6. The accusation of the conscience in the wicked an hinderance to repentance wherein I take it the Holy Ghost would haue vs to vnderstand the maine bar of his repentance that he could not make recompence to his wife nor restore him-selfe to his right which by rashnesse and folly he had stript him-selfe of and therein also to discouer his desperate condition that he is vtterly excluded from all hope of reconciliation the meanes hereto is intimated to be the decree euen that decree which his wife councellors had propounded vnto him and he in madnesse hauing assented thereto Obser 7. Credit in the wicked opposed to conscience whereby repentance is hindred cannot now with his safety and credit recall it againe His conscience tells him that it was a rash decree and therefore was to be disanulled but his credit tells him that it stands not with his state least their should appeare an error in his gouernment a thing which Princes will no way heare of as they are peerelesse in greatnesse so they must be accounted absolute in goodnesse that so they may robbe GOD of his honour and he may lay their honour in the dust yea his safety tells him that he must not crosse his Princes nor antiquate his lawes least his Princes rebell and turne the edge of the law against him And therefore in his carnall Wisdome he stickes to that which was his best hold namely to prouide for his credit and present safety as for the conscience that was but a fit of melancholy and howsoeuer it might lead him to the hope of a better life if hee would haue obeyed yet being without that hope no maruaile if he leaues the guide thereto and so makes ship-wracke of his conscience to embrace this present world Behold the miserable estate of the sonnes of Adam here is a Kingdome diuided against it selfe and can it continew here is credit against conscience and safety of life present opposed against the security of the life to come but will you see the issue the leane Kine deuoure the fat Sect. 1. Gods Iustice herein credit reiects conscience and present contentment excludes the hope of future happinesse And yet the Lord is exceeding righteous herein who though he hath appointed to fat vp the wicked hereby to the day of slaughter yet by this combat doth it appeare that hee puts the choice to themselues Behold I set before thee this daie life and death Deu. 30. 19 good and euill therefore choose life that thou and thy seed may liue Yea that
they may the rather be allured to the better Psal 17. 14 behold the Lord filles their bellies with hidden treasures and tries them thereby whether they will beleeue and see greater things then these Yea he tries them also by some crosses and afflictions that he might see what is in their hearts and whether they will obey his commandments or no. But all is one Deu. 8. 2. they haue set vp their rest they see no better and therefore must make the best of that they see Let vs eate and drinke for to morow wee shall die they haue made a couenant with hell and with death 1 Cor. 15. they are at an agreement Esay 28. they haue made a mocke at the councell of the LORD Psal 9. and for Heauen it is but a dreame and conscience a bug-beare let vs haue the present and take the future who list depart from vs Lord we will not the knowledge of thy waies Iob. 21. 14 our belly is our God and we will sacrifice to our net Thus God appointing the wicked are the choosers and is God vnrighteous to giue them their desire But how shall the wicked bee confirmed in this choyce Sect. 2. The wicked how satisfied herein how shall they blesse their soules and so harden themselues therein do they not heare of a better within them Do they not see a better before them yes beloued the conscience tells them that there is a better in that it checks them in the best vse of the present Yea their happinesse it selfe tells them that there is a better as neither yeelding them any sound contentment while it is present Ecol 2. and taking it wings on the sudden and flying away Pro. 23. Yea which is more fearefull their heart leads them to the desire of a better Num. 24 Oh that I may die the death of the righteous how is it then that they will not vse the meanes thereto how is it that seeing the better and approuing the same yet they follow the worse and that with greedinesse too Obs 8. The conscience Gods executioner in the condemnation of the wicked surely the worke of the Lord is admirable herein and worthy to be sought out of all those that will secure their election and especially wrought by the ministery of the conscience Which being GODS Agent in the wicked to accomplish his will the more it is reiected the more it is enraged and thereby prooues such an inward hand-writing to confound all their outward delights that seeing they must now make the best of their miserable choice therfore al the force shal be bent to corrupt the conscience y t so they may enioy without controulement the benefit of their choyce hence it is that the right square beeing cast off Sect. 1. The false rules which the wicked deuise to iustefie their actions which is the word of GOD false rules are deuised to blinde the light of the conscience examples are imbraced and multitude is followed Time becomes one rule and Opinion another and to take downe the edge of it that it may not cut at all or else very dully behold here they plunge them-selues deeper in sinne Sect. 2. How they dull and dead the conscience 4. Ephes 19. and giue the bridle more freely vnto all iniquitie that so they may dead the conscience and make it past feeling which howsoeuer the wicked may attayne for a season and in some measure be free from the checkes thereof that so they may blesse themselues in their choyce and thereby make vp the measure of their sinne Yet behold the iustice of God when the haruest is ripe the sickle shall be put in and who shall giue the onset but the conscience that was thought to bee dead Sect. 3. The conscience how and when reuiued in the wicked This doe the wicked surely finde in each temporall crosse and especially they drinke deepe of it when death seazeth vppon them The worme that neuer dies beginnes with them in this life yea in their laughter their heart is sad and in the end of that mirth their is vnspeakable heauinesse Pro 14. 13 1 Vse Thus doth the Lord bring about the destruction of the wicked and that especially by the ministery of the conscience so vaine is it for them to resist the power thereof so iustly they herein renounce their owne saluation in preferring credit or present safety before the gouernement of conseicnce This was right the case of this miserable great one And this is the case of the wicked of the world that are prepared to destruction their conscience would retayne them but their credit sayes no their securing for present happynesse excludes them the hope of eternall glory and makes also their present happynesse to be most fearefull and miserable So righteous is the Lord in accomplishing of his will so inexcusable are the wicked concerning their owne damnation so powerfull is the conscience which is slightly regarded so mercifull is the LORD heereby to teach his Children to count all things as dung in regard of keeping faith and a good conscence Phil. 3. 8 But may not a good name and a good conscience stand together Obser 9. Conscience and credit in the Godly go to geather may not he be secure of the earth that secures himselfe to heauen Is not Godlinesse profitable aswell for this life as the life to come 1 Tim. 4. 8 Had not Salomon wisdome giuen him and ritches to 1 Reg 3. 1 And if we do first seeke the Kingdome of heauen shall not all these things be cast vpon vs Math. 6. 33 If wee preuaile with GOD shall we not preuaile with men Are not the Children of GOD of the best report Is not wisdome iustified of her Children Nay is not wisdome Iustified of her enemies Was not our Sauiour acquitted euen of those that condemned him And when the waies of man please the Lord will he not make all his enemies at peace with him yea surely if wee could beleeue we should be stablished Pro. 16 and if we seeke aright we shall find the faithfulnesse of our GOD had Ahashuerosh his Iudgement bin right he should haue here seene no direct opposition betweene conscience and true credit but that as his conscience tould him that the decree might haue beene reuersed so it might also haue well stood euen with his credit to For to examine this point a little in the Court of conscience Why might not this decree with good conscience be reuersed was it because it was a law of a mighty Kingdome the happinesse whereof depended vpon the maintenance and obedience of good and wholesome lawes Surely though it cannot be denied but that such lawes of Kingdomes ought not to be antiquated which are expositions of the morall law of GOD and thereby entend conscionable obedience thereto such as the Gentiles are directed from the light of Nature Obs 10. Lawes