Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 3 · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. Verſe 1. So the King and Haman came to the banquet.]
HEb. to drink, for multorum vivere eſt bibere: and profane perſons have a Proverb, Bibere & ſudare eſt vita Cardiaci: Such are your chamber-Champions: whoſe teeth in a temperate aire, do beat in their heads at a cup of cold ſack and ſugar.Gr…g. Poſthu… Belſhazzars feaſt-dayes were called foreign: becauſe he was quaffing in the bowles of the Sanctuary, to the honour of Shac or Bacchus. Little did either he or Haman think, that in the fulneſſe of their ſufficiency, they ſhould be in ſuch ſtraits, and that every hand of the troubleſome ſhould come upon him: that when they were about to fill their bellies, God ſhould caſt the fury of his wrath upon them, and raine it upon them whiles they were drinking, Job 20.22, 23. But, this is the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed unto him by God, verſe 29. Why then ſhould any Saint be ſick of the fret, at the proſperity of the ungodly? ſurely, as fiſhes are taken in an evil net, and as birds are caught in a ſnare, ſo are ſuch ſnared in an evil time, when it falleth ſuddenly upon them; Eccleſ. 9.12. Of Eſthers invitation Haman might have ſaid, as he did of the gifts one ſent him, Munera magna quidem mittit, ſed mittit in hamo.Martial. But he knew not yet what evil was toward him; though I doubt not but his conſcience, (if not altogether dead and dedolent) began by this time to ſtare him in the face; his friends having already read his deſtiny.
Verſe 2. And the King ſaid again unto Eſther] He was very deſirous to know what her ſuit was; and with thought thereof, as it may ſeem, could not reſt the night before. He purſueth his deſires, not a little edged by her delayes; neither was he of thoſe lusks, who Remque aliquam exoptant, intabeſcúntque relictâ. His love to Eſther made him ask again, What is thy petition, and what is thy requeſt, &c? He preſſeth her to ſpeak out, ſo doth God his Suppliants. Hitherto ye have asked nothing, ask that your joy may be full. Pray that ye may joy; ye are not ſtraitened in me, but in your own bowels: as, if no water come by the conduit, it is not becauſe there is none in the ſpring, but becauſe the pipes are broken. See the Note on chapter 5.6.
Verſe 3. Then Eſther the Queen, &c.] See chapter 5.7, 8. As Abigail, her family; and the woman of Abel, the City: ſo doth Eſthe… by her wiſdom and humility deliver herſelf and her people, ducem ſequens lucem fidei, as one ſaith of her.
Let my life be given me at my Petition] Heb. my ſoule. See how diſcreetly ſhe marſhalleth her words: ſetting theſe two great requeſts in the head of her petition, which is ſimplex & non fucata, plain and downright. Truth is like our firſt Parents, moſt beautiful when naked. Our words in prayer muſt be neque lecta, neque neglecta, neither curious nor careleſſe; but as the words of Petitioners, plain and full, and direct to the point. Eſther reckoneth her ſelfe here among the reſt of her poor Countreymen, free among the dead, free of that company, and begs for her life and theirs together; becauſe hers was even bound …p in theirs. Mortis habet vices quae trabitur vitâ genuitibus; to live after their death would be a lifeleſſe life; and hence her importunity for both together▪ ſith they were in her heart, ad commoriendum & convivendum, if they died ſhe could not live. Good blood will not belie it ſelfe. Eſther had not ſhewed her kindred and people till now, that ſhe muſt appear for them. See the like in Moſes, Heb. John 19.3…11.25. in Nicodemus that night-bird, John 7.51. he ſpeaks boldly and ſilences the whole company, John 19. he boldly beggeth the body of Jeſus; neither could he any longer conceal himſelf. Surely, as Solomon by trial found out the true harlot-mother, ſo doth God by hard times deſcry the affections of his people. Then, as Joſeph could not refrain teares, ſo nor they the exerciſe of their faith and charity.
Verſe 4. For we are ſold] i. e. given up wholly into the power of the enemy, as that which a man hath bought with his money, is his own to diſpoſe of. She referres, doubtleſſe to the ſumme proffered by Haman, chap. 3.9. not fearing the face of ſo potent an enemy, nor going behind his back to ſet him out in his colours; yea, though her diſcourſe could not but ſomewhat reflect upon the King, who had given Haman his conſent.
I, and my people] She makes it a common cauſe, and ſaith to her Countreymen, as once David did to Abiathar, 1 Sam. 22.23. or, as Charles the fifth ſaid to Julius Peſtugius, who complained that he had been much wronged by the Duke of Saxony. Have a little patience, thy cauſe ſhall be my cauſe, neither will I ſit down till I have ſeen you ſome way righted. See verſe 3.
To be deſtroyed, to be ſlain, and to periſh] Theſe were the very words of that bloody decree which ſhe purpoſely maketh uſe of, that he might be ſenſible of what he had conſented to: and might ſee that ſhe complained not without cauſe. But what a caſe was Haman in at the hearing of this? and how did he now repent him, but too late, of ever having a hand in ſo bloody a buſineſſe? His iniquity was now full, and the bottle of his wickedneſſe filled up to the brim with thoſe bitter waters, was even about to ſink to the bottom. His Gallowes was finiſhed laſt night, and now it groaned hard for him, that he might be deſtroyed, ſlain and made to periſh.
— Neque enim lex juſtior ulla eſt,
Quàm necis artifices arte perire ſuâ.
But if we had been ſold for bondmen and bondwomen] Though it had been an hard and ſad condition for a Queen, eſpecially (which yet was Hecuba's caſe and Zenobia's) yet it would not be grievous to them to ſacrifice their liberty to the ſervice of their life: the Gibeonites were glad they might live upon any termes, Joſh. 9.16. Maſters might ſlay their bondſervants, but that was counted a cruelty, and when one did it at Rome, he was amerced by the Cenſor: many times they were manumitted for their good ſervice, and came to great eſtates.
I had held my tongue] Silence is in ſome caſes a crying ſinne. Taciturnity, I confeſſe, is ſometimes a vertue, but not at all where it tends to the betraying of a good cauſe, or the detriment of the labouring Church. For Zions ſake I will not hold my peace, and for Jeruſalems ſake I will not reſt, &c. Eſay 62.1. Terentius that noble General told Vatens the Arian Emperour,…eph l. 11. …. that he had abandoned the victory and ſent it to the enemy, by his perſecuting Gods people, and favouring hereticks. That was an excellent ſaying of Hierome to Vigilantius, Meam injuriam patienter tuli, &c. whiles the wrong thou didſt, reached only to my ſelf, I took it patiently; but thy wickedneſſe againſt God I cannot beare with: ſo was that of Occolampadius to Servetus, (blaming him for his ſharpneſſe to the ſelf-ſame purpoſe. And laſtly, that of Luther in a letter to his friend Staupi…ius. Inveniar ſanè ſuperbus, &c. Let me be accounted proud, peremptory, paſſionate, or what men pleaſe, ſo that I be not found guilty of a ſinful ſilence, when called to ſpeak for God.
Although the enemy could not countervaile the Kings damage] q.d. It is not his ten thouſand talents, ch. 3.9. nor all that he is worth, and ten more ſuch as he is, that can make up the loſſe, that the King is ſure to ſuſtain by the ſlaughter of the Jewes, a people painful and prayerful, (this, Darius made high account of, Ezra 6.16.) uſeful and profitable, careful to maintain good works in St. Pauls ſenſe, Tit. 3.8. that is, ſuch as were noted to exceed and excel others in witty inventions, to be their Craftſmaſters, and faithful to their truſt. Beſides, if they be taken away, great damage ſhall redound to the Kings revenue, by non-payment of toll, tribute and cuſtome, as thoſe Malignants could alledge, Ezra 4.12. a thing that Princes uſually are very ſenſible of. Or if there ſhould be lucrum in arca, yet there would he damnum in conſcientia, the foule blurre of blood-guiltineſſe would lie heavy, both upon the Kings conſcience, and his name among all Nations. The Vulgar rendreth this text thus, Nunc autem hoſtis noſter eſt, cujus crudelitas redundat in reg…m. And now he is our enemy, whoſe cruelty reflecteth upon the King. Tremelius thus, S…d non eſt hoſtis iſte utilis, damnoſus eſt regi; but now this enemy is no way profitable, but to the King diſadvantageous. This the King conſiders not, and the enemy cares not, ſo that he may ſerve his own turne, and ſatisfie his murtherous minde.
Verſe 5. Then the King Ahaſhuerus anſwered, &c.] It ſeems he did not yet, by all that Eſther had ſaid, underſtand whom ſhe meant: ſo high an opinion he had of Haman his minion, the only ornament and bulwark of the Empire, the greateſt Publicola, Quis hic ipſe… & ubi hic ill…and moſt eſteemed Patriot. The King therefore, as not thinking him ſo near hand, haſtily asketh, He ſaid and ſaid, (ſo the Heb. hath it) to the Queen.
Who is he, and where is he?] Who is that Sirrah, he, and where is that Sirrah, he? words of utmoſt indignation and readineſſe to be revenged: ſuch as were thoſe of Charles the fifth Emperour. If that Villaine were here (ſpeaking of Farneſius the Popes General,P…raei. Medu… Hiſt. …rofan. Era…m ep. l. 1… ad obtrectat. who had raviſhed certain Ladies) I would kill him with mine own hand or thoſe of fiery Friar, who openly in the Pulpit at Antwerp, preaching to the people, wiſhed that Luther were there, that he might tear him with his teeth. But could this King poſſibly ſo ſoon forget what himſelf had not two moneths before granted to be done againſt Eſthers people, (which was with his right hand to cut off his left?) or did he not all this while know what Countrey-woman his beloved Eſther was? and might he not expect that the Hamaniſts ſhould come and take her forcibly from him to execution, by vertue of his own Edict, as Daniels adverſaries had dealt by him, though Darius laboured till the going down of the Sun to deliver him, but could not, Dan. 6.14? and as Steven Gardiner and his Complices attempted to do by Queen Katherine Parre, had not her husband Henry the eighth rated them away, and graciouſly reſcued her out of their bloody fingers?
That durſt preſume in his heart to do ſo] Heb. Whoſe heart hath filled him to do ſo? Cujus cor perſuaſit ipſi, ſo Vatablus. Whoſe heart hath perſwaded him thus to do. The devil had filled Hamans heart, ſitting a brood thereon, and hatching there this horrid plot, Acts 5.3. But (to do the devil right) Haman had ſuffered the Sun, (nay many Suns) to go down upon his wrath, and thereby given place to the devil, Eph. 4.26, 27. Nemo ſibi de ſuo palpet (ſaith an Ancient) quiſque ſibi Satan eſt; Let no man deceive his own heart, each man is a Satan to himſelf; and though men bleſſe themſelves from having to do with the devil, and ſpet at his very name, yet they fetch not up their ſpettle low enough; they ſpet him out of their mouthes, but not out of their hearts, as being filled with all unrighteouſneſſe, fornication, wickedneſſe, covetouſneſſe, maliciouſneſſe; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity, Rom 1.29. Hamans heart thus ſtuffed might well have ſaid to him at the Gallows, as the heart of Apollodorus the Tyrant ſeemed to ſay to him, who dreamed one night that he was fleaed by the Scythians, and boiled in a Cauldron, and that his heart ſpake to him out of the kettle.foreign. It is I that have drawn thee to all this. Thoſe in hell cry ſo ſurely.
Verſe 6. And Eſther ſaid] Now ſhe found her time to ſtrike whiles the iron was hot: ſhe therefore layeth hold upon the opportunity that God had even thruſt into her hand, and, laying aſide all baſe feare, pointeth out the enemy preſent, and painteth him out in his proper colours. A well-choſen ſeaſon, ſaith one, is the greateſt advantage of any action; which as it is ſeldome found in haſte, ſo it is too often loſt in delay.Aug. It is not for Queen Eſther now to drive off any longer. The negligent ſpirit cries, Cras Domine, To morrow thou ſhalt pray for me, ſaid Pharaoh to Moſes, Fooles are ever futuring, ſemper victuri, as Seneca hath it, but a wiſe mans heart diſcerneth both time and judgement, Eccleſ. 8.5. The men of Iſſachar in Davids dayes were in great account, becauſe they had underſtanding of the times to know what Iſrael ought to do, and when to do it, 1 Chron. 12.32.
The adverſary] Heb. The man adverſary, the Lycanthropos, the man of might that diſtreſſeth us, anguſtiator, that is, our calamity; as the people of Rome once by an elegant ſoleciſme, cried out, Calamitas noſtra Magnus eſt: meaning it of Pompey ſir-named Magnus.
And enemy] That is, the utter enemy, that ſworn Swordman of Satan, the old manſlayer, from whom Haman hath drawn this ancient enmity, Geneſis 3.15.
Is this wicked Haman] Peſſimus iſte, this homo hominum quantum eſt, peſſimus, homo poſt homines natos nequiſſimus, as wicked a man as goes on two legges, a Merum ſcelus, a man made up of miſchief,Bipedum n… quiſſimus. a very breathing devil. Cicero telleth of one Tubulus, who was Praetor a little before his time, ſo wicked a wretch, Ʋt ejus nomen non hominis ſed vitü eſſe vider…tur, that his name ſeemed to be not the name of a man, but of vice it ſelf. And Joſephus ſaith of Antipater, foreign.that his life was a very myſtery of iniquity. Think the ſame of Haman ſo portentouſly, ſo peerleſly wicked and malicious, that Eſther can finde no word bad enough for him,foreign. unleſſe it be Harang, that naughtieſt of all naughts, as Saint Paul could call ſin no worſe then by its own name ſinful ſin, exceeding ſinful, Rom. 7.13. Tiberius was rightly characterized by his Tutour Theodorus Gadareus, dirt kned with blood; Haman was ſuch another, if not worſe, and now he heares of it: for never till now did the man adverſary heare his true title. Before, ſome had ſtiled him Noble, others Great; ſome magnificent, and ſome perhaps vertuous: only Eſther gives him his own, wicked Haman. Ill-deſerving greatneſſe doth in vain promiſe to it ſelf a perpetuity of applauſe. There will be thoſe that will deal plainly, and call a ſpade, a ſpade. Thus Jeremy dealt with Jehoiakim, and Ezekiel with Zedekiah, whom he calleth naught and polluted. Go tell that fox, ſaith our Saviour, concerning Herod; and God ſhall ſmite thee, thou whited wall, ſaith Paul to Ananias. But what a courage had Eſther to ſpeak thus to the King, and of his Favourite, and before his face? This was the work of her faith, and the fruit of her prayer.
The Haman was afraid before the King and the Queen] He was amazed and amated, troubled and terrified. Obſtupuit, ſteterúntque comae, & vox faucibus haeſit.Virg. In the fulneſſe of his ſufficiency he fell into ſtraits, Job. 29.22. So that being convinced in his own conſcience that the Queens accuſation was very true, and that the King knew it to be ſo, he had nothing to ſay for himſelf, he was even gagg'd, as it were, or muzled, as Mat 22.12. according to that of David, Pſal. 63.11. the mouth of them that ſpeak lies ſhall be ſtopped. And again, Pſal. 12.3. The Lord ſhall cut off lying lips, and the tongue that ſpeaketh proud things. Here we ſee how ſuddenly wicked ones may be caſt down upon the diſcovery of their wickedneſſe, in the height of their pride, in the ruffe of their jollity, as was Nebuchadnezzar, Belſhazzar, Herod, Haman. Surely as thunder commonly is heard when the skie ſeemeth moſt clear: ſo this man ſaw himſelf enveloped in a ſtorme, in one of the faireſt dayes that ever befell him.
Verſe 7. And the King ariſing from the banquet of wine in his wrath] As not able to abide the ſight of ſuch a caitiffe, he flings away in a chafe. This wrath of the King was to Haman a meſſenger of death: and ſo he apprehended it, as appears by that which followeth. Aſhamed the King was, and vexed, that his favour and power had been ſo much abuſed, to the hazarding of the Queens life, and the taking away the lives of ſo many innocents. It troubled him alſo to conſider how he had loſt his love upon ſo unworthy a wretch, and truſted him with his ſecrets, whom now he findeth treacherous, and all for his own ends. This King ſhould firſt have fallen out with himſelf for his raſhneſſe, and then have ſaid as Alphonſus, that renowned King, did in a ſpeech to the Popes Ambaſſadour: he profeſſed that he did not ſo much wonder at his Courtiers ingratitude to him, who had raiſed ſundry of them from mean to great eſtates, as at his own to God. This one conſideration would have cooled him better then the repeating of the Greek Alphabet, or his taking a turne in the Palace Garden, before he paſſed ſentence upon the Delinquent. Rex amici memor, pauliſper cunctatur, deliberandíque gratiâ modicum ſeceſſit, ſaith Severus: that is, the King mindful of the friendſhip that had been betwixt him and Haman, maketh a pauſe, and retireth for a while, that he may deliberate with himſelf what to do. If theſe were the reaſons, it was a piece of prudence in the King, for anger is known to be an evil counſelour, and as ſmoke in a mans eyes hindreth his ſight, ſo doth raſh anger the uſe of reaſon.De ſera numinis Vindic. Hence wiſe men have refrained the act when angry: Plutarch telleth of one Architas, that diſpleaſed with his ſervants for their ſloth, he flung from them, ſaying, Valete, quoniam vobis iraſcor: farewel, for I am angry with you, and may not therefore meddle with you. Vapulares, niſi iraſcerer, I would pay thee, but that I am diſpleaſed at thee, ſaid Plato to a ſervant of his. And of Alphonſus King of Arragon it is reported, that vexed at his Cup-bearers ſtubbornneſſe,Val. M…x. Chriſt. l. …. c. 20 he drew his dagger and ran after him: but before he came at him he threw away his dagger, nejam prehenſum iratus feriret, leſt he ſhould catch him and kill him in the heat of his anger. This was better then Sauls caſting a javelin at Jonathan, Alexanders killing of his friend Clitus and others in his drink, Herods commanding the Keepers of the priſon to execution, Acts 12.19. Whether Ahaſhuerus went into the garden (as Jonathan took his Artillery and went into the field) to divert and mitigate his anger, is uncertain. Poſſibly he might do that to edge and increaſe it. Of Tiberius it is ſtoried, that the more he meditated revenge,Lentus in … d…tando tri… ribus dictis … trocia facta … jungebat. … the more did time and delay ſharpen it: and the farther off he threatened, the heavier the ſtroke fell. Moſt certain it is, that Haman gat little by the Kings going into the garden; for upon his return, he was the more enraged: Nempe impiis omnia ad malum cooperantur, ſaith Lavater, to the wicked all things work together for the worſe.
And Haman ſtood up to make requeſt for his life] See what a ſtrange turne of things here was all upon the ſudden. He that was bowed unto by all men, is now upon his knees before a woman. He that was erſt the profeſſed enemy of the Jewes, is now ſuppliant to a Jeweſſe. He that had contrived the death of that whole people, is now begging for his own life. He that had provided a Gallowes for Mordecai, feares nothing more now, then that himſelf ſhall be hanged on it.
Diſcite juſtitiam moniti, & non temnere ſanctos.
Haman hoped that Eſther would have interceded for him to the King, but there was little reaſon for it: a drowning man will catch hold on any twig. Eſther knew him too well, to befriend him ſo farre. Let him have judgement without mercy (thinks ſhe) who ſhewed no mercy.
Quiſquam nec ipſum ſupplicem,
Quamvis jacentem ſublevet.
Pſal. 109.
Let him lie for me, and die according to his deſerts. A man that doth violence to the blood of any perſon ſhall flee to the pit; Let no man ſtay him, Prov. 28.17. to mediate for ſuch an one, is no mercy: neither is it any almes-deed, as we ſay; for, ſave a Rogue from the Gallows and he will cut your throat if he can, as the proverb hath it, and experience hath confirmed it. Magnentius ſlew Conſtans the Emperour, Anno Dom. 337. who had formerly ſaved his life from the ſouldiers fury.Speed. Parry the Traitour offered the lie to Queen Elizabeth, who had pardoned him after that he had been condemned to die for burglary. Michael Balbus ſlew his Maſter Leo Armenius the Emperour that ſame night that he had pardoned him, and releaſed him out of priſon.Zonar A… Thoſe that are habituated and hardened in wickedneſſe, will not be mollified or mended by any kindneſſe that is ſhewen them.
For he ſaw that there was evil determined againſt him] Vidit quod completum eſſet malum, rem ad reſtim rediiſſe; He perceived himſelf to be altogether in as ill a condition,Speed… as Judge Belknap in Richard the ſecond his time, who ſaid there wanted but an hurdle, an horſe, and a halter, to have him to the place where he might have his due; where he might weare a Tyburne-tippet, as father Latimer afterwards phraſeth it.
Verſe 8. Then the King returned one of the Palace-Garden] Where he had either increaſed his choler, and caſt on more fuel by plodding, or (as ſome think) ſtrove to diſgeſt it, as horſes do by biting on the bit.
Ʋt fragilis glacies occidit ira morâ.Ovid.
Ʋnto the houſe of the banquet of wine] Called alſo by the Hebrew Beth-mittoth, Stuccius tiq. Cor…the houſe of beds triclinium: becauſe at beds they uſed to ſit, as we do at tables to eat and drink. See chap. 1.6.
And Haman was fallen upon the bed whereon Eſther was] he had ſtood up before, (for he ſaw the Queen took no felicity in his company) to make requeſt for his life, which now was in ſuſpenſe; here he falls down, either as ſwooning, or ſupplicating at the Queens feet, to beg her favour. But ſhe very well knew, that there is both a cruel mercy, and a pious cruelty, and that although the ſword of juſtice ſhould be furbiſhed with the oyle of mercy, yet there are caſes (and this was one) wherein ſeverity ought to caſt the ſcale: when there is no hope of curing, men muſt fall to cutting: Immedicabile vulnus, &c.
Then ſaid the King, will be force the Queen alſo] Haman had little minde of any ſuch matter, as being now in the hands of the King of terrours, and ready to be devoured by the firſt-borne of death, as Bildad hath it, Job 18.13. But the angry King was willing to miſinterpret him, and to take all things at the worſt. It is an eaſie matter to finde a cudgel for a dog, to pick a quarrel where men intend a miſchief Ahaſhuerus was not, unwilling to miſconſtrue the poſture of Hamans body, whiles proſtrate he ſpred his armes in a vehement imploration up to the Queens bed. How oft might he have done ſo and more, whileſt he was in favour, uncenſured? Actions are not the ſame when the man alters. Men either judge or not judge as their paſſions and affections carry them. See this Acts 23.9. Before Paul had diſcovered himſelf to be a Phariſee, this man is not worthy to live, ſaid they, but when he had cried out in the Council, I am a Phariſee, the ſonne of a Phariſee, oh how finely do they mince the matter? Perhaps an Angel bath revealed it to him, &c. Paul was an honeſt man then. Impedit ira animum, ne poſſit cernere verum. But though the King were unjuſt in judging thus amiſſe of Haman, yet God was righteous in meaſuring to him as he had meted to others, by belying and ſlandering ſo many innocents as he had deſigned to deſtruction. The devil was and ſtill is, firſt a liar, and then a murtherer, he cannot murther without he ſlander firſt. But God loves to retaliate and proportion device to device, Mic. 2.1, 3. frowardneſſe to frowardneſſe, Pſ. 18.26. ſpoiling to ſpoiling, Eſa. 33.1. tribulation to them that trouble his people, 2 Theſ. 1.6.
As the word went out of the Kings mouth] Either the former words, or elſe ſome words of command not here related, ſuch as are Corripite, velate vultum, take him away, cover his face. And this word was to Haman the meſſenger of death, driving him from the light into darkneſſe, and chaſing him out of the world, Job 18.18. Nay worſe. That book of Job elegantly ſets forth the miſery of a wicked man dying, under the notion of one not only driven out of the light by devils, where he ſhall ſee nothing but his tormentors, but alſo made to ſtand upon ſhares or grinnes with iron teeth, ready to ſtrike up and grinde him to pieces, having gall poured down to his belly, with an inſtrument raking in his bowels, and the pains of a travelling woman upon him, and an hideous noiſe of horrour in his eares,Job. 18.18. & 20.24, 15. & 15.20, 21, 26, 30. and a great Giant with a ſpeare running upon his neck, and a flame burning upon him round about, &c. and yet all this to hell it ſelf is but as a prick with a pin, or a flea-biting.
They covered Hamans face] In token of his irrevocable condition. See Job 9.24. Eſa. 22.17. The Turks caſt a black gown upon ſuch, as they ſit at ſupper with the great Turk,Grand. Sign. Serag. 148. and preſently ſtrangle them. Many of their Viſiers or greateſt Favourites die in this ſort, which makes them uſe this proverb, He that is greateſt in office is but a Statue of glaſſe. Plutarch wittily compareth great men to counters, which now ſtand for a thouſand pound, and anon for a farthing.— Sic tranſit gloria mundi.
Quem dies veniens vidit ſuperbum,
Hunc dies abiens vidit jacentem.
Haman for inſtance, and ſo Sejanus, the ſame Senatours who accompanied him to the Senate, conducted him to priſon; they which ſacrificed unto him as to their god, which kneeled down to adore him, ſcoffed at him, ſeeing him dragged from the Temple to the Goale, from ſupreme honour, to extreme ignominy. Ludit in humanis divina potentia rebus.…ertinax Imp. fortunae pila dictus eſt. One reaſon why the King flang out of the room, and went into the Palace-garden, might be becauſe he could not endure the ſight of Haman any more. Wherefore upon his return they inſtantly covered his face. Some ſay, the manner was, that when the King of Perſia was moſt highly offended with any man,Tanquam indignus qui regem oculis u…rparet Druſ Sen. Tac. Tull. pro Rab. Liv. his face was immediately covered, to ſhew that he was unworthy to ſee the Sun, whom they counted their god; or to be an eyeſore to the diſpleaſed King. Among the Romanes it was, Majeſtas laeſa ſi exe…ti Proconſulimerettix non ſun movetur, high treaſon for any Strumpet to ſtand in the Proconſuls way, whenſoever he came abroad. The ſtatues of the gods were tranſported or covered in thoſe places where any puniſhment was inflicted. That in Tully and Livy is well knowen, I…lictor colliga manus, caput abnubito, arbori infelici ſuſpendito. Go Hangman, binde his hands, cover his face, hang him on the Gallow-tree. This was their condemnatory ſentence.
Verſe 9. And Harbonah one of the Kings Chamberlaines, &c.] See chapter 6.14. with the Note.
Said before the King] Not a man opens his mouth to ſpeak for Haman, but all againſt him. Had the cauſe been better, thus it would have been. Every curre is ready to fall upon the dog that he ſeeth worried; every man ready to pull a branch from the tree is falling. Cromwell had experience of this when once he fell into diſpleaſure,foreign. Speed. by ſpeaking againſt the Kings match with Lady Katherine Howard, in defence of Queen Anne of Cleeve, and diſcharge of his conſcience, for the which he ſuffered death, Steven Gardiner being the chiefe Engineere. Had Hamans cauſe been like his, albeit he had found as few friends to intercede for him as Cromwell, yet he might have died with as much comfort as he did. But he died more like to the Lord Hungerford of Hatesby, Speed.who was beheaded together with the noble Cromwell, but neither ſo Chriſtianly ſuffering, nor ſo quietly dying for his offence committed againſt nature, viz. buggery. Cromwell exhorted him to repent, and promiſed him mercy from God; but his heart was hardened, and ſo was this wicked Hamans. God therefore juſtly ſet off all hearts from him in his greateſt neceſſity; and now, to adde to his miſery, brings another of his foule ſins to light, that he might the more condignely be cut off.
Behold alſo the Gallowe…, fifty cubits high] See chap. 5.14. This the Queen knew not of when ſhe petitioned againſt Haman. But now they all heare of it for Hamans utter confuſion.
Which he had prepared for Mordecai] At a time when the King had done him greateſt honour, as his Preſerver and near Ally by marriage, as now it appeared. This muſt needs reflect upon the King, and be a reproach to him. Beſides, the King looked upon him, as one that went about either to throttle the Queen, (as ſome underſtand the words, verſe 8.) or to raviſh her: and this was juſt upon him, ſay ſome Interpreters, eò quò aliis virginibus & matronis vini intuliſſet, becauſe it was common with him to raviſh other maids and matrons, and hence the Kings ſuſpicion and charge, whereof before.
Who had ſpoken good for the King] All is now for Mordecai, but not a word for Haman; the riſing Sun ſhall be ſure to be adored. And the contrary, Sejanus his friends ſhewed themſelves moſt paſſionate againſt him, when once the Emperour frowned upon him, ſaying, that if Caeſar had clemency, he ought to reſerve it for men, and not uſe it toward monſters. This is Courtiers cuſtome, ad quamlibet auram ſeſe inclinare, to ſhift their ſails to the ſitting of every winde, to comply with the King which way ſoever he enclineth. It is better therefore to put truſt in the Lord, then to put confidence in man. It is better to truſt in the Lord, then to put confidence in Princes, Pſal. 118.8, 9. If Harbonah ſpake this out of hatred of Hamans inſolency, and in favour of Mordecai's innocency and loyalty, he deſerved commendation. Howſoever Gods holy hand was in it for the good of his people, and overthrow of their enemy; and little did this night-ſprung-Muſhrom Haman, (that ſuck't the earths fatneſſe from far better plants then himſelf) take notice till now, of the many hands ready to pluck him up by the roots, when the ſeaſon ſhould ſerve to clear the land of ſuch weeds.
Standeth is the houſe of Haman] Or, by the houſe of Haman, that he might feed his eyes with that delightful ſight, and cry out, as Hannibal did when he ſaw a ditch filled with mans blood, O jucundum ſpectaculum, O pleaſant Spectacle. The Story of that King of France is well known, who vowed to ſee a certain Martyr executed; but before that could be done, had his eye put out at a Juſtes, whereof not long after alſo he died. And that of Sir Ralph Ellerker Governonr of Callice in King Henry the eighths time, who at the death of Adam Damlip Martyr, called to the Executioner, ſaying Diſpatch the Knave, have done, I will not away before I ſee the Traitours heart out. But ſhortly after in a skirmiſh betwixt the French and us at Bullen, this Knight was not only ſlain among others, but ſtrip't diſmembred, and his heart rip't out, and ſo left a terrible example,Act. & Mex. fol. 1120. ſaith Mr. Fox of Gods juſtice to all bloody and mercileſſe men. Thou ſhouldeſt not have looked, &c. Obad. 12. See the Note there.
Then the King ſaid, Hang him thereon] The Kings of Perſia, had abſolute and unqueſtionable power to do whatſoever they liſted. Quicquid libuit, licuit. All their ſubjects except their Queens, were no better then their ſlaves, whom they would they ſlew, and whom they would they kept alive: whom they would they ſet up, and whom they would they put down, Dan. 5.19. Haman is here without order of law, more then the Kings command, adjudged to be hanged. The truth is, it was a clear caſe, and the malefactour was ſelf-condemned; Hang him therefore, ſaith the King, a ſhort and juſt ſentence, and ſoon executed.
Verſe 10. So they hanged Haman on the Gallowes] Heb. tree. Neither hanged they him only to death: but crucified or nailed his dead body to the tree, for greater ignominy. So ſome gather from chap. 8.5. The Septuagint alſo render it: So they crucified him. And here hanged the greatneſſe of Haman, who now is fallen from the Palace to the Gallowes, from the higheſt ſtage of honour, to the loweſt ſtaire of diſgrace, and lies wrap't up in the ſheet of perpetual infamy. So let all thine enemies periſh, O Lord, &c. A like end befell Bonoſus the drunken Emperour; Amaſis that inſolent King of Egypt; Joane that libidinous Queen of Naples; our Roger Mortimer, that Troubler of the Realme hang'd at Tyburne; Oliver that proud Prefect, advanced to higheſt honours and offices by Lewis King of France, Cranz l. 12. c. 17.but hang'd up by his ſonne and ſucceſſour upon a new and large Gallowes, ſet up for the purpoſe, and not without his deſert. High places are not more uneaſie then ſlippery. Even height it ſelf maketh mens brains to ſwim, and when they fall they come down with a poiſe.
That he had prepared for Mordecai] Joſephus hath here a very good Note; Ʋnde mihi contigit mirari nomen Dei, & ſapientiam & juſtitiam ejus agnoſcere, &c. I cannot but admire the Lords wiſdom,Lib. …1. Antiq. c. 6. and acknowledge his juſtice, in that he not only puniſhed him for his malice to the Church, but by turning his own miſchief upon himſelf, hath made him an example to all poſterity, hanging him up in gibbets that others may take warning. The like the Lord did by Adonibezek, Pharaoh, Goliah, Achitophel, Abſalom, Sennacherib, Maxentius, Valerianus, &c.
Quàm benè diſpoſitum terris ut dignus iniqui,Claud. lib. in Eutrop.
Fructus conſilii primis authoribus inſtet, &c.
See thoſe ſacred Similies to the ſame ſenſe, Eccleſ. 10.8, 9. Prov. 26.27. Pſal. 7.16. &c. foreign Heſiod Lib 8 de viz. verb, c. 21.and beware of making a match with miſchief, leſt ye have your belly-full thereof. He that conceiveth with guile, ſhall (though he grow never ſo big) bring forth nothing but vanity and worſe, Job 15.35. As he hath ſowen the winde, ſo he ſhall reap the whirlwinde, Hoſ. 8.6. See the Note there. Diaboli ſervus & ſatelles praecipuus erat Haman, ſaith Rupertus. Haman was a main ſtickler for the devil, who paid him accordingly; the wages of ſin is death, and it may well be feared that Haman was killed with death, Lavat. in loc.as Jezaebels children were, Rev. 2.23 Fuit enim homo dirae feritatis planéque foreign, for he was a moſt cruel wretch, and a plain Atheiſt. I ſhall ſhut up the ſtory of his life,Amb. de Nab. Iſr. c 11. as Ambroſe doth that of Ahab and Jezabels fearful end. Fuge ergo, dives ejuſmodi exitum, &c. Tremble at ſuch ends, and be careful to avoid them. Such ends ye ſhall eaſily avoid, if ye carefully fly ſuch like foule and flagitious practiſes.
Then was the Kings wrath pacified] Harbonah had helped to kindle it, verſe 9. and by executing Haman, Sententiam ocyus dicto exequuntur oculici. Merl.whom he had accuſed, he now helpeth to quench it. For it was not unuſual of old, that men of greateſt rank and quality ſhould execute Malefactours, as Gideon did Zeba and Zalmunnah, as Samuel did Agag, as Benaiah did Adonijah, Joab and Shimei, by the command of Solomon. The holy Angels delight in ſuch an office, as at Sodom, and in Sennacheribs army: and how active ſhall they be at the laſt day, but chiefly againſt ſuch as walk after the fleſh in the luſt of uncleanneſſe, and deſpiſe Government, 2 Pet. 2.10. So ſhall Gods wrath be pacified, as once it was when Phineas the High Prieſt had done execution upon that unclean couple. The Saints have another way of pacifying him; of preventing his judgements, and diſarming his indignation: and that is by remembring their ſins, and being confounded in his Preſence, never opening their mouths any more, Ez…ch. 16.63.unleſſe it be in an humble confeſſion, which is the Chriſtians beſt Apology? as the Apoſtle calleth it, 2 Cor. 7.11. This will quiet Gods Spirit (as the phraſe is, Zech. 6.8. and cauſe him to ſay as Job 33.24. I have found a reconciliation. Surely, if we judge our ſelves, he will not judge us, 1 Cor. 11.31. God ſhall be prevented, and the Accuſer of the brethren put out of office; our Hamans alſo ſhall be hang'd up before the Sun, our ſturdy corruptions crucified, and the Lord ſhall as little repent him of any good he hath done us, as Ahaſhuerus did of gratifying his wife Eſther, and Kinſman Mordecai; who were now all the doers, ſeeking the wealth of Iſrael, and ſpeaking peace to that whole people, as appeareth in the following chapters. As for the King he never ſo much as once lamented the loſſe of Haman, nor ſaid, ſe properantiùs quàm prudentiùs egiſſe, that he had been more haſty then wiſe in doing him to death; but was very well pleaſed with what he had done; his wrath rested, ſaith the text,Ira eſt libido puniendi eju… qui videtur laeſi…le injuriâ …icero. as the ſea doth in a calme: it lay and ſlept, as the word ſignifieth; for anger is an eager deſire of revenge, and rendreth a man reſtleſſe, till that be done.