A commentary upon the whole Old Testament, added to that of the same author upon the whole New Testament published many years before, to make a compleat work upon the whole Bible. Vols. 2-4. Wherein the divers translations and expositions, literall and mysticall, of all the most famous commentators both ancient and modern are propounded, examined, and judged of, for the more full satisfaction of the studious reader in all things, and many most genuine notions inserted for edification in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. A work, the like unto which hath never yet been published by any man, yet very necessary, nor only for students in divinity; but also for every Christian that loveth the knowledge of divine things, or humane, whereof this comment is also full. Consisting of IV parts. I Upon the Pentateuch, or five books of Moses. II Upon the historical part, from Joshua to Esther. III Upon Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Solomons Song. IV Upon all the prophets both great and small. By John Mayer, doctor of divinity.

CHAP. V.

QUeen Ester being prepared by fasting and prayer, now adorneth her selfe roy∣ally, * 1.1 to put the more grace upon her, and to incline the Kings affection un∣to her, and so goeth into the inner Court, next to the place where the Kings Throne was right against the door, so that he might see such as came in, and if he pleased call any unto him, otherwise not one might presume to enter upon pain of death, and he used to call by holding out his golden Scepter towards the party cal∣led. * 1.2 To Ester therefore, so soon as he saw her, he held out this Scepter, and shee drew neare and kissed it for reverence to the King, so that Esters devotion was not without effect: for God being hereby inclined to pitty his people ready to perish, inclined the Kings heart towards her so soon as he saw her, which is ex∣presly said, Chap. 15. The Queen in her royall apparrell went with two maids through all the doors of the inner Court, leaning upon the one, and her train being born up by the other, but then seeing the King in his glory, looking with a terrible countenance shee fainted, and her colour changed, this the King seeing, God so∣dainly changed his minde to mildnesse, and descending from the Throne, imbra∣ced her and kissed her, &c. thus also Josephus, but the Hebrew Text saith no more, * 1.3 but that he reached out his golden Scepter to her, and spake to her comfortably, asking what her Petition was, and promised to grant it to the halfe of his King∣dom. She then desired that he and Haman would come to a Banket which she * 1.4 had prepared that day. And herein she did wisely, because she knew that the King delighted in feasting and bankets, and therefore she hoped by this means so to win him, that her request should be granted the more easily when he should be merry with wine. Moreover, Haman was not then present, and so it was no fit time to open her request and others haply were present, who she was unwilling should heare it. But the Eunuchs were by and by sent to hasten Haman to this feast, and so both the King and he came. But whether it were to a dinner or a supper some question, they that are for a dinner urge the time that was after it the same day, for Haman to goe home and to consult with his friends about Mordecas,

and to provide a gallows for him the same day: Josephus sayth, it was to a sup∣per, but it is more probable that it was neyther, but a banket in the afternoon, as the manner is at this day, and after it Haman might well doe all those things. The King being merry with wine asketh her; what her Petition was, making a * 1.5 large promise as before. She again being by this second offer further confirmed, yet wisely deferreth to open it, till the next day partly, that Hamans fall might be the greater, from such singular favours wherein he seemed to be both with the King and Queen, as none other Prince was, to the extraordinary rejoycing of his heart, to be put to such an ignominious death, to the terrour of all such enemies of the Jews as he was. And it is not to be doubted, but that a singular providence of God wrought herein, that the exaltation of Mordecai might intervene, as here followeth: for this could not but be taken by the Queen as bonum omen in respect of the Jews cause which she had in hand, seeing he was a Jew, and the most of all others spighted by Haman, and dearest to her, so that she might the next day with more assurance proceed to her Petition.

Haman by this second invitement, was cast into a fools paradise, for he went * 1.6 home most joyfully and told his wife and his friends of his surpassing glory, so as that the other Princes of the Empire might well envie him, but not one of them come neare him. But the more proud he grew upon this, the more irrespective was Mordecai of him, for now he would not onely not bow the knee, but not rise up unto him from the place where he sate, because he knew that he machina∣ted the destruction both of him and his people. At this Haman was so vexed, that he had not so much joy of all his honour, as griefe and disquiet in his minde there∣fore, so that all seemed nothing to him. Such is the misery of men in worldly [Note.] honour, which sheweth that it is not worthy the desiring, for such bitternesse is often mixed with it, by meanes even of the poorest and most abject, that there is no true pleasure in it, and it is also most uncertain, and soon turned into the great∣est dishonour, as is proved by this present example.

His wife and other friends being made privie to this his griefe, advised him to cause presently a gallows to be made 50 cubits high, that Mordecai might the * 1.7 next day be hanged upon it, and this was prepared accordingly. So Haman was let goe on in his malice, till it came to the highest, and Mordecai let come e∣ven to the pits brink, so that there was but one might betwixt him and a shame∣full death, and then opportunely God strook in by his providence and saved him, [Note.] and confounded the other, as the six and seventh Chapters sheweth: and thus let every godly person comfort himselfe against the practices of the malicious, when yet he seeth not how he may possibly escape, for God seeth, and let the proud and malicious feare, that when all things succeed according to their hearts desire, for the effecting of their malicious ends, the mischiefe which they plot against others, shall fall upon their own pates sodainly.

The gallows was made so high, sayth Lyra to put Mordecai to the more shame, when he should be hanged upon it to be seen by the more all about. * 1.8

Mystically, the Queens inviting the King to a banket, prefigured the Churches * 1.9 communicating with the King of Kings in the Lords Supper, unto which Haman also comming prefigured Julian the Apostate, who was at the first a Christian, but he had a false heart towards Christians who are the people of God, and per∣secuted them all, in particular, his spleen was most against Basilius a Bishop, that would not obey his sacrilegious commands, in so much as that he threatned at his return from fighting against the Persians to destroy his City and people, but God by cutting him off first prevented it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Vers. 1.
• * 1.2

  Vers. 2.
• * 1.3

  Iosephus.
• * 1.4

  Vers. 3. Vers. 4.
• * 1.5

  Vers. 6.
• * 1.6

  Vers 9.
• * 1.7

  Vers. 14.
• * 1.8

  Lyra.
• * 1.9

  The Mystery.