1;38 Contemplations. LIB. XXI. What a dangerous wilfulneffe lbould ir be to in~urre the forfeiture of rhy place A ofthy life for a curcdic! Ifthou wilt not bow with others, expett to fuffer alone; perhaps(they thought)this omiffionwas nnhccdy; in 3 9fc ofignorane<, or incogi. tancy, it was a friendly office to aamonilh; the fight of the crrour had b<en the remedy. c.M~rdu•l hears their challengc,their advice; and thinks good to anfwer both, with filencc; as willing they lhould imagine, his inllexiblendfe proceeded from a refcilution;and that rcfolution upon Come fecret grounds, which he ne~ded not im· pare: at !aftyet be imparts rhus much: Let it luffice, that lam a Iew, and H•m•n an vlmillekite. After a private expollularion,the continuance of that open neglett is conllrued for a fullen obllinacy; and now, the monitors themfdves grow fenfible of the conB tempt: Men arc commonly impatient to lofe the thank of theirinde~vours, and arc prone tohatc whom they cannot reform. Partly therefore to ptck a thank and partly to revenge this contumaoy, thefe officers turn informers againll c.Jitorde: c.i, neither meant to make the matter fairerthen it was;they tell H•m•n how proud and llubborn a Itrv fate amongll them, how ill they could brook fo faucy an af. front robe offered to his grcatneffe;how lerioullythey had expofiulated, how llomackfully theoffender ptrlitled; and befecch him, that he would be pleafed in his next palfage,tocall Come glances that way, and but obferve the fafhion of that intolerabkinfolcncy. The proud Ag•gite canbot long endure the very expedation of fuch an indigni. ty; On purpofcdoch hellalk thither, with higher then his ordinary llcps; fnuffing up the aire as he goes,and would fee the man,that durlt deny revetence to the grea· c tell Princeof Ptr~•· c.Mordtui hods his old pollure1only be isfo much more cardeffe , as he fees Haman more difda!nfull, ~nd imperious; _neither ofthemgoes about to hide his paf. fion 1 one lookt as tfhc fatd, I hate the pndeof Haman; the otherlookt,as tfhe faid, I will pl:~,gue the contempt of M ordw~: how did thedes off~ am•n fparkle with fury, and as it weredart out deadly beamsmthe f.ce ofthat defptghtfull/tw! How did he [well with indignation;and then again wax pale with anger! lhordy,his verybrow and his motion bad c.Mordeui look for the utmoll of reveng(. c.Mortltcai forcfees his danger,and contemns it;no frowns,nothreats can fouplc tbofe_joynts: he may break,he will not bow. D What D1all we fay then to this obfir111ed refolution of M~rdu•if What is it,what can it be, that fa llitfeos the knees ofMnrdecai,that death is more cafic to him, then· their incurvation! Certainly, ifmeer civility were in quefiion, this wilful! irrcvcrrncc to fo great a Pecr,could not paffe withoutthe jull ccnfurc of a rude pervetfneffc; It is Religion that forbids this obcifance, and tells bim, tbat fuch curtefic could not be free from fin; Whcthrr it were that mare then humane honour was required to this new-erected image ofthe great King,as the Perjiant were ever wont to be noted for too much lavilhneffc inthefecourdy devotions:Or whethcrit were Exod. 17·t6• thatthe ancient curfe wherewith God had branded theblood, and fiock of n..,.,, Dcut.15. 19 . made it unlawful! for an I{r4tlilt to give him any obfervance: For the vflll•lekiw (ofwhofe royal! line 1/amanwasdefcended)wcrethenation,with which God had E [worn perpctuall hoftility;andwhofe memory he had !haitly charged his seople to root out from under heaven; How may !•(thinks he) adore, where Go corn· mands me to detell! How may I profeffe rcfpeCl, )V here God profeffcth enmity! Howmay I contribute to the eftab!ilhment of that feed upon earth , which God bathcharoed to'bc pulled up from under heaven! Outward attioos of indifferency when one~ they arc felt to trench upon the confcience, lay dcrp obligations upon the foul, even whiles they are moll lleighted by carclcffe hearts. In whataflame ofwrath doth Ham•n live this while! wherewith he could not but have confumed hisownheart,had he notgiven vent to that rage in his affured purpofesof revenge: Great mensanger is like to themfelves, !Iron~, fierce, atnbiti· ous,ofan excellivc fatisfaClion.H aman [corns to take up with theb ood of Mmlec•i; This
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=