!fther 6. Contemplation;. Mal~cc is a thing full c:fimpaticnce, a~d hates dday of execution, next unto mercy. A Whiles any grudge hcs at the heart, Jt canot h< frcdy cheerfull. Forced fmiles arc but the hypocrHie ofmirth. How happy were it for us, if\Ve could be fo zealoufly carefull to remove the hindcranccs of our true fpiritoall joy, thofc ftubboroe corrup. tions,that will ootftoopc tothe power ofgrace. Mordecai honoured by Haman. [l~;;i~~~If:wit of Ztrejhhadlikctohavc gone beyond the wit of EJ!htr; B had not the working providence of the Almighty contrived thefe events, beyond all hopes, all concdts, Mmltcai had been difpatched, ere Ejlhtrs fecond banquet. To morrowwas the day pitched for bot~ th~ir delignes ; hadnot the ftrcame becoe inexpeeledly turned, 10 vame had the Quecne blamed her ddayes ; c.Mordu•its breakfaft had prevented E{lhm dinner: fqr certainly he that had givcntoH•m•nfo manythoufandlives, would never bavcmadedaintic, upon the fame fuir, to anticipate one ofthofe, whom he bad condemned to the !laughter: But God meant bmcr things to his Church, and fetches abOut all his holy purpofes, after a wonderfull falhion, in the very inllant ofopportuQity: Ht that kttptth l[rAtl, •ndntith<r jlnmbrtth,rm j/ttptth,caufeth flecp that night to depart from himthat had C decreed to roQt our I{r-.1. Great Ah•fttrfll, that commanded a hundred and feven and twentyProvinces, cannot command an houres lleep. Poverty is rather blelfed with thefrecdomc of reft, then wealth, and power: Cares and furfet with-hold that from the great, which prelfeth upon the I pare diet, and labour of the meane!l. Nothing is more tedious then an eager porfuit of denied flecpe : which(like to a lhadowc) Ayes away fo much faftcr,as iris more followed: Expcrienccte!J., us,rbat this benefit is beft folicited by neglctl ; and fooneft found, when we have torgotten to feekc ir. Whether to deceive the rime, or to beftow it well, AhA{rmm fl1all fpend hisreft. le!fe houres in the Chronicles ofhis rime.Nothing is morcrequilite for Princes,then ro lookeback upon their ownc a6tions and events, and thole oftheir prcdecellbrs; The examination offorc-pa!fcd altions makes them wife; ofevents, thankfull, and D caurdous. Amoogll thofe voluminous regiftcrs of ACls and Monuments, which fo many [cores of Provinces muft needs yeeld, the book lhall open upon M ~rdecaits difco· very ofthe late treafoo ofrhc two Eunuches: the reader is turned thither, by an infcnliblc fway of Providence: Our moft arbitrary or cafuall aClioos areover-ruled by a hand in heaven. The King now fccles afr-dh the danger ofthat confpiracie; and (as great fpirits abide nor to fmoother or bury good offices) inquires into rhe recompeace offo royall a fcrvicr, Wh41 hono•r anddlgnitJ hath hem done to Mordecaifor thu ? Surely M~rde. eal did but his duty;he had hainoufly finned,ifhe had not revealed this wicked trea- E chery, yet Ahafotr114 takes thought for his remuneration : How rrwch more care· fullartthou, 0 God ofall mercies, to reward the weak obedienceofthine (at the bell) unprofitable fcrvants ! Thmvhich was intended to procure reft,fets it off;King <.A haf•mu is unquiet in himfelfc,tothink that fo great a merit ~ould lie but fo long,neglc6t~d;nei!hcr can.he find any ~ace inhimfdfe, till he have gtvcn order for a fpeedy retnbuuon : heanog therefore by hisfervants thatHa,anwas below in the Court; he fends for him up, to confult with him,Wh•t fh••ld be d1we to tht man 10hom tht King dtlighmh to h••••r: 0 marvellous concurrence ofcircmnftaoces,drawne rogerher by the infinite wifedome and powerofrhc Almighty I who but Haman fl10uld be the man! And when lhould Haman be called to advi[eof Mmluaits honour, but in the very ioftanr, when he
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