John Trapp on Esther 3:11

Verſe 11. And the King ſaid unto Haman] Whom he looked upon, as an honeſt, prudent, publike-ſpirited man, and therefore ſo eaſily impowered him to do what he would.

O vanas hominum mentes! O pectora caeca!

The ſilver is given unto thee] i. e. the ten thouſand talents that thou haſt proffered, and which Haman likely purpoſed to raiſe out of the ſpoile of the Jewes; all this is remitted, and returned to Haman as a gift again. Sic ex alieno corio gigantes iſti latiſſ[illegible: 1 letter]mas corrigias ſecant, ſaith an Interpreter here, Such large thongs cut theſe Gyants out of other mens Hides. But what meant they thus to ſell the Hide, before they had taken the beaſt? He that ſate in heaven (and had otherwiſe determined it) laughed at them, the Lord had them in deriſion. With him (alone) is ſtrength and wiſdom, the deceived and the deceiver are his. He leadeth Counſellours away ſpoiled, and maketh the Judges fooles. He leadeth Princes away ſpoiled, and overthroweth the mighty, Job 12.16, 17, 19.Pſal. 2.

The people alſo, to do with them] Here Haman was made, here he had more then heart could wiſh, as Pſal. 73.7. and holdeth himſelf therefore, no doubt, the happieſt man under heaven. But Nihil ſanè infelicius eſt felicitate peccantium, ſaith Hierom, there cannot befall a man a greater miſery then to proſper in ſinne: for ſuch a one is ripening for ruine, as fatting cattel are fitting for the ſhambles, They proſper and live at eaſe, ſaith God, yet I am extremely diſpleaſed with them, Zech. 1.15. As they ſay of the metal they make glaſſe of, it is neareſt melting when it ſhineth brighteſt; ſo are the wicked neareſt deſtruction when at greateſt luſtre. Meane-while ſee here what, many times, is the condition of Gods deareſt children, viz. to fall into the power and pawes of Lions, Leopards, Boares, Beares, Tygers; of men more ſavage then any of theſe, whoſe tender mercies are meer cruelties. Poor blinde men they are, that offer violence to the Saints, as Sampſon laid hands upon the pillars, to pluck the houſe upon their owne heads.

To do with them as it ſeemeth good to thee] O bloody ſentence! Such words as theſe Lenitèr volant, ſed non lenitèr violant. So Diocleſian gave leave to people to kill up Chriſtians, without more ado, whereever they met them; the like was done by authority in the French Maſſacre; but though Tyrants reſtraine not their Agents, yet God will, Pſal. 76.10. And though they bandy together, and bend all their forces to root out true Religion; yet are they bounded by him, and ſhall not do what themſelves pleaſe, but what he hath appointed. My times are in thine hand, ſaith David, and Pilate had no more power to crucifie Chriſt, then what was given him from above, John 19.11.