John Trapp on Esther 4:16

Verſe 16. Thus Eſther bade them returne Mordecai this anſwer] A ſweet anſwer, and ſuch as fully ſatisfied him. No mans labour can be in [illegible: 1 word] in the Lord. Good therefore and worthy of all acceptation is the wiſe mans counſel. In the morning ſow thy ſeed, [illegible: 1 span] the [illegible: 1 span] thy [illegible: 1 word], for thou knoweſt not whether ſhall proſper, either this [illegible: 1 word] that, or whither they [illegible: 1 letter]ath ſhall be alike good, Eccleſ. 11.6 Mordecai had filled his mouth with Argument, and now God filled his heart with comfort. Eſther yields, and reſolves to obey him, whatever come of it; only ſhe will go the wiſeſt way to work, firſt ſeeking God, and then caſting herſelf upon the King. Ora & labora, God hath all hearts in his hand, and will grant good ſucceſſe to his ſuppliants.

Verſe 16. Go gather together all the Jewes] Great is the power of joynt prayer, it ſtirres heaven, and works wonders. Oh when a Church-full of good people ſhall ſet ſides and ſhoulders to work, when they ſhall rouſe up themſelves, and wraſtle with God, when their pillars of incenſe ſhall come up into his Preſence,Rev. 14.1. and their voices be heard as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder, Rev. 14. What may not ſuch thundring legions have at Gods hands? Have it? they will have it: Coelum tundimus, preces fundimus, miſericordiam extorquemus, ſaid thoſe primitive Prayer-makers. Rev. 9.13. the prayers of the Saints from the foure corners of the earth ſound, and do great things in the world, they make it ring. It was the ſpeech of a learned man, if there be but one ſigh come from a gracious heart (how much more then, a volley of ſighs from many good hearts together?) it filleth the eares of God, ſo that God heareth nothing elſe.

And faſt ye for me] Who am now upon my life, and for ought I know, am ſhortly to appear before the Lord; (who requireth to be ſanctified in all them that draw near unto him) and wherein I may not look to have leave to erre twice.Non licet in b[illegible: 1 letter]llo bis [illegible: 1 letter]rr[illegible: 1 letter]re D. [illegible: 2 letters]all. Point therefore your prayers for me with holy faſting, that they may pierce heaven and prevail. Abſtinence meriteth not, ſaith a grave Divine, for Religion conſiſteth not in the belly, either full or empty. (What are meats or drinks to the Kingdome of God, which is, like himſelf, ſpiritual?) but it prepareth beſt for good duties. Full bellies are fitter for reſt. Not the body ſo much as the ſoule is more active with emptineſſe: Hence ſolemn prayer taketh ever faſting to attend it; and ſo much the rather ſpeedeth in heaven; when it is ſo accompanied. It is good ſo to diet the body, that the ſoule may be fattened.

And neither eat nor drink three dayes, &c.] That is, ſaith Druſius, two whole nights, one whole day, and part of two other dayes. See the like expreſſion, Mat. 12, 40. Others lay, that in thoſe hot countreyes they might faſt three dayes, as well as we two in theſe cold climates. Tully in one of his Epiſtles telleth us,Epiſt. 10[illegible: 1 letter]. that he faſted two dayes together, without ſo much as taſting a little water. For the Romanes alſo and Grecians had their Faſts private and publike, whether it were by a ſecret inſtinct of Nature, or by an imitation of the Hebrewes, Faciunt & veſpae favos. The Turks likewiſe at this day preciſely obſerve their Faſts, and will not ſo much as taſte a cup of water,Turk. Hiſt. 777. or waſh their mouthes with water all the day long, before the ſtars appear in the sky, be the days never ſo long and hot. The Hollanders and French faſt, but had need, ſaith one, to ſend for thoſe mourning women, Jer. 19.17. by their cunning to teach them to mourn. The Engliſh are not ſick ſoon enough, ſaith another, and they are well too ſoon: this is true of their mindes as well as of their bodies. Currat ergo poenitentia, ne praecurrat ſententia: and let our Faſts be either from morning till evening, Judg. 20.26. 2 Sam. 3.35. Or from evening till evening, Levit. 23.32. or longer, as here. And Acts 9.9. As the hand and wrath of God doth more or leſſe threaten us,U[illegible: 1 letter]quedum ſtollae in coelo appareant. or lie upon us. There is an old Canon that defineth their continuance, Till ſtarres appear in the sky.

I alſo and my maids will faſt] She her ſelf would be in the head of them, as Queen Elizabeth alſo told her ſouldiers at Tilbury Camp for their comfort: and as Ceſar uſed to ſay to his ſouldiers, Go we, and not Go ye; and as Joſhua ſaid,Non ite, ſed ea. mus. Joſh. 14.15. I and my houſe will ſerve Jehovah. Eſthers maids muſt faſt and pray, or they are no maids for her.

And ſo will I go unto the King] It is ſaid of Achilles, that he was Styge armatus: But he that faſteth, prayeth, believeth, Eſt coelo, Chriſto, Deo armatus, armed with an undaunted reſolution to obey God whatever come of it.

Which is not according to the Law] She ſlights not the Law, but waves it, to obey Gods Law, and ſave her people.

And if I periſh, I periſh] This ſhe ſpeaketh not raſhly or deſperately,Better do worthily, and periſh for a Kingdom, then unworthily. and periſh with a Kingdom. as prodigal of her life, but as ſacrificing the ſame to God and his cauſe, thorough the obedience of faith, and ſaying, as that Martyr. Can I die but once for Chriſt? See the like phraſe, Gen. 43.14. with the Note there.