John Trapp on Esther 5:3

Verſe 3. Then ſaid the King unto her.] He perceived both by this her bold adventure, and alſo by her countenance and habit, that ſhe had ſome very great ſuit to him. He therefore accoſteth her (as the Lord did the Angel, Zech. 1.13.) with good words, and comfortable words. And this way one man may be an Angel, nay, a God to another, Gen. 33.10. Indeed it is God that comforteth by the creature as by a conduit-pipe. The aire yieldeth light as an inſtrument, the water may heart, but not of it ſelfe. The Lord put it into the heart of Ahaſhuerus, to chear up Eſther in this ſort: wherein alſo he did but his duty, for no man ever yet hated his own fleſh, but nouriſheth and cheriſheth it, even as the Lord the Church; ſo ought men to love their wives as their own bodies; He that loveth his wife loveth himſelf, Eph. 6.28, 29.

What wilt thou Queen Eſther?] That he called her by her name, and with ſuch an honourable attribution, was a ſigne of no ſmall favour. The hearts of Joſephs brethren were ſo big ſwolne with ſpite and ſpleen, that they could not call him by his name, but ſaid, Behold, this dreamer, Gen. 37.19. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. John 7.11. So the Phariſees called our Saviour, This fellow. And the Jewes ſought him at the feaſt, and ſaid, Where is he? they could not finde in their hearts to ſay, Where is Jeſus? So Saul asked not for David, much leſſe for his ſon-in-law David, but for the ſon of Jeſſe, by way of contempt. Chriſt tells his diſciples that their enemies ſhall caſt out their names for naught, Luke 6.22. and chargeth them, courteouſly to ſalute their enemies, calling them friendly by their names, Mat. 5.47.

And what is thy requeſt?] q. d. Feare not to utter it, I am very earneſt to know it, and fully reſolved to grant it. It was more troubleſome to Severus the Emperour to be asked nothing, then to give much. When any of his Courtiers had not made bold with him, he would call him and ſay, Quid eſt cur nihil petes? What meaneſt thou to ask me nothing? Hitherto ye have asked me nothing (ſaith the King of Saints to his beloved Eſther) Ask that your joy may be full, John 16.24. he is worthily miſerable, that will not make himſelf happy by asking.

It ſhall be given thee to the half of the Kingdom] A proverbial rather then a prodigal ſpeech, and much in this Kings mouth. If ſome ambitious Semiramis had had ſuch an offer, what ill uſe might ſhe ſoon have made of it? The dancing Damoſel made no good uſe of the like from Herod. But a Bee can ſuck honey out of a flower, that a flie cannot skill to do. Eſther prudently and modeſtly improveth the immoderate offer of the King, and conceiveth good hope. How much more may we (upon thoſe exceeding great and precious Promiſes given us by God) of an exuberancy of love, and a confluence of all comforts for this life and a better? Eſpecially ſince God doth not pay his Promiſes with words,P[illegible: 2 letters]t. as Sertorius is ſaid to have done; neither is he off and on with his people (nec mutatur, nec mentitur) but performeth all with the better, as Naaman preſſed the Prophets man, to take two talents, when he asked but one. The widow of Sarepta had more then ſhe could tell what to do with: her cruſe never ceaſed running till ſhe had no room. The Shunamite would ask nothing of the Prophet, nor make uſe of his offered courteſie. He ſends for her again, and makes her a free Promiſe of that which ſhe moſt wanted and deſired, a ſonne, 2 Kings 4.16. Gods kindneſſe is beyond all this. he giveth his ſervants what they forget or preſume to ask: and ſends his Spirit to help them, and to forme their prayers for them, and thereby to ſeale them up to the day of Redemption, to aſſure them of the Kingdome.