John Trapp on Esther 5:4

Verſe 4. And Eſther anſwered] She did not preſently poure forth her whole heart into the Kings boſome, raile againſt Haman, beg for her people, &c. but prudently reſerveth her ſelfe till a fitter opportunity. Unadviſed open-heartedneſſe is a fruit of fool-hardineſſe, Prov. 29.11. A fool uttereth all his minde, (ye ſhall have it preſently, ſo near his mouth doth it lie, that all will out ſuddenly) but a wiſe man keepeth it in till afterwards, or, in an inner r[illegible: 1 letter]m, (in ulteriori animi receſſu as the word may be rendred, till he ſee his time to produce it.

If it ſeem good to the King] Princes muſt have ſilken words given them, as the mother of Artaxerxes (haply Eſther) told one. The rule of old was [non-Latin text not transcribed], ſhort or ſweet.

Let the King and Haman come this day to the banquet] She knew that the King loved Hamans company, and eſpecially at a banquet. It was policie in Rebecca to provide ſuch ſavoury meat as the old man loved: ſo here. Be wiſe as Serpents. David is commended for his prudent, (and thereby proſperous) deporting himſelfe in Sauls houſe, 1 Sam. 18. God gave Solomon politick wiſdom exceeding much. Who is a faithful and a wiſe ſervant, Mat. 24. Jam. 3.13. ſaith our Saviour, &c? And who is a wiſe man, and endued with knowledge, (ſaith St. James) amongſt you? Let him ſhew out of a good converſation his works, with meekneſſe of wiſdom. But if it were policy in Eſther to invite Haman whom ſhe hated, was it likewiſe Piety? did ſhe not diſſemble? R. Solomon ſaith, She invited Haman alone with the King, that other Courtiers might envie him, and ſo undermine him. But that's but a ſorry excuſe, neither doth Lyra's allegation of her good intention much mend the matter. They anſwer better, who ſay, that ſhe invited him, that ſhe might ane[illegible: 2 letters]e him to his face: and ſome off all matter of his excuſe or eſcape. Hereby alſo ſhe would ſhew, ſaith Lavater, that ſhe accurſed him, not out of wrath or revenge: but that ſhe was drawen to it, and as it were driven by meer neceſſity.