John Trapp on Esther 5:9-10

Verſe 9. Then went Haman that day forth joyful] Saeculi laetitia eſt impunita nequitia, ſaith an Ancient, He looked upon himſelf now as no leſſe favoured of the Queen, then of the King, and was puffed up with this new honour, as a bubble is with a childes blaſt in a walnut-ſhell, with a little ſope, but it ſhortly after falls down again into his eyes, and vexeth him.

And with a glad heart] But he rejoyced, as many more do, in a thing of nought, Am. 6.13. And the end of this his mirth was heavineſſe, Prov. 14.13. It was riſus Sardonius, like that of thoſe, who being ſtung with the Tarantula (a viper in Italy) die laughing and capering. Or as the Dolphin, that ſporteth moſt before a ſtorme. Or as the little fiſhes, that ſwimming merrily down the ſilver ſtream of Jordan, fall ſhortly after into the dead ſea. Haman doubtleſſe held himſelf now the happieſt man alive. as having the royalty, not of the Kings care only, but of the Queens too, as he fooliſhly fancied.Pſ. 10.3, 5, 6. This wicked on boaſted of his hearts deſire, and as for all his enemies, he puffed at them. He ſaid in his heart I ſhall not be moved, I ſhall never be in adverſity. Herodotus ſaith of Apryes King of Egypt (Pharaoh-Hophrah Jeremy calleth him, chap[illegible: 1 letter] 44.) that he conceited and bragged that his Kingdome was better ſetled to him, then that any,Herod. l 2. either God or man could remove him: yet was he afterwards taken and hang'd by his own ſubjects.Ael. var. hiſt. l. 2. Aelian tells us, that Dionyſius the Tyrant, thought it impoſſible that he ſhould have been caſt out of Sicily, but it proved otherwiſe. How ſuddenly were Alex[illegible: 1 letter]nder the great Conquerour, and Julius Caeſar the perpetual Dictator, cut off, Pſ. 118.12. and quenched as the fire of thornes? Sic tranſit gloria mundi. The worlds greateſt darlings, are in no better condition, then the Bull that goes to be ſacrificed with garlands on his head, and muſick before him: but ſuddenly fells the ſtroke of the murthering axe.

But when Haman ſaw Mordecai in the Kings gate] There he ſat, and would not ſtir an inch, for Hamans greatneſſe: as reſolute he remained, (not withſtanding the bloody Edict now publiſhed) as was Rawlins White the Martyr in Queen Maries dayes. The Biſhop of Landaffe pretended to pray for his Converſion: after which he ſaid, Now Rawlins how is it with thee? Wilt thou revoke thine opinions or no? Surely, (ſaid he) my Lord, Rawlins you left me, and Rawlins you finde me, and Rawlins, by Gods grace I will continue. Act & Mon. 1415. Ibid. 1430. The heavens ſhall aſſoon fall, ſaid another, as I will recant. This, the mad world ſtiles ſtiffeneſſe, ſelf-willedneſſe, fool-hardineſſe, &c. as was before noted; but the Saints do it out of Chriſtian courage, an invincible ſaith, and zeale for Gods cauſe and Kingdome.

That he ſtood not up, nor moved for him] No, not he, ne minimo quidem obſequiolo, he neither moved nor muted. For he looked upon him firſt as a vile perſon, and therefore fit to be ſlighted, Pal. 15.4. Next, as an utter enemy to God and his people, a ſworn ſword-man to the devil. Laſtly, Mordecai herein ſhewed himſelf conſtant to his principles, and to his former practice, which a good man may not eaſily alter, left all be queſtioned. Beſides, ſhould he but have any whit yielded, Haman would have been thereby hardened, and his pride heightened. He therefore very honeſtly perſiſteth in his purpoſe, and giveth that wretch leſſe reſpect then ever.

He was full of indignation againſt Mordecai] Full, as heart could hold, of hot wrath: ſo that he gloweth like a fire-coal, Et ferè crepat medius. So unſatisfiable is ambition, ſo reſtleſſe, and ſo vindictive.

Verſo 10. Nevertheleſſe Haman refrained himſelfe] Much ado he had to forbeare miſchieving him: he was faine to force himſelf thereunto, as the word ſignifieth; for his fingers even itched to be having him by the eares, or to be bathing in his blood. This he did not, haply becauſe he durſt not; becauſe Mordecai was the Kings ſervant, his door-Keeper, as 'tis thought, and ſo went under his protection. It would therefore have reflected upon the King himſelf, if he ſhould lay violent hands on him. Moſt ſure it is, that God held his hands, and preſerved Mordecai for further good to his Church Precious in the ſight of the Lord is the death of his Saints: neither will he ſend them to bed, till they have done their work.

And when he came home, he ſent and called for his friends] This had been a wiſe mans part, if he had done it for any good purpoſe. But as he was in an ill caſe to conſult, as being full of rage, ſo he minded nothing but revenge, and therefore adviſed with none but ſuch as would ſay with him, and thereby haſten his downfal.

And zereſh his wife] Ʋt conſiliariorum primam & praecipuam. That ſhe was wife above her ſexe. See chap. 6.13. But had ſhe been as wife as Pilates wife was. She would not have given here ſuch peſtilent counſel, but have warned her husband of medling with juſt men. Have theſe workers of iniquity no knowledge, that they eate up Gods people, as they eat bread? that they make account to make but a breakfaſt of them?Pſal. 14.4.