John Trapp on Esther 9:26

Verſ. 26. Wherefore they called theſe days Purim] Thereby to perpetuate the memory of that mercy, worthy to be engraven in pillars of marble: This was a notable name; for it ſerved to in-minde the Jewes of all that God had done for them at this bout: As there is edification in the choice of fit Pſalmes, 1 Cor. 14.26. ſo in the impoſing of fit names upon perſons, things, and times. As the Chriſtian Sabbath is to good purpoſe called the Lords day: and thoſe feſtivities of Eaſter and Whitſontide were not ſo fitly called Paſch, and Pentecoſt, as the Feaſt of the Lords Reſurrection, and of the ſending of the Holy Ghoſt. It ſhould certainly be the conſtant care of us all, to ſet up marks and monuments of Gods great mercies: ſo to preſerve the memory of them, which elſe will be moth-eaten▪ Such as were Abrahams, Jehovah Iireh, Jacobs ſtone at Bethel, Moſes his Jehovah Niſſi, Aarons rod and pot of Manna, Heb. 9.4. the twelve ſtones pitcht up in Jordan, the names of Gilgal, Ramath-Lehi, Aben-Ezer; thoſe plates nailed on the Altar, Numb. 16.40. Hereby God ſhall be glorified, the Churches enemies convinced, our faith ſtrengthened, our joy in the Lord heightened, our poſterity helped, and Satan prevented, who ſeeketh to obliterate Gods works of wonder; or at leaſt to alienate them, and tranſlate them upon himſelf, as he endeavoured to do that famous execution of divine juſtice upon Sennacheribs army,Herod. l. 2. by ſetting Herodotus a work to tell the world in print, that it was Sethon King of Egypt, and Prieſt of Vulcan, who obtained of his god, that Sennacheribs army coming againſt Egypt, ſhould be totally routed by reaſon of an innumerable company of rats, ſent by Vulcan, which gnawed in pieces their bowe-ſtrings, quivers, bucklers, &c. and ſo made way for the Egyptians to vanquiſh them. Herodotus addeth alſo that in his time there was to be ſeen the ſtatue of Sennacherib, holding a rat in his hand in Vulcans Temple, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. and uttering theſe words, Let him that beholdeth me, learne to feare God. Lo, the god of this world hath his trophies erected, and ſhall the God of heaven and earth go without? Oh let us (who have lived in an age of miracles, and ſeen the out-goings of God for our good more then ever did any Nation) offer unto him the ranſome of our lives, as they did, Exod. 21.30. and 30.12. in token that they had and held all in meer courteſie from God. Let us leave ſome ſeale, ſome pawn of thankfulneſſe for deliverance from ſo many deaths and dangers. Otherwiſe, Heathens will riſe up and condemn us. They after a ſhipwrack would offer ſomething; after a fit of ſickneſſe conſecrate ſomething to their gods; after a victory, ſet up trophies of triumph, as the Philiſtines did to their Dagon, the Romanes to their Jupiter Capitolinus, &c.

Therefore for all the words of this letter] In obedience to Mordecai their godly Magiſtrate.

And of that which they had ſeen concerning this matter] And eſpecially of God made viſible all along in it, yea, palpable; ſo that they might feele him and finde him, Act. 17.27. though his name be not found in all this book.

And which had come unto them] Scil. by report and hear-ſay, but from ſuch hands as that they were fully ſatisfied thereof, as Hamans lot-caſting, Eſthers ſupplicating, the Kings reading the Chronicles, &c.