John Trapp on Esther 9:5

Verſe 5. Thus the Jewes ſmote all their enemies] It was the Lords work,1 Sam. [illegible: 1 letter]5. and therefore to do it negligently, to keep back their ſwords from blood, had been to incurre that curſe, Jer. 48.10. as Saul did in ſparing Agag; Ahab in ſhewing mercy to Benhadad, 1 Kings [illegible: 1 letter]0.4[illegible: 1 letter]. whom God had deſtined to deſtruction. Theſe Jewes, as ſo many Juſticers,Immedicabile vulnu[illegible: 1 letter] enſe r[illegible: 1 letter]cidendum[illegible: 3 letters] were ſet up by God to do to death theſe deſperate enemies; and ſith there was no hope of curing, to fall to cutting, that others might heare and [illegible: 1 letter]eare, and do no more ſo, but ſee and ſay with the Pſalmiſt, Verily there is a reward for the righteous; verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth.

With the ſtrokes of the ſword, and ſlaughter, and deſtruction] Here then we ſee what puniſhments they deſerve that are enemies to the Church, and ſooner or later they ſhall be ſure of. For as hard weather rotteth not in the a[illegible: 1 letter]e, ſo neither do the judgements againſt Perſecutors. God himſelf hath againſt them, and will ſurely have his penniworths of them: his hand that is lifted up in threatning, Iſa. 26.11. will not faile to fall down in puniſhing; and the higher it is lifted, the heavier it ſhall fall. Subito tollitur qui diu toleratur: They ſhall fall by the ſword, they ſhall be a portion for foxes, Pſal. 63.10. The Spoiler ſhall be ſpoiled, Eſa. 33.1. and he that killeth with the ſword, muſt be killed with the ſword, Rev. 13.10. See, 2 Theſſ. 1.6.

And did what they would unto thoſe that hated them] Where it is to be hoped, that they furbiſhed the ſword of juſtice with the oyle of mercy; that they remembred that of the Philoſopher, Poſſe & nolle nobile eſt, that in ſome caſes a man muſt not do all that he may do: as there be ſome again, wherein ſeverity ought to caſt the ſcale. The Turks ſeverity I can by no means like, that will rather cut off two innocent perſons, then let one guilty man go free.Zenecat. obſ. polit. Nor that of the Venetians, who puniſh with death ſuch as cozen the State of but one penny, if it be proved againſt them. Again, care muſt be taken that juſtice be not executed (whether in a civil or military way) with a vindictive minde, but all ſelfiſh actions carefully ſtrained out. Private revenge leaveth a ſtain upon a man ſome wayes innocent, witneſſe Jehu; and puts an innocency upon the greateſt offendour, witneſſe Abner.