_ © The reaſon of which obſtinare refuſal, was either 1. The Qua- lity of the perſon ; that he was not only au infamouſly wicked Man, and an Heathen, but of that Nation, which God had ovliged the Iſraelites to abhor and oppoſe from Generation to Generation 3 and therefore he durft not thew outward reſpe& to a Man whom he did, and ought inwardly to contemn- Or, rather 2- The nature of the thing 3 for the Worſhip required was not only Civil, but Divine 3 which as the Kings of Perſia did undcubred!ly arrogate to themſelves, and expect and receive from their Subjects and others who cane into their preſence, as is affirmed by divers Authors, fo they did ſometimes impart this Honour to ſome of their chief Favourites, that they ſhould be adored in like manner. And that it was ſo here ſeems more than probable, becauſe it was wholly ſuperfluous and almoſt ridiculous to give an expreſs and particular command to all the Kings Servants that were in the King's Gate, as here it was, to pay a Civil Reſpect to ſo great a Prince, which of courſe they uſed, and were ever obliged to do ; and therefore a Divine Ho- nour muſt be here intended. And that a Jew ſhould deny this Ho- nour, orthe outward expreſſions of it, ro ſuch a perſon, is notſtrange, ſeing the wiſe and ſober Grecians did poſitively refuſe to give this Honour to the Kings of Perſis themſelves, even when they were to make their Addreſſes to them 3 and one Timecrates was put to death by the Athenians for Worſhiping Darius in th-t manner.
3 Then the kings ſervants which were in the kings gate, ſaid unto Mordecai, Why tranſgreſſeſt thou the kings commandment ? :
4 Now it came to paſs, when they ſpake daily unto him, and he hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman, to ſee whether Mordecai his matters would ftand 4; for he had told them that he as a Jew e.
d i. e. Whether he would perliſt in his refuſal, and what the event of it would be. e And therefore did not deny this reve- rence to Haman out of pride, or any perſonal Grudge againſt him, much leſs out of a rebellious Mind and contempt of the King's
Authority aud' command, but meerly out of Conſcience, becauſe he was a jew, who was obliged to give this honour to none bur to
| God only.
5 And when Haman ſaw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman fu'l of wrath.
6 And he thought ſcorn f to lay hands on Mordecai alone ; for they had ſhewed him the people of Morde- Cai : wherefore Haman ſfoughe toweſtroy all the Jews g that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahaſue- rus even the-people of Mordecai.
f He thought the particular Vengeance was unſuitable to his Quality» and to the greatneſs of the Injury. g Which he attempted, oY from that implacable Hatred which, as an Amalckite, he
ad againſt them ; partly ffom his Rage againit Aprdecai ; and partly from Meradecat's reaion of this Conrewpr, becauſe he was a Jew, which as he trucly judged, extended it felt to all the Jews,and
E R. would equally ingage them all in the ſame negle&t and hatred of his perſon.
7 In the firſt month (that is the month Niſan) in the twelfth year of kirgAhaſuerus,* they caſt Pur,thatis the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to month h, to the twelfth wcnth 3.that zs,the month Adar, _ hþ The Diviners caſt Tots, according to the cuſtom of thoſe an. cient and eaſtern People, what day, and what month would be moſt Jucky, not for his ſucceſs with the King ( of whoſe compliance with his requeſt, he made no doubt ) but for the moſt effeQtual and yni. verſal Extirpation of the Jews. i Wherein appears both his im. placable Malice, and unwearied dil:gence in ſeeking Vengeance of them with ſo much, and ſo long trouble to himſelf ; and God's ingular Providence in diſpoſing the Lot to that time, that ſo the Jews might have ſufficient ſpace of time to ger the decreereverſcd, as they did.
8 And Haman faid unto king Ahaſuerus, There is a certain people & ſcattered abroad, anddiſperſed among the people / in all the provinces of thy kingdom m, and * their laws are divers from all people », neither keep they the kings laws o ; therefore it is not © for the kings profit to ſuffer them p.
k Mean and contemptible, not worthy to be named. therefore, if rolerated, may poiſon all thy SubjeQs with their per- nicious Principles ; and whom thou mayit eaſily cruſh without any great noiſe or difficulty. m For though many of their Brethren were returned to their own Land, yet great numbers of them ſtaid behind, either becauſe they preferred their eaſe and worldly com- modities before their Spiritual Advantzges; or becauſe they wanted Conveniency or Opportunity for a remove; which might happen from divers cauſes. » They have peculiar and fantaſtical Rites, and Cuſtoms, and Religion ; and therefore are juſtly offenſive to all thy People, and may either infe&t them with their Conceits, or occaſion great Difſentions and Diſtra&ions among them. o As is manifeſt by Mordecai's bold contempt of thy late Edi& concerning me, which being done by kim as a Jew, the whole Nation are involved in this Crime, and are prepared to do ſo when they have occaſion, p To
live in his Kingdem. 71 do not ſeek herein ſo much my own Re- venge as thy Service,
9 If itpleaſe the King, let it be writcen q + that they may be deſtroyed : and I will pay ten thouſand talents
the buſineſs - : -o bring it into the kings treaſures.
9 Let there be a written Edi& from the King. » Whether theſe were Hebrew, or Babyloniſh,or GrecianTalents we cannot certainly knows But which ſoever they were, it was a vaſt ſum to be paid out of his own Eſtate, which he was willing to ſacrifice to his revenge! 5 Either. r. Ofthis buſineſs, to wit, of deſtroying the Jews ; which as ſoon as they have procured to be done, I will pay the Money into their hands, that by them it may be paid into the King's Exchequer. Or rather. 2- Of the King's Buſinels, or of the Treatures, as is im- pled in the following words. I will pay it to the King's Recei- vers, that they may put it into the King's Treaſures. h
io And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman # the ſon of Hammedatha the A- gagite, the Jews || enemy #.