VI. ESTHER VII. III.
If I have found favour in thy sight, and if it please the King, let my life be
given me at my petition.
Thou art the great Assuerus, whose command
Doth stretch from Pole to Pole; The World's thy land;
Rebellious Vashti's the corrupted Will,
Which being cal'd, refuses to fulfill
Thy just command: Hester, whose teares condole
The razed City's the Regen'rate Soule;
A captive maid, whom thou wilt please to grace
With nuptiall Honour in stout Vashti's place:
Her kinsman, whose unbended knee did thwart
Proud Hamans glory, is the Fleshly part:
The sober Eunuch, that recal'd to mind
The new-built Gibbet (Haman had divin'd
For his owne ruine) fifty Cubits high,
Is lustfull thought-controlling Chastity;
Insulting Haman is that fleshly lust
Whose red-hot fury, for a season, must
Triumph in Pride, and study how to tread
On Mordecay, till royall Hester plead:
Great King, my sent-for Vashti will not come;
O let the oyle o'th blessed Virgins wombe
Cleanse my poore Hester; look, O looke upon her
With gracious eyes; and let thy Beames of honour
So scoure her captive staines, that she may prove
A holy Object of thy heav'nly love:
Annoint her with the Spiknard of thy graces,
Then try the sweetnese of her chast embraces;
Make her the partner of thy nuptiall Bed,
And set thy royall Crowne upon her head:
If then, ambitious Haman chance to spend
His spleene on Mordecay, that scornes to bend
The wilfull stiffenesse of his stubborne knee,
Or basely crouch to any Lord but Thee;
If weeping Hester should preferre a Grone
Before the high Tribunall of thy Throne,
Hold forth thy golden Scepter, and afford
The gentle Audience of a gracious Lord:
And let thy royall Hester be possest
Of halfe thy kingdome, at her deare request;
Curbe lustfull Haman; him, that would disgrace,
Nay ravish thy faire Queene before thy face:
And as proud Haman was himselfe ensnar'd
On that selfe Gibbet, that himself prepar'd
So nayle my lust, both Punishment, and Guilt
On that deare Crosse that mine owne Lusts have built.
S. AUGUST. in Ep.
O holy Spirit, alwayes inspire me with holy works; constraine me, that I may
doe: Counsell me that I may love thee: Confirme me, that I may hold thee;
Conserve me that I may not lose thee.
S. AUGUST. sup. Ioan.
The Spirit rusts where the flesh rests: For as the flesh is nourished with
sweet things, the Spirit is refreshed with sowre.
Ibid.
Wouldst thou that thy flesh obey thy Spirit? Then let thy Spirit obey thy
God: Thou must be govern'd, that thou mayst governe.
EPIGRAM 6.
[Of Merc' and Justice is thy Kingdome built]
Of Merc' and Justice is thy Kingdome built;
This plagues my Sin; and that removes my guilt:
When ere I sue, Assuerus like decline
Thy Scepter; Lord, say, Halfe my kingdome's thine.
