Esther 6

REFLECTIONS UPON CHAP. VI.—How unsearchable are God’s judgment and his ways past finding out! By the most insignificant trifles can he promote his most important purposes. Happy are those who have the sleep of his beloved granted to them: or, if their eyes be debarred from rest, can employ their minds in sweet surveys of the annals of redeeming love! The natural law of gratitude, even towards the meanest inferior, is binding upon the conscience. But how little notice earthly princes take of their mean servants and friends, when they often know not whether their important services have been rewarded or not! Nay, often the greatest merits and best services are least rewarded at courts. That modesty and self-denial, which are of so great price before God, hinder men’s preferment in this world; whilst forward flatterers thrust themselves into honours. The longer we have neglected to recompense favours done us, we should the more abundantly reward them at last. But pride and ambition are never satisfied with the most accumulated honours. And it is dangerous for courtiers to have too high on opinion of their own merits, and of their interest with princes, or to presume on more than they really have. Kings ought always to delight in honouring the deserving, and encouraging those that do well. But how confounding is it to proud spirits to be obliged to confer that honour on the distinguished objects of their hatred and contempt which they had carved out for themselves! Miserable comforters, in a day of distress, are those who flatter us in the time of our prosperity, and it is in vain to fight against those whom God protects. But none hurry faster downwards than falling favourites at courts. And sad presages of approaching ruin often seize upon sinners before destruction comes upon them to the uttermost. 3