And he was sore athirst, and to the Lord

He cried, and said, O Lord, thou did'st afford
This great deliverance, and now shall I,
By reason of my thirst fall down and die,
And fall into the most accursed hands
Of these uncircumcis'd Philistine bands?

But God was pleas'd to cleave an hollow place,
Within the jaw, from whence did water pass;
Whereof when he had drunk, his spirit came
As heretofore, and he reviv'd again:
Wherefore that place, which is in Lehi, bore
Unto this day the name of En-hakkore.
And in the days the Philistines bore sway,
Israel for twenty years did him obey.

CHAP. XVI.

Then down to Gaza Samson went, and there
Seeing an harlot, went in unto her.

And when the Gazites heard he was come thither:
Straightway they gathered themselves together
To compass him about, and lay in wait

All night, to take him in the city gate;

And they were still all night, for why? Say they,
To-morrow we shall kill him when 'tis day.
And he till midnight lay, and then arose,
And with the city gates away he goes,
Bearing the posts and bar and all away,
And on an hill near Hebron did them lay.
And afterward it came to pass he saw,
And lov'd a woman named Delilah,
Who in the vale of Sorek dwelt, to whom
There did the lords of the Philistines come,
And said, If thou wilt but entice him to reveal
Where lies his strength, and which way we may deal
With him, to bind him, to afflict him, we
Each one will give a great reward to thee.
And she to Samson said, I pray thee, tell
Wherein thy strength doth other men excel,
And how thou may'st be bound. And he replied,
If they with seven green withs that ne'er were dried,
Shall bind me hand and foot, I shall be then
As weak and impotent as other men.
Then the Philistine lords for her provide
The seven green withs which never had been dried,
And she therewith did bind him, (now there were
Men lying in wait whom she had placed there,)
Then she cried out, and said, Now Samson stand
Thy ground, for the Philistines are at hand.
And straight he brake the withs, and they became
Like to a thread of tow when touch'd with flame:
So was his strength not found out. Then said she,
Samson, behold, thou hast deceived me,
And told me lies: therefore no longer blind me,
But tell, I pray thee, wherewith I may bind thee.
Bind me with ropes that ne'er were us'd, said he;
Then weak as other men are, shall I be.
She therefore took new ropes, and bound him, and
Cried, Samson, the Philistines are at hand:
(And in the chamber there were men lay hid)
And from his arms he brake them like a thread.
Then said she, Thou hast mocked me hitherto,
And told me lies: now tell me what to do
To bind thee. He replied, Thou with the web
Must interweave the seven locks of my head.

Then she his locks did fasten with the pin,
And said, The Philistines are coming in,
Shift, Samson, for thyself; then he awoke,
And pin and web, and all away he took.
Then said she, How canst thou pretend to love me,
When thus thy doing towards me disprove thee?
For now, behold, thou hast deceived me thrice,
And hast not told me where thy great strength lies.
At length his soul being vex'd exceedingly,
By reason of her importunity:

He told the secrets of his heart, and said,
Never yet razor on my head was laid;
For I have been to God a Nazarite,
Even from the day that first I saw the light:
Wherefore like other men, if I am shaven,

I shall be weak, and of my strength bereaven.
And when she saw that he had told her all
The secrets of his heart, she sent to call
The lords of the Philistines. Come, said she,
This once, for now he hath made known to me
The very truth. Then they came up together,
And brought the money in their hands to give her.
Then down to sleep upon her knees she laid him,
And call'd a man, who of his locks betray'd him.
And to afflict him she began, and then
His strength became like that of other men.
Then said she, Samson, thy Philistine foes

Are just at hand: and he from sleep arose,
And as at other times went forth to shake him,
Not knowing that the Lord did now forsake him,
But the Philistines seized him, and brought
Him down to Gaza, having first put out
His eyes, and did with brazen fetters bind
And made him in the prison house to grind.
Howbeit the hair upon his head began,
After he had been shaved, to grow again.
Then the Philistine lords together met,
And a thanksgiving-day apart they set,
For to rejoice, and unto Dagon pay
Their highest service; For our God, say they,
Did this: and when the people did behold
Poor captive Samson, they their god extoll'd,
And said, Our God hath given into our hand
Him that destroy'd us, and laid waste our land.
And in their height of mirth they sent to call
Samson, to come and make sport for them all.
And from the prison-house they brought him, and
Between the pillars they set him to stand;
And there he made them sport. Then to the lad
That led him by the hand, thus Samson said;
Let me now feel the pillars that sustain
The house, that I myself thereon may lean.
Now in the house there was a mighty throng
Of men and women gather'd, and among
Them, all the lords of the Philistines were.
Besides, upon the roof there did appear,
About three thousand men and women, who
Beheld, while Samson made them sport below.
And Samson, calling on the Lord, did say,
O Lord, my God, remember me, I pray,
This once give strength, that I aveng'd may be
Of those Philistines who have blinded me.
And with his right hand and his left, he held
Two middle pillars which the house upheld;

And said, Let me with the Philistines die,
And then he bowed himself most mightily:
And down the house fell on the lords, and all
The people that were in't; so that the fall
Thereof, slew at his dying many more
Than he had slain in all his life before.

Then did his brethren and his kinsfolks come

And took him up, and brought him with them home, And laid him in his father's sepulchre,

When he had judged Israel twenty year.

MATTHEW, CHAP. V.

AND Jesus, seeing the multitudes, ascended
Up to a mount, where sitting, and attended
By his disciples, he began to preach;

And on this manner following did them teach.
Blessed are all such as are poor in spirit,
For they the heavenly kingdom do inherit.
Blessed are they that mourn; for in the stead
Thereof shall comfort be administred.
Blessed are they, whose meekness doth excel:
For on the earth their portion is to dwell.
Blessed are they, who after righteousness
Hunger and thirst; for they shall it possess.
Blessed are they, for they shall mercy find,
Who to do mercifully are inclin'd.
Blessed are all such as are pure in heart;
For God his presence shall to them impart.
Blessed are they that do make peace; for why?
They shall be call'd the sons of the Most High.
Blessed are they which suffer for the sake
Of righteousness: for they of heav'n partake.
Blessed are ye, when men shall falsely speak
All kind of ill against you for my sake,
And shall revile, and persecute you sore;
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad therefore:
For your reward in heav'n will be great:
For thus of old they did the prophets treat.
Ye are the salt o' th' earth; but wherewith must
The earth be season'd when the savour's lost?
It is from thenceforth good for nothing, but
To be cast out, and trodd'n under foot.
Ye are the light o' th' world; a city set
Upon an hill cannot be hid; nor yet
Do men a candle with a bushel cover,
But set it where it lights the whole house over.
So shine your light, your good works seen thereby
Men may your heavenly Father glorify.
Think not that to destroy the law I came,
Or prophets; no, but to fulfil the same.
For till the heav'n and earth shall pass away,
One jot or tittle from the law, I say,
Shall never pass, till all shall be complete.
Whoso therefore presumes to violate,
One of these least commands, and teacheth so,
Shall in God's kingdom be accounted low.
But he that doth, and teacheth them likewise,
Shall in God's kingdom have great dignities.
For I declare unto you, that unless
You shall exceed the scribe and pharisees
In righteousness; you shall on no condition,
Into the heavenly kingdom gain admission.

Ye've heard 'twas said of cld, Thou shalt not kill.'

And he incurs the judgment who shall spill

His brother's blood: but I to you declare,

That he that's wroth without a cause, shall bear

The judgment. Likewise of the council he
That sayethracha' shall in danger be.
But whosoe'er shall say, Thou fool, the same
Shall be in danger of eternal flame.
When therefore to the altar thou dost bring
Thy gift, and there rememb'rest any thing
Thy brother hath against thee: leave it there
Before the altar, and come thou not near,
Till thou hast first made reconciliation,
Then may'st thou come and offer thine oblation.
Make an agreement with thine adversary
Whilst thou art in the way, and do not tarry;
Lest he at any time deliver thee

Unto the judge, and by the judge thou be
Unto the officer forthwith resign'd,
And in imprisonment thou be confin'd;
I do affirm thou shalt not be enlarg'd,
Till thou the utmost farthing hast discharg'd.
Ye've heard that they of old did testify,
That men should not commit adultery:
But I pronounce him an adulterer,
Who views a woman to lust after her.
And if thy right eye shall offensive be,
Pluck thou it out and cast the same from thee;
For it is better lose one, than that all

Thy members should into hell torments fall.
And if thy right hand doth offend, cut off it,
And cast it from thee, for it will thee profit
Much rather that one of thy members fell,
Than that they should be all condemned to hell.
It hath been said, whoso away shall force
His wife, shall give her a bill of divorce:
But whosoe'er shall put his wife away,
Except for fornication's sake, I say,
Makes her adult'ress, and who marries her,

So put away, is an adulterer.

Again: Ye've heard, Thou shalt not be forsworn,
Was ancient doctrine, but thou shalt perform
Unto the Lord thine oaths: But I declare,
That thou shalt not at all presume to swear;
Neither by heaven, for it is God's throne;
Nor by the earth, for his foot stands thereon:
Neither swear by Jerusalem, for why?

It is the city of the King Most High:

Nor swear thou by thine head, for thou canst inake

No hair thereof to be or white or black:

But let yea, yea; nay, nay, in speech suffice,

For what is more from evil doth arise.

Ye've heard, it hath been said; Eye for an eye,
And tooth for tooth: But I do testify,
That you shall not resist; but let him smite
Thy left cheek also, who assaults thy right.
And if that any by a lawsuit shall

Demand thy coat, let them have cloak and all.
And whosoe'er compelleth thee to go

A mile, retuse not to go with him two.

Give him that asketh, and from him that may
Have need to borrow, turn not thou away.

Ye've heard, 'twas said: That thou shalt love thy friend
And hate thy foe: But let your love extend
Unto your enemies: thus I declare,

Bless them that curse, do good to them that bear
Ill will, and for your persecutors pray,

And them that do reproach you; that you may
Be children of your Father that's in heaven;
For he on good and bad alike hath given
His sun to rise, and in like manner doth
Send rain upon the just and unjust both
For what is your reward, if you love them
That love you? Do not publicans the same?
And if your brethren only you salute,
What more than they do ye? They also do't.
I will therefore that you be perfect, ev'n
As is your Father perfect that's in heaven.

CHAP. VI.

Take heed you do not your alms-deeds bestow
Before men, purposely to make a shew;
For then there will no recompence be given
Unto you of your Father that's in heaven:
With sound of trumpet do not thou therefore
Proclaim what thou art giving to the poor;
As is the manner of the hypocrites
To do i' th' synagogues, and in the streets ;*
That men may give them praises. Verily
They have their recompence, I testify.

But when thou dost alms, let thy left hand know
Not what thy right hand is about to do:
That giving secretly, thy Father may,
Who sees in secret, openly repay.

And when thou pray'st be not as hypocrites;

For they love in the corners of the streets,
And in the synagogues to stand and pray,
There to be seen: they've their reward I say.
But thou, when thou dost make thy pray'r, go thee
Into thy closet, shut thy door unto thee,
And there in secret to thy Father cry,
Who seeing thee shall reward thee openly.
But when ye pray use not vain repetitions,
As heathens do, for they think their petitions
Prevail; when they the same do multiply:
Be ye not like to them therefore; for why;
Your Father knows what things you need before
You ask him, on this wise pray ye therefore.

Our Father which art in heav'n, thy name alone Be hallowed. Thy glorious kingdom come.

* These lines, and those on the next page, 'The eye's the light o' th' body,' remind one of Bunyan's style in his Apology for the Pilgrim's Progress,

Dost thou love picking meat? Or would'st thou see
A man i' th' clouds, and hear him speak to thee?'--ED.

Thy will be done on earth as 'tis in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread. And ev'n
As we remit our debtors, grant remission
To us.
And lead us not into temptation,

But from all evil do thou us deliver;

For th' kingdom, power and glory's thine for ever. Amen.

For if you do forgive men that offend,
Your heavenly Father will to you extend
Forgiveness; but if not, nor will he spare,
At any time when you offenders are.
Moreover when you fast beware lest you
Look sad, as hypocrites are wont to do;
For they disguise their faces, that they may
Appear to fast they've their reward I say.
But thou, when thou dost fast, anoint thine head
And wash thy face, that undiscovered
Thy fasting may be unto men, but rather
That thou be seen in secret of thy Father:
And then thy Father, who in secresy
Beholds thee, shall reward thee openly.
Lay not up treasure for yourselves in store
Upon the earth, where moth and rust devour,
And where by thieves you may be quite bereaven.
But lay up treasure for yourselves in heaven,
Where neither moth, nor rust, nor thieves can enter :
For where's your treasure there your hearts will centre.
The eye's the light o' th' body, which if right
Then thy whole body will be full of light:
But if thine eye be evil, then there will
A total darkness thy whole body fill.
If therefore all the light that is in thee

Be darkness, how great must that darkness be?
No man can serve two masters, either he
Will hate one, and love t'other, or will be
Faithful to one, and t'other will forego.
Ye cannot serve both God and mammon too.
Take no thought therefore for your life, I say,
What you shall eat or drink; or how you may
Your bodies clothe. Is not the life much more
Than meat; Is not the body far before
The clothes thereof? Behold the fowls o' th' air,
Nor sow nor reap, nor take they any care;
How they provision into barns may gather;
Yet they are nourish'd by your heavenly Father:
Are ye not worth much more? Which of you can
By taking thought add to his height one span ?
And why for raiment are ye taking thought?
See how the lilies grow; they labour not,
Nor do they spin; yet Solomon, I say,
In all his pomp, had no such gay array.
If in the field God so doth clothe the grass,
Which is to-day, and doth to-morrow pass
Into the oven, shall he not therefore
O ye of little faith, clothe you much more?
Take no thought therefore, saying, What shall we cat,
Or drink, or where shall we our raiment get:
(For thus the heathen people use to do)
For that you need them doth your Father know.
But seek God's kingdom, and his righteousness
First, and then all these things you shall possess.
Be not then exercis'd with care and sorrow,
In making preparation for the morrow;

The morrow shall things for itself prepare: Sufficient to the day is each day's care.

CHAP. VII.

Judge not that you may not be judg'd; for even
As you pass judgment, judgment shall be giv'n:
And with such measure as you mete to men,
It shall be measured unto you again.
And why dost thou take notice of the mote
That's in thy brother's eye; but dost not note
The beam that's in thine own? How wilt thou say
Unto thy brother, let me take away

The mote that's in thine eye, when yet 'tis plain
The beam that's in thine own doth still remain ?
First cast away the beam, thou hypocrite,
From thine own eye, so shall thy clearer sight
The better be enabled to descry,

And pluck the mote out of thy brother's eye.
Give not to dogs the things that are divine,
Neither cast ye your pearls before the swine
Lest that they should their feet them trample under,
And turn upon you, and rend you asunder.
Ask, and obtain; seek, and ye shall find; do ye
Knock, and it shall be opened unto ye:
For he that seeks, shall find; that asks, obtain,
And he that knocks, shall an admittance gain.
Or what man is there of you, if his son
Shall ask him bread, will he give him a stone?
Or if he ask a fish, will he bestow
A serpent? If then ye being evil know

To give your children good gifts, how much rather
To them that ask him shall your heav'nly Father.
Then what you wou'd men shou'd to you, so do
To them for that's the law and prophets too.
Enter in at the strait gate, for the road
That doth unto destruction lead, is broad;
And wide the gate; and many there be that
Enter therein: because strait is the gate,

And narrow is the way that is inclin'd

To life, and which there are but few that find.
False prophets shun, who in sheep's clothes appear,
But inwardly devouring wolves they are:

Ye by their fruits shall know them. Do men either
Pluck grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles gather?
Even so each good tree good fruit will produce;
But a corrupt tree fruit unfit for use:

A good tree cannot bring forth evil food,
Nor can an evil tree bear fruit that's good:
Each tree that bears not good fruit's hewn down
And burnt, thus by their fruits they shall be known.
Not every one that saith Lord, Lord, but he
That doth my heav'nly Father's will shall be
An heir of heaven: many in that day

Will call Lord, Lord, and thus to me will say ;

Have we not prophesied in thy name?
Cast devils out, done wonders in the same?
And then will I profess I know you not;
Depart from me ye that have evil wrought.
Whoso therefore these sayings of mine doth hear,
And doth them, to a wise man I'll compare,
The which upon a rock his building founded,
The rain descended and the floods surrounded,
The winds arose, and gave it many a shock,
And it fell not, being founded on a rock.
And ev'ry one that hears these sayings of mine,
And not to do them doth his heart incline,
Unto a foolish man shall be compar'd;
Who his foundation on the sand prepar'd:
The rain descended and the floods were great,
The winds did blow, and vehemently beat
Against that house; and down the building came,
And mighty was the downfall of the same.
And now when Jesus thus had finished
His sayings, the people were astonished
Thereat: for not as do the scribes taught he
Them, but as one that had authority.

CHAP. I.

Now unto Jonah, old Amittai's son,
Thus did the word of the Almighty come,
And said, Arise, go thou forthwith and cry
'Gainst that great city Nineveh; for why,
The sins thereof are come up in my sight.
But he arose, that he to Tarshish might

Flee from God's presence; and went down and found
A ship at Joppa unto Tarshish bound:

He paid the fare, and with them went on board
For Tarshish, from the presence of the Lord.
But the Almighty a great wind did raise,
And sent a mighty tempest on the seas,
So that the ship was likely to be broken.
Then were the mariners with horror stricken;
And to his God they cried every one;
And overboard was the ship's lading thrown
To lighten it but down into the ship
Was Jonah gone, and there lay fast asleep.

So to him came the master and did say,
What meanest thou, O sleeper! rise and pray
Unto thy God, and he perhaps will hear,
And save us from the danger that we fear.
Then said they to each other, Come let's try,
By casting lots, on whom the fault doth lie,
In bringing all this evil now upon us.
So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonas.
Then said they, We entreat thee let us know,
For whose cause we this evil undergo,
Whence comest thou? What is thine occupation ?
What countryman art thou? And of what nation?
And unto them himself he did declare,
And said, I am an Hebrew, and do fear
The living Lord, the God of heaven, who
Alone hath made the sea and dry land too.
Then were the men exceedingly afraid;
And, wherefore hast thou done this thing? they said:
(For they did understand he did forego

God's presence, for himself had told them so.)