The mention of the offence draws in the provocation: and now the wrong to Sam- | son is scanned and revenged; because the fields of the Philistines are burned for the wrong done to Samson by the Timnite and his daughter, therefore the Philistines burn the Timnite and his daughter. The tying of the fire-brand between two foxes was not so witty a policy, as the setting a fire of dissension betwixt the Philistines. What need Samson be his own executioner, when his enemies will undertake that charge? There can be no more pleasing prospect to an Israelite, than to see the Philistines together by the ears.

If the wife of Samson had not feared the fire for herself and her father's house, she had not betrayed her husband; her husband had not thus plagued the Philistines; the Philistines had not consumed her and her father with fire: now she leaps into that flame which she meant to avoid. That evil which the wicked feared, meets them in their flight. How many, in a fear of poverty, seek to gain unconscionably, and die beggars! How many, to shun pain and danger, have yielded to evil, and in the long run have been met in the teeth with that mischief which they had hoped I to have left behind them! How many, in a desire to eschew the shame of men, have fallen into the confusion of God! Both good and evil are sure paymasters at the last.

He that was so soon pacified towards his wife, could not but have thought this revenge more than enough, if he had not rather wielded God's quarrel than his own: he knew that God had raised him up on purpose to be a scourge to the Philistines, whom as yet he had angered more than punished. As if these, therefore, had been out-flourishes before the fray, he stirs up his courage, and strikes them, both hip and thigh, with a mighty plague. That God which can do nothing imperfectly, where he begins either mercy or judgment, will not leave till he have happily finished. As it is in his favours, so in his punishments, one stroke draws on another.

The Israelites were but slaves, and the Philistines were their masters; so much more indignantly, therefore, must they needs take it, to be thus affronted by one of their own vassals: yet shall we commend the moderation of these pagans. Samson, being not mortally wronged by one Philistine, falls foul upon the whole nation: the Philistines, heinously offended by Samson, do not fall upon the whole tribe of Judah, but, being mustered together, call to them

for satisfaction from the person offending. The same hand of God, which wrought Samson to revenge, restrained them rom it. It is no thank to themselves, that sometimes wicked men cannot be cruel.

The men of Judah are by their fear made friends to their tyrants, and traitors to their friend; it was in their cause that Samson had shed blood, and yet they conspire with the Philistines to destroy their own flesh and blood. So shall the Philistines be quit with Israel, that as Samson by Philistines revenged himself of Philistines, so they of an Israelite, by the hand of Israelites. That which open enemies dare not attempt, they work by false brethren; and these are so much more perilous, as they are more entire.

It had been no less easy for Samson to have slain those thousands of Judah that came to bind him, than those other of the Philistines that meant to kill him bound. And what if he had said, Are you turned traitors to your deliverer? your blood be upon your own heads! But the Spirit of God (without whom he could not kill either beast or man) would never stir him up to kill his brethren, though degenerated into Philistines; they have more power to bind him than he to kill them. Israelitish blood was precious to him, that made no more scruple of killing a Philistine than a lion That bondage and usury, that was allowed to a Jew from a pagan, might not be exacted from a Jew.

The Philistines, that had before ploughed with Samson's heifer, in the case of the riddle, are now ploughing a worse furrow with a heifer more his own. I am ashamed to hear these cowardly Jews say, "Knowest thou not that the Philistines are lords over us? Why hast thou done this unto us? We are therefore come to bind thee." Whereas they should have said, We find these tyrannical Philistines to usurp dominion over us; thou hast happily begun to shake off their yoke, and now we are come to second thee with our service; the valour of such a captain shall easily lead us forth to liberty. We are ready either to die with thee, or to be freed by thee. fearful man can never be a true friend; rather than incur danger, he will be false to his own soul. O cruel mercy of these men of Judah! "We will not kill thee, but we will bind thee, and deliver thee into the hands of the Philistines, that they may kill thee;" as if it had not been much worse to die an ignominious and tormenting death, by the hands of the Philistines, than to be at once despatched by them which

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easy.

When Saul was pursued by the Philistines upon the mountains of Gilboa, he could say to his armour-bearer, "Draw forth thy sword, and kill me, lest the uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and mock me ;" and, at last, would rather fall upon his own sword than theirs: and vet these cousins of Samson can say, "We will not kill thee, but we will bind thee, and deliver thee." It was no excuse to these Israelites, that Samson's binding had more hope than his death. It was more in the extraordinary mercy of God, than their will, that he was not tied with his last bonds. Such is the goodness of the Almighty, that he turns the cruel intentions of wicked men to an advantage.

Now these Jews, that might have let themselves loose from their own bondage, are binding their deliverer, whom yet they

w able to have resisted. In the greatest strength, there is use of patience: there was more fortitude in this suffering than in his former actions. Samson abides to be tied by his own countrymen, that he may nave the glory of freeing himself victoriously. Even so, O Saviour! our better Nazarite! thou which couldst have called to thy Father, and have had twelve legions of angels for thy rescue, wouldst be bound voluntarily, that thou mightest triumph; so the blessed martyrs were racked, and would not be loosed, because they expected a better resurrection. If we be not as well ready to suffer ill, as to do good, we are not fit for the consecration of God.

To see Samson thus strongly manacled, and exposed to their full revenge, could not but be a glad spectacle to these Philistines; and their joy was so full, that it could not but fly forth of their mouths in shouting and laughter: whom they saw loose with terror, it is pleasure to see bound. It is the sport of the spiritual Philistines, to see any of God's Nazarites fettered with the cords of iniquity; and their imps are ready to say, Aha! so would we have it. But the event answers their false joy, with that clause of triumph, "Rejoice not over me, O mine enemy; though I fall, yet I shall rise again." How soon was the countenance of these Philistines changed, and their shouts turned unto shriekings! "The Spirit of the Lord came upon Samson;" and then, what are cords to the Almighty? His new bonds are as flax burnt with fire; and he rouses up himself, like that young lion whom he first encountered, and flies upon those cowardly adversaries, who, if

have seen his face. If they had been so many devils as men, they could not have stood before the Spirit which lifted up the heart and hand of Samson. Wicked men never see fairer prospect, than when they are upon the very threshold of destruction. Security and ruin are so close bordering upon each other, that, where we see the face of the one, we may be sure the other is at his back. Thus didst thou, O blessed Saviour, when thou wert fastened to the cross, when thou layest bound in the grave with the cords of death-thus didst thou miraculously raise up thyself, vanquish thine enemies, and lead captivity captive! Thus do all thy holy ones, when they seem most forsaken, and laid open to the insultation of the world, find thy Spirit mighty to their deliverance, and the discomfiture of their malicious adversaries.

Those three thousand Israelites were not so ill advised, as to come up into the rock unweaponed to apprehend Samson. Samson therefore might have had his choice of swords or spears for his skirmish with the Philistines; yet he leaves all the munition of Israel, and finding the new jaw-bone of an ass, takes that up in his hand, and, with that base instrument of death, sends a thousand Philistines to their place. All the swords and shields of the armed Philistines cannot resist that contemptible engine, which hath now left a thousand bodies as dead as the carcass of that beast whose bone it was. This victory was not in the weapon, was not in the arm; it was in the Spirit of God, which moved the weapon in the arm. O God! if the means be weak, yet thou art strong! Through God we shall do great acts; yea, I can do all things through him that strengtheneth me. Seest thou a poor Christian, which by weak council hath obtained to overcome a temptation? there is the Philistine vanquished with a sorry jaw-bone.

It is no marvel, if he were thus admirably strong and victorious, whose bodily strength God meant to make a type of the spiritual power of Christ. And behold, as the three thousand of Judah stood still gazing, with their weapons in their hands, whilst Samson alone subdued the Philistines; so did men and angels stand looking upon the glorious achievements of the Son of God, who might justly say, "I have trode the wine-press alone."

Both the Samsons complained of thirst The same God, which gave this champion victory, gave him also refreshing; and by the same means. The same bone yields

him both conquest and life, and is, of a weapon of offence, turned into a well of water. He that fetched water out of the flint for Israel, fetches it out of a bone for Samson. What is not possible to the infinite power of that Almighty Creator, that made all things of nothing! He can give Samson honey from the mouth of the lion, and water from the mouth of the ass. Who would not cheerfully depend upon that God, which can fetch moisture out of dryness, and life out of death?

CONTEMPLATION V.-SAMSON'S END.

I CANNOT wonder more at Samson's strength, than his weakness. He, that began to cast away his love upon a wife of the Philistines, goes on to mispend himself upon the harlots of the Philistines: he did not so much overcome the men, as the women overcame him. His affections blinded him first, ere the Philistines could do it would he else, after the effusion of so much of their blood, have suffered his lust to carry him within their walls, as one that cared more for his pleasure than his life? O strange debauchedness and presumption of a Nazarite! The Philistines are up in arms to kill him: he offers himself to their city, to their stews, and dares expose his life to one of their harlots whom he had slaughtered. I would have looked to have seen him betake himself to his stronger rock than that of Etam, and, by his austere devotion, to seek protection of Him of whom he received strength: but now, as if he had forgotten his consecration, I find him turned Philistine for his bed, and of a Nazarite scarce a man. In vain doth he nourish his hair, while he feeds these passions. How easily do vigour of body, and infirmity of mind, lodge under one roof! On the contrary, a weakish outside is a strong motive to mortification. Samson's victories have subdued him, and have made him first a slave to lewd desires, and then to the Philistines. I may safely say, that more vessels miscarry with a fair gale, than with a tempest.

happy for us, if we can arise, ere we be surprised with judgment. Samson had not left his strength in the bed of a harlot, neither had that God, which gave it him. stripped him of it with his clothes, when he laid him down in uncleanness. His mercy uses not to take vantage of our unworthiness, but even, when we cast him off, holds us fast. That bountiful hand leaves us rich of common graces, when we have mispent our better store: likeas our first parents, when they had spoiled them. selves of the image of their Creator, yet were left wealthy of noble faculties of the soul.

I find Samson come off from his sin with safety; he runs away lightly with a heavier weight than the gates of Azzah-the burden of an ill act. Present impunity argues not an abatement of the wickedness of his sin, or of the dislike of God. Nothing is so worthy of pity, as sinners' peace. Good is not therefore good, because it prospers, but because it is commanded. Evil is not evil because it is punished, but because it is forbidden.

If the holy parents of Samson lived to see these outrages of their Nazarite, 1 doubt whether they did not repent them of their joy to hear the news of a son. It is a shame to see how he, that might not drink wine, is drunk with the cup of fornications. His lust carries him from Azzah to the plain of Sorek, and now hath found a Delilah that shall pay him for all his former uncleanness. Sin is steep and slippery; and if after one fall, we have found where to stand, it is the praise, not of our footing, but of the hand of God.

The princes of the Philistines knew already where Samson's weakness lay, though not his strength; and therefore they would entice his harlot by gifts to entice him, by her dalliance, to betray himself. It is no marvel if she, which would be filthy, would be also perfidious. How could Samson choose but think, if lust had not bewitched him, She, whose body is mercenary to me, will easily sell me to others; she will be false, if she will be a harlot : a wide conscience will swallow any sin. Those that have once thralled themselves to a known

but their own loss, or advantage. A liar can steal; a thief can kill; a cruel man can be a traitor; a drunkard can falsify: wickedness, once entertained, can put on any shape. Trust him in nothing, that makes not a conscience of every thing.

Was there ever such another motion made to a reasonable man? • Tell me

wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mayest be bound to do thee hurt." Who would not have spurned such a suitor out of doors? What will not impudency ask, or stupidity receive? He that killed the thousand Philistines for coming to bind him, endures this harlot of the Philistines to consult with himself of binding him; and when, upon the trial of a false answer, he saw so apparent treachery, yet wilfully betrays his life by her to his enemies. All sins, all passions, have power to infatuate a man, but lust most of all. Never man, that had drunk flagons of wine, had less reason than this Nazarite. Many a one loses his life, but this casts it away; not in hatred of himself, but in love to a strumpet. We wonder that a man could possibly be so sottish, and yet we ourselves by temptation become no less insensate. Sinful pleasures, like a common Delilah, lodge in our bosoms; we know they aim at nothing but the death of our soul; we will yield to them, and die. Every willing sinner is a Samson; let us not inveigh against his senselessness, but our own. Nothing is so gross and unreasonable to a well-disposed mind, which temptation will not represent fit and plausible. No soul can, out of his own strength, secure himself from that sin which he most detesteth.

As a hoodwinked man sees some little glimmering of light, but not enough to guide him; so did Samson, who had reason enough left him to make trial of Delilah, by a crafty misinformation; not enough upon that trial, to distrust and hate her; he had not wit enough to deceive her thrice, not enough to keep himself from being deceived by her. It is not so great wisdom to prove them whom we distrust, as it is folly to trust them whom we have found treacherous. Thrice had he seen the Philistines in her chamber, ready to surprise him upon her bonds; and yet will needs be a slave to his traitor. Warning not taken is a certain presage of destruction; and if, once neglected, it receive pardon, yet thrice is desperate.

What man would ever play thus with his own ruin? His harlot binds him, and calls in her executioners to cut his throat; he rises to save his own life, and suffers them to carry away theirs in peace. Where is the courage of Samson? where his zeal? He that killed the Philistines for their clothes, he that slew a thousand of them in the field at once in this quarrel, now suffers them in his chamber unrevenged. Whence is this? His hands were strong, but his heart was effeminate;" his harlot

Whosoever

had diverted his affection. slackens the reins to his sensual appetites shall soon grow unfit for the calling of God. Samson hath broke the green withes, the new ropes, the woof of his hair, and yet still suffers himself fettered with those invisible bonds of a harlot's love; and can endure her to say, "How canst thou say I love thee, when thy heart is not with me? Thou hast mocked me these three times;" whereas he should rather have said unto her, How canst thou challenge any love from me, that hast thus thrice sought mv life? O, canst thou think my mocks a sufficient revenge of this treachery? But, contrarily, he melts at this fire; and by her importunate insinuations, is wrought against himself. Weariness of solicitation hath won some to those actions, which at the first motion they despised; likeas we see some suitors are despatched, not for the equity of the cause, but the trouble of the prosecution; because it is more easy to yield, not more reasonable. It is more safe to keep ourselves out of the noise of suggestions, than to stand upon our power of denial. Who can pity the loss of that strength which was so abused? Who can pity him the loss of his locks, which, after so many warnings, can sleep in the lap of Delilah? It is but just that he should rise up from thence shaven and feeble: not a Nazarite, scarce a man. If his strength had lain in his hair, it had been out of himself; it was not therefore in his locks- it was in his consecration, whereof that hair was a sign. If the razor had come sooner upon his head, he had ceased to be a Nazarite. and the gift of God had at once ceased with the calling of God; not for the want of that excretion, but for want of obedience. If God withdraw his graces, when he is too much provoked, who can complain of his mercy? He that sleeps in sin must look to wake in loss and weakness. Could Samson think, Though I tell her my strength lies in my hair, yet she will not cut it; or though she do cut my hair, yet shall I not lose my strength; that now he rises and shakes himself, in hope of his former vigour? Custom of success makes men confident in their sins, and causes them to mistake an arbitrary tenure for a perpetuity.

His eyes were the first offenders, which betrayed him to lust; and now they are first pulled out, and he is led a blind captive to Azzah, where he was first captivated to his lust. The Azzahites, which lately saw him, not without terror, running lightly away with their gates at midnight, see him now in his own perpetual night,

struggling with his chains; and, that he may not want pain, together with his bondage he must grind in his prison.

As he passed the street, every boy among the Philistines could throw stones at him, every woman could laugh and shout at him; and what one Philistine doth not say, while he lashes him unto blood, There is for my brother, or my kinsman, whom thou slewest? Who can look to run away with a sin, when Samson, a Nazarite, is thus plagued? This great heart could not but have broken with indignation, if it had not pacified itself with the conscience of the just desert of all this vengeance.

It is better for Samson to be blind in prison, than to abuse his eyes in Sorek: yea, I may safely say, he was more blind when he saw licentiously, than now that he sees not; he was a greater slave when he served his affections, than now in grinding for the Philistines. The loss of his eyes shows him his sin; neither could he see how ill he had done, till he saw not.

Even yet, still the God of mercy looked upon the blindness of Samson, and in these fetters enlarged his heart from the worst prison of his sin: his hair grew, together with his repentance, and his strength with his hair. God's merciful humiliations of his own are sometimes so severe, that they seem to differ little from desertions; yet, at the worst, he loves us bleeding; and when we have smarted enough, we shall feel it.

What thankful idolaters were these Philistines! They could not but know that their bribes, and their Delilah, had delivered Samson to them, and yet they sacrifice to their Dagon; and, as those that would be liberal in casting favours upon a senseless idol (of whom they could receive none), they cry out, "Our god hath delivered our enemy into our hands." Where was their Dagon, when a thousand of his clients were slain with an ass's jaw? There was more strength in that bone, than in all the makers of this god; and yet these vain pagans say, "Our god." It is the quality of superstition to misinterpret all events, and to feed itself with the conceit of those favours, which are so far from being done, that their authors never were. Why do not we learn zeal of idolaters? and if they be so forward in acknowledgment of their deliverances to a false deity, how cheerfully should we ascribe ours to the true! O God! whatsoever be the means, thou art the author of all our success. "O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and tell the wonders that he doth for the sons of men!"

No musician would serve for this feast but Samson: he must now be their sport which was once their terror; that he might want no sorrow, scorn is added to his misery: every wit and hand plays upon him. Who is not ready to cast his bone and his jest at such a captive? So as doubtless he wished himself no less deaf than blind, and that his soul might have gone out with his eyes. Oppression is able to make a wise man mad; and the greater the courage is, the more painful the insultation.

Now Samson is punished, shall the Philistines escape? If the judgment of God begin at his own, what shall become of his enemies? This advantage shall Samson make of their tyranny, that now death is no punishment to him: his soul shall fly forth in this bitterness, without pain; and that his dying revenge shall be no less sweet to him, than the liberty of his former life. He could not but feel God mocked through him; and therefore, while they are scoffing, he prays: his seriousness hopes to pay them for all those jests. If he could have been thus earnest with God in his prosperity, the Philistines had wanted this laughing-stock. No devotion is so fervent, as that which arises from extremity; "O Lord God, I pray thee think upon me; O God, I beseech thee, strengthen me at this time only." Though Samson's hair was shorter, yet he knew God's hand was not. As one, therefore, that had yet eyes enough to see him that was invisible, and whose faith was recovered before his strength, he sues to that God, which was a party in this indignity, for power to revenge his wrongs, more than his own. It is zeal that moves him, and not malice. His renewed faith tells him, that he was destined to plague the Philistines; and reason tells him, that his blindness puts him out of the hope of such another opportunity. Knowing, therefore, that this play of the Philistines must end in his death, he re-collects all the forces of his soul and body, that his death may be a punishment, instead of a disport, and that his soul may be more victorious in the parting, than in the animation; and so addresses himself, both to die and kill, as one whose soul shall not feel his own dissolution, while it shall carry so many thousand Philistines with it to the pit. All the acts of Samson are for wonder, not for imitation. So didst thou, O blessed Saviour, our better Samson, conquer in dying; and triumphing upon the chariot of the cross, didst lead captivity captive: the law, sin, death, hell, had never been vanquished