he expect that the miraculous strength which was taken from him, because it was abused, should now be restored to him? In the heart of this fallen man the love of God had once glowed; in faith he had overcome by his single arm the multitudes of the Philistines; in the purity of the Nazarite, he had learned the beauty of holiness; grace had reigned in his heart; his soul had been nurtured by the history of his fathers, and the divine law; he had enjoyed all that then was known of God. Perhaps he had even enjoyed some especial communications of knowledge; at all events, it is evident that he knew the value of repentance, and understood the efficacy of faith. Degraded as he was, he could believe that God would hear his prayer, and grant him a signal favour. His faith thus regarded is instructive. Living as we do surrounded by temptations, bearing about us as we do a body of flesh, we are never safe. If we had only ourselves to trust to, we could not but fall. The best err continually. Too many, like Samson, commit scandalous

transgressions: but, like Samson, let them not despair. However great may be our sins, we may still find forgiveness with God, if we address ourselves to Him in repentance,—if we trust in his willingness to help us. To us are made known better promises than were known to the ancient Israelites. However low we may have fallen, however degraded we may have become, we may still turn to God in prayer. Though we have defiled the white robe put upon us at our baptism, by unbelief and sin, as he had lost the privileges he enjoyed as a Nazarite, we may still approach the throne of grace, and expect mercy.

That was Samson's happiness. We know not in what state he entered Dagon's temple; but, in all probability, a change had already taken place in his spiritual condition; and it is rational to think that he came there a penitent—at all events, he is a penitent now, And never did he stand

that prayer.

forth more heroic than when he uttered When, in the buoyancy of youth, he tore from his hands the bonds with which he had been manacled by his

coward countrymen, and rushed with a casual weapon on the multitudes of his enemies; when, in the pride of manhood, he showed his contempt for the petty expedients of treachery, by carrying off in triumph the gates of Gaza;-he had less of dignity than when he stood blind, and a prisoner, to be derided by the Philistine lords. For when a blind captive, the very ideal of impotence, trusts to the power of faith and the efficacy of prayer, to obtain the greatest of his victories, we feel the superiority of moral grandeur to the proudest display of merely physical force. That he prayed in faith is evident from his conduct, as well as the result: "And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars, upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left." Such was his conviction, that God would hear his prayer, that he immediately proceeded to act upon it. This is always the best proof we can give of our faith. "And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might;

and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life.”

The conduct of Samson on this remarkable occasion may at first sight appear chargeable with rashness, and may even seem an unwarrantable liberty taken with his life. Perhaps, if we had no other evidence than what we collect from the history, we might hesitate to pronounce upon the state of mind in which he acted, and might even regard his conduct as a desperate act of revenge. But this was not the way in which St. Paul appears to have regarded it. If we form the more favourable opinion of this remarkable man, the circumstances of his death appear an answer to prayer. By that wonderful action he wiped out his shame, and concluded his life in a way worthy of his character. No great action can be achieved without hazard-often not without the last proof of self-devotion. Samson felt that his own death was inevitable. But his case cannot be called one of self-destruction.

We cannot be too cautious in placing ourselves in such circumstances as form a tempting of God's providence: with the light which we enjoy, we can scarcely conceive it possible for us to be placed in circumstances such as those in which Samson died. The instructed Christian will avoid scenes of strife and blood, and will be always more ready to suffer than to punish. But there is nothing which will deter him from duty. If he is called to make his confession, it is not the fear of death which will deter him. The annals of the faith present many a scene which we may well compare in heroism with the death of Samson. The history of Christian enterprise exhibits many an undertaking for the propagation of the truth and the good of souls, in which life was held as cheap as it was in the event which we are now considering. Though we hold life as a gift of God, and may not sport with it at our own pleasure, we are most assuredly called to risk it, or even to give it up, when by the sacrifice we may promote the glory of God, or purchase any obvious