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charge. The same hand, that prepared a lion for Samson, hath proportionable matches for every Christian: God never gives strength, but he employs it: Poverty meets one, like an armed man; infamy, like some furious mastiff, comes flying in the face of another; the wild boar out of the forest, or the bloody tiger of persecution, sets upon one; the brawling curs of heretical pravity or contentious neighbourhood, are ready to bait another: and by all these meaner and brutish adversaries, will God fit us for greater conflicts, It is a pledge of our future victory over the spiritual Philistines, if we can say, My soul hath been among lions, Come forth now, thou weak Christian, and behold this preparatory battle of Samson. Dost thou think God deals hardly with thee, in matching thee so hard, and calling thee forth to so many frays? What dost thou but repine at thine own glory? How shouldst thou be victorious without resistance?

If the parents of Samson had now stood behind the hedge and seen this encounter, they would have taken no further care of matching their son with a Philistine; for who, that should see a strong lion ramping upon an unarmed man, would hope for his life and victory? The beast came bristling up his fearful mane, wafting his raised stern; his eyes sparkling with fury, his mouth roaring out knells of his last passage, and breathing death from his nostrils, and now rejoiced at so fair a prey. Surely, if the lion had had no other adversary than he whom he saw, he had not lost his hope; but now he could not see that his Maker was his enemy; The Spirit of the Lord came upon Samson: what is a beast in the hand of the Creator? He, that struck the lions with the awe of Adam, Noah, and Daniel, subdued this rebellious beast to Samson: what marvel is it, if Samson now tore him, as if it had been a young kid? If his bones had been brass, and his skin plates of iron, all had been one. The right-hand of the Lord bringeth mighty things to pass.

If that roaring lion, that goes about continually, seeking whom he may devour, find us alone among the vineyards of the Philistines, where is our hope? Not in our heels; he is swifter than we : not in our weapons; we are naturally unarmed: not in our hands, which are weak and languishing; but in the Spirit of that God, by whom we can do all things: if God fight in us, who can resist us? there is a stronger lion in us, than that against us.

Samson was not more valiant than modest: he made no words of this great exploit, The greatest performers ever make the least noise: he, that works wonders alone, could say, See thou tell no man; whereas those, whose hands are most impotent, are busiest of their tongues. Great talkers shew that they desire only to be thought eminent, whereas the deepest waters are least heard.

But while he concealed this event from others, he pondered it in himself; and when he returned to Timnath, went out of the way to see his dead adversary, and could not but recal to himself his danger and deliverance; "Here the beast met me, thus he fought, thus I slew him." The very dead lion taught Samson thankful

ness: there was more honey in this thought than in the carcass. The mercies of God are ill bestowed upon us, if we cannot step aside to view the monuments of his deliverances: dangers may be at once past, and forgotten. As Samson had not found his honeycomb, if he had not turned aside to see his lion; so we shall lose the comfort of God's benefits, if we do not renew our perils by-meditation.

Lest any thing should befal Samson wherein is not some wonder, his lion doth more amaze him dead than alive: for lo, that carcass is made a hive; and the bitterness of death is turned into the sweetness of honey. The bee, a nice and dainty creature, builds her cells in an unsavoury carcass; the carcass, that promised nothing but strength and annoyance, now offers comfort and refreshing; and, in a sort, pays Samson for the wrong offered, Oh the wonderful goodness of our God, that can change our terrors into pleasure, and can make the greatest evils beneficial ! Is any man, by his humiliation under the hand of God, grown more faithful and conscionable? there is honey out of the lion. Is any man, by his temptation or fall, become more circumspect? there is also honey out of the lion. There is no Samson, to whom every lion doth not yield honey every Christian is the better for his evils; yea, Satan himself, in his exercise of God's children, advantageth them.

Samson doth not disdain these sweets, because he finds them uncleanly laid. His diet was strict, and forbad him any thing that savoured of legal impurity; yet he eats the honeycomb out of the belly of a dead beast: good may not be refused, because the means are accidentally evil: honey is honey still, though in a dead lion. Those are less wise and more scrupulous than Samson, which abhor the graces of God, because they find them in ill vessels: one cares not for the preacher's true doctrine, because his life is evil; another will not take a good receipt from the hand of a physician, because he is given to unlawful studies; a third will not receive a deserved contribution from the hands of a usurer. It is a weak neglect not to take the honey, because we hate the lion. God's children have right to their father's blessings, wheresoever they find them.

The match is now made: Samson, though a Nazarite, hath both a wedding and a feast: God never disliked moderate solemnities in the severest life; and yet this bridal feast was long, the space of seven days. If Samson had matched with the best Israelite, this celebration had been no greater; neither had this, perhaps, been so long, if the custom of the place had not required it. Now I do not hear him plead his Nazaritism, for a colour of singularity: it is both lawful and fit, in things not prohibited, to conform ourselves to the manners and rites of those with whom we live.

That Samson might think it an honour to match with the Philistines, he, whom before the lion found alone, is now accompanied with thirty attendants: they called them companions, but they meant them for spies. The courtesies of the world are hollow and thankless; neither doth it ever purpose so ill, as when it shews

fairest. None are so near to danger, as those whom it entertains with smiles while it frowns, we know what to trust to; but the favours of it are worthy of nothing but fears and suspicion: open defiance is better than false love.

Austerity had not made Samson uncivil: he knows how to enter tain Philistines with a formal familiarity. And that his intellectual parts might be approved answerable to his arms, he will first try masteries of wit, and set their brains on work with harmless thoughts: his riddle shall oppose them, and a deep wager shall bind the solu tion; thirty shirts, and thirty suits of raiment. Neither their loss nor their gain could be much, besides the victory, being divided unto thirty partners; but Samson's must needs be both ways very large, who must give or receive thirty alone. The seven days of the feast are expiring, and yet they, which had been all this while devouring Samson's meat, cannot tell who that cater should be from whence meat should come. In course of nature, the strong feeder takes in meat and sends out filthiness; but, that meat and sweetness should come from a devouring stomach, was beyond their apprehension.

And as fools and dogs use to begin in jest and end in earnest, so did these Philistines; and therefore they force the bride to entice her husband to betray himself. Covetousness and pride have made them impatient of loss; and now they threat to fire her, and her father's house, for recompence of their entertainment, rather than they will lose a small wager to an Israelite. Somewhat of kin to these savage Philistines, are those choleric gamesters, which, if the dice be not their friend, fall out with God, curse (that which is not) fortune, strike their fellows, and are ready to take vengeance upon themselves: those men are unfit for sport, that lose their patience together with their wager.

I do not wonder, that a Philistine woman loved herself and her father's family, more than an Israelitish bridegroom; and if she bestowed tears upon her husband, for the ransom of them. Samson himself taught her this difference; I have not told it my father or my mother, and should I tell it thee? If she had not been as she was, she had neither done this to Samson, nor heard this from him. Matrimonial respects are dearer than natural: it was the law of him that ordained marriage, before ever parents were, that parents should be forsaken for the husband or wife. But now, Israelitish parents are worthy of more entireness, than a wife of the Philistines; and yet, whom the lion could not conquer, the tears of a woman have conquered. Samson never bewrayed infirmity but in uxoriousness. What assurance can there be of him, that hath a Philistine in his bosom? Adam the perfectest man, Samson the strongest man, Solomon the wisest man, were betrayed with the flattery of their helpers. As there is no comfort comparable to a faithful yoke-fellow, so woe be to him who is matched with a Philistine.

It could not but much discontent Samson, to see that his adver saries had ploughed with his heifer, and that upon his own back;

now therefore he pays his wager to their cost. Ascalon, the city of the Philistines, is his wardrobe: he fetches thence thirty suits, lined with the lives of the owners. He might with as much ease have slain these thirty companions, which were the authors of this evil; but his promise forbad him, while he was to clothe their bodies, to unclothe their souls; and that Spirit of God, which stirred him up to revenge, directed him in the choice of the subjects. If we wonder to see thirty throats cut for their suits, we may easily know, that this was but the occasion of that slaughter, whereof the cause was their oppression and tyranny. David slew two hundred Philistines for their fore-skins; but the ground of this act was their hostility. It is just with God, to destine what enemies he pleases to execution. It is not to be expostulated why this man is stricken rather than another, when both are Philistines. Judges xiv.

SAMSON'S VICTORY.

I CAN no more justify Samson, in the leaving of his wife, than in the choosing her: he chose her, because she pleased him; and because she despised him, he left her. Though her fear made her false to him in his riddle, yet she was true to his bed: that weak treachery was worthy of a check, not a desertion. All the passions of Samson were strong, like himself; but, as vehement motions are not lasting, this vehement wind is soon allayed; and he is now returning with a kid, to win her that had offended him, and to renew that feast which ended in her unkindness. Slight occasions may not break the knot of matrimonial love; and if any just offence have slackened it, on either part, it must be fastened again by speedy reconciliation.

Now Samson's father-in-law shews himself a Philistine, the true parent of her that betrayed her husband; for no sooner is the bridegroom departed, than he changes his son. What pretence of friendship soever he made, a true Philistine will soon be weary of an Israelite. Samson hath not so many days' liberty to enjoy his wedding, as he spent in celebrating it. Marriage hath been ever a sacred institution, and who but a Philistine would so easily violate it? One of his thirty companions enjoys his wife, together with his suit; and now laughs to be a partner of that bed, whereon he was an attendant. The good-nature of Samson, having forgotten the first wrong, carried him to a proffer of familiarity, and is repulsed; but with a gentle violence, I had thought thou hadst hated her. Lawful wedlock may not be dissolved by imaginations, but by proofs.

Who shall stay Samson from his own wife? He, that slew the lion in the way of his wooing, and before whom thousands of the Philistines could not stand, yet suffers himself to be resisted by him who was once his father-in-law, without any return of private violence. Great is the force of duty once conceived, even to the most unworthy. This thought, "I was his son," binds the hands

fairest. None are so near to danger, as those whom it with smiles while it frowns, we know what to trust to favours of it are worthy of nothing but fears and suspici defiance is better than false love.

Austerity had not made Samson uncivil: he knows how tain Philistines with a formal familiarity. And that his it parts might be approved answerable to his arms, he will masteries of wit, and set their brains on work with harmless his riddle shall oppose them, and a deep wager shall bin tion; thirty shirts, and thirty suits of raiment. Neither nor their gain could be much, besides the victory, bei unto thirty partners; but Samson's must needs be both large, who must give or receive thirty alone. The sev the feast are expiring, and yet they, which had been al devouring Samson's meat, cannot tell who that eater from whence meat should come. In course of nature, feeder takes in meat and sends out filthiness; but, tha sweetness should come from a devouring stomach, was L apprehension.

And as fools and dogs use to begin in jest and end in did these Philistines; and therefore they force the bri her husband to betray himself. Covetousness and prid them impatient of loss; and now they threat to fire h father's house, for recompence of their entertainment, they will lose a small wager to an Israelite. Somew these savage Philistines, are those choleric gamesters, dice be not their friend, fall out with God, curse (that fortune, strike their fellows, and are ready to take ver themselves: those men are unfit for sport, that lose t together with their wager.

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I do not wonder, that a Philistine woman loved he father's family, more than an Israelitish bridegroom bestowed tears upon her husband, for the ransom of son himself taught her this difference; I have not tol or my mother, and should I tell it thee? If she ha she was, she had neither done this to Samson, nor him. Matrimonial respects are dearer than natural: of him that ordained marriage, before ever parents rents should be forsaken for the husband or wife. elitish parents are worthy of more entireness, that Philistines; and yet, whom the lion could not con of a woman have conquered. Samson never bew but in uxoriousness. What assurance can there t hath a Philistine in his bosom? Adam the perfectes the strongest man, Solomon the wisest man, wer the flattery of their helpers. As there is no com to a faithful yoke-fellow, so woe be to him who is Philistine.

It could not but much discontent Samson, to se saries had ploughed with his heifer, and that upo.

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