[ontemplationr. LlB. X. -- 1 da_;.lcd with that which {houldcomfortthem. This is the infirmity of our nature, A to be afihctcd wtth the caufes ofour JOY; robe afiom01cd mth our confirmations· ro concei\e death in that vifionofGod, wherein our lifeand happineifeconfifis. If this bomely fight ofthe Angel did fo confound go<3d c..M.:no.h, what !hall becowe ofrhc enemies of God, when they !hall be broughtbefore the glorious Tribunall ofthe God ofAngels? I marvcll not now,thatthc Angel appeared ~oth times rarhertothewifc of M ,1• noab; her faith was the f\ronger ofthe two. It tals out fometilllcs, that the weaker veifc] is fulJer;and that ofmore precious Jiquor:that wife is no helper,which IS not r,eady ro give fpirirualcomforr to her husband.The reaf?n was good,and trrefragable, ~f t!Je Lord rvere plea(ultoktll J.M,he wouldnot have recetveda hurnt o.fferingfromm. God wil not accept gifts,whcre he intends puni!hmenr,and profe!fcs furred.The fa- B crifice of the wicked,is an.abomination to rheLord. Ifwe can find aifur'lf'Ce ofGods acccptation ofour facrtfices,.ve may be fure he loves our pcrfons.lfl incline rowickedne!fe in my hearr,the Lord will not heare me;but the Lord bath heard me. SA MsoNs <>Marriage. Fa! the Dehverers oflfrad,rhere is none ofwhorn are reported fo maweakneffes, or fo many miracles,as of Samfon. The newes which the told of his conception and education, was not moro firange, C the newes of lusowne choyce ;hebut foes a daughter of the Phi li!Pims, and fals in love; All this fireogth begins in infirmity. 0Qe rl1e Philifiims overcomes that Champion, which was given to ove;cbmc r4e Philiilims: Even he that was dieted with water, found heat'of unfitdefires. As his body was firong, notwithfianding that fare, fo were his paffions; without the ·gift ofcontinency,a low feed may impaire nature, but not inordtnation. To follow · :norhin&but tbe eye in the choice of his wife, was a luftunworrhy of a Nazaritc; :l'hisis comake the fenfe not a Counfcller,but a Tyqn. I' yet was Samfo!J in this very impotcncy,dutiful;He did-not in the prefumption of his firength, ravi!h herforcibly; He did not make up a clandef\ine march without ~onfulting with his parent!, but he makes fure to them for confent; Give m• her to D wife: As one that could be mafier of his mvne act, though not of his paffion; and .as one that had learned foro be a futor,as not to forget nimfelfe tobeafon. Even iA·this deplored fiate of Ifracl,children durfinot pre(umetobe theirmm carvers· how mpcllleffc is this rol~able in a wel-guided and Chrif\ian Common-wealth? Wrofocvcr 1\owdifpofc ofrhemfdveswithout their Parents,they doewilfully unchild rhemfehcs,andchangc narurall affe6hon for violent. It is no marvcll if Mano.sh and his wifewere afioni!hed at this unequal motion of .cheir fon ; Did not the Angel(thought they)rell Hs that this child !hould beconfcc".tcd to God ; >nd mufti£begin his youth in unholywedlock 1 Did nor the Angel :fay,thar our fon l11ould begin to fave Ifracl from thePhilifiims;and is he nowcapti· v,ed in his aff,&ions by a daughter ofthe Philjf\irns ? Shal our deliverance from the E Philifiimsbeginin an alliance 1 Havewe bin fo fcrupuloully carofull,rhat he !hould ·care nounrleancrhing, and !hall we now confcnt to an Heatheni!h match 1 Now thereforc,tliey gra,•ely indcavourro cool this intemperate hear of his pafiion,with good couufcll ; a< thofcwhich well knC\~ the inconveniences ofan unequall yoke; rorruprion inHcligion,ahenarionofaffections,difiraction ofthoughts,connivence at Idoiatry, death of zeale, dangerous underminings, and lafily, an unholy feed : VVho can blame thcm,if theywere unwilling to call a Pl1ili!lim daughter? I wil11 M•no,,b could !peak fo loud,rhatari our Ifraelires might hear him; rs !>ere ne-ver d womtw ltmong tbt r7:ru,gf·ttrr of thy brethren,or amon/1, a! GodS peuple, thAt tf. ·11 ,<oe;i] ~o t.:ke awife oftl-e '":rim m:"]cd Philijlim<! If Religion be any other than a c, nher, ho·.v
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=