L IB. X. SA M S 0 N S end. • A gainfl his fe_nllefndfe, but our own;Nothing is fo groffe and unreafonablc to a well aifpofcd mmd, wluch tentatwn :VIllnot reprefent lit,and plaufiblc: No foulc can out of his o.vn flrcngth fecurc hlmfclfe from that fin wluch he mofl dercflcth. · As an hood-winck"d man fees fome little glimmeringof light,but n_ot enough to guide him; fodid Samfon,who had·reafon enough left him r_o make tnal of'Dalilah, &y acrafty miC-information; but not enough upon that tnatl, to diflrufl and hate her; he had not wit enoug11 todeceive her tbrice, not enough to keep himfclffrom being deceived by her.It is not fo great wifcdome to prove themwhomwe diflrufl, as irIS foil y to trufl them whomwe have_ fou~d tnecherous : Thrtce had he feen the Philiflims in herchamber,readyro furprtze h1m,upon herbonds; and yetwd ,needs be a llaveto his Traytor. Warning not taken, is acertaine ptefage of dcflruction; B and ifonce negleeted it receive paraon, yet thrice is dcfpcrate. What man would ever play thus with his owne ruine ? His harlot binds ,1\im, ' and cals in her executioners rocut his throat; he rifes to fave his own life, and fuf1 fors them to carry aivay theirs in peace.Whcre is the courageofSamfon?wherc his zeale 1 He that killed tbe Philiflims for their clothes; He that fine a thoufand of them in the field at once;in this quarrell, nOIY fuffers them in his chamberunrevenged. Whence is this 1 His bands were flrong, but his heart was effeminate ; his Jurlot had diverted his atfeGlian. Whofoever llackens the reines to hi• fenfuall appetite, (hall foon grow unlic for the calling ofGod. Samf•n bath broke the green withies, the new ropes:tliewoofe of his haire; and yet £\ill futfers himfelf f<ttered with ~hofe invifible boad~of an harlots love, & can indurt her to fay,Howcanft t!Jou C JAJ I lov1 tlm,.,htn thy heart il not with mdthou haft mockt me theft three timtl : Whereas he iliould rather have faid ubto her,How canfl thou challenge anylove from-me, ·that hafl this thrice fought my life? 0 canfl thou thinke my mocks a fuffici.ut revenge ofthis trechery1 out contrarily,he melts at this lire; andby her importunate infinuations, is wrought againfl himfelfe. Wearinelfe of folicitation hath won fome to thofe aCHons,Nhich at rhe lirll motion tbeydefpi~d;likc as \Ye fee fome furots are difpatcht,not fotthe equity ofthecaufe,but the trouble oftheprofecution, becaufeit is moreea!ietoyeeld,not more reafonable. It is more fafe t.> keep our t clves out ofthe noyfe of fuggeflions, than·to fland bpon our power ofdeniall. Who can piety the lo!feof.that !lrengrhwhich was foabufed? Who can pirry hirn the loffe of his lock•,IYhich after fo many warnings can lleep in the lap of 'D ~- D li/,h? It is but jufl, thar he iliould rife up from thence <haven and feeble; not aNazarite, fcarce a man.lf his llrength had lien in his hairc.it bad been QUt ofhimfelf; it was nor therefore in his locks,it>ns in his confccration,whereofthat haire was a figne. Ifthe razor had come fooneruponhis hcad,hehadceafedtobe a Nazarire. and the gilt of God had at once ceafod,with the-callingofGod; not for the want of that excretion, but for want of obedience. If Cod withdraw his graces, when he is room~ch provoked, whocancomplaineof his mercy 1He thatlleeps in fin, mull looketol_vak_einlofi~andweakneffe. CouldSamfonthink, Though !tell l1er, my llrcngth f1es 10 my haae, yet (he will not cur Jt, or though (he doe cutmy baire, yet ilialll nor lofc my !lrengtl!: tbatnowhe rifesand <hakes himfelfeia hope of his fom1er vigour 1Cufl:ome offucce!f<; makes men confident in their fins, and caufes j 977 li them to mifl:ake an arbittarytenure fora perpetuity. · His eyeswere the firftoffcnders, which betrayed him to lull : and now they ar<: fir£\ pulled our, andhe is led a blind captive to .Azzah, where he was lirfl: cal'tived 1 to his lufl. The .Azzahites,which lately faw him not without rerror,runninghghtly awaywith their sates at midnight, fee him now in his ONO perpetuall nignt {\rugling with l1;s chames :and that bemay not want paine, rogerher with his bondage, he mull grind in his prifon. . As he paRed the !lreet, every boy among the Philiflims could throw fl:ones at lum, every woman could laugh-and <hour at him; andwhat one Philiflim doth not fay,whiles he !allies himunto blood,there is for my brother, ormy kinfman whom thou llewe!l ? Whocan looke to ruone away with a linne, when s~mfin a Nazarite ' Oooo is
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