SAMSON AGONISTES. 567 Have fatisfy'd their utmoft of revenge By pains and flaveries, worfe than death inflicted 4.8g On thee, who now no more canft do them harm. Sam. Spare that propofal, Father, (pare the trouble Of that folicitation ; let me here, As I deferve, pay on my punament And expiate, if poflible, my crime, Shameful garrulity. To have reveal'd Secrets of men, the fecrets of a friend, How hainous had the faa been, how deferving Contempt, and fcorn of all, to be excluded All friendfhip, and avoided as a blab, 495 The mark of fool fet on his front ? But I God's counfel have not kept, his holy fecret Prefumptuoufly have publifh'd, impioufly, Weakly at leaf}, and lhamefully : a fin That Gentiles in their parables condemn goo To their abyfs and horrid pains confin'd. Man. Be penitent and for thy fault contrite, But act not in thy own afflidion, Son; Repent the fin, but if the punithment Thou canft avoid felf-prefervation bids ; 505 Or th' execution leave to high difpofal, And let another hand, not thine, exalt Thy penal forfeit from thyfelf ; perhaps God will relent, and quit thee all his debt ; Who ever more approves and more accepts gio (Bea pleas'd with humble' and filial fubmiflion) Him who imploring mercy fues for life, Than who felf-rigorous choofes death as due; Which argues over-juft, and felt-difpleas'd For felfoffenfe, more than for God offended. 515 Rejet not then what offer'd means ; who knows But God hath fet before us, to return thee Home to thy country and his tarred houfe, 490 Where
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