The conspiracie of the Princes of the Philistims, against Samson.

WE haue heard alreadie the extraordinarie gra­ces & strength which was in Samson: and now wee shall take a view also of the extra­ordinarie temptations of his enemies, whereby they rob and spoyle him of the same: by the which we may learne, that the greater gifts of God men haue, Greatest gifts, grea­test temp­tations. they shall looke for the greater tempta­tions. God hath not giuen vs Armour to roust, or hing or lie beside vs; but that we should vse them. Therefore let no man brag in his gift: for when it is tried, our weaknesse will be also tried.

Next, the Philistims were not able to withstand Samson by their strength; Satan pre­uailes more by policie than power. but they circumuene him by their policie and craftie dealing. The Deuill is both a Lyon and a Serpent, yet he preuaileth [Page 38]more by his craftinesse than by his crueltie. A Lyon is heard when he roa­reth afarre off, and is eschewed: but a Serpent commeth creeping softlie, and whistling, and poysoneth vs craftily. O the deepnesse of Satan! beware of him, and of his sleights. Genes. 3.1 He came not to Eua in the shape of a Lyon, but of a Serpēt. Therefore let vs take heed of the craf­tie temptations of the Deuill, lest hee deceiue vs by his subtilties. The first Church grew and increased vnder the ten bloodie Emperours, euen whilest the Lyons roared, and deuoured her members: but when she came to peace vnder Constantine, Constans, and Constan­tius, then the Deuill poysoned her with the damnable Heresies of Arrius, Pela­gius, & Donatus: so that the Church was more miserably rent and consumed by the craft and subtiltie of the Deuill.

We are also to pray to God, to keepe vs from the policie of Pharoah, Exod. 1.10 and 14.9. (who saith, Let vs deale wisely with the Israelites, and cunningly vndermine them) more to bee feared in his policies, than when hee came after the Israelites with his Horses [Page 39]and Chariots. And the Philistims pre­uailed more against Samson by the craft of Dalilah, Iudg. 16.3.18 than by their Portes and Barres in Azza.

Thirdlie, ye see that sinne becōmeth a snare to the sinner. Sinne a snare to the sinner. Samson was greatly addicted to his fleshlie pleasures, and they brought him to destruction. Har­lots hunt for the precious soule of a man: yea, they are a Pit, Prov. 6.26 and 22.14 wherinto man falleth, and cannot rescue himselfe. Let vs therefore mortifie our affections, & giue no liberty to our flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof: for the baites of our plea­sures seeme delectable; but wee see not the hook which lieth vnder them: Prov. 5.3.4 they seeme to bee Honey in our mouth, but they will be bitter as Wormwood, and sharpe as a two-edged Sword.

The Allegorie of the Princes of the Philistims and Dalilah.

THE Princes of the Philistims doe viuely represent Beelzebub, and the rest of the Princes of darknesse; & Da­lilah representeth the flesh, their asso­ciate, who confederate themselues a­gainst [Page 40]all those whom they see marked with the graces of God, & strēgthened by his Spirit, to resist and ouercome them: for wee haue not a fight with flesh and blood, but against Spirituall wickednesses, and the Princes of dark­nesse: and therefore, seeing we haue to doe with so potent enemies, who haue so many aduantages of vs; they being Spirituall, Nota. and wee earthlie; they in the Aire, & we on the Earth; they strong, and we weake; they wise, and we foo­lish; they manie and wee fewe; &c. should wee not craue at God, that wee might, sight a good Fight? and that he would furnish vs with all Armour conuenient for that combate; and strenghthen vs by his grace, that wee be not ouercome of our enemies?

The fittest instrument which the Deuill can find out to suppryse a Chri­stian, Our flesh is our Dalilah is his own flesh, and fleshlie lusts, which are coupled nearer to him, than Dalilah was to Samson; bred within vs, & which we intertaine in our bosome; which carrie vs, or rather miscarrie vs whithersoeuer they please. The Phi­listims [Page 41]knewe what power Dalilah had ouer Samson; and the Deuill knoweth how we are addicted to our own lusts; and therefore he chooseth them as the fittest instruments to deceiue vs. Samson ouercame the Philistims, and Lust ouer­came him: Quem non vincit ferrum, Augustine. vincit libido: Lust ouercommeth him whom the Sworde could not ouercome. Therefore seeing Satan knoweth vs so well, and can find within our selues our owne Dalilah to deceiue vs, let vs take heed that our fleshly lusts haue no commandement ouer vs, but that wee may leade them captiue, to the obedi­ence of Christ Iesus.

The Argument which the Philistims vse to make Dalilah to betray Samson, is taken from commodity or gaine.

THe fiue Princes of the Philistims agree with Dalilah for each one eleuen hundreth shekles of Siluer, Matt. 26.15. which was a great price: & both Christ and Ioseph were solde for lesser. Gen. 37.28. They knew what hope of gaine could work: for if it can blinde the eyes of the wise, [Page 42]what will it not worke at the hands of an Harlot? for as Harlots are prodigall, so are they also auaritious, and make merchandize both of themselues and of all others for gaine.

An honest heart is not mercenarie. 1, Tim. 6.6A religious and honest heart is not mercenarie, neither can bee bought or solde; and it accoūteth godlinesse to be great gaine: whereas a slauish & earthly minded man accounteth gaine to bee godlinesse, and will not sticke to sell Christ, his Religiō, his King, his Coun­trey, his Cōscience, his Soule, his friend, & quid non? for Money.

This offer of the Princes of the Phi­listims imbraced by Dalilah, presenteth vnto vs the price whereby the Deuill allureth our sinfull nature to consent vnto his temptations: for he knoweth what Gaine (and the offer of earthlie commodities) can doe at our hand. He will buy vs at a deare rate, to betray our true Samson Christ Iesus. He knew the couetous heart of Iudas, Matth. 26.15.16. and there­fore presented vnto him thirtie pieces of Money to betray his Master. But he knew that Peter nor Iohn could not bee [Page 43]seduced thereby. When Peter said to Si­mon Magus, (who offered him Money to sell the gift of the holie Ghost) Let thy Money perish with thy self; Act. 8.20. so they are not the successors of Simō Peter, (frō whom the Roman church affirme to draw their discent,) but of Simō Magus, who either buy or sell holie thinges.

Samsons facilitie and securitie.

SAMSON being ouercome of his lusts, yeeldeth so much to Dalilah, that after a threefold dissimulation (wherby he would haue seemed to re­sist the temptations) he giues her three aduantages, and his dissimulation ope­neth a doore to his defection; Dissimula­tion a doore to defection where if hee had resisted in the beginning, and altogether refused to show her wherin his strength laye, hee could not haue made such Apostasie, with the losse of the marks of his Nazareïsme & religiō.

And this policie of Samson, and dissimulation, would seeme to be very plausible to flesh and blood, that wee should put off time with our enemies, [Page 44]and shoot off one shoure by keeping fayre wordes with them; thinking thereby that through tract of time they will bee slacker in their sutes: by the contrarie it falleth out, that yeel­ding to them in one faire word, and going with them in the smallest thing, augmenteth their hop & stirreth them vp to be more vehement, to be suting after farther: As if an house that were besiedged would open the first entrie to the enemie, Simil. hee giueth him aduan­tage to persue the rest of the building more [...]. Therefore let vs learne of the Apostle S. Iames to resist the De­uil, Iames 4.7. and he will flee from vs, and not to capitulate or parley with the Deuill in matters of faith and Religion, or to yeeld vnto him in the smallest thing; lest hee sute farther: Ex. 10.26. but with Moses, (when Pharaoh himselfe sought onlie the Sheepe of the Israelits to remaine in Egypt, Moses hoofe.) refuse him any hoofe at all. So dangerous a thing it is to yeeld the smallest point or intch to anie person of the world in matters of Gods ser­uice: lest by yeelding in one thing, at [Page 45]last wee bee brought to yeeld to all: as we see by the pittifull example of Sam­son. And when the Deuill can obtaine thus much at our handes, that we may admit the badges or colours of Anti­christ; yea, the smallest Ceremonie of that Romane Church; shall wee doubt that hee will stand there? no, but hee will seeke farther, and will not be satis­fied that we receiue his colours, vnlesse we receiue himselfe also, & make ship­wracke of our consciences, and denie the Faith. Like as a whoore-hunter sen­ding some of his rings, or other loue-tokens, to a young woman, Simil. if shee ac­cept of them, hee perswadeth himselfe hee hath obtained her fauour: so if wee receiue the marks of Antichrist, & take vpō vs his colours, it shalbe ineuitable to refuse himselfe, but that we shal im­brace that doctrine of deuils. 1. Tim. 4.1. Wherfore let vs resist the beginning of euery euil. Samson in his greatest danger became secure, Securitie. & fell asleepe vpon the Harlots knee: and this designeth the fragility of mans nature: yea, the regenerate, that the wicked bee more vigilant to per­forme [Page 46]their deuilish deuises, than the godlie bee to escape them. For yee see here Dalilah is waking, while Samson is sleeping: Matth. 26.40.47. so was Iudas, when the Apo­stles were fast asleepe in the Garden.

Next, the securitie of Samson repre­senteth the dulnesse of our nature, Wee are most secure, when wee should bee most vigi- Ionah 1.5. that we are then most secure, when wee are in greatest danger. So was Ionas in the ship, when the tempest of Gods wrath, & the surges of the Sea were persuing the ship, all were waking, onelie Ionas was asleep, who should haue bene most vigilant. And so is our Church this day, when Antichrist, and all his confe­derates and suppostes, are triumphing vpon the graues of Christians, we are drinking in Bowles, & making merrie with Beltaschar. Dan. 5.3.4.30. But out of question, God will waken vs, either in his mer­cie, or in his Iudgement, out of this dead-sleepe, wherinto Princes, Pastors, and people are lulled ouer at this pre­sent time.

The Philistims are vpon thee Samson.

THe Harlot hath two voyces: the first voyce when shee is tempting [Page 47]him to sinne, If thou loue mee, thou wilt tell mee wherin thy great strength standeth. Dalilah hath two voyces. But when he hath yeelded, her secōd voyce is a voyce of destruction, The Philistims are vpon thee Samson. So the Deuill hath two voyces to a sinner: the one when hee is alluring & perswading vs to sin, then hee seemeth to pretende loue and kindnesse, & promiseth vs faire things: but when hee hath perswaded vs to sinne, then he terrifieth vs with his se­cond voyce, and saith, The Philistims are vpon thee Samson, and the judgements of God. First he lulleth vs asleepe, with an hope of Gods mercies: but when hee hath snared vs, he proclaimeth warre, & no­thing but Gods judgements. Therfore let vs beware to heare the whistling of the Serpent; lest afterward wee heare the roaring of the Lyon.

SAMSONS WEAKNESSE.

HIs weaknesse is described, that when his enemies came vpō him, he conceated with himself, that he had his former strēgth: but in effect he pro­ued to bee as other men. Whereof wee [Page 48]may learn two remarkable lessons: first, that the strēgth we haue is only of God; The Lord our strēgth. & once being left by him to our selues, we are a ready prey to our spiritual ene­mies. Thē if we cast off our armour, we are naked before an armed man, & our strength is turned to weaknes: therfore let vs put on our armour, & shake it not off. Next, we see the false confidence of flesh and blood, False confi­dence in our selues. that wil ascribe to it selfe strēgth, wisdome, faith, &c. when it hath nothing in it, but as it were one dreaming of victory in prison. Simil. But whē Samson commeth in his enemies hand, then he feeleth his owne weakenes, by dolefull experience. Let vs therfore not presume of our giftes, lest wee deceiue our selues in our imaginations, & proue drosse, Simil. where we supposed our selues to be gold: as y ^e Spirit saies to the Church, Thou sayest, Apoc. 3.17 I am rich, and lacke nothing &c.

Samsons fourefolde punishment.

God winkes not at sinne.NOw God justly chastises his own seruant, with foure rods; to let vs see, that the Lord wil not winke at the faultes of his Elect: albeit hee will not take his holy Spirit frō them, as he did [Page 49]frō the house of Saul; but chastise them with the rod of his children, and visite them with his temporall corrections, that they might escape eternall judge­ments. So did hee to Dauid, and the rest of his Saincts; and so wil he still doe to his chosen children for euermore.

Now the first punishment which the Lord layeth on Samson, is BLINDNES. Samsons first pu­nishment. Iudg. 16.21. And it is the just recompence of God, that wherein man sinneth, therin he is punished. Samsons eyes were full of vn­cleannes, & they were pulled out of his head. Wherin we sinne, therin shall we be punished. Our eyes are apointed for better vses, to wit, that we may beholde Gods workes, and glorifie him therein. But when they are instruments of wanton­nesse, & through which windowes we send foorth the vncleane lusts of a pol­luted heart, and open them to admit & giue entry to wicked allurementes of others; then no doubt God may justlie punish those members which sinned. We haue an exāple of Adonebezek, Iudg. 1.7. king of Bezek, who cut off the thombs and toes of LXX. kings, whom he bound in chains vnder his table, and saith, As I [Page 50]haue done to others, God hath done to me. The Allegorie holds wel of our spiritual ene­mies, who when they layhold on vs, & get vs first into their handes, they pull our eyes, that we neither see God, hea­uen, hell, nor our selues. But as the Ra­uen first plucketh out the eyes of the Lambe, Simil. Satan first blindeth vs, and then killeth vs. Isa. 6.9. & then deuours the rest of the flesh; so doeth Satan first blind vs, and then kill vs. When God threatned a judgement vpō his people, by his Pro­phets, he said he would smite them with a blindnes, yea, a double blindnes, that they shal haue eyes, and not perceiue; surely progno­sticating their temporall destruction. This blindnes befell the men of Sodome before the fire: Gen. 19.11 Numb. 22.23. and to Balaam (that hee saw not the Angel) before the Sword: and to the Aramites, before they came to Samaria. 2. King. 18 6 But David, the seruant of God, saw the Angel with a drawn sword, & humbled himselfe before the Lord. 2. Sam. 24.17. Therefore let vs studie to vse the light which we haue, rightlie, that it bee not turned into darknes: for if the light that is in vs be darknes, how great shal this darknes be? But to apply this doctrine, they are more than blinde who see not a [Page 51]double blindnes seazed vpon vs, and both our eyes to bee blind-folded: Double blindnesse. for we see pleasures, honours, and wealth, as the great Courteour sawe after the siedge of Samaria, though hee neuer ta­sted therof. 2. King. 7.20. Let vs dreame to our selues by offending our God to purchase ho­nours and wealth, but in the morning our hand shalbe emptie. Next, we are blind in this, Zach. 5.2. that we see not the flying booke of Zacharias, of XX. cubits long, and X. cubits broade, bringing woe to the inhabitants of this miserable Land, for Blasphemie, Sacriledge, Idolatrie, Perjurie, Witch-craft, Adulterie, and Drunkennesse, besides innumerable other vices, wherewith this Land is de­filed. The Lord open our eyes, that we may see our sinnes, and beholde those letters which are written on the wall, at which Beltaschar trembled: Dan. 5.5. that the scales falling down from our eyes, wee may repent, amend, and be saued. Samsons second punish­ment. Iudg. 16.21.

Samsons second punishment, is HIS BANDS. By which yee see howe sinne spoyleth & robbeth men of libertie, & bringeth them to captiuitie & slauerie: [Page 52]for there is nothing which al creatures wish more after, Sinne ma­keth free men slaues. than Libertie, (so that the Poet called Libertie, The best of all things:) and that Nature abhors nothing more than Bondage. Yet sinne makes a man a slaue, and depriues him of that liberty which God & Nature gaue him. Sinne bound the Israelites in Aegypt and Babylon: and I greatly feare, that our sinnes also bring vs vnder slauery both of body and conscience, because wee abuse the liberty which we haue vnder our gracious Prince. Wee may see what it is to abuse the liberty that God giueth vs: for it prouoketh him to cast bondes on vs: as Christ saide to Peter, When thou wast young, Iob. 21.18. thou walked whither thou wouldest: but whē thou art old, thou shalt be caried by others. For vnto Samsons mise­ry is added the third afflictiō: for being casten as a slaue into prison, he is forced to grind to the Philistims. The abuse of Gods pa­tience brin­geth corre­ction. Because in his libertie he would not serue God, there­fore in his captiuitie hee must serue his enemies: so the Lord is forced to vse ex­tremities, and to deale sharply with his best children, if they abuse his patience by the licētiousnes of their corrupt na­ture. [Page 53]Then ye may see, by the bonds and imprisonment of Samson, what are the rewardes and recompenses of the flesh, & of such as follow Harlots: they are caried as an Oxe to the slaughter, Prov. 7.22. & as fools to the stocks for correctiō: for God hath many bondes and prisons, wherein he can fasten our feet: bondes of yron, and of sicknes, tying vs to our beds: he hath prison-houses & wardes to keep vs fast: Dan. 4.20. he boūd Nabuchadnezar with chains of yron: he bound Adonebe­zek vnder the table, and Zedekiah, Iudg. 1.7. 2. King. 25.7. king of Iudah, was caried bound to Babel, and cast into prison. And haue we not seene with our eyes, heard with our cares, & read in histories, that the prison-houses haue beene so plenished with Noble Persons, Princes, Earles, and lordes, (I omit Gentlemen & other Commons, because it is so vsuall) that they could scarce containe them? If ye inquire the cause why they are casten into bonds: it is answered, For debt. And next, if it be asked, how did they cōtract that debt, and spend their reuenues? was it vpon the honourable affairs of their country [Page 54]and king? was it for the prouision of their children, to bestow them honou­rably in marriage, or such like? It is an­swered, No forsooth. Then it is deman­ded thirdly, What it can bee that hath brought so great Men to strait wardes? And then it is replied, He was take in the prison of a whoores chamber, and shee by her prodigall maintenance hath brought him to this prison. Whoores bring men to Prison. So Samson being first caught with Dalilah, is afterwardes conuoyed to the prison of the Philistims, and constrained to grind in their Milns. But let vs sarre rather bind & imprison them first, that they bind not vs. Better slay them, than they vs. But would to God that these externall cordes, bondes of yron, and prisons of stone, Man is bound with his owne sinnes. Iude vers. 6 Matth. 22 13 were the worst. But the eternall God will lay hand vpon that wicked and prophane man, and bind him hands & feet, with the bonds of his owne sinne, (which are spiritual bondes) and cast him into euerlasting chaines, vnder darknes, to bee reserued to the last day; deliuering him to the lailor, and the lailor shall cast him into vtter darknes: Esay 30.33 into Topheth, which is prepared for the king: the fire whereof [Page 55]is kindled by the breath of Gods own nostrels, as a riuer of brimstone: Zach. 9.11 which is a pit without water, and the prison of which Peter speaketh, 1. Pet. 2.4. and 3.19. whereinto the Angels were casten, and deliuered into chains of darknes, to bee kept in dam­nation. If ye therefore be not afraide of these earthlie prisons, into the which no doubt your sinne will bring you, if ye doe not repent in time, and namelie those sinnes of adultery & whoordom; yet feare the eternal chains and prison, whose doors shall neuer open, Nota. neither is there any means to escape them; but yee shalbe sure to lie there perpetually, tormented with the Deuill and his an­gels. Iudge yee then, I pray you, if yee haue not bought so short a pleasure at a deare rate, Samsons third pu­nishment. Iudg. 16.21. The abuse of libertie brings men to slauerie. Ier. 2.24. which will cost you euer­lasting paines.

Samsons third punishment is, that bee must grind in the Milne. Which letteth vs see yet farther how that the abuse of li­berty bringeth vs to slauery. When we are young in sinne, wee goe where wee will, euen with the wilde Asse, till our moneth come, when we shall be taken. [Page 56]The Israelites abusing their libertie, be­came slaues to the Aegyptians, Exod. 1.14 Matth. 17.24 1. Sam. 8.12. and made Bricke to Pharoah. They became tribu­taries to Caesar. Saul tooke their daugh­ters to be washers, and their sonnes to run after his Chariots. Let vs take heed then, euen by the example of others, that wobecome not slaues to sinne and our owne corruptions, lest sinne make vs slaues to men, and their affections. Let vs grinde no longer to the Deuill, lest hee cause vs to grinde to our tem­porall enemies here, and in hell for euer. He will put vs to the Galleyes, & binde vs to row in chains: he will cast vs vnder his table, as a dog, with Ado­nebezek, when hee hath cut off our right thombs and toes. Therfore let vs resist Satan in time, and all our filthie lusts, that we be not brought into per­petuall slauerie both of body and soule.

Samfons fourth punish­ment. Iudg. 16.25.Now Samsons fourth punishment is OPEN SHAME: wherein wee may ob­serue the just recompense of Samson in euery thing: his lustfull eyes are pulled out: the abuse of his liberty is turned to bonds: his slauery to sinne, is turned to the slauery of his flesh: & now last, his [Page 57]dishonour to God, God recom­penseth Samson justly in all his punish­ments. 2. Sam. 12.14. turneth to his open shame. For as the Lord will honour them who honour him; so hee will dis­honour them who dishonour his glo­rious Name. Samson made Gods Name to be euil spekē of (as Dauid did) before the Heathen, & slandered his profession: now he is made a publike spectacle be­fore the eyes of Gods enemies. Let no man think those pure in their professiō that cry, The Temple of the Lord, Ier. 7.4. the tēple of the Lord, if they denle their body, which is the true Temple of God. Fie, and fie again, vpon the swinish life of the pro­fessors of the Euangel of Christ: for the Ethniks (who made more conscience in their honest behauiour) Turks, Iewes and Papists, shal condemne them: and it shal bee easier for them at the Great Day, than to such who brag of their puritie in religiō, & yet they liue in a shameles impuritie of life: witnessing to all the worlde, Titus 1.16. that they confesse Christ with their mouth, and denie him in their workes: shewing themselues to be hy­pocrites, prepared for vtter darknesse.

But let no man misconstruct the chil­dren [Page 58]of God, as though hee had casten off those whom he brings to be publik examples to the world vpon open scaf­folds, or such like. For God therby will proclaim that he will not countenance those sinnes in his children, God puni­sheth the sinnes of his owne children here more rigorouslie than hee doeth the wickeds. 1. Cor. 4.9. which hee will punish in the reprobate; albeit hee chastise the one, while hee plague the other. Yea, I reade in all the Scriptures, that externallie God dealeth more ri­gorouslie with his own, than with his aduersaries. Christ was made a publike spectacle to the world: and Paul saieth, Wee are made a publike gazing stocke to man and Angels: but we differ, in that wee are made spectacles for our own sinnes, & hee was made a spectacle for vs. And if it please God to bring vs to bee open martyrs, & so spectacles to the world, let vs see it bee for the Lordes cause, as Samson did: for Causa, non mors, facit marty­rem, the cause, not the death, maketh a martyr. Here is the goodnes of God, that he might haue punished Samson by this shame for his sinne, Nota. and yet he tur­neth it vnto his owne glorie, and ma­keth him suffer for his cause.

Samsons Triumph.

IT is true which is spokē by the Spi­rit, Weeping may be at euening, Psal. 30.5. but joye cōmeth in the morning: and that which our Sauiour saieth, Matt. 5.4. Blessed are they that mourne, for they shall receiue consolation: for this Tragoedie of Samsons life endeth with a joyfull plauditie, with the deli­uerie of the Church from her enemies, and his owne deliuerie from sinne and shame. But first let vs obserue, Mans greatest ne­cessitie is Gods chie­fest oportu­nitie. that when Samson is farthest dejected and brought to the last and greatest point of disgrace, then the Lord commeth: and it is his proper time when hee worketh, which is contrary to the doeings of men: for when wee see anie exalted to the toppe of their honour, then all men bow their knee to Haman: Hester 3.2 and 5.14 & 6.1. &c. but when the Gallows is set vp for Mordicai, & sentence giuen out against the Iewes, then commeth the Saluation of God: for when Ionas said, Ionas 2.4. I am cast out of thy sight, then his eyes were to­ward his holy place. The necessitie of Iob was the oportunitie of God: Iob 42.10 for being depriued of al worldly comfort, [Page 60]his wife, children, friends, seruants, &c. and all had forsaken him, then the Lord commeth, and restoreth him to all things. David found this same proof, and all the Saincts in all ages, that in their greatest extremities his strength may be manifested to the world, to the glorie of his grace, that flesh & blood should haue no place of rejoycing in it selfe, but giue all glorie to God; All men forsooke me, sayeth the Apostle, 1. Tim. 4.16.17. Iob. 9.35. But the Lord assisted me. As the borne blind being casten foorth of the Synagogue by the Pharisies, vvas found by Christ, so vvhen vvee are rejected by the vvorld, the Lord shall find vs. There­fore let this encourage the Church of God at all times, and all her members; that howsoeuer the Ship of Iesus bee tossed vvith vvaues all the night, Matth. 14.24.25. yet in the fourth vvatch the Lord vvill come, and rebuke the vvind and the vvaues, and make calme the tempests of the Seas, and bring peace to Israel. Next, vve see that vvhen the enemies of the Church cry peace, then cōmeth their sudden destructiō. The Philistims are triumphing ouer Samson, & reuiling [Page 61]his God, and praising their god Dag [...], Iudg. 16.24. that dead monster: and in the meane time God bringeth sudden destruction vpon them. When the wicked are most secure. then com­meth de­struction. Matth. 24.38. As in the first vvorld they vvere eating, and drinking; marrying, and giuing in marriage; and the flood came: So vvhen the enemies of the Church are in their greatest joy, then they are singing (vvith the Svvan) their ovvne funerall song. Thirdlie, vve must obserue that God restoreth strength to Samson, vvhich he had lost by his ovvne follie: As God ca­steth down, so in his owne time he raiseth vp againe. vvherein the constancie of God is to bee seene; that vvhom God loueth, he loueth to the ende. Samsons foolishnesse could not prejudge Gods goodnesse. So it is certaine, that albeit the Lord vvil hide himselfe a little from his Sainctes, and abstract his spirituall giftes from them for a season, aswell to their owne sence & feeling, as to the sight of the world; Numb. 23.19. yet it is impossible that God can repent as man, or change his nature, who is immutable, & with him (as th' Apostle saith) there is no shaddow of changing. Iames 1.17 Then let vs take heart, euen when wee seeme to bee farthest casten down, and [Page 62]that the graces of God are dried vp vpon vs. For the Lord will alwayes be like himselfe, and immutable. And this is also remarkable, that whē the inward graces are restored to the soule, Simil. hee re­couereth also the strength of his body: for as it is in corporal diseases, whē the noble affected parts are cured and pur­ged, then the exterior partes of the bo­die begin to conualesse: That same or­der God keepeth in our spirituall cure, saying first, Mat. 9.2.5 Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee: and then, Take vp thy Bed, and walke. Dauid felt the proofe hereof, when he confes­sed his sinnes, and saith, And thou tookest away the punishment of my sinnes. Psa. 32.50 If wee first seeke spiri­tuall Phy­sicke, then wee shall find ease in our tempo­rall trou­bles. So let vs labour in all our extremities to seeke first spirituall physicke, and reconcilia­tion with our God: and then if it please him, hee will soone ease vs of our tem­porall troubles. Farther, let vs obserue that the external seale of his graces and marke of his Nazareisme, which was in Samsons haire, is also restored to him before his death. So that in whatsoeuer thing sinne had made him deficient, now grace makes him sufficient. What sinne maketh de­ficient in vs, grace maketh sufficient. So the presence of God by his grace is able to [Page 63]supplie all our wantes, and losses. As for the pulling down of the house, It may bee thought that Samson despe­ratelie ouerthroweth himselfe, with the Philistims: but it carrieth no reason with it: for first he is reckoned ( Heb. 11.32.) in the catalogue of the faithfull captains of Israel, Whether Samsō died desperatelie or not. who by saith wroght righteousnesse, and ouercame King­domes: which the Spirit of God would not had done, if hee had died despe­ratelie. Next, God had not restored vnto him his graces after his fall, but onlie to vse them to his glorie. Third­lie, Samson intended nothing but the destruction of Gods enemies, albeit with his own losse, whereto he offered himselfe willingly, being a Magistrate, and hauing power to giue his life for the Saluation of the people. The an­cient Romans thought it a great honour, Mori pro Patria, to die for their contrey, as Samson doeth here. Samson a type of Christ. Samson was a figure of Christ, who in his life killed many of our Spirituall enemies; but in his death hee pulled downe the pillars of Satans Kingdome, and ouercame sinne, Hell, and death, that wee may [Page 64]cry nowe, O death, where is thy sting? O Hell, 1. Cor. 15.55. where is thy victorie?

The appli­cation of these seuen Lockes.Nowe yee haue heard the seuen Lockes of Samson [...] [...]gorically the seuenfold grac [...] of Gods Spir [...] bestowed vpon his children: which seuen Locks, as marks of Christianitie, we shold try if we haue them growing in our hearts. Next, we should learn a caueat by Samsons securitie & facilitie. lest wee giue place to the Deuill, and lest hee spoyle vs of our Spirituall gra­ces. Thirdlie, by his punishments let vs remember that God will not spare his dearest children, if they disho­nour his Name. And finallie, by his recouerie wee haue to praise the good­nesse of God, who mixeth his mercies with his Iustice, and forgetteth the sinnes of the elect, and crowneth them with compassions, to his euerlasting glorie: to whom be praise and honour for euer and euer. Amen.