450

So Dagon fhall be magnify'd, and God,
440
Besides whom is no God, compar'd with Idols,
Difglorify'd, blasphem'd, and had in scorn
By the Idolatrous rout amidst their wine;
Which to have come to pass by means of thee,
Samfon, of all thy fufferings think the heaviest, 445
Of all reproach the moft with fhame that ever
Could have befall'n thee and thy Father's house.
Samf. Father, I do acknowledge and confefs
That I this honour, I this pomp have brought
To Dagon, and advanc'd his praises high
Among the Heathen round; to God have brought
Dishonour, obloquy, and op't the mouths
Of Idolifts, and Atheists; have brought scandal
To Ifrael, diffidence of God, and doubt
In feeble hearts, propenfe enough before
To waver, or fall off and join with Idols;
Which is my chief affliction, shame and forrow,
The anguish of my Soul, that fuffers not
Mine eye to harbour fleep, or thoughts to reft.
This only hope relieves me, that the ftrife
With me hath end; all the conteft is now
'Twixt God and Dagon; Dagon hath presum'd,
Me overthrown, to enter lifts with God,

His Deity comparing and preferring

Before the God of Abraham. He, be fure,
Will not connive, or linger, thus provok'd,
But will arife and his great name affert :
Dagon must stoop, and shall ere long receive
Such a discomfit, as thall quite despoil him

455

460

46.5

Of all these boafted Trophies won on me,
And with confufion blank his Worshippers.

470

Man. With cause this hope relieves thee, and these I as a Prophecy receive; for God,

[words

Nothing more certain, will not long defer
To vindicate the glory of his Name
Against all competition, nor will long
Endure it, doubtful whether God be Lord,
Or Dagon. But for thee what shall be done?
Thou must not in the mean while here forgot
Lye in this miserable loathfom plight
Neglected. I already have made way

To fome Philiftian Lords, with whom to treat
About thy ransom: well they may by this
Have fatisfy'd their utmost of revenge

475

480

By pains and flav'ries, worse than death, inflicted
On thee who now no more canft do them harm. 486
Samf. Spare that proposal, Father, spare the trouble
Of that follicitation; let me here,

As I deferve, pay on my punishment;
And expiate, if poffible, my crime,
Shameful garrulity. To have reveal'd
Secrets of men, the fecrets of a friend,
How heinous had the fact been, how deferving
Contempt and fcorn of all, to be excluded
All friendship, and avoided as a blab,
The mark of fool fet on his front? But I
God's counsel have not kept, his holy fecret
Presumptuously have publish'd, impiously,
Weakly at least, and shamefully: A Sin

490

495

That Gentiles in their Parables condemn
To their abyfs and horrid pains confin'd,

Man. Be penitent and for thy fault contrite,
But act not in thy own affliction, Son;
Repent the fin, but if the punishment
Thou canst avoid, self-preservation bids;
Or th' execution leave to high disposal,
And let another hand, not thine, exact
Thy penal forfeit from thy felf; perhaps
God will relent, and quit thee all his debt;
Who ever more approvés and more accepts
(Beft pleas'd with humble and filial fubmiffion)
Him who imploring mercy fues for life,
Than who felf-rigorous chufes death as due ;
Which argues over-just, and self-displeas'd

505

510

For felf offence, more than for God offended. IS
Reject not then what offer'd means, who knows
But God hath fet before us, to return thee
Home to thy country and his Sacred houfe,
Where thou may'st bring thy, off'rings, to avert
His farther ire, with pray'rs and vows renew'd. szo
Samf. His pardon I implore; but as for life,
To what end should I feek it when in ftrength
All mortals I excell'd, and great in hopes
With youthful courage and magnanimous thoughts
Of birth from Heav'n foretold and high exploits,
Full of divine inftinet, after fome proof

Of Acts indeed heroick, far beyond

The Sons of Anack, famous now and blaz'd,
Fearless of danger, like a petty God

526

530

I walk'd about admir'd of all and dreaded
On hoftile ground, none daring my affront.
Then fwoll'n with pride into the fnare I fell
of fair fallacious looks, venereal trains,
Softn'd with pleasure and voluptuous life;
At length to lay my head and hollow pledge s3s
Of all my ftrength in the lafcivious lap
Of a deceitful Concubine who shore me
Like a tame Weither, all my precious fleece,
Thea turn'd me out ridiculous, defpoil'd,
Shav'n and difarm'd among mine enemies.

549

Chor. Defire of wine and all delicious drinks Which many a famous warrior ovesturns, Thou couldst reprefs, nor did the dancing Ruby" Sparkling, out-pour'd, the flavour or the smell, Or tafte that cheers the hearts of Gods or Men, 545 Allure thee from the cool Crystalline stream.

Samf. Where ever fountain or fresh current flow'de Against the Eastern ray, translucent, pure, With touch atherial of Heav'ns fiery rod

I drank, from the clear milky juice allaying ssa Thirst, and refresht; nor envy'd them the grape Whofe heads that turbulent liquor fills with fumes.

Chor. O madness, to think use of ftrongest wines And strongest drinks our chief support of health, When God with thefe forbidd'n made choice to tear His mighty Champion, ftrong above compare, $56 Whose drink was only from the liquid brook.^

Samf. But what avail'd this temp'rance, not com Eplea Against another object more enticing!

What boots it at one gate to make defence, $60
And at another to let in the Foe
Effeminately vanquish'd? by which means,

Now blind, difheartn'd, fham'd, dishonour'd, quell'd,
To what can I be useful, wherein ferve

My Nation, and the work from Heav'n impos'd, 565
But to fit idle on the Houshold hearth,

A burd'nous drone; to vifitants a gaze,
Or pity'd object, these redundant locks
Robuftious to no purpose cluftring down,

Vain monument of strength; till length of years $70
And fedentary numnefs craze my limbs

To a contemptible old age obfcure.

Here rather let me drudge and earn my bread,
Till virmin or the draff of fervile food
Confume me, and oft invocated death

Haften the welcome end of all my pains.

575

Man. Wilt thou then ferve Philiftians with that gift Which was exprefly giv'n thee to annoy them? Better at home lye Bed-rid, not only idle, Inglorious, unimploy'd, with age out-worn. But God who caus'd a Fountain at thy pray'r From the dry ground to spring, thy thirst t'allay After the brunt of Battel, can as easie

580

Cause light again within thy eyes to spring,
Wherewith to ferve him better than thou haft; 5.85
And I perfuade me fo; why else this strength
Mirac'lous yet remaining in those locks?
His might continues in thee not for naught,
Nor all his wondrous gifts be fruftrate thus.