Samf. Of fuch examples add me to the roul, 290 Me easily indeed mine may neglect, '
But God's propos'd deliverance not fo.
Chor. Juft are the ways of God,
And justifiable to Men;
Unless there be who think not God at all,
If any be, they walk obfcure
For of fuch Doctrine never was there School,
But the heart of the Fool,
And no man therein Doctor but himself.
Yet more there be who doubt his ways not just, As to his own edicts found contradicting, Then give the reins to wandring thought, Regardless of his Glory's diminution; Till by their own perplexities involv'd They ravel more, ftill less refolv'd,
But never find felf-fatisfying solution.
As if they would confine th' interminable,
And tie him to his own prefcript,
Who made our Laws to bind us, not himself,
And hath full right t'exempt
Whom so it pleases him by choice
From National obftriction, without taint
of fin, or legal debt;
For with his own Laws he can beft dispense.
He would not elfe who never wanted means, 315
Mor in refpect of th'enemy juft caufe
To fet his people free,
Have prompted this Heroick Nazarite
Againft his vow of strictest purity,
To feek in marriage that fallacious Bride,
Unclean, unchafte.
Down Reafen then, at least vain reasonings down, Though Reason here aver
That moral verdict quits her of unclean :
Unchafte was subsequent, her stain not his.
But fee here comes thy rev'rend Sire
With careful ftep, Locks white as down,
Old Manoah: advise
Forthwith how thou oughtst to receive him.
Samf. Ay me, another inward grief awak'd 330 With mention of that name renews th' affault. Man. Brethren and men of Dan, for fuch ye feem, Though in this uncouth place; if old refpe&, As I fuppofe, toward your once glory'd friend, My Son now Captive, hither hath inform'd 336 Your younger feet, while mine caft back with age Came lagging after; fay if he be here.
Chor. As fignal new in low dejected fate,
As earft in highest, behold him where he lies.
Man. O miferable change! is this the man, 340
That invincible Samfon, far renown'd
The dread of Ifrael's foes, who with a strength
Equivalent to Angels walk'd their freets,
None offering fight; who single combatant
Duell'd their Armies rank'd in proud array,
Himfelf an Army, now unequal match
To fave himself against a coward arm'd
At one fpears length. O ever failing truff
In mortal ftrength! and oh what not in man
Deceivable and vain? Nay what thing good 350
Pray'd for, but often proves our woe, our bane?
1 pray'd for Children, and thought barrenness
In wedlock a reproach; I gain'd a Son,
Such a Son as all men hail'd me happy ;
Who would be now a Father in my ftead?
O wherefore did God grant me my request,
And as a bleffing with fuch pomp adorn'd?
why are his gifts defirable, to tempt
Our earnest Pray'rs, then giv'n with folemn hand
As Graces, draw a Scorpion's tail behind? 360
For this did th' Angel twice defcend for this
Ordain'd thy nurture holy, as of a Plant;
Select and Sacred, Glorious for a while,
The miracle of men; then in an hour
Enfnar'd, affaulted, overcome, led bound,
Thy Foes derision, Captive, Poor and Blind,
Into a Dungeon thrust, to work with Slaves?
Alas methinks whom God hath chosen once
To worthiest deeds, if he through frailty err,
He should not fo o'erwhelm, and as a thrall
Subject him to fo foul indignities,
Be it but for honours fake of former deeds.
Samf. Appoint not heav'nly difpofition, Father,
Nothing of all these evils hath befall'n me
But justly; I my self have brought them on, 375
Sole Author, I, fole caufe: if ought feem vile,
As vile hath been my folly, who have profan'd
The mystery of God giv'n me under pledge
Of vow, and have betray'd it to a woman,
A Canaanite, my faithless enemy.
This well I knew, nor was at all furpris'd
But warn'd by oft experience; did not she
Of Timna first betray me, and reveal
The fecret wrefted from me in her height
Of Nuptial love profeft, carrying it freight
To them who had corrupted her, my Spies,
And Rivals? In this other was there found
More Faith? who also in her prime of love,
Spoufal embraces, vitiated with Gold,
Though offer'd only, by the scent conceiv'd
Her fpurious firft-born; Treafon against me?
Thrice the affay'd with flatt'ring pray'rs and fighs,
And amorous reproaches to win from me
My capital fecret, in what part my strength
Lay ftor'd,in what part fumm'd,that she might know;
Thrice I deluded her, and turn'd to sport
Her importunity, each time perceiving
How openly, and with what impudence
She purpos'd to betray me, and (which was worse
Than undiffembled hate) with what contempt 400
She thought to make me Traitor to my self;
Yet the fourth time, when mustring all her wiles,
With blandisht parlies, feminine affaults,
Tongue-batteries, the furceas'd not day nor night
To ftorm me over-watch'd, and weary'd out.
At times when men feek moft repofe and reft,
I yielded, and unlock'd her all my heart,
Who with a grain of manhood well refolv'd
Might easily have fhook off all her snares:
But foul effeminacy held me yok'd
Her bond-flave; O indignity, O blot
To Honour and Religion! fervile mind
Rewarded well with fervile punishment!
The bafe degree to which I now am fall'n,
These raggs, this grinding, is not yet so base 415
As was my former servitude, ignoble,
Unmanly, ignominious, infamous,
True flavery, and that blindness worse than this, That faw not how degen'rately I ferv3d.
Man. I cannot praife thy Marriage choices, Son, Rather approv'd them not; but thou didst plead 421 Divine impulfion prompting how thou might'ft Find fome occafion to infeft our Foes.
I ftate not that; this I am fure, our Foes
Found foon occafion thereby to make thee
Their Captive, and their Triumph; thou the fooner
Temptation found'st, or over-potent charms
To violate the facred truft of filence
Depofited within thee; which to have kept
Tacit, was in thy pow'r: true; and thou bear'ft 43
Enough, and more the burthen of that faalt;
Bitterly haft thou paid, and still art paying
That rigid fcore. A worfe thing yet remains,
This day the Philiftins a pop'lar Feaft
Here celebrate in Gaza; and proclaim
Great Pomp, and Sacrifice, and Praises loud
To Dagon, as their God who hath deliver'd
Thee, Samfon, bound and blind into their hands,
Them out of thine, who flew'st them many a flai
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