Samsons Seven Locks of Hair Compared to the Seven Spiritual Virtues, Part 7
THE SEVENTH LOCKE. Conſtancie to the ende.
ALl theſe former graces of the Spirit are beginning and accompanying graces;Conſtancie a finiſhing grace. but this gift of Cōſtancie is a perfecting grace, crowning all the reſt: whervnto the Apoſtle manie times exhorteth the Churches,2 Tim. 4.10 & complaineth of the back ſliding of manie, with Demas, who imbraced this preſent world: of whom he ſpake weeping, that they were enemies to the Croſſe of Chriſt.Phil. 3.18. Our Sauiour ſayth, He that perſeuereth vntounto the ende ſhal be ſaued: Matth. 24 13.29and it is propheſied, that thoſe who ſeemed to be ſtars, ſhall fall frō Heauen. Let vsus therefore craue of God, Qui dat velle, & perficere, who both giueth vsus to will, and to perfect; that he may, (after we hauehave ſuffered a little,) make vsus perperfect, confirme,1. Peter 5.10 ſtrengthen, and eſtabliſh vsus.
The conſpiracie of the Princes of the Philiſtims, againſt Samſon.
WE hauehave 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 hauehave,Greateſt gifts, greateſt temptations. they ſhall looke for the greater temptations. God hath not giuen vsus Armour to rouſt, or hing or lie beſide vsus; 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 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 vsus 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 vsus take heed of the craftie temptations of the Deuill, leſt hee deceiue vsus by his ſubtilties. The firſt Church grew and increaſed vnderunder the ten bloodie Emperours, euen whileſt the Lyons roared, and deuoured her members: but when ſhe came to peace vnderunder 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 vsus from the policie of Pharoah, Exod. 1.10 and 14.9.(who ſaith, Let vsus 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 and Chariots. And the Philiſtims preuailed more againſt Samſon by the craft of Dalilah, Iudg. 16.3.18than 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 vsus therefore mortifie our affections, & giuegive 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 vnderunder 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 all thoſe whom they ſee marked with the graces of God, & ſtrēgthened by his Spirit, to reſiſt and ouercome them: for wee hauehave not a fight with fleſh and blood, but againſt Spirituall wickedneſſes, and the Princes of darkneſſe: and therefore, ſeeing we hauehave to doe with ſo potent enemies, who hauehave ſo many aduantages of vsus; 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 vsus with all Armour conuenient for that combate; and ſtrenghthen vsus 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 vsus, & which we intertaine in our boſome; which carrie vsus, or rather miſcarrie vsus whitherſoeuer they pleaſe. The Philiſtims 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 vsus. 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 vsus ſo well, and can find within our ſelues our owne Dalilah to deceiue vsus, let vsus take heed that our fleſhly luſts hauehave no commandement ouer vsus, 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, 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 vntounto vsus the price whereby the Deuill allureth our ſinfull nature to conſent vntounto his temptations: for he knoweth what Gaine (and the offer of earthlie commodities) can doe at our hand. He will buy vsus 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 vntounto him thirtie pieces of Money to betray his Maſter. But he knew that Peter nor Iohn could not bee 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 hauehave 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 hauehave 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, 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 vsus learne of the Apoſtle S. Iames to reſiſt the Deuil,Iames 4.7. and he will flee from vsus, and not to capitulate or parley with the Deuill in matters of faith and Religion, or to yeeld vntounto 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 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 louelove-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 vsus his colours, it ſhalbe ineuitable to refuſe himſelfe, but that we ſhal imbrace that doctrine of deuils.1. Tim. 4.1. Wherfore let vsus reſiſt the beginning of eueryevery euil. Samſon in his greateſt danger became ſecure,Securitie. & fell aſleepe vponupon the Harlots knee: and this deſigneth the fragility of mans nature: yea, the regenerate, that the wicked bee more vigilant to performe 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 hauehave bene moſt vigilant. And ſo is our Church this day, when Antichriſt, and all his confederates and ſuppoſtes, are triumphing vponupon 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 vsus, either in his merciemercy, or in his Iudgement, out of this dead-ſleepe, wherinto Princes, Paſtors, and people are lulled ouer at this preſent time.
The Philistims are vponupon thee Samſon.
THe Harlot hath two voyces: the firſt voyce when ſhee is tempting him to ſinne, If thou louelove 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 vponupon thee Samſon. So the Deuill hath two voyces to a ſinner: the one when hee is alluring & perſwading vsus to ſin, then hee ſeemeth to pretende louelove and kindneſſe, & promiſeth vsus faire things: but when hee hath perſwaded vsus to ſinne, then he terrifieth vsus with his ſecond voyce, and ſaith, The Philistims are vponupon thee Samſon, and the judgements of God. Firſt he lulleth vsus aſleepe, with an hope of Gods mercies: but when hee hath ſnared vsus, he proclaimeth warre, & nothing but Gods judgements. Therfore let vsus 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 may learn two remarkable leſſons: firſt, that the ſtrēgth we hauehave 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 vsus 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 vsus 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 ye Spirit ſaies to the Church, Thou ſayeſt, Apoc. 3.17I 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 vsus 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 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 & giuegive entry to wicked allurementes of others; then no doubt God may juſtlie puniſh thoſe members which ſinned. We hauehave 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 vnderunder his table, and ſaith, As I hauehave done to others, God hath done to me. The Allegorie holds wel of our ſpiritual enemies, who when they layhold on vsus, & get vsus 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 vsus, and then killeth vsus. Iſa. 6.9. & then deuours the reſt of the fleſh; ſo doeth Satan firſt blind vsus, and then kill vsus. 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 hauehave 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 6But David, the ſeruant of God, ſaw the Angel with a drawn ſword, & humbled himſelfe before the Lord.2. Sam. 24.17. Therefore let vsus ſtudie to vſe the light which we hauehave, rightlie, that it bee not turned into darknes: for if the light that is in vsus be darknes, how great ſhal this darknes be? But to apply this doctrine, they are more than blinde who ſee not a double blindnes ſeazed vponupon vsus, 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 vsus 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: 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 vsus vnderunder ſlauery both of body and conſcience, becauſe wee abuſe the liberty which we hauehave vnderunder our gracious Prince. Wee may ſee what it is to abuſe the liberty that God giueth vsus: for it prouoketh him to caſt bondes on vsus: 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 vntounto 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. 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 vsus to our beds: he hath priſon-houſes & wardes to keep vsus faſt:Dan. 4.20. he boūd Nabuchadnezar with chains of yron: he bound Adonebezek vnderunder the table, and Zedekiah, Iudg. 1.7. 2. King. 25.7.king of Iudah, was caried bound to Babel, and caſt into priſon. And hauehave we not ſeene with our eyes, heard with our cares, & read in hiſtories, that the priſon-houſes hauehave 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 vponupon the honourable affairs of their country 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 vsus ſarre rather bind & impriſon them firſt, that they bind not vsus. Better ſlay them, than they vsus. 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 vponupon 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, vnderunder 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 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 hauehave 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 vsus ſee yet farther how that the abuſe of liberty bringeth vsus to ſlauery. When we are young in ſinne, wee goe where wee will, euen with the wilde Aſſe, till our monethmonth come, when we ſhall be taken. 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 vsus take heed then, euen by the example of others, that wobecome not ſlaues to ſinne and our owne corruptions, leſt ſinne make vsus ſlaues to men, and their affections. Let vsus grinde no longer to the Deuill, leſt hee cauſe vsus to grinde to our temporall enemies here, and in hell for euer. He will put vsus to the Galleyes, & binde vsus to row in chains: he will caſt vsus vnderunder his table, as a dog, with Adonebezek, when hee hath cut off our right thombs and toes. Therfore let vsus 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 eueryevery 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 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, vponupon 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 of God, as though hee had caſten off thoſe whom he brings to be publik examples to the world vponupon 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 vsus. And if it pleaſe God to bring vsus to bee open martyrs, & ſo ſpectacles to the world, let vsus 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 hauehave puniſhed Samſon by this ſhame for his ſinne,Nota. and yet he turneth it vntounto 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 vsus 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, 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 hauehave no place of rejoycing in it ſelfe, but giuegive 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 vsus. 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 his God, and praiſing their god Dag…, Iudg. 16.24.that dead monſter: and in the meane time God bringeth ſudden deſtruction vponupon 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, vvhichwhich 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 1.17Then let vsus take heart, euen when wee ſeeme to bee fartheſt caſten down, and that the graces of God are dried vp vponupon vsus. 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. 9.2.5Thy 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 vsus 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 vsus of our temporall troubles. Farther, let vsus 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 vsus, grace maketh ſufficient.So the preſence of God by his grace is able to 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 vntounto 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 giuegive 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 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 hauehave heard the ſeuen Lockes of Samſon … …gorically the ſeuenfold grac… of Gods Spir… beſtowed vponupon his children: which ſeuen Locks, as marks of Chriſtianitie, we ſhold try if we hauehave them growing in our hearts. Next, we ſhould learn a caueat by Samſons ſecuritie & facilitie. leſt wee giuegive place to the Deuill, and leſt hee ſpoyle vsus of our Spirituall graces. Thirdlie, by his puniſhments let vsus remember that God will not ſpare his deareſt children, if they diſhonour his Name. And finallie, by his recouerie wee hauehave 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.
FINIS.
End of the text · Archibald Simson, Samsons Seven Locks of Hair Compared to the Seven Spiritual Virtues (1621)