SAMSONS SEVEN LOCKS OF HAIR: Allegorically expounded, and compared to the seven Spiritual Virtues, whereby we are able to overcome our spiritual Philistims. By M. A. SYMSON, Minister of the Euangell at Dalkeith. stylized flower Printed at Sainct-andrewes', by Edward Raban, Printer to the University, 1621. To the right Noble and virtuous Lady, D. MARRY ARESKIN, Lady Keith, Grace, Peace, and Happiness. IT is the accustomable use of this foolish Age (MADAM) to claim Nobility unto itself; drawing the Original thereof from diverse Fountains: some from the descent of their Progenitors, which the Poet scorned; not thinking that to belong to them which they themselves did not achieve: Nam genus, & proavos, & quae non fecimus ipsi Vix ea nostra voco. Others, wiser than these, affirmed that only Virtue did nobilitate; it being a gift of the mind, of more worth than any fleshly prerogative: By which the ancient Romans Lacedæmonians, and Athenians, studied to be famous thorough the world. But what were all these Cardinal Virtues? (though they could have attained unto the perfection of them) but shining sins, (as Saint AUGUSTINE sayeth) without CHRIST. For true Religion only perfecteth Nobility, and maketh men partakers of the Divine Nature, which consisteth in the knowledge of the true God, and his worship, according to his will. This maketh David, who sprang of the base root of jesse, more famous than Nebuchadnezar; & Solomon to be preferred to Cyrus, Alexander, or julius Caesar, even till this day. And again, since God hath trained up your Ladyship under the hand of a blessed Mother, that ye have sucked (with your Milk) the knowledge of the Truth from a Child, and growing in grace with your years, I wish that as your Lad. is borne noble by birth, and by your singular virtues become more noble; so by the sincere profession of the Truth ye may become most noble. Therefore I have presented these Seven golden Locks of Spiritual Virtues to be worn of your L. as Ornaments (of more worth than broidered Gold or precious Pearls) upon the hid man of your heart: which will make you more beautiful in the eyes of jesus Christ, your spiritual Husband, than if ye had all the glory of the world. Your spiritual Philistims, who creep into Noble men's houses, will labour to rob you of your Ornaments: therefore beware of Dalilah, and her enticing speeches; that ye may hold fast the Truth to the end, which ye have by hereditary possession; and I trust shall deliver it to your children. So beseeching God to multiply all the graces of his Spirit upon your Lad. with temporal felicity, and hereafter heap upon you the eternal weight of glory, I rest Your Ladyship's servant A. Symson. TO THE READER. BEcause (good Reader) thou hast so favourably accepted mine other two Looks before, aswell this last of The first seven Days, as likewise the former upon The seven words which Christ spoke on the Cross, even at the accomplishment of our Redemption; therefore I am encouraged to present to thee this third septenary also, of Samsons seven Locks of Hair, mystically expounded of the seven necessary Virtues, without the which none can be true Christians. And if ye read the Fathers, how they allegorise both these & all other parts of the old Testament, ye will not be offended that I handle these Locks by spiritual interpretation. Receive this kindly, I pray thee, and by God's help thou shalt have The seven Psalms of Repentance as soon as possibly I may. Farewell. A. SYMSON. ON THESE LOCKS. Locks, Ornament of Angels, Diadems Which the triumphing Quires above do crown: Rich Curls of Bounty, Pinnions of Renown; Of that immortal Sun immortal Beams. Locks, sacred Locks, no, adamantine Chains; Which do shut up, and firm together bind Both that Contentment which in Life we find, And Bliss which with unbodied Souls remains. Fair Locks, all Locks compared to you (though gold) Are Comets-Locks, portending Harm and Wrath; Or bald Occasions-Locke, that none can hold: Or Abasaloms', which work the Wearers death. If henceforth Beauty my Mind subdue, It shall (dear Locks) be for what shines in you. W. D. judg. chap. xuj. vers. nineteen. And she made him sleep upon her Knees: & she called a man, & made him to shave off the seven Locks of his head: and she began to vex him: and his strength was gone from him, etc. THis History of Samson declareth unto us the infirmity and weakness of God's chiefest Vessels, The infirmity of God's Sancts. whensoever they are left unto themselves: for albeit Samson had both spiritual and natural strength above others, yet when God lest him but a little he lost them both, and became a pitiful prey & spectacle to his enemies, whom before he vanquish. So this History is a faithful Recorder, aswell of the Vices as Virtues of the Sancts, & a perfect mirror wherein every one may behold both the deformity & beauty of his own person. Simil. judg. 4.8. and 8.27. & 11.39. Barac the Captain had his own faintheartednes, Gedeon his Ephod, jephtah his unnatural offering, etc. These things are manifest by the Scriptures, and like Bekons set upon the shore, Simil. to warn us who seem to stand, to take heed lest we fall. Yea, they are the Cicatrices, and marks of their wounds, to remember us to beware of the like snares of Satan. But although our spiritual enemies beguile us, and ensnare us in the grossest sins, yet let us not despare: for there is still mercy with God: Prov. 24.16. & howbeit the Righteous may fall seven times aday, yet he shall rise again. For sure it is, that whom the Lord loveth, he loveth to the end: which we shall easily perceive in this short Treatise hereafter, God willing. For albeit the Lord externally chastise us for our humiliation, yet he taketh not his holy Spirit from us. For when he thought good he renewed his graces in Samson, and as his hair grew, the Lord gave him growth of strength also: so that in his death he became more victorious over God's enemies than in all his life. The grounds of doctrine. FIrst we shall speak, God willing, of the seven Locks of Samsons head, and the mystical interpretation thereof. Next, of the Princes of the Philistims, and the crafty devise to surprise Samson by Dalilah. Th●●●lie, Samsons facility in yielding, and security in sleeping, being overcome by his fleshly affections. Together with the just punishment thereof, in putting out of his eyes, which he abused unto his lust. As also his captivity, and that shameful spectacle which was made of him before the uncircumcised. And finally, we shall entreat of Samsons Triumph, the restitution of his strength, and destruction of God's enemies; representing therein Christ jesus, our true Samson, who by his death gave the greatest foil to our enemies, and led captivity captive. SAMSONS SEVEN LOCKS OF HAIR. THe number of seven in the Scriptures is a Number of perfection; The number of seven. as the seven Days, seven Lamps, seven Angels, seven Viols, etc. So under the seven Locks of SAMSONS Hair, which were the Marks of his NAZAREISME, are signified the perfect Graces of the holy Spirit, which the LORD had bestowed upon him, and thorough which (as long as he kept them) he was more than a Conqueror. For albeit the Gifts of GOD'S holy Spirit be innumerable, and infinite, as He is himself; yet there are some more principal, and most necessary; (sine quibus non) without the which none can perswade-themselues that the Spirit of GOD dwelleth in them, These gifts are absolutely necessary. nor yet that they shall inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. And these Seven are so plaited together, even as SAMSONS LOCKS were, and as the links of a golden Chain, that the one of them cannot be without the rest, and all of them cannot be without one. And these are the Locks which CHRIST praiseth, in the fourth Chapter of the Canticles, at the beginning. THE FIRST LOCK. faith. THe first work which the SPIRIT worketh in a Christian, faith, the Mother of the rest. is FAITH; which is the Root and Grandmother of all the rest; and without the which it is impossible to please GOD: and again, Heb. 11.6. hereby he persuadeth our Consciences, that the Promises of Salvation (contained in the word of GOD) appertain unto us, even through CHRIST JESUS. Therefore, those who are ignorant, and do not know these things, they have not the Spirit: Ignorance lacketh the first Lock. Neither yet those persons who have an Historical Faith, as the Devils have, and do not apply these Promises unto themselves: they have no part (I say) in this Business, neither any fellowship with the Spirit of Grace. For which cause we should most earnestly try ourselves, whether the Spirit of God be in us, (unless we be Reprobates;) and that especially by Faith; to wit, If we know what are the Promises of Salvation; of the remission of our sins; of the resurrection of our bodies; and of Life eternal. For albeit these things are not seen by the eye of natural reason, and although flesh and blood doth not reveal it unto us; yet the Spirit of GOD worketh an assent and consent in our minds, unto the truth of them, and fully persuadeth us thereof. But because many (alace) have a vain opinion of Faith, Three remarkable Notes to try Faith. (and who is he (of what Religion or Sect soever) that doth not boast himself of Faith?) therefore (GOD willing) I shall give you three marks, by the which ye may discern whether this be a natural Lock, growing out of SAMSONS own head; or guilded and coloured, and false Hair, which never grew out of SAMSONS brain. 1. By the grounds of the word. The first mark whereby to distinguish true Faith from that which is counterfeit, is, by the ground thereof: for true Faith groundeth herself only upon the word of GOD, and Canonical Scriptures: for it is the word only which warrandeth the Conscience: My Sheep hear my voice, john 10.4. sayeth our LORD: for if Angels, or men, would speak Oracles unto us, Act. 17.11 or Paul preach unto us, yet with the men of Berea we must search the Scriptures, and try whether he speak according as it is written. And if an Angel should preach a contrary Doctrine, Galat. 1.8. we should count him Anathema. Then we must not build our Faith upon the Decrees of the Church, and believe Fide implicita, The Papists infolden faith. 1 Pet. 3.15 with an enfolded Faith, or rather evill-folded Faith. When the Apostle commandeth us to give a reason of our Faith to every one that asketh it, shall we have none other reason to render, but to wrap ourselves in the Clouts of Ignorance? and say, we believe as the Church believeth? For the men of Samaria answered to the woman of Samaria fare better, saying, Now we believe, not because of thy saying, for we have heard him ourselves, john 4.42 and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world. Neither should our Faith be grounded upon the sand of the Pope's Traditions, his ridiculous Golden Legends, (which the Papists themselves scorn) nor yet upon the ancient Fathers, as Augustine sayeth, Non quid dicit Donatus, aut Augustinus, sed quid dicat DOMINUS: that is, We must not take heed what Augustine (that Divine Doctor) sayeth, neither what Donatus (that damnable Heretic) sayeth; but what the LORD sayeth in his holy Scriptures. And let us hold fast that which the Apostle Saint Peter recommendeth unto us, saying, We have also a more sure word of the Prophets, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, 2. Pet. 1.19 as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the daystar arise in your hearts. For the word of God is able to make that man of God absolute, 2. Tim. 3.17. being made perfect unto all good works. Then true Faith must altogether lean to the Scriptures, which only are sufficient to lead us unto perfection. The next trial of our Faith, is by the certainty thereof, 2. Certainty. Heb. 11.1. which th' Apostle Paul calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, A full persuasion of the certainty of those things which we believe: yea, an Evidence and demonstration of things which are not seen: For whatsoever things we believe, transcend and are above the reach of reason, or are flat contrary to nature, sense, and reason, which flesh and blood cannot persuade us of, (as of the least article of our Faith,) they must be revealed to us by our Father which is above. Now when I speak of the certainty, I mean not the quantity; as though I did affirm, that a weak Faith could debar us; but I crave a true Faith, which persuadeth our consciences of God's favour in Christ, and maketh us say with Saint Paul, I believed, and therefore did I speak: 1. Cor. 4.13 and to say also with the Centurion, Mark 9.24 I believe, Lord, help my Faith. The third mark whereby this true Faith is discerned, 3. Trial of their works. is by the fruits thereof: For it is not like the Fig Tree which was decked only with the green Leaves of an outward show, and yielded no fruit unto the LORD JESUS, Matth. 21.19. who hungered for it: But this true Faith is like the Tree which groweth by the Rivers of waters, Psalm. 1.3. and bringeth forth fruit in due season. This surely very greatly condemneth all these godless Atheists of our time, who brag of an idle Faith, without any care of a good life. THE SECOND LOCK. The love of God. THE Spirit of GOD worketh not so soon Faith in a Christian heart, but likewise as soon he sheddeth abroad also the Love of GOD in his soul: For as the Fire hath these two principal qualities, to wit, Light & Heat; Simil. even so hath the true knowledge of GOD the Love of GOD conjoined therewith. For how can we love the thing which we know not? Yea, the measure of the Love groweth according to the measure of the knowledge: For no man can love the Pearl, Simil. unless he know the validity, virtue, and price of it; and then he esteemeth of it. He that loveth not the LORD JESUS let him be accursed. He asked three times at Peter, job. 21.15 if he loved him? not if he known him; to declare, that the knowledge of GOD, without his love, is unprofitable. Try the love which you bear towards GOD by these five marks: First, Five marks whereby to try our love. 1. Principal. if it be principal: and when ye compare other things (which ye love) with him, try which of them ye love best. He that loveth Father, or Mother, or Wife, or Land, etc. better than me (sayeth our Saviour) is not worthy of me. Matth. 10 37. For he first loved us: yea, he loved us more than all the other creatures, and took our flesh upon him, and died for us: what should we then do for him? But the swinish Gadalenes' of this world love their Swine better than him: Matth. 8.34. these rich Gluttons love their Bellies better than him: and these covetous and earthly minded men love Mammon better than GOD. Next, 2. Sincere. try thy Love by the sincerity thereof, and for what cause thou lovest GOD; whether for his own cause, and the sweetness which is in him; or for some temporal gain and reward that thou lookest for at his hands because thou lovest him: If it be for gain, it is but mercenary, and the love of an hireling: But we ought to love the LORD as a chaste woman doth her Husband: Simil. not for his Riches and Honours, but for love of himself: yea, she counteth it no burden to beg with him. Even so must we love the LORD for himself, & the goodness which is in him: Yea, it is a part of mercenary wages to love GOD for eternal Life: but rather we must love eternal Life for him, that we may be with him; for without him eternal Life were eternal Death. thirdly, 3. The love of GOD'S House. we may try the love of GOD to be true in us, if we find in ourselves that we love GOD himself, and his House. Psa. 116.1 I love the LORD dearly (saith the Prophet David.) And, O LORD, I have loved the Habitation of thine House, Psal. 26.8. and the place where thine Honour dwelleth. And again, Psal. 27.4. One thing have I craved of the LORD, that I will require, That I may dwell in the House of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the Beauty of the LORD, and to visit his Temple. Read the fourscore & eight Psalm, which beginneth, O LORD of Hosts! how amiable are thy Tabernacles! and read it unto the end, and ye shall perceive how well David loved the LORD'S House. Which manifestly argueth, that these ungodly Atheists, and faithless Papists, who refuse GOD'S public House, but at some superstitious times, have no love of GOD in their hearts. Farther, ye shall try the love of GOD which ye have in your heart by the love that you carry towards your Neighbours, 4. The love of the Brethren. the Brethren, and Members of CHRIST: For how can ye love the invisible GOD, the Father, 1. joh. 4.20 whom ye see not, if ye love not his Children whom ye see? David sayeth that he was a Companion unto all them that feared the LORD: Psal. 119.63. as also he hated all those that hated the LORD. And finally, 5. The hatred of sin if ye would try whether ye love the LORD truly, and whether or not ye have the second Lock of Hair on your head, then see how ye are affected towards every sin: Psa. 97.10 For he that loveth the LORD hateth all evil: So that of necessity we must hate all kind of sins, both in ourselves, and in all others. And now by these marks ye may try whether ye have the true love of GOD in your hearts, or not. THE THIRD LOCK. The fear of God. THIS may seem strange, that we must both love and fear GOD; when as the Apostle sayeth, 1 joh. 4, 18 that perfect Love chaseth away Fear. But ye must understand that there is both a slavish fear, and a childish fear: the Slave feareth for pain; the Child out of love feareth to offend: Childish fear. so that the greater love there is, there is also the greater fear to offend him whom thou lovest. But because men may deceive themselves concerning this Fear of GOD, I shall here (God willing) give you a brief Rule, which can very hardly ●ayle: NOTA. Be of aid to offend God in the smallest thoughts. Pro. 28.14 that is, If thou makest conscience, and fearest to offend GOD in the smallest thought of thine heart: For he that is afraid to offend in lesser things, will he not be more loath to offend in greater matters? as is said, Blessed is he that feareth continually. But (alace) we may say with Abraham, that the sear of GOD is not in this place. Genes. 20.11. For if the fear of GOD were in your hearts, it would be a Bridle to restrain you from every evil, although there were neither King, Law, nor justice. But if it be an external Fear which stayeth you from doing evil, than ye lack the third Lock of Samsons Hair. THE FOURTH LOCK. Obedience to God. THIS Obedience to GOD is the first fruit of the former three: for Abraham's faith was known by his obedience, Genes. 12.4 and 22.16 in leaving his native Country, and sacrificing ●is son. If ye love me, joh. 14.21 sayeth CHRIST, keep my Commandments. This Obedience is not only in doing, Obedience active and passive. but also in suffering for him. As CHRIST was obedient to the death of the Cross, so we must learn of him obediently to suffer for his Names sake, whensoever we are called thereunto. 1. Sam. 15.22. This obedience is better than Sacrifice: and disobedience is like the sin of Witchcraft, and Idolatry. But to try thine Obedience, whether it be true, ye shall mark these three things in it. Marks of true obedience. 1. Material points, and substantial. Mat. 15.9 First, let us beware, that in every part of GOD'S worship, which is material, we have a warrant out of his word, or else we worship GOD in vain, following for Doctrine the Traditions of men. If it be circumstantial, as concerning Times, Places, Behaviours, Habits, etc. see that they be not against the material grounds, and that they import no superstition, nor profanity; and than it is obedience. For he that is not against us, is with us. But if they be Idolatrous, Impious, or Scandalous, they ought not to be obeyed, lest we should obey Men rather than GOD. Next, that our obedience be free, and without compulsion: 2. Free obedience. For GOD loveth not coacted service, but a willing Sacrifice. And last, our obedience must be in every thing: 3. Totall. that as the Centurion said of his servantes, I say to one, Go, and be goeth: and to another, Come, and he cometh, Matth. 8.9. etc. so must we, without reasoning with flesh and blood, simply obey GOD'S will in every thing. But because we are not able to perfect either the active or the passive obedience of ourselves, therefore our Saviour CHRIST hath done well for us, who hath perfectly satisfied both the Law and GOD'S justice for our sins, even by his own righteousness. THE FIFTH LOCK. Mortification of our lusts. THIS is the fifth necessary gift of the holy Spirit, of the which th'Apostle saith, Colos. 3.5. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, etc. And again he desireth the Corinthians to keep themselves from all pollution of the flesh. 2. Cor. 7.1 And likewise he willeth the Galatians, not to fulfil the desires of their flesh. Gal. 5.16.17. And this is a continual exercise: for so long as we live here on earth our flesh will still rebel against the Spirit: therefore must we strive continually to beat down the corruptions of our vild and wicked nature. Now the true trial of Mortification is, Trial of Mortification. first if it be universal; lest that ye resist your flesh in one affection, and yield unto it in another. As if ye would refuse Papistry, 1. Universal. and embrace Sacrilege; judg. 15.15. & 16.4 1. Sam. 15.9. fight against the Philistims, and play the Harlot with Dalilah; kill the poor Agagits, and the lean Cattles, tell, and spare the King and his fat Beasts alive. So ye will entertain a sin which is pleasant, and profitable for you, and think to cast off the rest. No, no, make no division, I beseech you, in this slaughter of sin; but cut it wholly down, and pull it up by the roots, that all its branches may perish. Be not only an enemy unto one sin, but unto all; lest that one sin being left alive, and nourished without repentance, it openeth the door unto all the rest. Next, if ye humble your body, and chastise your flesh, without hypocrisy, and desire of vain glory: 2. Without hypocrisy. without superstition, and without any pride, and a vain opinion of merit. For what will thy silly Sufferings, Pilgrimages, Fasting, and Abstinences avail thee before GOD? for He delighteth not in the torture and tormenting of men's flesh; neither doth His Kingdom consist in Meat or Drink: but He requireth of us a perpetual mortification, and sanctification: and not that we should take liberty to sin, under hope of Pardon, and think to acquit ourselves by doing of Penance. But let us continually study to mortify and subdue our vild lusts and affections, purting our whole trust & confidence in the mercies of GOD, and merits of CHRIST our Saviour. THE SIXTH LOCK. Prayer and Praises. THE sixth Lock is PRAYER and PRAISES, which are the life of Religion: for either we lack some things for which we must pray unto God; or have received some, for which we ought to be thankful. So all our life time, that is, every day, every night, yea every hour and moment, we must pray: 1. Thes. 5.17. Pray continually, saith the Apostle. But our Prayer must not only be verbal: for words serve more for men, than for God. Our Prayer must be mental: Prayer mental. Exod. 32.10. as God is a Spirit, and heard Moses cry, although he uttered no words. Let us not bind ourselves unto words, as many do: but as our necessity increaseth, so let us pour out our heart unto God. Reverend in prayer. But above all things let us speak reverently unto God, and consider with what Majesty we have to do: and as he is the most excellent Majesty, so we should dress and compose our speeches, and draw in our wandering affections and cogitations, that our Prayers be not turned into sin, and that he cast not back the dongue of our sacrifices upon our faces: (for the Lord abhors the sacrifices of fools:) lest our Prayer, which is the Key to open the Heavens, become a Bar to shut them upon us. Pray in faith. Let us pray also in faith, persuading ourselves that the Lord heareth us, and will grant us all things which are necessary and expedient for us. Let us pray ardently and earnestly, not fainting in prayer, Luke 18.5. following the importunate widow. Let us not prescribe times unto him, nor grudge against him, limiting the holy One of Israel: No prescription of time. but attend patiently his Majesty's good pleasure: for he is faithful who hath promised. As also, let us praise him cheerfully, and rejoice in him with all Hymns, and Psalms, and Spiritual Songs, with grace in our hearts. THE SEVENTH LOCK. Constancy to the end. ALl these former graces of the Spirit are beginning and accompanying graces; Constancy a finishing grace. but this gift of Constancy is a perfecting grace, crowning all the rest: whereunto the Apostle many times exhorteth the Churches, 2 Tim. 4.10 & complaineth of the back sliding of many, with Demas, who embraced this present world: of whom he spoke weeping, that they were enemies to the Cross of Christ. Phil. 3.18. Our Saviour saith, He that persevereth unto the end shall be saved: Matth. 24 13.29 and it is prophesied, that those who seemed to be stars, shall fall from Heaven. Let us therefore crave of God, Qui dat velle, & perficere, who both giveth us to will, and to perfect; that he may, (after we have suffered a little,) make us perperfect, confirm, 1. Peter 5.10 strengthen, and establish us. The conspiracy of the Princes of the Philistims, against Samson. WE have heard already the extraordinary graces & strength which was in Samson: and now we shall take a view also of the extraordinary temptations of his enemies, whereby they rob and spoil him of the same: by the which we may learn, that the greater gifts of God men have, Greatest gifts, greatest temptations. they shall look for the greater temptations. God hath not given us Armour to roost, or hang or lie beside us; but that we should use them. Therefore let no man brag in his gift: for when it is tried, our weakness will be also tried. Next, the Philistims were not able to withstand Samson by their strength; Satan prevails more by policy than power. but they circumuene him by their policy and crafty dealing. The Devil is both a Lion and a Serpent, yet he prevaileth more by his craftiness than by his cruelty. A Lion is heard when he roareth afar off, and is eschewed: but a Serpent cometh creeping softly, and whistling, and poisoneth us craftily. O the deepness of Satan! beware of him, and of his sleights. Genes. 3.1 He came not to Eva in the shape of a Lion, but of a Serpent. Therefore let us take heed of the crafty temptations of the Devil, lest he deceive us by his subtleties. The first Church grew and increased under the ten bloody Emperors, even whilst the Lions roared, and devoured her members: but when she came to peace under Constantine, Constans, and Constantius, than the Devil poisoned her with the damnable Heresies of Arrius, Pelagius, & Donatus: so that the Church was more miserably rend and consumed by the craft and subtlety of the Devil. We are also to pray to God, to keep us from the policy of Pharaoh, Exod. 1.10 and 14.9. (who saith, Let us deal wisely with the Israelites, and cunningly undermine them) more to be feared in his policies, than when he came after the Israelites with his Horses and Chariots. And the Philistims prevailed more against Samson by the craft of Dalilah, judg. 16.3.18 than by their Ports and Bars in Azza. thirdly, ye see that sin becometh a snare to the sinner. Sin a snare to the sinner. Samson was greatly addicted to his fleshly pleasures, and they brought him to destruction. Harlot's hunt for the precious soul of a man: yea, they are a Pit, Prov. 6.26 and 22.14 wherinto man falleth, and cannot rescue himself. Let us therefore mortify our affections, & give no liberty to our flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof: for the baits of our pleasures seem delectable; but we see not the hook which lieth under them: Prov. 5.3.4 they seem to be Honey in our mouth, but they will be bitter as Wormwood, and sharp as a twoedged Sword. The Allegory of the Princes of the Philistims and Dalilah. THE Princes of the Philistims do vively represent Beelzebub, and the rest of the Princes of darkness; & Dalilah representeth the flesh, their associate, who confederate themselves against all those whom they see marked with the graces of God, & strengthened by his Spirit, to resist and overcome them: for we have not a fight with flesh and blood, but against Spiritual wickednesses, and the Princes of darkness: and therefore, seeing we have to do with so potent enemies, who have so many advantages of us; they being Spiritual, Nota. and we earthly; they in the Air, & we on the Earth; they strong, and we weak; they wise, and we foolish; they many and we few; etc. should we not crave at God, that we might, sight a good Fight? and that he would furnish us with all Armour convenient for that combat; and strengthen us by his grace, that we be not overcome of our enemies? The fittest instrument which the Devil can find out to suppryse a Christian, Our flesh is our Dalilah is his own flesh, and fleshly lusts, which are coupled nearer to him, than Dalilah was to Samson; bred within us, & which we entertain in our bosom; which carry us, or rather miscarry us whithersoever they please. The Philistims known what power Dalilah had over Samson; and the Devil knoweth how we are addicted to our own lusts; and therefore he chooseth them as the fittest instruments to deceive us. Samson overcame the Philistims, and Lust overcame him: Quem non vincit ferrum, Augustine. vincit libido: Lust overcometh him whom the Sword could not overcome. Therefore seeing Satan knoweth us so well, and can find within ourselves our own Dalilah to deceive us, let us take heed that our fleshly lusts have no commandment over us, but that we may lead them captive, to the obedience of Christ jesus. The Argument which the Philistims use to make Dalilah to betray Samson, is taken from commodity or gain. THe five Princes of the Philistims agree with Dalilah for each one eleven hundreth shekels of Silver, Matt. 26.15. which was a great price: & both Christ and joseph were sold for lesser. Gen. 37.28. They knew what hope of gain could work: for if it can blind the eyes of the wise, what will it not work at the hands of an Harlot? for as Harlots are prodigal, so are they also avaricious, and make merchandise both of themselves and of all others for gain. An honest heart is not mercenary. 1, Tim. 6.6 A religious and honest heart is not mercenary, neither can be bought or sold; and it accounteth godliness to be great gain: whereas a slavish & earthly minded man accounteth gain to be godliness, and will not stick to sell Christ, his Religion, his King, his Country, his Conscience, his Soul, his friend, & quid non? for Money. This offer of the Princes of the Philistims embraced by Dalilah, presenteth unto us the price whereby the Devil allureth our sinful nature to consent unto his temptations: for he knoweth what Gain (and the offer of earthly commodities) can do at our hand. He will buy us at a dear rate, to betray our true Samson Christ jesus. He knew the covetous heart of judas, Matth. 26.15.16. and therefore presented unto him thirty pieces of Money to betray his Master. But he knew that Peter nor john could not be seduced thereby. When Peter said to Simon Magus, (who offered him Money to sell the gift of the holy Ghost) Let thy Money perish with thyself; Act. 8.20. so they are not the successors of Simon Peter, (from whom the Roman church affirm to draw their descent,) but of Simon Magus, who either buy or sell holy things. Samsons facility and security. SAMSON being overcome of his lusts, yields so much to Dalilah, that after a threefold dissimulation (whereby he would have seemed to resist the temptations) he gives her three advantages, and his dissimulation openeth a door to his defection; Dissimulation a door to defection where if he had resisted in the beginning, and altogether refused to show her wherein his strength lay, he could not have made such Apostasy, with the loss of the marks of his Nazareïsme & religion. And this policy of Samson, and dissimulation, would seem to be very plausible to flesh and blood, that we should put off time with our enemies, and shoot off one shower by keeping fair words with them; thinking thereby that through tract of time they will be slacker in their suits: by the contrary it falleth out, that yielding to them in one fair word, and going with them in the smallest thing, augmenteth their hop & stirreth them up to be more vehement, to be suiting after farther: As if an house that were besieged would open the first entry to the enemy, Simil. he giveth him advantage to pursue the rest of the building more 〈◊〉. Therefore let us learn of the Apostle S. james to resist the Devil, james 4.7. and he will flee from us, and not to capitulate or parley with the Devil in matters of faith and Religion, or to yield unto him in the smallest thing; lest he suit farther: Ex. 10.26. but with Moses, (when Pharaoh himself sought only the Sheep of the Israelits to remain in Egypt, Moses hoof. ) refuse him any hoof at all. So dangerous a thing it is to yield the smallest point or intch to any person of the world in matters of God's service: lest by yielding in one thing, at last we be brought to yield to all: as we see by the pitiful example of Samson. And when the Devil can obtain thus much at our hands, that we may admit the badges or colours of Antichrist; yea, the smallest Ceremony of that Roman Church; shall we doubt that he will stand there? no, but he will seek farther, and will not be satisfied that we receive his colours, unless we receive himself also, & make shipwreck of our consciences, and deny the Faith. Like as a whoorehunter sending some of his rings, or other love-tokens, to a young woman, Simil. if she accept of them, he persuadeth himself he hath obtained her favour: so if we receive the marks of Antichrist, & take upon us his colours, it shallbe inevitable to refuse himself, but that we shall embrace that doctrine of devils. 1. Tim. 4.1. Wherefore let us resist the beginning of every evil. Samson in his greatest danger became secure, Security. & fell asleep upon the Harlot's knee: and this designeth the fragility of man's nature: yea, the regenerate, that the wicked be more vigilant to perform their devilish devices, than the godly be to escape them. For ye see here Dalilah is waking, while Samson is sleeping: Matth. 26.40.47. so was judas, when the Apostles were fast asleep in the Garden. Next, the security of Samson representeth the dulness of our nature, We are most secure, when we should be most vigi- jonah 1.5. that we are then most secure, when we are in greatest danger. So was jonas in the ship, when the tempest of God's wrath, & the surges of the Sea were pursuing the ship, all were waking, only jonas was asleep, who should have been most vigilant. And so is our Church this day, when Antichrist, and all his confederates and supposts, are triumphing upon the graves of Christians, we are drinking in Bowls, & making merry with Beltaschar. Dan. 5.3.4.30. But out of question, God will waken us, either in his mercy, or in his judgement, out of this dead-sleepe, wherinto Princes, Pastors, and people are lulled over at this present time. The Philistims are upon thee Samson. THe Harlot hath two voices: the first voice when she is tempting him to sin, If thou love me, thou wilt tell me wherein thy great strength standeth. Dalilah hath two voices. But when he hath yielded, her second voice is a voice of destruction, The Philistims are upon thee Samson. So the Devil hath two voices to a sinner: the one when he is alluring & persuading us to sin, than he seemeth to pretend love and kindness, & promiseth us fair things: but when he hath persuaded us to sin, than he terrifieth us with his second voice, and saith, The Philistims are upon thee Samson, and the judgements of God. First he lulleth us asleep, with an hope of God's mercies: but when he hath snared us, he proclaimeth war, & nothing but God's judgements. Therefore let us beware to hear the whistling of the Serpent; lest afterward we hear the roaring of the Lyon. SAMSONS WEAKNESS. HIs weakness is described, that when his enemies came upon him, he conceited with himself, that he had his former strength: but in effect he proved to be as other men. Whereof we may learn two remarkable lessons: first, that the strength we have is only of God; The Lord our strength. & once being left by him to ourselves, we are a ready prey to our spiritual enemies. Then if we cast off our armour, we are naked before an armed man, & our strength is turned to weakness: therefore let us put on our armour, & shake it not off. Next, we see the false confidence of flesh and blood, False confidence in ourselves. that will ascribe to itself strength, wisdom, faith, etc. when it hath nothing in it, but as it were one dreaming of victory in prison. Simil. But when Samson cometh in his enemy's hand, than he feeleth his own weakness, by doleful experience. Let us therefore not presume of our gifts, lest we deceive ourselves in our imaginations, & prove dross, Simil. where we supposed ourselves to be gold: as the Spirit says to the Church, Thou sayest, Apoc. 3.17 I am rich, and lack nothing etc. Samsons fourfold punishment. God winks not at sin. NOw God justly chastises his own servant, with four rods; to let us see, that the Lord will not wink at the faults of his Elect: albeit he will not take his holy Spirit from them, as he did from the house of Saul; but chastise them with the rod of his children, and visit them with his temporal corrections, that they might escape eternal judgements. So did he to David, and the rest of his Saints; and so will he still do to his chosen children for evermore. Now the first punishment which the Lord layeth on Samson, is BLINDNESS. Samsons first punishment. judg. 16.21. And it is the just recompense of God, that wherein man sinneth, therein he is punished. Samsons eyes were full of uncleanness, & they were pulled out of his head. Wherein we sinne, therein shall we be punished. Our eyes are appointed for better uses, to wit, that we may behold God's works, and glorify him therein. But when they are instruments of wantonness, & through which windows we send forth the unclean lusts of a polluted heart, and open them to admit & give entry to wicked allurements of others; then no doubt God may justly punish those members which sinned. We have an example of Adonebezek, judg. 1.7. king of Bezek, who cut off the thombs and toes of LXX. kings, whom he bound in chains under his table, and saith, As I have done to others, God hath done to me. The Allegory holds well of our spiritual enemies, who when they layhold on us, & get us first into their hands, they pull our eyes, that we neither see God, heaven, hell, nor ourselves. But as the Raven first plucketh out the eyes of the Lamb, Simil. Satan first blindeth us, and then killeth us. Isa. 6.9. & then devours the rest of the flesh; so doth Satan first blind us, and then kill us. When God threatened a judgement upon his people, by his Prophets, he said he would smite them with a blindness, yea, a double blindness, that they shall have eyes, and not perceive; surely prognosticating their temporal destruction. This blindness befell the men of Sodom before the fire: Gen. 19.11 Numb. 22.23. and to Balaam (that he saw not the Angel) before the Sword: and to the Aramites, before they came to Samaria. 2. King. 18 6 But David, the servant of God, saw the Angel with a drawn sword, & humbled himself before the lord 2. Sam. 24.17. Therefore let us study to use the light which we have, rightly, that it be not turned into darkness: for if the light that is in us be darkness, how great shall this darkness be? But to apply this doctrine, they are more than blind who see not a double blindness seized upon us, and both our eyes to be blindfolded: Double blindness. for we see pleasures, honours, and wealth, as the great Courteour saw after the siege of Samaria, though he never tasted thereof. 2. King. 7.20. Let us dream to ourselves by offending our God to purchase honours and wealth, but in the morning our hand shallbe empty. Next, we are blind in this, Zach. 5.2. that we see not the flying book of Zacharias, of XX. cubits long, and X. cubits broad, bringing woe to the inhabitants of this miserable Land, for Blasphemy, Sacrilege, Idolatry, Perjury, Witchcraft, Adultery, and Drunkenness, besides innumerable other vices, wherewith this Land is defiled. The Lord open our eyes, that we may see our sins, and behold those letters which are written on the wall, at which Beltaschar trembled: Dan. 5.5. that the scales falling down from our eyes, we may repent, amend, and be saved. Samsons second punishment. judg. 16.21. Samsons second punishment, is HIS BANDS. By which ye see how sin spoileth & robbeth men of liberty, & bringeth them to captivity & slavery: for there is nothing which all creatures wish more after, Sin maketh free men slaves. than Liberty, (so that the Poet called Liberty, The best of all things:) and that Nature abhors nothing more than Bondage. Yet sin makes a man a slave, and deprives him of that liberty which God & Nature gave him. Sin bound the Israelites in Egypt and Babylon: and I greatly fear, that our sins also bring us under slavery both of body and conscience, because we abuse the liberty which we have under our gracious Prince. We may see what it is to abuse the liberty that God giveth us: for it provoketh him to cast bonds on us: as Christ said to Peter, When thou wast young, job. 21.18. thou walked whither thou wouldst: but when thou art old, thou shalt be carried by others. For unto Samsons misery is added the third affliction: for being casten as a slave into prison, he is forced to grind to the Philistims. The abuse of God's patience bringeth correction. Because in his liberty he would not serve God, therefore in his captivity he must serve his enemies: so the Lord is forced to use extremities, and to deal sharply with his best children, if they abuse his patience by the licentiousness of their corrupt nature. Then ye may see, by the bonds and imprisonment of Samson, what are the rewards and recompenses of the flesh, & of such as follow Harlots: they are carried as an Ox to the slaughter, Prov. 7.22. & as fools to the stocks for correction: for God hath many bonds and prisons, wherein he can fasten our feet: bonds of iron, and of sickness, tying us to our beds: he hath prison-houses & wards to keep us fast: Dan. 4.20. he bond Nabuchadnezar with chains of iron: he bond Adonebezek under the table, and Zedekiah, judg. 1.7. 2. King. 25.7. king of judah, was carried bound to Babel, and cast into prison. And have we not seen with our eyes, heard with our cares, & read in histories, that the prison-houses have been so plenished with Noble Persons, Princes, Earls, and lords, (I omit Gentlemen & other Commons, because it is so usual) that they could scarce contain 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 contract that debt, and spend their revenues? was it upon the honourable affairs of their country and king? was it for the provision 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 be that hath brought so great Men to straight wards? And then it is replied, He was take in the prison of a whore's chamber, and she by her prodigal maintenance hath brought him to this prison. Whores bring men to Prison. So Samson being first caught with Dalilah, is afterwards convoyed to the prison of the Philistims, and constrained to grind in their Milns. But let us sarre rather bind & imprison them first, that they bind not us. Better slay them, than they us. But would to God that these external cords, bonds of iron, and prisons of stone, Man is bound with his own sins. jude vers. 6 Matth. 22 13 were the worst. But the eternal God will lay hand upon that wicked and profane man, and bind him hands & feet, with the bonds of his own sin, (which are spiritual bonds) and cast him into everlasting chains, under darkness, to be reserved to the last day; delivering him to the lailor, and the lailor shall cast him into utter darkness: Esay 30.33 into Topheth, which is prepared for the king: the fire whereof is kindled by the breath of Gods own nostrils, as a river 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 delivered into chains of darkness, to be kept in damnation. If ye therefore be not afraid of these earthly prisons, into the which no doubt your sin will bring you, if ye do not repent in time, and namely those sins of adultery & whoredom; yet fear the eternal chains and prison, whose doors shall never open, Nota. neither is there any means to escape them; but ye shallbe sure to lie there perpetually, tormented with the Devil and his angels. judge ye then, I pray you, if ye have not bought so short a pleasure at a dear rate, Samsons third punishment. judg. 16.21. The abuse of liberty brings men to slavery. jer. 2.24. which will cost you everlasting pains. Samsons third punishment is, that be must grind in the Milne. Which letteth us see yet farther how that the abuse of liberty bringeth us to slavery. When we are young in sin, we go where we will, even with the wild Ass, till our month come, when we shall be taken. The Israelites abusing their liberty, became slaves to the Egyptians, Exod. 1.14 Matth. 17.24 1. Sam. 8.12. and made Brick to Pharaoh. They became tributaries to Caesar. Saul took their daughters to be washers, and their sons to run after his Chariots. Let us take heed then, even by the example of others, that wobecome not slaves to sin and our own corruptions, lest sin make us slaves to men, and their affections. Let us grind no longer to the Devil, lest he cause us to grind to our temporal enemies here, and in hell for ever. He will put us to the Galleys, & bind us to row in chains: he will cast us under his table, as a dog, with Adonebezek, when he hath cut off our right thombs and toes. Therefore let us resist Satan in time, and all our filthy lusts, that we be not brought into perpetual slavery both of body and soul. Samfons fourth punishment. judg. 16.25. Now Samsons fourth punishment is OPEN SHAME: wherein we may observe the just recompense of Samson in every thing: his lustful eyes are pulled out: the abuse of his liberty is turned to bonds: his slavery to sin, is turned to the slavery 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 he will dishonour them who dishonour his glorious Name. Samson made God's Name to be evil speken of (as David did) before the Heathen, & slandered his profession: now he is made a public spectacle before the eyes of God's enemies. Let no man think those pure in their profession that cry, The Temple of the Lord, jer. 7.4. the temple of the Lord, if they denle their body, which is the true Temple of God. Fie, and fie again, upon the swinish life of the professors of the evangel of Christ: for the Ethniks (who made more conscience in their honest behaviour) Turks, jews and Papists, shall condemn them: and it shall be easier for them at the Great Day, than to such who brag of their purity in religion, & yet they live in a shameless impurity of life: witnessing to all the world, Titus 1.16. that they confess Christ with their mouth, and deny him in their works: showing themselves to be hypocrites, prepared for utter darkness. But let no man misconstruct the children of God, as though he had casten off those whom he brings to be public examples to the world upon open scaffolds, or such like. For God thereby will proclaim that he will not countenance those sins in his children, God punisheth the sins of his own children here more rigorously than he doth the wickeds. 1. Cor. 4.9. which he will punish in the reprobate; albeit he chastise the one, while he plague the other. Yea, I read in all the Scriptures, that externally God dealeth more rigorously with his own, than with his adversaries. Christ was made a public spectacle to the world: and Paul sayeth, We are made a public gazing stock to man and Angels: but we differ, in that we are made spectacles for our own sins, & he was made a spectacle for us. And if it please God to bring us to be open martyrs, & so spectacles to the world, let us see it be for the Lord's cause, as Samson did: for Causa, non mors, facit martyrem, the cause, not the death, maketh a martyr. Here is the goodness of God, that he might have punished Samson by this shame for his sin, Nota. and yet he turneth it unto his own glory, and maketh him suffer for his cause. Samsons Triumph. IT is true which is spoken by the Spirit, Weeping may be at evening, Psal. 30.5. but joy comes in the morning: and that which our Saviour sayeth, Matt. 5.4. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall receive consolation: for this Tragedy of Samsons life endeth with a joyful plaudite, with the delivery of the Church from her enemies, and his own delivery from sin and shame. But first let us observe, Man's greatest necessity is God's chiefest opportunity. that when Samson is farthest dejected and brought to the last and greatest point of disgrace, than the Lord cometh: and it is his proper time when he worketh, which is contrary to the do of men: for when we see any exalted to the top of their honour, than all men bow their knee to Haman: Hester 3.2 and 5.14 & 6.1. etc. but when the Gallows is set up for Mordicai, & sentence given out against the jews, then cometh the Salvation of God: for when jonas said, jonas 2.4. I am cast out of thy sight, than his eyes were toward his holy place. The necessity of job was the opportunity of God: job 42.10 for being deprived of all worldly comfort, his wife, children, friends, servants, etc. and all had forsaken him, than the Lord cometh, and restoreth him to all things. David found this same proof, and all the Saints in all ages, that in their greatest extremities his strength may be manifested to the world, to the glory of his grace, that flesh & blood should have no place of rejoicing in itself, but give all glory to God; All men forsook me, sayeth the Apostle, 1. Tim. 4.16.17. job. 9.35. But the Lord assisted me. As the borne blind being casten forth of the Synagogue by the pharisees, was found by Christ, so when we are rejected by the world, the Lord shall find us. Therefore let this encourage the Church of God at all times, and all her members; that howsoever the Ship of jesus be tossed with waves all the night, Matth. 14.24.25. yet in the fourth watch the Lord will come, and rebuke the wound and the waves, and make calm the tempests of the Seas, and bring peace to Israel. Next, we see that when the enemies of the Church cry peace, then comes their sudden destruction. The Philistims are triumphing over Samson, & reviling his God, and praising their god Dag●●, judg. 16.24. that dead monster: and in the mean time God bringeth sudden destruction upon them. When the wicked are most secure. then cometh destruction. Matth. 24.38. As in the first world they were eating, and drinking; marrying, and giving in marriage; and the flood came: So when the enemies of the Church are in their greatest joy, than they are singing (with the Swan) their own funeral song. thirdly, we must observe that God restoreth strength to Samson, which he had lost by his own folly: As God casteth down, so in his own time he raiseth up again. wherein the constancy of God is to be seen; that whom God loveth, he loveth to the end. Samsons foolishness could not prejudge God's goodness. So it is certain, that albeit the Lord will hide himself a little from his Saints, and abstract his spiritual gifts from them for a season, aswell to their own sense & 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 shadow of changing. james 1.17 Then let us take heart, even when we seem to be farthest casten down, and that the graces of God are dried up upon us. For the Lord will always be like himself, and immutable. And this is also remarkable, that when the inward graces are restored to the soul, Simil. he recovereth also the strength of his body: for as it is in corporal diseases, when the noble affected parts are cured and purged, than the exterior parts of the body begin to convalesse: That same order God keepeth in our spiritual cure, saying first, Mat. 9.2.5 Thy sins are forgiven thee: and then, Take up thy Bed, and walk. David felt the proof hereof, when he confessed his sins, and saith, And thou tookest away the punishment of my sins. Psa. 32.50 If we first seek spiritual Physic, than we shall find ease in our temporal troubles. So let us labour in all our extremities to seek first spiritual physic, and reconciliation with our God: and then if it please him, he will soon ease us of our temporal troubles. Farther, let us observe that the external seal of his graces and mark of his Nazareisme, which was in Samsons hair, is also restored to him before his death. So that in whatsoever thing sin had made him deficient, now grace makes him sufficient. What sin maketh deficient in us, grace maketh sufficient. So the presence of God by his grace is able to supply all our wants, and losses. As for the pulling down of the house, It may be thought that Samson desperately overthroweth himself, with the Philistims: but it carrieth no reason with it: for first he is reckoned (Heb. 11.32.) in the catalogue of the faithful captains of Israel, Whether Samson died desperately or not. who by saith wrought righteousness, and overcame Kingdoms: which the Spirit of God would not had done, if he had died desperately. Next, God had not restored unto him his graces after his fall, but only to use them to his glory. thirdly, Samson intended nothing but the destruction of God's enemies, albeit with his own loss, whereto he offered himself willingly, being a Magistrate, and having power to give his life for the Salvation of the people. The ancient Romans thought it a great honour, Mori pro Patria, to die for their country, as Samson doth here. Samson a type of Christ. Samson was a figure of Christ, who in his life killed many of our Spiritual enemies; but in his death he pulled down the pillars of Satan's Kingdom, and overcame sin, Hell, and death, that we may cry now, O death, where is thy sting? O Hell, 1. Cor. 15.55. where is thy victory? The application of these seven Locks. Now ye have heard the seven Locks of Samson 〈◊〉 ●●●●gorically the sevenfold grac●● of God's Spir●● bestowed upon his children: which seven Locks, as marks of Christianity, we should try if we have them growing in our hearts. Next, we should learn a caveat by Samsons security & facility. lest we give place to the Devil, and lest he spoil us of our Spiritual graces. thirdly, by his punishments let us remember that God will not spare his dearest children, if they dishonour his Name. And finally, by his recovery we have to praise the goodness of God, who mixeth his mercies with his justice, and forgetteth the sins of the elect, and crowneth them with compassions, to his everlasting glory: to whom be praise and honour for ever and ever. Amen. FINIS.