Lampes seauen Angels seauen Viols c. So vnder the seauen Lockes of SAMSONS Haire which were the Markes of his NAZAREISME are signified the perfect Graces of the holie Spirit which the LORD had bestowed vpon him and thorow which as long as hee kept them hee was more than a Conquerour For albeit the Giftes of GODS holie Spirit bee innumerable and infinit as Hee is himselfe yet there are some more principall and most necessarie sine quibus non without the which none can perswade-themselues that the Spirit of GOD dwelleth in them These gifts are absolutelie necessarie nor yet that they shall inherite the Kingdome of Heauen And these Seauen are so platted together euen as SAMSONS LOCKES were and as the links of a golden Chaine that the one of them cannot bee without the rest and all of them cannot bee without one And these are the Lockes which CHRIST prayseth in the fourth Chapter of the Canticles at the beginning THE FIRST LOCKE FAYTH THe first vvorke which the SPIRIT worketh in a Christian Fayth the Mother of the rest is FAYTH which is the Roote and Grandmother of all the rest and without the which it is impossible to please GOD and againe Heb. 11.6 heereby hee perswadeth our Consciences that the Promises of Salvation contained in the Worde of GOD appertaine vnto vs euen through CHRIST IESVS Therefore those who are ignorant and doe not know these thinges they haue not the Spirit Ignorance lacketh the first Locke Neyther yet those persons who haue an Historicall Fayth as the Deuils haue and doe not applie these Promises vnto themselues they haue no part I say in this Businesse neither anie fellowship with the Spirit of Grace For which cause wee should most earnestlie trie our selues whether the Spirit of God bee in vs vnlesse wee bee Reprobates and that especiallie by Fayth to wit If wee knowe what are the Promises of Salvation of the remission of our sinnes of the resurrection of our bodies and of Life eternall For albeit these thinges are not seene by the eye of naturall reason and although flesh and blood doeth not reveale it vnto vs yet the Spirit of GOD worketh an assent and consent in our mindes vnto the trueth of them and fullie perswadeth vs thereof But because manie alace haue a vaine opinion of Fayth Three remarkable Notes to trie Fayth and who is hee of what Religion or Sect soever that doth not boast himselfe of Faith therefore GOD willing I shall giue you three marks by the which ye may discerne whether this bee a naturall Locke growing out of SAMSONS owne head or guilded and coloured and false Haire which neuer grew out of SAMSONS braine 1. By the groundes of the word The first marke whereby to distinguish true Fayth from that which is counterfet is by the ground thereof for true Fayth groundeth her selfe onlie vpon the word of GOD and Canonicall Scriptures for it is the word onelie which warrandeth the Conscience My Sheepe heare my voyce Iohn 10.4 sayeth our LORD for if Angels or men would speake Oracles vnto vs Act. 17.11 or Paul preach vnto vs yet with the men of Berea wee must search the Scriptures and trie whether hee speake according as it is written And if an Angel should preach a contrarie Doctrine Galat. 1.8 we should count him Anathema Then wee must not build our Fayth vpon the Decrees of the Church and belieue Fide implicita The Papistes infoldē faith 1 Pet. 3.15 with an in-folded Fayth or rather euill-folded Fayth When the Apostle commandeth vs to giue a reason of our Fayth to euerie one that asketh it shall wee haue none other reason to render but to wrap our selues in the Clouts of Ignorance and say wee belieue as the Church belieueth For the men of Samaria answered to the woman of Samaria farre better saying Now wee belieue not because of thy saying for wee haue heard him our selues Iohn 4.42 and know that this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the worlde Neyther should our Fayth bee grounded vpon the sand of the Popes Traditions his ridiculous Golden Legends which the Papists themselues scorne nor yet vpon the ancient Fathers as Augustine sayeth Non quid dicit Donatus aut Augustinus sed quid dicat DOMINVS that is Wee must not take heede what Augustine that Divine Doctor sayeth neither what Donatus that damnable Hereticke sayeth but what the LORD sayeth in his holie Scriptures And let vs holde fast that which the Apostle Sainct Peter recommendeth vnto vs saying We haue also a more sure word of the Prophets whereunto ye doe well that yee take heede 2. Pet. 1.19 as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place vntill the day dawne and the day-starre arise in your hearts For the worde of God is able to make that man of God absolute 2. Tim. 3.17 being made perfect vnto al good works Then true Fayth must altogether leane to the Scriptures which onelie are sufficient to leade vs vnto perfection The next triall of our Fayth is by the certaintie therof 2. Certaintie Heb. 11.1 which th' Apostle Paul calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is A full perswasion of the certaintie of those thinges which wee belieue yea an Euidence and demonstration of thinges which are not seene For whatsoeuer thinges wee belieue transcende and are aboue the reach of reason or are flat contrarie to nature sense and reason which flesh and blood cannot perswade vs of as of the least article of our Faith they must be reuealed to vs by our Father which is aboue Now when I speak of the certaintie I meane not the quantitie as though I did affirme that a weake Faith could debarre vs but I craue a true Fayth which perswadeth our consciences of Gods fauour in Christ and maketh vs say with Sainct Paul I believed and therefore did I speake 1. Cor. 4.13 and to say also with the Centurion Mark 9.24 I belieue Lord helpe my Fayth The third marke whereby this true Fayth is discerned 3. Triall of their works is by the fruits therof For it is not like the Figge Tree which was decked onelie with the greene Leaues of an outwarde show and yeelded no fruite vnto the LORD IESVS Matth. 21.19 who hungered for it But this true Fayth is like the Tree which groweth by the Rivers of waters Psalm 1.3 and bringeth foorth fruite in due season This surelie verie greatlie condemneth all these godlesse Atheistes of our time who brag of an ydle Fayth without anie care of a good life THE SECOND LOCKE The loue of God THE Spirit of GOD worketh not so soone Fayth in a Christian heart but likewise as soone hee sheddeth abroad also the Loue of GOD in his soule For as the Fire hath these two principall qualities to wit Light Heate Simil. euen so hath the true knowledge of GOD the Loue of GOD conjoyned therewith For how
SAMSONS SEAVEN LOCKES OF HAIRE Allegorically expounded and compared to the seauen Spirituall Vertues whereby we are able to ouercome our spirituall Philistims By M. A. SYMSON Minister of the Euangell at Dalkeith Printed at Sainct-Andrewes by Edward Raban Printer to the Vniversitie 1621. To the right Noble and vertuous Ladie D. MARIE ARESKIN Ladie Keith Grace Peace and Happinesse IT is the accustomable vse of this foolish Age MADAME to claime Nobilitie vnto it selfe drawing the Originall therof froÌ„ diuers Fountains some froÌ„ the discent of their Progenitors which the Poët scorned not thinking that to belong to them which they themselues did not atchieue Nam genus proavos quae noÌ„ fecimus ipsi Vix ea nostra voco Others wiser than these affirmed that onlie Vertue did nobilitate it beeing a gift of the minde of more worth than anie fleshlie prerogatiue By which the ancient Romanes Lacedemonians and Athenians studied to be famous thorow the world But what were all these Cardinall Vertues though they could haue attained vnto the perfection of them but shining sinnes as Sainct AVGVSTINE sayeth without CHRIST For true Religion onlie perfecteth Nobilitie and maketh men partakers of the Diuine Nature which consisteth in the knowledge of the true God and his worship according to his will This maketh Dauid who sprang of the base root of Iesse more famous than Nebuchadnezar Salomon to be preferred to Cyrus Alexander or Iulius Caesar euen till this day And again since God hath trained vp your Ladiship vnder the hand of a blessed Mother that yee haue sucked with your Milke the knowledge of the Trueth froÌ„ a Child and growing in grace with your years I wish that as your Lad. is borne noble by birth and by your singular vertues become more noble so by the sincere profession of the Trueth yee may become most noble Therfore I haue presented these Seauen golden Lockes of Spirituall Vertues to be worne of your L. as Ornamentes of more worth than brodered Gold or precious Pearls vpon the hid man of your heart which will make you more beautifull in the eyes of Iesus Christ your spiritual Husband than if ye had all the glory of the worlde Your spirituall Philistims who creepe into Noble mens houses wil labour to rob you of your Ornamentes therefore beware of Dalilah and her entising speaches that yee may holde fast the Trueth to the ende which ye haue by hereditarie possession and I trust shall deliuer it to your children So beseeching God to multiplie all the graces of his Spirit vpon your Lad. with temporall felicitie and hereafter heape vpon you the eternall weight of glorie I rest Your Ladiships seruant A. Symson TO THE READER BEcause good Reader thou hast so fauourably accepted mine other two Lookes before aswell this last of The first seauen Dayes as likewise the former vpon The seauen words which Christ spake on the Crosse euen at the accomplishment of our RedemptioÌ„ therfore I am encouraged to preseÌ„t to thee this third Septenarie also of Samsons seauen Lockes of Haire mystically expounded of the seauen necessary Vertues without the which none can be true Christians And if ye reade the Fathers how they allegorize both these all other parts of the old TestameÌ„t yee will not bee offended that I handle these Lockes by spirituall interpretation Receiue this kindly I pray thee and by Gods helpe thou shalt haue The seauen Psalmes of Repentance as soone as possiblie I may Fare-well A. SYMSON ON THESE LOCKES LOckes Ornament of Angels Diadems Which the triumphing Quires aboue doe crowne Rich Curles of Bountie Pinnions of Renowne Of that immortall Sunne immortall Beames Lockes sacred Lockes no adamantine Chaines Which doe shut vp and firme together binde Both that Contentment which in Life wee finde And Blisse which with vnbodied Soules remaines Faire Locks all Locks compar'd to you though gold Are Comets-Locks portending Harme and Wrath Or bauld Occasions-Locke that none can holde Or Abasaloms which worke the Wearers death If hencefoorth Beautie e're my Minde subdue It shall deare Locks be for what shines in you W. D. Iudg. chap. xvi vers xix And shee made him sleepe vpon her Knees she called a man made him to shaue off the seauen Lockes of his head and shee began to vexe him and his strength was gone from him c. THis History of Samson declareth vnto vs the infirmitie and weaknesse of Gods chiefest Vessels The infirmitie of Gods Sancts whensoever they are left vnto themselues for albeit Samson had both spirituall and naturall strength aboue others yet when God lest him but a little hee lost them both and became a pitifull prey spectacle to his enemies whome before hee vanquishe So this Historie is a faithfull Recorder aswell of the Vices as Vertues of the Sancts a perfect mirrour wherin euery one may behold both the deformity beauty of his own person Simil. Iudg. 4.8 and 8.27 11.39 Barac the Captain had his own faintheartednes Gedeon his Ephod Iephtah his vnnaturall offering c. These things are manifest by the Scriptures and like Bekons set vpon the shore Simil. to warne vs who seeme to stand to take heede lest wee fall Yea they are the Cicatrices and marks of their woundes to remember vs to beware of the like snares of Satan But although our spirituall enemies beguile vs and ensnare vs in the grossest sinnes yet let vs not despare for there is still mercy with God Prov. 24.16 howbeit the Righteous may fall seven times aday yet hee shall rise againe For sure it is that whom the Lord loveth hee loveth to the ende which we shall easily perceiue in this short Treatise hereafter God willing For albeit the Lord externally chastise vs for our humiliation yet he taketh not his holy Spirit froÌ„ vs. For when he thought good he renewed his graces in Samson and as his haire grew the Lord gaue him growth of strength also so that in his death hee became more victorious ouer Gods enemies than in all his life The grounds of doctrine FIrst wee shall speak God willing of the seauen Lockes of Samsons head and the mysticall interpretation thereof Next of the Princes of the Philistims and the craftie deuise to supprise Samson by Dalilah Thâ—â—â—lie Samsons facilitie in yeelding and securitie in sleeping being ouercome by his fleshlie affections Together with the just punishment thereof in putting out of his eyes which hee abused vnto his lust As also his captiuitie and that shamefull spectacle which was made of him before the vncircumcised And finallie wee shall intreat of Samsons Triumph the restitution of his strength and destruction of Gods enemies representing therein Christ Iesus our true Samson who by his death gaue the greatest foyle to our enemies and led captiuitie captiue SAMSONS SEAVEN LOCKES OF HAIRE THe number of seauen in the Scriptures is a Number of perfection The number of seauen as the seauen Dayes seauen
coacted service but a willing Sacrifice And last our obedience must bee in euerie thing 3. Totall that as the Centurion sayde of his servantes I say to one Goe and bee goeth and to another Come and hee commeth Matth. 8.9 c. so must wee without reasoning with flesh and blood simply obey GODS will in euerie thing But because wee are not able to perfect eyther the actiue or the passiue obedience of our selues therefore our Sauiour CHRIST hath done well for vs who hath perfectlie satisfied both the Law and GODS Iustice for our sinnes euen by his owne righteousnesse THE FIFTH LOCKE Mortification of our lusts THIS is the fifth necessarie gift of the holie Spirit of the which th'Apostle saith Colos 3.5 Mortifie therefore your members which are vpon the earth fornication vncleannesse c. And againe hee desireth the Corinthians to keepe themselues from all pollution of the flesh 2. Cor. 7.1 And likewise hee willeth the Galatians not to fulfill the desires of their flesh Gal. 5.16.17 And this is a continuall exercise for so long as wee liue heere on earth our flesh will still rebell against the Spirit therefore must we striue continually to beate downe the corruptions of our vilde and wicked nature Nowe the true triall of Mortification is Triall of Mortification first if it bee vniversall lest that yee resist your flesh in one affection and yeelde vnto it in another As if ye would refuse Papistrie 1. Vniversall and imbrace Sacriledge Iudg. 15.15 16.4 1. Sam. 15.9 fight against the Philistims and play the Harlot with Dalilah kill the poore Agagits and the leane Cattell tell and spare the King and his fatte Beastes aliue So yee will entertaine a sinne which is pleasant and profitable for you and thinke to cast off the rest No no make no division I beseech you in this slaughter of sinne but cut it whollie downe and pull it vp by the rootes that all its branches may perish Bee not onelie an enemie vnto one sinne but vnto all lest that one sinne beeing left aliue and nourished without repentance it openeth the doore vnto all the rest Next if yee humble your bodie and chastise your flesh without hypocrisie and desire of vaine glorie 2. Without hypocrisie without superstition and without anie pryde and a vaine opinion of merite For what will thy sillie Sufferinges Pilgrimages Fastinges and Abstinences availe thee before GOD for Hee delighteth not in the torture and tormenting of mens flesh neyther doeth His Kingdome consist in Meate or Drinke but Hee requireth of vs a perpetuall mortification and sanctification and not that we should take libertie to sinne vnder hope of Pardon and thinke to acquite our selues by doing of Pennance But let vs continuallie studie to mortifie and subdue our vilde lustes and affections purting our whole trust confidence in the mercies of GOD and merites of CHRIST our Saviour THE SIXTH LOCKE Prayer and Prayses THE sixth Locke is PRAYER and PRAYSES which are the life of Religion for either we lacke some things for which wee must pray vnto God or haue receiued some for which wee ought to bee thankfull So all our life time that is euery day euery night yea euerie houre and moment wee must pray 1. Thes 5.17 Pray continually sayth the Apostle But our Prayer must not onlie bee verball for wordes serue more for men than for God Our Prayer must bee mentall Prayer mentall Exod. 32.10 as God is a Spirit and heard Moses crie although hee vttered no words Let vs not bind our selues vnto words as manie doe but as our necessitie increaseth so let vs powre out our heart vnto God Reuerent in prayer But aboue all thinges let vs speake reuerentlie vnto God and consider with what Majestie wee haue to doe and as hee is the most excellent Majestie so we should dresse and compose our speaches and drawe in our wandering affections and cogitations that our Prayers bee not turned into sinne and that hee cast not backe the dongue of our sacrifices vpon our faces for the Lord abhors the sacrifices of fooles lest our Prayer which is the Key to open the Heauens become a Barre to shut them vpon vs. Pray in fayth Let vs pray also in faith perswading our selues that the Lord heareth vs and will grant vs all thinges which are necessarie and expedient for vs. Let vs pray ardentlie and earnestlie not fainting in prayer Luke 18.5 following the importunate widow Let vs not prescribe times vnto him nor grudge against him limiting the holie One of Israel No prescription of time but attende patiently his Majesties good pleasure for hee is faythfull who hath promised As also let vs prayse him chearfullie and rejoyce in him with all Hymnes and Psalmes and Spirituall Songs with grace in our hearts 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 vnto the ende shal be saued Matth. 24 13.29 and it is prophesied that those who seemed to be stars shall fall frō Heauen Let vs therefore craue of God Qui dat velle perficere who both giueth vs to will and to perfect that he may after we haue suffered a little make vs perperfect confirme 1. Peter 5.10 strengthen and establish vs. The conspiracie of the Princes of the Philistims against Samson WE haue heard alreadie the extraordinarie graces strength which was in Samson and now wee shall take a view also of the extraordinarie temptations of his enemies whereby they rob and spoyle him of the same by the which we may learne that the greater gifts of God men haue Greatest gifts greatest temptations they shall looke for the greater temptations God hath not giuen vs Armour to roust or hing or lie beside vs but that we should vse them Therefore let no man brag in his gift for when it is tried our weaknesse will be also tried Next the Philistims were not able to withstand Samson by their strength Satan preuailes more by policie than power but they circumuene him by their policie and craftie dealing The Deuill is both a Lyon and a Serpent yet he preuaileth more by his craftinesse than by his crueltie A Lyon is heard when he roareth afarre off and is eschewed but a Serpent commeth creeping softlie and whistling and poysoneth vs craftily O the deepnesse of Satan beware of him and of his sleights Genes 3.1 He came not to Eua in the shape of a Lyon but of a Serpēt Therefore let vs
take heed of the craftie temptations of the Deuill lest hee deceiue vs by his subtilties The first Church grew and increased vnder the ten bloodie Emperours euen whilest the Lyons roared and deuoured her members but when she came to peace vnder Constantine Constans and Constantius then the Deuill poysoned her with the damnable Heresies of Arrius Pelagius Donatus so that the Church was more miserably rent and consumed by the craft and subtiltie of the Deuill We are also to pray to God to keepe vs from the policie of Pharoah Exod. 1.10 and 14.9 who saith Let vs deale wisely with the Israelites and cunningly vndermine them more to bee feared in his policies than when hee came after the Israelites with his Horses and Chariots And the Philistims preuailed more against Samson by the craft of Dalilah Iudg. 16.3.18 than by their Portes and Barres in Azza Thirdlie ye see that sinne becōmeth a snare to the sinner Sinne a snare to the sinner Samson was greatly addicted to his fleshlie pleasures and they brought him to destruction Harlots hunt for the precious soule of a man yea they are a Pit Prov. 6.26 and 22.14 wherinto man falleth and cannot rescue himselfe Let vs therefore mortifie our affections giue no liberty to our flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof for the baites of our pleasures seeme delectable but wee see not the hook which lieth vnder them Prov. 5.3.4 they seeme to bee Honey in our mouth but they will be bitter as Wormwood and sharpe as a two-edged Sword The Allegorie of the Princes of the Philistims and Dalilah THE Princes of the Philistims doe viuely represent Beelzebub and the rest of the Princes of darknesse Dalilah representeth the flesh their associate who confederate themselues against all those whom they see marked with the graces of God strēgthened by his Spirit to resist and ouercome them for wee haue not a fight with flesh and blood but against Spirituall wickednesses and the Princes of darknesse and therefore seeing we haue to doe with so potent enemies who haue so many aduantages of vs they being Spirituall Nota. and wee earthlie they in the Aire we on the Earth they strong and we weake they wise and we foolish they manie and wee fewe c. should wee not craue at God that wee might sight a good Fight and that he would furnish vs with all Armour conuenient for that combate and strenghthen vs by his grace that wee be not ouercome of our enemies The fittest instrument which the Deuill can find out to suppryse a Christian Our flesh is our Dalilah is his own flesh and fleshlie lusts which are coupled nearer to him than Dalilah was to Samson bred within vs which we intertaine in our bosome which carrie vs or rather miscarrie vs whithersoeuer they please The Philistims knewe what power Dalilah had ouer Samson and the Deuill knoweth how we are addicted to our own lusts and therefore he chooseth them as the fittest instruments to deceiue vs. Samson ouercame the Philistims and Lust ouercame him Quem non vincit ferrum Augustine vincit libido Lust ouercommeth him whom the Sworde could not ouercome Therefore seeing Satan knoweth vs so well and can find within our selues our owne Dalilah to deceiue vs let vs take heed that our fleshly lusts haue no commandement ouer vs but that wee may leade them captiue to the obedience of Christ Iesus The Argument which the Philistims vse to make Dalilah to betray Samson is taken from commodity or gaine THe fiue Princes of the Philistims agree with Dalilah for each one eleuen hundreth shekles of Siluer Matt. 26.15 which was a great price both Christ and Ioseph were solde for lesser Gen. 37.28 They knew what hope of gaine could work for if it can blinde the eyes of the wise 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. 6.6 A religious and honest heart is not mercenarie neither can bee bought or solde and it accoūteth godlinesse to be great gaine whereas a slauish earthly minded man accounteth gaine to bee godlinesse and will not sticke to sell Christ his Religiō his King his Countrey his Cōscience his Soule his friend quid non for Money This offer of the Princes of the Philistims imbraced by Dalilah presenteth vnto vs the price whereby the Deuill allureth our sinfull nature to consent vnto his temptations for he knoweth what Gaine and the offer of earthlie commodities can doe at our hand He will buy vs at a deare rate to betray our true Samson Christ Iesus He knew the couetous heart of Iudas Matth. 26.15.16 and therefore presented vnto him thirtie pieces of Money to betray his Master But he knew that Peter nor Iohn could not bee seduced thereby When Peter said to Simon Magus who offered him Money to sell the gift of the holie Ghost Let thy Money perish with thy self Act. 8.20 so they are not the successors of Simō Peter frō whom the Roman church affirme to draw their discent but of Simō Magus who either buy or sell holie thinges Samsons facilitie and securitie SAMSON being ouercome of his lusts yeeldeth so much to Dalilah that after a threefold dissimulation wherby he would haue seemed to resist the temptations he giues her three aduantages and his dissimulation openeth a doore to his defection Dissimulation a doore to defection where if hee had resisted in the beginning and altogether refused to show her wherin his strength laye hee could not haue made such Apostasie with the losse of the marks of his Nazareïsme religiō And this policie of Samson and dissimulation would seeme to be very plausible to flesh and blood that wee should put off time with our enemies and shoot off one shoure by keeping fayre wordes with them thinking thereby that through tract of time they will bee slacker in their sutes by the contrarie it falleth out that yeelding to them in one faire word and going with them in the smallest thing augmenteth their hop stirreth them vp to be more vehement to be suting after farther As if an house that were besiedged would open the first entrie to the enemie Simil. hee giueth him aduantage to persue the rest of the building more 〈◊〉 Therefore let vs learne of the Apostle S. Iames to resist the Deuil Iames 4.7 and he will flee from vs and not to capitulate or parley with the Deuill in matters of faith and Religion or to yeeld vnto him in the smallest thing lest hee sute farther Ex. 10.26 but with Moses when Pharaoh himselfe sought onlie the Sheepe of the Israelits to remaine in Egypt Moses hoofe refuse him any hoofe at all So dangerous a thing it is to yeeld the smallest point
or intch to anie person of the world in matters of Gods seruice lest by yeelding in one thing at last wee bee brought to yeeld to all as we see by the pittifull example of Samson And when the Deuill can obtaine thus much at our handes that we may admit the badges or colours of Antichrist yea the smallest Ceremonie of that Romane Church shall wee doubt that hee will stand there no but hee will seeke farther and will not be satisfied that we receiue his colours vnlesse we receiue himselfe also make shipwracke of our consciences and denie the Faith Like as a whoore-hunter sending some of his rings or other loue-tokens to a young woman Simil. if shee accept of them hee perswadeth himselfe hee hath obtained her fauour so if wee receiue the marks of Antichrist take vpō vs his colours it shal be ineuitable to refuse himselfe but that we shal imbrace that doctrine of deuils 1. Tim. 4.1 Wherfore let vs resist the beginning of euery euil Samson in his greatest danger became secure Securitie fell asleepe vpon the Harlots knee and this designeth the fragility of mans nature yea the regenerate that the wicked bee more vigilant to performe their deuilish deuises than the godlie bee to escape them For yee see here Dalilah is waking while Samson is sleeping Matth. 26.40.47 so was Iudas when the Apostles were fast asleepe in the Garden Next the securitie of Samson representeth the dulnesse of our nature Wee are most secure when wee should bee most vigi Ionah 1.5 that we are then most secure when wee are in greatest danger So was Ionas in the ship when the tempest of Gods wrath the surges of the Sea were persuing the ship all were waking onelie Ionas was asleep who should haue bene most vigilant And so is our Church this day when Antichrist and all his confederates and suppostes are triumphing vpon the graues of Christians we are drinking in Bowles making merrie with Beltaschar Dan. 5.3.4.30 But out of question God will waken vs either in his mercie or in his Iudgement out of this dead-sleepe wherinto Princes Pastors and people are lulled ouer at this present time The Philistims are vpon thee Samson THe Harlot hath two voyces the first voyce when shee is tempting him to sinne If thou loue mee thou wilt tell mee wherin thy great strength standeth Dalilah hath two voyces But when he hath yeelded her secōd voyce is a voyce of destruction The Philistims are vpon thee Samson So the Deuill hath two voyces to a sinner the one when hee is alluring perswading vs to sin then hee seemeth to pretende loue and kindnesse promiseth vs faire things but when hee hath perswaded vs to sinne then he terrifieth vs with his second voyce and saith The Philistims are vpon thee Samson and the judgements of God First he lulleth vs asleepe with an hope of Gods mercies but when hee hath snared vs he proclaimeth warre nothing but Gods judgements Therfore let vs beware to heare the whistling of the Serpent lest afterward wee heare the roaring of the Lyon SAMSONS WEAKNESSE HIs weaknesse is described that when his enemies came vpō him he conceated with himself that he had his former strēgth but in effect he proued to bee as other men Whereof wee may learn two remarkable lessons first that the strēgth we haue is only of God The Lord our strēgth once being left by him to our selues we are a ready prey to our spiritual enemies Thē if we cast off our armour we are naked before an armed man our strength is turned to weaknes therfore let vs put on our armour shake it not off Next we see the false confidence of flesh and blood False confidence in our selues that wil ascribe to it selfe strēgth wisdome faith c. when it hath nothing in it but as it were one dreaming of victory in prison Simil. But whē Samson commeth in his enemies hand then he feeleth his owne weakenes by dolefull experience Let vs therfore not presume of our giftes lest wee deceiue our selues in our imaginations proue drosse Simil. where we supposed our selues to be gold as the Spirit saies to the Church Thou sayest Apoc. 3.17 I am rich and lacke nothing c. Samsons fourefolde punishment God winkes not at sinne NOw God justly chastises his own seruant with foure rods to let vs see that the Lord wil not winke at the faultes of his Elect albeit hee will not take his holy Spirit frō them as he did frō the house of Saul but chastise them with the rod of his children and visite them with his temporall corrections that they might escape eternall judgements So did hee to Dauid and the rest of his Saincts and so wil he still doe to his chosen children for euermore Now the first punishment which the Lord layeth on Samson is BLINDNES Samsons first punishment Iudg. 16.21 And it is the just recompence of God that wherein man sinneth therin he is punished Samsons eyes were full of vncleannes they were pulled out of his head Wherin we sinne therin shall we be punished Our eyes are apointed for better vses to wit that we may beholde Gods workes and glorifie him therein But when they are instruments of wantonnesse through which windowes we send foorth the vncleane lusts of a polluted heart and open them to admit giue entry to wicked allurementes of others then no doubt God may justlie punish those members which sinned We haue an exāple of Adonebezek Iudg. 1.7 king of Bezek who cut off the thombs and toes of LXX kings whom he bound in chains vnder his table and saith As I haue done to others God hath done to me The Allegorie holds wel of our spiritual enemies who when they layhold on vs get vs first into their handes they pull our eyes that we neither see God heauen hell nor our selues But as the Rauen first plucketh out the eyes of the Lambe Simil. Satan first blindeth vs and then killeth vs. Isa 6.9 then deuours the rest of the flesh so doeth Satan first blind vs and then kill vs. When God threatned a judgement vpō his people by his Prophets he said he would smite them with a blindnes yea a double blindnes that they shal haue eyes and not perceiue surely prognosticating their temporall destruction This blindnes befell the men of Sodome before the fire Gen. 19.11 Numb 22.23 and to Balaam that hee saw not the Angel before the Sword and to the Aramites before they came to Samaria 2. King 18 6 But David the seruant of God saw the Angel with a drawn sword humbled himselfe before the Lord. 2. Sam. 24.17 Therefore let vs studie to vse the light which we haue rightlie that it bee not turned into darknes for if the light that is in vs be darknes how great shal