But what more oft in Nations grown corrupt,
And by their vices brought to fervitude,
Than to love Bondage more than Liberty,
Bondage with ease than strenuous Liberty;
And to despise, or envy, or suspect
Whom God hath of his special favour rais'd
As their Deliv❜rer, if he aught begin,
How frequent to defert him, and at last
To heap ingratitude on worthiest deeds?
Chor. Thy words to my remembrance bring
How Succoth and the Fort of Penuel:
great Deliverer contemn'd,
The matchlefs Gideon in pursuit
Of Madian and her vanquisht Kings :
And how ingrateful Ephraim
Had dealt with Jephtha, who by argument,
Not worse than by his fhield and spear
Defended Ifrael from the Ammonite,
Had not his prowefs quell'd their pride
In that fore battel when so many dy'd
Without Reprieve adjudg'd to death,
For want of well pronouncing Shibboleth.
Samf. Of fuch examples add me to the roul, Me easily indeed mine may neglect,
But God's propos'd deliverance not fo.
Chor Juft are the ways of God,
And justifiable to Men;
Unless there be who think not God at all,
If any be, they walk obfcure;
For of fuch Doctrine never was there School,
But the heart of the Fool,
And no man therein Doctor but himself.
Yet more there be who doubt his ways not just, As to his own edicts found contradicting,
Then give the reins to wandring thought,
Regardless of his Glory's diminution;
Till by their own perplexities involv❜d
They ravel more, ftill lefs refolv'd,
But never find felf-fatisfying solution.
As if they would confine th' interminable,
And tie him to his own prefeript,
Who made our Laws to bind us, not himself,
And hath full right t' exempt
Whom so it pleases him by choice
From National obftriction, without taint
Of fin, or legal debt;
For with his own Laws he can beft difpenfe.
He would not elfe who never wanted means,
Nor in respect of th' enemy just cause
To fet his people free,
Have prompted this Heroick Nazarite
Against his vow of strictest purity,
To feek in marriage that fallacious Bride,
Unclean, unchafte.
Down Reason then, at least vain reasonings down,
Though Reafon here aver
That moral verdict quits her of unclean:
Unchafte was fubfequent, her ftain not his.
But fee here comes thy rev'rend Sire
With careful step, Locks white as down,
Old Manoah: advise
Forthwith how thou oughtst to receive him.
Samf. Ay me, another inward grief awak'd
With mention of that name renews th' affault.
Man. Brethren and men of Dan, for fuch ye feem,
Though in this uncouth place; if old respect,
As I fuppofe, toward your once glory'd friend,
My Son now Captive, hither hath inform'd
Your younger feet, while mine caft back with age Came lagging after; fay if he be here:
Chor. As fignal now in low dejected state, As carst in highest, behold him where he lies.
Man. O miferable change! is this the man,
That invincible Samfon, far renown'd
The dread of Ifrael's foes, who with a strength
Equivalent to Angels walk'd their streets,
None offering fight; who fingle combatant
Duell'd their Armies rank'd in proud array,
Himself an Army, now unequal match
To fave himself against a coward arm'd
At one spears length. O ever failing truft
In mortal strength! and oh what not in man
Deceivable and vain? Nay what thing good
Pray'd for, but often proves our woe, our bane?
I pray'd for Children, and thought barrenness
In wedlock a reproach; I gain'd a Son,
Such a Son as all men hail'd me happy;
Who would be now a Father in my stead?
O wherefore did God grant me my request,
And as a bleffing with fuch pomp adorn'd?
Why are his gifts desirable, to tempt
Our earnest Pray'rs, then giv'n with folemn hand
As Graces, draw a Scorpion's tail behind?
For this did th❜Angel twice descend? for this
Ordain'd thy nurture holy, as of a Plant;
Select and Sacred, Glorious for a while,
The miracle of men; then in an hour
Enfnar'd, affaulted, overcome, led bound,
Thy Foes derifion, Captive, Poor and Blind,
Into a Dungeon thrust, to work with Slaves?
Alas methinks whom God hath chosen once
To worthiest deeds, if he through frailty err,
He should not fo o'erwhelm, and as a thrall
Subject him to fo foul indignities,
Be it but for honours fake of former deeds.
Samf. Appoint not heav'nly difpofition, Father,
Nothing of all these evils hath befall'n me
But justly, I my felf have brought them on,
Sole Author, I, fole caufe: if ought feem vile,
As vile hath been my folly, who have profan'd
The mystery of God giv'n me under pledge
Of vow, and have betray'd it to a woman,
A Canaanite, my faithless enemy.
This well I knew, nor was at all furpriz'd
I 4
|
