190 194 SAMS. Your coming, friends, revives me, for I Now of my own experience, not by talk, [learn How counterfeit a coin they are who friends Bear in their superscription (of the most I would be understood); in prosperous days They swarm, but in adverse withdraw their head, Not to be found, though sought. Ye see, O friends, How many evils have inclos'd me round; Yet that which was the worst now least afflicts me, Blindness; for had I sight, confus'd with shame, How could I once look up, or heave the head, Who, like a foolish pilot, have shipwreck'd My vessel trusted to me from above, Gloriously rigged; and for a word, a tear, Fool! have divulged the secret gift of God To a deceitful woman? tell me, friends, Am I not sung and proverb'd for a fool In every street? do they not say, how well Are come upon him his deserts? yet why? Immeasurable strength they might behold In me, of wisdom nothing more than mean; This with the other should, at least, have pair'd, These two proportion'd ill drove me transverse. 200 205 CHOR. Tax not divine disposal: wisest men 210 Have err'd, and by bad women been deceiv'd; And shall again, pretend they ne'er so wise. Deject not then so overmuch thyself, Who hast of sorrow thy full load besides; Yet, truth to say, I oft have heard men wonder 215 Why thou shouldst wed Philistian women rather Than of thine own tribe fairer, or as fair, They knew not That what I motion'd was of God; I knew 220 226 That specious monster, my accomplish'd snare. 200 CHOR. In seeking just occasion to provoke 236 240 SAMS. That fault I take not on me, but transfer On Israel's governors, and heads of tribes, Who, seeing those great acts which God had done Singly by me against their conquerors, Acknowledg'd not, or not at all consider'd Deliverance offer'd. I on the other side 245 Us'd no ambition to commend my deeds, [doer; threads 255 260 Touch'd with the flame. On their whole host I flew 258 Etham] Judges xv. 8. Newton. VOL. III. 2 270 As their deliverer? If he aught begin, CHOR. Thy words to my remembrance bring How Succoth and the fort of Penuel Their great deliverer contemn'd, Of Midian and her vanquish'd kings: Had dealt with Jephtha, who by argument, For want of well pronouncing Shibboleth. 275 280 286 SAMS. Of such examples add me to the roll; 290 Me easily indeed mine may neglect, But God's propos'd deliverance not so. CHOR. Just are the ways of God, And justifiable to men; Unless there be who think not God at all: 295 If any be, they walk obscure; For of such doctrine never was there school, But the heart of the fool, And no man therein doctor but himself. 301 Yet more there be who doubt his ways not just, As to his own edicts found contradicting, Then give the reins to wand'ring thought, Regardless of his glory's diminution; Till, by their own perplexities involv'd, As if they would confine th' Interminable, Who made our laws to bind us, not himself, Whom so it pleases him by choice From national obstriction, without taint For with his own laws he can best dispense. 905 310 He would not else, who never wanted means, 315 Nor in respect of th' enemy just cause To set his people free, Have prompted this heroic Nazarite, Against his vow of strictest purity, To seek in marriage that fallacious bride, 320 Down reason then, at least vain reasonings Though reason here aver That moral verdict quits her of unclean : [down, Forthwith how thou ought'st to receive him. 325 ye seem, |