My vessel trusted to me from above, Gloriously rigg'd; and for a word, a tear, Chorus. Tax not divine disposal; wisest men 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 : At least of thy own nation, and as noble. Samson. The first I saw at Timna, and she Me, not my parents, that I sought to wed The work to which I was divinely call'd. That specious monster, my accomplish'd snare. She was not the prime cause, but I myself, Chorus. In seeking just occasion to provoke The Philistine, thy country's enemy, Thou never wast remiss, I bear thee witness: Samson. That fault I take not on me, but transfer Acknowledg'd not, or not at all consider'd, Us'd no ambition to commend my deeds; The deeds themselves, though mute, spoke loud the doer : But they persisted deaf, and would not seem To count them things worth notice, till at length Safe to the rock of Etham was retir'd; Not flying, but fore-casting in what place Into their hands, and they as gladly yield me Bound with two cords; but cords to me were threads Chorus. Thy words to my remembrance bring How Succoth and the fort of Penuel Their great deliverer contemn'd, Of Madian and her vanquish'd kings: Had dealt with Jephtha, who by argument, But God's propos'd deliverance not so. And justifiable to Men; Unless there be, who think not God at all: 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. Yet more there be, who doubt his ways not just, As to his own edícts found contradicting, Then give the reins to wandering thought, Regardless of his glory's diminution; Till, by their own perplexities involv'd, They ravel more, still less resølv'd, But never find self-satisfying solution. As if they would confine the Interminable, And tie him to his own prescript, Who made our laws to bind us, not himself, And hath full right to exempt Whom so it pleases him by choice From national obstriction, without taint Of sin, or legal debt; For with his own laws he can best dispense. He would not else, who never wanted means, Nor in respect of the enemy just cause, To set his people free, Have prompted this heroick Nazarite, Against his vow of strictest purity, To seek in marriage that fallacious bride, Down, reason, then; at least vain reasonings, down Though reason here aver, That mortal verdict quits her of unclean: But see here comes thy reverend Sire With careful step, locks white as down, Forthwith how thou ought'st to receive him. Samson. Ay me! another inward grief, awak'd With mention of that name, renews the assault. Enter MANOAH. Manoah. Brethren and men of Dan, for such ye seem, |