and fruit of covetousness. But, if any one be disposed to deny that the laying of wagers is evil in its nature, no one, after reading this history, can doubt whether it be evil in its tendency. After three days' fruitless inquiry, the pride of these thirty companions was greatly mortified, and their covetousness excited to a most fearful degree. Not being able to bear the thought of losing their wager, they were filled with indignation, and threatened to burn the bride, together with her father's house, if she did not get the secret from her husband, and reveal it unto them. She, partly through fear, and partly from a partiality for them, laboured incessantly to gain from her husband the solution of the riddle. With this view, she wept before him during the remaining days of the feast, pretending that his reserve was a proof of his want of affection for her: and at last, having quite wearied him with her importunity, she obtained from him the secret, and then revealed it to them, and enabled them to gain the wager. He might justly have disputed the point with them, because they did not find out the riddle themselves, but obtained the knowledge of it by treachery. But, though he told them, "If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle," yet he determined to pay the wager. But what a terrible resolution did he adopt! He determined to kill thirty men of the Philistines, and with their garments to pay the wager that he had lost. It is said indeed that "the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he went down to Askelon and slew them:" nor can we presume to question for a moment the justice of God in inflicting such judgments on the enemies of his people: He may take them off when he will, and by whom he will. But viewing the action by itself, we see in it altogether a most dreadful exhibition of the EFFECTS OF GAMING: in his friends, pride, covetousness, wrath, cruelty, and a confederacy to gain by fraud what they could not obtain in any other way in his wife, hypocrisy, deceit, and treachery: in Samson, revenge, robbery, and murder. Perhaps in the annals of the whole world we shall not find a more striking display of the manner in which DEBTS OF HONOUR, as they are called, are contracted, acknowledged, and discharged. They are contracted at friendly and convivial meetings; they are acknowledged as of greater obligation than all the common duties of justice and charity; and the peace of whole families, that were wholly unconnected with the transactions, is invaded, yea, many are reduced to poverty, to prison, and to death, in order to discharge the debts contracted by the cast of a die, or by the turning up of a card. I may go further still, and say, that of all the sources of SUICIDE, this is by far the most fruitful. As to the endearments of friendship, or the sweets of conjugal affection, GAMING almost invariably produces the same result as in Samson's case, who left the place in disgust, deserted his treacherous wife, and had the mortification to find her afterwards in the embraces of one, who had just before professed himself his greatest friend. Would to God that every gambler in the universe would duly consider this history!] We will now proceed to consider the riddle, II. As applicable to other subjects We mean not to assert that it was intended to be applied to other subjects; though, considering the nature of that dispensation, and the peculiar circumstances of his history, it seems highly probable that every thing related of him had either a typical aspect or a mysterious import. We wish, however, always to lean to the safer side, and to suggest only in an accommodated sense any observations, which would admit of doubt, if applied to the Scripture as expressive of its real import. With this caution we think the riddle may be applied, 1. To the Lord Jesus Christ himself [We know that he came down from the bosom of his Father, assumed our nature, sojourned many years upon the earth, and was at last put to death, even the accursed death of the cross. Now what good could we expect to result from this? Must we not rather suppose that the greatest possible evil must accrue from it, even the more aggravated condemnation of the whole world? Yet behold, "out of the eater came forth meat;" out of that, which we should have imagined would prove the destruction of the whole human race, has proceeded the salvation of ruined man! In this light was this mystery announced to Adam in Paradise; "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." Here the very wounds which Satan should inflict on the Lord Jesus, are spoken of as the means of effecting his own destruction. Isaiah speaks to the same effect, that the Messiah, by making his own soul an offering for sin, should secure to himself a seed who should live for ever. In the New Testament, the same mysterious representations are given us of Christ: "He was made in the likeness of sinful flesh, that he might condemn sin in the flesh;" and "that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil, and deliver those who through h Rom. viii. 3. f Gen. iii. 15. Isai. liii. 10, 12. fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage i' -Amazing! that his death should be our life; his sufferings, our happiness; his humiliation, our glory! Yet so it is; for when he appeared to have been utterly vanquished, he rescued us from the hand of his great adversary, and spoiled all the principalities and powers of hell, and triumphed over them openly on his cross."] 2. To every member of his mystical body [Great and multiplied are the trials of the Lord's people; yet the very billows that threaten to overwhelm them, bear them forward to their desired haven. View the trials which they have in common with the rest of mankind; these are sent them by God for their good, to improve their graces', and eventually to augment the eternal weight of glory that shall be given them at their departure hence m View the trials which they meet with on account of their Christian profession; these are rather a ground of joy than of sorrow", and are occasions of holy glorying, inasmuch as they are the means of bringing to us much richer communications of divine aid, and of advancing that very cause which they are intended to repress". Whether therefore the riddle was intended to comprehend these things or not, sure we are that it was not more applicable to the occasion on which it was used, than it is to the trials and deliverances of the Lord's people. But, in order to unravel this mystery, we must plough with the Lord's heifer, and seek the teachings of his Spirit.] Two words of ADVICE I would suggest as arising out of this subject 1. Be frequent in reviewing the mercies of your God [There is no one who has not met with mercies and deliverances, on account of which he has reason to bless his God. And if we took frequent occasions of reviewing these mercies, what sweetness might we not extract from them; and that not for our own refreshment only, but for the comfort and refreshment of all connected with us! Though, as must frequently be the case, there may be things in our private experience which we cannot communicate even to our dearest friends, yet it would be impossible but that they must derive benefit from converse with us, after we ourselves have extracted the honey i Heb. ii. 14, 15. See also 2 Cor. v. 21. and viii. 9. and 1 Pet. ii. 24. k Heb. xii. 10, 11. 1 Rom. v. 3-5. 1 Cor. ii. 11. Matt. xiii. 11. which God's dispensations towards us are calculated to afford. Let us then frequently turn aside even from our dearest friends, or in the midst of the most important business, to contemplate the mercies we have received; and we shall often be surprised at the rich stores of wisdom and consolation which we shall derive from them.] 2. Be not hasty to complain of his judgments— [The troubles which we may be called to endure, may appear insupportable; and we may be ready to say, like Jacob, "All these things are against me." But, if we wait, we shall find, that they are all working for our good; and that though "clouds and darkness may be round about the Lord, righteousness and judgment are the basis of his throne." How many thousands after a time have been constrained to say with David, "It is good for me that I have been afflicted!" Know ye, Beloved, that there is no trial so heavy, but, if you acknowledge God in it, it shall yield you a rich supply of heavenly consolations. The most striking illustration of this truth will be found in Jehoshaphat's victory over three confederate armies: he was no less than three days in gathering the spoil Even that last of enemies, death itself, however formidable he may appear, shall yield sweets to the believing soul: the conflict with him may be severe; but the triumph over him shall be complete, and the fruits of victory eternal.] r 2 Chron. xx. 2, 25. r CCLXXV. SAMSON'S CHARACTER AND END. Judg. xvi. 28. And Samson called unto the Lord, and said, O Lord God, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes. SCARCELY any part of Scripture has afforded more occasion for the doubts of sceptics or the scoffs of infidels, than the history of Samson. True it is, that many strange things are contained in it; but there is nothing in it which may not easily be accounted for by those who consider the nature of that dispensation, and the power of the God of Israel. The doctrine of the Resurrection appeared to many incredible but our Lord said to them, " "Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God." The same reply we would make to any persons who would question the facts contained in this history. Samson was raised up by God on purpose to chastise the oppressors of Israel: and he was strengthened by God to effect that by his own arm, which seemed to require the united exertions of the whole nation. The circumstance of his being recorded as a man of faith and piety, gives a great additional interest to his history; because it is difficult to conceive how such inconsistencies should be combined in one person. We must not however attempt to cloke his impieties, because he was a saint; nor must we contradict an inspired Apostle, because he was a sinner: we should rather examine the different parts of his conduct, that so we may form a just estimate of his character: and we shall find our labour well repaid by many instructive lessons which his history will afford us. Let us then consider, I. His character It must be confessed that there was in him much amiss. He appears to have been too much actuated by, ism. 1. A vindictive spirit [He knew indeed the peculiar commission given him: but yet in executing that commission he seems to have been influenced more by personal considerations than by true patriotHis first slaughter of thirty Philistines was an act of revenge for the treachery which he had experienced at his bridal-feast, both from the bride herself, and all his pretended friends. When he returned afterwards to be reconciled to his wife, and found her given by her own father to another man, he executed the strange device of tying three hundred foxes together, two and two, by their tails, with a fire-brand or torch between each couple, and sending them in among the ripe corn, and the sheaves already cut, as also among the vines and olives; by which he devastated a great extent of country". And, notwithstanding the Philistines themselves, on hearing of the a This was not so impracticable a thing as we are ready to imagine: for the foxes in that country were very numerous; Cant. ii. 15. Ezek. xiii. 4. And Samson, being the chief governor of the Jewish nation, would have many at hand to execute his commands. |