Judges 16

REFLECTIONS UPON CHAP. XVI.—Dangerous is it to ramble into the company of such as are lewd or frothy. The wrath of God hangs over the bed of sledness: and the more secure sinners are, the nearer is their destruction. How impossible is it to preserve in safety the persons who are infatuated with fleshly lust! They are fixed in the basest slavery: nor can repeated warnings awaken them to consideration. Where the love of money is rooted in the heart, it will not hesitate to betray soul and body at once, for a supposed competent bribe. And, indeed, they who trust either honour or life to a base woman deserve to be betrayed. God justly gives up men to suffer who give up themselves to sin; and sensual lusts especially bring men at last to the most fearful misery. But I readful is their ruin who ensnare and make sport with the falls and sufferings of God’s people or servants; for God will graciously return to his penitent children, and renew their strength, in order that before and in death they may be revenged of their spiritual enemies. But this Jewish hero illustriously typifies our almighty Redeemer. Express and seasonable were the predictions concerning him, and supernatural the manner of his birth. Solemn was his separation to the service of God. Invigorating the spiritual influence which he received. And early and marvellous his exploits. By obedience and death he fulfilled the broken law; and conquered sin, Satan, the world, and death; and sweet is the provision provided by it for himself and his friends; nay, for sinners of mankind, even the chief! Important are his parables, and known only to such as have fellowship with him. Basely was he betrayed by Judas and his countrymen, and delivered to the Gentiles, that he might be crucified. His enemies rejoiced to shut his eyes in death, and to imprison him in a grave. Making him the object of their derision, they sealed him up, and watched him in his tomb; but he broke the bands, and carried off the gates and bars of death; and, ascending up on high, led captivity captive. All alone he performed his wonderful exploits. By a voluntary death, according to his Father’s will, he destroyed thousands of principalities and powers. By the contemned preaching of the gospel he conquers thousands of souls, and kills ten thousands of lusts.—But how dreadful is his vengeance! By the Romans, like fire-branded foxes, he spread destruction among his Jewish opposers, and burnt up their cities; by furious and ravaging Goths, Saracens, Tartars, Turks, &c. he resented, and will resent, the injuries done to his Christian cause; and how tremendously shall his fiery indignation for ever prey on the damned! 3 T