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114 SAMSON AGONISTES.
Secret refrefhings, that repair his ftrength,
And fainting fpirits uphold.
God of our fathers, what is man!
That thou tow'ards him with hand fo various,
Or might I fay contrarious,
Temper'ft thy providence through his fhort courfe,
Not ev'nly, as thou rul'ft
Th' angelic order* and inferior creatures mute,
Irrational and brute.
Nor do I name of men the common rout,
That wand'ring loofe about
Grow up and perifh, as the fummer flie,
Heads without name no more remembered,
But fuch as thou haft folemnly elected,
With gifts and graces eminently adorn'd
To fome great work, thy glory,
And people's fafety, which in part they' effect :
Yet toward thefe thus dignify'd, thou oft
Amidft their height of noon
Changeft thy count'nance, and thy hand with no regard
Of higheft favours paft
From thee on them, or them to thee of fervice.
Nor only doft degrade them, or remit
To life obfcur'd, which were a fair difmiffion,
But throw'ft them lower than thou didft exalt them
high,
Unfeemly falls in human eye,
Too grievous for the trefpafs or omiffionj
Oft leav'ft them to the hoftile fword
Of Heathen and profane, their carcafes
To dogs and fowls a prey, or elfe captiv'd;