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any unclean thing." The reason for all which follows in the words of the text.

Ver. 5. "For lo, thou shalt conceive and bear a son, and no razor shall come on his head, for the child shall be a nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines."

I shall endeavour, from these words, to shew that Samson was a type of our Lord Jesus Christ, in his nazariteship, work, and office. May the Lord the Spirit be with me, and so shine on his word, that a fresh crown may be set on the antitypical Samson, Jesus-Jehovah. Amen.

The Lord Jesus Christ was not only set forth to his church before his incarnation by many divine symbols, memorials, types, and figures; but also that he was to be made of a woman, made under the law, was most clearly and divinely expressed. Isaac and Samson, both born of women who had been barren, were to suggest how much above all the power of nature the conception and birth of Christ's human nature would be. And the strength, victories, and triumphs of Christ, were suggested to the minds of his believing people, by some remarkable and heroic actions, performed in the name, and by the supernatural power and influence of the Lord, and were as so many shadows of the power, victories, and triumphs of Jesus.

In explaining my text, and in pursuing my design, which is to shew that Samson was a type of Christ, in his nazariteship, work, and office, I will set forth my subject thus.

First, I will briefly consider the prediction concerning the birth of Samson, "For, lo, thou shalt conceive and bear a son."

Secondly, that he was to be a nazarite: "And no razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a nazarite unto God from the womb."

Thirdly, I will speak of the work and office which Samson was to perform and exercise: “And he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hands of the Philistines."

Lastly, how Christ and Samson may be considered, and will be found to be, one the shadow, the other the substance; the one the type, the other the most glorious and Almighty Deliverer and Saviour of his church and people, who hath saved them with an everlasting salvation.

I will read my text afresh, that it may not be altogether out of sight, "For lo, thou shalt conceive and bear a son, and no razor shall come upon his head; for the child shall be a nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hands of the Philistines."

First, I will briefly consider the prediction concerning the birth of Samson, "For lo, thou

shalt conceive and bear a son."

It was a time of great darkness and distress with the Israelites, who were greatly distressed by the Philistines when this prediction was given concerning the birth of a deliverer. So also it was a time of great darkness and distress to the church of God, when the angel predicted to the virgin mother of our Lord, the conception and birth of the holy child Jesus. This message was delivered to Manoah's wife when she was alone, which was the case also when the message was given concerning the birth of Christ. Manoah, when his wife informed him of the prediction, intreated in prayer that the messenger who had given the notice of it might be sent again; and his prayer was answered: the Angel Jehovah appeared to him, and repeated what he had before delivered. So Joseph had his mind relieved by the appearance of an angel, who cleared up the character and honour of his espoused wife, and informed him of the name of that illustrious person which Mary was to bear, "His name shall be called Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins."

The conception and birth of Samson was beyond the expectation of his parents, prior to this appearance of the angel. The conception and birth of Christ was wholly supernatural, and was the fulfilment of ancient prophecy, and divine prediction. The name that Manoah and his wife gave their son, signified their faith

and expectations, that what had been declared concerning him would be verified. The word Samson signifies a little sun. Thus Samson, a type of Christ, the light, or sun of righteousness, was termed a little sun; and his strength lay in seven locks of hair, representing the seven streams of light between the sun and the planetary orbs. Samson was a child of promise; he was devoted to the Lord, he was famous for his strength; the last act of his life was an act of faith; he acted in all he did in avenging himself on the Philistines, as the friend of his people, and as a type of Christ.

As in the prediction concerning the conception and birth of Samson, a dawn of light and consolation broke forth; so in the prophecy concerning his great antitype, the Lord is pleased to comfort his afflicted church, saying, "How long. wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter; for the Lord hath accomplished a new thing on the earth, a woman shall compass a man." Jer. xxxi. 22. It was the Lord's own act that the human nature of Christ should be conceived and. born of a pure virgin, should triumph over all the power of hell, fling off its gates from their very hinges, lead captivity captive, and be able to say, O, my soul, thou hast trodden down strength. I proceed,

Secondly, to consider that this child, Samson, was to be a nazarite: "And no razor shall come,

upon his head, for the child shall be a nazarite unto God from the womb."

As the Lord Jesus Christ was the foundation of all the faith and hope of the old testament church, so he was not only revealed in the promise, but set forth also typically, in sacrifices, and ceremonial perfumes and services; and there were also personal types, to set forth the most divine and adorable Jesus. The first-born among the Israelites, the nazarites also among that people, were shadows of him who is the first-born among many brethren, and the perfection of beauty, in whom holiness and purity shine forth in their utmost perfection. The nazarite under the law, was in all things a type of our Jesus, who was in heart and life separated from all sin, and was really holiness to the Lord. You have an account of the institution of this order of typical persons in the sixth chapter of Numbers.

A nazarite signified one separated in a peculiar manner; as the command and particulars, concerning what they were to do, and abstain from, is recorded in the before-mentioned chapter, so you may take it up thus: first, the nazarite was to abstain from wine, and all fermented liquors, and every thing made of grapes, ver. 3, 4. Second, he was to let his hair grow, ver. 5. Thirdly, he was not to defile himself by the dead, ver. 6, 7. And in each of these particulars he

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