Samsons Seven Locks of Hair Compared to the Seven Spiritual Virtues, Title page – Poem
SAMSONS SEAVEN LOCKES OF HAIRE: Allegorically expounded, and compared to the ſeauen Spirituall Vertues, whereby we are able to ouercome our ſpirituall Philiſtims.
By M. A. SYMSON, Miniſter of the Euangell at Dalkeith.
Printed at Sainct-Andrewes, by Edward Raban, Printer to the Vniverſitie, 1621.
To the right Noble and vertuous Ladie, D. MARIE ARESKIN, Ladie Keith, Grace, Peace, and Happineſſe.
IT is the accuſtomable vſe of this fooliſh Age (MADAME) to claime Nobilitie vntounto it ſelfe; drawing the Originall therof frō diuers Fountains: ſome frō the diſcent of their Progenitors, which the Poët ſcorned; not thinking that to belong to them which they themſelues did not atchieue: Nam genus, & proavos, & quae nō fecimus ipſi Vix ea noſtra voco.
Others, wiſer than theſe, affirmed that onlie Vertue did nobilitate; it beeing a gift of the minde, of more worth than anie fleſhlie prerogatiue: By which the ancient Romanes Lacedemonians, and Athenians, ſtudied to be famous thorow the world. But what were all theſe Cardinall Vertues? (though they could hauehave attained vntounto the perfection of them) but ſhining ſinnes, (as Sainct AVGVSTINE ſayeth) without CHRIST. For true Religion onlie perfecteth Nobilitie, and maketh men partakers of the Diuine Nature, which conſiſteth in the knowledge of the true God, and his worſhip, according to his will. This maketh Dauid, who ſprang of the baſe root of Ieſſe, more famous than Nebuchadnezar; & Salomon to be preferred to Cyrus, Alexander, or Iulius Caeſar, euen till this day. And again, ſince God hath trained vp your Ladiſhip vnderunder the hand of a bleſſed Mother, that yee hauehave ſucked (with your Milke) the knowledge of the Trueth frō a Child, and growing in grace with your years, I wiſh that as your Lad. is borne noble by birth, and by your ſingular vertues become more noble; ſo by the ſincere profeſſion of the Trueth yee may become moſt noble. Therfore I hauehave preſented theſe Seauen golden Lockes of Spirituall Vertues to be worne of your L. as Ornamentes (of more worth than brodered Gold or precious Pearls) vponupon the hid man of your heart: which will make you more beautifull in the eyes of Ieſus Chriſt, your ſpiritual Huſband, than if ye had all the glory of the worlde. Your ſpirituall Philiſtims, who creepe into Noble mens houſes, wil labour to rob you of your Ornamentes: therefore beware of Dalilah, and her entiſing ſpeaches; that yee may holde faſt the Trueth to the ende, which ye hauehave by hereditarie poſſeſſion; and I truſt ſhall deliuer it to your children. So beſeeching God to multiplie all the graces of his Spirit vponupon your Lad. with temporall felicitie, and hereafter heape vponupon you the eternall weight of glorie, I reſt
Your Ladiſhips ſeruant A. Symſon.
TO THE READER.
BEcauſe (good Reader) thou haſt ſo fauourably accepted mine other two Lookes before, aſwell this laſt of The firſt ſeauen Dayes, as likewiſe the former vponupon The ſeauen words which Chriſt ſpake on the Croſſe, euen at the accompliſhment of our Redemptiō; therfore I am encouraged to preſēt to thee this third Septenarie alſo, of Samſons ſeauen Lockes of Haire, mystically expounded of the ſeauen neceſſary Vertues, without the which none can be true Christians. And if ye reade the Fathers, how they allegorize both theſe & all other parts of the old Teſtamēt, yee will not bee offended that I handle theſe Lockes by ſpirituall interpretation. Receiue this kindly, I pray thee, and by Gods helpe thou ſhalt hauehave The ſeauen Pſalmes of Repentance as ſoone as poſsiblie I may.
Fare-well.
A. SYMSON.
ON THESE LOCKES.
LOckes, Ornament of Angels, Diadems
Which the triumphing Quires aboue doe crowne:
Rich Curles of Bountie, Pinnions of Renowne;
Of that immortall Sunne immortall Beames.
Lockes, ſacred Lockes, no, adamantine Chaines;
Which doe ſhut vp, and firme together binde
Both that Contentment which in Life wee finde,
And Bliſſe which with vnbodied Soules remaines.
Faire Locks, all Locks compar'd to you (though gold)
Are Comets-Locks, portending Harme and Wrath;
Or bauld Occaſions-Locke, that none can holde:
Or Abaſaloms, which worke the Wearers death.
If hencefoorth Beautie e're my Minde ſubdue,
It ſhall (deare Locks) be for what ſhines in you.
W. D.