THE GARDEN OF ZION Wherein the life and death of godly and wicked men in Scriptures are to be seene from Adam unto the last of the Kings of Judah and Israel with the good uses of their life and death In this Garden consider and take heed The fragrant flower growes hard beside the weed A precept for the right use of this Booke â—ove these who have their race in Gods fear runne â—t rogues as rockes in sea see that thou shunne Printed at GLASGOW by George Anderson 1644. TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTY MONARCH OUR DEAR AND DREAD SOVERAIGNE CHARLES By the Grace of GOD King of great Britaine France and Ireland Defender of the Faith all Peace and Happinesse Most gracious Soveraigne YOur MAJESTIES so loving acceptance of my former workes presented to You the day before Your corronation emboldens me againe to intreat for Your Patronage countenance and gracious aspect towards this little piece of poesie full of most fruitfull matter In it Ye may clearely see the lives of most remarkable men in Scripture and with them the lives of all the Kings of Judah and of Israel with the uses which wee should make either of their life or death Note Such things are needfull to bee considered by all men but chiefly by Kings whose actions for the most part whether good or bad are put in Chronicles the Registers of time ad futuram rei memoriam Where after ages beholding what hath been done in such and such a Kings reigne will freely without fear give out their verdict concerning either their vertues or their vices so that while the memorie of the just shall be blessed Prov. 10.7 the name of the wicked shall rot But mens sayings are of little moment the God above with whom is no respect of persons will one day before the eyes of all the world Act. 10.34 in a most open view let it be seene what every man hath done in his life before his judgement seat all flesh that day must compeare In all the lives of the Kings of Judah and Israel observe that the sinne of Idolatrie provocked GOD most The basest idole of the world is the Idole of the Masse a god of dowe Ezek. 22 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which goeth to the draught The Hebrews call idols Gilloulim that is muck or doung Beware of that new god of bread Dij stercores for if it get place in Your Majesties Dominions Yee need never looke for a sound and solide peace according to that saying of Deborah They choose new gods Judg. 5.8 then war was in their gates the Ark and Dagon will not faile to fight Consider well these words and make use of them for Your good as Yee would wish to have the Lords blessing upon Your government O whence hath come such a fearfull blood-shed in all Your three Kingdomes Whence is all this bloody war the maine cause is the new Goâ— the idol of the Masse set up in Chappell 1 Kings 11.7 hard beside Gods Temple like that high place which Solomoâ— builded for Chemos the abomination of Moab in the hill that waâ— before Jerusalem directly forâ— against Gods house which hee haâ— builded for which doing afterwarâ— the Lord made a rent in his Kingdome whereof his posteritie got thâ— least part O happie shall Your Majestie bee if with good King Josiah Yee reneâ— the Covenant of the Lord in all youâ— Dominions and put away the idolatrous Priests and take avvay all thâ— high places vvith all the monumentâ— of idolatrie that so all your Dominions may be pleasant and fruitfull like the mount of Olives vvhich for idolatrie lost its name 2 Kings 23.13 and vvaâ— called the Mount of Corruption O vvhat a contentment to GOD vvho made you a King O vvhat a comfort to all your good subjects O vvhat a good and vvhat a glory to your self that it bee said in all ages following that King CHARLES like a pearle in a ring hath beene a blessed Josiah among all the Kings of Britaine Novv the Lord God of Gods blesse your Majestie and make You a Defender of the Faith as well in trueth as in title that in the great day of the LORD vvith David Jehoshaphat Hezekiah Josiah and other gracious Kings yee may stand before the Son of man that great King vvho hath vvritten on his thigh The King of kings Rev. 19.17 and Lord of lords From GLASGOW the 28 of MAY 1644. Your MAIESTIES most humble subject and servant M. ZACH BOYD. TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTY PRINCE CHARLES Prince of Walles GOD who hath made your Highnesse a Prince shall by his grace as we hope one day make you a king yea and more which shall be like a rich Diamond on the top of your crowne A DEFENDER of the Faith It is now time for you to begin to be busie to learne to stirre the rudder before Yee be made a pilot to undertake the great charge even the government of three kingdomes For this great worthy and weighty worke Yee have great need to be wise but so it is Prov. 1.7 that the feare of the LORD is the beginning of wisedome All other wisedome without this is but follie It was a good saying that King David said to Prince Solomon his sonne If thou seeke him 1 Chro. 28.9 he will be found of thee but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off for ever The best way to learne your Princely Lessons to consider well the life and death of kiâ— who have ruled among Gods people whâ— vertues and vices are set downe by Gâ— own pen to be followed or else to avoided For such ends I have penned this poeâ— of most mens lives in Scripture with 〈◊〉 best uses I have beene able to make thâ— of which heere I dedicate to your Hâ—nesse in all humilitie as being my Mâ—mite Accept of this little with my blâ—sing an old Servant of GOD nâ— drawing neere my threescore From GLASGOW the 28 of MAY 1644. Your Highnesse mâ—â—â— humble Servant Mr. ZACH. BOYD. A WATCHWORD TO THE GENERALL ASSEMBLIE Right Reverend OUr Schooles and Countrey are stained yea pestered with idle Bookes your children are fed on fables love songs badry Ballads Heathen husks youths poyson It much concerneth you to see to this and carefully to banish out of the land all the names of the Pagan gods and goddesses which as God hath expreslie told us should not be taken in our lips Psal 16.4 These words of God in Exodus are very considerable Ezo 23.13 In all things that I have said to you bee circumspect 〈◊〉 make no mention of the names other gods neither let it be heâ— out of thy mouth Seeing this by God him self required it lyeth upon you to â—daine by the visitors of School that all these monuments of idâ—latrie be removed and that oâ— such Bookes have place that mâ— help children to know GOâ— and Christ his Son Iohn 17. which is 〈◊〉
Gods Word did direct His heart with God the Lord was not perfect When warre arose he unto the Lord sought ' Gainst Jeroboam he a Battell fought Foure hundred thousand were with Abijah Eight hundred thousand were against Judah For Jeroboam In the fields were then An armie of twelve hundred thousand men Then Abijah standing on Zemaraim Which is a part of faire mount Ephraim VVith a loud voice cri'd unto Israel VVhy come ye foorth against me to Battell VVhat God hath join'd why go ye now to seveâ— For the whole land the Lord hath given for ever To Davids house without a let or halt This was made sure by Covenant of salt Yet Jeroboam Solomons servant Doth what he can to breake this Covenant Gathred unto him are men of Belial Who are novv come to provoke to Battell And novv ye think the Kingdome to vvithstand VVhich should remaine sure in Davids sons hand VVith you is a great multitude of men VVith golden Calves of false Jeroboam Have yee not cast out the Priests of the Lord That for vile gaine yee might with one accord Make unto you Priests that vvould take in hand To serve strange gods that vvere from other Lands But as for us the Lord vvith us vvill be VVho have vvith us the Priests sons of Levi VVho morne and even vvaite upon all service Enjoyn'd by GOD the dayly sacrifice VVe with our heart keep the charge of the Lord. But ye have him all left vvith one accord Behold hovv God is vvith us for Captaine His Priests vvith Trumpets to sound an alarme Against you VVherefore novv vvith one accord Conveene yee thus to fight against the Lord Leave off leave off proceed no more this vvay For your armie shall not prosper this day But Jeroboam free of feare and doubt Judahs armie did compasse all about When Judah saw them compass'd in Battell They with strong prayers cri'd to th' Eternall The Priests began with their Trumpets to sound Judah did shout Which made th' Echos rebound Then God arose to shew himself by might He Jeroboam put unto the flight The flight was fierce bloody was the Battell Five hundred thousand that day to Isra'l Were kill'd But Judah prevail'd by and by Because with faith they to the Lord did cry Thus Jeroboam curbed in his wayes Recov'red not strength in Abijahs dayes But Abijah wax'd more and more mighty With fourteene wives he begat sons twenty Because he was not perfect in his wayes Of his Kingdome the Lord shortned the dayes He in his wayes walked not uprightly Therefore his great pomp lasted but years three The Use Ill Kings from Thrones by a successive svvay Like chaffe by vvind shall soone be driven avvay 3. ASAH Healing BEhold a King most glorious like the Sun Whose end was good whose life was wâ— begun A man of health is he who strives to please The Lord and doth what is good in his eyes This worthy King with holy jealousie Brake downe the Altars of Idolatrie Set up for strange gods he the high places With groves cut downe and brake the images With great zeale he commanded all Judah To do the Law and turne unto Jovah Because the Lords Law he did not forget The Kingdome was long before him quiet At last ZERAH the Ethiopian Came with an host of a thousand thousand ASAH the King thus troubled very sore Conveen'd five hundred thousand and fourescore Thus fifteene hundred thousand men that day With fourscore thousand in Battell aray Were set Then Asah cri'd unto the Lord That in that strait his help he would afford Help us O Lord help us O Lord said he Thou canst well help with few or with many Against this host we now goe in thy name Make now our foes to turne their back with shame When God this heard he rose in anger hot And with his sword this huge armie he smot His wrath like waters wheesing out did foyle The proud Zerah then Judah got their spoile When this was done the Prophet Azariah Was sent from God for to meet King Asah God is vvith you said he vvhile ye vvith him His love with you most ready to confirme If yee forsake him he will forsake you now If yee seek him he will be found of you Be strong therefore Gods service much regard For God the Lord your good work shall rewaâ—d When Asa heard these words he tooke courage The idole gods he did destroy with rage From Ephraim Manasseh and Simeon Unto Asa many did flock anone Then with one minde they were glade and content To make with GOD the LORD a Covenant By God they sware in a most sol mne oath That man woman great small should die the death Who should refuse the living God to seek Who to his Saints is mercifull and meek Then all the people with their whole desire Did seeke the Lord as Asa did require They sware to God with shouting and Trumpets With singing voice and also with Cornets They seeking God beleev'd and did not doubt And he unto them gave rest round about When this was done this worthy King Asah From being Queene his mother Maachah Remov'd because vaine idols she did love She had set up an idole in a grove This idole he did cut and stamp upon With fire he burnt it at the brook Kidron When this was done Ba'sha King of Isra'l Did build Ramah to make Asah to fall But Asah quickly sent to Benhadad For help which in the Lords eyes did seeme bad For this doing the Prophet Hanani Him told that he had done most foolishly What hadst thou said he to doe with Syria To hire their help Did not the great Jovah Make thee subdue the Ethiopian host With the Lubims who in their pride did boâ—st Gods eyes throughout the earth run to and â—ro To manifest his great might so and so He is ready with great power to smite The foes of these who towards him perfite Are in their heart Because in this right far Thou hast failed hence foâ—th thou shalt have warre When Asa heard these words of Hanani A fierie wrath did kindle his furie Take this villaine said he this Bâ—lials son Now bind him fast and cast him in prison Moreover he some people in distresse Without mercy severely did oppresse In his old age diseased in his feet To Medecins to seeke he thought more meet Then to the Lord who health and happinesse Hath ready for his servants in distresse Though diverse faults bee seen in this mans wayes Yet with the Lord his heart was all his dayes Perfect as the first book of Kings doth tell Written by the scrib of God Eternell He sway'd the Scepter years one and fourtie Though Kings be gods yet as men they must die The Use Our brightest life is like the Moone with spot Where is the life that is without a blot 4. JEHOSHAPHAT The judgement of the Lord. NOw fill mine heart LORD with thy glowing flame Raise up my Spirit and verses in me
painfull hours ESTHER Hid. Chap. 1. IT came to passe that Ahasuerus King When he was in the third yeere of his reign Did make a feast unto all his Princes And his servants Rulers of Provinces There he in pompe and royall dignitie Did shew the honour of his Majestie This feast to shew of his glory the rayes Did last an hundred and al 's fourescore dayes After this feast he to the people all A banket made both unto great and small In Shushan faire which was the Kings palace There many subjects did themselves solace With eating drinking merrinesse and playes This feast did last the whole space of seven dayeâ— Both white and greene and blue hangings we then Fastned most sure with cordes of fine linnen And costly purple to the silver rings Pillars of marble and such other things The beds were of fine silver and of gold Which were most pleasant alwayes to behold â—ichly upon a pavement they stood â—f red blue white and al 's black marble good 〈◊〉 gold vessels they drink unto them gave 〈◊〉 abundance as much as they could crave â—he law of drinking was none did compell â—or so the King had well appointed all â—is Officers who did no more require â—ut that each man dranke after his desire Also Vashti the Queen women did bring â—o feast with her in the house of the King 〈◊〉 the seventh day as Ahasuerus was â—errie with wine even as it came to passe â—hat he ordained without lesse or more â—hat Eunuchs should bring Vashti him before â—ith the crowne royall full of dignitie â—o shew unto the Princes her beautie â—or she was faire But Vashti did refuse â—o come unto the King who wroth did use â—reat rigour for her disobedience â—ecause they thought it drew in consequence â—hese of the Princes who were the most wise â—hought by this deed that women would despise â—heir husbands when of it once they should heare â—nd that the basest would no more forbeare â—herefore of this let there be a decree â—gainst the great pride of the Queen Vashti Seeing she hath contemn'd the royall state Of Ahasuerus let her whole estate Be given unto some other speedily Who shall by all be esteem'd more worthy That all women by her may stand in aw Let this decree be written for a law Which publishâ—d through out the Empire all Shall make wives honour husbands great anâ— small After the Princes had heard this saying They it approv'd so likewise did the King So letters were sent that all men might heare That each man in his owne house rule should beâ— Chap. 2. After these things when Vashti was away The Kings servants at last began to say Let fair young virgins be sought for the King And be committed to â—egaâ—s keeping And let the maid which plâ—aseth the kings eye Be placed Queene in stead of proud Vashti When this was said anone with the saying In every point well pleased was the King Now in Shushan there was a certaine Jew The son of Jaâ—r as the Scriptures shew A Benjamite his name was Moâ—decai He from Salem had been carri'd away â—o Babylon in the captivitie With Jechoniah there captive to be â—his man Hadassa which was good Ester His Uncles daughter brought up and al 's bare â—he whole charges he for her daughter took When she was orphan he her not forsook It came to passe at last when the decree Was heard that Ester was brought to Hegai Who keept the women he anone Esther Most fair in face to others did prefer Ester as yet most wisely did not shew That she by nation was a virgin Jew As she directed was by Mordecai She strave in all things humbly to obey The custome was these maids to purifie The space of twelve months that they thus might bee Well for the King prepar'd as was thought meet With oyle of myrre and other odours sweet But above all the rest Esther got place For in the Kings sight she obtained grace So that he set the Crowne upon her head For Vashti he did make her Queene indeed Then the King made a feast to his Princes And a release al 's to the Provinces And royally gave gifts of every thing According to the great State of the King In this meane time the worthy Mordecai Sate in the Kings gate waiting every day Esther had not yet shewed her kinred Nor her people as Mordecai indeed Had charg'd for she respected Mordecai As a daughter she him still did obey While Mordecai thus sate in the Kings gate Two chamberlens men given unto debate Bigthan Teresh of these that kept the door Who did intend to take the King therefore Mordecai knowing what by them had beene Plotted against the King soon told the Queen And Esther wise did then declare the same Unto the King in good Mordecais name When inquisition was made speedily It was so and they hang'd were on a tree And in the book of Chronicles this thing All this was written even before the King Chap. 3. AFter these things the King of Persia Did raise Haman son of Amedatha The Agagite and him advanced high Above all the Princes that were him with â—ll the Kings servants not to give offencé â—id bow to him and give him reverence â—ut Mordecai who did him not allow â—efused alwayes unto him to bow â—or this Haman incensde with great fury â—tended to destroy most speedily â—oth Mordecai and all his nation â—ecause he made not due submission In the first moneth the moneth Nisan 〈◊〉 the Kings twelfth year before proud Haman â—hey cast Pur that is lot from day to day â—ow that they might the Jews all sweep away Then Haman said to Ahasuerus King â—ake heed and hearken unto my saying â—eer is a people that stands not in aw â—roud and perverse who keepe not the Kings law â—herefore it hurts the profite of the King â—hat they within thy bounds have abiding 〈◊〉 it shall please the King them to destroy 〈◊〉 will ten thousand talents surely pay â—f good silver and give it speedily â—o these that have charge of the treasury Then thus perswaded Ahasuerus King 〈◊〉 continent took from his hand his ring â—nd said to him Take these folk speedily â—nd do with them as seemeth good to thee Then letters from the King anone were sent To all Provinces for the same intent That all the Jews without faile in one day Should from the earth like doung be sweept awâ— The posts went out and runnig made great hast To execut what Haman had purchast The King and Haman then drank merrilie But poor Shushan was in perplexitie Chap. 4. WHen what was done was seene by Mordecâ— He rent his cloaths and bitterly did cry He put on sack-loth with ashes and went And to the Kings gate came incontinent In every province then was great mourning Among the Jews with wailing and fasting Yea thus perplexed many night and day In vilest sack-cloth and in ashes lay When Esthers maids thus Mordecai had