The Garden of Zion, Dedication 4
TO THE MOST ROYALL LADY MARY, His Majeſties Elder Daughter Princeſſe of ORANGE.
MADAME,
IT was the ſaying of a KING,PROV. 18 16. a mans gift maketh roome for him before the great; If there were no other way but by gifts, I ſhould come behind and not before, how ever it be, as S. Peter ſaid to the creeple at the Temple gate called Beatifull, Such as I have I give, yea;Act. 3.6 and that with a willing minde.
In dayes of mourning, we muſt t… forget our ſpirituall mirth; Chri… precept is that we rejoice ever more Women more then men are incline… to ſinging,1 THES. 5.16. as daylie practiſe dot… ſhew; when David returned from the ſlaughter of the Philistine, it is ſaid, that the women came out o… all the cities of Iſrael ſinging, 1 SAM. 18.7.Sa… hath ſlaine his thouſands, and David his ten thouſands; no mention is made of men ſingers.
If your Highneſſe deſire ſpirituall recreations in h…ly ſongs, I have heere tuned the Song of Songs in the first place, and not without reaſon, … being ſo called by excellencie: Ʋn… it are ſubjoined the other cheefe ſongs contained in the Old and New Teſtament, as they ly in order: The Apoſtle S. James hath given this precept,JAM. 5.13. COL. 3.16. I… any merry? Let him ſing; S. Pau… ordaines that we ſing with grace i… our hearts to the Lord; In anothe… place, he willeth that we be filled wit… the ſpirit, and that wee ſpeake to our ſelves in Pſalmes, and Hymnes, EPHES. 5.19.and Spirituall Songs, makeing melodie in our heart to the Lord.
The Lord grant your Highneſſe ſuch happineſſe, that yee may have many joyfull dayes to awake your glory, that yee may chearfully ſing the praiſes of the LORD.
Your Highneſſe moſt humble ſervant, Mr. Zachary Boyd. From Glaſgow the 20 of March, 1645.