The Garden of Zion, Part 3
THE GARDEN OF ZION.
RUTH. Watered.
WIth famine preſt theſe perſons went anone,
Elimelech Naomi with Mahlon,
And Chilion their ſons from Bethlehem.
To MOAB land that they might their remaine,
ELIMELECH Naomis beſt beloved
At laſt by pale death was from her removed:
Then her two ſons their hearts for to rejoice,
Of RUTH and ORPAH made their onelyonly choiſ…
But in their mariage this was a great ſpot,
Theſe women were from the inceſt of Lot:
For Moab was (againſt all divine order)
His mothers ſonne and alſo his owne brother:
After ten yeares in mariage were paſt,
Theſe two young men both died at the laſt:
Then poore Naomi deliv'red from dread,
Hearing how God had given to Iſra'l bread,
Said to Orpah, and Ruth her daughters dear,
Goe to your owne, for I muſt hence retire:
The Lord in mercy deale with you kindlie,
As ye have dealt with the dead and with me:
The Lord in mercy work all to your beſt,
That with your huſbands each of you finde reſt;
Then kiſſing them, they weeped bitterlie,
They ſaid ſurely we will returne with thee:
Naomi ſaid, My daughters turne again,
For now with me ye can no more remaine.
The Lord mo ſons on me doth not allow,
Which I for huſbands might give unto you:
Then all did weepe, then Orpah tooke her le…
But to NAOMI RUTHS heart faſt did cleave:
Not ſo Naomi ſaid, Behold Orpah,
Beſt thou returne with thy ſiſter in law:
Intreat me not, ſaid Ruth, I pray humblie
For to returne from following after thee:
Both going, lodging, people, and our God
Shall all be one; with thee mine whole abode
I mind to make; to live and die indeed
With thee I minde, and als to be buri'd:
From thee I will by no meanes now depart,
Nothing but death on earth ſhall us two part.
When ſhe her ſaw ſo ſtedfaſtly perſiſt,
She ſaid to Ruth to ſpeake more I deſiſt:
Then they two went with little meanes with them
Unto her city called BETHLEHEM:
Unto her many came where ſhe abade
Is this Naomi? each to other ſaid.
No more that name, ſaid ſhe, belongs to me,
Call me Marah, becauſe God bitterlie
Hath dealt with me, the LORD hath more and more
Againſt me wrought and hath afflicted ſore:
Beſide her dwelt Booz a wealthie man,
A neere and deare friend of her dead huſband:
The barley harv'ſt was, Ruth deſired then,
In great miſter ſome ears of corne to gleane.
She went to fields, God did direct her choſe,
She came unto the reaper… of Booz:
When Booz knew Ruth the Moabiteſſe,
His melting heart did pitie her diſtreſſe:
Then did Booz ſpeake friendly to her heart,
See from this field that thou do not depart:
When thou gleaneſt abide neere the women,
Concerning thee I ſhall direct the men
That they thee touch not; when thou art a thirſt,
Go to the veſſels, and take of the beſt:
After that Ruth had ſuch great fovour found,
She bowed humbly even unto the ground,
Saying thou art a rich man high in place,
And … a ſtranger in thine eyes finde grace.
Then Booz ſaid, It hath been ſhown to me,
How kind thou haſt beene unto Naomi:
The LORD of love who doth all things remark,
Reward thee full and recompence thy worke;
Then loving Booz, in things of all ſort,
Left no thing undoone that might Ruth comfort:
Both meet and drink ſhe got, while ſhe did gleane,
Booz handfulls the reapers did ordaine
To leave of purpoſe, that for coming foorth
Shee might returne home with ſome thing of worth;
When ſhe had eaten, ſhe put up a part,
Which ſhee brought home with a moſt loving heart
Unto Naomi, who bleſt the moſt Hie
Who had made her to finde ſuch charitie:
Then ſaid Naomi, I will do my beſt,
Eor thee my daughter to ſeeke out a reſt:
I truſt my hope ſhall take ſome good effect,
Waſh thee therefore and do as I direct:
Though thou be Ruth a ſilly widow poor,
Feare not to go unto his threſhing floore:
When he hath ended both to drinke and eat;
Marke where he lyes, laſt uncover his feet;
Waite well thy time, and after lay thee downe,
And he will tell thee what is to be done:
As Naomi her daughter had informed,
All was by Ruth ſo in due time performed.
Then Booz to bed with a merry heart
Went, after Ruth paſt ſoftly to her part:
She well reſolv'd, not fearing hurt or ſcorne,
Lay down with Booz neere an heap of corne:
At midnight houre when his firſt ſleep did paſſe,
He was afraid, and wondred who it was:
Who can this be? Who art thou, then he ſaid,
I am ſaid ſhe even Ruth thine owne hand maid,
I come to thee in all humilitie
My neere kinſman now ſpread thy skirt on me;
Then Booz ſaid, the Lord his bleſſing ſend
To thee whoſe kindneſſe in the latter end
To me an old man now doth moſt appeare,
Courage daughter thou need'ſt no thing to feare▪
Thy praiſe is high above the common pitch,
Who ſeeks not young men whether poore or rich
And now, daughter, ſee what thou moſt deſires
For I will doe each thing that thou requires:
In this city i'ts known to every man
That thou art a good and vertuous woman:
The Lord he knowes thou art to me full deare,
But know this, there is a kinſman more neere;
If he refuſe and the neere match forſake,
I promiſe heere to wife I will thee take.
When Booz after did that man require,
His anſwere was, that match I not deſire
Then Booz having ended all the ſtrife
Made choiſe of Ruth for to remaine his wife:
A little after all theſe things were done,
God bleſſed Ruth who bare to him a ſonne:
His name OBED, to many joy did bring,
He was grand father to David the King.
The Uſe.
Heere learne that Chriſt, who of all men w… beſt,
Did come of Ruth who was from Lots inceſt:
Heere learne how God exalts the baſest things,
From this poore gleaner did ſpring many King… ▪