The Garden of Zion, Precepts – Errata
Some few Chriſtian Precepts.
WHat God the gives take in good part,
ceaſe other to devoure,
Like Alexanders glutton net
whoſe Kingdome Kinged foure.
When thou triumphs, not lofty be
but think upon a croſſe,
…or who the day is ſet on hie
may ſoone his laurell loſſe.
Take heed in time and learne to fear,
the great Almighty God,
Who made Denis a King to beare
for Scepter Pedants rod.
Remember how that Prince of Spaine,
who for Europe did breath,
By Gods Almighty hand was ſlaine
ev'n by a louzie death.
Remember how ſome in their pride
Gods heavy hand did feele,
Their head on neck could not abide.
off chopt with whiffing steele.
6 Think ſtill on death for time doth ſlip
though it ſeemes but to creep,
Man heer is as at ſea, his ſhip
ſtill ſailes, though men do ſleep.
7 While wind doth ſerve, embark, be wiſe
to meet all haps before,
When death ſhall cut thine enterpriſe,
then thou ſhalt row no more.
8 Take time in time, for wind and tide
will in a moment turne,
We heere ſure will not long abide,
and gone, will not returne.
9 Looke not heer for true happineſſe,
the place of our exile,
A bare and barren wilderneſſe,
where we live all this while.
10 Look on thy body as on clay,
the ſoule is ſtuffe more fine,
A ſubſtance which weares not away
a blast of breath divine.
11 Luske not in ſloath, ſeeke not thine eaſe,
Moths gnow cloaths in a cheſt,
Swords alſo ruſt within their ſheeths,
and ſo do ſouls in reſt.
12 Manure thy heart with diligence,
and it in ſow good ſeed,
But ſtill beware of negligence,
for earely grows the weed.
13 All idleneſſe diſnatures wit,
but travell makes it quick,
Do nothing that diſableth it
by force or yet by trick,
14 With conſtant eye ſtill Chriſt behold,
and on him ſtill repoſe,
As with the Sun the Mary gold,
doth open still or cloſe.
15 When death us ſummons to go hence,
we ſhould not be dejected,
For from the ſame no more the Prince
then Carters is protected.
16 Our life's a web of ſmall and groſſe,
this is us giv'n for doome;
That ſorrowes are as threeds a Croſſe
in this our earthly loome.
17 Let us abhore ambition
content with that we have,
In grave in one condition
are King, Earle, Sir and Slave.
18 This earth is like a Cheſſe-board where
ſome leap ſome limp anone,
Kings, Pawnes, Knights, Aphens heere and there
ſtand; yet there wood is one.
1 TIM. 1. verſ. 17.
Now unto the King eternall, immortall, inviſible, the onelyonly wiſe GOD, be honour and glory, for ever and ever, Amen.
Errata.
IF any of theſe verſes go not ſo ſmoothly as thou wouldeſt, know that I have tyed my ſelf verie ſtraitly to keep ſtill the wordes of the Scripture: Some eſcapes there be in the printing, at ſome times a ſyllable more, and ſome are leſſe then ſhould, but the judicious Reader may eaſily take the matter up: Pag. 272. Davids houſe is put for Iſra'ls houſe, Pag. 142. bribidge for bribing, Pag. 265. qy for by, Pag. 330. day ſay for did ſay, Pag. 364. trotring for totring, &c.
End of the text · Zacharie Boyd, The Garden of Zion (1644)