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<DATE>2011-01-19</DATE>
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<NAME>Megan Marion</NAME>
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<PB N="1" REF="1" MS="y">
<HEAD>A New Years-Gift, OR A <HI>Token of Love,</HI> To all Per&s;ons of what PERSWASION &s;oever.</HEAD>
<BYLINE>By a Friend, and Lover of all Men.</BYLINE>
<P>REflecting with my &s;elf, that the All-wi&s;e God, who doth nothing in vain, hath given &s;ome Talents more or le&s;s to all Mankind, to Traffick withal, but e&s;pe|cially to tho&s;e that live under the Go&s;pel; and con&s;idering that he who had received but one, was called to an account for it, as well as he that had received five, and the terrible and ju&s;t Sentence pronounced again&s;t the unprofitable Ser|vant, that had not employ'd his Talent for his Lords u&s;e, I tremble at the thoughts of it, and in the &s;en&s;e thereof, am made to reflect what I have done for the glory of my Lord, with that one Talent which his Free Grace hath be&s;tow'd upon me; and finding how unprofitable a Servant I have been with it hitherto, I am moved (I tru&s;t by the Spirit of Grace) to delay no longer, but to improve my Talent as
<PB N="2" REF="2">
well as I can, for the glory of my Lord. And al&s;o that by my Example, the meane&s;t may be encouraged to employ and improve the lea&s;t mea&s;ure of Grace and Knowledge be&s;tow'd upon them, for God's glory and our mutual Com|fort and Edification. <NOTE PLACE="marg">Exod. 25. 2, 3, 4, 5.</NOTE> We read in God's Word, <HI>That God commanded</HI> Mo&s;es <HI>to &s;peak to the Children of</HI> I&s;rael, <HI>to bring every one his Offering, and to take the &s;ame of every Man that &s;hould give it willingly with his heart,</HI> not only, <HI>Gold, Silver, Blue Purple, Scarlet, fine Linnen,</HI> and <HI>pretious Stones,</HI> &amp;c. all co&s;tly Things, and Offerings, proper for the <HI>Rich;</HI> but al&s;o <HI>Rams,</HI> and <HI>Badgers Skins,</HI> and <HI>Goats Hair,</HI> which were Gifts accommodated to the Ability of the <HI>Poor;</HI> the mean|e&s;t Offering of the People, that was pre&s;ented with a willing heart, being as well accepted by God, as the mo&s;t &s;umptu|ous Gifts of the <HI>Rich.</HI> Which may be a great Encourage|ment even to tho&s;e that have but the lea&s;t mea&s;ure of grace, to endeavour to improve and lay it out for the glory of God, and the good of their Neighbour. And accordingly we &s;ee, that our Saviour al&s;o accepted and commended the <HI>two Mites of the Poor VViddow,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 21. 2, 3, 4.</NOTE> above all the Oblations of the Rich and Wealthy.</P>
<P>Wherefore, I hope, that this my poor <HI>Mite</HI> will be ac|cepted, not only by my great Lord and Ma&s;ter, but al&s;o by Men of good will, &s;ince I tru&s;t, I have no other End, but his Glory and the good of poor Souls, who may &s;tand in need as well as I, to be put in mind, not to wrap up their Ma|&s;ters Talent in a Napkin. Give me leave therefore to deli|ver here what &s;hall ri&s;e in my mind, in a plain and &s;imple &s;tile, and &s;uitable to my meanne&s;s, who am without Learn|ing.</P>
<P>And in the fir&s;t place, I will begin with that which I have had a long time on my heart, <HI>viz.</HI> to tell the world I am in charity with all Men, through that Spark of divine Love I have received in my heart, but more e&s;pecially with tho&s;e that love the Lord, and &s;eek his Glory in all their Actions, of what&s;oever Per&s;ua&s;ion they are: For love is not a Sect
<PB N="3" REF="2">
or an Opinion, but a fruitful Mother full of Bowels of Mer|cy, that comprehendeth all, but chiefly tho&s;e of her own Bo&s;om, and afterwards tho&s;e that are without, whether <HI>Jews</HI> or <HI>Gentiles,</HI> and takes them in al&s;o. Where&s;oever Love is, tho but as a Spark, &s;he &s;oon &s;preads on the right hand, and on the left, behind and before; an Enemy as well as a Friend is welcom to her, yea, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 5. 44. Rom. 12. 20, 21. Colo&s;. 3. 12. 1 Cor. 13. 4, 5, 7. Prov. 10. 12. P&s;alm 34. 14.</NOTE> &s;he entreats them to be at peace with her; &s;he remembreth no wrong, but <HI>covers</HI> all <HI>&s;ins,</HI> and <HI>&s;eeks peace, and pur&s;ues it.</HI> VVhere|fore in imitation of her, I freely pardon without any Re|&s;erve, any that may have &s;aid any thing again&s;t me for want of that Love which I now feel in my heart, the Lord in his Mercy forgive them, as I de&s;ire to be forgiven: For what are all the Injuries that Man can do to me all the days of my Life, in compari&s;on of one &s;in committed a|gain&s;t my God, who daily loadeth me with his Benefits? Shall I have Ten thou&s;and Talents, yea Millions forgiven me by my Lord, and &s;hall I think much to forgive an hun|dred Pence to my fellow Servant, to my poor Brother, or Si&s;ter in the Fall? No &s;ure, I will rather pity him, and pray for him, <HI>than render evil for evil, and railing for railing.</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 The&s;&s;. 5. 15.</NOTE> And as I by Love freely forgive all, &s;o I de&s;ire that all would forgive me, if at any time, I have &s;aid or done any thing contrary to the Love I owe to all Mankind, and more e&s;pe|cially to tho&s;e that are of the Hou&s;ehold of Faith, by Inad|vertence, Undi&s;creetne&s;s, or Ra&s;hne&s;s occa&s;ion'd by want of watchfulne&s;s.</P>
<P>The next thing that hath moved me to &s;end the&s;e mean lines abroad, is, becau&s;e &s;everal thoughts have ri&s;en in me, that this Year may probably prove my la&s;t, and therefore my Year of Jubilee, in which I &s;hall be delivered and &s;et free from the Bondage of Sin and Corruption, and return to my <HI>fir&s;t Po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion and Family,</HI> which I have in God through Chri&s;t; wherefore &s;eeing that I hope to be &s;et free from my Bondage, I de&s;ire al&s;o, as far as in me lyes, to &s;et every one free, that throughout my whole Life, I have had
<PB N="4" REF="3">
occa&s;ion to conver&s;e or deal with, that is, any who have judged hard of me, and have put a bad interpretation on my good will and purpo&s;e; I de&s;ire, I &s;ay, to &s;et them free, by forgiving and forgetting. For it is &s;aid in the above quot|ed place of <HI>Leviticus, And ye &s;hall hallow the Fiftieth Year</HI> (the Year of Jubilee) <HI>and proclaim Liberty throughout all the Land, unto all the Inhabitants thereof.</HI> If under the Law, God would have every one to proclaim Liberty to tho&s;e that were in Bondage, and that had alienated their Lands, to the end, they might return to their Fathers Inheritance; much more ought this to be done &s;piritually under the Go&s;|pel, by celebrating a &s;piritual Jubilee, when the <HI>Trumpet</HI> of God's Love &s;ounds in our hearts, proclaiming pardon and forgivene&s;s of Tran&s;gre&s;&s;ions and Sins, by which we are &s;et free, and in&s;pired in like manner to proclaim Liberty to all tho&s;e that may have Tre&s;pa&s;t again&s;t us.</P>
<P><HI>The Trumpet of the Love of God &s;ounds from the Heart, fir&s;t to God's People, and next to tho&s;e that are without, and may as yet &s;tand in Enmity again&s;t them.</HI></P>
<P>Beloved <HI>Brethern</HI> and <HI>Si&s;ters,</HI> with what words &s;hall I ex|pre&s;s that love which the Lord hath kindled in my Soul in a double mea&s;ure towards you this <HI>NewYear?</HI> My thoughts are too &s;hort, and my words too narrow, to di&s;play before you the <HI>Burning Love</HI> which at this time flames in my heart towards you all; from which Love I once more, this <HI>New Year,</HI> do freely forgive and forget what&s;oever hath been done ami&s;s to me, by any of my fellow Chri&s;tians, begging of God to &s;et you free; as I my &s;elf al&s;o de&s;ire to be &s;et free by you all, for any thing whereby I may have offended you, again&s;t the bent and inclination of my Soul, and that Spark of Love which is in it, which would not offend any one. Pray bear with my Repetitions; for it is <HI>from the abun|dance of the heart</HI> that my <HI>mouth &s;peaketh;</HI> and Love is <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 12. 34.</NOTE> never weary of &s;hewing her good will to all Men.</P>
<P>This <HI>Divine Love</HI> and <HI>Charity</HI> is the true Principle of on Evangelical Life, without which no per&s;on can live &s;o
<PB N="5" REF="3">
as becomes the Go&s;pel of Chri&s;t. Of how great value there|fore is this <HI>love?</HI> Of whom we may &s;ay, as <HI>Solomon</HI> &s;aith of Wi&s;dom, <HI>She is better than Rubies, and all the things that may he de&s;ired, are not to be compared to her.</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 8. 11.</NOTE> Love is of &s;uch an Attractive and A&s;&s;imilative Vertue, that &s;he changeth all things, &s;he toucheth into her own Nature, &s;he is the true <HI>Philo&s;ophers Stone,</HI> that changeth all ba&s;er Mettals into <HI>Gold,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 13. 44, 45.</NOTE> &s;he is the <HI>Pearl of great Price,</HI> and the <HI>Trea&s;ure hid in the Field,</HI> in order to the purcha&s;ing, of which the wi&s;e Mer|chant &s;ells all. <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ephe&s;. 3. 19. 1 John 4. 16.</NOTE> Oh Love! Love! who can take thy di|men&s;ions? who can comprehend thee? <HI>For God is Love, and he that dwelleth in Love, dwelleth in God, and God in him.</HI> Where this Love is not found, neither is God there; tho a Man &s;hould &s;hine never &s;o glorious with all Parts, Gifts, and deep <NOTE PLACE="marg">Cor. 13. 2 Pet. 1. 1. Gal. 5. 6.</NOTE> Learning, all would &s;ignifie nothing without this. Preti|ous <HI>Faith</HI> it &s;elf is of no account, except it <HI>work by love.</HI></P>
<P>Wherefore, <HI>O Chri&s;tians,</HI> let us be led by this Spirit of Love, and readily obey the Commandment of our Lord, who &s;aith, <HI>Love your Enemies, ble&s;s them that cur&s;e you,</HI> &amp;c. <NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 5. 44.</NOTE> And you that call your &s;elves <HI>Prote&s;tants,</HI> and profe&s;s the &s;ame Religion, be entreated by the love of Chri&s;t, who died for <HI>All,</HI> to be Enemies to <HI>None,</HI> e&s;pecially of your own Brethren, that would fain live in love and peace with you. Why &s;hould you <HI>fall out by the way?</HI> and be at va|riance <NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 45. 24.</NOTE> with your Brethren that cannot comply with you in all things that you think lawful, and they may be &s;o to you, tho not to them; <HI>for what&s;oever is not of Faith is &s;in.</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 14. 2, 3, 4, 10, 11, 12, 13, &amp; 23.</NOTE> <HI>One believeth that he may eat all things, and another who is weak eateth Herbs. Let none of you therefore judge his Brother,</HI> but rather bear with one another in love. They who&s;e Hearts are &s;incere, and truly love God, will never be angry with their Brethren, that are &s;tronger, and &s;ee further than they do, or are more able to promote the Glo|ry of God, and the Good of their Neighbour than they are. The holy Man <HI>Mo&s;es,</HI> when <HI>his Servant told him, that &s;ome of the People Prophe&s;yed in the Camp,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Num. 11. 27, 28, 29.</NOTE> was &s;o far from being
<PB N="6" REF="4">
jealous upon that account, that he rejoyced and &s;aid, <HI>Would to God that all the People of the Lord were Prophets, and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them.</HI> And the Apo&s;tle St. <HI>Paul</HI> declares, that tho there were <HI>&s;ome that preached</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 1. 15. 18.</NOTE> <HI>Chri&s;t, even of Envy, and Strife,</HI> yet that <HI>therein he rejoyced, and would rejoyce.</HI> We &s;ee how far different the&s;e holy Saints were from the Spirit of tho&s;e who are Envious at the Gifts of others, not to &s;ay wor&s;e: For I would rather heal all Breaches, than make them wider; and with the Mantle of Love hide the nakedne&s;s of my Fathers and Brethren, and <HI>heap Coals</HI> of Divine Charity upon their heads, to melt their hearts, and to induce them to love the Lord, and his People. This is that which my Spirit groans for, to have all &s;et at liberty by the Spirit of Love and Peace, that <HI>Bre|thren</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 133.</NOTE> <HI>may dwell together in Unity.</HI> Nay, what is more, my Spirit groans for the whole Creation, that it may <HI>be de|livered</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 8. 19. to 28.</NOTE> <HI>from the Bondage of Corruption into the glorious liber|ty of the &s;ons of God;</HI> for through &s;in it is made &s;ubject to Bondage and Mi&s;ery.</P>
<P>My Prayer is to Almighty God, who at fir&s;t made this <HI>Univer&s;e</HI> &s;o glorious, that he would be plea&s;ed to re&s;tore it to its fir&s;t Beauty and Purity, as it was before the Fall; then <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 3. 13.</NOTE> &s;hall the <HI>New Heaven</HI> and the <HI>New Earth</HI> appear, not only inwardly in Man, but al&s;o in the outward Creation, that we may once more &s;ee and enjoy the Divine Harmony be|tween Heaven and Earth, <HI>when the Morning Stars &s;hall &s;ing</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Job 38. 17. I&s;a. 11. 9.</NOTE> <HI>together, and all the &s;ons of God &s;hout for joy.</HI> Then <HI>&s;hall the Knowledge of the Lord cover the Earth, as Waters cover the</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a 30. 36.</NOTE> <HI>Sea. And the Light of the Moon &s;hall be as the Light of the Sun, and the Light of the Sun &s;hall be &s;even fold, as the Light of &s;even days.</HI> But before this glorious Day appears, <HI>the Lord will debate with his People,</HI> and not <HI>with-hold his Rough</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a. 27. 8. 9.</NOTE> <HI>Wind in the day of his Ea&s;t VVind,</HI> that he may winnow them from their Chaff; but all this will be only to make way for this Day, by <HI>purging away the Iniquity of</HI> Jacob, <HI>and taking away his &s;in.</HI></P>
<P><PB N="7" REF="4">
For we are not fit to be made Partakers of this <HI>Great Re|demption,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 3. 19. 1 Cor. 6. 14.</NOTE> which is the <HI>Time of Refre&s;hment,</HI> till this be done; for <HI>Light</HI> and <HI>Darkne&s;s</HI> cannot agree together, <HI>Holine&s;s</HI> and <HI>Sin</HI> cannot be inmates of the &s;ame Soul. Therefore, let us pray, that this <HI>New Year</HI> we may &s;ee the De&s;truction of Sin in us; tho we may, before this Work be accompli&s;h|ed, pa&s;s through <HI>his Fire,</HI> which is in <HI>Zion,</HI> and endure his <HI>Furnace,</HI> which is in <HI>Jeru&s;alem.</HI> Wherefore, let none of <NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a. 31. 9.</NOTE> us flatter our &s;elves ever to be delivered, &s;ave only this way; for the Lord <HI>will throughly purge his Floor.</HI> There is <NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 3. 17.</NOTE> a <HI>Purifying VVork,</HI> mu&s;t go before the <HI>Times of Refre&s;hment:</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 3. 2, 1.</NOTE> And therefore let us all turn inwards, judging our &s;elves, &amp; &s;earching our own hearts before the Lord comes to judge and &s;earch us; and let us not cry, <HI>Peace, Peace,</HI> as long as we go on in a Cour&s;e of &s;inning without Controle, but let us rather re&s;olve, in the &s;trength of the Lord to fight this Man of Sin, <HI>re&s;i&s;ting</HI> even <HI>unto Blood.</HI> Let us this <HI>New</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 12. 4.</NOTE> <HI>Year</HI> engage in this holy Warfare more couragiou&s;ly than ever; let us fight again&s;t &s;in not only now and then, but at all times, and in all places; and again&s;t all manner of &s;ins, whether Bodily or Spiritual, which are more hid. Let us remember, that we are <HI>Christians,</HI> who by their <HI>Bapti&s;m,</HI> are engaged <HI>to fight again&s;t the world, the fle&s;h, and the De|vil.</HI> This is our Holy Calling and Employment, to fight re&s;olutely and and con&s;tantly again&s;t the&s;e three Potent Enemies. Wherefore, we have great need to be continu|ally upon our Watch, and to put on the <HI>whole Armour of God,</HI> and never put it off: <NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 6. 11.</NOTE> For it is not with this Spiritual Warfare, as it is with that of the world, where Soldiers have their Winter-Quarters allow'd them to take their Re&s;t; for Chri&s;tians from the fir&s;t moment that they are li&s;ted under the Captain of their Salvation, and have their eyes opened to &s;ee their Spiritual Enemies, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 6. 12.</NOTE> begin that fight, which is never to cea&s;e, till the laying down of the Body: <NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;aiah 45. 24.</NOTE> but with his Armour, and in his Strength, for he is the Lord, in whom is our &s;trength.</P>
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<PB N="8" REF="5">
<HEAD>MEDITATION.</HEAD>
<P>THis is that, O my Soul, which thou mu&s;t re&s;olve up|on this <HI>New Year,</HI> together with all the Children of God, even to <HI>fight the good Fight:</HI> And having once <HI>put our hand to the Plough, we mu&s;t not look back.</HI> The way is <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 9. 24. Luke 9. 60.</NOTE> narrow and difficult, but it is only &s;o to &s;inful &s;elf, which mu&s;t be de&s;troyed; for to the Soul that is renew|ed by Grace; <HI>All the ways of God are Plea&s;antne&s;s, and all his Paths are Peace.</HI> This is that Path, O my Soul, in <NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 3. 17.</NOTE> which thou mu&s;t walk this Year, and all the re&s;t of thy Life, here in this mortal Body. Faint not, but be of good Courage, <HI>be &s;trong in the Lord, and in the Power of his might:</HI> For he hath &s;aid, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 6. 10 Jo&s;h. 1. 5.</NOTE> <HI>I will never leave thee, nor for&s;ake thee; Be not di&s;mayed, neither be thou afraid,</HI> O my Soul, <HI>for the Lord thy God is with thee.</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 13. 5. Jo&s;h. 1. 9. Job 5. 19.</NOTE> And, <HI>he will deliver thee in &s;ix troubles, yea in &s;even, there &s;hall no evil touch thee.</HI> Believe it, O my Soul, <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm 56. 4, 11.</NOTE> it is the Word of thy God: <HI>In God have I put my tru&s;t, I will not fear what fle&s;h can do unto me:</HI> No, nor what the Devil and all the Powers of Hell can do again&s;t me. I mu&s;t expect, that the nearer I come to my Journeys end, the more violent and &s;harp the Combate will be; Sa|tan will be loath to quit his hold of me, without making his la&s;t, and mo&s;t terrible A&s;&s;ault. From my very Youth up, the Lord hath made known &s;omething of the hatred of that <HI>Roaring Lion</HI> again&s;t my Soul: But now I am in good earne&s;t and &s;trong de&s;ire, to overcome all his Temp|tations, and Wiles, he will attack me with greater force and cunning than ever: But my God, I tru&s;t, will fight the Battel for me, and <HI>I &s;hall be more than Conqueror, through Chri&s;t that loved me, and gave him&s;elf for me,</HI> that I in his Conque&s;t &s;hould triumph over the <HI>World,</HI> the <HI>Fle&s;h,</HI> and the <HI>Devil.</HI></P>
<P>Ble&s;&s;ed be my God and Father in Chri&s;t Je&s;us, that he hath opened my Spiritual Eye, the beginning of this <HI>New</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 11. 13.</NOTE> <HI>Year</HI> more than heretofore, to &s;ee what is required of me, and hath promi&s;ed me his Holy Spirit, who will enable me to perform it.</P>
<P><PB N="9" REF="5">
Chri&s;tian People and Friends, help and a&s;&s;i&s;t me in this my undertaking by your earne&s;t Prayers, for I am come to the la&s;t Quarter of my Life, the Winter of my Age; yea, and if I mi&s;take not, I am come to the la&s;t hour of my day; therefore great need have I to double my Diligence in working in the Vineyard of my Lord, ploughing up the Fallow Ground of my heart, and ca&s;ting out the Stones of Unbelief, and plucking up the <HI>Roots of Bitterne&s;s,</HI> and <HI>Weeds of Corrupt Nature?</HI> And to re&s;olve with my &s;elf in the &s;trength of my God, <HI>to lay a&s;ide every weight,</HI> and <HI>the &s;in</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 12. 1, 2.</NOTE> <HI>that doth &s;o ea&s;ily be&s;et us, &amp;c.</HI> that I may be &s;imple and naked in the &s;ight of my God, that neither my corrupt Na|ture, nor any Creature, may draw my Soul any more from him, but that he may work in it how and what&s;oever he plea&s;eth, till he have purged and purified it, <HI>to be a meet</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 6. 16.</NOTE> <HI>Habitation for his holy Maje&s;ty,</HI> that I may now more than ever, experimentally know, what it is to have <HI>God walk in me,</HI> and <HI>dwell in me,</HI> that &s;o the latter <HI>end</HI> of my <HI>life</HI> may be better than the <HI>beginning.</HI></P>
<P>O that this De&s;ire and Longing may not only be wrought in me, and tho&s;e that are as low in grace as I am, but al&s;o in tho&s;e that are Men in Chri&s;t, and old Di&s;ciples, for a greater manife&s;tation of Chri&s;t in them, by an exemplary Holine&s;s in all manner of Conver&s;ation; and that they may be enabled to bring much Glory to God, by improving their Talents to a double encrea&s;e, and by doing all their <HI>works</HI> from the <HI>Motive</HI> of <HI>Divine Love</HI> and <HI>Charity.</HI> The more we <HI>love</HI> the more we <HI>work,</HI> and the le&s;s we <HI>love,</HI> the <NOTE PLACE="marg">John 14. 23, 24.</NOTE> le&s;s we <HI>work. If you love me,</HI> &s;aith our Ble&s;&s;ed Lord, <HI>keep my Commandments.</HI> And the <HI>Beloved Di&s;ciple</HI> a&s;&s;ures us, <HI>That this is the love of God, if we keep his Commandments.</HI> And the <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 John 5. 3.</NOTE> farther we advance in this love, the more we &s;hall find, that <HI>his Commands are not grievous.</HI></P>
<P>This <HI>Love</HI> is <HI>All,</HI> O my Soul, and who&s;oever hath it, cannot want any thing; it is the want of this that makes <HI>Obedience</HI> to the Will of God <HI>difficult</HI> to us, and makes us apt to com|plain
<PB N="10" REF="6">
of the want of outward things. For if we had Love, <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 John 4. 16. 1 Cor. 3. 21, 22.</NOTE> we &s;hould have God, and having God, &s;hould have <HI>all things.</HI> O that this <HI>New Year</HI> we might be made Po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ors of <HI>all things,</HI> in this <HI>one thing love:</HI> For in it we &s;hall have true Repentance, deep Humility, &s;trong Faith, total Re&s;ignati|on, continual Self-denial, with all long Suffering and Cha|rity towards all Men; and all other Graces that are compre|hended in this word Love, which re&s;tores the Image of God in the Soul. And &s;eeing God hath &s;pared us another Year, we are now to double our Endeavours, with earne&s;t Prayer to obtain all the&s;e Graces, and the rather, becau&s;e his Judg|ments abroad, and his long Suffering with us at home, &s;eem to call for it.</P>
<P>But what need I to &s;ay any more, &s;ince you all know this, and perform it al&s;o, I hope, better than I do; only it was &s;trongly impre&s;t upon my mind, to bur&s;t forth into the&s;e broken words to my Betters and Equals, for <HI>Inferiours I know none,</HI> as being the lea&s;t of tho&s;e that have received any Spark of true Grace, yet am forced to ca&s;t in my <HI>Mite</HI> in|to the <HI>Trea&s;ury.</HI> The Lord knows for what end he makes u&s;e of &s;uch a poor In&s;trument! Yet, if the lea&s;t Glory may thereby accrue to God, and his Children may get any good by it, it is enough, I have obtained my end, and my de&s;ire of &s;o many Years &s;tanding; I have &s;atisfyed my Mind, and eas'd my Heart, and now &s;hall die in Peace; hoping that this my Talent, by the Ble&s;&s;ing of God upon it, and your Prayers, may be encrea&s;ed to two, at the la&s;t Day, when the Lord &s;hall &s;ay, <HI>Well done, good and faithful Servant, enter</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 25. 21.</NOTE> <HI>into the joy of thy Lord. Amen.</HI> Lord, &s;o be it. <HI>Hallelujah.</HI></P>
<P>What &s;hall I &s;ay to you, my <HI>Fellow Chri&s;tians,</HI> and <HI>Men of Good Will,</HI> who truly fear God, tho you differ in Judgment; and what &s;hall I wi&s;h you this <HI>New Year,</HI> but that you may all agree in one, to &s;erve the Lord <HI>in Spirit and in Truth,</HI> and <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 7. 6.</NOTE> not in the oldne&s;s of the <HI>Letter;</HI> that you may be all built up into an <HI>Holy Temple</HI> for Chri&s;t to dwell in, and become a <HI>Royal Pri&s;thood,</HI> partakers of the Ble&s;&s;ings of the Prie&s;ts
<PB N="11" REF="6">
and Levites of Old, in the Spirit. And herewith I &s;hall end this my <HI>New Years Gift,</HI> turning the&s;e my Wi&s;hes into Prayers to God for you all: <NOTE PLACE="marg">Deut. 33. 11.</NOTE> <HI>Ble&s;s Lord his Sub&s;tance, and accept the Work of his hands, &s;mite through the Loins of them that ri&s;e again&s;t him, and of them that hate him, that they ri&s;e not a|gain. The Lord hear thee in the day of Trouble; the Name of the God of</HI> Jacob <HI>defend thee;</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;. 20. 1, 2.</NOTE> <HI>&s;end thee help from the Sanctua|ry, and &s;trengthen thee out of Zion.</HI></P>
<P>O <HI>England,</HI> live for ever, but let no more Enmity live in the mid&s;t of thee. <HI>Behold how good, and how plea&s;ant it is, for Brethren to live together in Unity.</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;. 133. 1.</NOTE> This is the way to bring that Ble&s;&s;ing upon thee mentioned by the Prophet, when he &s;aith, <HI>Surely his Salvation is nigh them that fear him, that Glory</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm 85. 9, 10, 11, 12.</NOTE> <HI>may dwell in our Land. Mercy and Truth &s;hall meet together, Righteou&s;ne&s;s and Peace &s;hall ki&s;s each other. Truth &s;hall &s;pring out of the Earth, and Righteou&s;ne&s;s &s;hall look down from Heaven. Yea, the Lord &s;hall give that which is good, and our Land &s;hall yield her Increa&s;e.</HI> Amen. Lord, let this be the Portion of <HI>England,</HI> yea, of thy whole Church, all the World o|ver. <HI>Amen. Hallelujah.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD><HI>A</HI> NOSEGAY <HI>pre&s;ented by the Hand of Love, to all the Well-wi&s;hers of</HI> ZION.</HEAD>
<P>WAlking in the <HI>Paradi&s;ical Garden</HI> of the <HI>Scriptures,</HI> I have gathered here and there &s;everal Flowers to pre&s;ent to you that are Well-wi&s;hers of <HI>Zion,</HI> and that <HI>pre|fer Jeru&s;alem above your chiefe&s;t Joys;</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 137. 6. Mic. 6. 8. 2 Pet. 1. 5, 6, 7. 1 Cor. 13. 4, 5, 6. Gal. 5. 22, 23, 24. James 3. 17, 18. Cant. 1.</NOTE> that you may all this <HI>New Year,</HI> and many more, &s;mell the mo&s;t &s;weet and re|fre&s;hing Odour of this <HI>No&s;egay</HI> of <HI>Divine Graces</HI> (which the whole Scripture, e&s;pecially tho&s;e places in the Margent point to) &s;pringing up in you, in the life and power of them. But above all tho&s;e other Flowers which breath &s;weetne&s;s and life, let me recommend to you and my &s;elf, <HI>the Ro&s;e of</HI>
<PB N="12" REF="7">
Sharon, and <HI>the Lilly of the Valleys.</HI> The&s;e are the Flowers that will revive and quicken you in the time of Deadne&s;s, refre&s;h and comfort you in the time of Trouble, and &s;weet|en you in Bitterne&s;s and Angui&s;h. This <HI>Ro&s;e</HI> will tincture all the Faculties and Powers of your Souls, with its Holy Fire and Redne&s;s; and this <HI>Lilly of the Valley</HI> will perfume you throughout, with its &s;weet Meekne&s;s and Innocence; the one will make you all flaming with the <HI>Divine Love,</HI> the other will procure you the <HI>ornament of a meek Spirit,</HI> and deep Humility, which in the &s;ight of God, are of great price. <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 1. 4.</NOTE> In a word, they will make you Partakers of the Na|ture of Chri&s;t; the <HI>Ro&s;e</HI> repre&s;enting his <HI>Divine Nature,</HI> and the <HI>Lilly</HI> his <HI>Holy Humanity.</HI></P>
<P>Surely, Beloved, you that <HI>ask the way to Zion, with your faces thitherward,</HI> who <HI>take plea&s;ure in her Stones, and favour her Du&s;t,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Jer. 50. 5. P&s;. 132. 14.</NOTE> will fall in love with this <HI>No&s;egay,</HI> as &s;oon as you begin to perceive the &s;weet Odour of it, the Power and Spi|rit thereof will tran&s;port you &s;o, as that you will hardly know where you are, by rea&s;on of the &s;urpa&s;&s;ing &s;weetne&s;s and comfort this <HI>Ro&s;e</HI> and <HI>Lilly</HI> will afford you. If that Wo|man in the <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> receiv'd Vertue from <HI>a Touch only of Chri&s;ts Garment,</HI> for the cure of her inveterate <HI>Malady,</HI> what will not your Souls find in this &s;weet <HI>Ro&s;e of</HI> Sharon, in this hum|ble <HI>Lilly of the Valleys?</HI> What Di&s;ea&s;es, what Evil can &s;tand again&s;t this powerful Antidote? this Divine Mixture and Compo&s;ition of <HI>Red</HI> and <HI>White,</HI> of the <HI>Divine</HI> and <HI>Humane Nature?</HI> The Divine conveighing the &s;trong force of Love, and the Humane &s;weet Meekne&s;s, and lovely Humility. Strong Faith, and earne&s;t Longing after this Divine Nature, will make all that is his to be yours: For, <HI>he is made unto us Wi&s;dom and Righteou&s;ne&s;s, and Sanctification and Redemp|tion.</HI></P>
<P>Hear therefore, ye that <HI>go from &s;trength to &s;trength in Zion,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;. 84. 7.</NOTE> the Voice of your Beloved calling upon you, <HI>Ri&s;e up my</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Cant. 2. 10.</NOTE> <HI>Love, my Fair One, and come away.</HI> Come away from <HI>Vanity;</HI> come away from <HI>Gain</HI> and <HI>Profit;</HI> yea, come away from all
<PB N="13" REF="7">
things that &s;teal away thy heart from me, and bid an eter|nal Farewell to all the love of the World; and <HI>let me &s;ee</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Cant. 2. 14.</NOTE> <HI>thy countenance,</HI> and <HI>let me hear thy voice;</HI> for then <HI>&s;weet</HI> &s;hall be <HI>thy voice to me,</HI> and <HI>thy countenance comely.</HI> Yea, <HI>I will ne|ver leave thee nor for&s;ake thee: I will be unto thee All Things:</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Hebr. 13. 5.</NOTE> <HI>Thou &s;halt ta&s;te of my &s;weetne&s;s, and be refre&s;hed with the water of life, which I will give thee, if thou wilt continue and per&s;evere</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 10. 38. Mark 8. 34. Hebr. 12. 5. 10. Luke 22. 30. Rev. 3. 21.</NOTE> <HI>in my ways; Denying thy &s;elf, and taking up thy Cro&s;s daily, and following me; and taking patiently my fatherly correction of thee, &s;eeing that my only aim therein, is to make thee Partaker of my Holine&s;s.</HI> And <HI>after I have thus fitted and prepared thee, thou &s;halt eat and drink at my Table, in my Kingdom:</HI> For <HI>to him that overcometh, will I give to &s;it with me in my Throne; even as I al&s;o overcame, and am &s;et down with my Father in his Throne.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>PRAYER.</HEAD>
<P>O Sweet <HI>Ro&s;e of Sharon,</HI> that ha&s;t been dyed in thine <NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;aiah 63. 1.</NOTE> own Blood, to take away the Spots of Sin, that had &s;tained all Mankind, have mercy on my Soul, that is all over defiled by Original and Actual Sin; and wa&s;h me in that pretious Blood of thine, wherewith thou wa&s;t cover'd all over, in the Garden, and on the Cro&s;s. O let me never forget that inconceivable Love of thine, which made thee <HI>willingly to bear the Cruelty of Man, the rage of Hell, and the</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 6. 14.</NOTE> <HI>wrath of thy Father, to deliver me from the Infernal Pit, and from the &s;lavery of Sin,</HI> which is the wor&s;t of the two; <HI>for &s;in is the cau&s;e of Hell.</HI> Oh, what &s;hall I &s;ay of thy Love! Oh that I might expre&s;s it in my whole life! O Lord, thou know&s;t, I can do nothing, no, not &s;o much as think a good thought, but <HI>all my &s;ufficiency is of thee;</HI> who ha&s;t &s;aid by <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 3. 5. Ezek. 36. 27.</NOTE> thy Prophet, <HI>I will put my Spirit within you, and cau&s;e you to walk in my statutes, and ye &s;hall keep my Judgments, and do them.</HI> Lord, increa&s;e my Faith, that I may ask without doubting the fulfilling of this Promi&s;e, and all other thou ha&s;t given to thy Church, to uphold her in her Wilderne&s;s Condition,
<PB N="14" REF="8">
where the <HI>World,</HI> the <HI>Fle&s;h,</HI> and the <HI>Devil</HI> fight again&s;t her. Sweete&s;t <HI>Je&s;u,</HI> thou who ha&s;t &s;aid, <HI>Ask, and it &s;hall be</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 7. 7.</NOTE> <HI>given you, &s;eek, and ye &s;hall find,</HI> give me to ask by fervent Pray|er, and <HI>&s;eek</HI> by diligent Endeavour, thy Holy Spirit, who may enable me to an&s;wer thy love towards me, that I may begin this <HI>New Year,</HI> to live more to the glory of thy Name, and the Edification of my Neighbour, than ever heretofore. Comfort me with thy &s;trong Perfumes, thou <HI>Ro&s;e of Sha|ron</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 11. 29.</NOTE> refre&s;h me with the &s;weet &s;ent of thy Meekne&s;s and Humility, thou <HI>Lilly of the Valley!</HI> Adorn me with the Power of thy <HI>Love,</HI> and the &s;weetne&s;s of thy <HI>Innocence,</HI> that my Life and Conver&s;ation may be &s;o lovely in the &s;ight of others, that they may be led to thee, by thy Grace and Gifts to me. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Beloved,</HI> ye that <HI>follow on to know the Lord,</HI> this is the <HI>No&s;e|gay</HI> the Spirit hath cau&s;ed me to gather for you; and which I pre&s;ent to you the beginning of this <HI>New Year.</HI> Which if you &s;hall wear in your Lives and Conver&s;ations, the &s;weet|ne&s;s <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 13. 14.</NOTE> thereof will make you truly happy, both in this life, and that which is to come. There is &s;uch tran&s;cendent &s;weetne&s;s in it, that not only you that wear it, &s;hall be &s;weet|ned and perfumed thereby; <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 word"> likewi&s;e, all that come near you, will be in love with this <HI>Ro&s;e of Sharon,</HI> and <HI>Lilly of the Valley,</HI> and &s;hall know that your <HI>Beloved</HI> is more than another <HI>Beloved;</HI> &amp; &s;eeing he is &s;o incomparably, lovely we al&s;o ought to love him above the rate of other Lovers, and be more careful and circum&s;pect in all our Thoughts, <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 4. 7, 8. Mat. 12. 36. Ephe&s;. 5. 5.</NOTE> Words, and Actions, than others, that it may appear to all, that we always carry this <HI>No&s;egay</HI> about with us, which is compo&s;ed of all the &s;weet and fair Flowers of <HI>Paradi&s;e, viz.</HI> the Graces of God's Spirit, which are the <HI>Virgins</HI> con|&s;tantly attending the <HI>King's Daughter,</HI> who <HI>is all glorious</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm 45. 13.</NOTE> <HI>within.</HI></P>
<P>The Letter of the Scripture pointing us to the&s;e Divine <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26. 7. Mark 14. 3.</NOTE> Graces, is like the <HI>Alaba&s;ter Box,</HI> fill'd with pretious Oint|ment,
<PB N="15" REF="8">
who&s;e very out&s;ide doth not want its Beau|ty and Fragrancy: But when the <HI>Box</HI> is broken, and the <HI>Spiknard</HI> poured out, than it is quite ano|ther thing; <HI>for the whole Hou&s;e is filled with Perfume of the Ointment:</HI> So when the Spirit opens the Letter in us, then the ineffable Sweetne&s;s of the <HI>Name</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> which <HI>is as Oint|ment</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Cant. 1. 3.</NOTE> <HI>poured forth,</HI> diffu&s;eth it &s;elf every where, and fills the whole Hou&s;e of the Soul and Spirit, yea, and of the Body too. But before we can attain to this Spiritual Knowledge, <HI>our Old Man mu&s;t be crucified with Chri&s;t, that the Body of Sin</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 6. 6.</NOTE> <HI>may be de&s;troyed, and we no longer &s;erve &s;in.</HI> And when we are thus made one with him in his Death, we &s;hall al&s;o be made one with him in his Re&s;urrection. And if we make it our bu&s;ine&s;s this <HI>New Year,</HI> and all the re&s;t of our Life, to enter into the <HI>Death</HI> and <HI>Re&s;urrection</HI> of our Lord, then the &s;weet Odour of this <HI>Divine No&s;egay,</HI> and the pre|tious Perfume of the <HI>Ointment,</HI> will make the <HI>Virgins</HI> in love with our <HI>Beloved, and make them &s;eek him together with</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Cant. 6. 1.</NOTE> <HI>us.</HI> Be it &s;o, O Lord.</P>
<CLOSER>Amen. Hallelujah.</CLOSER>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD><HI>The Conclu&s;ion of this</HI> New-Years-Gift, <HI>by</HI> PRAYER.</HEAD>
<P>O Mo&s;t holy God, who&s;e <HI>Thoughts are not as our Thoughts, nor thy Ways like our Ways; for as the Heavens are</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;aiah 55. 5.</NOTE> <HI>higher than the Earth, &s;o are thy Ways above our Ways, and thy Thoughts above our Thoughts,</HI> &amp;c. Thou do&s;t manife&s;t this Truth in me this Day: For who wou'd think, that the Lord &s;hould humble him&s;elf, to vi&s;it a poor &s;inful Worm, and to &s;peak in and through it, to the Glory of his great <HI>Name.</HI> Thou &s;hewe&s;t thy &s;elf, O Lord, to be no <HI>Re&s;pecter of Per&s;ons,</HI> and that thou can&s;t work by the mo&s;t weak and de&s;picable Means, and that the Ve&s;&s;el is nothing, and has nothing that is <HI>Good,</HI> but what it receives <HI>from above.</HI> I <NOTE PLACE="marg">Jam. 1. 17.</NOTE>
<PB N="16" REF="9" MS="y">
humbly entreat thee, O Heavenly Father, in the Name and Merits of my pretious Redeemer, to own what is of <HI>Thee</HI> in this Writing, to <HI>ble&s;s</HI> it, and make it <HI>pro&s;per.</HI> O thou who &s;earche&s;t the Hearts and the Reins! thou know&s;t I have no other aim in the publi&s;hing of it, but only thy Glory: Yet, &s;ince <HI>the heart is deceitful above all things, and de&s;perate|ly wicked,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Jer. 17. 9.</NOTE> if there &s;hould be any &s;ini&s;ter end, lurking in my Heart, <HI>Lord,</HI> di&s;cover it unto me, and nail it to the Cro&s;s of thy Son; for through thy Grace, I utterly dete&s;t and ab|hor it. Wherefore, I am bold, mo&s;t glorious God, Father, Son, and Spirit, to implore thy Ble&s;&s;ing upon this <HI>New-Born Babe.</HI> O Lord, thou knowe&s;t, that from my Youth, thou ha&s;t made me conceive a longing de&s;ire, to &s;end forth a few Lines (were it po&s;&s;ible) throughout all the World, to incite all Mankind to love thee; and this longing De&s;ire hath &s;till grown in me, till at la&s;t thy rich Mercy and free Grace, hath made me to bring it forth in my Old Age.</P>
<P>Wherefore gracious Lord, be plea&s;ed to take this <HI>New Birth</HI> into thy Protection, again&s;t the many Oppo&s;itions it &s;hall meet with from tho&s;e that reject every thing that hath not the Ornament of Learning and Eloquence; and do thou cover this &s;imple <HI>Naked Child,</HI> with the Garment of thy Ble&s;&s;ing, that it may be received into the hearts of <HI>Men of Good Will,</HI> of what Per&s;ua&s;ion &s;oever. O Lord, my God, thou did&s;t command the Children of <HI>I&s;rael</HI> to <HI>Offer</HI> to thee their <HI>Fir&s;t-born,</HI> accordingly, I here offer unto thee <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 word"> <HI>Fir&s;t Born.</HI> The Conception <NOTE PLACE="marg">Exod. 22. 29.</NOTE> is thine, the Birth is thine. Let not the De<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="4+ letters">nt it hath contracted in the Womb of my Soul, hinder thy Ble&s;&s;ing upo<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"> it, nor any of my Sins and Tran&s;gre&s;&s;ions, but let them all be wa&s;hed away in that <HI>Foun|tain</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Zech. 13. 2.</NOTE> <HI>which is opened to the Hou&s;e of</HI> David, <HI>&amp;c. for Sir and for Unclean|ne&s;s.</HI> Let all the&s;e <HI>Egyptians</HI> he drowned in the <HI>Red S<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">a</HI> of my Saviours Blood, and let me hear the &s;ame comfortable Promi&s;e, thou made&s;t to the Children of <HI>I&s;rael</HI> by the mouth of <HI>Mo&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="2 letters">; The Egyptians whom ye have &s;een to day, ye &s;hall &s;ee them again no <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">ore forever.</HI> The Sins that have pur&s;ued you all your Life time, you &s;hall never &s;ee them any more having the Dominion over you; and if I leave any <HI>Canaanites</HI> in the Land, it is only to keep you humble; and that you may know that the Land is mine, and that it is I that fight for you again&s;t your Enemies, and will do &s;o till your la&s;t Breath. Amen. Lord, &s;o be it. <HI>Hallelujuh.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
<BACK>
<DIV1 TYPE="colophon">
<P><HI>LONDON,</HI> Printed for <HI>Thomas Whitledge</HI> over again&s;t the <HI>Hatt</HI> and <HI>Feather,</HI> on <HI>Addle-hill,</HI> near <HI>Doctors-Commons,</HI> 1693.</P>
</DIV1>
</BACK>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
