their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more ver 10. 12. a Covenant of pardon and remission such as the Sacrifices of the Law could not give were not able And new Books we have it written in as authentick as those old ones in the Iewish Canon where we may find all seal'd by the testimony of the Spirit Heb. vi the Author of the new Testament as well as of the old 6. The new Church has its new Sacraments Ite Baptizata for Ite Circumcidite Baptism for Circumcision and the Lords Supper for the Passeover in both which of ours there is more than was in theirs in those legal Ceremonies not only outward signs as they but inward graces 7. New Sacrifices the calves of our lips instead of Calves and Goats the sacrifices of Praises and Thanksgivings nay the sacrifice of a contrite heart and humble spirit the sacrificing of our lusts and the offering up of our souls and bodies a living holy acceptable Sacrifice Rom. xii 1. 8. A new Priesthood to offer them an unchangeable Priesthood now Heb. vii 24. Christ our High-Priest and the Ministers of the New Testament 2 Cor. iii. 6. as so many under-Priests to offer them up to God Christ offer'd himself a Sacrifice offers up also our Prayers and Praises to his Father has left his Ministers in his Name and Merits to do it too and this a lasting Priesthood to last for ever 9. We have a new Altar too so St. Paul Heb. xiii 10. an Altar that they which serv'd the Tabernacle have no power to eat of Take it for the Cross on which Christ offered up himself or take it for the holy Table where that great Sacrifice of his is daily commemorated in Christian Churches Habem says the Apostle such an one we have and I am sure 't is new 10. Temples we have many new the Temples of our bodies 1 Cor. vi 19. those both to offer in and offer up and 2. Churches many for that one Temple so long since buried in dust and rubbish 11. There is above these a new Spirit Ezek. xxxvi 26. not the spirit of bondage again to fear but the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Rom. viii 15. the spirit of love and not of fear the spirit of Sons and not of Servants a spirit that will cause us to walk in Gods Statutes keep his Commandments and do them Ezek. xxxvi 27. a new thing indeed that can make the Beasts of the Field to honour him as the Prophet speaks of it Isa. xliii 19. the Dragons and the Owls to do so the most sensual fierce cruel and dullest natures bow unto him that gives waters in the Wilderness and Rivers in the Desart Isa. xliii 19. 20. that blows but with his wind and these waters flow Psal. cxlvii 18. this is a new spirit that is so powerful And from this spirit it is that we 12. receive new life and vigour that we walk not under the Gospel so dully and coldly as they under the Law where the outward work to the letter serv'd the turn but according to the spirit in the inward purity of the heart as well as in the outward purity of the body To which lastly there is a new inheritance annexed a new Heaven and a new Earth which we may look for according to his promise 2 St. Pet. iii. 13. And are not these new things all good news worth our rejoycings Can we be ever old that enjoy such mercies are they not enough to revive the dying spirit nay to raise the dead one to set forth his praises who thus renews us as the Eagle renews his mercies to us every morning makes us Kings and Priests gives us easie Laws and pleasing Covenants effectual Sacrifices and saving Sacraments turns our bodies into his Temples and our hearts into Altars makes us a glorious Church and builds us Churches inspires us with a new Spirit and gives us a second life gives us a Kingdom gives us Heaven and all This is the new state under Christ since his coming ended and renewed our years unto us And therefore says our Apostle just before the Text If any man be in Christ he is a new creature all this new work is done upon him that 's the second way we are now to consider the words That in the Christian truly such all old things are past away and all things become new He is dead to sin Rom. vi 2. and he is dead to the Law Rom. vii 4. or if you will sin and the Law are both dead to him they can hold him no longer he is alive unto God Rom. vi 11. new created in righteousness and true holiness Will you have it more particular Why first then the Heathen ignorance and error that is past with them they are enlightned Heb. vi they know God and are known of him they are light in the Lord the very children of it The Heathen sins they are past with them in them they walkt once Ephes. ii 2. such they were some of them 1 Cor. vi 11. but now they are washt but now they are sanctified but now they are justified Nor are they now 2. under so slender a providence as the poor Heathen were God visits them often now and not only now and then and suffers them not to go on or fall back again into the old ways of infidelity But they are not only out of the Heathen condition but out of the Iewish too no more in bondage to the Law The sacrificing of Rams and Goats of all sensual affections is done already the unreasonable part is mortified in them they have been washt and need be wash'd no more they are oblig'd to no differences of meats no Iewish Sabbatizing no Circumcision no one particular place of Worship no legal Rites or Ceremonies Christ having abolished in his flesh the Law of Commandments says S. Paul contained in ordinances Ephes. ii 15. We are now at liberty he has made us free And we are now 3. under a new course of providence God leads us now by spiritual and eternal promises he threatens spiritual and everlasting punishments guides us by a clearer light than Prophesie the evidence of the Word and Spirit ties us not up to the Covenant of Works nor empty Ceremonies these things are past Makes us not rich that he may accept us but accepts us as we are He reckons not of us by our wealth or honour or learning or our parts we know no man so now ver 16. not Christ so now according to the flesh we value not any man now for any thing but holiness and righteousness for so much as he is in Christ. Nor does the Christian value himself now for any thing but for that of Christ which is in him riches he contemns honour he despises learning he submits all outward and externall priviledges and commendations he lays at the foot of Christ devotes them to his commands
both it is A prayer to God to preserve and prosper him that he may have good luck with his honour and ride on and a prayer to God to save and deliver us by and through him or to him to do it Salva oâ—â—cro O fili David O fili for filio Save us we pray thee O Son of David By this time you understand Hosanna to be both a prayer and a thanksgiving a short Collect and a Hymn both an expression of rejoycing for Christs coming with a prayer that it may come happy both to him and us Thus you have it in Psal. cxviii 24 25. whence this seems either to be taken or to relate This is the day which the Lord hath made We will rejoyce and be glad in it there 's the voice of rejoycing then follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Help me now O Lord O Lord send us now prosperity the prayer upon it 'T is an easie observation hence that our rejoycings are to consist in Prayers and Praises in Hymns and Collects no true Hosanna's to Christ no true blessing him but so no keeping Christmas or any Feast without them To spend a day in idleness or good cheer is not to keep Holiday To keep Christmas is not to fill our mouths with Meat but our lips with Prayers and Praises not to sit down and play but to kneel down and pray not to rest from work and labour but by some holy rest and retirement from temporal labour to labour so to enter into eternal rest The business of a Holiday is holy business Hosanna business of Christmas Christs coming so to be solemnized with solemn prayers and praises and thanksgivings And there is more then so in this Hosanna It was the close of certain Prayers and Litanies used by the Iewish Synagogues like our Libera nos Domine our Good Lord deliver us in our Litanies They first reckoned up the names of God God Lord King of Kings c. and to each Hosanna then his Attributes his Mercy Truth c. to each Hosanna then what they desired both in publick and private and for each Hosanna All resound Hosanna all eccho out Hosanna save and help and prosper us 'T is no new thing it seems or of Popish Original to use publick Litanies and Liturgies 't is but what the Church of God has ever had in use the way from the beginning it always serv'd him in The very Petitions of the Lords Prayer are all taken out of the Iewish Sedar or common-prayer-Common-Prayer-Book and if Christ himself who wanted neither words nor Spirit to pray thought fit yet notwithstanding to make use of received expressions and antient forms I conceive not why any that profess him should think themselves wiser then their Master and reject old and accustomed Forms of Prayers and Praise Yet indeed we cannot well expect they should keep a Form that will not keep a day to bless him for his coming We that resolve of this may be resolv'd of the other that no way like the old to do it in That teaches us to pray the Messiah that Christ may Reign that his Kingdom may prosper and be enlarged that we our selves may be of it and prosper in it that we may have Redemption and Salvation Grace and Glory sing Hymns and Songs of Praise to him both in his Kingdom here upon Earth and in his Kingdom in Heaven This the way of entertaining him at his coming to entertain our selves and time in blessing him for his goodness and desiring of his blessing And yet besides there is as much Faith as Devotion to be here learn'd from the multitude in this Hosanna There is an acknowledgment of his Office that he was Messiah They it seems believed it I suspect they that love not to have a day to mind them of his becoming the Son of David of his Nativity do scarce believe it If they thought his coming real we should have some real doings at it they would be as busie in it as the best Were filio David well grounded in us did we really believe him the Son of David we would also become the Sons of David who was a man of Prayer and Praise sons of Praise sing Hosanna's as fast as any 'T is only want of Faith that hinders Works we believe not in him as we should what e're we talk else we would do to him as we should accept all his comings even upon our knees at least with all thankfulness and such Devotion as time and place required of us And 2. we would raise our voices a note higher add Benedictus to Hosanna Blessed is he that cometh c. Bless God and bless him and bless his coming and bless his goodness and bless his power and bless his fulness and bless his work and bless his purpose desire God to bless him and man to bless him and also bless our selves in him for no less then all these is in the words Blessed first be God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ Blessed be the Lord God of Israel that he hath visited and redeemed his people and hath raised up a mighty salvation for us in the house of his Servant David So old Zachary S. Luke i. 68. 69. Blessed be God the Father for the Son God the Father for the Son of David 's coming to us Blessed 2. be the Son blessed be he that cometh blessed be Our Lord Iesus Christ for his coming for to him is blessing due that he would vouch safe to come and bless bless the Father for sending the Son for coming blessing to them both for thus blessing us Blessed 3. be his coming all his comings his coming in the Flesh his coming in the Spirit his coming in Humility his coming in Glory his coming in the Flesh that 's a blessed coming for us whereby all other blessings come unto us his coming in the Spirit or by his Grace a blessed coming too and still daily coming his coming in Glory that may be a blessed coming to us too if we bless him duly for his other comings if we truly and devoutly rejoyce at his first and second coming no doubt but we shall also triumph at his last That he cometh came and will come unto the end is blessed news we therefore with these multitudes so bless him for it Blessed 4. be his goodness and that 's evident enough in his coming to us bless him for that he would be so good to come when all good was going from us when we our selves were gone away from him run away as far as well we could that he would come after us Blessed 5. be his power and authority for in the name of the Lord he comes not in his own name but in the Fathers that sent him S. Iohn v. 43. confess acknowledge submit to his power and authority that 's the true way to bless him Blessed 5. be his greatness and fulness of blessing blessed be his blessedness for he is full of blessings in him
Sometimes again it may be lawful for us to leave both Estates and Callings though we be not bound to it as when we plainly see we can thereby serve our Master better and he seems to point us to it when we perceive we cannot else perform the Task or Calling he has designed us to or the business he has already set us upon Otherwise let every man says the Apostle abide in the Calling wherein he is called and stir not from his station but when he may lawfully and orderly be made free from it 'T is not presently from the Counter to the Desk from the Loom into the Pulpit from the Shop into the Church from our Nets to our Books from secular Trades to the holy Function that we are to run there is something more than so when the Apostle bids men stay and continue in their Callings And to follow Christ is not only to be Apostles and Teachers for who then shall there be to be taught And to satisfie all from the example in the Text this is the third time of St. Andrews being call'd To the knowledge of Christ he was call'd St. Iohn i. 38. To his familiar acquaintance St. Luke v. 10. and here thirdly and St. Mark i. 17. to the Apostleship so many steps even these here made ere they came to be Apostles and not till now threw they quite away their nets to return no more unto them 'T is no such hasty business to become Apostles or succeed them in any point of their office Yet truly when Christ shall give any of these hasty heads power to do wonderfully to shew miracles to manifest their calling and to do extraordinarily as he did to these then we were much to blame if we would not allow them that God has extraordinarily call'd them to it and what were we that we should oppose against it But in the mean time le ts see them leave their nets their private interests and hopes of gain and repute and fame that we may have reason to think they follow Christ and not their own bellies fancies and humours Yet we can tell them too of those who have done more than the most they dare pretend have left all expresly all and yet no followers of Christ. Heathens have done it Socrates and Bias and Thales and Crates the Theban and Fabricius the Roman yet Christ not followed by it And I know they will say as much of the Hermits of the Desart and the Brethren of the Cloyster that though they have done what they dare not think for Christ yet they have not followed him And could these great Confidents shew what they have done or suffered or lost or left for Christ yet by the same Argument their own they cannot prove they follow him the while But alas they have left nothing but what they should not their proper Callings wherein St. Paul would have them abide with God And it is not Christ but the loaves they follow not Gods glory but their own For if we but examine what was their following in the Text and the grounds of their so doing as we shall anon it will appear quickly whom they seek what they follow too who pretend only or rather only pretend so much now adays to follow Christ. Let 's next see whom St. Andrew followed when he left his nets and how he followed Christ it was he follow'd for this Him is He. 1. Not his own profit sure he could hope for little from him who had not where to lay his own head 2. Not his ease and pleasure in his company who was always hungring and thirsting and yet had scarce bread to eat or water to drink or time to do either watching and walking up and down about his Fathers business till he was faint and weary and yet nor place nor time to rest in not to sleep but he must be awak'd as soon almost as he is laid down 3. Not his own honour certainly under a Master who was the most rejected and despised of men as the Prophet stiles him called Wine-bibber and a friend of sinners and deceiver of the people and a worker by the devil Not his own humour or fancy but Christs powerful Call that so straight transform'd his mind and raised him to a faith that could so suddenly part with all without murmuring reasoning or taking care for a future living In a word not any thing but Him But him then how did he follow 1. He followed him with his body gives himself to be one of his menial Servants and continual Attendants content with such course fare and cloathing as his poverty would allow him partaker of his fastings and watchings and journeyings and hard lodgings and painfulness and weariness and reproaches to teach what our bodies must be content to endure for his service and in following him 2. He followed him with his mind gave up his understanding to be informed his will to be directed his affections to be ordered by his Doctrine and Precepts for to follow Christ is to resign up our understandings to the obedience of faith 3. He followed him in his life in patience and meekness in humility in poverty of spirit in mercifulness and doing good in the life and practice of Christian vertues liv'd an admirable holy life went up and down from Country to Country into Macedonia and Achaia into Scythia and Ethiopia preaching Christ and following Christ whithersoever he call'd him and this is properly to follow Christ to imitate him And 4. He followed him in his death too was also crucified for him followed him so chearfully to that that says St. Bernard and the Story of him He seeing the Cross afar off thus joyfully saluted it Salve crux diu desiderata jam concupiscenti animo praparata ecce gaudens exultans ad te venio Welcome sweet Cross so long desired and wish'd and long'd for and now come at last I come rejoycing I come leaping to thee I come I come Thus I have shew'd you how St. Andrew followed Christ how we also are to follow him to throw away our Nets not only all unlawful ways of gain and preferment nor all things that stay and hinder us from the service of our Master but any thing every thing that may entangle us or keep us from the readiness and exactness of our attendance and having so prepared our selves to conform our selves presently after his example to humility to patience to meekness to doing good to obedience to acts of mercy to fastings to watchings to praying to any hardship or affliction no more now to seek our selves but him not our own praise but his glory not our own profit but the profit of our Brethren not our own private fancies but Christs Precepts and the Saints examples so to follow in their track in the ways and orders and obediences that they have traced us and to be content to part with any thing with all our own magnified imaginations all our