The crucified Jesus, or, A full account of the nature, end, design and benefits of the sacrament of the Lords Supper with necessary directions, prayers, praises and meditations to be used by persons who come to the Holy Communion / by Anthony Horneck ...

The Preeeding Considerations reduced to Practice.

I. AMong the Heathen Poets there is much talk of Circe's Cup, which transform'd Men into Brutes and Swine, a Fable whereby they represented, how sen¦sual pleasure transform'd Men into Creatures void of Reason and Discretion. But the Cup we speak of hath contrary effects, and Fire and Water are not more op∣posite, than the operations of these two; For this Sacra∣mental Cup transforms Brutes into Men again, and changes Beasts into the Image of the Son of God. Sin∣ner, make but a trial of it, thou, I mean, that hast not had so much understanding as the Swallow, and the Turtle, and the Crane, for they know their appointed times; whereas thou hast not known the time of thy re∣turn; thou that hast rusht into Sin, as the Horse rushes into the Battle; thou that hast wallowed in the Mire with the Swine, and acted like a Creature made of Earth and Dung. Take courage prepare thy self for drink∣ing of this Cup; purifie thy Soul, for profane Hands must not touch it; confess thine iniquity, make War with thy Lusts, Fight with thy carnal Desires, and drink of this Cup, and thou wilt find how thy Reason will clear up, how thy Understanding will be enlighten'd, how thy beastly Qualities will die; The Blood in this Cup hath such Virtue in it, that it will transform thee by the renewing of the Mind, and make thee prove what is the Holy, Perfect, and acceptable Will of God. It's true, the bare drinking will not do it, but drinking it with Contrition, with contemplation of the Person, whose Blood is in the Cup, with consideration of the Cause, viz. the Sins that spilt it, with thankfulness for the infinite Mercy of him, that thus freely parted with it, and with resolutions to love him, that did not think

his own Blood too dear to let it flow for the good of his enemies.* 1.1 Petrus de Natalibus tells us of a Woman, who, having labour'd many years under very great infirmities of Body was brought exceeding weak, but drinking one day ac∣cidentally out of the Cup, that a Holy Man Scion by Name, did use to drink of, she was restored to perfect health; Though we cannot promise, that this Sacra∣mental Cup will work such a Miracle of the Diseases of the Body, yet surely it will transform a Soul, sick to death, into a lively and healthful constitution; though, with the Woman in the Gospel, she hath lain under her distemper, a considerable time.

II. Among the Scythyans,* 1.2 as Herodotus tells us there was a custom for the Princes of the Country to meet once a year, at a certain Feast where a Cup was set upon the Table, a Cup of Honour, which none durst presume to drink of, but such as had signa∣liz'd their Valour in Battel, and kill'd more or less of their publick Enemies. Though this Sacramental Cup is too High, too Sacred, and too Lofty a thing, to be compared with Cups, used at the Feast of Barbarians; yet I may take occasion from hence to tell you, that this Holy Cup is fit for none to drink of, but such as have either shewn, or are at least resolved to shew their Valour against their Spiritual Enemies. Christian, if thou hast fought with the Old Serpent, encountred the Hellish Dragon, wrestled with Powers and Principalities, ex∣prest thy Courage against Temptations, defied Goliah, the Lion and the Bear, the World, the Devil, and the Flesh; or art resolv'd to be a Champion for thy God, and fight the Battels of the Lord; Thou art that vali∣ant Man, that may drink of this Cup: Thy God will give thee leave to drink of it with other Hero's, with the greatest Worthies, with Men, of whom the World was not worthy, with Men, whose Faith hath advan∣ced them above the Stars, and who are to shine as the Sun in the Firmament, in their Father's Kingdom. Let

no despairing Thoughts, no suggestion of the Devil, no slavish Fear, no pretence of Unworthiness, discou∣rage thee from touching this Cup, or drinking of it. It's mingled for thee, for thee it is prepared; The King expects thee at this Feast, thou art called to this Ban∣quet. Thus shall it be done to the Man, whom the King of Heaven intends to Honour. What? If thou hast not slain thy Thousands with Saul, nor thy Ten thousands with David? What if thou hast not brought thy Two hundred Foreskins of the Philistins to thy Lord and Master, thou dost a greater act in conquering thy Thoughts, thy Desires, thy Passions, thy Appetite, thy vain Imaginations, than if thou hadst laid Countries waste, ruin'd Kingdoms, or bound their Kings in Chains, and their Nobles with Fetters of Iron. Such Honour have all all his Saints.

III. Hear this, thou fainting Soul! that groanest un∣der the burthen of thy Sins, goest heavy laden with Sorrow, and like Rachel, wilt not be comforted. Be∣hold, thy Lord and Master touched with the feeling of thy infirmities, and afflicted in all thy afflictions, who waits to be Gracious, and loves to converse more with a weeping Publican, than with a jovial Herod, he reach∣es forth a Cup to thee, a Cup of Joy, a Cup of Glad∣ness, a Cup of Comfort. It is this Sacramental Cup. Drink of it, thou thirsty Soul, Why shouldst thou fear? This Cup is design'd for labouring Souls; they that have born the heat and burthen of the day are to taste of it. It is design'd to recreate, design'd to refresh, desing'd to revive, design'd to support their Spirits: Dost thou be∣lieve this, Christian? Dare to believe it: Take thy Sa∣viours word for it, and triumph in the Promise. The Mercy may be too big for thee to ask, but not too big for him to grant. Thou hast a Master to deal withal, who gives like himself, like a King, like a Prince, whose Stores are inexhaustible! Let no Senacharib deceive thee, regard not what such a Rabshakeh says, Hearken not to the frightful Stories of thine enemies, who rejoyce to

see thee discourag'd, are glad to see thee forbear drink∣ing of this Cup, and think it their interest to keep thee from that, which may, and will, give thee everlasting health. I have read of a precious Stone, of considera∣ble value, that dropt, no Man knew how, into the Ho∣ly Cup, while the Priest was administring the Sacra∣ment. There needs no precious Stone to drop into this Cup, to make it of greater value; That which is in it, is of greater worth than Ten thousand Worlds; It re∣presents that which neither Pearls, nor Rubies, nor Dia∣monds, can counter-balance. The Papists boast much of the Gifts of their Popes, how Sylvester gave three Golden Cups to be used in the celebration of the Eucha∣rist; How John the Second gave a Cup of Gold weigh∣ing Twenty pound; How Gregory the Second, and Leo the Third presented their respective Churches with Cups, all beset with precious Stones; What if thou canst bring no such Presents to God, thou bringest a better when thou bringest a Spirit, a Heart, a Soul lament∣ing and mourning, because thou hast departed from him, contented thy self with a form of Godliness, and under the profession of Religion, hast denied him in thy acti∣ons. A Heart toucht with the sense of the unreason∣ableness, odiousness, and loathsomness of all this, and finding a relish in the things of God, and of Salvation, qualifies a Man more for comfortable drinking of this Cup, than if, with the Wise Man, he had offer'd Gold and Myrrh, and Frankincense to Christ Jesus. Is not this the Cup whereby my Lord divineth, saith Joseph's Stew∣ard, Gen. 44. 5. Christian, by drinking of this Sacra∣mental Cup, thou may'st divine thy future happiness, guess at what will become of thee hereafter; make con∣jectures of thy Glory, and conclude, that thou shalt feel the comfort of drinking the Cordials of a Blessed Eternity.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Petrus de Natalibus, l. 5. 21.
• * 1.2

  Herodot. l. 4.