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 Preceding Considerations reduced to Practice.

I. IT's no wonder to see that strictness, Christ hath Com∣manded his Followers to observe in their lives, de∣cay and dwindle away to nothing but Shew and Forma∣lity, in the Age we live in, since frequent Communi∣cating is so much out of date among us. Blessed be God, all are not of this mind, and many pious Souls we have, which conscienciously appear at the Lord's Table, as often as they are called to it; but still what a vast number of miserable Souls there are abroad, who are such perfect strangers to this frequent Communicating, that some even die, and leave this World without ever thinking of it; and others delay their coming to it, till

Death fills them with horror, upon the account of their neglect, and others come as seldom as they can. What shall I say to such Persons? What Arguments shall I use with them? How shall I aggravate their Of∣fence? Are you Christians, or are you Heathens? That a Turk, a Pagan, a Jew, doth not shew himself at this Holy Table, is no wonder, for he is unacquainted with the Religion of a Crucified Saviour: But that you who profess your selves his Disciples, should be loath to come and see what hath been done for you upon the Cross, what Wonders, what Miracles of Love, God hath wrought for you on the Tree, to which the Son of God was nailed, what can we think, what can we imagine, but that you are Infidels under the name and shew of Believers? How justly may I Expostulate with you, what are you afraid of, that you either come not at all to this Well of Salvation, or come but seldom? What frights you? What stops your Journey? Are you afraid of parting with that, which is death himself to your redeemer, your Sins and Naughtiness? Are you afraid of purifying your Selves, even as he is pure? Are you afraid of living up to his Example? Are you afraid of losing your foolish Delights and Satisfactions? Do you pretend to be friends of Christ, and are you loath to accept of him for your Friend? Doth he promise to come and meet you in this Ordinance, and are you loath, or ashamed, to be seen in his Company? Had you rather keep your Trash, and Dung, and Filth, than come hither and be made clean? Tell me not that you are willing to receive him, if you will not receive him in his own way: In this Sacrament he offers himself to you, if here you will not embrace him, if here you will not express your e∣steem of him, what hopes have you that he will ever be your portion? What can the Ever-Blessed Jesus think of you? What can he judge of you? What opinion can he entertain of you, but that you are his Enemies, Ene∣mies to his Supper, Enemies to his Love, Enemies to your own Souls? Must you be dragg'd to your own Happiness? Must you be forc'd to drink of this Water

of Life? While you keep off and stand out, are not you the Persons that would not have this Man, this more than Man, to Reign over you? There can no just Rea∣son be given for your not coming frequently to this Ho∣ly Table, but that you are loath to agree to the Terms of sincere Repentance and Obedience, he requires at your hands; and are you loath to be saved? Do you take pleasure in being Reprobates? Is it such Comfor∣table thing to be excluded from God's favour? While you wilfully absent your selves, do not you refuse to be healed? Here the kind Physician comes, and declares his Willingness to cure you by the Balsom of his Wounds, and had you rather be sick, than of a healthful Com∣plexion? Here is a Medicine tendered unto you, a Medi∣cine for your sin-sick Souls, and had you rather perish, than rise and awake, that Christ may give you life? Hath the Son of God endured so much, gone through such a Discipline of Torments, through Fire and Wa∣ter, that your Souls might live, and do you despise his Love, Do not you Despise it, when you come so seldom to apply it? Would not one think, that you have a mind to be miserable, when you are so backward to come to him, that would deliver you from your misery? Ah! did you believe the astonishing misery of God's Love, how would you breath, how would you pant, how would you hunger and thirst for this Fountain, open'd for the House of Judah and Jerusalem, It's a sign your Appetite is dull, your desires feeble, your Affections cold, your Inclinations frozen; were all things right within, the Fire would burn, and at last you would speak with your tongue; I come, Lord! I come! I delight to do thy Will! It is the Will, the Order, the Command of that God, in whom you believe to come often, and shall a∣ny thing hinder you from obeying his Command? Shall not his Orders prevail with you? Can you prefer your little business before his Will? Do you believe that he must be your Judge, and will you allow always your selves in Rebellion and Contumacy under his Injuncti∣ons? If any man serve me, let him follow me, and where I am, there shall also my Servant be, saith Christ, Joh. 12. 26.

Ah! Shall so sweet a voice be lost upon you? Shall not this Invitation of the bleeding Jesus melt you! He was just going to his Cross, when he said so. He was just going to institute this Sacrament of the Cross, when he call'd so! Ah! How sweet are these words! How full of Kindness! How fragrant is this Breath! What can work more upon harden'd hearts? break, break, thou stub∣born heart! The Rocks sympathize with him and cleave asunder, and cannot this voice, this voice of Mercy, make an Alteration in thy breast! O take heed, lest this Lamb, which came to take away the Sins of the World, put on another shape ere-long, even that of a Lion and roar upon you, as it is Luc. 14. 24. I say unto you, that none of those Men that were bidden shall taste of my Supper. I know, there are some honest Souls, who, out of a Sense of their own unworthyness, dare not come, and dread frequent approaching to this Table; but such I would not fright, but win to this frequent Communi∣on; and all I shall say to them, at this time, is this, Are you willing Christ should, set up his Throne in your Souls? Are you willing, he should tread down his Ene∣mies in you, Enemies which have usurp'd his power? Are you content, he should be formed in you, and fill all your Faculties? Are you content, all should stoop to him, and all that is within you should bow to his Scepter? If so, fear not, you cannot come too often, your frequent running to his Altar will be Incense to him, Incense, which he'll smell, as he did Noah's Sacrifice, and secure you against future Destruction.

II. The frequent Communicant ought to receive some Comfort from these Instructions. But then, by the frequent Communicant, I do not mean one, that doth indeed come often to this Table, but knows not what it is to be heated by the fire of Divine Love, whose Sins are strong, and his holy desires weak, and whose frequent coming hath made him as careless, as the vast number of Sermons he hath heard: For such a frequent Communicant God hath given us no comfo••ts, to such a one we have no message, no Embassy of Peace; but

the frequent Receiver, whose choice of the better part is both confirmed and encreased by frequent Receiving, this is the Man, to whom we are bound to carry Balm and Spices, for a Present To you it is that this word of Consolation comes. Your frequent attending at this Table, is living under the precious drops of the dew of Heaven How goodly are thy Tents, O Jacob! How justly may you say, that God loves you, when you love to be often with him, whom your Souls do love! Surely your Souls will grow fat and flourishing, that are so often nourish∣ed at this Table! It's a sign you long for the Courts of the Lord, and you shall certainly appear in a Nobler Court one day, a Court where nothing is mean, nothing trivial, nothing savouring of Terrestrial delights; but a Court where all the Servants are Kings, and all enjoy more, than the Greatest Monarchs of this World do: Blessed are your Eyes, for they see, and your Ears, for they hear. The oftner you see the precious Sacrifice on this Table, the more endearing it will become to you; the oftner you hear him call here, come to me, all that are wea∣ry, the more desireable will he grow in your Eyes; the oftner you meet here, the greater will be the friendship be∣twixt him and you, till this friend comes at last and re∣cieves you to himself, so that you shall be for ever with the Lord.