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 ...

CHAP. XX. (Book 20)

Of Spiritual Weakness, Sickness and Death, the Second Temporal Judgment, inflicted some∣time on the Unworthy Receivers of this holy Sacrament. (Book 20)

The CONTENTS.

The Eucharist a Cure for all Diseases, yet many continue weak and sick after it. The Cause shewn to be in themselves. The Signs of Spiritual Weakness, Sickness and Death. God inflicts these Spiritual Judgments upon Unworthy Re∣ceivers by degrees. The Justice of it vindicated, in four Particulars. Spiritual Weakness and Sickness, proved to be a greater Judgment than the Corporal. Of the End of our Eating and Drinking worthily at this Table, which is Spiritual Health; and wherein that consists. Spiritual Judgments more common than Men think or suspect. Our Souls are capable of Diseases, as well as our Bodies. Se∣veral Instances and Proofs given of it. The Cure of Spi∣ritual Weakness and Sicknesses, laid down in several Par∣ticulars. The Prayer.

I. AS Corporal, so even Spiritual Weakness, Sick∣ness, and Death, proves too frequently an Ef∣fect of Eating and Drinking unworthily at this Table: Nay, these Spiritual Sicknesses are more common than the other. 'Tis true, they cause no Pain, no Aches, no Torments in the Bowels; they are not felt, as the Pleu∣risie, or Cholick, or Twisting of the Guts; but they are Sicknesses still: And because we find such Things, and God manifests his Anger often against unworthy Re∣ceiving,

by such Symptoms we have reason to believe, the Apostle aimed at these, as well as at Bodily Diseases, when he avers, For this Cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 'Tis true, there is not a more proper Medicine for all the Diseases of the Soul, than this holy Sacrament. To which pur∣pose,* 1.1 Albertus Magnus saith very appo∣sitely,* 1.2 If in the Eucharist, in the Remem∣brance of our Saviour's Passion, we reflect on his Humility, it will free us from the Infection of Pride. If we think of his wonderful Charity, we shall be delivered from the Evil of Envy. If we consider with what Alacrity he went to die for us, and to offer himself in Sacrifice for us, it will be an An∣tidote against Weariness of his Service, and Backwardness to Devotion. If we ponder his Bounty, and how liberally he gives us himself, and all he hath, we shall be rid of Covetousness. If we lay his Meekness and Patience to heart, it will be an excellent Remedy against Wrath and Anger. If we remem∣ber how frugal his Supper was, and how far from Pomp and Ostentation, and how mean the Food was he made use of, it will check our Gluttony and Voracity. And if we cast our Eyes on the bitter Herbs he eat, the Emblem of his bitter Pas∣sion, we shall not be troubled much with Luxury. And to this purpose was the Saying of Inno∣cent III.* 1.3 That the Mystery of the Cross frees us from the reigning Power of Sin; and the Mystery of the Eucharist, from a Desire of Sin. And if the Woman in the Gospel was cured of her Infirmity by touching but the Hem of Christ's Garment, what Virtue may we suppose in his whole Body, if it be touched by a lively Faith in this Ordinance! If God hath given to the Fat of Vipers Virtue to expel Poyson, shall not we think there is greater Virtue in Christ's cru∣cified Body, to cure the Diseases of the Soul? If he gave Virtue to the Tree of Life in Paradise, to prolong Age, and to procure Perpetuity of Duration; shall not Christ's Flesh, represented by the Symbols here, confer Life, and Health, and Salvation much more? If he have given some Minerals Virtue to disperse Fumes and

Vapours; shall not we believe there is greater Virtue in the Incarnate Son of God, to disperse the Clouds and Fogs that molest and annoy the Soul? This cannot be denied; and we may rationally believe, that this Sa∣crament is intended by God to cure all the Distempers of the Soul: But if that Medicine be not used as it ought, the Soul, instead of growing stronger, becomes more weakly, more sickly, and draws nigh unto the Gates of Death.

II. What this Spiritual Weakness, Sickness and Death, is, will not be very difficult to discover. If you mind the Apostle's Expression, there is a Gradation in the Judg∣ment he speaks of; Weakness is a lower Degree of Mise∣ry than Sickness, and Sickness a lower Degree than Death. The first Act of God's Displeasure against Receiving un∣worthily is, to inflict Weakness; if that works no Re∣formation, then Sickness; and if this doth not make the Sinner rise, then Spiritual Death.

1. Spiritual Weakness. And this may be said to con∣sist in these following Particulars:

1. In the Loss of Lively Apprehensions of Spiritual Things, which were formerly vouchsafed to the unworthy Receiver. Even Men that are Hypocrites in Religion, and whose Hearts were never throughly changed, have sometimes Flashes of Heaven or Hell, coming either from with∣out, or from within. Ahab certainly had a very great Sense of God's Displeasure, and a Sight of Divine Ven∣geance surprized his Mind, when he rent his Clothes, and put Sack-cloth upon his Flesh, and fasted, and lay in Sack-cloth, and went softly, 1 King. 21. 27. And some of us may have known some Persons, who have been given to Drinking, or Swearing, or Lying, or Uncleanness, or Quarrelling; when their Office, or Employment, or Station in the World, or some such External Cause and Motive, have put them upon Receiving the Holy Sacrament; before they have come to this Table, they

have had some very serious Thoughts, and you might observe in them a Demureness of Behaviour, some Ap∣prehensions of the Necessity of Repentance; and some∣times their Hearts have been so touched, that even a few Tears have dropped from their Eyes, as a Testi∣mony of their being moved at the Thoughts of Christ's Death and Passion; but the Sacrament being over, their Devotion hath been at an end too, and they have returned to their old Sins; which made them unwor∣thy Receivers, because this shews, they were not hear∣tily resolved, when they came to this Table, to subdue their Corruptions. Their lively Apprehensions of Spi∣ritual Things, they formerly had, have thereupon grown dark and decayed, become languid and faint, and no Foot-step of them hath been left. Those Flashes of good Thoughts, though short and transitory, had they been improved, would have signally strengthen'd their Souls, and encouraged their practical Love to Christ Je∣sus: But being careless and regardless of that Improve∣ment, God justly lets those lively Apprehensions decay; and thence comes their Spiritual Weakness. God could uphold those lively Apprehensions; but they having no Love to them, God, by a secret Judgment, lets them wear out: And then, What can be the Issue, but Spiri∣tual Weakness?

2. Irresoluteness to resist Temptations, is another Symptom of this Spiritual Weakness. When the Soul is either un∣resolved, whether it shall resist such known Tempta∣tions, or not, or resist them but faintly; it is a Sign the Powers of the Soul are shaken, and the Plague is begun in the Heart. By Temptations, I mean, such Tempta∣tions as are agreeable to our sinful Temper and Inclina∣tion; or such as our Calling and Employment makes us subject to. He that observes, and takes a View of such Sinners as Receive unworthily, cannot but spy in them a very feeble and irresolute Resistance of such Tempta∣tions: For, notwithstanding whatever Resolutions they made before Receiving; whatever Prayers and Suppli∣cations

for God's Grace and Assistance, they offered, and put up before; yet, after they have been at this Table, the old Temptations return, even the same dear Friends that enticed and persuaded them to sin before; their Resistance is very weak, and they know not well what they shall do, whether they shall displease their own, and other Men's vain Desires, or no. Perhaps some little horror, or kind of damp, the Sacrament for the present leaves upon their Minds, hath so much force up∣on them, that they make some attempts, and use some trifling endeavours to resist; but as this resistance is not an effect of an active Faith, but only of slavish fear, so it doth not preserve them untainted, and undaunted, in the hour of Temptation, which is an Argument, both of Spiritual Weakness, and God's Judgment, because they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, as St. Paul speaks, Rom. 28.

2. Spiritual Sickness, the signs of which are as fol∣lows.

1. Want of relishing the Things of God, and the Mysteries of Religion. By this, we conclude, that a Man is sick in his Body, if the Bread, or Wine, or Apples, or Meat he swallows, seem to him Food or Drink, different from what they appear to sound and healthy; and, by the same Argument we may infer, that a Man's Soul is ve∣ry sick, when the Promises, Precepts, Commands, Mer∣cies, Privileges, and Immunities, of the Gospel, are in∣sipid and unsavoury to him, and his Soul finds no sweet∣ness, no agreeableness, no juice, no life, no pleasantness no delight, no pungency in them. If these appear to her as common things, and affect her no more than what the Great Mogol doth in the Indies, or what Men talk on the Coast of Guinea. If they raise no wonder, no admiration, no affection, no appetite, no strong desire in her; if she can hear them, read of them, survey them, think of them, without being touch'd with the conse∣quence and importance of them, the Soul is infallibly

under some great distemper, and the whole Head is sick, the whole Heart is sick, grievously sick, and the wound is dangerous; and that this Spiritual sickness dis∣covers it self too often in unworthy Receivers, we need no other proof, but what their known aversion gives us; I mean, their aversion from good Thoughts and Discour∣fes, after they have been at the Table of the Lord. Read∣ing the Word, digesting it, and endeavouring to see wondrous things in that Law, and meditating of some part of it day and night, is irksome to them, tedious: and when something savouring of Heaven and Eterni∣ty is propos'd to them, they stand upon Thorns all the while, nor can the goodness of God prevail with them, to deny themselves in any thing they have a mind or strong inclination to, a certain sign of their being sick, and of God's Judgment upon their Souls.

2. Another symptom of this Spiritual sickness, is When a known Sin becomes habitual, and the few single Acts pass into temper, and come to be incorporated with nature, and turn into constitution and complexion. In this case, the Soul may be judged very sick, as sick as the Body that is troubled with the Stone or Gout, and where the distem∣per, or Morbific Matter, is so dispers'd through the Mass of Blood and Joynts, that tho' it admits of respite, and lucid intervals, sometimes; yet, as the Humours that feed it, gather strength again, so the Distemper re∣turns. And this sickness doth evidently discover it self in unworthy Receivers, who were formerly but Punies and Novices in certain sins; but, after their unworthy Receiving, harden themselves in the practice of them, commence Graduates, and drink them in, as the Ox doth the Water; and they become their Darlings, their Benjamins, as dear to them as their Right Eye, as dear as their Foot or Hand, than which there cannot be a surer sign of their being spiritually sick, and lying under the weight of a spiritual Judgment.

3. Spiritual Death: And this also is to be known by symptoms, which are these;

1. When the Conscience smites no more: When it gives over striving with the Sinner, he is dead, as that Body, in which the Pulse hath left off beating. So it was with the Prodigal, of whom Christ expresly saith, Though his natural life was sound and whole, that he was dead. No remorse, no regret, appear'd in his Soul. All was still, as in a Charnel-House, no noise within to fright him. All was turn'd into the silence of the Grave. He de∣lighted in his nastiness, in his Mud, and Dung, and Filth, and Swinish Desires, nothing prick'd him, no∣thing stung his Heart. And that this Death is to be found in some unworthy Receivers, is manifest from their Actions, for they become stupid in their Errors, and having baf••led their Conscience, laid that inward witness to sleep, and hush'd it into a fatal slumber; It stirs not, it moves not, and they know not when they sin, and when they do not. To that insensibleness they bring themselves, that when God calls, they cannot see with their Eyes, nor hear with their Ears, nor understand with their Hearts.

2. Another Symptom of this Spiritual Death is, When the Sinner begins to look upon Religion, either as a trick of Divines, or Politicians, or a needless thing. This excludes all sense of another world, the only thing whereby the Soul lives, and therefore that being gone, the Soul is dead, and that he, who hath the power of Death, even the Devil, hath killed and mortified all the good Seed that lay scattered in his Breast. Indeed, this is such a degree of Death, which unworthy Receivers do not ve∣ry ordinarily arrive to, yet sometimes they fall, even in∣to this Gulph; for what should hinder them from tumb∣ling down so low, that have lost their hold in a Cruci∣fied Saviour, from whose Arms they have broke loose, unwilling that he should have any thing to do with them,

but just to save them, if he pleases? The Bands of Love and Obedience, are the only things that preserve the Soul from Death; and the unworthy Communicant ha∣ving made a shift to throw those Cords from him, be∣ing loth to be tied and held by them, he sinks into con∣tempt of these things, and, from thence, into scorning of Religion it self. In all which, the Judgment of God is clearly to be seen; for though God doth not call by an audible Voice from Heaven, that it is so, nor set a mark upon the unworthy Receiver, as he did on Cain, whereby spectators may know, that this is a sign of the Divine Judgment upon him; yet it's enough, that we are told in the Word of God, Woe to them, when I de∣part from them, Hos. 9. 11.

III. And, from hence, it's easie to guess, how God inflicts this spiritual Judgment upon unworthy Recei∣vers.

1. By a gradual withdrawing his Holy Spirit from them; This Spirit is called Oyl, Heb. 1. 9. and Unction, or Anointing, 1 Joh. 2. 27. Whatever the quantity of that Oil was, that was put in their Lamps; as that abates, so the strength of their Soul abates, and from hence comes Spiritual Weakness, Sickness, and Death. The Spirit of God is the Pillar that supports the House; if this Prop be removed, the Inference is easie, that the House will not be of any long standing. There are general Gifts of the Spirit of God, common to good and bad Men under the Gospel, and there are some, that are pe∣culiar to those that walk after the Spirit; and, as in an unworthy Receiver, we can suppose none but general Gifts; so even these, upon his Abuse, and misemploy∣ing of them, are gradually removed, as Men take meat and victuals away from insolent Beggars, that throw their Gift upon a Dunghil; and as a charitable Pension is withdrawn, when we find, that the Party, which en∣joy'd it, spends it in Ale-houses and Taverns, or in Play.

2. By a gradual permitting the Devil to exercise his Power and Jurisdiction upon them. God doth not very frequently suffer the Enemy to fly upon the Offender with all his force, or to ruin him at once, but he lengthens his Chain by degrees, to see, whether the Sinner will yet give himself leave to think, and attempt to be freed from that intole∣rable Yoak and Slavery; but, that tenderness and pati∣ence of Almighty God becoming fruitless and ineffectu∣al, the Judge gives the Executioner greater liberty to darken his Mind, to pervert his Will, and to sear his Conscience. Time was, when but one Devil was per∣mitted to Tyrannize over him; but if instead of being angry and displeas'd at that single foe, the unworthy Communicant embraces, and makes him his friend, then that Devil takes with him seven other Spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in, and dwell there, and the last state of that Man is worse than the first, saith Christ, Matth. 12. 45. Nor is there any thing of injustice in these pro∣ceedings of God. For,

1. It is nothing but Lex Talionis, a just Retaliation, a Rule, whereby God ordinarily governs himself in the execution of his Judgements. H••s. 6. 4. He tells Judah and Ephraim, Your Goodness is as a Morning Cloud, and as the early Dew it passes away. The Judgment therefore is made proportionable, Hos. 13. 3. Therefore they shall be as the Morning Cloud, and as the early Dew that passes away, so here; the Sin is spiritual, the Judgment is so too. The unworthy Receiver wrongs his own Soul, and, in his Soul, the marks of God's Wrath appear.

2. God, in this case, doth no more than what we our selves do, and think our selves very reasonable and just for doing so. A Father reduces his spend-thrift Son to a smaller Allowance, and the ground that will not bear any thing after a world of Toil, we Dung, and Dig, and Manure no more. In this manner, and for Reasons ••ike these, God withdraws his Holy Spirit from the unworthy Receiver.

3. As the Devil is God's Minister of Justice, his Jay∣lor and Hangman, so he may justly make use of him to judge and lash the unworthy Receiver, the rather, be∣cause he wilfully hearkens to the base suggestions of his sworn Enemy; and who finds fault with a Prince or Magistrate for sending an Executioner to behead or hang those that have committed Treason, or conspired against their lawful Sovereign.

4. That God doth gradually send this Spiritual Judg∣ment upon unworthy Receivers, this speaks his Good∣ness, Compassion and Patience, and shews, how loth he is to give up Ephraim, how loth he is to deliver up Israel to the rage of the Enemy, how loth he is to make them as Admah, and to set them as Zeboim; so that there is Charity mingled with the Justice, and, in the midst of his Anger, he remembers Mercy.

IV. And this will give us occasion to enquire, which of these two Judgments is greater, the Temporal or the Spiritual. And here, if we consider the mischief done by them, we must conclude and assert, that the Spiritu∣al is greater. For,

1. Pain, and sickness of Body, may yet bring a Man, or drive a Man, to a true Repentance, and a sight of the Errors of his ways, as we proved in the foregoing Chapter; but this Spiritual Weakness makes the way, and passage, to Repentance, more difficult, and the more any thing doth hinder a Man from Repentance, the more dangerous it is. Spiritual Weakness, Sickness, and Death, supposes, that the faculties, which should be chiefly employed in the product of Repentance, are out of order, and violated; such as the Understanding the Will, and the Affections. Bodily Sickness very of∣ten puts these into a new fermentation, and a strong de∣sire after Spiritual Things. But when the very Tools, whereby the Soul is to work, are blunt, and their edge

rebated, or are become rusty and useless, the work is very likely to be left undone. If therefore the light that is in thee, be darkness, how great is that darkness! saith our Saviour, Matth. 5. 23.

2. The Spiritual Judgment is the more dangerous, because it is less perceiv'd, and taken notice of, than Bo∣dily sickness. If a Man feel the smart and pain of his Wounds and Sores, they oblige him to seek out for a Physician for Remedy, for Counsel and Advice; and so we find it is, for the most part, with all Diseases of the Body, which cause anguish and grief, and great in∣convenience and disorder in the Body; yet, among these various distempers, some there are, where the poi∣son creeps along in the secret parts, and Men perceive it not, till it seizes upon the Vitals, invades the very Heart, and tolls the Bell for Death; and these we count the most dangerous. Of this nature, is Spiritual sickness and weakness. It leaves the Body in the same temper it found it in, causes no prickings in the Back, no stitches in the side, no disturbance in the Head. It lets Men eat and drink, and sleep and walk, and do their business; and as to the outward Man, they feel no inconveni∣ence, which makes them think, that they have nothing of a distemper about them, that all is safe, and they ail nothing. For this Spiritual sickness cannot be perceiv'd without Thinking, and Self-examination, which being neglected, Men feel it not; whence it comes to pass, that it spreads insensibly in the dark, while Men are asleep, and, by degrees, corrupts the Soul, till all its goodness be consumed; and consequently, this Spiritual Judgment is greater than the Corporal.

3. The Spiritual Judgment is a sign of God's greater anger too; and though it will not enter into the thoughts of a sensual Man that it is so, or that any thing can be a sign of God's Anger, but what relates to losses, and disappointments, and crosses in the outward Man, and in the World; yet enlighten'd

Souls have ever look'd upon Spiritual sickness and Death, as a sign of God's heavier wrath and indignation, be∣cause in this case, God doth as it were let Men alone, leaves them to themselves, and his not punishing of them with Bodily troubles, looks like an aversion from their Persons, and so much we may guess from what we read, Hos. 4. 14, 17.

The Preceding Considerations reduced into farther Practice.

I▪ IF Christ, and his Apostles, press Eating and Drink∣ing worthily at this Table, it is, because they would have our Souls be in perfect health; and they are then in perfect health, when they rejoyce in the Lord always. Thomas Aquinas upon that saying, Cant. 1. 13. A bundle of Myrrhe is my well-beloved unto me, observes, that as Myrrhe preserves Bodies from corruption, so Christ taken, and contemplated, in the Holy Sacrament, pre∣serves the soul from various Diseases. Health is best known by Fruits and Actions; and as a sick Man can∣not perform, what the healthy doth; so that Christian, that doth not act like a healthy Man, can boast of no great matter he hath receiv'd in this Holy Ordinance. This is intended to give our Souls the strength of a Lion, the swiftness of Eagles, the alacrity of Angels, and the temper which was in the incarnate Son of God; and if we Receive worthily, we shall certainly feel these ef∣fects, in some degree at least; For it's plain, that they are felt by others, that are worthy Communicants, and what should hinder us from feeling the same, if we come furnish'd with the same qualifications? Those that are acquainted only with Men, as carnal as themselves, may possibly think, that when we talk of things of this nature, we speak Spiritual Romances, and tell them Stories next to Fables: But those that have been con∣versant with Persons wh•• ••ave chosen the better Part,

must needs perceive what health and vigor worthy Re∣ceiving adds to their Souls; For what makes them, that they delight in the Law of the Lord in the inward Man? of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 What makes them afraid of the very appearances ••y vil? What makes them converse with God so often 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Prayer, and Holy Thoughts? What makes them contented under their Misfortunes and Disasters? What makes them take such comfort in the Cross of Christ? What makes them silent, and patient under pri∣vate injuries? What makes them stand up for the Glory of God, when they see it profan'd and abused? What makes them so ready to deny themselves? What makes them so solicitous about their Everlasting State? What makes them kind and tender-hearted, and so easie to be intreated to that which is Good? What makes them forgoe their Interest rather than wrong their Conscien∣ces? Is it not their worthy Receiving? And what bet∣ter signs can there be of the Spiritual health, and flou∣rishing state and condition of their Souls? Christ in this Sacrament doth not only communicate to them an empty Name, or a fruitless Title, but makes them fruit∣ful Trees; and it must needs be so, for they, that be planted in the House of the Lord, shall flourish in the Courts of our God, saith the Psalmist, Psal. 92. 13.

II. Who, that seriously considers the Spiritual Judg∣ment we have spoken of, must not deplore the condi∣tion of abundance of nominal Christians, that Receive worthily? The Persons upon whom this Spiritual Judg∣ment is executed, are not far from every one of us. To find them out, we need not send you to the Sands of Africa, nor to the Lybian Desarts, nor to Barbarians, nor to Negro's and Americans: No, these very Persons, you may see and know at home, and in the midst of our mixt Congregations. How many have I known, that have come to this Holy Sacrament, and, after that, have grown worse than ever? Their Drunkenness, and Lewdness, their Selfishness, and Covetousness, their Ex∣travagant, and Ungodly Speeches and Actions, which

before were but Embrio's and Infants, after Receiving, have become Gyants and strong Men: What an argu∣ment is this of their unworthy Receiving? What an ar∣gument of God's Judgment? What an argument, that God hath withdrawn his Holy Spirit from them? What an argument that they are left to the power of the De∣vil? O that they were sensible, what a Judgment this is! O that they knew what a fearful State this is! O that their Eyes were open to see, that they are in the very suburbs of Destruction! O that the Vail were taken away, that they might behold the death, the ruin, the misery, the wrath, the indignation of God, they run into! O thou, that openest the Eyes of the Blind, and raisest them that are bow'd down, and loosest the Pri∣soners, open the Eyes of these unhappy Souls, that they may see the precipice they stand upon, and turn back and save themselves from this untoward Generation.

III. Let us all very seriously believe, that our Souls are capable of sickness, and misery, and death, as well as our Bodies. Indeed they cannot die, so as to cease, or to be annihilated, for they are not made of Earth and matter, and contrary humours and principles, as our Bodies are, but certainly they can die to God's Favour, and to a sense of Eternity. This Belief, if it be sound, and strong, cannot but have a mighty influence upon our Lives. If we believe this, as we ought, with ap∣prehensions of the danger we are in, we shall be as much afraid of things that will cast our Souls into sickness, or hurry them into death, and misery, as we are afraid of going to a Pest-house, where People lye languishing under their Plague-sores. Ah! sinful Man, how couldst thou neglect coming to the Supper of the Lord, if thou didst believe, that this neglect will bring a Consumpti∣on on thy Soul? How could'st thou Receive with an im∣penitent Heart, if thou didst believe, that thy impeni∣tence will kill thy Soul? How durst thou venture on those sins, that are poison and venom to thy Soul? How could'st thou be so careless of the approaching

Judgment of God, if thou didst believe that this care∣lesness will infallibly bring a Palsie upon thy Soul? How could sinful delights be so charming to thee, if thou didst believe, that they will throw thy Soul into a violent Fe∣ver? Why shouldst thou make thy Soul sick, when the great Physician offers thee health, and Salvation? The sickness of thy Soul is much harder to be cured, than the most Chronical distemper of the Body. Not but that God can heal it, as easily as the other, and need say no more, than Christ to the Paralytick in the Gospel, Arise, take up thy Bed, and Walk, and thou art presently whole; but he will not, except thou be willing too. This thy Spiritual sickness is wilful, that makes Christ backward to remove it; and if ever thy Soul be cured, it must cost thee great Mortifications, Rivers of Tears, strong Throws and Agonies, and Troubles in the inward Man, and who would make work for such a costly and labo∣rious Cure, that may be well without it? Let the Phy∣sician be never so skilful, if the Patient will not follow his prescriptions, what hopes can there be of his Reco∣very? If thou wert but willing to follow Christ's pre∣scriptions, thy Cure might be effected, even after thou hast brought thy Soul to the mouth of the Pit, and to the brink of the Grave; and if you ask me, what these prescriptions are, I must tell you, that they are these following.

1. Like New-born Babes to imbibe the sincere Milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby, if so be ye have tasted, that the Lord is Gracious, to whom coming, as to a living Stone, disallow'd indeed of Men, but chosen of God and Pre∣tious, ye also, as lively Stones, are built up a Spiritual House, an Holy Priesthood, to offer up Spiritual Sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ, 1 Pet. 2. 2, 3, 4. weak and sick∣ly Persons have need of Milk; we use it in Bodily Di∣seases, when they have weaken'd the Body; and, it seems, it's necessary also for the recovery of Souls, wea∣ken'd by Sin; but then the Milk is not such, as Cows, and Sheep, and Goats do give, but it is the Word of the

Lord, which endures for ever; and to apply our selves to pondering, and meditating in it, and to make it the rule of our life, and manners, is drinking of that Milk.

2. To pull out the Right Eye, and to cut off the Right Hand, Matth. 5. 29, 30. i. e. To shun those Looks, and Actions, which are Provocations to Sin. As he, that means to recover of Bodily sickness, must avoid all things, that would irritate the morbifick matter; so he, whose Soul is sick, and would be cured, must carefully avoid the occasions of those sins, which have made him sick; and he that would be drunk no more, must avoid the Company that used to perswade him to intempe∣rance; and he that would be tempted no more by the Harlot, that drew him in, must not come near her house, Prov. 5. 8.

3. Not to repine at the bitter draughts, Christ gives you to drink of; but to say, as he in his Agonies, The Cup which my Father hath given me, shall not I drink it? Joh. 18. 11. Whether this bitter Cup be the Cup of Mor∣tification, of Fasting, of Severities, of being reveng'd upon thy self, and of deep Humiliation, or the Cup of Bodily affliction; if he bids you drink of it, it must be thankfully taken, else expect no cure; and that which ought to encourage us to drink of it, is this, that this bitterness will end at last in sweetness unspeakable, and ineffable Consolations.

4. To sell all with the Merchant in the Gospel, to get the Pearl of Price, i. e. God's love and favour, Matth. 13. 45, 46. The meaning is, nothing must come in competition with the great concern of your Salvation, nothing must be suffered to be laid in the Bal∣lance with Eternal Happiness; whatever would preju∣dice that, must be rejected, and left to those that know not how to prize it. To secure that, all must be ven∣tur'd, and if even Father and Mother should be the tempters to discourage us from it, even their Friendship

must be lost, and all that we expected from them count∣ed unworthy to be compared with the Glory, which ere long shall be revealed in us.

The PRAYER,

MOST Glorious God, and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Heaven is thy Throne, and the Earth is thy Foot-stool. Where is the House that Man can build unto thee? And where is the Place of thy Rest? Thou dwellest not in Temples made with Hands; yet in an humble, sound, sincere and pure Heart, thou hast promised to fix thy Habi∣tation. Oh, that my Heart were so! When shall I be rid of my vain, foolish, wicked, and dangerous Thoughts? Oh! When wilt thou purge and cleanse this House from the Rub∣bish which annoys it? When wilt thou adorn my Soul with profound Humility, which may be an Invitation of thy Gra∣cious Presence? How apt am I to look off from Thee! How apt to mind poor transitory Things! How little am I ac∣quainted with that Fervency of Spirit which I see in others! Great Physician! Heal thou me: Thou hast healed Thou∣sands; Oh, let me be one of that Number. It may be, of all that Multitude, there was none so miserable as I am; yet no Spots, no Stains are too hard for Thee to wash out. I have delighted in my Filthiness, and, with the Swine, ta∣ken pleasure in the Mire. Oh, Let me consider how nobly I am born; and hate that mean and servile Spirit! I am born of God: So thy Apostle tells me. Oh, Let my God be ever in my Heart, and let me do God-like Things, even Things that savour of Heaven, and a Super-natural Temper. Touch my Soul, sweet Jesu! Touch it with the Rays of thy Favour in this Sacrament, that I may seek after Thee alone, think on Thee alone, and love Thee alone. Chase away all sinful Sickness from me, and make me sick of Love; that

joyfully, without Tediousness, I may continue in Well-doing. Thou art a Saviour! Be thou so to me; and save me from my Sins. Give me an healthful Soul, a good Conscience, and a sound Mind, and Purity of Heart; and with that Purity, frequent Rejoycing in thy Name, Tranquility of Spi∣rit, Multitude of holy Thoughts, Innocence of Life, ardent Love, and Everlasting Charity. Let no Temptations defile me; but let these rather purge, and joyn, and unite me to Thee. Give me a constant Zeal for thy Honour and Glory; and let me be for ever delighted with thy Praises. Amen, Amen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  De Sacram. Dist. 3.
• * 1.2

  Tract. 1. cap. 4.
• * 1.3

  De Myster. Miss. l. 4. c. 44.