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. XXV. (Book 25)

Of Self-Resignation, the Fourth Preparatory Du∣ty, in order to a Worthy Receiving of this Holy Sacrament. (Book 25)

The CONTENTS.

What Self-Resignation is, and wherein it consists. What makes it necessary. Upon what Account it comes to be a Duty, preparatory for the Holy Sacrament. God likens himself to a Potter; and why. Our Perfection proved to consist in this Self-Resignation.

1. WHat this Self-Resignation is, and wherein it consists, is no hard matter to guess. 'Tis, in short, to resign our Will to God's Will, not only in being ready to do what God will have us do; but, in being contented to suffer whatever he shall think fit to lay upon us. 'Tis St. Anselm's Observation, That God alone, who is the Creator of all things, can will and do what he pleases, having no Will superior to his own, to which he ought to submit: But when Man will do his own Will, he robs Almighty God, in some measure, of his Crown; for as the Crown is only the Privilege and Prerogative of a King, so to do what he pleases is God's only Property: And, as a Subject that should fly at the Crown of his Prince, and take it off his Head, would commit Treason, and do his Sovereign the greatest In∣jury; so a Man that will have his own Will, attributes that to himself, which is a Privilege appertaining only to Divinity it self. And, indeed, this Self-Resignation is nothing but an Effect of sincere and cordial Love;

Love being the Bond that ties and unites the Person loving to him that is loved, as Hatred dissolves and un∣ties that Bond. This Love consists chiefly in the Will; and if it be right, it must necessarily oblige him that loves God, to will what he wills, and take his Pleasure and Will for his Rule, whereby he governs his own De∣sires and Affections.

II. That which makes this Self-Resignation to the Will of God very necessary, are these important Points.

1. Hereby the Glory of God is signally advanced: It is the most excellent Sacrifice we can offer to Almighty God. The Glory of God consists in having his Will ful∣filled: And since we are both created and redeemed to advance God's Glory, we commit a very great Errour in having a different Will from God's Will; for we de∣prive him of the Honour due to him, and which we are obliged to advance, not only by our Obedience, but by our Troubles and Dangers too. And if it be such an Advancement of God's Glory, to do what he will have us do, and to follow him where he leads, it can be no less Glory to our selves, to have the Honour to fulfil his Will in all things. That God, who is far above us, so infinitely exalted above our frail Natures, should make use of such poor, miserable Creatures, to glorifie him; and employ, in the compassing of his admirable De∣signs, such vile Worms, when he might make use of far better, is no small Dignity and Advancement. If a King were to give Battel to a fierce and numerous Ene∣my, and should quit or lay by a bright and Two-edged Sword, and take a rusty Dagger, with no Point or Edge, to fight the opposite Army; as it would be a Mark of his greater Courage, so the Victory he gains by that means would be more renowned and glorious. We are in the Hand of God, no otherwise than obtuse and blunt Daggers are; and that by such contemptible means he will compass his Glory, is not only the Way to pro∣mote his own Honour, but ours too. When the Disci∣ples

of Socrates had all made their Masters very noble Presents, Aeschines, who was very poor, came to him, and told him, Sir, I have nothing to give you, that is wor∣thy of you; and therefore, take the only thing I have to give; that is, my self. Socrates was extreamly pleased with this Offer. And Seneca adds, that by this Present Aeschines exceeded all the rich Gifts, not only of Alcibiades, whose Gifts were equal to his generous Mind, but all the Pre∣sents of the rest. A Man can give nothing to God, that is more pleasing to him, than his Will; and in giv∣ing him his Will, he gives him all his Content, his Love, his Honour, his Health, and his Wealth; for he leaves all these to his Disposal.

2. Nothing comes to pass without God's Providence. Our Sicknesses, Poverty, Exile, Losses, Crosses, Trou∣bles, Accidents, which foolish Men are apt to ascribe to Chance, are all govern'd by his Almighty Hand, and sent by his Order: So that, not to conform our Wills to his Will in these Cases, is a tacit Denial of his Provi∣dence. Nay, though the Afflictions and Miseries which may befal us, may be inflicted by wicked Instruments, the Devil, and evil Men; yet, as God hath no Hand in their Sins, so he hath certainly an Hand in the Affli∣ction: And this is one great Design of the Holy Ghost, in Scripture, to direct us how to refer all things, even the most displeasing, and the most disagreeable to Flesh and Blood, to God's Providence. Job therefore, though the Chaldeans and the Devil were the External Instru∣ments, whereby his Calamities were sent upon him, yet he acknowledges God in all; and, in his Confes∣sion, ascribes his Losses, not to the Devil, not to the Chaldeans, but to God; The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the Name of the Lord, Job 1. 21. It was therefore a very wise Answer which Lupus, the Bishop of Troy, gave to Attila, the King of the Huns, who, with an Army of Five Hundred Thousand Men, had burnt, and destroyed, and laid waste abundance of Countries: Coming at last before Troy, the Bishop and

his Clergy, in their Robes, went out to meet him; and as they came into his Presence, the Bishop craved Leave to ask him, who he was? Attila, with a fierce and stern Countenance, told him, I am the Scourge of God. Are you so, saith the Bishop? Who then is able to resist you? And, since you are so, pray come, and beat and scourge us as you think fit, and as God shall permit you. An Answer, which Attila was so well pleased with, that he spared the Town, and passed through it, without doing the Inhabitants the least hurt. This good Man saw the Pro∣vidence of God in it, and conformed his Will to God's Will; and thereby teaches us, that this Self-Resignation is the Way to see an happy Issue of our Afflictions.

3. As nothing comes to pass without a special Provi∣dence, so whatsoever befals us is governed by infinite Wisdom, and comes upon us wise and holy Ends, though for the present we cannot see to the Bottom of them; and that is a very great Motive to this Self-Resig∣nation. As the whole World is governed by the Infl∣nice Wisdom of God, so Man in a particular man∣ner, and more especially those that fear him; and whe∣ther God commands us any thing, or will have us suffer any thing, it is still for the noblest Ends, even his Glo∣ry, and our own Eternal Salvation. And, to say the Truth, a Man can give no better, no greater Demon∣stration of his Wisdom, then in denying his own Judg∣ment and Will, and submitting them to the Wisdom of God: For, take the greatest and most exact Wisdom that is in man, or ever hath been, even the Wisdom of Solomon, if it be compared with the Wisdom of God, it is mere Darkness and Ignorance; so that, to resign our selves to the Wisdom and Will of God in all things, must be the greatest Wisdom. If a Man that is born blind, should restise to take a wise Guide with him, and particularly, his own Father, who entirely loves him, a prudent Man, and who knows the Way perfectly; all would take him for a Mad-man, and blind in Soul, as well as Body. And how are we better than such a

Man, if we are afraid to follow our Heavenly Father, even then when he leads us over Rocks, and Precipices? For we have reason to trust the hand that guides us, whatever Rea∣sons offer themselves to our minds to the contrary, nor can we be deceiv'd in our Trust, for he that guides us, is infinitely Wise. The Wisdom of God is to be seen in inequalities, as much as in any thing: A Body would not be beautiful, if all the parts were of an equal bigness, some parts standing out, and others being depressed, some, being big, and others little, make up the Beauty of the whole; as in the Fabrick of the Earth, Mountains, and Hills, and Dales, Rocks, and fruitful Fields, being mingled one with another, make the Fa∣brick more stately than otherwise it would be: the same may be said of our Lives, which being chequered with Adversity and Prosperity, with Light and Darkness, with good Report, and evil Report, declare at once their Beau∣ty, and God's Wisdom, so that we may confidently affirm, That the Sovereign Reason, which is God, can do no∣thing contrary to Reason, in things that concern us, even then, when sometimes they seen to be contrary; so that this makes Self-resignation a necessary Duty.

III. But here a Question will arise, Why this Duty of Self-resignation is to be exercised and practised, par∣ticularly before we receive the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist; and how comes this to be a Preparative for this Ordinance, and the Worthy Receiving of it? To which I must answer as follows.

1. This is to imitate our Blessed Saviour, who, be∣fore he went to dye, resigned his Will to his Holy Father's Will, Luke 22. 42. Father, if thou be willing, remove this Cup from me, nevertheless, not my Will, but thine, be done: And what more proper, than before we remember this Death, to use the same Self-resignation. To imi∣tate him in all his Actions, except the Miraculous, is our Duty and Glory. We cannot imitate a better Pat∣tern; nay, the desin of the Gospel is to plant in us a

conformity to his Temper, and to oblige us to tread in his steps. If we do no not, it's as much as our Lives are worth, and he will not own us for his Disciples; The very name Christian imports so much; and as a Pythago∣rean is one, that believes, and lives as Pythagoras lived; so a Christian is he, that believes, and lives as Christ did live; and therefore, learn of me, Matth. 11. 26. contains the whole Duty of a Christian. Of this, the late famous Antonette Baurignon, (if it be true, what is said in the History of her Life) had very early apprehensions; for when she was but a Girl of four years of Age, having heard of her Parents and Friends, what Christ had taught, and how he lived, and that by him we must enter into Eternal Life, she was exceedingly desirous to go into that Country, where Men lived as Christ had taught them, and as he lived. Her Friends telling her, that she lived in a Christian Country, and that all that were about her were Christians, she shook her Head, profes∣sing that she could not believe them, for those she saw lived not as Christ had taught them, or as he lived, but rather directly contrary; For Christ (said she) was vo∣luntarily poor, and we love Gold and Silver; he was hum∣ble and lowly, but we affect Dominion and Greatness; he was always in Affliction, we hunt for Carnal Pleasures. The wisest Person living could not have spoken greater sense; and if Christ's Actions were intended for Patterns, it will naturally follow, that as he entirely resign'd himself to his Father's Will, before he went to dye, so it's ve∣ry fit, that his Disciples, when they come to remember his Death in a most solemn manner in the Sacrament, should follow him in that Self-resignation, the rather, because, like him, we resolve in this Sacrament, and pro∣mise for the Glory set before us, to run with patience the Race which is set before us, for which, this Self-re∣signation is absolutely necessary, as will appear more fully from the following Paragraph.

2. Without this Sel-resignation, one great End, for which we pretend to come to this Sacrament, is not to be obtain'd, which is, to learn to imitate Christ Jesus in his Patience under all sorts of Sufferings, which can ne∣ver be done without a holy Self-resignation. He that doth not resign his Will to God's Will in all things, must necessarily fall into discontents, when any trouble doth surprize him, especially if it be of the greater sort; for he will either look altogether upon the second Cau∣ses, whereby his misery comes, which will make him quarrel, with the Dog, at the Stone thrown at him; or he will imagine, that he might have prevented it, and that it was nothing but his own carelesness and impru∣dence that caused it, and that will make him fret and fume; or he will fancy, that he hath not deserved such an Affliction, and that will make him repine; or he will compare his present afflicted State with the more happy condition of his Neighbors, and that will occa∣sion great murmurings and complaints; or he will do little, but pore upon his wretchedness, and that will fill him with melancholic Thoughts; or he will measure his Felicity by Worldly Prosperity, and that will una∣voidably bring the Sorrow of the World upon him; but a Person that hath resign'd his Will to the Will of God, can think nothing strange; This one thing, that his Af∣fliction is the Will of God, will hush and quiet all, com∣pose his Thoughts, lenifie the bitterness and grievous∣ness of his wounds, lessen his grief, cause chearfulness in his Soul, fortifie his Mind, and make him say with Da∣vid, I was dumb, I open'd not my mouth, because thou didst it, Psal. 39. 9. not to mention the Sweetness our Souls would taste, and be sensible of, in this Holy Sacrament, if they came with this Self-resignation to the Will of God, for this would be a preparative for greater Gifts, for larger Effusions of the Holy Ghost, and richer Com∣munications of inward Comforts.

The Preceding Considerations reduced to Practice.

I. GOD, Jer. 18. 2. doth very fitly compare him∣self to a Potter, who, by the motion of his Wheel, and the activity of his Hand, gives the Clay what form and shape he pleases; and the reason, why he makes use of that similitude, is, because himself form∣ed Man of the Clay of the Earth; and from hence it's very easie to infer, that if we suffered our selves to be managed by his powerful hand, as easily, as the Clay doth by the Potters, we might become most beautiful Vessels. Nothing in Nature resists the Will of God. The Heavens readily conform to his pleasure, and all the Stars move and shine by his Order and Appointment; the whole Creation doth exactly and punctually submit to his Law, and Night and Day do not make a false step, in obeying the Constitutions of the great Architect; if they should, what confusion would the whole Uni∣verse fall into? So our Will, if it suffer it self to be en∣tirely Govern'd by the Divine, every Member, and every part in this little World, Man, wou'd move in ex∣cellent harmony; their motions wou'd be circular and orderly, for nothing causes greater confusion in the Frame, than when we are loth to leave our selves to his Conduct. This is the way to arm our selves against all danger. This abates their force, and enfeebles their vi∣olence when they come. This checks our needless Curiosity; and while we enquire, for what reasons God sends such things upon us, this one, answers all Objecti∣ons; It is the Will of God.

II. We see here by what standard we are to measure Christian perfection, even by this Self-resignation of our Wills to God's Will. The more we advance in this, the more perfect we are; and though an absolute perfecti∣on is not to be obtained in this life, yet to come as near

that absolute Conformity and Self-resignation, which shall be in Heaven, as we can, is counted Christian Perfecti∣on, even on this side Heaven. It was therefore wisely said by Alphonso King of Arragon, when one of his Fa∣miliars ask'd him, Who it was, that he counted the hap∣piest Man? His Answer was; Him, who receives all things, whether sad or pleasant, as coming from a kind and wise Fa∣ther's hand, with an even mind. And we are told of a Man, that had the Power of Miracles conferr'd upon him, and being ask'd of his Friend, How he came by that Power? He Said, He knew not, except God should like one thing in him, which was, that he was never lifted up by Prosperity, nor cast down by Adversity, and whatever happen'd to him, still he look'd higher, to the Origin and Spring from whence it came, and that ever day he made it his business, to desire nothing but what God desires, and all his Prayers tended that way, that God's Will might be entirely fulfilled and accom∣plished in him. Even the Heathen Philosophers placed Per∣fection in following God, i. e. in a chearful submission to every thing that God would have done; and therefore, we have a notable address of the Heathen Epictetus to his great Creator, an address fit to be imitated by every Christian.* 1.1 Great God, (saith he) use me hence∣forward according to thy pleasure. I am altoge∣ther of thy mind. It is indifferent to me, how thou dealest with me. I refuse nothing, if thou seest it good for me. Lead me where thou thinkest it convenient. Cloath me in what Garment thou pleasest, whether it be whole or torn, either shall be welcome: Whether thou wilt have me bear the Office of a Magistrate, or lead a private Life; whether thou wilt have me stay in mine own Country, or let me be driven into exile; whether thou wilt have me rich or poor; In all this, by my equanimity, I will justifie thee before Men. This Prayer from the mouth of an Heathen, is astonishing, and the rather, because we see few Christians arrive to this Self-resignation, that have far greater helps; and had we no express Command for this Self-resignation in the Bible, yet that general Precept, of considering and

doing whatever things are true, and just, and honest, and lovely, and of a good report, would oblige us to imitate the very Heathen Philosophers, in so lovely and reasonable a Duty. But we need not have recourse to this general hint, the express Precepts and Examples, that tend to the inforcement of this admirable qualifica∣tion, are so many, that there is no room left for Excu∣ses and Evasions. Whether the story of the Lady of Soncino be true, I know not, but the Moral intended by it, is agreeable enough to the word of God. The Story saith, That being, in a Vision, carried up to view the various Mansions of Glory, She saw some Holy Soul mingled with the Quire of Seraphims, and the highest Order of Angels, and demanding, who they were, An∣swer was made her, That they were persons, who here on Earth did entirely resign their Wills to the Will of God: A thing so rational, that, in omitting it, we con∣demn our selves; for the sick Man leaves himself entire∣ly to the Conduct of his Physitian; an oppressed Per∣son, to the wisdom and discretion of his Advocate; and the Blind, to the guidance of his Dog; and therefore, it must be strange obstinacy, not to resign our selves to the Conduct of a most wise God; who orders our Af∣fairs far better, and with far greater advantage to us, than we do, or can do our selves. The more tracta∣ble any instrument is, the more perfect it is: If a Pain∣ter were to draw the Picture of an Emperor, and the Pencil in his Hand should resist the motions of his Fin∣gers, make no stroaks, and be dull to any impressions, form no line, and cast no colour, or should warp, and flinch to the left hand, when he would direct it to the right, it would be worth nothing, for its greatest per∣fection lies, in yielding to the hand that manages it, and in expressing all the strokes the Workman doth intend to make. We are instruments in the hand of God, which he hath made on purpose to serve him in the pro∣moting of his Glory, and therefore are obliged to suffer our selves to be handled by him, and to leave our selves entirely to his power to turn and wind us, and to im∣ploy

us in such things as he thinks convenient, without any resistance. The natural desire of Mankind, is, to arrive to Peace and Rest, but the generality take very preposterous ways to obtain it, when they involve them∣selves in a thousand anxious Cares and Troubles, which, instead of conducting them to that end, drive them far∣ther and farther off; whence it comes to pass, that though they desire it, yet their desires are never accom∣plish'd. But this Self-resignation to the Will of God, is the proper means, and he that lets his own Will dye, and makes God's Will to live in him, comes safely to the City of Peace and Rest. All our Inquietude rises from our resisting the Will of God, from hence flow all the tempests that molests us, and while we are loth to do what God would have us do, and unwilling to suffer what he will have us suffer, it cannot be otherwise, but that Peace must be a stranger to our Breasts. What∣ever happens in the World, is nothing but the accom∣plishment of God's Designs; and the Soul, that would always have that done what God will have done, can wonder at nothing that happens to her, for it is her Will, as well as God's Will. However, if we are loth to re∣sign our selves to his Will, we have reason to fear his Anger; and if we resist his Will, or are unwilling to submit to it, he will do his Will upon us, whether we will or no. If we chearfully submit, he will treat us as his Children; if not, he will use us as his Slaves: And therefore, the advice of Eliphaz, Job 22. 21, 22. is the safest Rule we can follow. Acquaint now thy self with him, and be at peace, thereby good shall come unto thee. Re∣ceive, I pray thee, the Law from his Mouth, and lay up his Words in thy Heart. If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put Iniquity far from thy Taber∣nacle; yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of Silver, i. e. as much content as if thou hadst plenty of Silver, for then shalt thou have thy delight in the Al∣mighty, and shalt lift up thy Face to God. Thou shalt make thy Prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy Vows, thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be esta∣blished unto thee, and the light shall shine upon thy ways.

The PRAYER.

O My God, my Lord, my Saviour, God of infinite Pow∣er, who dost not only govern thy Creatures by thy great∣ness, but by thy goodness, who canst do no wrong, and hast used me in particular with that respect and tenderness, even in the midst of all the afflictions that have come upon me, that thou hast been more a Father to me than a Judge, and hast rather embraced me than corrected me. Behold! I am go∣ing to remember, what my dearst Lord hath done for my mi∣serable Soul on the Cross; and as I am going to remember the unspeakable Blessings he hath purchased for me, so I desire to remember my Duty of imitating him in his Self-resignation to thy Divine and incomprehensible Will. And here, Lord, I humbly consecrate my Will to thine, I prescribe thee no Rules, no Methods, how to govern me, but leave my self entirely to be disposed of according to thy Will, which way soever thou shalt think fit to lead me to Heaven, and Eternal Happiness, whether by Hunger or Thirst, or Poverty, or Infamy, or the rage and envy of Men, or by other miseries; whether by sick∣ness, or by health; whether by losses, or unkindness of friends; whether it be through good report, or evil report; whether thou wilt have me live, or dye; whether thou wilt have me dye this Year, or the next, or ten Years hence; whether my Death shall be sudden, or slow; whether natural, or violent; whether honourable, or dishonourable; whether upon my Bed, or in a Wood; whether in Fire, or Water: I am resign'd, and content to go where thou biddest me, and to endure what, in thy Wisdom, thou shalt think fit for me. Thy Commands are reasonable. In Wisdom hast thou made them all. I take exception at none. I embrace them all. They are the Light of mine Eyes, and while they be my Guides, I cannot go astray. Thy Providences also are the effect of Eternal Wisdom. No∣thing happens by chance, Thou rulest all Events. Thou go∣vernest all the World; whatever befals me, is either decreed, or permitted by thee; and when thou dost permit things, thou

permittest them for weighty and pregnant Reasons. Give me an Heart devoted to thy fear. Let me neither murmur at thy Laws, nor repine at thy Dispensations. Let every thing be welcome and pleasing to me, which thou knowest to be for my good. Let me not judge of things by outward appearances, but by thy Will, and unsearchable Wisdom. Give me Wis∣dom out of thine own Store, Wisdom, which may resemble thine. and agree with thine. And then I shall be wise in∣deed, when I shall learn to submit my self to thy infinite Wis∣dom; then shall I know thee, the only true God, and him, whom thou hast sent, Jesus Christ; to whom, with thee, O Father, and the Holy Ghost, be all Honour and Glory, for ever and ever, Amen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Arrian Epict. l. 2. c. 16.