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. XXVI. (Book 26)

Of Preparatory Devotions and Aspirations, fit to be used in Private, before we come to the Holy Sacrament. (Book 26)

The CONTENTS.

The conveniency of using Devotions suitable to this Holy Sa∣crament, the Week before we Receive. Prayers and Aspi∣rations relating to the Afflictions of Christ, to Christ's rea∣diness to comfort Persons diseased, and in distress, to his Praying for his Disciples, and those that should believe in his Name, &c.

THough all the preceeding Prayers are nothing but preparatory Devotions, and may be used as such, yet, for varieties sake, which may be as delightful in spi∣ritual, as it is in temporal Things, I shall add some other aspirations and breathings of the Soul after God in this Chapter, as preparatives for the Worthy. Receiving of the Holy Communion. Extraordinary occasions, as I have said often, and short warnings, when a Friend of Neighbour is indisposed, and requires our presence and help, and joyning with him in the devout use of this Or∣dinance, may oblige us to alter our method; but where no considerable impediment straitens us in Time, it will be convenient, the Week before we Receive, be∣sides our standing Devotions, to address our selves to God in Supplications, as both relate, and are subservient to the great Work we intend for: And such are the fol∣lowing Aspirations, whereof one or two may be used together with our daily Devotion.

I.

O wonderful Saviour! What Afflictions hast thou suffered for me! Heat and Cold, Hunger and Thirst, Labour and Miseries! Give me an Heart to receive from thy hands chearfully all kind of Adversity! Give me that excellent temper, which was in thy Apostles, whereby they rejoyced in Tribulation, and counted it Honourable and Glorious, that they had any thing to lose for thy sake! I intend to look upon thy sufferings in the Blessed Sacrament! O let the sight work upon me, that I may be contented to suffer joyfully for thy sake!

II.

Great Prince of Peace! Who in thy Converse with Men, tookest all opportunities to comfort the distres∣sed, and didst most mercifully cure their Diseases! Give me a great sense of the Afflictions of my Neighbours, that I may have as great a feeling of their miseries, as if they were mine own, and be ready to help them ac∣cording to my ability! I am going to behold in the Blessed Sacrament, what Miracles thou hast wrought for me, O let me not come away from thence, with∣out working a Miracle upon my Soul!

III.

Great Counsellor of my Soul! Who, at thy lea∣ving the World, didst in Prayer recommend thy Dis∣ciples, and those that, through their means, should believe in thy Name, to thy Heavenly Father's Care! Let me find the benefit of thy intercession! Preserve me from this evil World, and keep me by thy Truth! Take care of my Soul, that I may not be lost in the Wilderness of this World! in the Holy Sacrament, which I mean to be partaker of, assure me of that care, and that thou wilt not leave me, nor forsake me!

IV.

O thou who art Alpha and Om••ga, the Beginning and the end! Who didst suffer thy self to be laid hold of, by the Sacrilegious hands of thy furious Enemies, and when they bound thee, didst not revenge their in∣juries, but spake mildly to them! Give me Grace to shew my self loving and mild to all mine Enemies, to pardon them from my Heart, and to look upon them as Ministers of thy Will, and promoters of my Salva∣tion. To this end, let the Holy Sacrament I intend to take, strengthen my Soul, that I may become con∣formable to thee, in doing good to them that hate me!

V.

O Thou, who art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedeck, who didst seck me when when I was a stranger to thee, and calledst me when I knew thee not! Now I know thee, let nothing satisfie me but thy self. Give me a flaming Heart, a chearful Mind, and an en∣lighten'd understanding! O give me thy self, for no∣thing less will content my weary Soul! I will seek thee in the Holy Sacrament, O let me find thee, and say to me, In the day of Salvation have I succour'd thee!

VI.

O my compassionate Saviour! whose Bowels yearn over the Penitent! My Soul is miserable, if it loves thee not, or if it continues to love the World! O let my Soul rest in thee, and contemplate thee, and shew forth thy Praises, and be thou my Song in the House of my Pilgrimage! O thou, who art rich in Goodness! Re∣deem this poor Captive, give Meat to my hungry Soul, even the Meat which came down from Heaven! In the Holy Sacrament let me find it, that I may live, and not dye!

VII.

O thou, who art the only life of my Soul! I invite thee to my House▪ I confess, a shatter'd, a broken, and a ruinous House! But be thou intreated to rebuild and beautifie it with thy Salvation! Set up thy King∣dom in it, and make my Flesh obedient to my Soul, my Soul to Reason, my Reason to Faith, my Faith to thy Will. Enlarge my Mind, loose me from my bonds, and let the effects of my coming to the Holy Sacra∣ment, be, that I may become a Servant of Righteous∣ness and may relish no Wisdom, but what is from above.

VIII.

O my Redeemer! kind, unspeakable kind, to poor Sinners! I am going to remember the great Mystery of thy Death and Passion! Establish my Mind with the sweetness of thy Presence! Let my Soul feel, that thou enterest into her, and rejoyce before thee. O Sacred Fire, which always burnest! O Love, which always shi∣nest! shine in my Soul, and Sanctifie that Vessel. Emp∣ty it of Vanity, fill it with thy Grace, and keep it full, till it be made worthy to Receive the fulness of Joy at thy right Hand for evermore!

IX.

O powerful Mediator! Thy Love is sweeter than Honey! more nourishing than Milk! Rule my Soul, direct my Understanding, animate my Love, attract my Heart, and let it thirst after the Rivers of thy Pleasures! Appease the tumults of my Flesh, hush the noise of my Worldly Affections, and let my participation of thy Love in the Blessed Sacrament give me confidence, that where my Head and Master Reigns, and Lives, there shall I Reign and Live for ever!

X.

Great lover of Mankind! To love thee, is a great thing! Even so to love thee, as to think of thee with delight, to relish nothing like thee, and to be con∣formable to thy Will. O! Let this Love dwell in me! Let this Love captivate my Soul! By this Love, let me be united to thee! Let this good Angel visit me! In the Holy Sacrament, let this Love be setled in me, that my angry, turbulent, covetous, mistrustful and im∣patient, Thoughts may cease, and I may feel that calm which those, that do entirely love thee, feel!

XI.

O Saviour! Gentle as the Spirit, that in the shape of a Dove lighted on thy Sacred Head! Teach me that Meekness, which look'd so amiable in thy Life! Expel the evil Spirits of Wrath, Anger, and Pride, and Envy, out of my Soul! Speak the word, and these Winds and Waves will obey thee. Let thy gentleness make me great. When I shall have overcome my wrathful and proud Inclinations, (and, O! let the Sa∣crament, I am going to, help me in the Conquest) then shall I be great and glorious in thy sight!

XII.

Great Shepherd of my Soul! whose Wounds are full of Sweetness, full of Mercy, full of Charity! Let thy Wounds prove the most powerful Remedies, to rid me of my Corruptions! When any impure Thoughts rise in me▪ let thinking of thy Wounds crush them; when sluggishness in Religion assaults me, let thy Wounds, and the remembrance of them make me vigilant in thy service, and when, in the Holy Sacrament, I think of thy Wounds, let all my vain imaginations expire!

XIII.

Great Friend of my immortal Soul! Such a friend is not to be found in all the World, as thou hast been to me, for thou hast laid down thy Life for me; O let me make much of thy friendship, and cherish it, by be∣ing meek, and humble, and merciful, and patient, as thou wert, that thou mayest be my Friend, when I dye, and, after Death, receive me to thy self. O, confirm and seal thy Friendship to my Soul in the Blessed Sa∣crament, and let the same Spirit move in me, which raised thee from the dead!

XIV.

O Thou, who hast wash'd me from my Sins with thine own Blood, chuse, I beseech thee, my Heart, for thy Dwelling place, adorn and replenish it with thy Gifts and Graces, make me to loath all transitory things, make me poor in Spirit, cure in me the itch of Self-love, throw down all pride and eagerness after the Riches of this World, and make the Holy Sacra∣ment, I am going to, a mean to adore thee in Spirit, and in Truth, and to persevere in Goodness to the end!

XV.

Great Comforter of all weary and laden Souls! Cir∣cumcise my Heart from all evil Thoughts, and Words, and Actions, and Comunicate thy self unto me, that I may never be separated from thee, or ever be depri∣ved of thy Comfort! Draw my Soul after thee in the Holy Sacrament, and let that Blessed Ordinance pow∣erfully stir up my Heart to love thee!

XVI.

O Thou, who art the door of thy Sheepfold! By thee let me have access to thy Father's Love! And as, in the Holy Sacrament, thou openest thy Bosom to me, so let me run, and seek shelter there! Chain me

to thy self by Bands of Love; and let no Temptati∣on defile me. O keep me, that I may never cowardly faint at any adversity!

XVII.

Thou who hast endured contradictions of Sinners against thy self! Be thou ever in my mind, and teach me to bear Calumnies and Reproaches with great tran∣quility of Mind; Let me refer all difficulties to thee, and with silence expect thy Grace and Comfort; and let the Blessed Sacrament so influence my Soul, that I may fear none but thee!

XVIII.

Great Captain of my Salvation! I am going to learn to fight the good fight in the Blessed Sacrament of thy Love! Let thy great example there encourage me to fight against all Ambition and Ostentation, against Cen∣soriousness and Uncharitableness, against all Intempe∣rance and Gluttony, against all proud and covetous Thoughts, against Guile and Hypocrisie, against dis∣contentedness and misitrinst of thy Providence. Against such Enemies give me grace to fight, over these let me triumph, that, having striven lawfully, I may at last be admitted to the Glorious sight of thy Sweet Self, and be charm'd with thy Love for ever.