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. SInce Christ broke the Bread, and the Act is so sig∣nificant, the Church of Rome is certainly in the wrong, who neglects this Breaking, and gives the Wafer whole. But we need not wonder at their Neglect of this Practice in their Rituals, who have made bold with the one half of the Sacrament, and deprived the Laity of an Essential Part of it, viz. The Cup; whereof we shall have occasion to speak more largely in the Sequel. Men who are resolved to establish their Errours, into which Igno∣rance first led them, must be bold and daring; and, since the Word of God doth contradict them, invent and erect an Authority equal with that of God, and set up an In∣fallible Chair, to bear the World in hand, that they can do nothing that is unlawful; and while Oral Tradition, that Nose of Wax, which you may turn and set which way you list, is pretended, there is no Doctrine so absurd,

but may be water'd from that impure Spring: And who can question it, when the Laity are kept ignorant of the Word of the Living God, and the Scriptures as much forbidden as the Tree of Life was to Adam, lest he should eat thereof, and live.

II. As Christ broke the Bread, so it is justly supposed that he did eat of it himself; for this was the Custom a∣mong the Jews, for the Master of the Family, who broke the Bread, to eat of it himself: And though he had no need of it, and the Mercy intended by this Sacrament was intended altogether for the Benefit of his Disciples and Followers, yet as he was baptized to shew a good Example, and that he might be in all Things like unto his Brethren, so he did eat of the Sacramental Bread, there∣by to encourage all Christians to come and participate of that blessed Symbol. And we may add, he did it, to shew, that those that did eat worthily had Communion with him, and that he would be in them, and they in him; as those who are admitted to eat of the same Meat the Prince himself eats of, are supposed to be his Favou∣rites. But if Christ did eat of the consecrated Bread him∣self, the Doctrine of Transubstantiation, that Idol of the Church of Rome, falls to the Ground: For from hence it will follow, that Christ did eat and devour himself; which as it is absurd, so it wants very little of being ridiculous.

III. See here what Reflections thou art to make when thou seest the holy Bread broken before thine Eyes in this Sacrament. This thou must not look upon as an empty Ceremony, but thy Soul must flee away to Gethsemane, walk about Golgotha, take a Turn on the Mount of Olives, and stand still a while on Moriah, and behold how the innocent Isaac is bound upon the Altar, how the Son of God hangs on the infamous Tree, a Spectacle to Angels, and to Men: And here the Tremendous Object must arrest thy Thoughts, and infuse such Reflections; See here, my Sins, what Work ye have made, what Injury ye have done: The Son of the Living God could not be quiet for you in

Heaven; ye pulled him down from the Mansions of Glory; ye afflicted, persecuted, broke him here on Earth, and left him not till ye had kill'd and murther'd him. How shall I be reveng'd upon you? How shall I testifie my Concernedness at the Suffer∣ings of the Lord Jesus? How shall I convince the holy Angels that stand about me, that I condole with him? Pride and De∣sire of Vain-Glory, thou shalt die; Envy and Malice, thou shalt live no longer in my Soul; Wrath and Anger, thou shalt be dispatch'd; Hypocrisie and Covetousness, thou shalt be broke to pieces; Intemperance and Luxury, thou shalt breath thy last: I'll harbour no Murtherers in my Bosom, no such Traitors shall lodge in my House. O Blessed Master! Shall I see thy Head broke with Thorns, and not cry out, O that my Head were Water, and mine Eyes a Fountain of Tears! Shall I see thy Face broke with Grief, and not blush at my daring Sins that broke it thus? Break, stubborn Heart! Break, my perverse and ungovernable Will! Break, my head-strong Passions! O Jesu, break these Cockatrices Eggs, and let all the Poyson evaporate; then, then, thy Servant shall be whole.

IV. Hear this, thou broken, thou contrite Penitent: Hear this, thou distressed Soul, that art broken with a Sense of Sin, who feelest the Burthen heavy, and bowest under it: Behold the Rock that was broken for thee; and of the Waters that flow from it, drink; yea, drink abundantly: This Water is cordial, thou needest not be afraid of Intemperance here. Hide thy self in the Holes, in the Clests of this Rock; hither flee for Refuge: When Devils haunt thee, when Temptations follow thee, when Despair, like the Avenger of Blood, is at thy Heels, run into this City of Refuge, save thy self in this Zoar; here fear no Storm, no Waves, no Tempest; here all travel∣ling and weary Souls find Rest; here Devils have no Power, for they are conquered, their Dominion is taken away, their Empire broken; here is Balm of Gilead; here lives the Physician, whose Blood is for the healing of the Nations; here fix, though the Earth be moved; here shelter thy self from the Wrath to come. Christ, the same Yesterday, to Day, and for ever, will open Rivers

in High Places, and Fountains in the midst of Valleys: When the Poor and Needy seek for Water, and there is none, He, Prince of Peace, wil hear them; He, the mighty God, will will not forsake them; He will plant in the Wilderness the Cedar, the Myrtle, and the Oyl-Tree; He will set in the De∣sart the Fir-tree, and the Pine, and the Box-tree together, that they may see, and know, and consider, and understand to∣gether, that the Hand of the Lord hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it, Ezek. 41. 16, 17.