There is no institution more delightful to the Christian than the holy sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. It is a touching remembrance of a Redeemer’s love—a refreshing means of grace to the soul—a happy communion of the Lord’s believing family—and a gladdening foretaste of the marriage supper of the Lamb. With what heartfelt gratitude should believers rejoice in such a feast!
But it is not to all a feast of joy. Some neglect it from a total want of inclination; some receive it in a careless, worldly spirit, and to them it soon becomes an empty form, like a vessel in which is no water; while others regard it as an awful mystery—as something too high for such as they are, and, like the holy of holies in the temple, beyond the reach of common men.
This sense of mysterious awe may be traced, in great measure, to the startling words of St. Paul in 1 Cor. xi.. 29, “He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.” Nor can there be any question, that the impression made by such strong and fearful language should be that of the deepest possible solemnity. St. Paul spoke by inspiration, and that man must indeed be a bold transgressor, who does not feel awed and solemnized when he reads such a caution from the Holy Ghost. But yet the Christian is not right if he lays aside the subject under the first sense of solemn awe, or excludes himself from a delightful privilege, because he sees solemnity in the ordinance, and apprehends some possible danger in its misuse. He ought rather to take the Word of God, and study it carefully, in order to ascertain the real nature of the service, and the kind of character to which the words refer. This is the course for sensible and right-minded men; and to assist such in this investigation, is the object of the present tract.
There are five passages in the Bible distinctly referring to the Lord’s Supper, as an appointed institution in the Church, namely, Matt. xxvi. 26–29; Mark xiv. 22–25; Luke xxii. 13–20; 1 Cor. x. 16–21; and xi. 18–34. [4] As the last of these is much the fullest, it may be well to adopt it as the basis of our enquiry; and we shall be able to learn from it the authority and nature of the Lord’s Supper, the danger of coming unworthily, and the character of those who do so.
I. The Authority.
It is not a scheme of man’s contrivance, or the result of merely human wisdom, but was ordained by our blessed Lord himself, and enjoined on his people by his twice repeated words.
The first occasion was on the night before his crucifixion, when he was eating the Paschal Supper with his disciples. He then gave them bread and wine, and said, “This do in remembrance of me.” Here, therefore, is his own plain command—and one command from him is enough for the Christian.
I received of the Lord