Chap. XXIV. — Of the Lord’s Supper.
Q. 1. What is the Lord’s supper?
A. An ^aholy action instituted and1 appointed by Christ, ^bto set forth his death, ^cand communicate unto us spiritually his body and blood by faith, being ^drepresented by bread and wine, ^eblessed by his word, and prayer, ^fbroken,2 poured out, and received of believers. ^aMatt. xxvi. 26–28; Luke xxii. 14–20; 1 Cor. xi. 23–25. ^bLuke xxii. 19; 1 Cor. xi. 25, 26. ^cMark xiv. 22–24; 1 Cor. xi. 24, 25; John vi. 63. ^d1 Cor. xi. 23, 25. ^e1 Cor. xi. 24; Matt. xxvi. 26. ^fMatt. xxvi. 26; Mark xiv. 22; Luke xxii. 19.
Q. 2. When did Christ appoint this sacraments?
A. On the night wherein he was betrayed to suffer. 1 Cor. xi. 23.
Q. 3. Whence is the right use of it to be learned?
A. From the word,3 practice, and actions of our Saviour, at its institution.
Q. 4. What were the actions of our Saviour to be imitated by us?
A. First, blessing the elements by prayer; secondly, breaking the bread, and pouring out the wine; thirdly, distributing them to the receivers, sitting in a table-gesture. Matt. xxvi. 26; Mark xiv. 22; Luke xxii. 19,20; 1 Cor. xi. 23, 24.
Q. 5. What were the words of Christ?
A. First, of command, — “Take, eat;” secondly, of promise, — “This is my body;” thirdly, of institution for perpetual use, — “This do,” &c. 1 Cor. xi. 24–26.
Q. 6. Who are to be4 5 receivers of this sacrament?
A. Those only have a true right to the signs who by faith have an holy interest in Christ, the thing signified. 1 Cor. xi. 27–29; John vi. 63.
Q. 7. Do the elements remain bread and wine still, after the blessing of them?
A. Yes; all the spiritual change is wrought by the faith of the receiver, not the words of the giver: to them that believe, they are the body and blood of Christ. John vi. 63; 1 Cor. x. 4, xi. 29.
← Chapter XXIII — Of Baptism · Contents · Chapter XXV — Of the Communion of Saints, — the Fifth Privilege of Believers →
Footnotes
-
Baptism is the sacrament of our new birth, this of our farther growth in Christ. ↩
-
No part of Christian religion was ever so vilely contaminated and abused by profane wretches, as this pure, holy, plain action and institution of our Saviour: witness the Popish horrid monster of transubstantiation, and their idolatrous mass. ↩
-
Whatever is more than these, is of our own. ↩
-
Faith in God’s promises, which it doth confirm, — union with Christ, whereof it is a seal, — and obedience to the right use of the ordinance itself, — are required of all receivers. ↩
-
There is not any one action pertaining to the spiritual nature of this sacrament, not any end put upon it by Christ, — as, first, the partaking of his body and blood; secondly, setting forth his death for us; thirdly, declaring of our union with him and his, — but requires faith, grace, and holiness, in the receivers. ↩