The Sum of Christian Religion, Catechism · Part 2 · Section · Question 81
Queſt. 81. Who are to come unto the Table of the Lord?
Anſ. They only who are truly ſorrowfull, that they have offended God by their ſins; and yet truſt that thoſe ſins are pardoned them for Chriſts ſake: and what other infirmities they have, that thoſe are covered by his paſſion and death, who alſo deſire more and more to go forward in faith and integrity of life. But hypocrites, and they who doe not truly repent, doe eat and drink damnation to themſelvesa1 Cor. 11.28. & 10.19, 20, 21, 22..
The Explication.
Here are three things to be handled and declared:
1. Who ought to approach unto the Lords Supper.
2. What the wicked receive if they come.
3. What is the right and lawfull uſe of the Supper.
1. Who ought to approach unto the Lords Supper.
THeſe are diſtinct queſtions, Who ought to approach unto the Supper: and, Who ought to be admitted to the Supper. The former concerneth the duty of the Communicants; the latter, the duty of the Church and Miniſters. The former is ſtricter, the latter, larger and more generall: for, touching the former, the godly alone ought to come; touching the latter, not the godly onelyonly, but Hypocrites alſo, who are not known to be ſuch, are to be admitted by the Church unto the Supper. Wherefore, all that ought to come, ought to be admitted, but on the other ſide, not all that ought to be admitted, Who ought to come unto the Lords Supper.ought to come; but they only ought to approach unto the Supper, 1. Who acknowledge their ſinnes, and are truly ſorry for them. 2. Who have a confidence that they are pardoned and forgiven them by Chriſt, and for his ſake. 3. Who have an earneſt purpoſe and deſire of profiting and going forward more and more in faith, and pureneſſe of life: that is, they only ought to approach and draw neer unto the Lords Supper, and are worthy gueſts of Chriſt, who live in true faith and repentance: Herein a mans true proof and examination conſiſteth, whereof Saint Paul ſpeaketh:1 Cor. 11.28. What it is to prove himſelfe. Let a man examine himſelfe, and ſo…let him eat of this bread. To prove thy ſelf, is,2 Cor. 13.5. How we may be aſſured that we have true faith and repentance. Rom. 1.1.5. To examine whether thou have faith and repentance, according as it is ſaid: Prove your ſelves whether yee are in the faith, whether Chriſt dwell in you. But how ſhall a man know that he hath theſe things? 1. By a confidence and tranquillity of conſcience: becauſe, Being juſtified by faith, we have peace towards God. Hope maketh not aſhamed: becauſe the love of God is ſhed in our hearts by the holy Ghoſt, which is given unto us. 2. By effects; that is, by the beginnings of true outward and inward obedience, and by an earneſt purpoſe to obey God according to all his commandements. They who have and perceive this in themſelves, ought to draw neere and partake of Chriſts Supper; namely, whoſo have faith and repentance, not in poſsibility only, but alſo actually. Therefore infants are not capable of the Supper, becauſe they ſave faith only potentially and in poſſibility, not actually: they have an inclination to faith or they have faith only by inclination, but they have not an actuall faith. But here is required an actuall faith; which is both a knowledge, and confidence or aſſurance on Chriſts merit, a beginning of new obedience, and a purpoſe of living godly: alſo an examination of himſelfe, and commemoration or remembrance of the Lords death.
Foure cauſes why wicked men and hypocrites ought not to approach unto the Supper.It is not lawfull for the wicked to approach unto the Supper: 1. Becauſe Sacraments are inſtituted only for the faithfull, and thoſe which are converted, to ſeale to them the promiſe of the Goſpel, and confirm their faith. The word notwithſtanding is common to the converted and unconverted; that the converted may heare it, be confirmed by it; and that the unconverted alſo may hear it, and therby be converted. But the Sacraments pertaine to the faithfull alone, and Chriſt inſtituted his Supper for his Diſciples alone:Luke 22.15. as he ſaid, I have earneſtly deſired to eate this Paſſeover with you. Wherefore, from the nature and ſubject of Sacraments is drawne this demonſtrative proofe: What God hath inſtituted for his houſhold and children, that hypocrites and aliens from the Church ought not to receive. 2. Paul interdicteth all the wicked without any exception, from coming unto this holy Supper, by words authentick; in which namely he commandeth, that every man try and examine himſelfe, and ſo eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 3. Becauſe, when hypocrites & wicked men preſſe and thruſt forwards themſelves unto this myſtery, they eat and drink their owne judgement, and become guilty of Chriſts body and bloud: For, he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnation. 4. Unto theſe may be adjoyned alſo generall reſtimonies of Scripture; whereby unbeleevers are forbidden to come unto the Supper;Mat. 5.24. Eſay 66.3. Rom. 2.25. and the uſe of the Sacraments frequented by irrepentant and impenitent men, condemned. Leave there thine offering before the altar: firſt be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. He that killeth a bullock is as if he ſlew a man. If thou be a traſgreſſour of the Law, thy circumciſion is made uncircumciſion.
Object. 1. God commandeth that all uſe the Sacraments; and Chriſt ſaith: Take, drink ye all of this; therefore if wicked men approach unto the Lords Table, they offend not. Anſw. To the Antecedent we anſwer, that God indeed injoyneth all men the Sacraments, namely, the lawful and right uſe, which is not without faith and repentance. He commandeth that all be baptized and reſort unto the Supper; but he commandeth farther, that all beleeve and repent, Repent and be baptized. Acts 2.38. 1 Cor. 11 28.Let every man examine himſelfe. Object. 2. We are all unworthy. Therefore all must abstaine. Anſ. To the Antecedent: By nature, and in our ſelves we are all unworthy, but we are made worthy by the grace of Chriſt, if we bring faith and a good conſcience.In Johan. tract. Auguſtine ſaith; Come with boldneſſe; it is bread and not poyſon. No mans unworthineſſe therefore ought to with-draw and with-hold him, becauſe all that bring faith and repentance are worthy. To him will I look that is poore, and of a contrite ſpirit, Eſay. 66.2.and trembleth at my words. Object. 3. They who avoid the profaning of the Lords Supper, doe well: But they who refraine from the Lords Supper, in reſpect of ſome hatred they beare to others, or for ſome other ſins, avoid the profaning of the Supper: Therefore they doe well. Anſ. The Major muſt be diſtinguiſhed: They who avoid the profaning of the Supper, doe well, if they avoid it in ſuch ſort as they ought; namely, by repenting themſelves of thoſe ſinnes which have beene the cauſes of their refraining: but they doe very ill, who avoid it, perſevering in their ſinnes, hypocriſie and hatred: For theſe men heap ſin upon ſin, and adde contempt to their former profanation; and the rule is ſound, that, Evill is not to be done, that good may come thereof.
2. What the wicked receive in the Lords Supper.
Eight proofs that the wicked receive nothing but the bare ſignes in the Supper.THe wicked and hypocrites coming to the Lords Supper, receive not the things ſignified, to wit, Chriſts body and bloud; but the bare ſignes of bread and wine, and thoſe to their judgement and damnation. This is proved,John 6.56, 57. 1. From the definition of eating. To eat Chriſt, is through faith to be made partakers of his merit, efficacy, and benefits: as it is ſaid: He that eateth me, liveth by me, dwelleth in me, and I in him. But the wicked and unfaithfull are not partakers of Chriſt: Therefore they ear not Chriſt. 2. From the manner and inſtrument of eating. Chriſts body is eaten by faith alone: For, we apprehend Chriſt with his benefits by faith only; and Chriſts body is the meat and food of the ſoule, not of the belly; of the heart, not of the mouth; as it is well expreſſed in Luthers Catechiſme: Theſe words: FOR YOƲ, require beleeving or faithfull hearts. But the wicked and hypocrites are deſtitute of faith: Therefore they receive not Chriſts body. 3. Chriſt in the Supper offereth his body to be eaten of them onelyonly, for whom he offered himſelfe on the Croſſe. But he offered himſelfe on the Croſſe for the faithfull only, not for the wicked and hypocrites: I pray not for the world, but for them which beleeve. This is my body, John 17.9.which is given for you. John 6.36.4. Chriſts body is the quickning bread, which whoſoever receiveth, receiveth life therewithall. For Chriſts ſpirit is not ſeparate from his body. He that eateth my fleſh, dwelleth in me, and I in him. But the wicked receiving the ſignes, receive not life. Therefore the wicked receive the ſignes without the things ſignified. 5. The unfaithfull eat and drink their own damnation: Therefore the doe not eat Chriſts body and bloud. The argument is of force by the rule of Contraries. For, To eat their own damnation, is, through incredulity and abuſing of the Sacraments, What is to eate his owne damnation.to be abalienated and repelled from Chriſt and all his bleſsings: or through abuſing of the Sacraments, being received without faith and repentance, grievouſly to offend God: and ſo to draw upon themſelves temporall and everlasting puniſhment except they repent. What it is to eate Chriſt.Contrariwiſe, To eat Chriſt, is through faith to be made partakers of his merit, efficacie, and benefits. For no man can eat Chriſt, and not withall be made by faith partaker of his merit, efficacie, and gifts. No man therefore can both eat Chriſt, and withall eat his own damnation. 1 Cor. 10.11.6. When Paul ſaith, Yee cannot be partakers of the Lords Table, and of the table of Devils, then bereaves he the wicked of ſome thing in the Lords Table, whereof they can have no part: But they at the Lords Table partake of the ſignes, bread and wine: Therefore he depriveth them of the participation of Chriſts body and bloud, the things ſignified. Object. Ye cannot; that is, with a good conſcience and to ſalvation. Anſ. This is a falſe gloſſe. For the Apoſtle reaſoneth not from an inconvenience, but from an impoſsibility. Ye ought not to partake with them that ſacrifice to Idols: why? becauſe this is to partake with Devils. But it is impoſſible that yee ſhould be partakers of the Table of the Devils,Mat. 6.24. and of the Lords Table, becauſe ſoothly, it is impoſſible to ſerve two Maſters, as Chriſt ſpeaketh; No man can ſerve two Maſters: Ye cannot ſerve God and Mammon: ſo the Apoſtle alſo ſpeaketh in the ſame ſenſe, Ye cannot be partakers of the Lords Table, and of the table of Devils. Mat. 15.25.7. Chriſt ſaith, It is not meet to caſt the childrens bread unto dogs. But Chriſts body is the childrens bread, that is, the bread of the faithfull.Mat. 7.6. Therefore Chriſt caſteth not his body to dogs, to wit, to the wicked, contrary to his own doctrine, Give not holy things to dogs, nor cast pearles to ſwine. Auguſt. lib. 21. c. 25. de Civit. Dei. & in lo. tract. 26. & 59. & in ſenten. Proſp. c. 3.39. Ambroſ. Serm. de coena.8. From the authority of Fathers, who have preached the ſame doctrine, Auſtine, and Proſper. Ambroſe ſaith, Although the Sacraments or ſignes ſuffer themſelves to be taken and touched by the unworthie, yet theſe men cannot be partakers of the ſpirit, whoſe infidelity or unworthineſſe contradicteth ſo great holineſſe. And a little after, But as for thoſe who in word only with dry hearts and minds (that is, without affection and without underſtanding) are preſent at theſe ſacred myſteries, or further be partakers of the gifts therein; they indeed lick the rocke, but they neither ſuck honey thence, nor oyle: becauſe they are not quickned with any ſweetneſſe of charity, or fatneſſe of ſanctity of the holy Ghoſt: they neither judge themſelves, nor diſcerne the Sacraments, but unreverently frequent and uſe theſe his holy gifts and bleſsings, as common meats: and impudently intrude themſelves into the Lords Table in a filthy garment, for whom it had been better with a milstone about their neck to have been drowned in the ſea, then with an uncleane conſcience to have taken one morſell at the Lords hands, who to this very day createth, ſanctifieth, bleſſeth, and divideth to godly receivers his true and ſacred body.
The cauſes for which the wicked are ſaid to cate unto themſelves damnation.Now for theſe cauſes the wicked eat unto themſelves, and draw on themſelves damnation: 1. Becauſe they profane the ſignes, and by conſequent the things ſignified, by laying hold on thoſe things which are not inſtituted for them, but for the Diſciples of Chriſt. 2. Becauſe they profane the Covenant and Teſtament of God, by taking unto themſelves the ſignes and tokens of the Covenant. They will ſeeme to be in league with God; whereas they are in league with the Devill, and not with God, whom by this meanes they would, as much as in them lieth, make the Father of the wicked. 3. Becauſe they diſcerne not the Lords body, and tread under foot the bloud of Chriſt. His benefits indeed are offered unto them, but they receive them not with faith, and ſo mock God, while they profeſſe that they receive the benefits of Chriſt, when as they doe, or minde nothing leſſe, and adde this new offence to their other ſinnes. 4. Becauſe they condemne themſelves by their owne judgement. For approaching unto the Lords Table, they profeſſe that they accept of this doctrine, and doe beleeve no ſalvation to be without Chriſt: and yet in the meane ſeaſon are conſcious unto themſelves, that they are hypocrites, and ſo condemn themſelves. Therefore falſe is their objection, who ſay thus, The wicked eat damnation unto themſelves: Therefore they eat Chriſts body. Anſ. Nay, rather the contrary followeth; They eat damnation: Therefore not Chriſts body. For, To eat Chriſt, and To eat damnation, are contraries; which cannot ſtand together. Repl. 1. They eat unworthily: Therefore they eat. Anſw. I grant they eat; but they eat not Chriſt: For the text ſaith expreſly, Whoſoever ſhall eat this bread unworthily. 1 Cor. 11.7.Repl. Chriſt is not a Saviour only, but a Judge alſo. Anſw. Hee is a Judge not of them by whom he is eaten, but of them of whom hee is deſpiſed and rejected. For of them which eat, he ſaith, He which eateth mee▪ ſhall live by mee. John 6.57.But of them which deſpiſe him, he proclaimeth, Depart from me all ye that work iniquity. Matt. 7.23.As therefore the Goſpel, being beleeved, is the ſavour of life unto life; and being deſpiſed, is the ſavour of death unto death: So Chriſt, being eaten, quickeneth; but being contemned, judgeth the eater. But he is then deſpiſed, when in the word and ſacraments he is offered to the unfaithfull, but is refuſed or rejected through infidelity. Repl. 3. They are guilty of Christs body: Therefore they eat it. Anſ. The cauſe of their guilt is not the eating of Chriſt, but the eating of the bread without Chriſt; becauſe it is ſaid, Hee that eateth of this bread unworthily. The abuſe then of the ſigne is the contempt of Chriſt; as the defacing of the Kings Charter or Seal is an injury to the Prince himſelf, and a matter of treaſon. Repl. 4. But how eat the wicked damnation unto themſelves, ſeeing it is a good work to receive the Sacrament? Anſ. It is a good work by it ſelf, but not unto the wicked. The receiving of the Sacrament is a good work when the true and right uſe is adjoyned: otherwiſe it is made not a commanded, but a forbidden work, as alſo God ſaith; He that killeth a bullocke, Iſa. 66.3.is as if he ſlew a man. So likewiſe Paul: This is not to eat the Lords body. And again:1 Cor. 11.20. Rom. 2.26. If thou be a tranſgreſſer of the law, thy circumciſion is made uncircumciſion. Elſe might wee thus conclude; The receiving of Chriſts body is a good work: Therefore the wicked by that receit cannot be made guilty of Chriſts body.
3. What the right and lawfull uſe of the Supper is.
THe right and lawfull uſe of the Supper is, When the faithfull receive in the Church the Lords bread and his cup, and ſhew forth his death, to this end, that this receiving may be a pledge of their union with Chriſt, and an application of the whole benefit of our redemption and ſalvation. It conſiſteth in three things: 1. When the rites and ceremonies inſtituted of Christ are retained and obſerved; yet ſo, that they be not obſerved of one or two privately, bu… in a convenient and lawfull aſſembly of the Church, whether great or ſmall: and the rites inſtituted are, That the Lords bread be broken, diſtributed, and received; and the Lords cup given to all that communicate, in remembrance of Chriſts death. 2. When the rights are obſerved of thoſe perſons for whom Chriſt did inſtitute them; that is, when the bread and wine is not diſtributed and received of others then of whom the Lord would have it received: namely not of his enemies, but of his …iſciples, which are the faithfull. For, the obſerving of the rite without faith and repentance, is not the uſe, but the abuſe of it. 3. When the Supper is received, and the whole action directed to the right end appointed by Christ: which is, in commemoration and remembrance of the Lords death, and for confirmation of our faith, and to ſhew our thankefulneſſe.