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But

and blood of the Lord.
let a man examine himself, and
so let him eat of that bread, and
drink of that cup. For he that
eateth and drinketh unworthily,
eateth and drinketh damnation
to himself, not discerning the
Lord's body. For this cause ma-
ny are weak and sickly among
you, and many sleep. For if we
would judge ourselves, we should
not be judged. But when we are
judged we are chastened of the
Lord, that we should not be con-
demned with the world."

SOME

18, 19. This unbecoming, unchristian temper had a pernicious influence on their conduct, in their meetings for religious exercises, and particularly, for attending the sacred ordinance of the Lord's supper; and in connection with other defects produced such irregularities, that their conduct, on these occasions, was not in reality eating the Lord's supper, according to the divine institution, however they might view it. This may be seen by verses 20, 21, 22,

To correct these mistakesto convince them of their great irregularity and guilt, and to bring them back to right views of the nature and design of the Lord's supper, the apostle repeated what he had received of the Lord by special revelation, and formerly delivered to them, concerning the original institution of this sacred ordinance. He said, "For I have received of the Lord that which also I de

OME words in this passage have an awful sound. And they really contain a solemn caution and warning to professing Christians, against eating the bread and drinking the cup of the Lord, in an irreverent, carnal, and improper manner; and to do it with views, motives, and ends corresponding to the nature and design of the sacred institution. But the passage, rightly viewed, presents to honest hearted Chris-livered unto you, That the Lord tians, who are sincerely desirous of discharging their duty according to the will of Christ, no real ground of discouragement, or of disheartening and dismaying fear, to deter them from obeying his command in this particular.

The passage has such relation to, and dependence on what the apostle had been relating in the preceding context, that its true meaning and import cannot be readily apprehended, without a summary view of the things contained in several of the foregoing

yerses.

Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread: and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat; this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till ne come."Verses 23, 24, 25, 26.

The church at Corinth, at least By this account of the origisome members of it, were un-nal institution of the ordinhappily and criminally actuated by a contentious party spirit, which produced divisions among them, as appears by verses 17,

ance they were taught, among other things, that the Lord's supper is not designed for the refreshment of animal nature,

not distinguishing between the bread and wine in this ordinance, and the provisions of an ordina

any of those views and affections, which correspond to the nature and design of the sacred institution, shall be guilty of treating

like a common meal at an ordinary feast-that they were to eat of the bread, and drink of the cup, not for the sake of sustain-ry supper or feast, and without ing their natural lives, or feeding and nourishing their bodies, or gratifying their animal appetites; but with a believing, obediential, and fiducial regard to," the sin-bearing body and the and dependence on Christ cruci- atoning blood" of the Lord Jesus fied that they were to eat of the Christ with disrespect and conbread, as a divinely appointed tempt. memorial or symbol of his cru- To prevent such scandalous cified body; and to drink of the conduct, and avoid the contractcup, as a divinely appointed ing of such enormous guilt, the symbol of his blood shed to a- apostle gave the following directone for their sins, and to con- tions, viz. "But let a man exafirm the new covenant and se- mine himself, and so let him eat cure its blessings to all that are of that bread, and drink of that Christ's; and that as often as cup."-The word rendered exathey ate of this bread and drank mine, signifies to examine, and of this cup, in a manner answer- also to prove and make evident. able to the design of the institu- And the whole context naturally tion, they visibly showed and suggests, that the examination, practically avowed their grateful to which every man, desiring to remembrance of Christ's death, eat the Lord's supper in a propand declared themselves the dis- er manner, as here directed, has ciples of that Jesus who was cru- for its object, his understanding cified, and their dependence on of the signification and end of his death as the procuring cause the ordinance, and his views, of forgiveness with God and all motives, and ends in attending spiritual blessings; and that in it. Let a man-let every one, this way Christ's people were to who would come in a proper show forth his death, through all manner to the Lord's table, exsuccessive periods, till his sec-amine-let him make proof of ond coming. "Wherefore," said the apos-derstanding and knowledge of tle, "whosoever shall eat this the nature and design of this dibread, and drink this cup of the vine institution, and see, that he Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty understands that the bread and of the body and blood of the cup are to be considered not as Lord." That is, such as now common food, but as divinely apstated, being the nature, import pointed memorials or symbols of and design of the Lord's supper, Christ's body and blood, broken it is a clear case, that whoever and shed to atone for sin and conshall eat of this bread, and drink firm the new covenant with all of this cup, which are appointed its blessings; and that they are to represent the body and blood to be eaten and drunk with a reof the Lord, in an ignorant, stu- ligious, believing, fiducial respid, inconsiderate, irreverent, pect to Christ crucified, in obecontentious, and carnal manner, I dience to his command, with a

himself, with respect to his un

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an uncharitable, dividing, contentious spirit, as some of the Corinthians did, or in a carnal and sensual manner, as though he was eating for the refreshment of the body, and without a religious regard to Christ's body and blood as symbolically represented by the bread and winesuch a one, instead of discharg

The word translated discern

grateful remembrance of his atoning death, as a practical exhibition of it and declaration of his own reception of, and subjection to, and trust in him as his Lord and all-sufficient Saviour. Let him also examine and make proof of himself with respect to his temper and spirit, views and motives in this transaction, and see that they be such as answering his duty towards Christ, and and correspond to its nature, de- deriving any spiritual advantage sign, and import-that he hath to himself, contracts such guilt such a sense of sin, and sorrow in eating and drinking, as exfor it, and hatred of it, and desire poses him to the righteous reof deliverance from it, as to per- bukes of the Lord in the way of ceive and feel, and cordially ac- his chastening judgments, as he knowledge his need of Christ's doth not discern the Lord's body atonement-that he believes and in the divinely appointed repretrusts in his death as a complete sentations of it, or distinguish propitiation for sin, and securing and make a proper difference beall new covenant blessings to his tween the divinely appointed people that he desires, in the symbols and memorials of his way of Christ's appointment, to body and blood, and common testify and express a grateful re- food. membrance of his sufferings, and his own reception of, and obedi-ing, signifies to discern, to sepaence to, and dependence on him rate, to make a difference, to as his Lord and Saviour. And judge between, &c. and the whole so let him eat-having thus ex- context leads us to understand it, amined and made proof of him- in this place, of distinguishing self, let him, with these suitable and making a difference. He views and affections, aims and who eats and drinks in the unends, eat of the bread, and drink worthy manner here intended, of the cup, which represent the doth not discern the Lord's bobody and blood of the Lord. dy; that is, he doth not distinguish or make any proper difference between the bread and cup which represent the Lord's body, and the provisions of an ordinary supper or feast; but eats of the bread and drinks of the cup, as he would of the provisions of an entertainment for the refreshment of animal nature. By eating and drinking at the Lord's table, in this unworthy, ignorant, irreverent, and carnal manner, even though he be a true believer in Christ, he eats and drinks judgment to him

To enforce a due attention to this direction, and to impress their minds with a sense of the awful consequences of a careless, irreverent, and carnal use of the sacramental bread and cup, the apostle added, "For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body." That is, he who, without understanding or duly considering the nature, import, and design of this divine institution, cats and drinks with such

self--not certain eternal damna- | that we should not be condemned with the world." As a father chastens his children when they prove stupid, careless, and disobedient, to bring them to a sense of their sin and duty, and to excite them, with penitential sorrow, to renounce the one and perform the other, in order to prevent their utter ruin, and secure their happiness; so the Lord, when his people neglect their duty, and go astray in the ways of error and wickedness, chastens them with his judgments in this life, to convince and hum

tion, as some honest hearted Christians have feared, to the destroying of their comfort in the discharge of an important duty, or preventing their approach to an ordinance calculated to strengthen their faith, inflame their love, and increase their joy. But by the judgment directly intended in this verse, the apostle, in the following verses, explained himself to mean, such chastenings of the Lord, as are opposed to final condemnation, and calculated to prevent it, by operating as means of repent-ble and reclaim them, and preance and amendment.

"For this cause," said he, σε many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep."Such was the judgment which some of them ate and drank to themselves. The apostle added, For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged." That is, if we would uprightly and impartially examine our hearts and conduct, and judge and condemn ourselves for all that is wrong in us, and penitently turn from it, and perform this and other duties, with right views and in a right manner, we should be exempted from those judgments, which God, in righteous displeasure at our sins, brings upon us for our unworthy and criminal temper, and behaviour; and especially, from the condemnation, under which the finally impenitent will fall.

Still further to explain the case of eating and drinking judgment to themselves, and to encourage and excite them to judge, to condemn, and correct what was so grossly amiss in themselves, the apostle subjoined, "But when we are judged we are chastened of the Lord,

vent their continuing in such evil ways, as, if persisted in, would issue in their condemnation at the great day, with the men of the world.

In

This shows that the judgment, which they who eat and drink unworthily at the Lord's supper, eat and drink to themselves, is different from final condemna, tion, and may be incurred, in some cases at least, where final condemnation is avoided. deed, if they who eat and drink unworthily, with improper views and dispositions, in an ignorant, irreverent, and sensual manner, are not true believers in Christ, and never become true penitents, they will undoubtedly be condemned with the rest of the ungodly, and suffer the wrath of God in the world to come, for their sin in eating and drinking unworthily, as well as in all other particulars. But what I conceive to be evident from the whole passage taken together, is, that eating and drinking unworthily doth not certainly seal or insure final condemnation or eternal misery-that this is not an unpardonable sin, that it may be forgiven, as well as other offen

ces that the judgment which | tion between the divinely apsuch are here said to eat and pointed memorials of his body drink to themselves, is a differ- and blood, and the provisions of ent thing from eternal damna- an ordinary entertainment; and tion or future punishment. It guard against bringing such primarily signifies the judgment heinous guilt upon their souls. with which God chastens his Let them examine and prove people, that they may not share themselves with respect to their in the condemnation of the world. understanding and sense of the Though it be highly probable nature, design, and import of that some, who eat and drink this divine institution, and of thus unworthily, are wholly des- their conduct in celebrating it; titute of true saving faith in and with respect to their temChrist, and continue so to the per, views, and motives in this last, and perish in their sins; yet transaction; and see to it, that it is a very possible case-a case they be suitable to the design that hath really happened, that and import of the ordinance :some real though very imper-and so let them eat of the bread fect Christians, through igno- and drink of the cup of the Lord, rance and the influence of a car- as divinely instituted symbols of nal temper, may eat and drink his body and blood in rememunworthily, in the sense intend- brance of him, and of his sufed in the text, and yet being ferings and death for the rejudged, that is, chastened of the demption of his people, and in Lord, may repent, and escape obedience to his command, as the condemnation of the ungod- a practical declaration that they ly, and be finally saved. receive, submit to, and trust in him, as their Lord and Saviour. And let them see to it, that all this be done from the heart, with all those internal exercises of repentance, faith, hope, love, gratitude, praise, and self-dedication, which correspond to the import of such a practical declaration.

Wherefore, let care be taken, not to put such a strained construction on the wholesome and salutary instructions and warnings of the apostle, as would fill a sincere but diffident Christian with dismaying fear, and terrify him from obeying the commands of Christ, to eat of the bread and drink of the cup of the Lord in remembrance of him, as though in case he failed of doing it in a right and acceptable manner, he would insure his own eternal damnation. And on the other hand, Let all duly consider and be thoroughly sensible of the great evil, and terrible consequences, of attending this sacred ordinance in an ignorant, stupid, careless, irreverent, and carnal

manner, without any suitable re, or making any proper distinc

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