For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord 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 he come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But 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.
— 1 Corinthians 11:23-29
Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man’s heart discerneth both time and judgment.
— Ecclesiastes 8:5
Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.
— 1 Corinthians 10:21
And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
— Matthew 22:11-13
A Doubtful Christian Abstaining from the Lord’s Supper, by Samuel Pike and Samuel Hayward. The following contains Case Twelve of their work, “Religious Cases Of Conscience Answered in an Evangelical Manner.”
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
— James 2:17
Case 12. Shouldn’t a person who is not comfortably persuaded of his being a real Christian, abstain from the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper, lest he eat and drink damnation to himself? And what method must that person take to satisfy a church of Christ of his being a real Christian, who cannot relate any particular experience of the dealings of God with his soul?
These questions are of great importance, and therefore deserve a distinct consideration. They were occasioned by two letters sent to me, one of which is as follows:
“Reverend Sir — I should be glad if you would resolve the following case as soon as an opportunity will permit. A person has some hopes that he has experienced a real saving change, and therefore desires to wait upon Christ at his table. But he is greatly discouraged, from a view of what the apostle says on this subject in 1Cor 11.27-29. This passage has occasioned the following thoughts, namely, If he has really experienced a saving change, he shall be saved, whether he is a partaker of this ordinance or not. But on the other hand, if he should be deceived with regard to the state of his soul, must he then eat and drink damnation to himself, and so be excluded from even any future hopes of being saved at all? What, therefore, must he do in these circumstances?”
This short letter expresses the sentiments of many a Christian. The person who wrote it, desires to attend the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper, but isn’t satisfied that he is a child of God; and he is therefore afraid of eating and drinking damnation to himself. The word damnation fills him with a peculiar awe, and sets his soul a trembling. “Is this the consequence?” he asks. “Oh! what will I do? How must I act? Must I attend, in these circumstances, when I don’t know if my soul may be ruined forever? Isn’t it rather my duty to abstain from the ordinance, as it isn’t absolutely necessary to my salvation? Here are two things that present themselves before me: 1 I may be saved, and yet not attend the Lord’s table; 2 I am not sure, but upon attending I may eat and drink damnation to myself. — What, therefore, must I do?”
Thus we see the difficulty this person is under. To endeavour to remove it, and to quicken all who love our Lord Jesus Christ, to the cheerful discharge of their duty, I would,
I. Inquire whether a person may not satisfy himself in abstaining from the Lord’s Supper, because it is not a saving ordinance? This is too often pleaded as an excuse by those who don’t come to the table. But it will appear weak as well as ungrateful, if we consider these two things —
1. Though the Lord’s Supper is not a saving ordinance, it is a useful one. A person may be saved and never appear at the Lord’s table. This consideration should be an encouragement to those who are deprived of the opportunity by the providence of God. But it should not encourage us to negligence when we are called to attend. Even if it isn’t necessary to the being of a Christian, it is necessary to his well-being. Some make a Saviour of the ordinance — they are never easy till they have had it administered to them, as if the bare receiving of it were sufficient to wipe away every sin, and at once entitled a person to the salvation of Christ. Others slight and neglect it. How happy to be kept from these two extremes!
This ordinance was not designed to be a standing means of awakening and converting sinners; rather, it was a means of carrying on the work of grace in the heart, and of training up the soul for heaven. Particularly, it is designed to give us a greater hatred of sin, and fill our souls with a deeper humiliation for it. It does this as it exhibits all the riches of a Redeemer’s love, and all the glories of his cross. A view of these, under the influences of the Spirit, powerfully, though sweetly, works upon an ingenuous mind, and comes with an energy that nothing can withstand.
“Oh,” says the Christian,“the hatefulness of sin! Can you love sin, my soul? Can you fondly embrace and pursue it? Melt, melt, my hard heart! Why aren’t you moved to see your pierced Saviour, a Saviour pierced for you, pierced by you? Will you not rise with resentment against the cruel and obstinate Jews, who thus put the Son of God to a painful and ignominious death? But oh, stop your resentment against them, and look homeward! Your sins, my soul, were the murderers of your Lord! These were the nails that fastened him to the accursed tree! These were the spear that wounded his side, that covered his body with a bloody sweat, and prepared the bitter cup he drank! Weep, mourn, my soul! Be ever humble under a sense of sin, and do not dishonour that Jesus, who loved you and gave himself for you!”
Again, this ordinance tends to enliven and strengthen our graces, and to bring us to a greater conformity to God. When we are sitting and viewing the matchless love of Christ, it tends to fasten the deepest convictions of our obligations to him upon our minds, and to increase our love for him. It tends to strengthen our faith in him, under a sense of our guilt and unworthiness — to reconcile us to every difficulty, to quicken us when slothful, to restore us when wandering, to wean our affections from earthly things, and to carry on the work of God in the soul.
“Oh,” says the Christian,“see what love! And will I loiter this way? Will I be so cold to Jesus? Oh, why doesn’t the fire burn within me? Why so slothful? Up, my soul! and let your Redeemer’s glory ever be your concern, as your everlasting salvation was his.”
Again, this ordinance greatly tends to promote our spiritual comfort. Here, behold a Father’s love! He parts with his only begotten Son, and delivers him up to an accursed death for us! Here, see the Saviour’s heart, how much it is set upon our salvation! View here the virtue, the glory of an infinitely atoning sacrifice! See justice sheathing its awful sword, death and hell vanquished, the uttermost farthing paid, and all the blessings of salvation fully purchased! Oh, here behold a righteousness provided, the promises confirmed, and grace and glory both secured to every chosen vessel! How animating, how comforting is such a view!
“Oh how glorious,” says the Christian. “See, my soul, your Saviour’s love! And will you any more distrust him? View the triumphs of the cross! And will you any longer be afraid? Oh! what a foundation is laid here for a strong faith and a lively hope! “
Again, this ordinance tends to increase our love for one another. It is a cementing ordinance. It cannot help but raise in us a mutual affection, while we view each other as purchased by the same blood, members of the same body, and children of the same family. Thus, then, though it may not be absolutely necessary to our salvation to wait upon Christ at his table, yet it is necessary to our growth in grace, our greater comfort here, and fitness for a better world. And therefore, it is our duty and privilege to appear among his people there.
2. Christ himself instituted this ordinance, and he invites his followers to wait upon him here. What our Lord said to his disciples, he also says to us in this distant age, Do this in remembrance of me, 1Cor 2.24. And where is the expression of our love, where is our gratitude, if we refuse to obey?
“Oh,” says the soul,“has my Redeemer commanded those who love him to wait upon him here? This command is enough for me; I cannot help but obey. Who can resist his love? Who can hear the compassionate Jesus, who came and suffered death — who can hear him inviting his dear followers to his table — and say, I won’t come, for I may be saved without it? How disingenuous this is!”
What, has he who so loved us as to give himself for us, called us? And will you not obey his call, because you may get safely to a better world, and yet never attend to this ordinance? Where is your concern to honour your Redeemer? These hints, I hope, are sufficient to show the weakness of this argument that the Christian is so ready to make use of for neglecting this institution. May they stir him up to a diligent and cheerful discharge of his duty, that he may glorify his once dead, but now exalted Saviour, and gain some saving advantage to his own soul.
II. I now proceed to consider the other objection which our friend makes to his waiting upon the Lord in this ordinance, namely, a fear that he might eat and drink damnation to himself. This objection seems to lie in your mind, my dear Christian friend, this way —
“If I should eat and drink unworthily, I will eat and drink damnation to myself; and I am not sure that this won’t be the case. Therefore, will I attend when the consequences may be so awful? Oh, that word damnation, it strikes me with a peculiar terror!”
Thus the greatest stress appears to be laid upon this alarming word. If I can set this circumstance in such a light as to remove these distressing fears, then I hope the case will be in some measure resolved. That this may be done, I would consider what unworthy eating and drinking is, which is brought in as the cause of this damnation, and then consider the damnation itself.
First, Let us inquire what it means to eat and drink unworthily. Whoever does so, attends upon this ordinance in a manner, and with the ends and views, that are different from those for which it was appointed. This was the case with the Corinthians, 1Cor 11.18-22. They didn’t have the glory of Christ in view when they met together to administer this ordinance. They fell into contentions and confusions, so that there couldn’t be that harmony which was necessary to be found in a church sitting down together at the Lord’s table. They didn’t come to view the body and blood of Christ, nor to remember his matchless love, but to satisfy their craving appetites, and refresh their animal nature. And they were so disorderly, that some even eat and drank to an excess, while others didn’t have enough to satisfy their hunger. Thus we see what it means to eat and drink unworthily — namely, when we attend in an irreverent, disorderly, and carnal manner, and for ends that are different from those for which the ordinance was appointed by our Lord; when we prostitute it to some earthly purposes, and have no regard for the frame of soul in which we attend, nor to the great ends for which it was designed.
Secondly, Let us now consider what this damnation is.
1. Taking the word in the most awful sense, as signifying eternal condemnation, it should not deter us from waiting upon Christ in this ordinance. In this case, it doesn’t signify that there is no forgiveness after an unworthy receiving. Many have sat down at the table of the Lord, who were enemies to him, and yet have afterwards seen the triumph of sovereign grace. Thus, you timorous souls, you who are so often distressed with a view of this awful word, and entertain from this such solemn thoughts of this ordinance, see: here is nothing to frighten you, any more than from any other sacred institution. You may as well not read, hear, or pray, because if these are not the means of your salvation, the consequence will be your damnation. Doubtless, all the ordinances that the impenitent sinner has attended upon, will appear against him, and increase his misery in the infernal regions. This should not drive us from the house of God, but fill us with a serious concern that waiting upon God may be effectual to bring our souls to Jesus Christ.
2. The word damnation is to be taken in a softer sense. Such as,
1. It signifies temporal judgments or afflictions, Luk 23.40, and 24.20. 1Pet 4.17. This is how the apostle explains it when he adds in the next verse,“For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.” It’s as if he had said, As you come to the table of the Lord in so disorderly a manner, and have perverted the end and design of this ordinance, so God has manifested his displeasure, by laying his hand upon you, insofar that many of you are in an unhealthy, feeble, and sickly condition, and many have been removed out of time into eternity. Thus this word damnation carries nothing frightful in it.
2. It signifies here those afflictions which are a means of our spiritual good. Thus the apostle says in 1Cor 11.32,“But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, so that we may not be condemned with the world.” That is, when we are thus under outward afflictions, we are mercifully chastened and gently corrected by God, so that we may not continue prostituting his sacred ordinances to the vilest purposes, and so be condemned with the world; but that we may be convinced, humbled, and reclaimed. Thus these considerations take every frightful idea from the mind viewing this formidable word, and consequently tend to remove those distresses and discouragements occasioned by it.
Some may perhaps say, this is encouraging indeed! You say a person’s unworthy receiving doesn’t expose him to eternal damnation, but only brings a few temporal afflictions upon him, which in reality are blessings. By this you encourage persons to come and trifle with this sacred ordinance! God forbid, that I should have such a view as this! I am certain this is far from being the conclusion a real Christian will draw from what has been said. To do evil so that good may come, is not the character of a true follower of Jesus. Because God only gently chastises and corrects our negligence and slothfulness, and makes these corrections a means of our spiritual good, will we therefore rush boldly upon this ordinance? No. What has been said only tends to remove the distressing fears of the Christian about the word damnation; and to encourage him to come to the table of his Lord. It does not promote a carelessness of spirit, nor will it have this influence on a mind under the power of Gospel truths.
Come, then, you fearful souls who start at the mention of this ordinance. Don’t you love Jesus? Haven’t you made a choice of him as your Saviour? Would you not love him more, and be brought into a greater conformity to him? You are the very persons that Christ invites. Would you prostitute this ordinance to any vile earthly purpose? Would you eat and drink in a disorderly and indecent manner? No. You would come to remember the love of a dying Redeemer, and to view all that is exhibited here. You would come to be quickened, to behold a suffering Saviour, to admire the riches of distinguishing grace in the sacrifice of the Son of God. But you are afraid you are unworthy, unfit persons to make such an approach to God, and be indulged with such a privilege. If it is this way with you, don’t be discouraged. Venture near your Redeemer. Come humbly to view your expiring Lord, and to plead and rest upon his atoning sacrifice, and you will be far from eating and drinking damnation to yourselves. If you were to come for some selfish ends, such as the way to worldly advancement or profit, and to pay no regard to the body and blood of a Saviour, then you might have reason to conclude you were unworthy receivers. But if you have a humble sense of your sinfulness, if you desire to come looking to Jesus so that you may be strengthened, sanctified, and quickened, then you need not be afraid, but come with liberty and cheerfulness. He that has invited you, will make you welcome, and carry on his work in you by all the ordinances he has appointed. Thus I have endeavoured to answer the first question.
Since I received this, the second question was sent to me, which I thought it was not improper to add here.
“A person looks at it as his duty to wait upon Christ in this ordinance; but the church with whom he would walk, requires him to give an account of the dealings of God with his soul. As he cannot relate any particular experience of this; so he wants to know what he must do in this difficulty.”
This, you see, is a general question, and it leaves us at a loss to know where the particular difficulty of this person lies. I will therefore endeavour to state it in two or three different views, and then show what a person must do to satisfy a church in such circumstances.
You desire to wait upon Christ in all the ordinances of his house; but you cannot relate any experience of God’s dealings with you, so as to satisfy the church in admitting you to the enjoyment of such a privilege. Perhaps you mean by this that you cannot relate the particular time and circumstances of your conversion. This was the case with many of those happy souls who are now standing before the throne of God. And I have no doubt that it is this way with many of those of whom the churches of Christ are composed. God sanctifies some from the womb. In others, the change, though effectually made, is done imperceptibly. To inquire about such an account of their conversion, or to refuse them because they are incapable of giving it, is what no church of Christ has a right to do; and therefore it should not be a stumbling to you.
Again, perhaps you have had no extraordinary remarkable circumstances in the course of your experience to relate to the church; and this therefore may involve you in some difficulty. God doesn’t deal with all his people in the same way. Some are led smoothly and silently on from step to step. They are savingly enlightened and brought to Jesus, carried on through the divine life, and get safely to glory, without any turmoil or anything very remarkable in their experience. They always appear to be almost the same, and yet they go on from strength to strength. This may be your case, my friend. Others can give an account of great distresses, great consolations and enjoyments, great meltings of their soul in ordinances and duties, etc. And because you cannot do the same, you are afraid that you have no real experience of renewing grace. You have but very little to say, and that is to no purpose in your own apprehensions. But consider, those accounts are not always genuine which appear to be the most striking. Nor do those always turn out eminent Christians who are so long and so circumstantial in their declarations. But your question returns. What must you do in your present case?
1. If you cannot remember the time and circumstances of your conversion, and how the work has been carried on, inquire into the evidences you can give of a change, and relate them to the church. You know, my friend, whether or not you have made a practice of sinning — whether sin has been the object of your delight. If this has been the case, you have no experience of the grace of God. But if you hope it has been your concern to hate sin, to have your corruptions subdued, and to have your heart cleansed from those secret evils which have appeared detestable to you, and have caused you to daily mourn before God; if you have striven and prayed against them, and longed for deliverance from them; you have a comfortable evidence of your being a Christian indeed.
Again, Have you been diligent in the use of those means which God has appointed? And what are your views in this? Is it to atone for the sins you have committed, to establish a righteousness of your own to justify you before God, or for some other selfish purposes? Then you have then no reason to conclude that you are a Christian. But if it has been out of obedience to the command of God, to meet with him, to feel the quickening, sanctifying influences of the Spirit, and to be more fitted for heaven, then this is another evidence of your having received the grace of God.
Again, Is Christ precious to you? Have you committed your soul, so far as you know yourself, into his hands? Do you see a suitableness in all his characters? In sum, is he your all and in all? If so, then never say that you have no saving experience, for what is this? Go my friend, and tell the church that though you are not able to fill up a sheet with a long detail of remarkable circumstances, yet you hope that you see yourself as guilty; that you hate sin and have fled for refuge to Jesus the Mediator, and have left your soul with him; that he is precious to you; that you have taken him for your Lord, your portion, your all, and you desire to bear his image, and to live to his glory. Isn’t this enough to give you satisfaction? But perhaps you cannot positively say this is the case with you. You are under great fears lest your heart deceive you. Declare your fears then, as well as your hopes, and leave your case to the decision of the church, praying that they may be guided in their duty towards you.
2. Examine the present frame of your soul with regard to this ordinance. You say that you have no account to give of God’s dealings with you, and yet you are convinced that it is your duty to wait upon Christ at his table. Now, if you have no real experience of the grace of God, then you have no proper claim to this privilege. I would ask you, therefore, and I would beg you to ask yourself, why it is that you are satisfied that it is your duty? A due examination of this will, in some measure, lay before you the ends that you have in view in desiring to attend this solemn institution, and it will be a means to furnish you with something to say to the church to direct them as to your admission among them. Do you apprehend, then, that it is the duty of every common professor, and therefore your duty, to appear at the Lord’s table? If this is all we have to say, then we are guided by a blind and ignorant zeal. But further, d0 you desire to come to this ordinance because by it you will be more peculiarly entitled to the divine favour, or that it will gain you a reputation among those you converse with? This shows you how much you are unacquainted with the nature of the ordinance, and the Gospel method of salvation, and that it is far from being your duty to attend. I would hope better things of you, my friend.
But where is it, then, that you see it your duty? Have you any reason to hope that you have given yourself to Jesus Christ, and do you see your presence at the table necessary to testify your love publicly to him? Do you look at it as useful to quicken, strengthen, and comfort your soul? Do you see any excellence in it as being peculiarly adapted, and made effectual by the Spirit, to crucify our lusts and corruptions, to enliven our graces, to kindle a fire of love for Jesus, and help to keep alive a sense of our obligations to him? In sum, do you desire to come here so that you may view a crucified Saviour, feel the influences of his love more on your heart, and be engaged to a more lively obedience? Do you desire to come as a miserable, guilty, naked creature to Christ as exhibited in this ordinance, to plead his sacrifice, and to lie at the foot of his cross mourning for your sins? These are views that are suitable to this institution; they show that you are a Christian indeed, that you have a real experience, and that you have a right to all the privileges of God’s house. To sum it all up, if this is the case with you, then God has been manifesting himself to your soul, as he does not do to the world, and you have reason to be abundantly satisfied. Go then, and tell the Church what you have seen, and what you have felt — what is your present frame, the foundation of your hopes and your trust — what your desires, your ends, and your views are. And I have no doubt that all this will appear to them as sufficient evidence of a work of grace in your heart, and therefore, of your right to all the ordinances that God has appointed.
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