Transcribed from the 1847 J. Hatchard edition ,. Many thanks to Ramsgate Library forallowing their copy to be used for this transcription.
BYTHE
REV. EDWARD HOARE, A.M.,
INCUMBENT OF CHRIST CHURCH,RAMSGATE.
LONDON:
J. HATCHARD AND SON, 187, PICCADILLY,
MDCCCXLVII.
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There is no institution moredelightful to the Christian than the holy sacrament of theLord’s Supper. It is a touching remembrance of aRedeemer’s love—a refreshing means of grace to thesoul—a happy communion of the Lord’s believingfamily—and a gladdening foretaste of the marriage supper ofthe Lamb. With what heartfelt gratitude should believersrejoice in such a feast!
But it is not to all a feast of joy. Some neglect itfrom a total want of inclination; some receive it in a careless,worldly spirit, and to them it soon becomes an empty form, like avessel in which is no water; while others regard it as an awfulmystery—as something too high for such as they are, and,like the holy of holies in the temple, beyond the reach of commonmen.
This sense of mysterious awe may be traced, in great measure,to the startling words of St. Paul in 1 Cor. xi.. 29, “Hethat eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinkethdamnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’sbody.” Nor can there be any question, that theimpression made by such strong and fearful language should bethat of the deepest possible solemnity. St. Paul spoke byinspiration, and that man must indeed be a bold transgressor, whodoes not feel p.4awed and solemnized when he reads such a caution from theHoly Ghost. But yet the Christian is not right if he laysaside the subject under the first sense of solemn awe, orexcludes himself from a delightful privilege, because he seessolemnity in the ordinance, and apprehends some possible dangerin its misuse. He ought rather to take the Word of God, andstudy it carefully, in order to ascertain the real nature of theservice, and the kind of character to which the wordsrefer. This is the course for sensible and right-mindedmen; and to assist such in this investigation, is the object ofthe present tract.
There are five passages in the Bible distinctly referring tothe Lord’s Supper, as an appointed institution in theChurch, 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 thefullest, 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 ofthe Lord’s Supper, the danger of coming unworthily, and thecharacter of those who do so.
I. The Authority.
It is not a scheme of man’s contrivance, or the resultp. 5of merelyhuman wisdom, but was ordained by our blessed Lord himself, andenjoined on his people by his twi