1 Corinthians 11:26-27 For as often as you eat this bread, and drink this cup, you do show the Lord's death till he come.… In the primitive Church the Lord's Supper was celebrated every day: and fit it was, needing as they did constant cordials in the time of persecution. This frequency soon abated, and St. reproves the negligence of the Eastern Churches, who received it but once a year. The Church of England requires her children to receive at the least thrice a year. But hear those who say that it is to be but seldom received. I. THE PASSOVER WAS CELEBRATED BUT ONCE A YEAR; in whose place the Lord's Supper succeeds. Answer — The Passover was so restricted by God; in the Lord's Supper we are left to our own liberty. Finding, therefore, our continual sinning, and therefore need thereof to strengthen us in our grace, we may, yea, must oftener use it, especially seeing all services of God under the gospel ought to be more plentiful than under the law. II. THINGS DONE OFTEN ARE SELDOM DONE SOLEMNLY. Manna, if rained every day, is not dainty. The frequent doing of it will make men perfunctory and negligent therein. Answer — Then sermons should be as seldom as Apollo's smiles, and prayers should not be presented to God every day, lest the commonness of the duty should bring it into contempt. Rather ministers are to instruct their people to come with reverence, notwithstanding their frequent repairing thereunto. III. BUT LONG PREPARATION IS REQUISITE TO THIS ACTION; and therefore this sacrament cannot often be received. Answer — After the first grand preparation, where, by faith and repentance, we are first estated in God's favour, other preparations are not so difficult in doing, or tedious in time, as being but the reiterating of the same again. The good housewife that scoureth her plate once a week hath less work than she that doth it but once in a twelvemonth. Often preparing makes the work easy, and fits men the sooner for the sacrament. (T. Fuller, D.D.) Parallel Verses KJV: For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.WEB: For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. |
    |