Wesley Corpus

11. Thirdly, all desiring an increase of God's grace are to wait for it in partaking of the Lord's Supper: For this also is a direction He Himself gave. "The same night in which he was betrayed, he took bread, and brake it, and said, Take, eat; this is my body;" that is, the sacred sign of my body: "This do in remembrance of me." Likewise, "he took the cup, saying, This cup is the new testament," or covenant, "in my blood;" the sacred sign of that covenant; "this do ye in remembrance of me." "For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show forth the Lord's death till he come." (1 Cor. 11:23, &c.:) Ye openly exhibit the same by these visible signs, before God, and angels, and men; ye manifest your solemn remembrance of His death, till He cometh in the clouds of heaven. Only "let a man first examine himself," whether he understands this holy institution's nature and design, and whether he really desires to be made conformable to Christ's death; and so, "nothing doubting, let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup." (1 Cor. 11:28.) Here, the direction first given by our Lord is expressly repeated by the Apostle: "Let him eat; let him drink;" both in imperative mood; words not implying bare permission only, but a clear, explicit command; a command to all those either already filled with peace and joy in believing, or who can truly say, "The remembrance of our sins is grievous unto us, the burden of them is intolerable." 12. That this is also an ordinary, stated means of receiving God's grace, is evident from the Apostle's words in the preceding chapter: "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion," or communication, "of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?" (1 Cor. 10:16.) Is not eating that bread and drinking that cup the outward, visible means, whereby God conveys into our souls all that spiritual grace, that righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, which were purchased by Christ's body once broken and blood once shed for us? Let all, therefore, who truly desire God's grace, eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. IV. Objections Answered