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III. How can the bodily eating and drinking produce such great effects?

The eating and the drinking, indeed, do not produce them; but the words which stand here, namely, "given and shed for you for the remission of sins." These words are, besides the bodily eating and drinking, the chief things in the sacrament; and he who believes these words has that which they declare and set forth; namely, the remission of sins.

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WHY THE LORD'S SUPPER HAS POWER TO CONFER SUCH BENEFITS.

THE EATING AND THE DRINKING, INDEED, DO NOT PRODUCE SUCH GREAT EFFECTS. For bread and wine have no power in themselves to bestow spiritual blessings.

BUT THE WORDS WHICH STAND HERE, "GIVEN AND SHED FOR YOU, FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS." It is the Word of God which gives the sacrament its power. [John 6:63] For Christ has commanded us to use the bread and wine in this way, and has connected the promise of forgiveness with their use. Without the Word, there would be nothing but bread and wine. But Christ fulfils the promise which He has bound up with the BODILY EATING AND DRINKING, and gives us, with the bread and the wine, His body and blood which were given and shed for us for the remission of sins.

AND HE WHO BELIEVES THESE WORDS HAS THAT WHICH THEY DECLARE, [Matt. 8:13] NAMELY, THE REMISSION OF SINS. Forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation are offered to all who partake of this sacrament, but they are accepted and possessed only by those who believe. The impenitent and unbelieving, if they come to the Lord's Table, receive the body and blood of Christ also, but they receive it to their condemnation, because they do not receive it with a penitent and believing heart. [I Cor 11:29+]

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IV. Who is it that receives this sacrament worthily?

Fasting and bodily preparation are, indeed, a good external discipline; but he is truly worthy and well prepared who believes these words: "given and shed for you, for the remission of sins." But he who does not believe these words or who doubts, is unworthy and unfit; for the words "for you" require truly believing hearts.

HOW THE LORD'S SUPPER IS TO BE RECEIVED.

Those who come to the Lord's Table must prepare themselves to come worthily, if they would receive the benefits offered in this sacrament. [I Cor. 11:28+, II Cor. 13:5]

FASTING AND BODILY PREPARATION ARE INDEED A GOOD EXTERNAL DISCIPLINE. Fasting before the Lord's Supper is not required. It may be practiced by those who desire to do so, if they do it in order to fit themselves for a more earnest participation in the Holy Supper, and not with the idea that fasting constitutes a merit, The true preparation for the Lord's Supper is not bodily, but spiritual. [Joel 2:13+]

HE IS TRULY WORTHY AND WELL-PREPARED, WHO BELIEVES THESE WORDS, "GIVEN, AND FOR YOU, FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS." We are to come worthily, not in the sense of deserving, but of earnestly desiring the benefits offered in the sacrament. We come worthily when we come with penitent and believing heart, [Ps. 51:17+, Matt. 11:28+] lamenting our sins, longing for forgiveness and for strength to do better, and believing the words spoken to us, "given and shed for thee for the remission of sins."

THE CONFESSIONAL SERVICE. The administration of the Lord's Supper is always preceded by the service of confession and absolution, so that those who desire to come to the Lord's Table may prepare themselves to come worthily. At this service we make a public confession of our sins, of our faith in Christ our Saviour, and of our earnest determination by God's grace to lead a holy life. Since Christ has conferred upon the Church the Power of the Keys, saying, "Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted, unto them, and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained," [John 20:23] the minister uses this power and pronounces the absolution. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost he declares to all who truly repent and believe, the entire forgiveness of all their sins. On the other hand, to all who are impenitent and unbelieving he declares, that their sins are retained so long as they do not come to true repentance and faith.

Our Church does not require private confession of sins to the pastor; but if any one is troubled in conscience, and desires to make confession to the minister and to obtain the comfort of an absolution pronounced specially upon him, there is provision for private confession and absolution. Such private confessions are regarded by every true pastor as sacredly confidential. (See the "Questions on Confession," which form one of the additions to the Five Principal Parts of the Catechism.)

QUESTIONS.—1. What are the benefits derived from the Lord's Supper? 2. Where are they pointed out? 3. How have these benefits been secured for us? 4. What assurance does each communicant receive? 5. Why has the Lord's Supper power to confer such benefits? 6. Does every communicant receive the benefits offered? 7. How is the Lord's Supper to be received? 8. What is to be said about fasting as a preparation? 9. What is the true preparation? 10. What is meant by receiving the Lord's Supper worthily? 11. Describe the confessional service? 12. What is to be said about private confession and absolution?

SCRIPTURE VERSES.—I Cor. 11:29. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

I Cor. 11:28. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

Joel 2:13. And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

Ps. 51:17. A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Matt. 11:28. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

READING.—The Wedding Garment, Matt. 22:1-14.

THE END