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＇25＇ 〃Pleasure；〃 says Adams on Second Peter； 〃must first have the
warrant； that it be without sin；then the measure； that it be without
excess。〃
＇26＇ Secretary Walsingham。
＇27＇ See Faber's Difficulties of Infidelity on this subject。
＇28＇ The Assembly's Larger Catechism begins with this admirable
question and answer。 〃 What is the chief and highest end of man？〃 〃To
glorify God； and fully to enjoy Him for ever。〃
＇29＇ Juvenal
＇30＇ There is an old fable； that the butterfly once asked the owl how
she should deal with the fire； which had singed her wings； and the owl
counselled her； in reply； not to behold so much as its smoke。
＇31＇ The Church of England Young Men's Society for Aiding Missions at
Home and Abroad； and the Young Men's Christian Association； in London；
deserve the support of all true Christians。 It is one of the few
cheering signs in an evil day； that such institutions have been formed。
I rejoice to see that kindred societies have been established at other
places。 I trust that God will abundantly bless them。
__________________________________________________________________
CHAPTER XX
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE LORD'S SUPPER
THE paper which begins at this page requires a few words of prefatory
explanation。 It consists of fifty…one questions about the Lord's
Supper； with special reference to points which are the subject of much
dispute and controversy in the present day。 It supplies fifty…one
answers to these questions； chiefly drawn from the New Testament； and
the Articles； munion Service； and Catechism of the Church of
England。 It contains； in addition； some valuable extracts from the
writings of standard English divines。
It is a painful fact； and one which it is impossible to deny； that the
principal cause of differences among Churchmen at this moment is the
Sacrament of the Lord's Supper。 Whether that blessed ordinance is to be
regarded as a sacrifice or not； whether the Lord's Table is an altar or
not； whether the officiating clergyman is a sacrificing priest or
not；whether there is a corporal； material presence of Christ's body
and blood in the consecrated elements of bread and wine or
not；whether these elements and the Lord's Table ought to be regarded
with as much lowly reverence and honour as if Christ was bodily present
or not；all these are questions which are continually ing to the
front。 To speak plainly； they seem likely to divide the English clergy
into two distinct parties； and to rain the Church of England！
Nor is this all。 It is another painful and dangerous fact that the
great majority of English lay Churchmen seem utterly unable to
understand the very serious nature of the question which is dividing
the clergy； and the doctrinal consequences which are bound up with it。
Most lay Churchmen can only see that the service in some churches is
more ornamental and musical than in others； and that in some there is
more importance attached to the Lord's Table； and to flowers；
decorations； gestures； dress； and postures； than in others。 But they
can see no further。 They cannot； or will not； perceive that the
ceremonial actions in administering the Lord's Supper； about which the
clergy disagree； are not mere ornamental trifles； as some suppose。 So
far from being 〃trifles；〃 they are the outward and visible expressions
of a most mischievous doctrine； which strikes at one of the first
principles of the Reformed Church of England。 They think all earnest；
eloquent； zealous； hard…working clergymen cannot be far wrong。 And when
you tell them that there is an avowed determination among many
clergymen to unprotestantize the Established Church； to get behind the
Reformation； and to bring back the Romish Mass and the Confessional；
you are too often smiled at as an alarmist； and are not believed。 It is
my deliberate conviction that unless English lay Churchmen can be
awakened to see the real nature of the existing differences about the
Lord's Supper； there will e in a few years the disestablishment； the
disendowment； and the disruption of the Church of England。 Half the lay
Churchmen seem so absorbed in politics； or fine arts； or cotton； or
iron； or coal； or corn； or shipping； or railways； that you cannot get
them to look at religious questions。 Of the other half； too many are
crying 〃Peace； peace。〃 when there is no peace； and insisting that every
〃earnest〃 clergyman should be allowed to〃 do what is right in his own
eyes； to break the law； and to be let alone。 In short； unless a change
es soon； our candlestick will be taken away； and our Church will be
ruined。
The paper now in the reader's hands is a humble contribution to the
cause of truth about the Lord's Supper。 It is truth as I find it in the
New Testament； truth as I find it in the authorized formularies of our
Church； truth as I find it in the writings of our greatest English
divines；it is this truth which I advocate in these pages。
1。 Is the Lord's Supper a subject of primary importance in the
Christian religion？ Do not thousands of Churchmen live and die without
receiving it？ Do not the majority of church…goers turn their backs on
it； and always go away when it is administered？ How is this？
Nothing can possibly be of small importance which the Lord Jesus Christ
ordained and appointed。 Our Lord most distinctly manded His
disciples to 〃eat bread〃 and 〃drink wine〃 in remembrance of Him。 What
right has any Christian to disobey this mandment？ No doubt a man may
be saved； like the penitent thief； without having received the Lord's
Supper。 It is not a matter of absolute and indispensable necessity；
like repentance； faith； and conversion。 But it is impossible to say
that any professing Christian is in a safe； healthy； or satisfactory
condition of soul； who habitually refuses to obey Christ and attend the
Lord's Table。 If he is not fit to be a municant； as many say； he is
confessing that he does not live as he ought to do； and is not fit to
die and meet God。 It is very difficult to see what habitual
non…municants will be able to say for themselves in the
judgment…day。 There is a judgment to e； a judgment of things left
undone which we ought to have done； as well as of things done which we
ought not to have done。
2。 Is it of much importance to have right and true views of the Lord's
Supper？
It is of the utmost possible importance。 On no subject in Christianity
has there been such an immense amount of superstitious error taught and
held for nearly eighteen centuries。 No error probably has done more
harm to the souls of men。 Those who think it does not signify what
opinions we hold about the Lord's Supper； so long as we receive it； are
under a strong delusion。 No ordinance appointed by Christ does good to
our souls 〃ex opere operato；〃 or by the mere outward bodily use of it。
The value of the Lord's Supper depends entirely on its being rightly
understood； and rightly used。
3。 Where shall we find right and true views of the Lord's Supper？
We shall find them in the four accounts of the institution of the
ordinance given by St。 Matthew； St。 Mark； and St。 Luke in their
Gospels； and by St。 Paul in the First Epistle to the Corinthians （see
Matt。 26：26…28； Mark 14：22…24； Luke 22：19…20； 1 Cor。 11：23…29）。 These
are our only full sources of information in God's Word。 In the three
Pastoral Epistles to Timothy and Titus； written especially for the
instruction of ministers； the Lord's Supper is not once named。 The
views and principles of the Church of England are to be found in her
Articles； munion Service； Catechism； and Twenty…seventh Homily。 Any
views which cannot be reconciled with these formularies are not 〃Church
views。〃
4。 What is the Lord's Supper？
It is an ordinance or sacrament appointed by Jesus Christ the night
before He was crucified； for the perpetual benefit and edification of
His Church； until He es again at the end of the world。 The only
other sacrament is baptism。 The Church of Rome holds that Confirmation；
Penance （or Confession and Absolution）； Ordination。
Matrimony； and Extreme Unction； are sacraments of the gospel。 The
Church of England in her Twenty…fifth Article says distinctly that they
are not。
5。 How many Tarts are there in the Lord's Supper？ The Catechism of the
Church of England rightly tells us that there are two parts。 One is the
outward and visible part； which is received by all municants； both
good and bad； without exception。 The other is the inward and invisible
part which is the thing signified by the outward part； and is only
received by believers； and received by them； as the Twenty…eighth
Article says； 〃after a heavenly and spiritual manner。〃
6。 What is the outward and visible Tart or sign in the Lord's Supper？
The outward and visible part of the sacrament consists of bread and
wine；