2. He shews the duty of communicants, in the text, 'Ye shew the
me.'
2. He shews the duty of communicants, in the text, 'Ye shew the Lord's death till he come.' This is rendered as a reason why Christ commanded them to eat and drink in remembrance of him, because in that action he would have them shew his death, and celebrate his praise for his sufferings in our stead.
Ὁσάκις, as often. The Lord's supper ought to be often administered.
The frequency is implied, though how often is not declared. Christ's death is to be every day fixed in our thoughts; and to help our weakness, there should be a frequent representation of it to our sense, i.e. in such a way as Christ hath instituted, not as man may prescribe.
Ye. It is the duty of every particular person who communicates in this ordinance to shew Christ's death.
As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup. 'Eat,' not 'see.' This ordinance is not celebrated for the eye only, or for the ear; there must be union, there must be communicating.
Bread, cup. There is no transmutation, no transubstantiation; bread still, cup still; the subject for the adjunct, cup for the wine contained in it. It is the same bread and cup after the consecration in regard of their nature, not of their use, dignity, and efficacy. Bread, cup; the one eaten, the other drunk. Both must be communicated; bread and cup are not to be separated; Christians have a right to both. Papists have deprived the people of the cup, by the juggle of a concomitancy; because by partaking of the bread, which is the body of Christ, they partake of the blood too which is in it. Christ plainly obviates this error at the time of the institution, when he adds, in giving the cup, emphatically, Mat. 26:27, 'drink ye all of it;' and Mark, chap. 14:23, expressly adds, 'They all drank of it,' which is in neither place expressed of the bread. As if our Saviour, foreseeing this error introduced into the world, as he did, would, by a particular note all,