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八十一、圣餐

168问：圣餐是什么？

答：圣餐是新约的圣礼。我们在其中照耶稣基督的吩咐，分发并领受饼酒，祂的受死在其中显明出来（路22:20）。

  1. 那些按理领受的人吃喝祂的体与血，得属灵的滋养，在恩典中长进（太26:26－28；林前11:23－26）；
  2. 他们与基督的联合和交通得以坚固（林前10:16）；
  3. 作为奥秘身体的肢体,他们的感恩（林前11:24）、与上帝的圣约（林前10:14－16，21）、彼此之间的爱与团契，都得以见证并更新（林前10:17）。

Q. 168. What is the Lord’s supper?

A. The Lord’s supper is a sacrament of the New Testament, wherein, by giving and receiving bread and wine according to the appointment of Jesus Christ, his death is showed forth; and they that worthily communicate feed upon his body and blood, to their spiritual nourishment and growth in grace; have their union and communion with him confirmed; testify and renew their thankfulness, and engagement to God, and their mutual love and fellowship each with other, as members of the same mystical body.

169问：基督如何指定在圣餐中分发饼酒？

答：基督指定牧者，在施行圣餐这一圣礼之中，藉着宣读设立圣餐的话，感恩，并祷告，把饼酒从通常的用途中分别出来；拿起饼来，掰开，把饼与酒都分发给领受者，他们也同样根据基督的吩咐，拿起饼来吃下，再喝那酒，以感恩的心记念基督的身体为他们而舍，基督的宝血为他们而流（林前11:23－24；太26:26－28；可14:22－24；路22:19－20）。

Q. 169. How hath Christ appointed bread and wine to be given and received in the sacrament of the Lord’s supper?

A. Christ hath appointed the ministers of his word, in the administration of this sacrament of the Lord’s supper, to set apart the bread and wine from common use, by the word of institution, thanksgiving, and prayer; to take and break the bread, and to give both the bread and the wine to the communicants: who are, by the same appointment, to take and eat the bread, and to drink the wine, in thankful remembrance that the body of Christ was broken and given, and his blood shed, for them.

170问：在圣餐中，那些按理领受的人如何吃喝基督的体与血呢？

答：在圣餐中，

  1. 基督的体与血并非属物质地或属肉体地临在于饼酒之中，也不是与饼酒同在，也不是在饼酒之下（徒3:21），而是对于领受者的信心而言，有属灵的临在，这种临在的真实性正如饼酒本身对于他们的外部感官的真实性一样（太26:26，28）；
  2. 所以，那些在圣餐中按理领受的人，确实在其中吃喝基督的体与血，并不是以物质的属肉体的方式，而是以属灵的方式；
  3. 他们虽是藉着信心，却也是真实地（林前11:24－29）领受钉十字架的基督，以及祂受死的一切恩惠，并运用在自己的生活中（林前10:16）。

Q. 170. How do they that worthily communicate in the Lord’s supper feed upon the body and blood of Christ therein?

A. As the body and blood of Christ are not corporally or carnally present in, with, or under the bread and wine in the Lord’s supper, and yet are spiritually present to the faith of the receiver, no less truly and really than the elements themselves are to their outward senses; so they that worthily communicate in the sacrament of the Lord’s supper, do therein feed upon the body and blood of Christ, not after a corporal and carnal, but in a spiritual manner; yet truly and really, while by faith they receive and apply unto themselves Christ crucified, and all the benefits of his death.

171问：在来领受圣餐之前，那些来领受的人应当怎样预备自己？

答：在来领受圣餐之前，那些来领受的人，

  1. 应当省察自己（林前11:28）是否在基督里面（林后13:5）；
  2. 省察自己的罪和亏欠（林前5:7，比较出12:15）；
  3. 省察自己的知识（林前11:29）、信心（林前13:5；太26:28）和悔改（亚12:10；林前11:31）的真实性和程度；
  4. 省察自己对上帝的爱，对弟兄的爱（林前10:16－17；徒2:46－47），对众人的爱（林前5:8；11:18，20），是否饶恕了那些得罪自己的人（太5:23－24）；
  5. 省察自己是否渴慕基督（赛55:1；约7:37）；
  6. 省察自己是否有新顺服（林前5:7－8）；
  7. 重新操练这些美德（林前11:25－26，28；来10:21，22，24；诗26:6），认真默想（林前11:24－25），恒切祷告（代下30:18－19；太26:26）。

Q. 171. How are they that receive the sacrament of the Lord’s supper to prepare themselves before they come unto it?

A. They that receive the sacrament of the Lord’s supper are, before they come, to prepare themselves thereunto, by examining themselves of their being in Christ, of their sins and wants; of the truth and measure of their knowledge, faith, repentance; love to God and the brethren, charity to all men, forgiving those that have done them wrong; of their desires after Christ, and of their new obedience; and by renewing the exercise of these graces, by serious meditation, and fervent prayer.

172问：怀疑自己不在基督里，或者怀疑自己没有作好正当的预备，这样的人可以来领受圣餐吗？

答：怀疑自己不在基督里，或者怀疑自己没有为领受圣餐作好正当的预备，

  1. 这样的人或许是真的与基督有份，虽然他们对此还没有达到确信（赛1:10；约壹5:13；诗88；77:1－12；拿2:4，7）；
  2. 如果他们真的是出于此种忧虑而受到影响（赛54:7－10；太5:3－4；诗31:22；73:13，22－23），确实渴慕自己是在基督里（腓3:8－9；诗10:17；42:1－2，5，11），并愿意脱离罪恶（提后2:19；赛50:10；诗66:18－20），那么，上帝就看他的确与基督有份；
  3. 而且，因为上帝的应许，以及祂设立这一圣礼的目的，就是要宽慰软弱有疑心的基督徒（赛40:11，29，31；太11:28；12:20；26:28）。
  4. 所以，在这种情况下，他要为自己的不信悲伤（可9:24），努力消除自己的怀疑（徒2:37；16:30）；
  5. 这样做之后，他可以并应当参加圣餐，使自己得以坚固（罗4:11；林前11:28）。

Q. 172. May one who doubteth of his being in Christ, or of his due preparation, come to the Lord’s supper?

A. One who doubteth of his being in Christ, or of his due preparation to the sacrament of the Lord’s supper, may have true interest in Christ, though he be not yet assured thereof; and in God’s account hath it, if he be duly affected with the apprehension of the want of it, and unfeignedly desires to be found in Christ, and to depart from iniquity: in which case (because promises are made, and this sacrament is appointed, for the relief even of weak and doubting Christians) he is to bewail his unbelief, and labor to have his doubts resolved; and, so doing, he may and ought to come to the Lord’s supper, that he may be further strengthened.

173问：是不是所有公开承认信仰，并想参加圣餐的人，都可参加呢？

答：尽管公开认信，却对真道无知妄解，肆意犯罪，这样的人，虽想参加圣餐，但教会根据基督赐给的权柄，可以并应当禁止他们参加圣餐（林前11:27－31，比较太7:6；林前5；犹23；提前5:22），直到他们接受教训，有生命改变为止（林后2:7）。

Q. 173. May any who profess the faith, and desire to come to the Lord’s supper, be kept from it?

A. Such as are found to be ignorant or scandalous, notwithstanding their profession of the faith, and desire to come to the Lord’s supper, may and ought to be kept from that sacrament, by the power which Christ hath left in his church, until they receive instruction, and manifest their reformation.

174问：在圣餐这一圣礼施行的时候，对那些领受的人有什么要求？

答：那些领受圣餐的人，在圣餐施行期间，

  1. 要有至圣的敬畏之心，集中注意力，在这一外在方式中等候上帝（利10:3；来12:28；诗5:7；林前11:17，26－27）；
  2. 殷勤注视饼酒，并谨守圣餐的每一细节（出24:8，比较太26:28）；
  3. 留心分辨主的身体（林前11:29）；
  4. 存爱心默想基督的受死和受苦（路22:19）；
  5. 由此激励自己，更加坚定地行出各样的美德（林前11:26；10:3－5，11，14）；
  6. 省察自己（林前11:31），为罪忧伤（亚12:10）；
  7. 切切地渴慕基督（启22:17），藉着信心吃喝祂（约6:35），领受祂的丰盛（约1:16），信靠祂的功德（腓3:9），在祂的大爱中欢喜（诗63:4－5；代下30:21），感谢祂的恩典（诗22:26）；
  8. 更新他们与上帝的圣约（耶50:5；诗50:5），并更新对众圣徒的爱（徒2:42）。

Q. 174. What is required of them that receive the sacrament of the Lord’s supper in the time of the administration of it?

A. It is required of them that receive the sacrament of the Lord’s supper, that, during the time of the administration of it, with all holy reverence and attention they wait upon God in that ordinance, diligently observe the sacramental elements and actions, heedfully discern the Lord’s body, and affectionately meditate on his death and sufferings, and thereby stir up themselves to a vigorous exercise of their graces; in judging themselves, and sorrowing for sin; in earnest hungering and thirsting after Christ, feeding on him by faith, receiving of his fullness, trusting in his merits, rejoicing in his love, giving thanks for his grace; in renewing of their covenant with God, and love to all the saints.

175问：在领受圣餐之后，基督徒有什么责任？

答：在领受圣餐之后，基督徒有责任认真地思考:

  1. 他们在领受圣餐时是怎样行的，是否得到益处（诗28:7；85:8；林前11:17，30－31）；
  2. 若是得到鼓励和安慰，就要为此而赞美上帝（代下30:21－23，25－26；徒2:42，46－47），求上帝继续施恩（诗36:10；歌3:4；代上29:18），保持警醒，免得退步（林前10:3－5，12），完成自己所许的愿（诗50:14），勉励自己常常参加圣餐（林前11:25－26；徒2:42，46）；
  3. 如果发现未得到什么恩惠，就要更加仔细地省察自己对圣餐的预备，和参加圣餐时的举动（歌5:1－6；传5:1－6）；
  4. 在这两种情况下，如果他们对得起上帝和自己的良知，就当等待，在所定的时候，必得着其中的果子（诗123:1－2；42:5，8；43:3－5）；
  5. 但是，如果他们在某个方面没有做到，就当谦卑下来（代下30:18－19；赛1:16，18），并在以后的日子更加慎重、殷勤地参加圣餐（林后7:11；代上15:12－14）。

Q. 175. What is the duty of Christians, after they have received the sacrament of the Lord’s supper?

A. The duty of Christians, after they have received the sacrament of the Lord’s supper, is seriously to consider how they have behaved themselves therein, and with what success; if they find quickening and comfort, to bless God for it, beg the continuance of it, watch against relapses, fulfill their vows, and encourage themselves to a frequent attendance on that ordinance: but if they find no present benefit, more exactly to review their preparation to, and carriage at, the sacrament; in both which, if they can approve themselves to God and their own consciences, they are to wait for the fruit of it in due time: but, if they see they have failed in either, they are to be humbled, and to attend upon it afterwards with more care and diligence.

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