Chapter 30: Of the Lord's Supper
1. The supper of the Lord Jesus was instituted by him the same
night wherein he was betrayed, to be observed in his churches, unto
the end of the world, for the perpetual remembrance, and shewing forth
the sacrifice of himself in his death, confirmation of the faith of
believers in all the benefits thereof, their spiritual nourishment,
and growth in him, their further engagement in, and to all duties which
they owe to him; and to be a bond and pledge of their communion with
him, and with each other.
(
1 Corinthians 11:23-26;
1 Corinthians 10:16, 17,21
)
2. In this ordinance Christ is not offered up to his Father,
nor any real sacrifice made at all for remission of sin of the quick
or dead, but only a memorial of that one offering up of himself by
himself upon the cross, once for all; and a spiritual oblation of all
possible praise unto God for the same. So that the popish sacrifice
of the mass, as they call it, is most abominable, injurious to Christ's
own sacrifice the alone propitiation for all the sins of the elect.
(
Hebrews 9:25, 26, 28;
1 Corinthians 11:24;
Matthew 26:26, 27
)
3. The Lord Jesus hath, in this ordinance, appointed his ministers
to pray, and bless the elements of bread and wine, and thereby to set
them apart from a common to a holy use, and to take and break the bread;
to take the cup, and, they communicating also themselves, to give both
to the communicants.
(
1 Corinthians 11:23-26, etc.
)
4. The denial of the cup to the people, worshipping the elements,
the lifting them up, or carrying them about for adoration, and reserving
them for any pretended religious use, are all contrary to the nature of
this ordinance, and to the institution of Christ.
(
Matthew 26:26-28;
Matthew 15:9;
Exodus 20:4, 5
)
5. The outward elements in this ordinance, duly set apart to
the use ordained by Christ, have such relation to him crucified, as
that truly, although in terms used figuratively, they are sometimes
called by the names of the things they represent, to wit, the body and
blood of Christ, albeit, in substance and nature, they still remain
truly and only bread and wine, as they were before.
(
1 Corinthians 11:27;
1 Corinthians 11:26-28
)
6. That doctrine which maintains a change of the substance of
bread and wine, into the substance of Christ's body and blood, commonly
called transubstantiation, by consecration of a priest, or by any other
way, is repugnant not to Scripture alone, but even to common sense and
reason, overthroweth the nature of the ordinance, and hath been, and is,
the cause of manifold superstitions, yea, of gross idolatries.
(
Acts 3:21;
Luke 14:6, 39;
1 Corinthians 11:24, 25
)
7. Worthy receivers, outwardly partaking of the visible elements
in this ordinance, do then also inwardly by faith, really and indeed,
yet not carnally and corporally, but spiritually receive, and feed upon
Christ crucified, and all the benefits of his death; the body and blood
of Christ being then not corporally or carnally, but spiritually present
to the faith of believers in that ordinance, as the elements themselves
are to their outward senses.
(
1 Corinthians 10:16;
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
)
8. All ignorant and ungodly persons, as they are unfit to enjoy
communion with Christ, so are they unworthy of the Lord's table, and
cannot, without great sin against him, while they remain such, partake
of these holy mysteries, or be admitted thereunto; yea, whosoever shall
receive unworthily, are guilty of the body and blood of the Lord, eating
and drinking judgment to themselves.
(
2 Corinthians 6:14, 15;
1 Corinthians 11:29;
Matthew 7:6
)
Back to the 2nd London Baptist Confession of Faith
