1689 London Baptist Confession
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 )
For further study:
"Baptist Roots in America: The Historical Background of Reformed Baptists in America", Samuel E. Waldron, Simpson Publishing Co. (1991)
"A Modern Exposition of the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith", Samuel E. Waldron, Evangelical Press, 1989
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