Good. Now run through scripture on these subjects and post your thoughts using references from the word.
Well, there's a ton of scripture references for the material in question in the confession. I agree with it.
CHAPTER XXVII
Of the Sacraments
Sacraments are holy signs and seals of the covenant of grace, immediately instituted by God, to represent Christ and His benefits; and to confirm our interest in Him; as also, to put a visible difference between those that belong unto the Church, and the rest of the world; and solemnly to engage them to the service of God in Christ, according to His Word.
Rom. iv. 11; Gen. xvii. 7, 10; Matt. xxviii. 19; 1 Cor. xi. 23; 1 Cor x. 16; 1 Cor. xi. 25, 26; Gal. iii. 17; Rom. xv. 8; Exod. xii. 48; Gen xxxiv. 14; Rom. vi. 3, 4; 1 Cor. x. 16, 21.
II. There is in every sacrament a spiritual relation, or sacramental union, between the sign and the thing signified; whence it comes to pass, that the names and effects of the one are attributed to the other.
Gen. xvii. 10; Matt. xxvi. 27, 28; Tit. iii. 5.
III. The grace which is exhibited in or by the sacraments rightly used, is not conferred by any power in them: neither doth the efficacy of a sacrament depend upon the piety or intention of him that doth administer it: but upon the work of the Spirit and the word of institution, which contains, together with a precept authorizing the use thereof, a promise of benefit to worthy receivers.
Rom. ii. 28, 29; 1 Pet. iii. 21; Matt. iii. 11; 1 Cor. xii. 13; Matt. xxvi. 27, 28; Matt. xxviii. 19, 20.
IV. There be only two sacraments ordained by Christ our Lord in the Gospel; that is to say, Baptism and the Supper of the Lord: neither of which may be dispensed by any but by a minister of the Word lawfully ordained.
Matt. xxviii. 19; 1 Cor. xi. 20, 23; 1 Cor. iv. l; Heb. v. 4.
V. The sacraments of the Old Testament, in regard of the spiritual things thereby signified and exhibited, were, for substance, the same with those of the New.
1 Cor. x. 1, 2, 3, 4.
CHAPTER XXVIII
Of Baptism
Baptism is a sacrament of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ, not only for the solemn admission of the party baptized into the visible Church; but also, to be unto him a sign and seal of the covenant of grace, of his ingrafting into Christ, of regeneration, of remission of sins, and of his giving up unto God through Jesus Christ, to walk in newness of life. Which sacrament is, by Christ's own appointment, to be continued in His Church until the end of the world.
Matt. xxviii. 19; 1 Cor. xii. 13; Rom. iv. 11 with Col. ii. 11. 12; Gal. iii. 27; Rom. vi. 5; Tit. iii. 5; Mark i. 4; Rom. vi. 3, 4; Matt. xxviii. 19, 20.
II. The outward element to be used in this sacrament is water, wherewith the party is to be baptized, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, by a minister of the Gospel, lawfully called thereunto.
Matt. iii. 11; John i. 33; Matt. xxviii. 19, 20.
III. Dipping of the person into the water is not necessary; but Baptism is rightly administered by pouring or sprinkling water upon the person.
Heb. ix. 10, 19, 20, 21, 22; Acts ii. 41; Acts xvi. 33; Mark vii. 4.
IV. Not only those that do actually profess faith in and obedience unto Christ, but also the infants of one or both believing parents, are to be baptized.
Mark xvi. 15, 16; Acts viii. 37, 38; Gen. xvii. 7, 9, 10 with Gal. iii. 9, 14 and Col. ii. 11, 12 and Acts ii. 38, 39 and Rom. iv. 11, 12; 1 Cor. vii. 14; Matt. xxviii. 19; Mark x. 13, 14, 15, 16; Luke xviii. 15.
V. Although it be a great sin to contemn or neglect this ordinance, yet grace and salvation are not so inseparably annexed unto it, as that no person can be regenerated or saved without it; or, that all that are baptized are undoubtedly regenerated.
Luke vii. 30 with Exod. iv. 24, 25, 26; Rom. iv. 11; Acts x. 2, 4, 22, 31, 45, 47; Acts viii. 13, 23.
VI. The efficacy of Baptism is not tied to that moment of time wherein it is administered; yet notwithstanding, by the right use of this ordinance, the grace promised is not only offered, but really exhibited and conferred by the Holy Ghost, to such (whether of age or infants) as that grace belongeth unto, according to the counsel of God's own will in His appointed time.
John iii. 5, 8; Gal. iii. 27; Titus iii. 5; Eph. v. 25, 26; Acts ii. 38, 41.
VII. The sacrament of Baptism is but once to be administered unto any person.
Titus iii. 5.
CHAPTER XXIX
Of the Lord's Supper
Our Lord Jesus, in the night wherein He was betrayed, instituted the sacrament of His body and blood, called the Lord's Supper, to be observed in His Church, unto the end of the world, for the perpetual remembrance of the sacrifice of Himself in His death; the sealing all benefits thereof unto true believers, their spiritual nourishment and growth in Him, their further engagement in and to all duties which they owe unto Him; and to be a bond and pledge of their communion with Him, and with each other, as members of His mystical body.
1 Cor. xi. 23, 24, 25, 26; 1 Cor. x. 16, 17, 21; 1 Cor. xii. 13.
II. In this sacrament, Christ is not offered up to His Father; nor any real sacrifice made at all for remission of sins of the quick or dead; but only a commemoration 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 abominably injurious to Christ's one, only sacrifice, the alone propitiation for all the sins of His elect.
Heb. ix. 22, 25, 26, 28; 1 Cor. xi. 24, 25, 26; Matt. xxvi. 26, 27; Heb. vii. 23, 24, 27; Heb. x. 1l, 12, 14,18.
III. The Lord Jesus, hath, in this ordinance, appointed His ministers to declare His word of institution to the people; 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; but to none who are not then present in the congregation.
Matt. xxvi. 26, 27, 28 and Mark xiv. 22, 23, 24 and Luke xxii. 19, 20 with 1 Cor. xi. 23, 24, 25, 26; Acts xx. 7; 1 Cor. xi. 20.
IV. Private masses, or receiving this sacrament by a priest or any other alone; as likewise, the denial of the cup to the people, worshipping the elements, the lifting them up or carrying them about for adoration, and the reserving them for any pretended religious use; are all contrary to the nature of this sacrament, and to the institution of Christ.
1 Cor. x. 16; Mark xiv. 23; l Cor. xi. 25, 26, 27, 28, 29; Matt. xv. 9.
V. The outward elements in this sacrament, duly set apart to the uses ordained by Christ, have such relation to Him crucified, as that, truly, yet sacramentally only, they are sometimes called by the name 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.
Matt. xxvi. 26, 27, 28; 1 Cor. xi. 26, 27, 28; Matt. xxvi. 29.
VI. 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 sacrament, and hath been, and is the cause of manifold superstitions; yea, of gross idolatries.
Acts iii. 21 with 1 Cor. xi. 24, 25, 26; Luke xxiv. 6, 39.
VII. Worthy receivers outwardly partaking of the visible elements in this sacrament, do then also, inwardly by faith, really and indeed, yet not carnally and corporally, but spiritually, receive and feed upon Christ crucified, and all benefits of His death: the body and blood of Christ being then, not corporally or carnally, in, with, or under the bread and wine; yet, as really, but spiritually, present to the faith of believers in that ordinance, as the elements themselves are to their outward senses.
1 Cor. xi. 28; 1 Cor. x. 16.
VIII. Although ignorant and wicked men receive the outward elements in this sacrament: yet they receive not the thing signified thereby, but by their unworthy coming thereunto are guilty of the body and blood of the Lord to their own damnation. Wherefore, all ignorant and ungodly persons, as they are unfit to enjoy communion with Him, so are they unworthy of the Lord's table; and cannot, without great sin against Christ while they remain such, partake of these holy mysteries, or be admitted thereunto.
1 Cor. xi. 27, 28, 29; 2 Cor. vi. 14,15, 16; 1 Cor. v. 6, 7, 13; 2 Thess. iii. 6, 14, 15; Matt. vii. 6.
CHAPTER XXX
Of Church Censures
The Lord Jesus, as King and Head of His Church, hath therein appointed a government, in the hand of Church officers, distinct from the civil magistrate.
Isa. ix. 6, 7; 1 Tim. v. 17; 1 Thess. v. 12; Acts xx. 17, 28; Heb. xiii. 7, 17, 24; 1 Cor. xii. 28; Matt. xxviii. 18, 19, 20.
II. To these officers, the keys of the kingdom of heaven are committed: by virtue whereof, they have power respectively to retain, and remit sins; to shut that kingdom against the impenitent, both by the Word and censures; and to open it unto penitent sinners, by the ministry of the Gospel, and by absolution from censures, as occasion shall require.
Matt. xvi. 19; Matt. xviii. 17, 18; John xx. 21, 22, 23; 2 Cor. ii. 6, 7, 8.
III. Church censures are necessary, for the reclaiming and gaining of offending brethren, for deterring of others from the like offences, for purging out of that leaven which might infect the whole lump, for vindicating the honour of Christ, and the holy profession of the Gospel, and for preventing the wrath of God, which might justly fall upon the Church, if they should suffer His covenant and the seals thereof to be profaned by notorious and obstinate offenders.
1 Cor. v. chap.; 1 Tim. v. 20; Matt. vii. 6; 1 Tim. i. 20; 1 Cor. xi. 27 to the end, with Jude ver. 23.
IV. For the better attaining of these ends, the officers of the Church are to proceed by admonition; suspension from the sacrament of the Lord's Supper for a season; and by excommunication from the Church; according to the nature of the crime, and demerit of the person.
1 Thess. v. 12; 2 Thess. iii. 6, 14, 15; 1 Cor. v. 4, 5, 13; Matt. xviii. 17; Tit. iii. 10.
CHAPTER XXXI
Of Synods and Councils
For the better government, and further edification of the Church, there ought to be such assemblies as are commonly called synods or councils.
Acts xv. 2, 4, 6.
II. (As magistrates may lawfully call a synod of ministers, and other fit persons, to consult and advise with, about matters of religion; so, if magistrates be open enemies to the Church, the ministers of Christ of themselves, by virtue of their office, or they, other fit persons, upon delegation from their Churches, may meet together in such assemblies.)*
Isa. xlix. 23; 1 Tim. ii. 1, 2; 2 Chron. xix. 8, 9, 10, 11; 2 Chron. xxix., xxx. chaps.; Matt. ii. 4, 5; Prov. xi. 14; Acts xv. 2, 4, 22, 23, 25.
III. It belongeth to synods and councils, ministerially to determine controversies of faith and cases of conscience, to set down rules and directions for the better ordering of the public worship of God, and government of His Church; to receive complaints in cases of maladministration, and authoritatively to determine the same: which decrees and determinations, if consonant to the Word of God, are to be received with reverence and submission; not only for their agreement with the Word, but also for the power whereby they are made, as being an ordinance of God appointed thereunto in His Word.
Acts xv. 15, 19, 24, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31; Acts xvi. 4; Matt. xviii. 17, 18, 19, 20.
IV. All synods or councils, since the Apostles' times, whether general or particular, may err; and many have erred. Therefore they are not to be made the rule of faith or practice; but to be used as a help in both.
Eph. ii. 20; Acts xvii. 11; 1 Cor. ii. 5; 2 Cor. i. 24.
V. Synods and councils are to handle, or conclude, nothing, but that which is ecclesiastical: and are not to intermeddle with civil affairs which concern the commonwealth; unless by way of humble petition, in cases extraordinary; or by way of advice, for satisfaction of conscience, if they be thereunto required by the civil magistrate.
Luke xii. 13, 14; John xviii. 36.
