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Chapter 28 of Baptism and the 
Lord's Supper. I'll just read these two short 
paragraphs and then we'll get into a study of this somewhat 
introductory chapter, though it does obviously contain important 
doctrine as well. Chapter 28 of Baptism and the 
Lord's Supper. Baptism and the Lord's Supper 
are ordinances of positive and sovereign institution appointed 
by the Lord Jesus, the only lawgiver, to be continued in his church 
to the end of the world. These holy appointments are to 
be administered by those only who are qualified and thereunto 
called according to the commission of Christ. So this brings us 
into a three-chapter summary or a three-chapter opening up 
of the biblical doctrines concerning the two ordinances or two sacraments, 
baptism in the Lord's supper. If you've been with us for any 
number of time, we've gone through that. This is probably maybe 
our fourth or fifth time going through the confession. So we 
arrive here again. We have chapter 28, which contains 
sort of an introductory chapter with regards to the two ordinances 
of baptism in the Lord's Supper. And the next two chapters are 
dedicated to each of those two ordinances, chapter 29 of baptism 
and chapter 30 of the Lord's Supper. Here in chapter 28, we 
have the Baptists First off, upholding the Protestant 
Reformed recognition that Christ has instituted two ordinances, 
two specific ordinances in this case of baptism in the Lord's 
Supper. Now, largely speaking with regards to the means of 
grace, the ordinary means of grace that God has ordained for 
the good of His people, we have the preaching of the Word of 
God, prayer, baptism in the Lord's Supper, and other means ordained 
by God for the good of His Church. Peculiarly, there are, with regards 
to ordinances or the dominical injunctions of Christ or sacraments, 
two recognized by the Protestant Church, and those are these two, 
baptism and the Lord's Supper. So the Baptists here upholding 
Protestant Reformed recognition of these two ordinances. Secondly, 
what they're doing here is they are clearly indicating no mystical 
sacramentalism that undermines the biblical doctrine of salvation. There was prevailing at their 
time, there was prevailing before their time, and there is even 
prevailing in our own day. Those who fly the banner of Christianity 
that would have an approach to sacraments that goes beyond God's 
intention in them, and that even would bring into the case heresy 
with respect to the administration of the sacraments, believing, 
the point that I'm getting at, that the act of the giving or 
administering of the sacraments themselves somehow bestows salvific 
grace to the recipient. Baptismal regeneration, you may 
have heard of, that the water itself and the administration 
of that ordinance can actually regenerate the soul of the one 
receiving that ordinance or can even justify, as the Roman Catholic 
Church teaches, washing away the stains of original sin. The 
same goes with the Lord's Supper. Those within, you know, professing 
Christendom who would say that just by the act of administering 
the Lord's Supper, the recipient therefore can receive the grace 
of God unto salvation. A la the Catholic Church and 
other Romish institutions. All of that to say, the Baptists 
reject that, indicating no mystical sacramentalism that undermines 
the biblical doctrine of salvation. just some introductory matters 
that we're doing here right now. Thirdly, they're also making 
clear their disagreement with the Paedo-Baptists, primarily 
at the point of baptism. When we get to, well, just this 
chapter itself is significantly different than, I know you can't 
read this and that you're not supposed to, but this here on 
the left is chapter 28 in the Westminster Confession. chapter 
28 in the Savoy, and then chapter 28 in the Baptist. You can see 
the Baptist on the right is much smaller. There are some differences 
for that that we will maybe only allude to as we work through 
here, but their doctrine on the Lord's Supper is identical. The 
Baptists have the same doctrine of the Lord's Supper as do the 
Presbyterians, in the Westminster and the Independents or Congregationalists 
in the Savoy Declaration. It is, though, at the point of 
this chapter and the chapter on baptism where they do differ 
in the chapter on baptism most considerably. Alright, the importance 
of these doctrines before we look into the confessional background 
to the chapter and the language of the confession itself, the 
importance of these two doctrines will open with a quote from Calvin 
that you've heard before, and I have read this before, but 
this will introduce the importance of these two doctrines in the 
Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is Calvin speaking on the 
idolatry of his day, marked by the Roman Catholic Church and 
the use of crosses and images in the churches, and he brings 
preaching baptism in the Lord's Supper in view as the proper 
biblical and Protestant remedies to the scourge of idolatry that 
was going on in his own day. Paul declares, Calvin preaches, 
that by the true preaching of the gospel, Christ is portrayed 
and in a manner crucified before our eyes. Of what use, then, 
were the erection in churches of so many crosses of wooden 
stone, silver and gold, if this doctrine were faithfully and 
honestly preached? Christ died that He might bear 
our curse upon the tree, that He might expiate our sins by 
the sacrifice of His body, wash them in His blood, and, in short, 
reconcile us to God the Father. From this one doctrine, the people 
would learn more than from a thousand crosses of wood and stone. As 
for crosses of gold and silver, it may be true that the avaricious 
give their eyes and minds to them more eagerly than to any 
heavenly instructor. Even were the danger less imminent 
still, when I consider the proper end for which churches are erected, 
It appears to me more unbecoming their sacredness than I well 
can tell. To admit any other images than 
those living symbols which the Lord has consecrated by His own 
word, I mean baptism in the Lord's Supper." Hopefully you see there 
in those words the importance of baptism in the Lord's Supper, 
and hopefully as we work through this, you'll as well see the 
importance of these two doctrines. of these two ordinances. So first 
off, the confessional background to the chapter. We could just 
summarize this by saying everything that preceded chapter 28 is a 
confessional background for baptism in the Lord's Supper, but there 
are some things specifically we ought to note with regards 
to these two ordinances, these two doctrines, and their importance. 
And the first one is in chapter one of the doctrine of the scriptures, 
of the holy scriptures. There we read in paragraph one, 
the holy scripture is the only sufficient certain and infallible 
rule of all saving knowledge, faith, and obedience. The doctrine 
of the Word is absolutely vital, of course, for our understanding 
of the doctrines of baptism and the Lord's Supper. The Word alone 
informs us with regards to these things. As well, paragraph 6 
in chapter 1 of the Holy Scriptures, where we read, The whole counsel 
of God concerning all things necessary for His own glory, 
man's salvation, faith and life. is either expressly set down 
or necessarily contained in the holy scripture unto which nothing 
at any time is to be added whether by new revelation of the spirit 
or traditions of men. This helps us because in the 
scriptures alone do we find the ordinances that the church is 
to administer, that the church is to engage in. You know, coming 
up against the Catholic Church were the Baptists in the context 
they were coming up against a beast of an institution that said there 
were seven ordinances or seven sacraments beyond baptism and 
the Lord's Supper. And so, the doctrine of the Holy 
Scriptures is in the background against Roman Catholic excesses 
in sacramentalism. at the point of chapter 28. It 
also again, more maybe even before that, it is in the scriptures 
alone that we see how we might serve God acceptably with godly 
fear. And so baptism in the Lord's 
Supper come not as traditions of men appended unto Christian 
worship, but they come from the word of God revealed by God himself. Chapter 8 is in the background 
as well. Chapter 8, and Christ as head and savior of the church, 
and the one who obtains eternal redemption for us. When we come 
to baptism and the Lord's Supper, not only are these given by Christ, 
the only lawgiver, as chapter 28 says, but they are Christocentric 
in their nature. Baptism is that which identifies 
us with Jesus Christ with respect to our salvation and His death, 
His burial, and His resurrection. The Lord's Supper is the remembrance 
of His death, the remembrance of the breaking of His body and 
the shedding of His blood for the sins of His people, and it 
is that ordinance wherein Christ blesses us from on high by His 
Spirit strengthening us in our faith. So chapter 8 is rich in 
the background. Again, Christ as head and savior 
of the church. He is the one, the confession 
says, instituted this by His positive and sovereign institution 
being the only lawgiver. And as well, His obtaining of 
eternal redemption is in the background. And in fact, We won't 
touch upon all of them, but that sets the stage for all of those 
chapters that follow chapter 8. Christ obtains eternal redemption, 
and the subsequent chapters open up what that redemption is. You 
know, regeneration, effectual calling, justification, adoption, 
sanctification, saving faith, etc., etc. So all of that is 
in the background with respect to this particular chapter. Chapter 
13, Christian obedience by the Spirit in sanctification. A notice 
in chapter 13 and paragraph 3. This is in the background. It 
is very important as we understand the importance of the Lord's 
Supper and baptism. And we might even say, we don't 
want to say maybe more specifically the Lord's Supper, but we're 
baptized once. lawfully and properly. We take 
the Lord's Supper as often as we observe it in our case once 
per month. And so the importance of that 
doctrine is illustrated here when we see the doctrine of sanctification 
opened up and notice in paragraph 3 of of chapter 13, in which 
war, that is the war between the spirit and the flesh and 
progressive sanctification, in which war, although the remaining 
corruption for a time may much prevail, yet through the continual 
supply of strength from the sanctifying spirit of Christ, the regenerate 
part doth overcome. And so the saints grow in grace, 
perfecting holiness in the fear of God, pressing after an heavenly 
life, in evangelical obedience to all the commands which Christ 
as head and king in his word hath prescribed them." You see, 
in evidence of progressive sanctification and truly a help, to progressive 
sanctification is this evangelical obedience to all the commands 
which Christ as head and king in his word hath prescribed them, 
which would include what? Baptism and the Lord's Supper. 
And so obedience to these ordinances are absolutely necessary because 
they are those things which mark evangelical obedience to the 
commands of Christ. Chapter 14. and the means of grace as they're 
given in paragraph one very vital to an understanding of a proper 
uh... doctrine of the lord's supper 
and largely a proper doctrine of the two ordinances baptism 
and the lord's supper paragraph one of chapter fourteen of saving 
faith the grace of faith whereby the elect are enabled to believe 
to the saving of their souls is the work of the Spirit of 
Christ in their hearts, and is ordinarily wrought by the ministry 
of the Word, by which also, and by the administration of baptism 
and the Lord's Supper, prayer, and other means appointed of 
God, it is increased and strengthened." You see what the Baptists are 
affirming. The Baptists are affirming that God has instituted ordinary 
means of grace whereby the Spirit of Christ strengthens the faithful, 
strengthens those with faith, believers, in their walk with 
Christ. And those peculiar things are 
not marked by quiet time and family worship. though those 
things are good, but specifically ministry of the Word, baptism 
in the Lord's Supper, prayer, and other means appointed by 
God. What's in view are the ordinary means of grace which are administered 
and instituted and observed within the confines of the Church of 
the Lord Jesus Christ, the public gathering of God's people. There are extraordinary means 
of grace, or there are what Renahan Dr. James Renahan calls means 
of growth, which can be private Bible reading, family worship, 
those devotional times, but God has specifically instituted these 
as the ordinary means of grace. That language, the means of grace, 
hopefully it isn't strange to you. It has a rich pedigree in 
Reformed Protestant Christianity and Barcellos, Richard Barcellos, 
defines it this way. I define means of grace as the 
delivery systems God has instituted to bring grace, that is, spiritual 
power, spiritual change, spiritual help, spiritual fortitude, spiritual 
blessings to needy souls on the earth. Grace comes from our Father, 
through the Son, by the Spirit, ordinarily in conjunction with 
the ordinary means, i.e., the Word of God, prayer, baptism, 
and the Lord's Supper. Chapter 21 is in view, and actually 
before we move on there briefly as we look at the confessional 
background, this language of the means of grace is in Chapter 
17 referred to as the means of our preservation. It's a very 
important language and very important to understand that God has instituted 
what we just noted there in paragraph 1 of Chapter 14. God has instituted 
these ordinary means of grace as the means of our Christian 
preservation. Notice in Chapter 17 and Paragraph 
3. Thanks, Steve. Chapter 17 and 
Paragraph 3. And though they may, through 
the temptation of Satan and of the world, the prevalency of 
corruption remaining in them and the neglect of means of their 
preservation fall into grievous sins and for a time continue 
there. And you see the language being 
used there. Speaking of falling away, not 
apostasy, but a Christian stumbling, a Christian falling away after 
temptation and corruption, those sorts of things, and they include 
here the neglect of the means of their preservation, fall into 
grievous sins for a time, continue therein, whereby they incur God's 
displeasure and grieve His Holy Spirit, come to have their graces 
and comforts impaired, their hearts hardened, their consciences 
wounded, hurt and scandalize others, and bring temporal judgments 
upon themselves, yet shall they renew their repentance and be 
preserved through faith in Christ Jesus to the end. You see, one 
of the aspects of our preservation are the ordinary means of grace, 
the preaching of the Word of God, the public reading of the 
Scriptures, the baptism, the Lord's Supper, and prayer. And 
so the neglect of these things can lend unto or can tend to 
our own stumbling and our own falling away. God has instituted 
them, he has commanded them, and they are good things. And 
when our repentance is renewed and we're preserved through faith 
in Jesus Christ to the end, no doubt the mark that will evidence 
that will be attending unto the means of our preservation, not 
the neglect of them, which means we come to church. which means 
we come there and we're attentive. We listen to the preaching and 
to the public reading of the scriptures. We follow after the 
command of the Lord with regards to baptism, and we observe regularly 
the Lord's Supper. And we pray. I should not have 
left that out. And this is very often used with respect to public 
prayer within the context of the gathered assembly. chapter 
21 in the true end of Christian liberty you don't need to turn 
there but there we read the end of Christian liberty which is 
that being delivered out of the hands of all our enemies we might 
serve the Lord without fear in holiness and righteousness before 
him all the days of our lives the pastor ever tells you if 
we ever tell you you know you need to observe the Lord's Supper 
that's not something that binds your conscience in a in an unbiblical and an un-Christian 
way, but rather that is the end of Christian liberty that you 
might, in godly fear, in cheerful compliance, obey Christ with 
a regenerate and a Christian heart. And one of those things, 
one of those ways by which you obey Him is by participating 
in the Lord's Supper, that blessed holy appointment. chapter 22 
and the elements of worship. There in chapter 22-1 we read 
with regards to the acceptable way of worshiping God. Notice 
it's important to see this. Excuse me. The acceptable way 
of worshiping the true God is instituted by himself and so 
limited by his own revealed will. And then we read in paragraph 
2, religious worship is to be given to God the Father, Son, 
and Holy Spirit and to him alone, and then we read, remember, the 
elements of worship in paragraph five, the reading of the scriptures, 
preaching and hearing the word of God, teaching and admonishing 
one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing 
with grace in our hearts to the Lord, as also the administration 
of baptism and the Lord's Supper are all parts of religious worship 
of God. It's absolutely vital to see 
this. The acceptable way of worshiping God has been instituted by himself 
in that we do so in Trinitarian worship, Father, Son, and Holy 
Spirit, and not rendering worship unto angels or men, but to God 
alone. And what are those elements of 
worship? They are these, which include baptism and the Lord's 
Supper. And then finally, chapter 26, 
and the responsibility of church members and officers. Chapter 
26, the responsibility of the members of the church and of 
the elders and the deacons of the church. Notice first in paragraph 
six of chapter 26, the members of these churches are saints 
by calling, visibly manifesting and evidencing in and by their 
profession and walking, their obedience unto that call of Christ 
and do willingly consent to walk together according to the appointment 
of Christ, giving up themselves to the Lord and one to another 
by the will of God. Notice, in professed subjection 
to the ordinances of the gospel. You're a Christian and you're 
a member of the church, but you do not properly attend unto the 
ordinances of the gospel, you are being disobedient. You have 
an obligation, of course, to God, Christ, the only lawgiver, 
but also to the other members of the church. There is this 
solemn obligation, a mutual respect and fellowship in the gospel 
that is marked in part by professed subjection to the ordinances 
of the gospel. Here again, probably not confining 
ordinances to baptism in the Lord's Supper, including them, 
yes, but also including the preaching of the Word of God, prayer, etc. But baptism in the Lord's Supper, 
no doubt therein included. As well in paragraph 13. No church 
members, upon any offense taken by them, having performed their 
duty required of them towards the person they are offended 
at, ought to disturb any church order, or absent themselves from 
the assemblies of the church, or administration of any ordinances. You see, it is the member's obligation, 
whether in good times or in bad times, not to absent themselves 
of the assembly of the church and not to neglect the administration 
of the ordinances. And then in paragraph 8, we have 
the officers with regards to the responsibility of officers 
at the point of the ordinances, a particular church gathered 
and completely organized According to the mind of Christ consists 
of officers and members and the officers appointed by Christ 
to be chosen and set apart by the church so called and gathered 
for the peculiar administration of ordinances and execution of 
power or duty which he entrusts them with or calls them to. to 
be continued to the end of the world are bishops or elders and 
deacons. So that is the foundation for 
the Lord's Supper only in a short 23 and a half minute review. It's important to see the confessional 
connectivity. And when I say that, I mean the 
biblical connectivity with regards to this doctrine, how other doctrines 
undergird, support, and set the foundation for the doctrine of, 
the doctrines of, and the observance of baptism and the Lord's Supper. Moving on then, secondly, to 
the language employed by the Baptists here in distinction 
from or in comparison to. the Presbyterians, and the Savoy, 
or the Congregationalists. We could summarize this next 
section by just saying, sacraments good, sacramentalism bad. In the Second London Baptist 
Confession of Faith, in the preface, we read these following words, 
and when I, well, I'll qualify in a second. Sacramentalism as 
understood with regards to error is not marked here by the Presbyterians 
and the Congregationalists, but I'll speak more to that in a 
second. This is the London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689, 
2nd London, in its preface. Some things indeed are in some 
places added. They're talking about them using, 
in large part, the language of the Westminster Confession and 
the Savoy Declaration, using a great majority of their language. Some things indeed are in some 
places added. Some terms omitted. and some 
few changed. But these alterations are of 
that nature as that we need not doubt any charge or suspicion 
of unsoundness in the faith from any of our brethren upon the 
account of them." In other words, what they're saying there is 
that there are terminological differences, differences of language, 
different wording and changes that does not mark any sort of 
suspicion or unsoundness of faith that on the part of the Baptists 
looking upon the Presbyterians and the Congregationalists. They then say, in those things 
wherein we differ from others, we have expressed ourselves with 
all candor and plainness. And here we have, I think, something 
of a mingling of the two things in paragraph 28. There is no 
use of the word sacraments in the Baptist confession. Now, 
that does not mean that the Baptists were opposed to the use of the 
word sacraments, that you might find that, well, that doesn't 
really seem to make sense. Well, the signatories of the 
confession of faith in other contemporaneous literature use 
the word sacraments favorably, use the word sacrament favorably. For example, in a 1994 letter, 
which I believe is called the Gospel Minister's Maintenance 
Vindicated, a vindication of the payment of Christian pastors. Hansard Nollis and William Kiffin 
and the gang wrote these words. Now the faithfulness of such 
stewards lies in their giving to everyone their due portion, 
according to their master's order, and not detaining anything from 
others which he hath ordered them to have. The same in quality, 
not water instead of wine, nor dross instead of gold, not men's 
inventions and traditions instead of his holy sacraments and sacred 
institutions. In other words, they're speaking 
here for our purposes faithfully with regards to baptism in the 
Lord's Supper and employing the language Holy Sacraments. William 
Kiffin. Steve Weaver notes, William Kiffin 
describes baptism as the sacrament of spiritual birth and the Lord's 
Supper as the sacrament of spiritual nourishment and growth by which 
believers are spiritually fed. Notice, Steve says, Steve Weaver, 
that Kiffin does not shy away from using the term sacrament 
to describe baptism in the Lord's Supper. Keech himself writes 
these words, the sacrament of the Lord's Supper or any other 
institutions of Christ made use of or received in other manner 
than Christ hath ordained and appointed. It stinks in the nostrils 
of God and is abhorred by good men. So he uses the language 
of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. And then finally, Spurgeon 
as well. So the language of sacrament 
is a wholesome word, It can be employed in an unwholesome 
manner, but here you see the particular Baptists using it 
interchangeably with ordinance. There were some, though, in subsequent 
centuries who would not use sacrament as applied to baptism. John Gill 
is one of them. He would use it with regards 
to the Lord's Supper, but he would not use it with regards 
to baptism. And others sort of followed in 
his train, but it is acceptable to use the word It is notable 
though that here the confession of the Baptists excludes that 
word, and it probably has to do with a few things. The first 
thing, why the, well first off, oh yeah, we'll just get to this 
right now. One of the reasons is probably 
because of the perverse sacramentalism of those such as the Roman Catholics, 
the Popish Anglicans, And those sorts of, you know, pseudo-popish 
approaches to Christianity where baptism in the Lord's Supper 
went beyond their sacramental intention to assume that God 
salvificly works through the ordinances. In other words, in 
baptism, you baptize, you sprinkle a child, and in that there is 
regenerative power, that that baby has now had their original 
sin washed away, they've been justified in a sense, and made 
anew, made alive by the Spirit in the ordinance. That is heretical, 
that is blasphemous, and that is what the Baptists, perhaps 
in part, are trying to avoid with the employ of the word in 
the confession. Another thing they're trying 
to distance themselves from is the language of the Paedo-Baptists 
with regards to sacraments are holy signs and seals of the covenant 
of grace. immediately instituted by God 
to represent Christ and his benefits, etc. They do not condemn the 
use of sacrament. Again, they use it in a positive 
light, but here they are just probably trying to distance themselves 
by sacramentalism, the error of sacramentalism on one side, 
and the paedo-baptists at the point of baptism on the other 
side. If there's any questions about 
that afterwards, great. Whoever is working through chapters 
29 and 30 can open up that a little bit more. But again, it's a terminological 
difference employed, but not because they disagreed with the 
use of the term sacrament. All right. Finally then, getting to the 
language of the confession. Notice again, first in paragraph 
one, baptism in the Lord's Supper are ordinances of positive and 
sovereign institution appointed by the Lord Jesus, the only lawgiver, 
to be continued in his church to the end of the world. First off, we want to notice 
that these ordinances or sacraments are two. We don't need to spend 
time on this because it's not really a brilliant opening up 
and exposition of the confession. There are two sacraments, there 
are two ordinances listed, baptism and the Lord's Supper. You may 
never bump up against this in your walk through life and that 
sort of thing, but the Roman Catholic Church holds to seven 
ordinances. and would no doubt, and do, look 
down upon us poor Protestants only recognizing two. But this 
again goes back to the authority of the Scriptures, this again 
goes back to apostolic doctrine with regards to these two peculiar 
ordinances, they being the only dominical injunctions instituted 
by the Lord Jesus Christ to be observed in his churches until 
the end of the world, baptism and the Lord's Supper. The Roman 
Catholic, I wish I could remember all of them, I should probably 
know, But the Catholic Church has an additional five. Confirmation, 
marriage, anointing of the sick, the blessing of the dead, and 
some other one. Holy Orders. Holy Orders. Thank 
you. Very good. You can research that 
on your own. Actually, you probably wouldn't 
want to research that on your own time. But if you do want to see the differences 
and where do they get this from, perhaps read a Protestant critique 
of Roman Catholic sacramentalism. But all that to come back to 
this. The ordinances and the sacraments are to baptism in 
the Lord's Supper, and this is based upon the word of the living 
and true God. Secondly, these are dominical 
ordinances or sacraments. That's found, that understanding 
or that point is found in the language, are ordinances of positive 
and sovereign institution appointed by the Lord Jesus. Dominical 
ordinances simply means those given by Christ as our Lord and 
our Master. Dominus is a Latin word, I believe, 
that means Master or Lord, so dominical means of or pertaining 
to Master or Lord, and in the case of Christianity it means 
of or pertaining to the Lord Jesus Christ, our Master and 
Lord. And so the Confession, rightly, following after the 
Bible, which opens this up, uses the language, Baptism and the 
Lord's Supper are ordinances of positive and sovereign institution 
appointed by the Lord Jesus Christ. In our Bibles, we would find 
that in two places and the first place that we would find that 
is in Matthew 28. I don't say the first place as 
first place chronologically. In the gospel narratives, we 
find the institution of the Lord's Supper prior to Matthew chapter 
28, but this is just to bring into view something of the commission 
of the Lord Jesus Christ in the commands given to his disciples 
as they go about preaching the gospel. You know this is the 
Great Commission, Matthew chapter 28, beginning in verse 18. And 
Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All authority has been 
given to me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make 
disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of 
the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching 
them to observe all things I have commanded you, and lo, I am with 
you always, even to the end of the age. Amen. So there we have 
the Lord Jesus Christ giving these words, giving this Great 
Commission, and we have the language of positive and sovereign institution, 
while we have the language of Christ as only lawgiver rendering 
a command that is to be observed. And in this case, we see baptism 
specifically mentioned in the triune name, and we have the 
Lord's Supper no doubt entailed by or contained in to observe 
all things that I have commanded you." So we have there the language 
of a dominical injunction, a dominical ordinance given by the Lord Jesus 
Christ. And then, of course, 1 Corinthians 
11. In 1 Corinthians 11, we have that famous passage, respecting 
the Lord's Supper, and there we have in verse 23, for I received 
from the Lord, this is first Corinthians 11, 23, that which 
I also deliver to you, that the Lord Jesus on the same night 
in which he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given 
thanks, he broke it and said, take eat, this is my body which 
is broken for you, do this in remembrance of me. In the same 
manner he took the cup, and in the same manner he also took 
the cup after supper, saying, this cup is the new covenant 
in my blood, this do as often as you drink it in remembrance 
of me." So we have those two passages lending themselves properly 
to the Baptists when they pen these words, Baptism and the 
Lord's Supper are ordinances of positive and sovereign institution 
appointed by the Lord Jesus Christ. These are institutions that Christ 
himself has appointed, has ordained for the good of his church. to 
be continued in his church to the end of the world. Thirdly, 
we want to note that these are positive ordinances. They are 
of positive institution. The Confession says baptism and 
the Lord's Supper are ordinances of positive institution. You may remember this language 
before as we've studied the law of God, when we studied of worship 
and of the Sabbath day. the distinction between positive 
and moral law. Moral law is that unchanging 
law of God which we know by the light of nature and by specific 
revelation because it is a reflection of the very nature and character 
of God. Positive law are those temporary 
laws instituted by God, revealed only in the Scriptures, only 
by special revelation. We don't come to a knowledge 
of positive law by the light of nature. In other words, the 
light of nature does not show us that we ought to observe baptism 
and the Lord's Supper. The light of nature doesn't show 
us that Sunday is to be the day which is to be observed for the 
Christian Sabbath. The light of nature does show 
us that a day is to be set aside for a rest and for the worship 
of God, but it's only in the scriptures where we find the 
injunction given for Sunday worship. Sabbath has both moral abiding, 
unchanging law, character to it, as well as positive. Positive 
law is simply a temporary law instituted by God to be observed 
within a particular redemptive historical period. For example, 
in the Old Testament, it was the ceremonial law. There are 
positive laws given, no doubt with moral law undergirding, 
but there are specific positive laws given to a particular people, 
confined to a particular covenant era or epoch. In the New Testament, 
that's why the language used in chapter 29 is baptism is an 
ordinance of the New Testament. In the New Testament, there are 
these two positive laws given, baptism and the Lord's Supper. And so that's why the Confession 
uses this language of positive institution. They are positive 
laws given by Jesus Christ, the only lawgiver, to be observed 
in the New Covenant Church to the end of the world. talk to me afterwards or ask 
a question afterwards, but these are positive ordinances. To give 
you a little bit of a quote from an old fellow, this is how speaking 
with respect to positive law at the point of the Sabbath, 
but it does apply. You have heard by what law the 
first sin of man was to be measured. That was partly a positive law, 
a particular precept. Our confession uses that language. 
with regards to positive law, a particular precept, a law made 
by a spiritual revelation to him, but much more principally 
a natural law, which was violated in the violation of that positive 
one, inasmuch as that positive law had its immediate root and 
foundation in the natural one. What is he saying there? Well, 
with respect to the Sabbath, you're violating both a positive 
and a natural law when you break the Sabbath. The moral law is 
the law of God seen in that a day is to be observed for worship. 
The positive law is that Sunday is the day to be observed for 
that worship. In the case of baptism, we would 
have to disobey baptism and to say no, Christ, I, you know, 
I believe I'm a Christian, but I'm not going to obey you and 
I'm not going to enter that blessed pool. I'm not going to be baptized. 
Well, that is first to disobey a positive injunction, a positive 
law. Christ has commanded it as a new covenant ordinance, 
but it is also to disobey a moral law. That is the first table 
of the law. It is specifically disobeying 
the first commandment and the second commandment with respect 
to how God is to be acceptably worshiped. Anyway, you can ask 
questions about that afterwards or talk to me afterwards. But 
this language is used to highlight the ordinance's distinction from 
moral law, though there is a connection to it, but probably more to stress 
a difference between the Credo-Baptist position and the Paedo-Baptist 
position. Noticeably absent from the Westminster 
Confession, and the Savoy Declaration is the language of positive law. That is because the Baptists 
used this in combating the Paedo-Baptist position on baptism because they 
saw Paedo-Baptism as a violation of the regulative principle of 
worship. that if something is not positively enjoined, if something 
is not positively commanded by God as an acceptable way of worship, 
then it is not something that is to be done within the context 
of worship. And that's why they use the language 
of positive law. Hopefully, Renahan explains it. 
No, I know he will. Much better when he writes this. 
Sam Renahan, sorry. And he's speaking about the two 
fronts on which particular Baptists launched their critique of paedobaptism. He writes, Covenant theology 
and positive law, those are the two fronts on which particular 
Baptist Baptists launched their critique of paedo-baptism. Covenant 
theology, positive law. Concerning covenant theology, 
the Particular Baptists argued that only the members of the 
covenant should receive the covenant sign. And since children were 
not members by birth, they should not receive the sign. Complementary 
to this initial argument was the case from positive law. The 
Particular Baptists argued that even if the premise were granted 
that children are included in the covenant, Baptism could only 
be administered according to its positive institution, which 
required a profession of faith. In other words, when Christ, 
when the Bible is given by precept and authoritative precedent, 
the doctrine of baptism, we do not see any precept or authoritative 
precedent that includes the children of believers with regards to 
their giving of the ordinance of baptism. It is always given 
to those who make a profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. 
And in fact, even by the administrants, a qualification is always given 
in order to give the ordinance to a worthy recipient. A question 
is asked, for example, Philip to the Ethiopian eunuch, or Peter 
on the day of Pentecost with regards to his proclamation of 
the crucified, risen, and exalted Christ. So, the Baptists use 
this language primarily to stress a difference between the Credo-Baptist 
position and the Paedo-Baptist position. Fourthly, these are 
abiding ordinances. They are abiding ordinances. 
Notice the language of the confession. to be continued in his church 
to the end of the world. From the outset of the new covenant 
church ratified in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ at his 
first coming unto the end of the world, baptism in the Lord's 
Supper are to be observed." Now this might not come as much of 
a surprise to any of us, to any of you. There are, you know, 
pseudo-Christian, you know, sort of cults and, you know, The Salvation Army, I think the 
Quakers, others who would fly the banner of Christianity, who 
see these ordinances, either one or the other or both, as 
having ceased in the apostolic era. We don't really come across 
that much in our own goings about in this lower world, but if you 
ever do bump up against one, and you talk about baptism in 
the Lord's Supper, and they say, well those aren't to continue, 
you can come back to chapter 28, which will take you to the 
Bible, such as 1 Corinthians 11, 26, where we see that this 
is to be observed until Christ comes again. Which brings out 
a very interesting part of the Lord's Supper that perhaps is 
often, maybe often neglected. We recognize, of course, that 
in the Lord's Supper we're remembering Christ's death. We recognize 
in the Lord's Supper that we are being spiritually fed by 
the risen Christ through his spirit for our strength and faith. Sometimes we don't appreciate 
the fact that the Lord's Supper also proclaims the second coming 
of the Lord Jesus Christ and is a surety and a certainty of 
the return of the Lord Jesus Christ in his second coming till 
he come again. And that is something that of 
course speaks to its perpetuity, its abiding nature until Christ 
returns and consummates all things. Fifthly, these are ecclesiastical 
ordinances. These are ecclesiastical ordinances. In other words, these are given 
within the context of and administered by virtue of the church of the 
Lord Jesus Christ. Notice the language, to be continued 
in his church to the end of the world. This is not only supported 
by that language there, the fact that it is an ecclesiastical 
ordinance or an ordinance of the church, but also in paragraph 
two, these holy appointments are to be administered by those 
only who are qualified and thereunto called. So, baptism in the Lord's 
Supper, properly and ordinarily, normatively, are to be given 
only within the context of the church. These are not home ordinances. These are not ordinances for 
family worship. And when you gather together 
for, you know, family worship at home, you're not instituting 
or you're not observing the Lord's Supper. These are to be continued 
in his church to the end of the world. and administered by those 
who are qualified and thereunto called." It just highlights the 
importance of the doctrine of the Church. In an individualistic 
age, in an age now where, you know, everyone has a Bible, not 
that that's a bad thing, but in an age where we have so much 
access to things that can feed our individualistic tendencies, 
we need to appreciate that God has given us His Church. that 
we have the Bride of Christ within the context of which we gather 
together for the ordinary means of grace. We don't gather together 
as family for ordinary means of grace. We gather together 
as a church for the ordinary means of grace. The baptism and 
the Lord's Supper being those, being two of those ordinary means 
of grace. And so it's important to see 
that these are ecclesiastical ordinances. And then lastly, 
these are ordinances, or these ordinances are to be administered 
properly. These ordinances are to be administered 
properly. Notice the language of paragraph 
two. These holy appointments are to 
be administered by those only who are qualified and thereunto 
called according to the commission of Christ. Now the language here, 
according to the commission of Christ, I want to know what that 
means. And what I mean is, it could 
mean one of three things. And I emailed a Renahan to ask 
this question, because here we have a comma. Probably your copy 
has a comma after thereunto called. and preceding according to the 
commission of Christ. I believe in the original there 
is no comma, which could answer the question what we're getting 
at here, but it could be one of three things when we see according 
to the commission of Christ, and I'll send you an email when 
I get an answer from the venerable Renahan. We have One, it could 
be further describing those who are lawful administrants of the 
ordinance. In other words, those who are 
qualified and thereunto called are such by the commission of 
Christ. And previously in chapter 26, 
for example, we have the fact that elders and deacons are those 
who are called or commissioned or brought to those positions 
by the appointment of the Holy Spirit and the calling of the 
Church. So that could be an option that according to the commission 
of Christ means or that it is further describing those who 
are lawful of the ordinance, or secondly, perhaps it could 
mean that it's setting the stage for chapters 29 and 30, where 
the confession indicates the lawful manner of administrating 
the ordinances. In other words, that according 
to the commission of Christ, means in the case of baptism, 
for example, that it is to be in water, by full immersion, 
in the triune name. that the administration of these 
ordinances are to be done according to the commission of Christ, 
that is, according to that positive and sovereign institution by 
His appointment wherein we find in the Scriptures that in the 
case of baptism again, for example, it is in water by full immersion 
in the triune name for the Lord's Supper that is given only to 
those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and are not living 
in unrepentant sin, etc. Thirdly, It could refer simply to a Matthew 
28, 18-20 reality that these are commanded to be administered 
by the Lord Jesus, the only law giver. The commission of Christ 
there, I mean, we automatically perhaps leap to the language 
of the Great Commission. One of the texts that we have 
here is Matthew 28, 19. It's a good candidate. That third 
option is a good candidate here. These were commissioned by the 
Lord Jesus Christ in his commissioning to the disciples and by virtue 
of that to the church to go and disciple the nations, baptizing 
them. and teaching them to observe all that he has commanded them. 
It's interesting that John Gill uses the second example, and 
actually the confessional language, according to the commission of 
Christ, when he is commenting on Acts 16.15, the baptism of 
Lydia, and he says that she was baptized in water, in the name 
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, according 
to the commission of Christ. And so all of that to say it's 
one of those three things. But we can say this for certain, 
that these two paragraphs and the two paragraphs that follow 
bring all of those three things out. That those administering 
the ordinances, the administrants of baptism and the Lord's Supper, 
are those who are properly and lawfully called unto that administration. As well, we see these bringing 
out the proper manner of administrating the ordinances. In the case of 
baptism, it's given to a believer, that believer is baptized in 
water, that believer is baptized in water by full immersion and 
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. 
And in the case of baptism, as well, it is given to believers 
who are not living in unrepentant sin. And then as well, we know 
that these are all given by the Lord Jesus Christ. According 
to that Matthew 28, 18 to 20 reality, because he is, as the 
confession says, the Lord Jesus, the only lawgiver, the one who 
has instituted these positive and sovereign holy appointments. 
In a minute and a half, I just want to close with a couple of 
things that we can think of as we have reflected upon this doctrine 
in that introductory paragraph or chapter, and as we look forward 
to the next two chapters. First, Christians are to be properly 
informed regarding these ordinances. If we understand, and we ought 
to, that these are important things to study, because our 
Lord Christ has given them to us by positive and sovereign 
institution, He being the only lawgiver, then it only naturally 
follows that we are to study them, that we are to know them. 
that we are to understand what baptism and the Lord's Supper 
are, who they are to be given to, what they mean, and all of 
those proper and biblical and confessional things. Secondly, 
Christians are to obey Christ in these ordinances. These are 
not suggestions by Christ. These are not, you know, dominical 
recommendations. They are dominical injunctions. 
They are commandments. They are commands given by our 
Master and Lord to be observed in His churches unto the end 
of the world. And so we are to obey them. It 
is not an optional thing to just say, you know, I'm just not going 
to come to the evening service to observe the Lord's Supper. 
That is disobedience to the risen and exalted Christ. To just, 
yeah, you know what, or to, you know, perhaps you make up an 
excuse that sounds right in your mind, there might be a legitimate 
excuse. I don't want to beat up anybody 
because, you know, a relative died or there's some sort of 
emergency or something legitimately hinders you from coming. But 
to just sort of treat it as something that you can take or leave, to 
treat it as something that, you know, I'll maybe just do it now, 
but not the next time, and that sort of thing, is to disobey 
the Lord Jesus Christ. We are given these things, these 
ordinances, as commands as dominical injunctions by our blessed Savior, 
and reflecting upon the glory of them should, you know, cause 
us to indict ourselves by that own reflection. The Lord Jesus 
Christ, we get to come and observe, for the case of the Lord's Supper, 
we get to come and observe a supper that remembers His blessed death 
upon Calvary's tree. He shed His blood. His body was 
broken for us. It is to treat, to do a measure 
of violence to the finished and perfect work of Christ for a 
professing believer to just say, I don't know, it's not going 
to go this time. We need to obey the Lord Jesus Christ, certainly 
to reject it outright, but even to treat it as something that 
is less than what it is, that is a dominical injunction by 
our master and Lord given for the good of our souls and for 
obedience unto him. Lastly, Christians are to rejoice 
in these ordinances. You know, these are, when we 
talk about the ordinances of the Lord, when we use that term 
ordinances, don't ever think that it means, you know, just 
this sort of dry delivery of a word that we have to obey an 
ordinance. We are doing things or we are 
obeying Christ with cheerful compliance and recognizing the 
blessing of these things. They're called holy appointments 
for a reason. The confession refers to them 
as holy appointments. They are set aside unto. the worship and the obedience 
of the risen Christ, and we are to rejoice in them, for what 
they are as commandments that we obey in cheerful compliance, 
but also for what they mean and what stands in back of them, 
the finished and the perfect work of our blessed Savior, the 
Lord Jesus Christ. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, 
we thank you for this time together studying the confession studying 
that summary of biblical doctrine. We rejoice in the truth and we 
pray that you would help us to do so, that you would help us 
to rejoice in what you have revealed and what you have instructed 
us in. We do pray that you would help 
us to lay hold of these things, that we would rejoice in the 
ordinances that the risen and glorified Christ has given to 
us, even that Christ himself in his earthly ministry had instituted. 
We do pray that you would help us to recognize the importance 
to rejoice in these things, and Lord God, that as we gather for 
the Lord's Supper monthly, we do pray that you would cause 
us to do so with joyful hearts and with warm hearts as we reflect 
upon the finished and perfect work of our Savior, the Lord 
Jesus. Go with us now into worship, and may we worship you, Father, 
Son, and Holy Spirit in that acceptable way, and may you be 
the recipient of all honor and praise. We pray in the name of 
our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.