In the sixth place, I further confess from the word of God, a true Supper, with bread and wine, by which we are to shew Christ’s sufferings, and his death, and also to remember the new covenant, or testament, which he made with his people, and sealed and confirmed with his blood. Even as Christ himself instituted the same, and observed it with his apostles, as is written: “That Christ the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread: and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat; this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for many: this do in remembrance of me.” But all that are to eat this external bread, and to drink the wine, truly in remembrance of him, must first be renewed and changed by the word of God, so that they must be lowly of spirit and contrite in heart, and truly confess Christ Jesus by faith, that he alone is their Redeemer and Savior; and they must have love, unity and peace with one another, and must be sanctified through the Holy Spirit, and assured in their conscience by faith, that they are the children of God, and heirs, who through grace shall be partakers of Christ’s great benefits, as, his merits, death and blood, for his suffering is our rejoicing, and his death is our life, as Paul says: “That he has reconciled us in the body of his flesh through death, to present us holy and unblamable and unreprovable; and made peace through the blood of his cross, by himself.” And hence they are to examine themselves, as Paul says, and so eat of the bread, and drink of the cup; for he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. Hence Paul says: The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? Thus the communion of the body and the blood of Christ must be in us, and he that so examines himself, and through the Holy Spirit finds in his conscience, that he is an heir of the great benefits of Christ, and a member of his body, he may indeed use the memorials of bread and wine with regard to it, as Christ says: “This do in remembrance of me,” and Paul says: “As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. Matthew 26:26; 1 Cor. 11:23; Heb. 9:12; Luke 22:19; Matt. 11:29; Col. 1:14; Matt. 1:21; Rom. 8:16,17; Col. 1:20–22; Eph. 2:13; 1 Cor. 11:28,29; 10:16–18; Rom. 12:5; 1 Cor. 11:26.
In the seventh place, I further confess a true Christian excommunication, which is an excluding or binding of the disobedient sinner, and a releasing or loosing of the obedient penitent, even as Christ wisely instituted and effectually taught the same, and his apostles thoroughly expounded, used and also taught it, as Christ spake to the apostle, saying: “I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” And he also says: “If thy hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: it is better to have only one hand, and enter into life eternal, than having two hands to be cast into everlasting fire. And the same he also says in regard to the foot and the eye. Matt. 18:18; 16:19; 5:30; 18:8.