Sacraments

John Calvin (1509-1564)

Therefore, let it be regarded as a settled principle that the sacraments have the same office as the Word of God: to offer and set forth Christ to us, and in him the treasures of heavenly grace. But they avail and profit nothing unless received in faith. As with wine or oil or some other liquid, no matter how much you pour out, it will flow away and disappear unless the mouth of the vessel to receive it is open; moreover, the vessel will be splashed over on the outside, but will still remain void and empty.

Moreover, we must beware lest we be led into a similar error through what was written a little too extravagantly by the ancients to enhance the dignity of the sacraments. That is, to think that a hidden power is joined and fastened to the sacraments by which they of themselves confer the graces of the Holy Spirit upon us, as wine is given in a cup; while the only function divinely imparted to them is to attest and ratify for us God’s good will toward us. And they are of no further benefit unless the Holy Spirit accompanies them. For he it is who opens our minds and hearts and makes us receptive to this testimony. In this also, varied and distinct graces of God brightly appear. For the sacraments (as we have suggested above) are for us the same thing from God, as messengers of glad tidings or guarantees of the ratification of covenants are from men. They do not bestow any grace of themselves, but announce and tell us, and (as they are guarantees and tokens) ratify among us, those things given us by divine bounty. The Holy Spirit (whom the sacraments do not bring indiscriminately to all men but whom the Lord exclusively bestows on his own people) is he who brings the graces of God with him, gives a place for the sacraments among us, and makes them bear fruit.

We do not deny that God himself is present in his institution by the very-present power of his Spirit. Nevertheless, that the administration of the sacraments which he has ordained may not be unfruitful and void, we declare that the inner grace of the Spirit, as distinct from the outward ministry, ought to be considered and pondered separately. God therefore truly executes whatever he promises and represents in signs; nor do the signs lack their own effect in proving their Author truthful and faithful. The only question here is whether God acts by his own intrinsic power (as they say) or resigns his office to outward symbols. But we contend that, whatever instruments he uses, these detract nothing from his original activity.

When this doctrine is taught concerning the sacraments, their worth is duly commended, their use clearly indicated, their value abundantly proclaimed, and the best mean in all these things retained, so that nothing is given to them which should not be given, and conversely nothing taken away which belongs to them. In the meantime, that false doctrine is removed by which the cause of justification and the power of the Holy Spirit are enclosed in elements, just as in vessels or vehicles, and that chief force which has been overlooked by some is clearly set forth.

We must also note this: that God accomplishes within what the minister represents and attests by outward action, lest what God claims for himself alone should be turned over to a mortal man. Augustine also wisely admonishes this. “How,” he says, “do both Moses and God sanctify? Not Moses on God’s behalf; but Moses by the visible sacraments through his ministry, God by invisible grace through the Holy Spirit. There, also, is the whole fruit of the visible sacraments. For without this sanctification of invisible grace, what is gained from these visible sacraments?”

(From: “Institutes of the Christian Religion”)

Alexander S. Paterson (1805-1828)

The word sacrament is of Latin origin; and it was anciently used by the Romans to signify their military oath, or that oath by which their soldiers bound themselves to be true and faithful to their generals, and not to desert their standard in the day of danger. This oath, then, implied obedience to their superiors in all things connected with the military art; and disobedience no sooner appeared in any of those who had taken the oath, than they discovered to all around them that they had perjured themselves. In this view, a sacrament signifies not only something that is sacred, but also, on our part, a solemn engagement to be the Lord’s. And if the ancient oath, denoted by the word sacrament, was reciprocal or mutual,–that is, if the Roman generals bound themselves to be true to their soldiers, as they did to be faithful to them,–we have exactly the same thing pointed out to us with reference to the captain of our salvation, Jesus Christ. He engages himself to us as such; and we also engage to be his–to be for him, and not for another.

The author of the ordinances, called sacraments, is Jesus Christ. Every ordinance in the Christian Church, that is a means of salvation or of comfort, must derive its origin from him, because he alone is the king and the head of the Church–“given to be head over all things to the Church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.” That, then, which makes a sacrament, is his word of institution.

It is necessary to have the express and immediate warrant of Christ respecting a sacrament, for the following reasons:–1. Because otherwise it would not deserve the name of a sacrament; and hence we find that the apostle told the Corinthians, that he received the institution of the Lord’s Supper immediately from Christ himself.–1 Cor. xi. 23. 2. The sacraments have a respect unto the covenant; but none can appoint the seals of the covenant, which the sacraments are, but Christ, who is the representative of the covenant, and who, as such, hath fulfilled its condition. All the promises of the covenant are in Him yea and amen, to the glory of God the Father; but who can seal the promises but Christ? 3. The sacraments have a respect to the house of God, the worship of God, and the Divine glory. None, therefore, can appoint them but Christ, who above all things sought his Father’s glory; and hence we find that his authority is visibly stamped upon both the sacraments of the New Testament.–Matt. xxviii. 19, 20, and xxvi. 26, 27; 1 Cor. xi. 23.

(From: “A Concise System of Theology on the Basis of the Shorter Catechism”)

Robert Shaw (1795-1863)

The parts of a sacrament are two–the sign and the thing signified. The sign is something sensible and visible–that may be seen and handled. Thus, the outward sign in baptism is water, which is visible to us; and the outward signs in the Lord’s supper are bread and wine, which are also visible, and which we can handle and taste. The things signified are Christ and the benefits of the new covenant. These are called the matter of the sacrament. The form consists in the spiritual relation or sacramental union, established between the sign and the thing signified by the divine institution. Though there is some analogy or resemblance between the outward signs and the things signified, yet their sacramental union depends entirely upon the institution of Christ. “From this union arises what has been called sacramental phraseology, or certain expressions in which the names of the sign and the thing signified are exchanged. Thus, the name of the sign is given to the thing signified, when Christ is called ‘our passover;’ and the name of the thing signified is given to the sign, when the bread is called the body of Christ. The foundation of this interchange is the sacramental union, which so couples them together that the one may be predicated of the other.”

(From: “An Exposition of the Confession of Faith”)

John Willison (1680-1750)

Q. What is the true nature and use of a sacrament?

A. It is a holy ordinance instituted by Christ in his church, and annexed as a seal to the covenant of grace; wherein, by outward and sensible signs, Christ, and the benefits of his mediation, are represented, sealed, and applied to those that are within the covenant, to confirm their interest in him, to strengthen and increase their faith and all other graces, to testify and cherish their love and communion with one another, to put a visible difference betwixt those that belong to the church, and the rest of the world: and solemnly to engage them to the service of God in Christ according to his word, Gen. xvii. 7, 10; Rom. iv. 11; xv. 8; vi. 3; 1 Cor. xi. 24; Eph. iv. 5.

Q. Why is it said to be an ordinance instituted by Christ in the church?

A. To show that Christ is the sole King and Head of the Church, who alone hath the power to appoint her ordinances. 2. To distinguish the sacraments of Christ’s institution from those of popish invention, viz. the five bastard sacraments of ordination, confirmation, penance, marriage, and extreme unction: none of which are instituted by Christ for sacraments; nor have they the parts of true sacraments, and none of them are seals of the covenant of grace.

(From: “A Sacramental Catechism”)