25 April 2023

On the Use or Action

Nothing has the nature of a Sacrament apart from the use instituted by Christ or apart from the action divinely instituted… The use or action here does not mean chiefly faith. Nor does it mean the oral participation alone. It means the entire external, visible action of the Lord’s Supper instituted by Christ: the consecration or words of institution, the distribution and reception, or oral partaking of the consecrated bread and wine, of Christ’s body and blood. Apart from this use, it is to be regarded as no Sacrament, like when the bread is not distributed in the papistic Mass but is offered up as a sacrifice or enclosed, carried around, and exhibited for adoration.—FC SD VII:85-87

No comments: