John William Baier's _Compendium of Positive Theology_ Edited by C. F. W. Walther Published by: St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1877 [Translator's Preface. These are the major loci or topics of John William Baier's _Compendium of Positive Theology_ as edited by Dr. C. F. W. Walther. These should be seen as the broad outline of Baier-Walther's dogmatics, but please don't assume that this is all. Each locus usually includes copious explanatory notes and citations from patristics and other Lutheran dogmaticians. Chapter Eight On the sacraments in general. 1. Having taken up the word of God, also the sacraments of regeneration, conversion and regeneration, and the conferring of faith, the instruments of sealing and increasing, must also be distinctly discussed. 2. The word "sacrament" is ecclesiastical, when it is used about the sacred rites, which are signs and means or instruments of conferring and sealing grace. 3. It is required truly for a sacrament properly and strictly speaking, 1., that it is an action commanded by God; 2. it has a divinely prescribed visible element; 3. that it has a promise of evangelical grace. 4. The principal efficient cause of the sacraments is the triune God, and Christ in the assumed flesh. 5. The internal impulsive cause is the goodness of God, the external or meritorious cause is the merit of Christ. 6. The lesser principal cause ordinarily is the minister of the church, in cases of necessity however also laymen or women. 7. The matter of the sacraments introduces two things: first a certain external and visible element; then a certain action about that particular element. 8. The form of the sacrament is the word of institution, added to the action sensibly occupied about the element. 9. The end to whom of the sacrament are humans carnally born and living. 10. The end of whom of the sacraments, who also have the plan of the effects, the nearer indeed is the gathering or seal of evangelical grace; the ultimate end on the part of humans is their eternal salvation. 11. It is possible to define the sacrament in general, that it is a divine action instituted out of the grace of God on account of the merit of Christ, occupied about an external and sensible element, through which, coming near by the word of institution, to men the grace of the gospel about the forgiveness of sins to eternal life is conferred or sealed. 12. Some sacraments are of the old, others of the new testament. The former are said to be those, instituted before the coming of Christ, which point out the same from a distance and they shadow as by certain figures, by which exhibition at length they were annulled; the latter, which were instituted by Christ himself, bear witness to the display of the same and they offer him as present, remaining in the church always to the end. -------------------------------------------------------------- This text was translated by Rev. Theodore Mayes and is copy- righted material, (c)1996, but is free for non-commercial use or distribution, and especially for use on Project Wittenberg. Please direct any comments or suggestions to: Rev. Robert E. Smith of the Walther Library at Concordia Theological Seminary. E-mail: smithre@mail.ctsfw.edu Surface Mail: 66000 N. Clinton St., Ft. Wayne, IN 46825 USA Phone: (260) 452-3149 Fax: (260) 452-2126 --------------------------------------------------------------