Gavin says, This sermon is "divided into 4 parts. 1stly, … we shall consider some elements of I Peter 3:12-22 … . 2ndly, the meaning of the term, 'sacrament,' & some general elucidation on the sacraments. 3rdly, the sacrament of Baptism; & 4thly, the sacrament of Communion." "And so we find in … The Communion Service of the Anglican 1662 Book of Common Prayer, the usage of the I Corinthians 11:20 terminology of 'The Lord's Supper,' & the I Corinthians 10:16 terminology of 'Communion,' or the I Corinthians 4:1 derived terminology of 'sacrament;' or in recognition of the sacred nature of this sacrament, 'Holy Communion,' or 'holy Supper,' or 'holy Sacrament.' And reference is also made to the I Corinthians 4:1 terminology where the bread and wine are called 'holy mysteries,' or Communion is generically called a 'holy mystery'." The "sacraments, which in the exact signification of that term are counted as two, are symbols. Therefore I ... repudiate such ... claims as baptismal regeneration, or consubstantiation, or transubstantiation, & hold that the sacraments are symbols." The "Romanist & semi-Romanist use of the term, 'Eucharist' … links in with Romish notions of the so called 'real presence' … . And so as a Protestant who's an Anglican, I follow the doctrine of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer & 39 Articles which makes no usage of this terminology of 'Eucharist'. And so … contrary to the claims of Romanist & semi-Romanist sacramentalism, the sacraments are nothing more than symbols, & nothing less than symbols; but … contrary to the anti-sacramental claims of, e.g., the Salvation Army, the sacraments are important Biblical symbols of the gospel, & … the Christian Faith. |
