Reformed Wisdom

On Isaiah 6:7 -- "And such is the use of sacraments, to strengthen us in proportion to our ignorance; for we are not angels, that can behold the mysteries of God without any assistance, and therefore he raises us to himself by gradual advances. ... Hence we may infer, that in the sacraments the reality is given to us along with the sign; for when the Lord holds out a sacrament, he does not feed our eyes with an empty and unmeaning figure, but joins the truth with it, so as to testify that by means of the he acts upon us efficaciously." -- Calvin, Commentary on Isaiah, vol. 1, 211.