“Thus in the Old Testament
faces of the Lord were
the pillar of fire,
the cloud,
and the mercy seat;
in the New Testament,
Baptism,
the Lord's Supper,
the ministry of the Word, and the like.
By means of these
God shows us,
as by a visible sign,
that He is with us,
takes care of us,
and is favorably inclined toward us.”
—Martin Luther (AE 1:309)