Part IV (Tertia Pars) Part 101 (2/2)
Obj. 2: Further, as stated above (A. 2), a sacrament signifies a holy thing in so far as it makes man holy. But there is only one cause of man's holiness, viz. the blood of Christ; according to Heb. 13:12: ”Jesus, that He might sanctify the people by His own blood, suffered without the gate.” Therefore it seems that a sacrament does not signify several things.
Obj. 3: Further, it has been said above (A. 2, ad 3) that a sacrament signifies properly the very end of sanctification. Now the end of sanctification is eternal life, according to Rom. 6:22: ”You have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end life everlasting.”
Therefore it seems that the sacraments signify one thing only, viz.
eternal life.
_On the contrary,_ In the Sacrament of the Altar, two things are signified, viz. Christ's true body, and Christ's mystical body; as Augustine says (Liber Sent. Prosper.).
_I answer that,_ As stated above (A. 2) a sacrament properly speaking is that which is ordained to signify our sanctification. In which three things may be considered; viz. the very cause of our sanctification, which is Christ's pa.s.sion; the form of our sanctification, which is grace and the virtues; and the ultimate end of our sanctification, which is eternal life. And all these are signified by the sacraments. Consequently a sacrament is a sign that is both a reminder of the past, i.e. the pa.s.sion of Christ; and an indication of that which is effected in us by Christ's pa.s.sion, i.e.
grace; and a prognostic, that is, a foretelling of future glory.
Reply Obj. 1: Then is a sign ambiguous and the occasion of deception, when it signifies many things not ordained to one another. But when it signifies many things inasmuch as, through being mutually ordained, they form one thing, then the sign is not ambiguous but certain: thus this word ”man” signifies the soul and body inasmuch as together they form the human nature. In this way a sacrament signifies the three things aforesaid, inasmuch as by being in a certain order they are one thing.
Reply Obj. 2: Since a sacrament signifies that which sanctifies, it must needs signify the effect, which is implied in the sanctifying cause as such.
Reply Obj. 3: It is enough for a sacrament that it signify that perfection which consists in the form, nor is it necessary that it should signify only that perfection which is the end.
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FOURTH ARTICLE [III, Q. 60, Art. 4]
Whether a Sacrament Is Always Something Sensible?
Objection 1: It seems that a sacrament is not always something sensible. Because, according to the Philosopher (Prior. a.n.a.l. ii), every effect is a sign of its cause. But just as there are some sensible effects, so are there some intelligible effects; thus science is the effect of a demonstration. Therefore not every sign is sensible. Now all that is required for a sacrament is something that is a sign of some sacred thing, inasmuch as thereby man is sanctified, as stated above (A. 2). Therefore something sensible is not required for a sacrament.
Obj. 2: Further, sacraments belong to the kingdom of G.o.d and the Divine wors.h.i.+p. But sensible things do not seem to belong to the Divine wors.h.i.+p: for we are told (John 4:24) that ”G.o.d is a spirit; and they that adore Him, must adore Him in spirit and in truth”; and (Rom. 14:17) that ”the kingdom of G.o.d is not meat and drink.”
Therefore sensible things are not required for the sacraments.
Obj. 3: Further, Augustine says (De Lib. Arb. ii) that ”sensible things are goods of least account, since without them man can live aright.” But the sacraments are necessary for man's salvation, as we shall show farther on (Q. 61, A. 1): so that man cannot live aright without them. Therefore sensible things are not required for the sacraments.
_On the contrary,_ Augustine says (Tract. lx.x.x super Joan.): ”The word is added to the element and this becomes a sacrament”; and he is speaking there of water which is a sensible element. Therefore sensible things are required for the sacraments.
_I answer that,_ Divine wisdom provides for each thing according to its mode; hence it is written (Wis. 8:1) that ”she ... ordereth all things sweetly”: wherefore also we are told (Matt. 25:15) that she ”gave to everyone according to his proper ability.” Now it is part of man's nature to acquire knowledge of the intelligible from the sensible. But a sign is that by means of which one attains to the knowledge of something else. Consequently, since the sacred things which are signified by the sacraments, are the spiritual and intelligible goods by means of which man is sanctified, it follows that the sacramental signs consist in sensible things: just as in the Divine Scriptures spiritual things are set before us under the guise of things sensible. And hence it is that sensible things are required for the sacraments; as Dionysius also proves in his book on the heavenly hierarchy (Coel. Hier. i).
Reply Obj. 1: The name and definition of a thing is taken princ.i.p.ally from that which belongs to a thing primarily and essentially: and not from that which belongs to it through something else. Now a sensible effect being the primary and direct object of man's knowledge (since all our knowledge springs from the senses) by its very nature leads to the knowledge of something else: whereas intelligible effects are not such as to be able to lead us to the knowledge of something else, except in so far as they are manifested by some other thing, i.e. by certain sensibles. It is for this reason that the name sign is given primarily and princ.i.p.ally to things which are offered to the senses; hence Augustine says (De Doctr. Christ. ii) that a sign ”is that which conveys something else to the mind, besides the species which it impresses on the senses.” But intelligible effects do not partake of the nature of a sign except in so far as they are pointed out by certain signs. And in this way, too, certain things which are not sensible are termed sacraments as it were, in so far as they are signified by certain sensible things, of which we shall treat further on (Q. 63, A. 1, ad 2; A. 3, ad 2; Q. 73, A. 6; Q. 74, A. 1, ad 3).
Reply Obj. 2: Sensible things considered in their own nature do not belong to the wors.h.i.+p or kingdom of G.o.d: but considered only as signs of spiritual things in which the kingdom of G.o.d consists.
Reply Obj. 3: Augustine speaks there of sensible things, considered in their nature; but not as employed to signify spiritual things, which are the highest goods.
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FIFTH ARTICLE [III, Q. 60, Art. 5]
Whether Determinate Things Are Required for a Sacrament?
Objection 1: It seems that determinate things are not required for a sacrament. For sensible things are required in sacraments for the purpose of signification, as stated above (A. 4). But nothing hinders the same thing being signified by divers sensible things: thus in Holy Scripture G.o.d is signified metaphorically, sometimes by a stone (2 Kings 22:2; Zech. 3:9; 1 Cor. 10:4; Apoc. 4:3); sometimes by a lion (Isa. 31:4; Apoc. 5:5); sometimes by the sun (Isa. 60:19, 20; Mal. 4:2), or by something similar. Therefore it seems that divers things can be suitable to the same sacrament. Therefore determinate things are not required for the sacraments.
Obj. 2: Further, the health of the soul is more necessary than that of the body. But in bodily medicines, which are ordained to the health of the body, one thing can be subst.i.tuted for another which happens to be wanting. Therefore much more in the sacraments, which are spiritual remedies ordained to the health of the soul, can one thing be subst.i.tuted for another when this happens to be lacking.
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