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Objection 1: It seems that a sacrament is not always something
sensible. Because, according to the Philosopher (Prior. Anal.
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 (Article 2). Therefore something sensible is not
required for a sacrament.
Objection 2: Further, sacraments belong to the kingdom of God and
the Divine worship. But sensible things do not seem to belong to the
Divine worship: for we are told (Jn. 4:24) that "God is a
spirit; and they that adore Him, must adore Him in spirit and in
truth"; and (Rm. 14:17) that "the kingdom of God is not
meat and drink." Therefore sensible things are not required for the
sacraments.
Objection 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 (Question 61, Article
1): so that man cannot live aright without them. Therefore sensible
things are not required for the sacraments.
On the contrary, Augustine says (Tract. lxxx 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 (Mt.
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 to Objection 1: The name and definition of a thing is taken
principally 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 principally 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 (Question 63, Article 1, ad 2; Article
3, ad 2; Question 73, Article 6; Question 74, Article
1, ad 3).
Reply to Objection 2: Sensible things considered in their own
nature do not belong to the worship or kingdom of God: but considered
only as signs of spiritual things in which the kingdom of God
consists.
Reply to Objection 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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