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Objection 1: It seems that the sacramental character is not the
character of Christ. For it is written (Eph. 4:30):
"Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed."
But a character consists essentially in some. thing that seals.
Therefore the sacramental character should be attributed to the Holy
Ghost rather than to Christ.
Objection 2: Further, a character has the nature of a sign. And
it is a sign of the grace that is conferred by the sacrament. Now
grace is poured forth into the soul by the whole Trinity; wherefore it
is written (Ps. 83:12): "The Lord will give grace and
glory." Therefore it seems that the sacramental character should not
be attributed specially to Christ.
Objection 3: Further, a man is marked with a character that he may
be distinguishable from others. But the saints are distinguishable
from others by charity, which, as Augustine says (De Trin. xv),
"alone separates the children of the Kingdom from the children of
perdition": wherefore also the children of perdition are said to have
"the character of the beast" (Apoc. 13:16,17). But
charity is not attributed to Christ, but rather to the Holy Ghost
according to Rm. 5:5: "The charity of God is poured forth in
our hearts, by the Holy Ghost, Who is given to us"; or even to
the Father, according to 2 Cor. 13:13: "The grace of our
Lord Jesus Christ and the charity of God." Therefore it seems
that the sacramental character should not be attributed to Christ.
On the contrary, Some define character thus: "A character is a
distinctive mark printed in a man's rational soul by the eternal
Character, whereby the created trinity is sealed with the likeness of
the creating and re-creating Trinity, and distinguishing him from
those who are not so enlikened, according to the state of faith."
But the eternal Character is Christ Himself, according to Heb.
1:3: "Who being the brightness of His glory and the figure," or
character, "of His substance." It seems, therefore, that the
character should properly be attributed to Christ.
I answer that, As has been made clear above (Article 1), a
character is properly a kind of seal, whereby something is marked, as
being ordained to some particular end: thus a coin is marked for use in
exchange of goods, and soldiers are marked with a character as being
deputed to military service. Now the faithful are deputed to a twofold
end. First and principally to the enjoyment of glory. And for this
purpose they are marked with the seal of grace according to Ezech.
9:4: "Mark Thou upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and
mourn"; and Apoc. 7:3: "Hurt not the earth, nor the sea, nor
the trees, till we sign the servants of our God in their foreheads."
Secondly, each of the faithful is deputed to receive, or to bestow on
others, things pertaining to the worship of God. And this, properly
speaking, is the purpose of the sacramental character. Now the whole
rite of the Christian religion is derived from Christ's priesthood.
Consequently, it is clear that the sacramental character is specially
the character of Christ, to Whose character the faithful are likened
by reason of the sacramental characters, which are nothing else than
certain participations of Christ's Priesthood, flowing from Christ
Himself.
Reply to Objection 1: The Apostle speaks there of that sealing by
which a man is assigned to future glory, and which is effected by
grace. Now grace is attributed to the Holy Ghost, inasmuch as it is
through love that God gives us something gratis, which is the very
nature of grace: while the Holy Ghost is love. Wherefore it is
written (1 Cor. 12:4): "There are diversities of graces,
but the same Spirit."
Reply to Objection 2: The sacramental character is a thing as
regards the exterior sacrament, and a sacrament in regard to the
ultimate effect. Consequently, something can be attributed to a
character in two ways. First, if the character be considered as a
sacrament: and thus it is a sign of the invisible grace which is
conferred in the sacrament. Secondly, if it be considered as a
character. And thus it is a sign conferring on a man a likeness to
some principal person in whom is vested the authority over that to which
he is assigned: thus soldiers who are assigned to military service,
are marked with their leader's sign, by which they are, in a
fashion, likened to him. And in this way those who are deputed to the
Christian worship, of which Christ is the author, receive a
character by which they are likened to Christ. Consequently,
properly speaking, this is Christ's character.
Reply to Objection 3: A character distinguishes one from another,
in relation to some particular end, to which he, who receives the
character is ordained: as has been stated concerning the military
character (Article 1) by which a soldier of the king is
distinguished from the enemy's soldier in relation to the battle. In
like manner the character of the faithful is that by which the faithful
of Christ are distinguished from the servants of the devil, either in
relation to eternal life, or in relation to the worship of the Church
that now is. Of these the former is the result of charity and grace,
as the objection runs; while the latter results from the sacramental
character. Wherefore the "character of the beast" may be understood
by opposition, to mean either the obstinate malice for which some are
assigned to eternal punishment, or the profession of an unlawful form
of worship.
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