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Objection 1: It seems that not every sign of a sacred thing is a
sacrament. For all sensible creatures are signs of sacred things;
according to Rm. 1:20: "The invisible things of God are
clearly seen being understood by the things that are made." And yet
all sensible things cannot be called sacraments. Therefore not every
sign of a sacred thing is a sacrament.
Objection 2: Further, whatever was done under the Old Law was a
figure of Christ Who is the "Holy of Holies" (Dan. 9:24),
according to 1 Cor. 10:11: "All (these) things happened to
them in figure"; and Col. 2:17: "Which are a shadow of things
to come, but the body is Christ's." And yet not all that was done
by the Fathers of the Old Testament, not even all the ceremonies of
the Law, were sacraments, but only in certain special cases, as
stated in the FS, Question 101, Article 4. Therefore it
seems that not every sign of a sacred thing is a sacrament.
Objection 3: Further, even in the New Testament many things are
done in sign of some sacred thing; yet they are not called sacraments;
such as sprinkling with holy water, the consecration of an altar, and
such like. Therefore not every sign of a sacred thing is a sacrament.
On the contrary, A definition is convertible with the thing defined.
Now some define a sacrament as being "the sign of a sacred thing";
moreover, this is clear from the passage quoted above (Article 1)
from Augustine. Therefore it seems that every sign of a sacred thing
is a sacrament.
I answer that, Signs are given to men, to whom it is proper to
discover the unknown by means of the known. Consequently a sacrament
properly so called is that which is the sign of some sacred thing
pertaining to man; so that properly speaking a sacrament, as
considered by us now, is defined as being the "sign of a holy thing so
far as it makes men holy."
Reply to Objection 1: Sensible creatures signify something holy,
viz. Divine wisdom and goodness inasmuch as these are holy in
themselves; but not inasmuch as we are made holy by them. Therefore
they cannot be called sacraments as we understand sacraments now.
Reply to Objection 2: Some things pertaining to the Old Testament
signified the holiness of Christ considered as holy in Himself.
Others signified His holiness considered as the cause of our
holiness; thus the sacrifice of the Paschal Lamb signified Christ's
Sacrifice whereby we are made holy: and such like are properly styled
sacraments of the Old Law.
Reply to Objection 3: Names are given to things considered in
reference to their end and state of completeness. Now a disposition is
not an end, whereas perfection is. Consequently things that signify
disposition to holiness are not called sacraments, and with regard to
these the objection is verified: only those are called sacraments which
signify the perfection of holiness in man.
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