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Objection 1: It seems that not God alone, but also the minister,
works inwardly unto the sacramental effect. For the inward sacramental
effect is to cleanse man from sin and enlighten him by grace. But it
belongs to the ministers of the Church "to cleanse, enlighten and
perfect," as Dionysius explains (Coel. Hier. v). Therefore it
seems that the sacramental effect is the work not only of God, but
also of the ministers of the Church.
Objection 2: Further, certain prayers are offered up in conferring
the sacraments. But the prayers of the righteous are more acceptable
to God than those of any other, according to Jn. 9:31: "If a
man be a server of God, and doth His will, him He heareth."
Therefore it stems that a man obtains a greater sacramental effect if
he receive it from a good minister. Consequently, the interior effect
is partly the work of the minister and not of God alone.
Objection 3: Further, man is of greater account than an inanimate
thing. But an inanimate thing contributes something to the interior
effect: since "water touches the body and cleanses the soul," as
Augustine says (Tract. lxxx in Joan.). Therefore the interior
sacramental effect is partly the work of man and not of God alone.
On the contrary, It is written (Rm. 8:33): "God that
justifieth." Since, then, the inward effect of all the sacraments
is justification, it seems that God alone works the interior
sacramental effect.
I answer that, There are two ways of producing an effect; first, as
a principal agent; secondly, as an instrument. In the former way the
interior sacramental effect is the work of God alone: first, because
God alone can enter the soul wherein the sacramental effect takes
place; and no agent can operate immediately where it is not:
secondly, because grace which is an interior sacramental effect is from
God alone, as we have established in the FS, Question 112,
Article 1; while the character which is the interior effect of
certain sacraments, is an instrumental power which flows from the
principal agent, which is God. In the second way, however, the
interior sacramental effect can be the work of man, in so far as he
works as a minister. For a minister is of the nature of an
instrument, since the action of both is applied to something
extrinsic, while the interior effect is produced through the power of
the principal agent, which is God.
Reply to Objection 1: Cleansing in so far as it is attributed to
the ministers of the Church is not a washing from sin: deacons are
said to "cleanse," inasmuch as they remove the unclean from the body
of the faithful, or prepare them by their pious admonitions for the
reception of the sacraments. In like manner also priests are said to
"enlighten" God's people, not indeed by giving them grace, but by
conferring on them the sacraments of grace; as Dionysius explains
(Coel. Hier. v).
Reply to Objection 2: The prayers which are said in giving the
sacraments, are offered to God, not on the part of the individual,
but on the part of the whole Church, whose prayers are acceptable to
God, according to Mt. 18:19: "If two of you shall consent
upon earth, concerning anything whatsoever they shall ask, it shall be
done to them by My Father." Nor is there any reason why the
devotion of a just man should not contribute to this effect. But that
which is the sacramental effect is not impetrated by the prayer of the
Church or of the minister, but through the merit of Christ's
Passion, the power of which operates in the sacraments, as stated
above (Question 62, Article 5). Wherefore the sacramental
effect is made no better by a better minister. And yet something in
addition may be impetrated for the receiver of the sacrament through the
devotion of the minister: but this is not the work of the minister,
but the work of God Who hears the minister's prayer.
Reply to Objection 3: Inanimate things do not produce the
sacramental effect, except instrumentally, as stated above. In like
manner neither do men produce the sacramental effect, except
ministerially, as also stated above.
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