Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae

Objection 1: It seems that there ought not to be seven sacraments. For the sacraments derive their efficacy from the Divine power, and the power of Christ's Passion. But the Divine power is one, and Christ's Passion is one; since "by one oblation He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified" (Heb. 10:14). Therefore there should be but one sacrament.

Objection 2: Further, a sacrament is intended as a remedy for the defect caused by sin. Now this is twofold, punishment and guilt. Therefore two sacraments would be enough.

Objection 3: Further, sacraments belong to the actions of the ecclesiastical hierarchy, as Dionysius explains (Eccl. Hier. v). But, as he says, there are three actions of the ecclesiastical hierarchy, namely, "to cleanse, to enlighten, to perfect." Therefore there should be no more than three sacraments.

Objection 4: Further, Augustine says (Contra Faust. xix) that the "sacraments" of the New Law are "less numerous" than those of the Old Law. But in the Old Law there was no sacrament corresponding to Confirmation and Extreme Unction. Therefore these should not be counted among the sacraments of the New Law.

Objection 5: Further, lust is not more grievous than other sins, as we have made clear in the 1.2, Question 74, Article 5; 2.2, Question 154, Article 3. But there is no sacrament instituted as a remedy for other sins. Therefore neither should matrimony be instituted as a remedy for lust.

Objection 6: On the other hand, It seems that there should be more than seven sacraments. For sacraments are a kind of sacred sign. But in the Church there are many sanctifications by sensible signs, such as Holy Water the Consecration of Altars, and such like. Therefore there are more than seven sacraments.

Objection 7: Further, Hugh of St. Victor (De Sacram. i) says that the sacraments of the Old Law were oblations, tithes and sacrifices. But the Sacrifice of the Church is one sacrament, called the Eucharist. Therefore oblations also and tithes should be called sacraments.

Objection 8: Further, there are three kinds of sin, original, mortal and venial. Now Baptism is intended as a remedy against original sin, and Penance against mortal sin. Therefore besides the seven sacraments, there should be another against venial sin.

I answer that, As stated above (Question 62, Article 5; Question 63, Article 1), the sacraments of the Church were instituted for a twofold purpose: namely, in order to perfect man in things pertaining to the worship of God according to the religion of Christian life, and to be a remedy against the defects caused by sin. And in either way it is becoming that there should be seven sacraments.

For spiritual life has a certain conformity with the life of the body: just as other corporeal things have a certain likeness to things spiritual. Now a man attains perfection in the corporeal life in two ways: first, in regard to his own person; secondly, in regard to the whole community of the society in which he lives, for man is by nature a social animal. With regard to himself man is perfected in the life of the body, in two ways; first, directly , i.e. by acquiring some vital perfection; secondly, indirectly , i.e. by the removal of hindrances to life, such as ailments, or the like. Now the life of the body is perfected "directly," in three ways. First, by generation whereby a man begins to be and to live: and corresponding to this in the spiritual life there is Baptism, which is a spiritual regeneration, according to Titus 3:5: "By the laver of regeneration," etc. Secondly, by growth whereby a man is brought to perfect size and strength: and corresponding to this in the spiritual life there is Confirmation, in which the Holy Ghost is given to strengthen us. Wherefore the disciples who were already baptized were bidden thus: "Stay you in the city till you be endued with power from on high" (Lk. 24:49). Thirdly, by nourishment, whereby life and strength are preserved to man; and corresponding to this in the spiritual life there is the Eucharist. Wherefore it is said (Jn. 6:54): "Except you eat of the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His blood, you shall not have life in you."

And this would be enough for man if he had an impassible life, both corporally and spiritually; but since man is liable at times to both corporal and spiritual infirmity, i.e. sin, hence man needs a cure from his infirmity; which cure is twofold. one is the healing, that restores health: and corresponding to this in the spiritual life there is Penance, according to Ps. 40:5: "Heal my soul, for I have sinned against Thee." The other is the restoration of former vigor by means of suitable diet and exercise: and corresponding to this in the spiritual life there is Extreme Unction, which removes the remainder of sin, and prepares man for final glory. Wherefore it is written (James 5:15): "And if he be in sins they shall be forgiven him."

In regard to the whole community, man is perfected in two ways. First, by receiving power to rule the community and to exercise public acts: and corresponding to this in the spiritual life there is the sacrament of order, according to the saying of Heb. 7:27, that priests offer sacrifices not for themselves only, but also for the people. Secondly in regard to natural propagation. This is accomplished by Matrimony both in the corporal and in the spiritual life: since it is not only a sacrament but also a function of nature.

We may likewise gather the number of the sacraments from their being instituted as a remedy against the defect caused by sin. For Baptism is intended as a remedy against the absence of spiritual life; Confirmation, against the infirmity of soul found in those of recent birth; the Eucharist, against the soul's proneness to sin; Penance, against actual sin committed after baptism; Extreme Unction, against the remainders of sins---of those sins, namely, which are not sufficiently removed by Penance, whether through negligence or through ignorance; order, against divisions in the community; Matrimony, as a remedy against concupiscence in the individual, and against the decrease in numbers that results from death.

Some, again, gather the number of sacraments from a certain adaptation to the virtues and to the defects and penal effects resulting from sin. They say that Baptism corresponds to Faith, and is ordained as a remedy against original sin; Extreme Unction, to Hope, being ordained against venial sin; the Eucharist, to Charity, being ordained against the penal effect which is malice. order, to Prudence, being ordained against ignorance; Penance to Justice, being ordained against mortal sin; Matrimony, to Temperance, being ordained against concupiscence; Confirmation, to Fortitude, being ordained against infirmity.

Reply to Objection 1: The same principal agent uses various instruments unto various effects, in accordance with the thing to be done. In the same way the Divine power and the Passion of Christ work in us through the various sacraments as through various instruments.

Reply to Objection 2: Guilt and punishment are diversified both according to species, inasmuch as there are various species of guilt and punishment, and according to men's various states and habitudes. And in this respect it was necessary to have a number of sacraments, as explained above.

Reply to Objection 3: In hierarchical actions we must consider the agents, the recipients and the actions. The agents are the ministers of the Church; and to these the sacrament of order belongs. The recipients are those who approach the sacraments: and these are brought into being by Matrimony. The actions are "cleansing," "enlightening," and "perfecting." Mere cleansing, however, cannot be a sacrament of the New Law, which confers grace: yet it belongs to certain sacramentals, i.e. catechism and exorcism. But cleansing coupled with enlightening, according to Dionysius, belongs to Baptism; and, for him who falls back into sin, they belong secondarily to Penance and Extreme Unction. And perfecting, as regards power, which is, as it were, a formal perfection, belongs to Confirmation: while, as regards the attainment of the end, it belongs to the Eucharist.

Reply to Objection 4: In the sacrament of Confirmation we receive the fulness of the Holy Ghost in order to be strengthened; while in Extreme Unction man is prepared for the immediate attainment of glory; and neither of these two purposes was becoming to the Old Testament. Consequently, nothing in the old Law could correspond to these sacraments. Nevertheless, the sacraments of the old Law were more numerous, on account of the various kinds of sacrifices and ceremonies.

Reply to Objection 5: There was need for a special sacrament to be applied as a remedy against venereal concupiscence: first because by this concupiscence, not only the person but also the nature is defiled: secondly, by reason of its vehemence whereby it clouds the reason.

Reply to Objection 6: Holy Water and other consecrated things are not called sacraments, because they do not produce the sacramental effect, which is the receiving of grace. They are, however, a kind of disposition to the sacraments: either by removing obstacles. thus holy water is ordained against the snares of the demons, and against venial sins: or by making things suitable for the conferring of a sacrament; thus the altar and vessels are consecrated through reverence for the Eucharist.

Reply to Objection 7: Oblations and tithes, both the Law of nature and in the Law of Moses, ere ordained not only for the sustenance of the ministers and the poor, but also figuratively; and consequently they were sacraments. But now they remain no longer as figures, and therefore they are not sacraments.

Reply to Objection 8: The infusion of grace is not necessary for the blotting out of venial sin. Wherefore, since grace is infused in each of the sacraments of the New Law, none of them was instituted directly against venial sin. This is taken away by certain sacramentals, for instance, Holy Water and such like. Some, however, hold that Extreme Unction is ordained against venial sin. But of this we shall speak in its proper place (XP, Question 30, Article 1).

Articulus 1

Argumentum 1

Ad primum sic proceditur. Videtur quod non debeant esse septem sacramenta. Sacramenta enim efficaciam habent ex virtute divina, et ex virtute passionis christi. Sed una est virtus divina, et una est christi passio, una enim oblatione consummavit sanctificatos in sempiternum, ut dicitur Heb. X.

Ergo non debuit esse nisi unum sacramentum.

Argumentum 2

Praeterea, sacramentum ordinatur contra defectum peccati.

Hic autem est duplex, scilicet poena et culpa.

Ergo sufficeret esse duo sacramenta.

Argumentum 3

Praeterea, sacramenta pertinent ad actiones ecclesiasticae hierarchiae, ut patet per dionysium. Sed, sicut ipse dicit, tres sunt actiones hierarchicae, purgatio, illuminatio et perfectio.

Ergo non debent esse nisi tria sacramenta.

Argumentum 4

Praeterea, Augustinus dicit, XIX contra faustum, sacramenta novae legis sunt numero pauciora quam sacramenta veteris legis.

Sed in veteri lege non erat aliquod sacramentum quod responderet confirmationi et extremae unctioni. Ergo neque debent numerari inter sacramenta novae legis.

Argumentum 5

Praeterea, luxuria non est gravius inter cetera peccata, ut patet ex his quae in secunda parte dicta sunt.

Sed contra alia peccata non instituitur aliquod sacramentum. Ergo neque contra luxuriam debuit institui sacramentum matrimonii.

Sed Contra 1

Sed contra, videtur quod sint plura sacramenta. Sacramenta enim dicuntur quaedam sacra signa. Sed multae aliae sanctificationes fiunt in ecclesia secundum sensibilia signa, sicut aqua benedicta, consecratio altaris, et alia huiusmodi.

Ergo sunt plura sacramenta quam septem.

Sed Contra 2

Praeterea, Hugo de sancto victore dicit quod sacramenta veteris legis fuerunt oblationes, decimae et sacrificia.

Sed sacrificium ecclesiae est unum sacramentum, quod dicitur eucharistia. Ergo etiam oblationes et decimae debent dici sacramenta.

Sed Contra 3

Praeterea, tria sunt genera peccatorum, originale, mortale et veniale. Sed contra originale peccatum ordinatur baptismus; contra mortale autem poenitentia. Ergo deberet esse aliud, praeter septem, quod ordinetur contra veniale.

Corpus

Respondeo dicendum quod, sicut supra dictum est, ordinantur sacramenta ecclesiae ad duo, scilicet, ad perficiendum hominem in his quae pertinent ad cultum dei secundum religionem christianae vitae; et etiam in remedium contra defectum peccati.

Utroque autem modo convenienter ponuntur septem sacramenta. Vita enim spiritualis conformitatem aliquam habet ad vitam corporalem, sicut et cetera corporalia similitudinem quandam spiritualium habent. In vita autem corporali dupliciter aliquis perficitur, uno modo, quantum ad personam propriam; alio modo, per respectum ad totam communitatem societatis in qua vivit, quia homo naturaliter est animal sociale. Respectu autem sui ipsius perficitur homo in vita corporali dupliciter, uno modo, per se, acquirendo scilicet aliquam vitae perfectionem; alio modo, per accidens, scilicet removendo impedimenta vitae, puta aegritudines, vel aliquid huiusmodi. Per se autem perficitur corporalis vita tripliciter. Primo quidem, per generationem, per quam homo incipit esse et vivere. Et loco huius in spirituali vita est baptismus, qui est spiritualis regeneratio, secundum illud ad Tit. III, per lavacrum regenerationis, etc.. Secundo, per augmentum, quo aliquis perducitur ad perfectam quantitatem et virtutem. Et loco huius in spirituali vita est confirmatio, in qua datur spiritus sanctus ad robur.

Unde dicitur discipulis iam baptizatis, Luc. Ult., sedete in civitate quousque induamini virtute ex alto.

Tertio, per nutritionem, qua conservatur in homine vita et virtus.

Et loco huius in spirituali vita est eucharistia.

Unde dicitur Ioan. VI, nisi manducaveritis carnem filii hominis et biberitis eius sanguinem, non habebitis vitam in vobis.

Et hoc quidem sufficeret homini si haberet et corporaliter et spiritualiter impassibilem vitam, sed quia homo incurrit interdum et corporalem infirmitatem et spiritualem, scilicet peccatum, ideo necessaria est homini curatio ab infirmitate. Quae quidem est duplex. Una quidem est sanatio, quae sanitatem restituit. Et loco huius in spirituali vita est poenitentia, secundum illud Psalmi, sana animam meam, quia peccavi tibi.

Alia autem est restitutio valetudinis pristinae per convenientem diaetam et exercitium. Et loco huius in spirituali vita est extrema unctio, quae removet peccatorum reliquias, et hominem paratum reddit ad finalem gloriam.

Unde dicitur Iac. V, et si in peccatis sit, dimittetur ei.

Perficitur autem homo in ordine ad totam communitatem dupliciter. Uno modo, per hoc quod accipit potestatem regendi multitudinem, et exercendi actus publicos. Et loco huius in spirituali vita est sacramentum ordinis, secundum illud Heb. VII, quod sacerdotes hostias offerunt non solum pro se, sed etiam pro populo.

Secundo, quantum ad naturalem propagationem. Quod fit per matrimonium, tam in corporali quam in spirituali vita, eo quod est non solum sacramentum, sed naturae officium.

Ex his etiam patet sacramentorum numerus secundum quod ordinantur contra defectum peccati. Nam baptismus ordinatur contra carentiam vitae spiritualis; confirmatio contra infirmitatem animi quae in nuper natis invenitur; eucharistia contra labilitatem animi ad peccandum; poenitentia contra actuale peccatum post baptismum commissum; extrema unctio contra reliquias peccatorum, quae scilicet non sunt sufficienter per poenitentiam sublatae, aut ex negligentia aut ex ignorantia; ordo contra dissolutionem multitudinis; matrimonium in remedium contra concupiscentiam personalem, et contra defectum multitudinis qui per mortem accidit.

Quidam vero accipiunt numerum sacramentorum per quandam adaptationem ad virtutes, et ad defectus culparum et poenalitatum, dicentes quod fidei respondet baptismus, et ordinatur contra culpam originalem; spei extrema unctio, et ordinatur contra culpam venialem; caritati eucharistia, et ordinatur contra poenalitatem malitiae; prudentiae ordo, et ordinatur contra ignorantiam; iustitiae poenitentia, et ordinatur contra peccatum mortale; temperantiae matrimonium, et ordinatur contra concupiscentiam; fortitudini confirmatio, et ordinatur contra infirmitatem.

Ad 1

Ad primum ergo dicendum quod idem agens principale utitur diversis instrumentis ad diversos effectus, secundum congruentiam operum. Et similiter virtus divina et passio christi operatur in nobis per diversa sacramenta quasi per diversa instrumenta.

Ad 2

Ad secundum dicendum quod culpa et poena diversitatem habent et secundum speciem, inquantum sunt diversae species culparum et poenarum; et secundum diversos hominum status et habitudines.

Et secundum hoc oportuit multiplicari sacramenta, ut ex dictis patet.

Ad 3

Ad tertium dicendum quod in actionibus hierarchicis considerantur et agentes, et recipientes, et actiones. Agentes autem sunt ministri ecclesiae. Ad quos pertinet ordinis sacramentum. Recipientes autem sunt illi qui ad sacramenta accedunt. Qui producuntur per matrimonium.

Actiones autem sunt purgatio, illuminatio et perfectio.

Sed sola purgatio non potest esse sacramentum novae legis, quod gratiam confert, sed pertinet ad quaedam sacramentalia, quae sunt catechismus et exorcismus.

Purgatio autem et illuminatio simul, secundum dionysium, pertinet ad baptismum, et, propter recidivum, secundario pertinet ad poenitentiam et extremam unctionem.

Perfectio autem, quantum ad virtutem quidem, quae est quasi perfectio formalis, pertinet ad confirmationem, quantum autem ad consecutionem finis, pertinet ad eucharistiam.

Ad 4

Ad quartum dicendum quod in sacramento confirmationis datur plenitudo spiritus sancti ad robur; in extrema autem unctione praeparatur homo ut recipiat immediate gloriam; quorum neutrum competit veteri testamento. Et ideo nihil potuit his sacramentis in veteri lege respondere. Nihilominus tamen sacramenta veteris legis fuerunt plura numero, propter diversitatem sacrificiorum et caeremoniarum.

Ad 5

Ad quintum dicendum quod contra concupiscentiam venereorum oportuit specialiter remedium adhiberi per aliquod sacramentum, primo quidem, quia per huiusmodi concupiscentiam non solum vitiatur persona, sed etiam natura; secundo, propter vehementiam eius, qua rationem absorbet.

Ad 6

Ad sextum dicendum quod aqua benedicta et aliae consecrationes non dicuntur sacramenta, quia non perducunt ad sacramenti effectum, qui est gratiae consecutio. Sed sunt dispositiones quaedam ad sacramenta, vel removendo prohibens, sicut aqua benedicta ordinatur contra insidias Daemonum, et contra peccata venialia; vel idoneitatem quandam faciendo ad sacramenti perceptionem, sicut consecratur altare et vasa propter reverentiam eucharistiae.

Ad 7

Ad septimum dicendum quod oblationes et decimae erant, tam in lege naturae quam in lege Moysi, ordinatae non solum in subsidium ministrorum et pauperum, sed etiam in figuram, et ideo erant sacramenta. Nunc autem non remanserunt inquantum sunt figuralia, et ideo non sunt sacramenta.

Ad 8

Ad octavum dicendum quod ad deletionem venialis peccati non requiritur infusio gratiae. Unde, cum in quolibet sacramento novae legis gratia infundatur, nullum sacramentum novae legis instituitur directe contra veniale; quod tollitur per quaedam sacramentalia, puta per aquam benedictam, et alia huiusmodi.

Quidam tamen dicunt extremam unctionem contra veniale peccatum ordinari.

Sed de hoc suo loco dicetur.