Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae

Objection 1: It seems that the order of the sacraments as given above is unbecoming. For according to the Apostle (1 Cor. 15:46), "that was . . . first . . . which is natural, afterwards that which is spiritual." But man is begotten through Matrimony by a first and natural generation; while in Baptism he is regenerated as by a second and spiritual generation. Therefore Matrimony should precede Baptism.

Objection 2: Further, through the sacrament of order man receives the power of agent in sacramental actions. But the agent precedes his action. Therefore order should precede Baptism and the other sacraments.

Objection 3: Further, the Eucharist is a spiritual food; while Confirmation is compared to growth. But food causes, and consequently precedes, growth. Therefore the Eucharist precedes Confirmation.

Objection 4: Further, Penance prepares man for the Eucharist. But a disposition precedes perfection. Therefore Penance should precede the Eucharist.

Objection 5: Further, that which is nearer the last end comes after other things. But, of all the sacraments, Extreme Unction is nearest to the last end which is Happiness. Therefore it should be placed last among the sacraments.

On the contrary, The order of the sacraments, as given above, is commonly adopted by all.

I answer that, The reason of the order among the sacraments appears from what has been said above (Article 1). For just as unity precedes multitude, so those sacraments which are intended for the perfection of the individual, naturally precede those which are intended for the perfection of the multitude; and consequently the last place among the sacraments is given to order and Matrimony, which are intended for the perfection of the multitude: while Matrimony is placed after order, because it has less participation in the nature of the spiritual life, to which the sacraments are ordained. Moreover, among things ordained to the perfection of the individual, those naturally come first which are ordained directly to the perfection of the spiritual life, and afterwards, those which are ordained thereto indirectly, viz. by removing some supervening accidental cause of harm; such are Penance and Extreme Unction: while, of these, Extreme Unction is naturally placed last, for it preserves the healing which was begun by Penance.

Of the remaining three, it is clear that Baptism which is a spiritual regeneration, comes first; then Confirmation, which is ordained to the formal perfection of power; and after these the Eucharist which is ordained to final perfection.

Reply to Objection 1: Matrimony as ordained to natural life is a function of nature. But in so far as it has something spiritual it is a sacrament. And because it has the least amount of spirituality it is placed last.

Reply to Objection 2: For a thing to be an agent it must first of all be perfect in itself. Wherefore those sacraments by which a man is perfected in himself, are placed before the sacrament of order, in which a man is made a perfecter of others.

Reply to Objection 3: Nourishment both precedes growth, as its cause; and follows it, as maintaining the perfection of size and power in man. Consequently, the Eucharist can be placed before Confirmation, as Dionysius places it (Eccl. Hier. iii, iv), and can be placed after it, as the Master does (iv, 2,8).

Reply to Objection 4: This argument would hold if Penance were required of necessity as a preparation to the Eucharist. But this is not true: for if anyone be without mortal sin, he does not need Penance in order to receive the Eucharist. Thus it is clear that Penance is an accidental preparation to the Eucharist, that is to say, sin being supposed. Wherefore it is written in the last chapter of the second Book of Paralipomenon (cf. 2 Paral 33:18): "Thou, O Lord of the righteous, didst not impose penance on righteous men."

Reply to Objection 5: Extreme Unction, for this very reason, is given the last place among those sacraments which are ordained to the perfection of the individual.

Articulus 2

Argumentum 1

Ad secundum sic proceditur. Videtur quod inconvenienter sacramenta ordinentur secundum modum praedictum.

Ut enim apostolus dicit, I Cor. XV, prius est quod est animale, deinde quod spirituale.

Sed per matrimonium generatur homo prima generatione, quae est animalis, per baptismum autem regeneratur homo secunda generatione quae est spiritualis. Ergo matrimonium debet praecedere baptismum.

Argumentum 2

Praeterea, per sacramentum ordinis aliquis accipit potestatem agendi actiones sacramentales. Sed agens est prior sua actione.

Ergo ordo debet praecedere baptismum et alia sacramenta.

Argumentum 3

Praeterea, eucharistia est spirituale nutrimentum, confirmatio autem comparatur augmento. Nutrimentum autem est causa augmenti, et per consequens prius. Ergo eucharistia est prior confirmatione.

Argumentum 4

Praeterea, poenitentia praeparat hominem ad eucharistiam. Sed dispositio praecedit perfectionem.

Ergo poenitentia debet praecedere eucharistiam.

Argumentum 5

Praeterea, quod est propinquius fini ultimo, est posterius.

Sed extrema unctio, inter omnia sacramenta, propinquior est ultimo fini beatitudinis. Ergo debet habere ultimum locum inter sacramenta.

Sed Contra

In contrarium est quod communiter ordinantur ab omnibus sacramenta sicut dictum est.

Corpus

Respondeo dicendum quod ratio ordinis sacramentorum apparet ex his quae supra dicta sunt.

Nam sicut unum est prius quam multitudo, ita sacramenta quae ordinantur ad perfectionem unius personae, naturaliter praecedunt ea quae ordinantur ad perfectionem multitudinis. Et ideo ultimo inter sacramenta ponuntur ordo et matrimonium, quae ordinantur ad multitudinis perfectionem, matrimonium tamen post ordinem, eo quod minus participat de ratione spiritualis vitae, ad quam ordinantur sacramenta. Inter ea vero quae ordinantur ad perfectionem unius personae, naturaliter sunt priora illa quae per se ordinantur ad perfectionem spiritualis vitae, quam illa quae ordinantur per accidens, scilicet ad removendum nocivum accidens superveniens, cuiusmodi sunt poenitentia et extrema unctio. Posterior tamen est naturaliter extrema unctio, quae conservat sanationem quam poenitentia inchoat. Inter alia vero tria, manifestum est quod baptismus, qui est spiritualis regeneratio, est primum; et deinde confirmatio, quae ordinatur ad formalem perfectionem virtutis; et postmodum eucharistia, quae ordinatur ad perfectionem finis.

Ad 1

Ad primum ergo dicendum quod matrimonium, secundum quod ordinatur ad animalem vitam, est naturae officium. Sed secundum quod habet aliquid spiritualitatis, est sacramentum. Et quia minimum habet de spiritualitate, ultimo ponitur inter sacramenta.

Ad 2

Ad secundum dicendum quod, ad hoc quod aliquid sit agens, praesupponitur quod sit in se perfectum. Et ideo priora sunt sacramenta quibus aliquis in seipso perficitur, quam sacramentum ordinis, in quo aliquis constituitur perfector aliorum.

Ad 3

Ad tertium dicendum quod nutrimentum et praecedit augmentum, sicut causa eius; et subsequitur augmentum, sicut conservans hominem in perfecta quantitate et virtute. Et ideo potest eucharistia praemitti confirmationi, ut dionysius facit, in libro Eccl. Hier., et potest postponi, sicut magister facit, in IV sententiarum.

Ad 4

Ad quartum dicendum quod ratio illa recte procederet si poenitentia ex necessitate requireretur ut praeparatoria ad eucharistiam. Sed hoc non est verum, nam si aliquis esset sine peccato mortali, non indigeret poenitentia ad sumptionem eucharistiae. Et sic patet quod per accidens poenitentia praeparat ad eucharistiam, scilicet, supposito peccato.

Unde dicitur II Paral. Ult., tu, domine iustorum, non posuisti poenitentiam iustis.

Ad 5

Ad quintum dicendum quod extrema unctio, propter rationem inductam, est ultimum inter sacramenta quae ordinantur ad perfectionem unius personae.