Whether a Sacrament Is Always Something Sensible?
Objection 1: It seems that a sacrament is not always something
sensible. Because, according to the Philosopher (Prior. Anal. ii),
every effect is a sign of its cause. But just as there are some
sensible effects, so are there some intelligible effects; thus
science is the effect of a demonstration. Therefore not every sign is
sensible. Now all that is required for a sacrament is something that
is a sign of some sacred thing, inasmuch as thereby man is
sanctified, as stated above (A. 2). Therefore something sensible is
not required for a sacrament.
Obj. 2: Further, sacraments belong to the kingdom of God and the
Divine worship. But sensible things do not seem to belong to the
Divine worship: for we are told (John 4:24) that "God is a spirit;
and they that adore Him, must adore Him in spirit and in truth"; and
(Rom. 14:17) that "the kingdom of God is not meat and drink."
Therefore sensible things are not required for the sacraments.
Obj. 3: Further, Augustine says (De Lib. Arb. ii) that "sensible
things are goods of least account, since without them man can live
aright." But the sacraments are necessary for man's salvation, as we
shall show farther on (Q. 61, A. 1): so that man cannot live aright
without them. Therefore sensible things are not required for the
sacraments.
_On the contrary,_ Augustine says (Tract. lxxx super Joan.): "The
word is added to the element and this becomes a sacrament"; and he is
speaking there of water which is a sensible element. Therefore
sensible things are required for the sacraments.
_I answer that,_ Divine wisdom provides for each thing according to
its mode; hence it is written (Wis. 8:1) that "she . . . ordereth all
things sweetly": wherefore also we are told (Matt. 25:15) that she
"gave to everyone according to his proper ability." Now it is part of
man's nature to acquire knowledge of the intelligible from the
sensible. But a sign is that by means of which one attains to the
knowledge of something else. Consequently, since the sacred things
which are signified by the sacraments, are the spiritual and
intelligible goods by means of which man is sanctified, it follows
that the sacramental signs consist in sensible things: just as in the
Divine Scriptures spiritual things are set before us under the guise
of things sensible. And hence it is that sensible things are required
for the sacraments; as Dionysius also proves in his book on the
heavenly hierarchy (Coel. Hier. i).
Reply Obj. 1: The name and definition of a thing is taken principally
from that which belongs to a thing primarily and essentially: and not
from that which belongs to it through something else. Now a sensible
effect being the primary and direct object of man's knowledge (since
all our knowledge springs from the senses) by its very nature leads
to the knowledge of something else: whereas intelligible effects are
not such as to be able to lead us to the knowledge of something else,
except in so far as they are manifested by some other thing, i.e. by
certain sensibles. It is for this reason that the name sign is given
primarily and principally to things which are offered to the senses;
hence Augustine says (De Doctr. Christ. ii) that a sign "is that
which conveys something else to the mind, besides the species which
it impresses on the senses." But intelligible effects do not partake
of the nature of a sign except in so far as they are pointed out by
certain signs. And in this way, too, certain things which are not
sensible are termed sacraments as it were, in so far as they are
signified by certain sensible things, of which we shall treat further
on (Q. 63, A. 1, ad 2; A. 3, ad 2; Q. 73, A. 6; Q. 74, A. 1, ad 3).
Reply Obj. 2: Sensible things considered in their own nature do not
belong to the worship or kingdom of God: but considered only as signs
of spiritual things in which the kingdom of God consists.
Reply Obj. 3: Augustine speaks there of sensible things, considered
in their nature; but not as employed to signify spiritual things,
which are the highest goods.
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