Whether the Species Remaining in This Sacrament Can Change External
Objects?
Objection 1: It seems that the species which remain in this sacrament
cannot affect external objects. For it is proved in _Phys._ vii, that
forms which are in matter are produced by forms that are in matter,
but not from forms which are without matter, because like makes like.
But the sacramental species are species without matter, since they
remain without a subject, as is evident from what was said above (A.
1). Therefore they cannot affect other matter by producing any form
in it.
Obj. 2: Further, when the action of the principal agent ceases, then
the action of the instrument must cease, as when the carpenter rests,
the hammer is moved no longer. But all accidental forms act
instrumentally in virtue of the substantial form as the principal
agent. Therefore, since the substantial form of the bread and wine
does not remain in this sacrament, as was shown above (Q. 75, A. 6),
it seems that the accidental forms which remain cannot act so as to
change external matter.
Obj. 3: Further, nothing acts outside its species, because an effect
cannot surpass its cause. But all the sacramental species are
accidents. Therefore they cannot change external matter, at least as
to a substantial form.
_On the contrary,_ If they could not change external bodies, they
could not be felt; for a thing is felt from the senses being changed
by a sensible thing, as is said in _De Anima_ ii.
_I answer that,_ Because everything acts in so far as it is an actual
being, the consequence is that everything stands in the same relation
to action as it does to being. Therefore, because, according to what
was said above (A. 1), it is an effect of the Divine power that the
sacramental species continue in the being which they had when the
substance of the bread and wine was present, it follows that they
continue in their action. Consequently they retain every action which
they had while the substance of the bread and wine remained, now that
the substance of the bread and wine has passed into the body and
blood of Christ. Hence there is no doubt but that they can change
external bodies.
Reply Obj. 1: The sacramental species, although they are forms
existing without matter, still retain the same being which they had
before in matter, and therefore as to their being they are like forms
which are in matter.
Reply Obj. 2: The action of an accidental form depends upon the
action of a substantial form in the same way as the being of accident
depends upon the being of substance; and therefore, as it is an
effect of Divine power that the sacramental species exist without
substance, so is it an effect of Divine power that they can act
without a substantial form, because every action of a substantial or
accidental form depends upon God as the first agent.
Reply Obj. 3: The change which terminates in a substantial form is
not effected by a substantial form directly, but by means of the
active and passive qualities, which act in virtue of the substantial
form. But by Divine power this instrumental energy is retained in the
sacramental species, just as it was before: and consequently their
action can be directed to a substantial form instrumentally, just in
the same way as anything can act outside its species, not as by its
own power, but by the power of the chief agent.
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