the epistle to the Ephesians, it is said: " that he might make known to us the mystery (sacramentum) of his will;" [1] and to Timothy, "great is the mystery (sacramentum) of godliness;" [2] and in the book of Wisdom: " They knew not the secrets (sacramenta) of God. [3] In these and many other passages the word Sacrament, it will be perceived, signifies nothing more than a holy thing that lies concealed. The Latin Fathers, therefore, deemed the word no inappropriate term to express a sensible sign, which at once, communicates grace to the soul of the receiver, and declares, and, as it were, places before the eyes the grace which it communicates. St. Gregory, however, is of opinion that it is called a Sacrament, because through its instrumentality, the divine power secretly operates our salvation, under the veil of sensible things. [4]
Let it not, however, be supposed that the word Sacrament is of recent ecclesiastical usage. Whoever peruses the writings of S. S. Jerome, [5] and Augustine, [6] will at once perceive, that ancient ecclesiastical writers made frequent use of the word "Sacrament," and sometimes also of the word " symbol," or "mystical or sacred sign," to designate that of which we here speak. Thus much will suffice in explanation of the word Sacrament: and indeed, what we have said applies equally to the Sacraments of the old law: but superseded, as they have been, by the gospel law and grace, instruction regarding them were superfluous.
Besides the meaning of the word, which alone has hitherto engaged our attention, the nature and efficacy of that which it expresses demand our particular inquiry; and the faithful must be taught what constitutes a Sacrament. That the Sacraments are amongst the means of attaining righteousness and salvation, cannot be questioned: but of the many definitions, each of them sufficiently appropriate, which may serve to explain the nature of a Sacrament, there is none more comprehensive, none more perspicuous, than that of St. Augustine: a definition which has since been adopted by all scholastic writers: " A Sacrament," says he, " is a sign of a sacred thing;" or in other words of the same import; "A Sacrament is a visible sign of an invisible grace, instituted for our justification." [7]
The more fully to develope this definition, the pastor will explain it in all its parts. He will first observe, that sensible objects are of two sorts: some invented as signs, others not ^in vented as signs, but existing absolutely and in themselves. To the latter class, almost every object in nature may be said to be long; to the former, spoken and written languages, military standards, images, trumpets, and a multiplicity of other things of the same sort, too numerous to be mentioned. Thus, with regard to words; take away their power of expressing ideas,
- ↑ Eph. i. 9.
- ↑ 1 Tim. iii. 16.
- ↑ Wisd. ii. 22.
- ↑ D. Greg, in 1. Reg. cap. 16. vers. 13.
- ↑ vid. Hieron. in Amos, c. 1, v. i. & Iren. c. i. v. 15.
- ↑ Aug. in Joan. Tract. 80. in fine, et contra Faust, lib. 19. c. 11. Cypr. epist. 15, et l.h de bapt. Christ.
- ↑ D. Aug. lib. 10. de Civ. Dei, c. 5. & epist. 2.
