SACRAMENT, Sacramentum; in Greek, Mysterion. The Word Sacramentum, is taken, in the Scripture [of the Latin Vulgate], First, for a Secret: Sacramentum Regis abscondere bonum est; It is good to Tob. xii. 7.keep the King’s Secret. And, Nescierunt sacramenta Dei; The Wicked know not Wis. ii. 22.the Secrets of God. Secondly, for a Mystery, a Mysterious and hidden thing. For Example; Nebuchadnezzar’s mysterious Dream, which he had forgot, was revealed Dan. ii. 18, 19. Ephes. i. 9. iii. 3, 9.to Daniel, with its Interpretation: Ut quærerent misericordiam Dei super sacramento isto. Tunc Danieli mysterium per visionem nocte revelatum est, &c. Thirdly and lastly, it is put for a Sacrament of the New Law, and for the Mysteries of our holy Religion. All this agrees well with the general Sense of Mystery and Secret. St. Paul calls Sacramentum, the Mystery of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, the Vocation of the Gentiles, the Sacrament of Marriage; lastly, the whole OEconomy Col. i. 27. Eph. v. 32.of Man’s Salvation, and of the New Covenant. See 1 Tim. iii. 16.
Sacraments of the Old Law. These are, all the Ceremonies, Sacrifices, Expiations, Unctions, Benedictions, Consecrations, that were practised under the Law of Moses. All these Things were mysterious and figurative. Circumcision represented Baptism; the Sabbath, the Rest Everlasting; the Paschal Lamb, the Death of Jesus Christ; the Shew -bread, the holy Eucharist; the Unction of the Priests, used in the Sacrament of Orders; the Expiations, Purifications, Lustrations, the Sacrament of Penance: The Sacrifices, Oblations, Libations, the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which is renewed every Day upon the Altar in an unbloody manner; the Tabernacle, the Ark of the Covenant, the Altar of Burnt Sacrifices, that of Incense, and the other Ceremonies that were practised in the Temple-ministry, represented the Body of the Christian Religion, and the Ceremonies that accompany the Administration of the Sacraments of the New Law; not to mention the other Relation that these may have with Heaven and the State of the Blessed, of which St. Paul has discover’d the Mystery, in his Epistle to the Hebrews, ch. ix. ver. 1, 2, 3, &c.
The Sacraments of the New Law. These have infinitely the Preference before those of the Old Law. St. Paul says, those of the Jews were weak and beggarly Elements, which of themselves had no Grace or Efficacy: Infirma & egena elementa. And that the Priesthood and Ceremonies of the Law were abrogated and annulled, because of their Weakness and Insufficiency: For there is verily a Disannulling of the Commandment going before, for the Weakness and Unprofitableness thereof. For the Law made nothing perfect; but the bringing in of a better Hope did, by the which we draw nigh unto God. But those of the New Law are much fewer in Number, are much more excellent, and much easier to put in practice, than those of the Law of Moses. Sacramentis Aug. Ep. 54. nov. edit. t. 2. p. 124. a.numero paucissimis observatione facillimis, significatione præstantissimis, Christus societatem novi populi colligavit. They are more venerable and august in what they represent, more excellent in what they operate, more useful in those supernatural Gifts they procure us, more easy in the Practice. Virtute majora, utilitate meliora, actu faciliora, Aug. l. 19. contra Faust. c. 12. t. 8. p. 320. a.numero pauciora, quàm antiqua.
The Sacraments of the New Law, are visible Signs of an invisible Grace, instituted by Jesus Christ, for the Sanctification of our Souls. They are in Number Seven: 1. Baptism: 2. Confirmation: 3. Penance: 4. The Eucharist: 5. Extreme Unction: 6. Orders: 7. Marriage.
Baptism makes us Christians, and Children of God: It was instituted by Jesus Matthew xxviii. 19.Christ, when he said to his Apostles, Go ye therefore, and teach all Nations, baptising them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. The natural Water, is the Matter of this Sacrament; its Form, are the Words now recited; its Effects, are the Remission of original and actual Sins, and the Christian Badge and Character which it communicates to those who receive it.
Confirmation makes us compleat Christians, and gives us an indelible Character. Its special Effect is, to give us the Spirit of God, and Ability to confess his Name, and to maintain the Truths of our Religion, even to the Peril of our Lives. Jesus Luke xii. 12. John xiv. 17,26. xv. 26,&c. Acts i. 5. Acts ii. 2,4. Acts viii. 15.Christ had promised to send his Holy Ghost to his Disciples; and he actually did send him on the Day of Pentecost; and the Apostles communicated him, by the Imposition of Hands, to the Faithful who had received Baptism. The Bishops, who are the Apostles Successors, are the only Ministers of this Sacrament; the Matter of which is, the Imposition of Hands, with the Unction of the holy Chrism; and the Form is, the Words pronounced by the Bishop in performing this Ceremony.
Mat. xvi. 19. & xviii. 18.Penance is instituted by Jesus Christ, for the Remission of Sins committed after Baptism: Our Saviour instituted it, when he Gal. iv. 9. Hebr. vii. 18, 19.gave the Apostles the Power of Binding and Loosing. The Sins to be remitted, are the Object of this Sacrament: The Acts of the Penitent, that is, Contrition, Confession, and Satisfaction, are its essential Parts; Absolution given by the Priest, is, as it were, the Completion of it.
Mark vi. 13. James v. 13,14,15.The Eucharist, is the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, which are represented under the Appearances of Bread and Wine. Our Saviour instituted it at his Last Supper, which he eat with his Apostles the Evening before his Passion, when, taking Bread, he said, Take and eat, this is my Body: And taking the Cup, he said, Take and drink, this is my Blood.
Mat. xxvii. 26,27,28. Luke xxii. 17, 18. Mark xiv. 22,23,&c.Extreme Unction, is a Sacrament instituted by God, for the Consolation of the Sick, both spiritual and corporal. It gives them Strength against the Temptations of the Devil, and against the Terrors of Death. It purges away the Remains of Sin, and even Sins themselves, if there still remain any to be expiated; and it restores Health to the Sick, if that be necessary for their Salvation. St. Mark says, that the Apostles being sent to preach the Gospel in the Cities of Judea, anointed with Oil many that were sick, and healed them. And St. James says, Is any sick among you? let him call for the Elders of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with Oil in the Name of the Lord: And the Prayer of Faith shall save the Sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed Sins, they shall be forgiven him.
Orders, are a Sacrament established by Jesus Christ, to consecrate Ministers for the Use of his Church, and to give them the Power of administring the Sacraments, and to perform the other Duties of their Function. There are several Degrees of Orders, as there are several Functions in the Ministry of the Church; but there is but one only Sacrament of Orders, or Ordination, in which the Bishops, the Priests, the Deacons, the Subdeacons, and the inferior Orders partake, every one in his Manner. Besides the Sanctifying Grace that this Sacrament confers, it communicates a Character also, that for ever remains indelible. The ordinary Minister for Ordination, is the Bishop alone, who, by divine Right, is superior to the Priests. Jesus Christ instituted this Sacrament, when breathing upon his Apostles, he said to them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost. John xx. 21, 22.Whose-soever Sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose-soever Sins ye retain, they are retained.
Marriage, is a Sacrament instituted by Jesus Christ, to unite together a Man and his Wife by indissoluble Bands; that becoming but one Flesh, they may procreate and bring up Children in the Fear of the John ii. 1, 2.Lord. Jesus Christ sanctified Marriage, by his own Presence at the Wedding of Cana. He has established the Indissolubility of it, by revoking the Law of Divorce, and allowing Matth. v. 31, 32.it only in the single Case of Adultery; and besides, not permitting the Parties so separated to marry again. Lastly, The Apostle has taught us, That the Marriage of Christians was a great Sacrament, or a great Mystery, because it represents the Union of Jesus Christ with his Church: Ephes. v. 32.This is a great Mystery: But I speak concerning Christ and the Church.
The Reader may see what we have said upon each Sacrament, in their proper Articles.