Chapter IX: Of the Sacraments of the Church

Difference between a Sacrament and a Mystery--Distinction of Sacraments --Of Matrimony--Of the Ring--Of Second Marriages--Why Sacraments were Instituted.

1. With respect to the sacraments of the Church, it is to be noted that, according to Gregory, there is a _sacrament_ in any celebration when an outward act is so performed as that we receive inwardly some degree of the thing signified; the which is to be received holily and worthily. Also a _mystery_ is that which the Holy Ghost worketh secretly, and invisibly, so as to sanctify by His operation, and bless by His sanctification. A mystery is said to exist in sacraments; a ministry only in ornaments.

2. But, according to Augustine, a sacrament is a visible sign of an invisible grace. Again, a sacrifice is visible; a sacrament invisible. Again, the same sign is a thing which bringeth under cognisance some thing different from itself over and above the outward appearance which it presenteth to the senses.

3. A sacrament is said also to be a sign of a sacred thing, or a sacred concealment of a thing. Of this we shall further speak in the fourth book, under the seventh part of the Canon of the Mass, upon the word 'the mystery of faith,' and under the head of the Oblation. [Footnote 544]

[Footnote 544: The seventh part of the Canon of the Mass is,
'Likewise after supper He took the cup into His holy and venerated
hands; and when He had given thanks, He blessed it and gave it to
His disciples, saying, Take and drink ye all of this; for this is
the chalice of My blood, of the New and Everlasting Testament, the
_mystery of faith_, which is shed for you and for many for the
remission of sins: Do this as oft as ye shall drink it in
remembrance of me.'--See _Rationale_ iv. 42, 20.]

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4. Some of the sacraments be of necessity only; some of dignity and necessity; some of order and necessity; some of dignity and choice; and some of choice only. The sacrament of necessity only is baptism, which when administered by anyone, so it be in the form of the Church, in the greatest extremity profiteth unto salvation. And it is said to be 'of necessity,' because without it no one can be saved, if it be neglected through contempt. Of this sacrament we shall speak in the sixth book, under the head of Holy Saturday. [Footnote 545] The sacrament of dignity and necessity is confirmation: of dignity, because it is conferred by the bishop alone; of necessity, because he who neglecteth it through contempt of it, cannot be saved. Of this also we shall speak under the head just specified.

[Footnote 545: The chapter referred to treats of holy baptism
doctrinally, and does not therefore fall within the province of this
volume.]

5. The sacraments of order and dignity are Penance, the Eucharist, and Extreme Unction. Of order; because they ought only to be administered by such as are rightly ordained according to the Church's power of the keys; except in necessity, in which one may _confess_ even unto a layman: of necessity; since such as neglect them through contempt of them cannot be saved. About penance, see the sixth book, upon the fifth day of Holy Week, the _Caena Domini_: [Footnote 546] about the Eucharist, we shall speak in the fourth book, upon the Canon; [Footnote 547] about Extreme Unction we have spoken in the preceding chapter.

[Footnote 546: What we call _Maunday Thursday_, from _Mandatum
novum_ ('A new commandment I give unto you,' etc.), which the Church
of England retains as a Lesson for the day, is more properly called
_The Caena Domini_, or _Lord's Supper_, in remembrance (as Bishop
Andrewes says) _of the mighty mystery of Thy holy body and precious
blood, instituted on the evening of this day_.--See S. Isidore, _De
Offic. Eccles._ i, 28. The chapter referred to (73 of the sixth
book), shows that penitents were restored to communion on this day,
and with what ceremonies.]

[Footnote 547: These, besides their great length, are not required
for the explication of our more immediate subject.]

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6. But the sacrament of dignity and choice is Orders: of dignity; because conferred by bishops alone, and because no one is admitted thereunto save a worthy person and in a worthy way: of choice; because anyone may be saved without it. Of this we shall speak in the preface to the second book. [Footnote 548]

[Footnote 548: These, besides their great length, are not required
for the explication of our more immediate subject.]

7. The sacrament of choice only is matrimony; and it is said to be of choice, because anyone may be saved without it. Indeed a man seeking to marry is not inclined to tend towards the kingdom of heaven.

With respect to this it is to be remarked that, according to the canons, the solemnity of marriage ought not to be celebrated from Septuagesima Sunday, because it is a season of sorrow, until the octave of Easter, nor in the three weeks before the Feast of S. John. [Footnote 549] But according to the custom of the Catholic Church, marriages may be solemnised in the church from the morrow of Low Sunday, namely, from the octave of Easter, until the first Rogation Day. And from the morning of the first Rogation Day this rite is prohibited until the octave of Whitsuntide inclusively: and so saith Pope Clement in his Decretal. Again, marriages ought not to be celebrated {155} from the First Sunday in Advent until the Epiphany: nor would they have been allowed until the octave of the Epiphany had not the Lord honoured a marriage with His presence, and even with a miracle. [Footnote 550] Whence they then chant, 'To-day the Church is united to her Heavenly Spouse.' Some, however, say that it is more holy to extend this prohibition unto the octave of the Epiphany.

[Footnote 549: Bp. Cosins says that marriages are not to be
solemnised from Advent Sunday, until eight days after (or the octave
of) the Epiphany; from Septuagesima Sunday until eight days after
Easter; and from Rogation Sunday until Trinity Sunday. Some of these
being times of solemn fasting and abstinence, some of holy festivity
and joy, both fit to be spent in such holy exercises, without other
avocations. See his 'Devotions,' republished by Messrs Rivington.]

[Footnote 550: We are accustomed to celebrate only the manifestation
of Christ to the Gentiles, on the Epiphany. But S. Isidore (_De Off.
Ecc._ i, 26) gives two other objects of commemoration upon this day:
viz. the baptism of our Lord, and his first miracle at the marriage
in Cana. And so the hymn in the Breviary:

Ibant Magi, quam viderant,
Lumen requirunt lumine,
Lavacra puri gurgitis
Peccata quae non detulit,
Novum genus potentiae!
Vinumque jussa fundere
Stellam sequentes praeviam;
Deum fatentur munere.
Caelestis Agnus attigit;
Nos abluendo sustulit.
Aquae rubescunt hydriae,
Nutavit unda originem.

Our own Church, however, retains the old Gospel for the second
Sunday after the Epiphany.]

In the aforesaid times, therefore, marriages are not to be contracted; because these seasons are set apart for prayer.

8. [Footnote 551] But although the solemnising of marriages is prohibited in these intervals, yet a contract of marriage holds good at whatever time it may have been duly made. But in that it is ordered by the canons that weddings should not be celebrated in the three weeks before the Festival of S. John Baptist, the rule was made that men might be more at leisure for prayer. For the Church had formerly appointed two periods of forty days, besides the great one of Lent:--the one preceding the nativity, usually called S. Martin's, and lasting from his day to the nativity; [Footnote 552] the other, forty days before the Feast of S. John Baptist:--in which men should give especial heed unto prayers, alms, and fastings. But in regard of the frailty of man, these two seasons have been reduced to one, and that one again divided into the three weeks of advent, and three before the nativity of S. John: at which times men ought to fast and abstain from marriage.

[Footnote 551: A few passages have been omitted in the course of
this chapter.]

[Footnote 552: Martinmas is the 11th November. The forty days are
not exactly made out between this and the Nativity. ]

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9. According to S. Isidore (of Seville), women wear veils, when they are married, so that they may know that they must always be subject to their husbands: and because Rebecca, when she saw Isaac, veiled herself. The same saith also that married persons after the benediction are coupled by a fillet, to show that they must not break the tie, that is the fidelity, of conjugal unity. And the same fillet is both white and purple mixed; because the white signifieth purity of life, and purple their lawful raising of offspring: so that by this symbol, their continuance and mutual 'defrauding one another for a time is signified, as well as their coming together again' [Footnote 553] and return afterwards to conjugal duties.

[Footnote 553: See S. Paul I Corinthians vii, 5. The whole of this
passage is quoted from S. Isidore, who is, however, more
circumstantial than Durandus, and much more elegant and intelligible
in his language. The extreme corruption of the printed copies of our
author may be exemplified by referring the reader to the original in
S. Isidore.--_De Off. Eccles._ ii, 19. See also Hugo de S. Victore,
_Exercit. Theol. Summ. Sent._, Tract vii.]

10. Also in that at the beginning of the ceremony the husband giveth a ring to the bride, this is done as a sign of mutual love, or rather in order that their hearts may be united by the same pledge. And the same ring is put on the fourth finger, because (as some say) a certain vein runneth through it which reacheth to the heart. Also one Protheus is said to have first made a ring of iron as a pledge of love, and to have enclosed an adamant therein: and from this he founded the custom of betrothing brides, because as iron subdueth all things, so doth love conquer all things, since nothing is more violent than its ardour.

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11. And as an adamant cannot be broken, so love cannot be overcome: for love is as strong as death. Therefore also he founded the custom of putting the ring on the ring-finger through which a vein passeth to the heart. Afterwards, however, golden rings were substituted for iron, and were set with gems, instead of adamant, because as gold excelleth other metals, so doth love excel all other blessings. And as gold is set off by the gems, so is conjugal love by other virtues. But the word _nuptials_ (marriage) is so called according to Ambrose, a _nubendo_ (from covering the head). For brides are wont to veil the head and abstain from speaking. Whence also Rebecca, when she saw Isaac to whom she was about to be espoused, began to veil her face. For bashfulness ought to precede marriage, inasmuch as bashfulness more highly commendeth wedlock itself: and the bride should appear rather to be sought by the husband, than herself to have sought after him. . . .

12. We have further to note that a threefold spiritual sacrament is signified by the consummation of marriage. The first sacrament is the spiritual union of the soul to God, through faith, love, and charity; or the union of will, namely charity which consisteth in the spirit, between God and a just soul. Whence saith the Apostle, 'but he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.' [Footnote 554] This sacrament is signified by the union of soul which takes place at the first betrothal in carnal matrimony. The second is the union of the human nature with the divine, which took place in the incarnation of the Word of God; or the conformity of nature, which existeth in the flesh, between Christ and His Holy Church. To which that saying referreth, 'The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.' [Footnote 555] The third sacrament is the unity of the Church, gathered out of all nations and subjected to one spouse, namely Christ. This sacrament is typified in the case of such as, having had one wife and her a virgin, have afterwards been admitted into holy orders.

[Footnote 554: I Corinthians vi, 17.]

[Footnote 555: S. John i, 14.]

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13. But when anyone yieldeth to a second marriage, he giveth up this unity, and the signification of this third sacrament does not hold in his case: wherefore marriage should not advance beyond _one_, because such advance cannot signify unity. Besides, by a second marriage he departeth from the union of his former marriage: but the Church ever since she hath united herself to Christ, hath never departed from Him, neither hath Christ ever departed from her. Wherefore one who hath twice married cannot signify such an unity. Whence also deservedly from the defect of this sacramental signification marriage cannot be repeated.

14. Note also this, that according to the statute of the Council of Carthage the bridegroom and bride are to be presented by the parents or bridesmen unto the priest in order to be blessed. And having received the blessing, out of reverence to it, they do not consummate the marriage till the next day.

15. Again by the appointment of Pope Evaristus marriages are to be blessed by the priest not without prayers and offerings. However, a man and woman who contract a second marriage must not be blessed by the priest, since, they having been already blessed, the ceremony may not be repeated. Nor ought marriages to be blessed unless both parties are still unmarried, for the reason given in the preface to the second book. [Footnote 556]

[Footnote 556: It is laid down that a _widow_ on taking the vows is
not veiled by the bishop, as is the case with a virgin. 'A priest,'
Durandus continues, 'is prohibited from taking a part in second
marriages and from giving the benediction to such as are twice
married. But a widow taking the vows is married as it were twice,
first to her late husband, and secondly unto Christ in her
profession, wherefore the veil of consecration, or even of
profession, is not given unto her, but she herself takes it from the
altar. . . . Yet in the Pontifical, according to the Roman Order, we
find the benediction of a widow professing continence, and also of
her veil. For the Lord also comforted the widow of Serepta by the
hand of Elias the prophet. And I have myself seen in the city (Rome,
of course) the [Cardinal] Bishop of Ostia bless two widows among the
virgins who took the vows' (Proem. II, c. 47).]

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And any priest who shall have given the blessing in such a second marriage is to be suspended from his office and benefice and to be sent to the apostolical see; a custom this, introduced as an incitement to continence. According to the custom of some places, if anyone contracts a second marriage with an unmarried woman the benediction is repeated: but this does not avail unless our Lord the Pope know of it and approve it. Some also say that if any unmarried persons were not blessed when they contracted marriages, they may when marrying a second time receive the benediction; but if they were blessed at first, it cannot be repeated at a second marriage even though the first were never consummated. Of the benediction of virgins we shall speak in the preface and the second book. [Footnote 557]

[Footnote 557: See chap. viii, note 57.]

16. But it is to be noted that one sacrament may be more worthy than another in four ways: namely, in efficacy, as baptism; in sanctity, as the eucharist; in significancy, as marriage (though some do not admit this way); in the dignity of the administrator, as confirmation and orders.

17. But is it asked why sacraments are appointed, when without them God could have given eternal life and His Grace unto mankind? I answer, for three reasons. First, for our humiliation; in order that when man reverently humbleth himself by the command of God unto insensible and inferior things, he may from this obedience become more acceptable unto Him. Secondly, for our instruction; that by that which is seen objectively in a visible form, our mind may be instructed in that invisible virtue, which is to be perceived within. {160} Thirdly, for our exercising: in order that, since man ought not to be idle, there may be set before him a useful and healthy exercise in the sacraments; so that he may avoid vain and hurtful occupation. According to that saying, 'Always be doing some good work, that the devil may find you occupied.' Wherefore, as we said in the foregoing chapter, they must never be neglected.

END OF THE FIRST BOOK

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