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.1 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. 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." 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. 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 Cœna Domini: about the Eucharist, we shall speak in the fourth book, upon the Canon; about Extreme Unction we have spoken in the preceding chapter. 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 "The chapter referred to treats of holy baptism doctrinally, and does not therefore fall within the province of this volume. "What we call Maunday Thursday, from Mándatum 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 Cana 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. These, besides their great length, are not required for the explication of our more immediate subject. of choice; because anyOf this we shall speak in person and in a worthy way 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." 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 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. Whence they Ibid. note 4. "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. 7 We nie 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: Stellam sequentes præviam ; Nos abluendo sustulit. Our own Church, however, retains the old Gospel for the second Sunday after the Epiphany. 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. In the aforesaid times, therefore, marriages are not to be contracted; because these seasons are set apart for prayer. 8. 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; 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. 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 "A few passages have been omitted in the course of this chapter. "Martinmas is the 11th November. The forty days are not exactly made out between this and the Nativity. S is signified, as well as their coming together again' 10 and return afterwards to conjugal duties. 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. II. 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. . 10 See S. Paul 1 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 extreine corruption of the printed copies of our author may be exemplified by referring the reader to the original in S. Isidore.—De of. Eccles. ii, 19. See also Hugo de S. Victore, Exercit. Theol. Summ. Sent., Tract vii. |