Page:Readings in European History Vol 1.djvu/385

 The Medieval Church at its Height 349 There are seven sacraments under the new law: that is to say, baptism, confirmation, the mass, penance, extreme unction, ordination, and matrimony. These differ essen- tially from the sacraments of the old law ; for the latter do not confer grace, but only typify that grace which can be given by the passion of Christ alone. But these our sacra- ments both contain grace and confer it upon all who receive them worthily. The first five sacraments are intended to secure the spir- itual perfection of every man individually ; the two last are ordained for the governance and increase of the Church. For through baptism we are born again of the spirit ; through confirmation we grow in grace and are strengthened in the faith ; and when we have been born again and strengthened we are fed by the divine food of the mass ; but if, through sin, we bring sickness upon our souls, we are made spiritually whole by penance ; and by extreme unction we are healed, both spiritually and corporeally, according as our souls have need ; by ordination the Church is governed and multiplied spiritually ; by matrimony it is materially increased. To effect these sacraments three things are necessary: the things [or symbols], that is, the " material "; the words, that is, the " form " ; and the person of the " ministrant," who administers the sacrament with the intention of carry- ing out what the Church effects through him. If any of these things be lacking, the sacrament is not accomplished. Three of these sacraments baptism, confirmation, and The indelible ordination impress indelibly upon the soul a character, a characters- certain spiritual sign, distinct from all others ; so they are not repeated for the same person. The other four do not imprint a character upon the soul, and admit of repetition. Holy baptism holds the first place among all the sacra- Baptism, ments because it is the gate of spiritual life ; for by it we are made members of Christ and of the body of the Church. Since through the first man death entered into the world, unless we are born again of water, and of the spirit, we cannot, so saith Truth, enter into the kingdom of heaven. The material of this sacrament is water, real and natural