[De articulis fidei]

definition of a sacrament

a sacrament is a holy secret, or a sign of a holy thing. There were, however, in the Old Law certain sacraments, that is, signs of a holy thing, such as the paschal lamb and other legal sacraments, which indeed only signified the grace of Christ, they did not cause it. Whence the Apostle to the Galatians 4 calls them "beggarly and weak elements." Beggarly, indeed, because they did not contain grace. Weak, because they could not offer grace. The sacraments of the New Law, however, contain and confer grace. For in them is the power of Christ, which under the covering of visible things operates salvation more secretly, as Augustine says. And therefore, a sacrament of the New Law is a visible form of invisible grace, so that it bears an image and exists as a cause. Just as the washing, which is done in the water of baptism, represents the internal purification which occurs from sins by the power of baptism. There are, however, seven sacraments of the New Law, namely: baptism, confirmation, eucharist, penance, extreme unction, order, and matrimony. Of these, the first five are ordered toward the perfection of one man in himself. The other two, however, are ordered toward the perfection and multiplication of the whole Church. For spiritual life is conformed to bodily life. In bodily life, however, man is perfected: First, indeed, by generation, by which he is born into this world. Second, by growth, by which he is brought to mature size and strength. Third, by food, by which a man's life and strength are sustained. And these would suffice if it never happened that he became infirm. But because man is frequently infirm, fourth, he requires healing. Thus it is in spiritual life. First, indeed, man requires regeneration, which is done by baptism according to that: John 3, "Unless one is re-"