IFTH ARTICLE [III, Q. 60, Art. 5]

Whether Determinate Things Are Required for a Sacrament?

Objection 1: It seems that determinate things are not required for a
sacrament. For sensible things are required in sacraments for the
purpose of signification, as stated above (A. 4). But nothing hinders
the same thing being signified by divers sensible things: thus in
Holy Scripture God is signified metaphorically, sometimes by a stone
(2 Kings 22:2; Zech. 3:9; 1 Cor. 10:4; Apoc. 4:3); sometimes by a
lion (Isa. 31:4; Apoc. 5:5); sometimes by the sun (Isa. 60:19, 20;
Mal. 4:2), or by something similar. Therefore it seems that divers
things can be suitable to the same sacrament. Therefore determinate
things are not required for the sacraments.

Obj. 2: Further, the health of the soul is more necessary than that
of the body. But in bodily medicines, which are ordained to the
health of the body, one thing can be substituted for another which
happens to be wanting. Therefore much more in the sacraments, which
are spiritual remedies ordained to the health of the soul, can one
thing be substituted for another when this happens to be lacking.

Obj. 3: Further, it is not fitting that the salvation of men be
restricted by the Divine Law: still less by the Law of Christ, Who
came to save all. But in the state of the Law of nature determinate
things were not required in the sacraments, but were put to that use
through a vow, as appears from Gen. 28, where Jacob vowed that he
would offer to God tithes and peace-offerings. Therefore it seems
that man should not have been restricted, especially under the New
Law, to the use of any determinate thing in the sacraments.

_On the contrary,_ our Lord said (John 3:5): "Unless a man be born
again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom
of God."

_I answer that,_ In the use of the sacraments two things may be
considered, namely, the worship of God, and the sanctification of
man: the former of which pertains to man as referred to God, and the
latter pertains to God in reference to man. Now it is not for anyone
to determine that which is in the power of another, but only that
which is in his own power. Since, therefore, the sanctification of
man is in the power of God Who sanctifies, it is not for man to
decide what things should be used for his sanctification, but this
should be determined by Divine institution. Therefore in the
sacraments of the New Law, by which man is