ent, which is God. In the second way, however, the
interior sacramental effect can be the work of man, in so far as he
works as a minister. For a minister is of the nature of an
instrument, since the action of both is applied to something
extrinsic, while the interior effect is produced through the power of
the principal agent, which is God.

Reply Obj. 1: Cleansing in so far as it is attributed to the
ministers of the Church is not a washing from sin: deacons are said
to "cleanse," inasmuch as they remove the unclean from the body of
the faithful, or prepare them by their pious admonitions for the
reception of the sacraments. In like manner also priests are said to
"enlighten" God's people, not indeed by giving them grace, but by
conferring on them the sacraments of grace; as Dionysius explains
(Coel. Hier. v).

Reply Obj. 2: The prayers which are said in giving the sacraments,
are offered to God, not on the part of the individual, but on the
part of the whole Church, whose prayers are acceptable to God,
according to Matt. 18:19: "If two of you shall consent upon earth,
concerning anything whatsoever they shall ask, it shall be done to
them by My Father." Nor is there any reason why the devotion of a
just man should not contribute to this effect. But that which is the
sacramental effect is not impetrated by the prayer of the Church or
of the minister, but through the merit of Christ's Passion, the power
of which operates in the sacraments, as stated above (Q. 62, A. 5).
Wherefore the sacramental effect is made no better by a better
minister. And yet something in addition may be impetrated for the
receiver of the sacrament through the devotion of the minister: but
this is not the work of the minister, but the work of God Who hears
the minister's prayer.

Reply Obj. 3: Inanimate things do not produce the sacramental effect,
except instrumentally, as stated above. In like manner neither do men
produce the sacramental effect, except ministerially, as also stated
above.
_______________________

SECOND ARTICLE [III, Q. 64, Art. 2]

Whether the Sacraments Are Instituted by God Alone?

Objection 1: It seems that the sacraments are not instituted by God
alone. For those things which God has instituted are delivered to us
in Holy Scripture. But in the sacraments certain things are done
which are nowhere mentioned in Holy Scripture; for instance, the
chrism with which men are confirmed, the oil with which priests are
an