e. And
if anyone presume to do otherwise, it must be considered null and
void; nor will such a thing ever be counted among the sacraments of
the Church." Therefore it is essential to this sacrament, which is
called "the sacrament of the imposition of the hand," that it be
given by a bishop.

_I answer that,_ In every work the final completion is reserved to
the supreme act or power; thus the preparation of the matter belongs
to the lower craftsmen, the higher gives the form, but the highest of
all is he to whom pertains the use, which is the end of things made
by art; thus also the letter which is written by the clerk, is signed
by his employer. Now the faithful of Christ are a Divine work,
according to 1 Cor. 3:9: "You are God's building"; and they are also
"an epistle," as it were, "written with the Spirit of God," according
to 2 Cor. 3:2, 3. And this sacrament of Confirmation is, as it were,
the final completion of the sacrament of Baptism; in the sense that
by Baptism man is built up into a spiritual dwelling, and is written
like a spiritual letter; whereas by the sacrament of Confirmation,
like a house already built, he is consecrated as a temple of the Holy
Ghost, and as a letter already written, is signed with the sign of
the cross. Therefore the conferring of this sacrament is reserved to
bishops, who possess supreme power in the Church: just as in the
primitive Church, the fulness of the Holy Ghost was given by the
apostles, in whose place the bishops stand (Acts 8). Hence Pope Urban
I says: "All the faithful should, after Baptism, receive the Holy
Ghost by the imposition of the bishop's hand, that they may become
perfect Christians."

Reply Obj. 1: The Pope has the plenitude of power in the Church, in
virtue of which he can commit to certain lower orders things that
belong to the higher orders: thus he allows priests to confer minor
orders, which belong to the episcopal power. And in virtue of this
fulness of power the Pope, Blessed Gregory, allowed simple priests to
confer this sacrament, so long as the scandal was ended.

Reply Obj. 2: The sacrament of Baptism is more efficacious than this
sacrament as to the removal of evil, since it is a spiritual birth,
that consists in change from non-being to being. But this sacrament
is more efficacious for progress in good; since it is a spiritual
growth from imperfect being to perfect being. And hence this
sacrament is committed to a more worthy minister.

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