of corporeal things the Divine power works our salvation in a hidden manner. But this does not happen in Penance, because therein corporeal things are not employed that, under them, the power of God may work our salvation. Therefore Penance is not a sacrament.
Obj. 2. Further, the sacraments of the Church are shown forth by the ministers of Christ, according to I Cor. iv. I: Let a man so account of us as of the ministers of Christ, and the dispensers of the mysteries of God. But Penance is not conferred by the ministers of Christ, but is inspired inwardly into man by God, according to Jerem. xxxi. 19 : After Thou didst convert me, I did penance. Therefore it seems that Penance is not a sacrament.
Obj. 3. Further, in the sacraments of which we have already spoken above, there is something that is sacrament only, something that is both reality and sacrament, and some- thing that is reality only, as is clear from what has been stated (Q. LXVL, A. I). But this does not apply to Penance. Therefore Penance is not a sacrament. On the contrary, As Baptism is conferred that we may be cleansed from sin, so also is Penance: wherefore Peter said to Simon Magus (Acts viii. 22) : Do penance . . . from this thy wickedness. But Baptism is a sacrament as stated above (Q. LXVL, A. I). Therefore for the same reason Penance is also a sacrament.
I answer that, As Gregory says (loc. cit.), a sacrament consists in a solemn act, whereby something is so done that we understand it to signify the holiness which it confers. Now it is evident that in Penance something is done so that something holy is signified both on the part of the penitent sinner, and on the part of the priest absolving, because the penitent sinner, by deed and word, shows his heart to have renounced sin, and in like manner the priest, by his deed and word with regard to the penitent, signifies the work of God Who forgives his sins. Therefore it is evident that Penance, as practised in the Church, is a sacrament.
Reply Obj. I. By corporeal things taken in a wide sense we may understand also external sensible actions, which
