Chapter III.
On the Number and Distinction of the Sacraments.
Concerning the distinction and number of the Sacraments of the new law, this must be held: that they are seven, in correspondence with the sevenfold grace, which through the sevenfold course of time leads us back to the beginning, the rest, and the circle of eternity, as to the octave of the universal resurrection.
The door of these Sacraments is baptism, then confirmation, the Eucharist, penance, extreme unction, holy orders, and matrimony, which, although it is placed last on account of the disease of concupiscence attached to it, was nevertheless introduced before all others in paradise, even before sin.
The reason for understanding the foregoing is this: because our restorative principle, Christ the Lord, the incarnate Word, since He is the power and wisdom of God and our mercy, must so powerfully, so wisely, so mercifully, so fittingly institute His Sacraments in the law of grace that nothing whatsoever is lacking for our healing, insofar as befits the state of the present life. For the perfect healing of sickness, these three things concur, namely: the expulsion of the sickness, the introduction of health, and the preservation of the health that has been introduced . - First, therefore, since for perfect healing a perfect and universal expulsion of the disease is required, and the disease is sevenfold—threefold as to guilt, namely original sin, mortal sins, and venial sin; and fourfold as to penalty, namely ignorance, malice, weakness, and concupiscence—and "what heals the eye does not heal the heel," as Jerome says: hence it was necessary that a sevenfold remedy be applied against these to expel more fully this sevenfold disease, namely, against original sin, baptism; against mortal sin, penance; against venial sin, extreme unction; against ignorance, holy orders; against malice, the Eucharist; against weakness, confirmation; and against concupiscence, matrimony, which tempers and excuses it.
Again, because perfect healing cannot exist without the restoration of complete health, and the complete health of the soul consists in the exercise of seven virtues, namely the three theological and the four cardinal: hence it was necessary that a sevenfold Sacrament be instituted to restore the sound exercise of these. For baptism by healing disposes toward faith, confirmation toward hope, the Eucharist toward charity, penance toward justice, extreme unction toward perseverance, which is the complement and summit of fortitude, holy orders toward prudence, and matrimony toward preserving temperance, which the weakness of the flesh most greatly assails, but the dignity of marriage remedies.
Finally, since there can be no perfect cure without the conservation of the health that has been introduced; and the health that has been introduced cannot be conserved in the conflict of battle except in the battle-line of the Church, which is terrible as an army set in array; and this indeed comes about through the armor of sevenfold grace: hence it is that the Sacraments must be seven. For in order that this battle-line be perfectly and continuously fortified: since it consists of corruptible parts, it needs Sacraments that fortify, that raise up, and that renew: that fortify those who fight, that raise up those who fall, and that renew those who die. Now the Sacrament that fortifies either fortifies those entering, and thus it is baptism: or those standing firm, and thus it is confirmation: or those departing, and thus it is extreme unction. - The Sacrament that raises up either raises up from a venial fall, and thus it is the Eucharist: or from a mortal fall, and thus it is penance.
The Sacrament that renews either renews in spiritual being, and thus it is orders, whose function is to administer the Sacraments: or in natural being, and thus it is matrimony, which, because it renews the multitude in the being of nature, which is the foundation of all, was therefore first introduced before all others: although, on account of the disease of concupiscence attached to it, and because it is the least sanctifying, even though in signification it is a great Sacrament, it is placed last among the spiritual remedies and assigned the final place. Whence, since baptism is for those entering, confirmation for those fighting, the Eucharist for those recovering strength, penance for those rising again, extreme unction for those departing, orders for those introducing new soldiers, and matrimony for those preparing new soldiers; the sufficiency and order of the sacramental remedies and arms is evident from these.