A Source Book for Ancient Church History - Mirrors

§ 83. Augustine and the Donatist Schism 493separated from the kingdom of God are not shared by us.(d) Augustine, Ep. 98, ad Bonifatium. (MSL, 33:363.)Relation of the sacrament to that of which it is the sign.Sacraments are effective if no hinderance is placed to theirworking.On Easter Sunday we say, “This day the Lord rose from thedead,” although so many years have passed since His resurrection.…The event itself being said to take place on that day,because, although it really took place long before, it is on thatday sacramentally celebrated. Was not Christ once for all offeredup in His own person as a sacrifice? And yet, is He not likewiseoffered up in the sacrament as a sacrifice, not only in the specialsolemnities of Easter, but also daily among our congregations; sothat when a man is questioned and answers that He is offered asa sacrifice in that ordinance, does he not declare what is strictlytrue? For if sacraments had not some points of real resemblanceto the things of which they are the sacraments, they would not besacraments at all. [Augustine's general definition of a sacrament [450]is that it is a sign of a sacred thing.] In most cases, moreover, theydo, in virtue of this likeness, bear the names of the realities whichthey resemble. As therefore in a certain manner the sacramentof the body of Christ is the body of Christ, the sacrament ofthe blood of Christ is the blood of Christ, so the sacrament offaith is faith.… Now, believing is nothing else than having faith;and accordingly, when on behalf of an infant as yet incapable ofexercising faith, the answer is given that he believes, this answermeans that he has faith because of the sacrament of faith, and inlike manner the answer is made that he turns himself toward Godbecause of the sacrament of conversion, since the answer itselfbelongs to the celebration of the sacrament. Thus the Apostlesays, in regard to this sacrament of baptism: “We are buried