The-papacy-its-history-dogmas-genius-and-prospects-wylie

—296 THE SACRAMENTS." A thing subject to the senses, which, in virtue of the divineinstitution, possesses the power of signifying holiness andrighteousness, and of imparting these qualities to the receiver.""*There was considerable difference of opinion inthe Council of Trent as to the way in which grace is convevedalonsr with the sacraments ;but the fathers were unanimousin holding that it is so conveyed, and in condemningthe reformers, who denied the power of thesacraments toconfer grace. Accordingly, in their decree they speak of" the holy sacraments of the Church, by which all true righteousnessis first imparted, then increased, and afterwardsrestored if "lost."'*'-f' The Catholic doctrine," says Dens, " is,that the sacraments of the new law contain grace, and conferit ex opere operato.''''^. And in this he is borne out by theCouncil of Trent, who declare, " If any one shall say thatthese sacraments of the new law cannot confer grace by theirown power [ex opere operafo], but that faith alone in the divinepromise suffices to obtain grace, let him be accursed.""§Three of these sacraments,—baptism, confirmation, and orders,—conferan indelible impression, and therefore they arenot, and cannot be, repeated. As to the seat of this indeliblestamp or impression, the Romish divines are not agreed, ||some fixing on the mind, others on the will, while a thirdparty make this wondrous virtue to reside in the hands andthe tongue ;which gave occasion to Calvin to say, that " thematter resembled more the incantations of the magician than• Catechismus Romanus, :— pars ii. cap. i. s. ix. p. 114. Delahogue thusdefines a sacrament " Signum sensibile a Deo permanenter institutum,et aliciijus sanctitatis seu justitia; operativum." (Delahogue, Tractatusde Sacramentis in genere, p. 2 ; Dublin, 1828.)+ Concil. Trid. sess. vii.,—Dec. de Sacramentis.t Theol. ]\Ior. et Dog. Petri Dens, torn. v. p. 90.§ Concil. Trid. sess. vii. can. viii.IIFrom a recent barbarity, we should infer that modern Romanists placethe seat of this impression in the finger points. Ugo Bassi, the chaplainof Garibaldi, had the skin peeled oiF the tips of his fingers before beingshot.