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Objection 1: It would seem that the Old Law should not have
induced men to the observance of its precepts, by means of temporal
promises and threats. For the purpose of the Divine law is to subject
man to God by fear and love: hence it is written (Dt.
10:12): "And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God
require of thee, but that thou fear the Lord thy God, and walk in
His ways, and love Him?" But the desire for temporal goods leads
man away from God: for Augustine says (Qq. lxxxiii, qu. 36),
that "covetousness is the bane of charity." Therefore temporal
promises and threats seem to be contrary to the intention of a
lawgiver: and this makes a law worthy of rejection, as the
Philosopher declares (Polit. ii, 6).
Objection 2: Further, the Divine law is more excellent than human
law. Now, in sciences, we notice that the loftier the science, the
higher the means of persuasion that it employs. Therefore, since
human law employs temporal threats and promises, as means of persuading
man, the Divine law should have used, not these, but more lofty
means.
Objection 3: Further, the reward of righteousness and the
punishment of guilt cannot be that which befalls equally the good and
the wicked. But as stated in Eccles. 9:2, "all" temporal
"things equally happen to the just and to the wicked, to the good and
the evil, to the clean and to the unclean, to him that offereth
victims, and to him that despiseth sacrifices." Therefore temporal
goods or evils are not suitably set forth as punishments or rewards of
the commandments of the Divine law.
On the contrary, It is written (Is. 1:19,20): "If you
be willing, and will hearken to Me, you shall eat the good things of
the land. But if you will not, and will provoke Me to wrath: the
sword shall devour you."
I answer that, As in speculative sciences men are persuaded to assent
to the conclusions by means of syllogistic arguments, so too in every
law, men are persuaded to observe its precepts by means of punishments
and rewards. Now it is to be observed that, in speculative sciences,
the means of persuasion are adapted to the conditions of the pupil:
wherefore the process of argument in sciences should be ordered
becomingly, so that the instruction is based on principles more
generally known. And thus also he who would persuade a man to the
observance of any precepts, needs to move him at first by things for
which he has an affection; just as children are induced to do
something, by means of little childish gifts. Now it has been said
above (Question 98, Articles 1,2,3) that the Old Law
disposed men to (the coming of) Christ, as the imperfect in
comparison disposes to the perfect, wherefore it was given to a people
as yet imperfect in comparison to the perfection which was to result
from Christ's coming: and for this reason, that people is compared
to a child that is still under a pedagogue (Gal. 3:24). But
the perfection of man consists in his despising temporal things and
cleaving to things spiritual, as is clear from the words of the
Apostle (Phil. 3:13,15): "Forgetting the things that are
behind, I stretch forth myself to those that are before . . . Let
us therefore, as many as are perfect, be thus minded." Those who
are yet imperfect desire temporal goods, albeit in subordination to
God: whereas the perverse place their end in temporalities. It was
therefore fitting that the Old Law should conduct men to God by means
of temporal goods for which the imperfect have an affection.
Reply to Objection 1: Covetousness whereby man places his end in
temporalities, is the bane of charity. But the attainment of temporal
goods which man desires in subordination to God is a road leading the
imperfect to the love of God, according to Ps. 48:19: "He
will praise Thee, when Thou shalt do well to him."
Reply to Objection 2: Human law persuades men by means of temporal
rewards or punishments to be inflicted by men: whereas the Divine law
persuades men by meas of rewards or punishments to be received from
God. In this respect it employs higher means.
Reply to Objection 3: As any one can see, who reads carefully the
story of the Old Testament, the common weal of the people prospered
under the Law as long as they obeyed it; and as soon as they departed
from the precepts of the Law they were overtaken by many calamities.
But certain individuals, although they observed the justice of the
Law, met with misfortunes---either because they had already become
spiritual (so that misfortune might withdraw them all the more from
attachment to temporal things, and that their virtue might be
tried)---or because, while outwardly fulfilling the works of the
Law, their heart was altogether fixed on temporal goods, and far
removed from God, according to Is. 29:13 (Mt. 15:8):
"This people honoreth Me with their lips; but their hearts is far
from Me."
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