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Objection 1: It seems that fearlessness is not a sin. For that
which is reckoned to the praise of a just man is not a sin. Now it is
written in praise of the just man (Prov. 28:1): "The just,
bold as a lion, shall be without dread." Therefore it is not a sin
to be without fear.
Objection 2: Further, nothing is so fearful as death, according to
the Philosopher (Ethic. iii, 6). Yet one ought not to fear even
death, according to Mt. 10:28, "Fear ye not them that kill
the body," etc., nor anything that can be inflicted by man,
according to Is. 51:12, "Who art thou, that thou shouldst be
afraid of a mortal man?" Therefore it is not a sin to be fearless.
Objection 3: Further, fear is born of love, as stated above
(Question 125, Article 2). Now it belongs to the perfection
of virtue to love nothing earthly, since according to Augustine (De
Civ. Dei xiv), "the love of God to the abasement of self makes us
citizens of the heavenly city." Therefore it is seemingly not a sin
to fear nothing earthly.
On the contrary, It is said of the unjust judge (Lk. 18:2)
that "he feared not God nor regarded man."
I answer that, Since fear is born of love, we must seemingly judge
alike of love and fear. Now it is here a question of that fear whereby
one dreads temporal evils, and which results from the love of temporal
goods. And every man has it instilled in him by nature to love his own
life and whatever is directed thereto; and to do so in due measure,
that is, to love these things not as placing his end therein, but as
things to be used for the sake of his last end. Hence it is contrary
to the natural inclination, and therefore a sin, to fall short of
loving them in due measure. Nevertheless, one never lapses entirely
from this love: since what is natural cannot be wholly lost: for which
reason the Apostle says (Eph. 5:29): "No man ever hated his
own flesh." Wherefore even those that slay themselves do so from love
of their own flesh, which they desire to free from present stress.
Hence it may happen that a man fears death and other temporal evils
less than he ought, for the reason that he loves them less than he
ought. But that he fear none of these things cannot result from an
entire lack of love, but only from the fact that he thinks it
impossible for him to be afflicted by the evils contrary to the goods he
loves. This is sometimes the result of pride of soul presuming on self
and despising others, according to the saying of Job
41:24,25: "He was made to fear no one, he beholdeth every
high thing": and sometimes it happens through a defect in the reason;
thus the Philosopher says (Ethic. iii, 7) that the "Celts,
through lack of intelligence, fear nothing." It is therefore evident
that fearlessness is a vice, whether it result from lack of love,
pride of soul, or dullness of understanding: yet the latter is excused
from sin if it be invincible.
Reply to Objection 1: The just man is praised for being without
fear that withdraws him from good; not that he is altogether fearless,
for it is written (Ecclus. 1:28): "He that is without fear
cannot be justified."
Reply to Objection 2: Death and whatever else can be inflicted by
mortal man are not to be feared so that they make us forsake justice:
but they are to be feared as hindering man in acts of virtue, either as
regards himself, or as regards the progress he may cause in others.
Hence it is written (Prov. 14:16): "A wise man feareth and
declineth from evil."
Reply to Objection 3: Temporal goods are to be despised as
hindering us from loving and serving God, and on the same score they
are not to be feared; wherefore it is written (Ecclus.
34:16): "He that feareth the Lord shall tremble at nothing."
But temporal goods are not to be despised, in so far as they are
helping us instrumentally to attain those things that pertain to Divine
fear and love.
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