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Objection 1: It would seem that the Old Law does not comprise
ceremonial, besides moral, precepts. For every law that is given to
man is for the purpose of directing human actions. Now human actions
are called moral, as stated above (Question 1, Article 3).
Therefore it seems that the Old Law given to men should not comprise
other than moral precepts.
Objection 2: Further, those precepts that are styled ceremonial
seem to refer to the Divine worship. But Divine worship is the act
of a virtue, viz. religion, which, as Tully says (De Invent.
ii) "offers worship and ceremony to the Godhead." Since, then,
the moral precepts are about acts of virtue, as stated above (Article
2), it seems that the ceremonial precepts should not be distinct from
the moral.
Objection 3: Further, the ceremonial precepts seem to be those
which signify something figuratively. But, as Augustine observes
(De Doctr. Christ. ii, 3,4), "of all signs employed by men
words hold the first place." Therefore there is no need for the Law
to contain ceremonial precepts about certain figurative actions.
On the contrary, It is written (Dt. 4:13,14): "Ten
words . . . He wrote in two tables of stone; and He commanded me
at that time that I should teach you the ceremonies and judgments which
you shall do." But the ten commandments of the Law are moral
precepts. Therefore besides the moral precepts there are others which
are ceremonial.
I answer that, As stated above (Article 2), the Divine law is
instituted chiefly in order to direct men to God; while human law is
instituted chiefly in order to direct men in relation to one another.
Hence human laws have not concerned themselves with the institution of
anything relating to Divine worship except as affecting the common good
of mankind: and for this reason they have devised many institutions
relating to Divine matters, according as it seemed expedient for the
formation of human morals; as may be seen in the rites of the
Gentiles. On the other hand the Divine law directed men to one
another according to the demands of that order whereby man is directed
to God, which order was the chief aim of that law. Now man is
directed to God not only by the interior acts of the mind, which are
faith, hope, and love, but also by certain external works, whereby
man makes profession of his subjection to God: and it is these works
that are said to belong to the Divine worship. This worship is called
"ceremony" [the munia] of Ceres (who was the goddess of fruits),
as some say: because, at first, offerings were made to God from the
fruits: or because, as Valerius Maximus states [Fact. et Dict.
Memor. i, 1], the word "ceremony" was introduced among the
Latins, to signify the Divine worship, being derived from a town
near Rome called "Caere": since, when Rome was taken by the
Gauls, the sacred chattels of the Romans were taken thither and most
carefully preserved. Accordingly those precepts of the Law which
refer to the Divine worship are specially called ceremonial.
Reply to Objection 1: Human acts extend also to the Divine
worship: and therefore the Old Law given to man contains precepts
about these matters also.
Reply to Objection 2: As stated above (Question 91, Article
3), the precepts of the natural law are general, and require to be
determined: and they are determined both by human law and by Divine
law. And just as these very determinations which are made by human law
are said to be, not of natural, but of positive law; so the
determinations of the precepts of the natural law, effected by the
Divine law, are distinct from the moral precepts which belong to the
natural law. Wherefore to worship God, since it is an act of
virtue, belongs to a moral precept; but the determination of this
precept, namely that He is to be worshipped by such and such
sacrifices, and such and such offerings, belongs to the ceremonial
precepts. Consequently the ceremonial precepts are distinct from the
moral precepts.
Reply to Objection 3: As Dionysius says (Coel. Hier. i),
the things of God cannot be manifested to men except by means of
sensible similitudes. Now these similitudes move the soul more when
they are not only expressed in words, but also offered to the senses.
Wherefore the things of God are set forth in the Scriptures not only
by similitudes expressed in words, as in the case of metaphorical
expressions; but also by similitudes of things set before the eyes,
which pertains to the ceremonial precepts.
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