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Objection 1: It would seem that not all the moral precepts of the
Old Law are reducible to the ten precepts of the decalogue. For the
first and principal precepts of the Law are, "Thou shalt love the
Lord thy God," and "Thou shalt love thy neighbor," as stated in
Mt. 22:37,39. But these two are not contained in the
precepts of the decalogue. Therefore not all the moral precepts are
contained in the precepts of the decalogue.
Objection 2: Further, the moral precepts are not reducible to the
ceremonial precepts, but rather vice versa. But among the precepts of
the decalogue, one is ceremonial, viz. "Remember that thou keep
holy the Sabbath-day." Therefore the moral precepts are not
reducible to all the precepts of the decalogue.
Objection 3: Further, the moral precepts are about all the acts of
virtue. But among the precepts of the decalogue are only such as
regard acts of justice; as may be seen by going through them all.
Therefore the precepts of the decalogue do not include all the moral
precepts.
On the contrary, The gloss on Mt. 5:11: "Blessed are ye when
they shall revile you," etc. says that "Moses, after propounding
the ten precepts, set them out in detail." Therefore all the
precepts of the Law are so many parts of the precepts of the
decalogue.
I answer that, The precepts of the decalogue differ from the other
precepts of the Law, in the fact that God Himself is said to have
given the precepts of the decalogue; whereas He gave the other
precepts to the people through Moses. Wherefore the decalogue
includes those precepts the knowledge of which man has immediately from
God. Such are those which with but slight reflection can be gathered
at once from the first general principles: and those also which become
known to man immediately through divinely infused faith. Consequently
two kinds of precepts are not reckoned among the precepts of the
decalogue: viz. first general principles, for they need no further
promulgation after being once imprinted on the natural reason to which
they are self-evident; as, for instance, that one should do evil to
no man, and other similar principles: and again those which the
careful reflection of wise men shows to be in accord with reason; since
the people receive these principles from God, through being taught by
wise men. Nevertheless both kinds of precepts are contained in the
precepts of the decalogue; yet in different ways. For the first
general principles are contained in them, as principles in their
proximate conclusions; while those which are known through wise men are
contained, conversely, as conclusions in their principles.
Reply to Objection 1: Those two principles are the first general
principles of the natural law, and are self-evident to human reason,
either through nature or through faith. Wherefore all the precepts of
the decalogue are referred to these, as conclusions to general
principles.
Reply to Objection 2: The precept of the Sabbath observance is
moral in one respect, in so far as it commands man to give some time to
the things of God, according to Ps. 45:11: "Be still and see
that I am God." In this respect it is placed among the precepts of
the decalogue: but not as to the fixing of the time, in which respect
it is a ceremonial precept.
Reply to Objection 3: The notion of duty is not so patent in the
other virtues as it is in justice. Hence the precepts about the acts
of the other virtues are not so well known to the people as are the
precepts about acts of justice. Wherefore the acts of justice
especially come under the precepts of the decalogue, which are the
primary elements of the Law.
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