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Objection 1: It would seem that fear is not an effect of faith.
For an effect does not precede its cause. Now fear precedes faith:
for it is written (Ecclus. 2:8): "Ye that fear the Lord,
believe in Him." Therefore fear is not an effect of faith.
Objection 2: Further, the same thing is not the cause of
contraries. Now fear and hope are contraries, as stated above
(FS, Question 23, Article 2): and faith begets hope, as a
gloss observes on Mt. 1:2. Therefore fear is not an effect of
faith.
Objection 3: Further, one contrary does not cause another. Now
the object of faith is a good, which is the First Truth, while the
object of fear is an evil, as stated above (FS, Question 42,
Article 1). Again, acts take their species from the object,
according to what was stated above (FS, Question 18, Article
2). Therefore faith is not a cause of fear.
On the contrary, It is written (James 2:19): "The devils .
. . believe and tremble."
I answer that, Fear is a movement of the appetitive power, as stated
above (FS, Question 41, Article 1). Now the principle of
all appetitive movements is the good or evil apprehended: and
consequently the principle of fear and of every appetitive movement must
be an apprehension. Again, through faith there arises in us an
apprehension of certain penal evils, which are inflicted in accordance
with the Divine judgment. In this way, then, faith is a cause of
the fear whereby one dreads to be punished by God; and this is servile
fear.
It is also the cause of filial fear, whereby one dreads to be
separated from God, or whereby one shrinks from equalling oneself to
Him, and holds Him in reverence, inasmuch as faith makes us
appreciate God as an unfathomable and supreme good, separation from
which is the greatest evil, and to which it is wicked to wish to be
equalled. Of the first fear, viz. servile fear, lifeless faith is
the cause, while living faith is the cause of the second, viz. filial
fear, because it makes man adhere to God and to be subject to Him by
charity.
Reply to Objection 1: Fear of God cannot altogether precede
faith, because if we knew nothing at all about Him, with regard to
rewards and punishments, concerning which faith teaches us, we should
nowise fear Him. If, however, faith be presupposed in reference to
certain articles of faith, for example the Divine excellence, then
reverential fear follows, the result of which is that man submits his
intellect to God, so as to believe in all the Divine promises.
Hence the text quoted continues: "And your reward shall not be made
void."
Reply to Objection 2: The same thing in respect of contraries can
be the cause of contraries, but not under the same aspect. Now faith
begets hope, in so far as it enables us to appreciate the prize which
God awards to the just, while it is the cause of fear, in so far as
it makes us appreciate the punishments which He intends to inflict on
sinners.
Reply to Objection 3: The primary and formal object of faith is the
good which is the First Truth; but the material object of faith
includes also certain evils; for instance, that it is an evil either
not to submit to God, or to be separated from Him, and that sinners
will suffer penal evils from God: in this way faith can be the cause
of fear.
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