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Objection 1: It would seem that not all human affairs are subject to
the eternal law. For the Apostle says (Gal. 5:18): "If you
are led by the spirit you are not under the law." But the righteous
who are the sons of God by adoption, are led by the spirit of God,
according to Rm. 8:14: "Whosoever are led by the spirit of
God, they are the sons of God." Therefore not all men are under
the eternal law.
Objection 2: Further, the Apostle says (Rm. 8:7): "The
prudence of the flesh is an enemy to God: for it is not subject to the
law of God." But many are those in whom the prudence of the flesh
dominates. Therefore all men are not subject to the eternal law which
is the law of God.
Objection 3: Further, Augustine says (De Lib. Arb. i, 6)
that "the eternal law is that by which the wicked deserve misery, the
good, a life of blessedness." But those who are already blessed,
and those who are already lost, are not in the state of merit.
Therefore they are not under the eternal law.
On the contrary, Augustine says (De Civ. Dei xix, 12):
"Nothing evades the laws of the most high Creator and Governor, for
by Him the peace of the universe is administered."
I answer that, There are two ways in which a thing is subject to the
eternal law, as explained above (Article 5): first, by partaking
of the eternal law by way of knowledge; secondly, by way of action and
passion, i.e. by partaking of the eternal law by way of an inward
motive principle: and in this second way, irrational creatures are
subject to the eternal law, as stated above (Article 5). But
since the rational nature, together with that which it has in common
with all creatures, has something proper to itself inasmuch as it is
rational, consequently it is subject to the eternal law in both ways;
because while each rational creature has some knowledge of the eternal
law, as stated above (Article 2), it also has a natural
inclination to that which is in harmony with the eternal law; for "we
are naturally adapted to the recipients of virtue" (Ethic. ii,
1).
Both ways, however, are imperfect, and to a certain extent
destroyed, in the wicked; because in them the natural inclination to
virtue is corrupted by vicious habits, and, moreover, the natural
knowledge of good is darkened by passions and habits of sin. But in
the good both ways are found more perfect: because in them, besides
the natural knowledge of good, there is the added knowledge of faith
and wisdom; and again, besides the natural inclination to good, there
is the added motive of grace and virtue.
Accordingly, the good are perfectly subject to the eternal law, as
always acting according to it: whereas the wicked are subject to the
eternal law, imperfectly as to their actions, indeed, since both
their knowledge of good, and their inclination thereto, are
imperfect; but this imperfection on the part of action is supplied on
the part of passion, in so far as they suffer what the eternal law
decrees concerning them, according as they fail to act in harmony with
that law. Hence Augustine says (De Lib. Arb. i, 15): "I
esteem that the righteous act according to the eternal law; and (De
Catech. Rud. xviii): Out of the just misery of the souls which
deserted Him, God knew how to furnish the inferior parts of His
creation with most suitable laws."
Reply to Objection 1: This saying of the Apostle may be understood
in two ways. First, so that a man is said to be under the law,
through being pinned down thereby, against his will, as by a load.
Hence, on the same passage a gloss says that "he is under the law,
who refrains from evil deeds, through fear of punishment threatened by
the law, and not from love of virtue." In this way the spiritual man
is not under the law, because he fulfils the law willingly, through
charity which is poured into his heart by the Holy Ghost. Secondly,
it can be understood as meaning that the works of a man, who is led by
the Holy Ghost, are the works of the Holy Ghost rather than his
own. Therefore, since the Holy Ghost is not under the law, as
neither is the Son, as stated above (Article 4, ad 2); it
follows that such works, in so far as they are of the Holy Ghost,
are not under the law. The Apostle witnesses to this when he says
(2 Cor. 3:17): "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is
liberty."
Reply to Objection 2: The prudence of the flesh cannot be subject
to the law of God as regards action; since it inclines to actions
contrary to the Divine law: yet it is subject to the law of God, as
regards passion; since it deserves to suffer punishment according to
the law of Divine justice. Nevertheless in no man does the prudence
of the flesh dominate so far as to destroy the whole good of his
nature: and consequently there remains in man the inclination to act in
accordance with the eternal law. For we have seen above (Question
85, Article 2) that sin does not destroy entirely the good of
nature.
Reply to Objection 3: A thing is maintained in the end and moved
towards the end by one and the same cause: thus gravity which makes a
heavy body rest in the lower place is also the cause of its being moved
thither. We therefore reply that as it is according to the eternal law
that some deserve happiness, others unhappiness, so is it by the
eternal law that some are maintained in a happy state, others in an
unhappy state. Accordingly both the blessed and the damned are under
the eternal law.
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