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Objection 1: It seems that martyrdom is not an act of the greatest
perfection. For seemingly that which is a matter of counsel and not of
precept pertains to perfection, because, to wit, it is not necessary
for salvation. But it would seem that martyrdom is necessary for
salvation, since the Apostle says (Rm. 10:10), "With the
heart we believe unto justice, but with the mouth confession is made
unto salvation," and it is written (1 Jn. 3:16), that "we
ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." Therefore martyrdom
does not pertain to perfection.
Objection 2: Further, it seems to point to greater perfection that
a man give his soul to God, which is done by obedience, than that he
give God his body, which is done by martyrdom: wherefore Gregory
says (Moral. xxxv) that "obedience is preferable to all
sacrifices." Therefore martyrdom is not an act of the greatest
perfection.
Objection 3: Further, it would seem better to do good to others
than to maintain oneself in good, since the "good of the nation is
better than the good of the individual," according to the Philosopher
(Ethic. i, 2). Now he that suffers martyrdom profits himself
alone, whereas he that teaches does good to many. Therefore the act
of teaching and guiding subjects is more perfect than the act of
martyrdom.
On the contrary, Augustine (De Sanct. Virgin. xlvi) prefers
martyrdom to virginity which pertains to perfection. Therefore
martyrdom seems to belong to perfection in the highest degree.
I answer that, We may speak of an act of virtue in two ways.
First, with regard to the species of that act, as compared to the
virtue proximately eliciting it. In this way martyrdom, which
consists in the due endurance of death, cannot be the most perfect of
virtuous acts, because endurance of death is not praiseworthy in
itself, but only in so far as it is directed to some good consisting in
an act of virtue, such as faith or the love of God, so that this act
of virtue being the end is better.
A virtuous act may be considered in another way, in comparison with
its first motive cause, which is the love of charity, and it is in
this respect that an act comes to belong to the perfection of life,
since, as the Apostle says (Col. 3:14), that "charity . .
. is the bond of perfection." Now, of all virtuous acts martyrdom
is the greatest proof of the perfection of charity: since a man's love
for a thing is proved to be so much the greater, according as that
which he despises for its sake is more dear to him, or that which he
chooses to suffer for its sake is more odious. But it is evident that
of all the goods of the present life man loves life itself most, and on
the other hand he hates death more than anything, especially when it is
accompanied by the pains of bodily torment, "from fear of which even
dumb animals refrain from the greatest pleasures," as Augustine
observes (Questions 83, qu. 36). And from this point of view
it is clear that martyrdom is the most perfect of human acts in respect
of its genus, as being the sign of the greatest charity, according to
Jn. 15:13: "Greater love than this no man hath, that a man
lay down his life for his friends."
Reply to Objection 1: There is no act of perfection, which is a
matter of counsel, but what in certain cases is a matter of precept,
as being necessary for salvation. Thus Augustine declares (De
Adult. Conjug. xiii) that a man is under the obligation of
observing continency, through the absence or sickness of his wife.
Hence it is not contrary to the perfection of martyrdom if in certain
cases it be necessary for salvation, since there are cases when it is
not necessary for salvation to suffer martyrdom; thus we read of many
holy martyrs who through zeal for the faith or brotherly love gave
themselves up to martyrdom of their own accord. As to these precepts,
they are to be understood as referring to the preparation of the mind.
Reply to Objection 2: Martyrdom embraces the highest possible
degree of obedience, namely obedience unto death; thus we read of
Christ (Phil. 2:8) that He became "obedient unto death."
Hence it is evident that martyrdom is of itself more perfect than
obedience considered absolutely.
Reply to Objection 3: This argument considers martyrdom according
to the proper species of its act, whence it derives no excellence over
all other virtuous acts; thus neither is fortitude more excellent than
all virtues.
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