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Objection 1: It would seem that natural contingents are not subject
to the eternal law. Because promulgation is essential to law, as
stated above (Question 90, Article 4). But a law cannot be
promulgated except to rational creatures, to whom it is possible to
make an announcement. Therefore none but rational creatures are
subject to the eternal law; and consequently natural contingents are
not.
Objection 2: Further, "Whatever obeys reason partakes somewhat of
reason," as stated in Ethic. i. But the eternal law, is the
supreme type, as stated above (Article 1). Since then natural
contingents do not partake of reason in any way, but are altogether
void of reason, it seems that they are not subject to the eternal law.
Objection 3: Further, the eternal law is most efficient. But in
natural contingents defects occur. Therefore they are not subject to
the eternal law.
On the contrary, It is written (Prov. 8:29): "When He
compassed the sea with its bounds, and set a law to the waters, that
they should not pass their limits."
I answer that, We must speak otherwise of the law of man, than of
the eternal law which is the law of God. For the law of man extends
only to rational creatures subject to man. The reason of this is
because law directs the actions of those that are subject to the
government of someone: wherefore, properly speaking, none imposes a
law on his own actions. Now whatever is done regarding the use of
irrational things subject to man, is done by the act of man himself
moving those things, for these irrational creatures do not move
themselves, but are moved by others, as stated above (Question 1,
Article 2). Consequently man cannot impose laws on irrational
beings, however much they may be subject to him. But he can impose
laws on rational beings subject to him, in so far as by his command or
pronouncement of any kind, he imprints on their minds a rule which is a
principle of action.
Now just as man, by such pronouncement, impresses a kind of inward
principle of action on the man that is subject to him, so God imprints
on the whole of nature the principles of its proper actions. And so,
in this way, God is said to command the whole of nature, according to
Ps. 148:6: "He hath made a decree, and it shall not pass
away." And thus all actions and movements of the whole of nature are
subject to the eternal law. Consequently irrational creatures are
subject to the eternal law, through being moved by Divine providence;
but not, as rational creatures are, through understanding the Divine
commandment.
Reply to Objection 1: The impression of an inward active principle
is to natural things, what the promulgation of law is to men: because
law, by being promulgated, imprints on man a directive principle of
human actions, as stated above.
Reply to Objection 2: Irrational creatures neither partake of nor
are obedient to human reason: whereas they do partake of the Divine
Reason by obeying it; because the power of Divine Reason extends
over more things than human reason does. And as the members of the
human body are moved at the command of reason, and yet do not partake
of reason, since they have no apprehension subordinate to reason; so
too irrational creatures are moved by God, without, on that account,
being rational.
Reply to Objection 3: Although the defects which occur in natural
things are outside the order of particular causes, they are not outside
the order of universal causes, especially of the First Cause, i.e.
God, from Whose providence nothing can escape, as stated in the
FP, Question 22, Article 2. And since the eternal law is the
type of Divine providence, as stated above (Article 1), hence the
defects of natural things are subject to the eternal law.
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