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Objection 1: It seems that abstinence is not a virtue. For the
Apostle says (1 Cor. 4:20): "The kingdom of God is not in
speech but in power [virtute]." Now the kingdom of God does not
consist in abstinence, for the Apostle says (Rm. 14:17):
"The kingdom of God is not meat and drink," where a gloss [St.
Augustine, Questions. Evang. ii, qu. 11] observes that
"justice consists neither in abstaining nor in eating." Therefore
abstinence is not a virtue.
Objection 2: Further, Augustine says (Confess. x, 11)
addressing himself to God: "This hast Thou taught me, that I
should set myself to take food as physic." Now it belongs not to
virtue, but to the medical art to regulate medicine. Therefore, in
like manner, to regulate one's food, which belongs to abstinence, is
an act not of virtue but of art.
Objection 3: Further, every virtue "observes the mean," as
stated in Ethic. ii, 6,7. But abstinence seemingly inclines not
to the mean but to deficiency, since it denotes retrenchment.
Therefore abstinence is not a virtue.
Objection 4: Further, no virtue excludes another virtue. But
abstinence excludes patience: for Gregory says (Pastor. iii,
19) that "impatience not unfrequently dislodges the abstainer's
mind from its peaceful seclusion." Likewise he says (Pastor. iii,
19) that "sometimes the sin of pride pierces the thoughts of the
abstainer," so that abstinence excludes humility. Therefore
abstinence is not a virtue.
On the contrary, It is written (2 Pt. 1:5,6): "Join with
your faith virtue, and with virtue knowledge, and with knowledge
abstinence"; where abstinence is numbered among other virtues.
Therefore abstinence is a virtue.
I answer that, Abstinence by its very name denotes retrenchment of
food. Hence the term abstinence may be taken in two ways. First, as
denoting retrenchment of food absolutely, and in this way it signifies
neither a virtue nor a virtuous act, but something indifferent.
Secondly, it may be taken as regulated by reason, and then it
signifies either a virtuous habit or a virtuous act. This is the
meaning of Peter's words quoted above, where he says that we ought
"to join abstinence with knowledge," namely that in abstaining from
food a man should act with due regard for those among whom he lives,
for his own person, and for the requirements of health.
Reply to Objection 1: The use of and abstinence from food,
considered in themselves, do not pertain to the kingdom of God, since
the Apostle says (1 Cor. 8:8): "Meat doth not commend us to
God. For neither, if we eat not, shall we have the less, nor if we
eat, shall we have the more," i.e. spiritually. Nevertheless they
both belong to the kingdom of God, in so far as they are done
reasonably through faith and love of God.
Reply to Objection 2: The regulation of food, in the point of
quantity and quality, belongs to the art of medicine as regards the
health of the body: but in the point of internal affections with regard
to the good of reason, it belongs to abstinence. Hence Augustine
says (Questions. Evang. ii, qu. 11): "It makes no
difference whatever to virtue what or how much food a man takes, so
long as he does it with due regard for the people among whom he lives,
for his own person, and for the requirements of his health: but it
matters how readily and uncomplainingly he does without food when bound
by duty or necessity to abstain."
Reply to Objection 3: It belongs to temperance to bridle the
pleasures which are too alluring to the soul, just as it belongs to
fortitude to strengthen the soul against fears that deter it from the
good of reason. Wherefore, just as fortitude is commended on account
of a certain excess, from which all the parts of fortitude take their
name, so temperance is commended for a kind of deficiency, from which
all its parts are denominated. Hence abstinence, since it is a part
of temperance, is named from deficiency, and yet it observes the
mean, in so far as it is in accord with right reason.
Reply to Objection 4: Those vices result from abstinence in so far
as it is not in accord with right reason. For right reason makes one
abstain as one ought, i.e. with gladness of heart, and for the due
end, i.e. for God's glory and not one's own.
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