Whether There Was Any Need for a Divine Law?
Objection 1: It would seem that there was no need for a Divine law.
Because, as stated above (A. 2), the natural law is a participation
in us of the eternal law. But the eternal law is a Divine law, as
stated above (A. 1). Therefore there was no need for a Divine law in
addition to the natural law, and human laws derived therefrom.
Obj. 2: Further, it is written (Ecclus. 15:14) that "God left man in
the hand of his own counsel." Now counsel is an act of reason, as
stated above (Q. 14, A. 1). Therefore man was left to the direction
of his reason. But a dictate of human reason is a human law as stated
above (A. 3). Therefore there is no need for man to be governed also
by a Divine law.
Obj. 3: Further, human nature is more self-sufficing than irrational
creatures. But irrational creatures have no Divine law besides the
natural inclination impressed on them. Much less, therefore, should
the rational creature have a Divine law in addition to the natural
law.
_On the contrary,_ David prayed God to set His law before him, saying
(Ps. 118:33): "Set before me for a law the way of Thy justifications,
O Lord."
_I answer that,_ Besides the natural and the human law it was
necessary for the directing of human conduct to have a Divine law.
And this for four reasons. First, because it is by law that man is
directed how to perform his proper acts in view of his last end. And
indeed if man were ordained to no other end than that which is
proportionate to his natural faculty, there would be no need for man
to have any further direction of the part of his reason, besides the
natural law and human law which is derived from it. But since man is
ordained to an end of eternal happiness which is improportionate to
man's natural faculty, as stated above (Q. 5, A. 5), therefore it was
necessary that, besides the natural and the human law, man should be
directed to his end by a law given by God.
Secondly, because, on account of the uncertainty of human judgment,
especially on contingent and particular matters, different people
form different judgments on human acts; whence also different and
contrary laws result. In order, therefore, that man may know without
any doubt what he ought to do and what he ought to avoid, it was
necessary for man to be directed in his proper acts by a law given by
God, for it is certain that such a law cannot err.
Thirdly, because man can make laws in those matters of which he is
competent to judge. But man is not competent to judge of interior
movements, that are hidden, but only of exterior acts which appear:
and yet for the perfection of virtue it is necessary for man to
conduct himself aright in both kinds of acts. Consequently human law
could not sufficiently curb and direct interior acts; and it was
necessary for this purpose that a Divine law should supervene.
Fourthly, because, as Augustine says (De Lib. Arb. i, 5, 6), human
law cannot punish or forbid all evil deeds: since while aiming at
doing away with all evils, it would do away with many good things,
and would hinder the advance of the common good, which is necessary
for human intercourse. In order, therefore, that no evil might remain
unforbidden and unpunished, it was necessary for the Divine law to
supervene, whereby all sins are forbidden.
And these four causes are touched upon in Ps. 118:8, where it is
said: "The law of the Lord is unspotted," i.e. allowing no foulness
of sin; "converting souls," because it directs not only exterior, but
also interior acts; "the testimony of the Lord is faithful," because
of the certainty of what is true and right; "giving wisdom to little
ones," by directing man to an end supernatural and Divine.
Reply Obj. 1: By the natural law the eternal law is participated
proportionately to the capacity of human nature. But to his
supernatural end man needs to be directed in a yet higher way. Hence
the additional law given by God, whereby man shares more perfectly in
the eternal law.
Reply Obj. 2: Counsel is a kind of inquiry: hence it must proceed
from some principles. Nor is it enough for it to proceed from
principles imparted by nature, which are the precepts of the natural
law, for the reasons given above: but there is need for certain
additional principles, namely, the precepts of the Divine law.
Reply Obj. 3: Irrational creatures are not ordained to an end higher
than that which is proportionate to their natural powers:
consequently the comparison fails.
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