Whether All Human Affairs Are Subject to the Eternal Law?
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
Rom. 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.
Obj. 2: Further, the Apostle says (Rom. 8:7): "The prudence [Vulg.:
'wisdom'] 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.
Obj. 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 (A. 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 (A. 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 (A. 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 Obj. 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 (A. 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 Obj. 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 (Q. 85, A. 2)
that sin does not destroy entirely the good of nature.
Reply Obj. 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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