Whether the Old Law Contains Moral Precepts?
Objection 1: It would seem that the Old Law contains no moral
precepts. For the Old Law is distinct from the law of nature, as
stated above (Q. 91, AA. 4, 5; Q. 98, A. 5). But the moral precepts
belong to the law of nature. Therefore they do not belong to the Old
Law.
Obj. 2: Further, the Divine Law should have come to man's assistance
where human reason fails him: as is evident in regard to things that
are of faith, which are above reason. But man's reason seems to
suffice for the moral precepts. Therefore the moral precepts do not
belong to the Old Law, which is a Divine law.
Obj. 3: Further, the Old Law is said to be "the letter that killeth"
(2 Cor. 3:6). But the moral precepts do not kill, but quicken,
according to Ps. 118:93: "Thy justifications I will never forget, for
by them Thou hast given me life." Therefore the moral precepts do not
belong to the Old Law.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (Ecclus. 17:9): "Moreover, He gave
them discipline [Douay: 'instructions'] and the law of life for an
inheritance." Now discipline belongs to morals; for this gloss on
Heb. 12:11: "Now all chastisement (_disciplina_)," etc., says:
"Discipline is an exercise in morals by means of difficulties."
Therefore the Law which was given by God comprised moral precepts.
_I answer that,_ The Old Law contained some moral precepts; as is
evident from Ex. 20:13, 15: "Thou shalt not kill," "Thou shalt not
steal." This was reasonable: because, just as the principal intention
of human law is to create friendship between man and man; so the
chief intention of the Divine law is to establish man in friendship
with God. Now since likeness is the reason of love, according to
Ecclus. 13:19: "Every beast loveth its like"; there cannot possibly
be any friendship of man to God, Who is supremely good, unless man
become good: wherefore it is written (Lev. 19:2; 11:45): "You shall
be holy, for I am holy." But the goodness of man is virtue, which
"makes its possessor good" (Ethic. ii, 6). Therefore it was necessary
for the Old Law to include precepts about acts of virtue: and these
are the moral precepts of the Law.
Reply Obj. 1: The Old Law is distinct from the natural law, not as
being altogether different from it, but as something added thereto.
For just as grace presupposes nature, so must the Divine law
presuppose the natural law.
Reply Obj. 2: It was fitting that the Divine law should come to man's
assistance not only in those things for which reason is insufficient,
but also in those things in which human reason may happen to be
impeded. Now human reason could not go astray in the abstract, as to
the universal principles of the natural law; but through being
habituated to sin, it became obscured in the point of things to be
done in detail. But with regard to the other moral precepts, which
are like conclusions drawn from the universal principles of the
natural law, the reason of many men went astray, to the extend of
judging to be lawful, things that are evil in themselves. Hence there
was need for the authority of the Divine law to rescue man from both
these defects. Thus among the articles of faith not only are those
things set forth to which reason cannot reach, such as the Trinity of
the Godhead; but also those to which right reason can attain, such as
the Unity of the Godhead; in order to remove the manifold errors to
which reason is liable.
Reply Obj. 3: As Augustine proves (De Spiritu et Litera xiv), even
the letter of the law is said to be the occasion of death, as to the
moral precepts; in so far as, to wit, it prescribes what is good,
without furnishing the aid of grace for its fulfilment.
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