THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION MOST PRUDENTLY ESTABLISHES THE TWO PRECEPTS OF
CHARITY, AS THE FOUNDATION OF OUR WHOLE MORAL LIFE.
We have already shown, that the Christian religion teaches nothing
concerning faith which is either impossible or irrational. We shall now
proceed to prove that this is likewise the case in those matters which
regard morals. And, although we have already given sufficient proofs of
this fact, when we pointed out that the Christian life is the best life
possible; nevertheless, as things are better understood in particular
than in general, we will descend to some details.
The first principle and foundation of our moral doctrine is the
commandment, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, with
thy whole soul, with all thy mind, and with all thy strength” (Deut. vi.
5; Matt. xxii. 37; Mark xii. 30; Luke x. 27). And the second commandment
is, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Lev. xix. 18; Matt. xxii.
39; Mark xii. 31; Luke x. 37). We must not understand these commandments
as meaning that it is sufficient for salvation to love God and our
neighbour from natural virtue or inclination. Our love must proceed from
supernatural grace, for the reception of which we must diligently prepare
ourselves. Thus, the first principle and foundation of the Christian
moral life, is the obligation to love God, by means of supernatural
charity, more than ourselves; and to order ourselves and all things else
to His glory, as to our end. St. Paul expresses this precept in the
following words, “Whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever else you do, do
all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. x. 31).
But since the rebelliousness of the flesh withdraws men greatly from
the love of God, the precept adds, “thou shalt love the Lord thy God
with thy whole heart,” which signifies, thou shalt love Him in such a
way that thou shalt subjugate thy sensitive affections to thy will.
For by the heart, is here meant, those sensibilities of our nature
which are the fount and source of desires which separate us from Divine
love. And since the will goes astray, if it be not conformed to reason,
the commandment adds the words, “and with thy whole soul,” whereby we
understand the will. For, since the soul is in animals the principle of
life and motion, whereby we distinguish animate from inanimate beings,
so, likewise, does the will move all the powers of the rational soul.
Therefore, God commands us to love Him with our whole will; so that all
our activities may be directed to Him; our love, desire, joy, fear,
and hope, may all be centred on Him; and our whole soul may turn, in
horror, from all that is contrary to His will, or derogatory to His
honour. The inclination of the will depends entirely on reason; for we
cannot desire what we do not know. This is expressed by the words in the
commandment, “with thy whole mind,” by which is meant our understanding
and our reason. These must be turned to God, who must, either habitually
or actually, be the chief object of our contemplation. But we are bound
to honour God, not only with our souls, but with our bodies, working our
external works to His glory. Therefore, the commandment concludes with
the words, “all thy strength”. Observe the word _all_, remembering that
an end, being loved for itself, is not loved according to measure; but
the means, being ordained to an end, are loved in proportion to the end
to which they are ordered. Since, then, God is our End, we are commanded
to love Him with our whole heart, with our whole soul, with all our
mind, and all our strength. That is to say, that, both interiorly and
exteriorly, we must be wholly directed to God, and lead perfect lives;
so that in us God may be glorified, as the Cause is honoured by the
perfection of its effect. This commandment teaches us, further, in what
manner man is bound to love himself. For self-love must be directed to
God, who must be glorified in man, as in His own work.
But, as the love of others is not so natural to man as is self-love,
we are taught how we must love our neighbour by the words, “thou shalt
love thy neighbour as thyself”. That is, thy love of others shall be
governed by the same motive as that which directs thy love of thyself;
and thou must desire for thy neighbour that same perfection of life, and
the other blessings, which thou dost desire for thyself; so that in him,
God may be honoured and glorified, as in His most perfect work. Nothing,
surely, can be conceived more reasonable, than these two commandments, on
which depend all other laws, both human and Divine. Therefore all that
is included in them, or results from them, is by Christians esteemed
holy and inviolable; and whatever impugns them, is reputed impious and
diabolical.