Whether Abstinence Is a Special Virtue?
Objection 1: It would seem that abstinence is not a special virtue.
For every virtue is praiseworthy by itself. But abstinence is not
praiseworthy by itself; for Gregory says (Pastor. iii, 19) that "the
virtue of abstinence is praised only on account of the other
virtues." Therefore abstinence is not a special virtue.
Obj. 2: Further, Augustine [*Fulgentius] says (De Fide ad Pet. xlii)
that "the saints abstain from meat and drink, not that any creature
of God is evil, but merely in order to chastise the body." Now this
belongs to chastity, as its very name denotes. Therefore abstinence
is not a special virtue distinct from chastity.
Obj. 3: Further, as man should be content with moderate meat, so
should he be satisfied with moderate clothes, according to 1 Tim.
6:8, "Having food, and wherewith to be covered, with these we should
be [Vulg.: 'are'] content." Now there is no special virtue in being
content with moderate clothes. Neither, therefore, is there in
abstinence which moderates food.
_On the contrary,_ Macrobius [*In Somn. Scip. i, 8] reckons
abstinence as a special part of temperance.
_I answer that,_ As stated above (Q. 136, A. 1; Q. 141, A. 3) moral
virtue maintains the good of reason against the onslaught of the
passions: hence whenever we find a special motive why a passion
departs from the good of reason, there is need of a special virtue.
Now pleasures of the table are of a nature to withdraw man from the
good of reason, both because they are so great, and because food is
necessary to man who needs it for the maintenance of life, which he
desires above all other things. Therefore abstinence is a special
virtue.
Reply Obj. 1: Virtues are of necessity connected together, as stated
above (I-II, Q. 65, A. 1). Wherefore one virtue receives help and
commendation from another, as justice from fortitude. Accordingly in
this way the virtue of abstinence receives commendation on account of
the other virtues.
Reply Obj. 2: The body is chastised by means of abstinence, not only
against the allurements of lust, but also against those of gluttony:
since by abstaining a man gains strength for overcoming the
onslaughts of gluttony, which increase in force the more he yields to
them. Yet abstinence is not prevented from being a special virtue
through being a help to chastity, since one virtue helps another.
Reply Obj. 3: The use of clothing was devised by art, whereas the use
of food is from nature. Hence it is more necessary to have a special
virtue for the moderation of food than for the moderation of clothing.
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