1/25/2016 SummaTheologica:TREATISEONLAW(QQ90108):Question.

90OFTHEESSENCEOFLAW(FOURARTICLES)

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OFTHEESSENCEOFLAW(FOURARTICLES)
Wehavenowtoconsidertheextrinsicprinciplesofacts.Now
theextrinsicprincipleincliningtoevilisthedevil,ofwhose
temptationswehavespokenintheFP,Q[114].Buttheextrinsic
principlemovingtogoodisGod,Whobothinstructsusby
meansofHisLaw,andassistsusbyHisGrace:whereforeinthe
firstplacewemustspeakoflawinthesecondplace,ofgrace.

Concerninglaw,wemustconsider:(1)Lawitselfingeneral(2)
itsparts.Concerninglawingeneralthreepointsoffer
themselvesforourconsideration:(1)Itsessence(2)The
differentkindsoflaw(3)Theeffectsoflaw.

Underthefirstheadtherearefourpointsofinquiry:

(1)Whetherlawissomethingpertainingtoreason?

(2)Concerningtheendoflaw

(3)Itscause

(4)Thepromulgationoflaw.

Whetherlawissomethingpertainingtoreason?

Objection1:Itwouldseemthatlawisnotsomethingpertaining
toreason.FortheApostlesays(Rom.7:23):"Iseeanotherlaw
inmymembers,"etc.Butnothingpertainingtoreasonisinthe
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memberssincethereasondoesnotmakeuseofabodilyorgan.
Thereforelawisnotsomethingpertainingtoreason.

Objection2:Further,inthereasonthereisnothingelsebut
power,habit,andact.Butlawisnotthepoweritselfofreason.
Inlikemanner,neitherisitahabitofreason:becausethehabits
ofreasonaretheintellectualvirtuesofwhichwehavespoken
above(Q[57]).Noragainisitanactofreason:becausethenlaw
wouldcease,whentheactofreasonceases,forinstance,while
weareasleep.Thereforelawisnothingpertainingtoreason.

Objection3:Further,thelawmovesthosewhoaresubjecttoit
toactaright.Butitbelongsproperlytothewilltomovetoact,
asisevidentfromwhathasbeensaidabove(Q[9],A[1]).
Thereforelawpertains,nottothereason,buttothewill
accordingtothewordsoftheJurist(Lib.i,ff.,DeConst.Prin.
leg.i):"Whatsoeverpleaseththesovereign,hasforceoflaw."

Onthecontrary,Itbelongstothelawtocommandandto
forbid.Butitbelongstoreasontocommand,asstatedabove
(Q[17],A[1]).Thereforelawissomethingpertainingtoreason.

Ianswerthat,Lawisaruleandmeasureofacts,wherebyman
isinducedtoactorisrestrainedfromacting:for"lex"[law]is
derivedfrom"ligare"[tobind],becauseitbindsonetoact.Now
theruleandmeasureofhumanactsisthereason,whichisthe
firstprincipleofhumanacts,asisevidentfromwhathasbeen
statedabove(Q[1],A[1],ad3)sinceitbelongstothereasonto
directtotheend,whichisthefirstprincipleinallmattersof
action,accordingtothePhilosopher(Phys.ii).Nowthatwhich
istheprincipleinanygenus,istheruleandmeasureofthat
genus:forinstance,unityinthegenusofnumbers,andthefirst
movementinthegenusofmovements.Consequentlyitfollows
thatlawissomethingpertainingtoreason.

ReplytoObjection1:Sincelawisakindofruleandmeasure,
itmaybeinsomethingintwoways.First,asinthatwhich
measuresandrules:andsincethisispropertoreason,itfollows
that,inthisway,lawisinthereasonalone.Secondly,asinthat
whichismeasuredandruled.Inthisway,lawisinallthose
thingsthatareinclinedtosomethingbyreasonofsomelaw:so
thatanyinclinationarisingfromalaw,maybecalledalaw,not
essentiallybutbyparticipationasitwere.Andthusthe
inclinationofthememberstoconcupiscenceiscalled"thelaw
ofthemembers."

ReplytoObjection2:Justas,inexternalaction,wemay
considertheworkandtheworkdone,forinstancetheworkof
buildingandthehousebuiltsointheactsofreason,wemay
considertheactitselfofreason,i.e.tounderstandandtoreason,
andsomethingproducedbythisact.Withregardtothe
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speculativereason,thisisfirstofallthedefinitionsecondly,the
propositionthirdly,thesyllogismorargument.Andsincealso
thepracticalreasonmakesuseofasyllogisminrespectofthe
worktobedone,asstatedabove(Q[13],A[3]Q[76],A[1])and
sinceasthePhilosopherteaches(Ethic.vii,3)hencewefindin
thepracticalreasonsomethingthatholdsthesamepositionin
regardtooperations,as,inthespeculativeintellect,the
propositionholdsinregardtoconclusions.Suchlikeuniversal
propositionsofthepracticalintellectthataredirectedtoactions
havethenatureoflaw.Andthesepropositionsaresometimes
underouractualconsideration,whilesometimestheyare
retainedinthereasonbymeansofahabit.

ReplytoObjection3:Reasonhasitspowerofmovingfromthe
will,asstatedabove(Q[17],A[1]):foritisduetothefactthat
onewillstheend,thatthereasonissuesitscommandsasregards
thingsordainedtotheend.Butinorderthatthevolitionofwhat
iscommandedmayhavethenatureoflaw,itneedstobein
accordwithsomeruleofreason.Andinthissenseistobe
understoodthesayingthatthewillofthesovereignhastheforce
oflawotherwisethesovereign'swillwouldsavorof
lawlessnessratherthanoflaw.

Whetherthelawisalwayssomethingdirectedtothe
commongood?

Objection1:Itwouldseemthatthelawisnotalwaysdirected
tothecommongoodastoitsend.Foritbelongstolawto
commandandtoforbid.Butcommandsaredirectedtocertain
individualgoods.Thereforetheendofthelawisnotalwaysthe
commongood.

Objection2:Further,thelawdirectsmaninhisactions.But
humanactionsareconcernedwithparticularmatters.Therefore
thelawisdirectedtosomeparticulargood.

Objection3:Further,Isidoresays(Etym.v,3):"Ifthelawis
basedonreason,whateverisbasedonreasonwillbealaw."But
reasonisthefoundationnotonlyofwhatisordainedtothe
commongood,butalsoofthatwhichisdirectedprivategood.
Thereforethelawisnotonlydirectedtothegoodofall,butalso
totheprivategoodofanindividual.

Onthecontrary,Isidoresays(Etym.v,21)that"lawsare
enactedfornoprivateprofit,butforthecommonbenefitofthe
citizens."

Ianswerthat,Asstatedabove(A[1]),thelawbelongstothat
whichisaprincipleofhumanacts,becauseitistheirruleand
measure.Nowasreasonisaprincipleofhumanacts,soin
reasonitselfthereissomethingwhichistheprincipleinrespect
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ofalltherest:whereforetothisprinciplechieflyandmainlylaw
mustneedsbereferred.Nowthefirstprincipleinpractical
matters,whicharetheobjectofthepracticalreason,isthelast
end:andthelastendofhumanlifeisblissorhappiness,as
statedabove(Q[2],A[7]Q[3],A[1]).Consequentlythelaw
mustneedsregardprincipallytherelationshiptohappiness.
Moreover,sinceeverypartisordainedtothewhole,as
imperfecttoperfectandsinceonemanisapartoftheperfect
community,thelawmustneedsregardproperlytherelationship
touniversalhappiness.WhereforethePhilosopher,intheabove
definitionoflegalmattersmentionsbothhappinessandthebody
politic:forhesays(Ethic.v,1)thatwecallthoselegalmatters
"just,whichareadaptedtoproduceandpreservehappinessand
itspartsforthebodypolitic":sincethestateisaperfect
community,ashesaysinPolit.i,1.

Nowineverygenus,thatwhichbelongstoitchieflyisthe
principleoftheothers,andtheothersbelongtothatgenusin
subordinationtothatthing:thusfire,whichischiefamonghot
things,isthecauseofheatinmixedbodies,andthesearesaidto
behotinsofarastheyhaveashareoffire.Consequently,since
thelawischieflyordainedtothecommongood,anyother
preceptinregardtosomeindividualwork,mustneedsbedevoid
ofthenatureofalaw,saveinsofarasitregardsthecommon
good.Thereforeeverylawisordainedtothecommongood.

ReplytoObjection1:Acommanddenotesanapplicationofa
lawtomattersregulatedbythelaw.Nowtheordertothe
commongood,atwhichthelawaims,isapplicabletoparticular
ends.Andinthiswaycommandsaregivenevenconcerning
particularmatters.

ReplytoObjection2:Actionsareindeedconcernedwith
particularmatters:butthoseparticularmattersarereferableto
thecommongood,notastoacommongenusorspecies,butas
toacommonfinalcause,accordingasthecommongoodissaid
tobethecommonend.

ReplytoObjection3:Justasnothingstandsfirmwithregardto
thespeculativereasonexceptthatwhichistracedbacktothe
firstindemonstrableprinciples,sonothingstandsfirmwith
regardtothepracticalreason,unlessitbedirectedtothelastend
whichisthecommongood:andwhateverstandstoreasonin
thissense,hasthenatureofalaw.

Whetherthereasonofanymaniscompetenttomakelaws?

Objection1:Itwouldseemthatthereasonofanymanis
competenttomakelaws.FortheApostlesays(Rom.2:14)that
"whentheGentiles,whohavenotthelaw,dobynaturethose
thingsthatareofthelaw...theyarealawtothemselves."Now
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hesaysthisofallingeneral.Thereforeanyonecanmakealaw
forhimself.

Objection2:Further,asthePhilosophersays(Ethic.ii,1),"the
intentionofthelawgiveristoleadmentovirtue."Butevery
mancanleadanothertovirtue.Thereforethereasonofanyman
iscompetenttomakelaws.

Objection3:Further,justasthesovereignofastategovernsthe
state,soeveryfatherofafamilygovernshishousehold.Butthe
sovereignofastatecanmakelawsforthestate.Thereforeevery
fatherofafamilycanmakelawsforhishousehold.

Onthecontrary,Isidoresays(Etym.v,10):"Alawisan
ordinanceofthepeople,wherebysomethingissanctionedbythe
ElderstogetherwiththeCommonalty."

Ianswerthat,Alaw,properlyspeaking,regardsfirstand
foremosttheordertothecommongood.Nowtoorderanything
tothecommongood,belongseithertothewholepeople,orto
someonewhoistheviceregentofthewholepeople.And
thereforethemakingofalawbelongseithertothewholepeople
ortoapublicpersonagewhohascareofthewholepeople:since
inallothermattersthedirectingofanythingtotheendconcerns
himtowhomtheendbelongs.

ReplytoObjection1:Asstatedabove(A[1],ad1),alawisin
apersonnotonlyasinonethatrules,butalsobyparticipationas
inonethatisruled.Inthelatterwayeachoneisalawto
himself,insofarashesharesthedirectionthathereceivesfrom
onewhoruleshim.Hencethesametextgoeson:"Whoshow
theworkofthelawwrittenintheirhearts."

ReplytoObjection2:Aprivatepersoncannotleadanotherto
virtueefficaciously:forhecanonlyadvise,andifhisadvicebe
nottaken,ithasnocoercivepower,suchasthelawshouldhave,
inordertoproveanefficaciousinducementtovirtue,asthe
Philosophersays(Ethic.x,9).Butthiscoercivepowerisvested
inthewholepeopleorinsomepublicpersonage,towhomit
belongstoinflictpenalties,asweshallstatefurtheron(Q[92],
A[2],ad3SS,Q[64],A[3]).Whereforetheframingoflaws
belongstohimalone.

ReplytoObjection3:Asonemanisapartofthehousehold,so
ahouseholdisapartofthestate:andthestateisaperfect
community,accordingtoPolit.i,1.Andtherefore,asthegood
ofonemanisnotthelastend,butisordainedtothecommon
goodsotoothegoodofonehouseholdisordainedtothegood
ofasinglestate,whichisaperfectcommunity.Consequentlyhe
thatgovernsafamily,canindeedmakecertaincommandsor
ordinances,butnotsuchastohaveproperlytheforceoflaw.
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Whetherpromulgationisessentialtoalaw?

Objection1:Itwouldseemthatpromulgationisnotessentialto
alaw.Forthenaturallawaboveallhasthecharacteroflaw.But
thenaturallawneedsnopromulgation.Thereforeitisnot
essentialtoalawthatitbepromulgated.

Objection2:Further,itbelongsproperlytoalawtobindoneto
doornottodosomething.Buttheobligationoffulfillingalaw
touchesnotonlythoseinwhosepresenceitispromulgated,but
alsoothers.Thereforepromulgationisnotessentialtoalaw.

Objection3:Further,thebindingforceofalawextendsevento
thefuture,since"lawsarebindinginmattersofthefuture,"as
thejuristssay(Cod.1,tit.Delegeetconstit.leg.vii).But
promulgationconcernsthosewhoarepresent.Thereforeitisnot
essentialtoalaw.

Onthecontrary,ItislaiddownintheDecretals,dist.4,that
"lawsareestablishedwhentheyarepromulgated."

Ianswerthat,Asstatedabove(A[1]),alawisimposedon
othersbywayofaruleandmeasure.Nowaruleormeasureis
imposedbybeingappliedtothosewhoaretoberuledand
measuredbyit.Wherefore,inorderthatalawobtainthebinding
forcewhichispropertoalaw,itmustneedsbeappliedtothe
menwhohavetoberuledbyit.Suchapplicationismadebyits
beingnotifiedtothembypromulgation.Wherefore
promulgationisnecessaryforthelawtoobtainitsforce.

Thusfromthefourprecedingarticles,thedefinitionoflawmay
begatheredanditisnothingelsethananordinanceofreason
forthecommongood,madebyhimwhohascareofthe
community,andpromulgated.

ReplytoObjection1:Thenaturallawispromulgatedbythe
veryfactthatGodinstilleditintoman'smindsoastobeknown
byhimnaturally.

ReplytoObjection2:Thosewhoarenotpresentwhenalawis
promulgated,areboundtoobservethelaw,insofarasitis
notifiedorcanbenotifiedtothembyothers,afterithasbeen
promulgated.

ReplytoObjection3:Thepromulgationthattakesplacenow,
extendstofuturetimebyreasonofthedurabilityofwritten
characters,bywhichmeansitiscontinuallypromulgated.Hence
Isidoresays(Etym.v,3ii,10)that"lex[law]isderivedfrom
legere[toread]becauseitiswritten."

Next:Question.91OFTHEVARIOUSKINDSOFLAW
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(SIXARTICLES)

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