Articulus 3 Article 3 Utrum virtus poenitentiae sit species iustitiae Whether the virtue of penance is a species of justice? Ad tertium sic proceditur. Videtur quod virtus poenitentiae non sit species iustitiae. Iustitia enim non est virtus theologica sed moralis, ut in secunda parte patet. Poenitentia autem videtur virtus esse theologica, quia habet Deum pro obiecto, satisfacit enim Deo, cui etiam reconciliat peccatorem. Ergo videtur quod poenitentia non sit pars iustitiae. Objection 1: It would seem that the virtue of penance is not a species of justice. For justice is not a theological but a moral virtue, as was shown in the Second Part (II-II, Q. 62, A. 3). But penance seems to be a theological virtue, since God is its object, for it makes satisfaction to God, to Whom, moreover, it reconciles the sinner. Therefore it seems that penance is not a species of justice. Praeterea, iustitia, cum sit virtus moralis, consistit in medio. Sed poenitentia non consistit in medio, sed in quodam excessu, secundum illud Ierem. VI, luctum unigeniti fac tibi, planctum amarum. Ergo poenitentia non est species iustitiae. Obj. 2: Further, since justice is a moral virtue it observes the mean. Now penance does not observe the mean, but rather goes to the extreme, according to Jer. 6:26: Make thee mourning as for an only son, a bitter lamentation. Therefore penance is not a species of justice. Praeterea, duae sunt species iustitiae, ut dicitur in V Ethic., scilicet distributiva et commutativa. Sed sub neutra videtur poenitentia contineri. Ergo videtur quod poenitentia non sit species iustitiae. Obj. 3: Further, there are two species of justice, as stated in Ethic. v, 4, viz. distributive and commutative. But penance does not seem to be contained under either of them. Therefore it seems that penance is not a species of justice. Praeterea, super illud Luc. VI, beati qui nunc fletis, dicit Glossa, ecce prudentia, per quam ostenditur quam haec terrena sint misera, et quam beata caelestia. Sed flere est actus poenitentiae. Ergo poenitentia magis est prudentiae quam iustitiae. Obj. 4: Further, a gloss on Luke 6:21, Blessed are ye that weep now, says: It is prudence that teaches us the unhappiness of earthly things and the happiness of heavenly things. But weeping is an act of penance. Therefore penance is a species of prudence rather than of justice. Sed contra est quod Augustinus dicit, in libro de poenitentia, poenitentia est quaedam dolentis vindicta, semper puniens in se quod dolet se commisisse. Sed facere vindictam pertinet ad iustitiam, unde Tullius, in sua rhetorica, ponit vindicativam unam speciem iustitiae. Ergo videtur quod poenitentia sit species iustitiae. On the contrary, Augustine says in De Poenitentia: penance is the vengeance of the sorrowful, ever punishing in them what they are sorry for having done. But to take vengeance is an act of justice, wherefore Tully says (De Inv. Rhet. ii) that one kind of justice is called vindictive. Therefore it seems that penance is a species of justice. Respondeo dicendum quod, sicut supra dictum est, poenitentia non habet quod sit virtus specialis ex hoc solo quod dolet de malo perpetrato, ad hoc enim sufficeret caritas, sed ex eo quod poenitens dolet de peccato commisso inquantum est offensa Dei, cum emendationis proposito. Emendatio autem offensae contra aliquem commissae fit non per solam cessationem offensae, sed exigitur ulterius quaedam recompensatio, quae habet locum in offensis in alterum commissis sicut et retributio, nisi quod recompensatio est ex parte eius qui offendit, ut puta cum satisfactione; retributio autem est ex parte eius in quem fuit offensa commissa. Utrumque autem ad materiam iustitiae pertinet, quia utrumque est commutatio quaedam. Unde manifestum est quod poenitentia, secundum quod est virtus, est pars iustitiae. I answer that, As stated above (A. 1, ad 2) penance is a special virtue not merely because it sorrows for evil done (since charity would suffice for that), but also because the penitent grieves for the sin he has committed, inasmuch as it is an offense against God, and purposes to amend. Now amendment for an offense committed against anyone is not made by merely ceasing to offend, but it is necessary to make some kind of compensation, which obtains in offenses committed against another, just as retribution does, only that compensation is on the part of the offender, as when he makes satisfaction, whereas retribution is on the part of the person offended against. Each of these belongs to the matter of justice, because each is a kind of commutation. Wherefore it is evident that penance, as a virtue, is a part of justice. Sciendum tamen quod, secundum philosophum, in V Ethic., dupliciter dicitur iustum, scilicet simpliciter, et secundum quid. Simpliciter quidem iustum est inter aequales, eo quod iustitia est aequalitas quaedam. Quod ipse vocat iustum politicum vel civile, eo quod omnes cives aequales sunt, quantum ad hoc quod immediate sunt sub principe, sicut liberi existentes. Iustum autem secundum quid dicitur quod est inter illos quorum unus est sub potestate alterius, sicut servus sub domino, filius sub patre, uxor sub viro. Et tale iustum consideratur in poenitentia. Unde poenitens recurrit ad Deum, cum emendationis proposito, sicut servus ad dominum, secundum illud Psalmi, sicut oculi servorum in manibus dominorum suorum, ita oculi nostri ad dominum Deum nostrum, donec misereatur nostri; et sicut filius ad patrem, secundum illud Luc. XV, pater, peccavi in caelum et coram te; et sicut uxor ad virum, secundum illud Ierem. III, fornicata es cum amatoribus multis, tamen revertere ad me, dicit dominus. It must be observed, however, that according to the Philosopher (Ethic. v, 6) a thing is said to be just in two ways, simply and relatively. A thing is just simply when it is between equals, since justice is a kind of equality, and he calls this the politic or civil just, because all citizens are equal, in the point of being immediately under the ruler, retaining their freedom. But a thing is just relatively when it is between parties of whom one is subject to the other, as a servant under his master, a son under his father, a wife under her husband. It is this kind of just that we consider in penance. Wherefore the penitent has recourse to God with a purpose of amendment, as a servant to his master, according to Ps. 122:2: Behold, as the eyes of servants are on the hands of their masters . . . so are our eyes unto the Lord our God, until He have mercy on us; and as a son to his father, according to Luke 15:21: Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee; and as a wife to her husband, according to Jer. 3:1: Thou hast prostituted thyself to many lovers; nevertheless return to Me, saith the Lord. Ad primum ergo dicendum quod, sicut in V Ethic. dicitur, iustitia est ad alterum. Ille autem ad quem est iustitia, non dicitur esse materia iustitiae, sed magis res quae distribuuntur vel commutantur. Unde et materia poenitentiae non est Deus, sed actus humani quibus Deus offenditur vel placatur, sed Deus se habet sicut ille ad quem est iustitia. Ex quo patet quod poenitentia non est virtus theologica, quia non habet Deum pro materia vel pro obiecto. Reply Obj. 1: As stated in Ethic. v, 1, justice is a virtue towards another person, and the matter of justice is not so much the person to whom justice is due as the thing which is the subject of distribution or commutation. Hence the matter of penance is not God, but human acts, whereby God is offended or appeased; whereas God is as one to whom justice is due. Wherefore it is evident that penance is not a theological virtue, because God is not its matter or object. Ad secundum dicendum quod medium iustitiae est aequalitas quae constituitur inter illos inter quos est iustitia, ut dicitur in V Ethic. In quibusdam autem non potest perfecta aequalitas constitui, propter alterius excellentiam, sicut inter filium et patrem, inter hominem et Deum, ut philosophus dicit, in VIII Ethic. Unde in talibus ille qui est deficiens, debet facere quidquid potest, nec tamen hoc erit sufficiens, sed solum secundum acceptationem superioris. Et hoc significatur per excessum qui attribuitur poenitentiae. Reply Obj. 2: The mean of justice is the equality that is established between those between whom justice is, as stated in Ethic. v. But in certain cases perfect equality cannot be established, on account of the excellence of one, as between father and son, God and man, as the Philosopher states (Ethic. viii, 14), wherefore in such cases, he that falls short of the other must do whatever he can. Yet this will not be sufficient simply, but only according to the acceptance of the higher one; and this is what is meant by ascribing excess to penance. Ad tertium dicendum quod, sicut est commutatio quaedam in beneficiis, cum scilicet aliquis pro beneficio recepto gratiam rependit, ita etiam est commutatio in offensis, cum aliquis pro offensa in alterum commissa vel invitus punitur, quod pertinet ad vindicativam iustitiam; vel voluntarie recompensat emendam, quod pertinet ad poenitentiam, quae respicit personam peccatoris sicut iustitia vindicativa personam iudicis. Unde manifestum est quod utraque sub iustitia commutativa continetur. Reply Obj. 3: As there is a kind of commutation in favors, when, to wit, a man gives thanks for a favor received, so also is there commutation in the matter of offenses, when, on account of an offense committed against another, a man is either punished against his will, which pertains to vindictive justice, or makes amends of his own accord, which belongs to penance, which regards the person of the sinner, just as vindictive justice regards the person of the judge. Therefore it is evident that both are comprised under commutative justice. Ad quartum dicendum quod poenitentia, licet directe sit species iustitiae, comprehendit tamen quodammodo ea quae pertinent ad omnes virtutes. Inquantum enim est iustitia quaedam hominis ad Deum, oportet quod participet ea quae sunt virtutum theologicarum, quae habent Deum pro obiecto. Unde poenitentia est cum fide passionis Christi, per quam iustificamur a peccatis; et cum spe veniae; et cum odio vitiorum, quod pertinet ad caritatem inquantum vero est virtus moralis, participat aliquid prudentiae, quae est directiva omnium virtutum moralium. Sed ex ipsa ratione iustitiae non solum habet id quod iustitiae est, sed etiam ea quae sunt temperantiae et fortitudinis, inquantum scilicet ea quae delectationem causant ad temperantiam pertinentem, vel terrorem incutiunt, quem fortitudo moderatur, in commutationem iustitiae veniunt. Et secundum hoc ad iustitiam pertinet et abstinere a delectabilibus, quod pertinet ad temperantiam; et sustinere dura, quod pertinet ad fortitudinem. Reply Obj. 4: Although penance is directly a species of justice, yet, in a fashion, it comprises things pertaining to all the virtues; for inasmuch as there is a justice of man towards God, it must have a share in matter pertaining to the theological virtues, the object of which is God. Consequently penance comprises faith in Christ’s Passion, whereby we are cleansed of our sins, hope for pardon, and hatred of vice, which pertains to charity. Inasmuch as it is a moral virtue, it has a share of prudence, which directs all the moral virtues: but from the very nature of justice, it has not only something belonging to justice, but also something belonging to temperance and fortitude, inasmuch as those things which cause pleasure, and which pertain to temperance, and those which cause terror, which fortitude moderates, are objects of commutative justice. Accordingly it belongs to justice both to abstain from pleasure, which belongs to temperance, and to bear with hardships, which belongs to fortitude. Articulus 4 Article 4 Utrum subiectum poenitentiae sit proprie voluntas Whether the will is properly the subject of penance? Ad quartum sic proceditur. Videtur quod subiectum poenitentiae non sit proprie voluntas. Poenitentia enim est tristitiae species. Sed tristitia est in concupiscibili, sicut et gaudium. Ergo poenitentia est in concupiscibili. Objection 1: It would seem that the subject of penance is not properly the will. For penance is a species of sorrow. But sorrow is in the concupiscible part, even as joy is. Therefore penance is in the concupiscible faculty. Praeterea, poenitentia est vindicta quaedam, ut Augustinus dicit, in libro de poenitentia. Sed vindicta videtur ad irascibilem pertinere, quia ira est appetitus vindictae. Ergo videtur quod poenitentia sit in irascibili. Obj. 2: Further, penance is a kind of vengeance, as Augustine states in De Poenitentia. But vengeance seems to regard the irascible faculty, since anger is the desire for vengeance. Therefore it seems that penance is in the irascible part. Praeterea, praeteritum est proprium obiectum memoriae, secundum philosophum, in libro de memoria. Sed poenitentia est de praeterito, ut dictum est. Ergo poenitentia est in memoria sicuti in subiecto. Obj. 3: Further, the past is the proper object of the memory, according to the Philosopher (De Memoria i). Now penance regards the past, as stated above (A. 1, ad 2, ad 3). Therefore penance is subjected in the memory. Praeterea, nihil agit ubi non est. Sed poenitentia excludit peccata ab omnibus viribus animae. Ergo poenitentia est in qualibet vi animae, et non in voluntate tantum. Obj. 4: Further, nothing acts where it is not. Now penance removes sin from all the powers of the soul. Therefore penance is in every power of the soul, and not only in the will. Sed contra, poenitentia est sacrificium quoddam, secundum illud Psalmi, sacrificium Deo spiritus contribulatus. Sed offerre sacrificium est actus voluntatis, secundum illud Psalmi, voluntarie sacrificabo tibi. Ergo poenitentia est in voluntate. On the contrary, penance is a kind of sacrifice, according to Ps. 50:19: A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit. But to offer a sacrifice is an act of the will, according to Ps. 53:8: I will freely sacrifice to Thee. Therefore penance is in the will. Respondeo dicendum quod de poenitentia dupliciter loqui possumus. Uno modo, secundum quod est passio quaedam. Et sic, cum sit species tristitiae, est in concupiscibili sicut in subiecto. Alio modo, secundum quod est virtus. Et sic, sicut dictum est, est species iustitiae. Iustitia autem, ut in secunda parte dictum est, habet pro subiecto appetitum rationis, qui est voluntas. Unde manifestum est quod poenitentia, secundum quod est virtus, est in voluntate sicut in subiecto. Et proprius eius actus est propositum emendandi Deo quod contra eum commissum est. I answer that, We can speak of penance in two ways: first, in so far as it is a passion, and thus, since it is a kind of sorrow, it is in the concupiscible part as its subject; second, in so far as it is a virtue, and thus, as stated above (A. 3), it is a species of justice. Now justice, as stated in the Second Part (I-II, Q. 56, A. 6), is subjected in the rational appetite which is the will. Therefore it is evident that penance, in so far as it is a virtue, is subjected in the will, and its proper act is the purpose of amending what was committed against God. Ad primum ergo dicendum quod ratio illa procedit de poenitentia secundum quod est passio. Reply Obj. 1: This argument considers penance as a passion. Ad secundum dicendum quod vindictam expetere ex passione de alio pertinet ad irascibilem. Sed appetere vel facere vindictam ex ratione de se vel de alio, pertinet ad voluntatem. Reply Obj. 2: To desire vengeance on another, through passion, belongs to the irascible appetite, but to desire or take vengeance on oneself or on another, through reason, belongs to the will. Ad tertium dicendum quod memoria est vis apprehensiva praeteriti. Poenitentia autem non pertinet ad vim apprehensivam, sed ad appetitivam, quae praesupponit actum apprehensivae. Unde poenitentia non est in memoria, sed supponit eam. Reply Obj. 3: The memory is a power that apprehends the past. But penance belongs not to the apprehensive but to the appetitive power, which presupposes an act of the apprehension. Wherefore penance is not in the memory, but presupposes it. Ad quartum dicendum quod voluntas, sicut in prima parte habitum est, movet omnes alias potentias animae. Et ideo non est inconveniens si poenitentia, in voluntate existens, aliquid in singulis potentiis animae operatur. Reply Obj. 4: The will, as stated above (I, Q. 82, A. 4; I-II, Q. 9, A. 1), moves all the other powers of the soul; so that it is not unreasonable for penance to be subjected in the will, and to produce an effect in each power of the soul. Articulus 5 Article 5 Utrum principium poenitentiae sit ex timore Whether penance originates from fear? Ad quintum sic proceditur. Videtur quod principium poenitentiae non sit ex timore. Poenitentia enim incipit in displicentia peccatorum. Sed hoc pertinet ad caritatem, ut supra dictum est. Ergo poenitentia magis oritur ex amore quam ex timore. Objection 1: It would seem that penance does not originate from fear. For penance originates in displeasure at sin. But this belongs to charity, as stated above (A. 3). Therefore penance originates from love rather than fear. Praeterea, ad poenitentiam homines provocantur per expectationem regni caelestis, secundum illud Matth. IV, poenitentiam agite, appropinquabit enim regnum caelorum. Sed regnum caelorum est obiectum spei. Ergo poenitentia magis procedit ex spe quam ex timore. Obj. 2: Further, men are induced to do penance, through the expectation of the heavenly kingdom, according to Matt. 3:2 and Matt. 4:17: Do penance, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Now the kingdom of heaven is the object of hope. Therefore penance results from hope rather than from fear. Praeterea, timor est interior actus hominis. Poenitentia autem non videtur esse ex opere hominis, sed ex opere Dei, secundum illud Ierem. XXXI, postquam convertisti me, egi poenitentiam. Ergo poenitentia non procedit ex timore. Obj. 3: Further, fear is an internal act of man. But penance does not seem to arise in us through any work of man, but through the operation of God, according to Jer. 31:19: After Thou didst convert me I did penance. Therefore penance does not result from fear. Sed contra est quod Isaiae XXVI dicitur, sicut quae concipit, cum appropinquaverit ad partum, dolens clamat in doloribus suis, sic facti sumus, scilicet per poenitentiam, et postea subditur, secundum aliam litteram, a timore tuo, domine, concepimus, et parturivimus, et peperimus spiritum salutis, idest poenitentiae salutaris, ut per praemissa patet. Ergo poenitentia procedit ex timore. On the contrary, It is written (Isa 26:17): As a woman with child, when she draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs, so ere we become, by penance, to wit; and according to another version the text continues: Through fear of Thee, O Lord, we have conceived, and been as it were in labor, and have brought forth the spirit of salvation, i.e., of salutary penance, as is clear from what precedes. Therefore penance results from fear. Respondeo dicendum quod de poenitentia loqui possumus dupliciter. Uno modo, quantum ad habitum. Et sic immediate a Deo infunditur, sine nobis principaliter operantibus, non tamen sine nobis dispositive cooperantibus per aliquos actus. Alio modo possumus loqui de poenitentia quantum ad actus quibus Deo operanti in poenitentia cooperamur. Quorum actuum primum principium est Dei operatio convertentis cor, secundum illud Thren. ult., converte nos, domine, ad te, et convertemur. Secundus actus est motus fidei. Tertius actus est motus timoris servilis, quo quis timore suppliciorum a peccatis retrahitur. Quartus actus est motus spei, quo quis, sub spe veniae consequendae, assumit propositum emendandi. Quintus actus est motus caritatis, quo alicui peccatum displicet secundum seipsum, et non iam propter supplicia. Sextus actus est motus timoris filialis, quo, propter reverentiam Dei, aliquis emendam Deo voluntarius offert. I answer that, We may speak of penance in two ways: first, as to the habit, and then it is infused by God immediately without our operating as principal agents, but not without our co-operating dispositively by certain acts. Second, we may speak of penance, with regard to the acts whereby in penance we co-operate with God operating, the first principle of which acts is the operation of God in turning the heart, according to Lam. 5:21: Convert us, O Lord, to Thee, and we shall be converted; the second, an act of faith; the third, a movement of servile fear, whereby a man is withdrawn from sin through fear of punishment; the fourth, a movement of hope, whereby a man makes a purpose of amendment, in the hope of obtaining pardon; the fifth, a movement of charity, whereby sin is displeasing to man for its own sake and no longer for the sake of the punishment; the sixth, a movement of filial fear whereby a man, of his own accord, offers to make amends to God through fear of Him. Sic igitur patet quod actus poenitentiae a timore servili procedit sicut a primo motu affectus ad hoc ordinante, a timore autem filiali sicut ab immediato et proximo principio. Accordingly it is evident that the act of penance results from servile fear as from the first movement of the appetite in this direction and from filial fear as from its immediate and proper principle. Ad primum ergo dicendum quod peccatum prius incipit homini displicere, maxime peccatori, propter supplicia, quae respicit timor servilis, quam propter Dei offensam vel peccati turpitudinem, quod pertinet ad caritatem. Reply Obj. 1: Sin begins to displease a man, especially a sinner, on account of the punishments which servile fear regards, before it displeases him on account of its being an offense against God, or on account of its wickedness, which pertains to charity. Ad secundum dicendum quod in regno caelorum appropinquante intelligitur adventus regis non solum praemiantis, sed etiam punientis. Unde et, Matth. III, Ioannes Baptista dicebat, progenies viperarum, quis demonstravit vobis fugere a ventura ira? Reply Obj. 2: When the kingdom of heaven is said to be at hand, we are to understand that the king is on his way, not only to reward but also to punish. Wherefore John the Baptist said (Matt 3:7): Ye brood of vipers, who hath showed you to flee from the wrath to come? Ad tertium dicendum quod etiam ipse motus timoris procedit ex actu Dei convertentis cor, unde dicitur Deuteron. V, quis det eos talem habere mentem ut timeant me? Et ideo per hoc quod poenitentia a timore procedit, non excluditur quin procedat ex actu Dei convertentis cor. Reply Obj. 3: Even the movement of fear proceeds from God’s act in turning the heart; wherefore it is written (Deut 5:29): Who shall give them to have such a mind, to fear Me? And so the fact that penance results from fear does not hinder its resulting from the act of God in turning the heart.