Part III (Secunda Secundae) Part 29 (1/2)
On the contrary stands the authority of the Master (Sent. iii, D, 34).
_I answer that,_ We are speaking of fear now, in so far as it makes us turn, so to speak, to G.o.d or away from Him. For, since the object of fear is an evil, sometimes, on account of the evils he fears, man withdraws from G.o.d, and this is called human fear; while sometimes, on account of the evils he fears, he turns to G.o.d and adheres to Him.
This latter evil is twofold, viz. evil of punishment, and evil of fault.
Accordingly if a man turn to G.o.d and adhere to Him, through fear of punishment, it will be servile fear; but if it be on account of fear of committing a fault, it will be filial fear, for it becomes a child to fear offending its father. If, however, it be on account of both, it will be initial fear, which is between both these fears. As to whether it is possible to fear the evil of fault, the question has been treated above (I-II, Q. 42, A. 3) when we were considering the pa.s.sion of fear.
Reply Obj. 1: Damascene divides fear as a pa.s.sion of the soul: whereas this division of fear is taken from its relation to G.o.d, as explained above.
Reply Obj. 2: Moral good consists chiefly in turning to G.o.d, while moral evil consists chiefly in turning away from Him: wherefore all the fears mentioned above imply either moral evil or moral good. Now natural fear is presupposed to moral good and evil, and so it is not numbered among these kinds of fear.
Reply Obj. 3: The relation of servant to master is based on the power which the master exercises over the servant; whereas, on the contrary, the relation of a son to his father or of a wife to her husband is based on the son's affection towards his father to whom he submits himself, or on the wife's affection towards her husband to whom she binds herself in the union of love. Hence filial and chaste fear amount to the same, because by the love of charity G.o.d becomes our Father, according to Rom. 8:15, ”You have received the spirit of adoption of sons, whereby we cry: Abba (Father)”; and by this same charity He is called our spouse, according to 2 Cor. 11:2, ”I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ”: whereas servile fear has no connection with these, since it does not include charity in its definition.
Reply Obj. 4: These three fears regard punishment but in different ways. For worldly or human fear regards a punishment which turns man away from G.o.d, and which G.o.d's enemies sometimes inflict or threaten: whereas servile and initial fear regard a punishment whereby men are drawn to G.o.d, and which is inflicted or threatened by G.o.d. Servile fear regards this punishment chiefly, while initial fear regards it secondarily.
Reply Obj. 5: It amounts to the same whether man turns away from G.o.d through fear of losing his worldly goods, or through fear of forfeiting the well-being of his body, since external goods belong to the body. Hence both these fears are reckoned as one here, although they fear different evils, even as they correspond to the desire of different goods. This diversity causes a specific diversity of sins, all of which alike however lead man away from G.o.d.
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THIRD ARTICLE [II-II, Q. 19, Art. 3]
Whether Worldly Fear Is Always Evil?
Objection 1: It would seem that worldly fear is not always evil.
Because regard for men seems to be a kind of human fear. Now some are blamed for having no regard for man, for instance, the unjust judge of whom we read (Luke 18:2) that he ”feared not G.o.d, nor regarded man.” Therefore it seems that worldly fear is not always evil.
Obj. 2: Further, worldly fear seems to have reference to the punishments inflicted by the secular power. Now such like punishments incite us to good actions, according to Rom. 13:3, ”Wilt thou not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise from the same.” Therefore worldly fear is not always evil.
Obj. 3: Further, it seems that what is in us naturally, is not evil, since our natural gifts are from G.o.d. Now it is natural to man to fear detriment to his body, and loss of his worldly goods, whereby the present life is supported. Therefore it seems that worldly fear is not always evil.
_On the contrary,_ Our Lord said (Matt. 10:28): ”Fear ye not them that kill the body,” thus forbidding worldly fear. Now nothing but what is evil is forbidden by G.o.d. Therefore worldly fear is evil.
_I answer that,_ As shown above (I-II, Q. 1, A. 3; I-II, Q. 18, A. 1; I-II, Q. 54, A. 2) moral acts and habits take their name and species from their objects. Now the proper object of the appet.i.te's movement is the final good: so that, in consequence, every appet.i.tive movement is both specified and named from its proper end. For if anyone were to describe covetousness as love of work because men work on account of covetousness, this description would be incorrect, since the covetous man seeks work not as end but as a means: the end that he seeks is wealth, wherefore covetousness is rightly described as the desire or the love of wealth, and this is evil. Accordingly worldly love is, properly speaking, the love whereby a man trusts in the world as his end, so that worldly love is always evil. Now fear is born of love, since man fears the loss of what he loves, as Augustine states (Qq. lx.x.xiii, qu. 33). Now worldly fear is that which arises from worldly love as from an evil root, for which reason worldly fear is always evil.
Reply Obj. 1: One may have regard for men in two ways. First in so far as there is in them something divine, for instance, the good of grace or of virtue, or at least of the natural image of G.o.d: and in this way those are blamed who have no regard for man. Secondly, one may have regard for men as being in opposition to G.o.d, and thus it is praiseworthy to have no regard for men, according as we read of Elias or Eliseus (Ecclus. 48:13): ”In his days he feared not the prince.”
Reply Obj. 2: When the secular power inflicts punishment in order to withdraw men from sin, it is acting as G.o.d's minister, according to Rom. 13:4, ”For he is G.o.d's minister, an avenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil.” To fear the secular power in this way is part, not of worldly fear, but of servile or initial fear.
Reply Obj. 3: It is natural for man to shrink from detriment to his own body and loss of worldly goods, but to forsake justice on that account is contrary to natural reason. Hence the Philosopher says (Ethic. iii, 1) that there are certain things, viz. sinful deeds, which no fear should drive us to do, since to do such things is worse than to suffer any punishment whatever.
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FOURTH ARTICLE [II-II, Q. 19, Art. 4]
Whether Servile Fear Is Good?
Objection 1: It would seem that servile fear is not good. For if the use of a thing is evil, the thing itself is evil. Now the use of servile fear is evil, for according to a gloss on Rom. 8:15, ”if a man do anything through fear, although the deed be good, it is not well done.” Therefore servile fear is not good.
Obj. 2: Further, no good grows from a sinful root. Now servile fear grows from a sinful root, because when commenting on Job 3:11, ”Why did I not die in the womb?” Gregory says (Moral. iv, 25): ”When a man dreads the punishment which confronts him for his sin and no longer loves the friends.h.i.+p of G.o.d which he has lost, his fear is born of pride, not of humility.” Therefore servile fear is evil.
Obj. 3: Further, just as mercenary love is opposed to the love of charity, so is servile fear, apparently, opposed to chaste fear. But mercenary love is always evil. Therefore servile fear is also.
_On the contrary,_ Nothing evil is from the Holy Ghost. But servile fear is from the Holy Ghost, since a gloss on Rom. 8:15, ”You have not received the spirit of bondage,” etc. says: ”It is the one same spirit that bestows two fears, viz. servile and chaste fear.” Therefore servile fear is not evil.