Part III (Secunda Secundae) Part 147 (1/2)
We must now consider the species of superst.i.tion. We shall treat (1) Of the superst.i.tion which consists in giving undue wors.h.i.+p to the true G.o.d; (2) Of the superst.i.tion of idolatry; (3) of divinatory superst.i.tion; (4) of the superst.i.tion of observances.
Under the first head there are two points of inquiry:
(1) Whether there can be anything pernicious in the wors.h.i.+p of the true G.o.d?
(2) Whether there can be anything superfluous therein?
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FIRST ARTICLE [II-II, Q. 93, Art. 1]
Whether There Can Be Anything Pernicious in the Wors.h.i.+p of the True G.o.d?
Objection 1: It would seem that there cannot be anything pernicious in the wors.h.i.+p of the true G.o.d. It is written (Joel 2:32): ”Everyone that shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Now whoever wors.h.i.+ps G.o.d calls upon His name. Therefore all wors.h.i.+p of G.o.d is conducive to salvation, and consequently none is pernicious.
Obj. 2: Further, it is the same G.o.d that is wors.h.i.+ped by the just in any age of the world. Now before the giving of the Law the just wors.h.i.+ped G.o.d in whatever manner they pleased, without committing mortal sin: wherefore Jacob bound himself by his own vow to a special kind of wors.h.i.+p, as related in Genesis 28. Therefore now also no wors.h.i.+p of G.o.d is pernicious.
Obj. 3: Further, nothing pernicious is tolerated in the Church. Yet the Church tolerates various rites of divine wors.h.i.+p: wherefore Gregory, replying to Augustine, bishop of the English (Regist. xi, ep. 64), who stated that there existed in the churches various customs in the celebration of Ma.s.s, wrote: ”I wish you to choose carefully whatever you find likely to be most pleasing to G.o.d, whether in the Roman territory, or in the land of the Gauls, or in any part of the Church.” Therefore no way of wors.h.i.+ping G.o.d is pernicious.
_On the contrary,_ Augustine [*Jerome (Ep. lxxv, ad Aug.) See Opp.
August. Ep. lx.x.xii] in a letter to Jerome (and the words are quoted in a gloss on Gal. 2:14) says that ”after the Gospel truth had been preached the legal observances became deadly,” and yet these observances belonged to the wors.h.i.+p of G.o.d. Therefore there can be something deadly in the divine wors.h.i.+p.
_I answer that,_ As Augustine states (Cont. Mendac. xiv), ”a most pernicious lie is that which is uttered in matters pertaining to Christian religion.” Now it is a lie if one signify outwardly that which is contrary to the truth. But just as a thing is signified by word, so it is by deed: and it is in this signification by deed that the outward wors.h.i.+p of religion consists, as shown above (Q. 81, A.
7). Consequently, if anything false is signified by outward wors.h.i.+p, this wors.h.i.+p will be pernicious.
Now this happens in two ways. In the first place, it happens on the part of the thing signified, through the wors.h.i.+p signifying something discordant therefrom: and in this way, at the time of the New Law, the mysteries of Christ being already accomplished, it is pernicious to make use of the ceremonies of the Old Law whereby the mysteries of Christ were foreshadowed as things to come: just as it would be pernicious for anyone to declare that Christ has yet to suffer. In the second place, falsehood in outward wors.h.i.+p occurs on the part of the wors.h.i.+per, and especially in common wors.h.i.+p which is offered by ministers impersonating the whole Church. For even as he would be guilty of falsehood who would, in the name of another person, proffer things that are not committed to him, so too does a man incur the guilt of falsehood who, on the part of the Church, gives wors.h.i.+p to G.o.d contrary to the manner established by the Church or divine authority, and according to ecclesiastical custom. Hence Ambrose [*Comment. in 1 ad1 Cor. 11:27, quoted in the gloss of Peter Lombard]
says: ”He is unworthy who celebrates the mystery otherwise than Christ delivered it.” For this reason, too, a gloss on Col. 2:23 says that superst.i.tion is ”the use of human observances under the name of religion.”
Reply Obj. 1: Since G.o.d is truth, to invoke G.o.d is to wors.h.i.+p Him in spirit and truth, according to John 4:23. Hence a wors.h.i.+p that contains falsehood, is inconsistent with a salutary calling upon G.o.d.
Reply Obj. 2: Before the time of the Law the just were instructed by an inward instinct as to the way of wors.h.i.+ping G.o.d, and others followed them. But afterwards men were instructed by outward precepts about this matter, and it is wicked to disobey them.
Reply Obj. 3: The various customs of the Church in the divine wors.h.i.+p are in no way contrary to the truth: wherefore we must observe them, and to disregard them is unlawful.
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SECOND ARTICLE [II-II, Q. 93, Art. 2]
Whether There Can Be Any Excess in the Wors.h.i.+p of G.o.d?
Objection 1: It would seem that there cannot be excess in the wors.h.i.+p of G.o.d. It is written (Ecclus. 43:32): ”Glorify the Lord as much as ever you can, for He will yet far exceed.” Now the divine wors.h.i.+p is directed to the glorification of G.o.d. Therefore there can be no excess in it.
Obj. 2: Further, outward wors.h.i.+p is a profession of inward wors.h.i.+p, ”whereby G.o.d is wors.h.i.+ped with faith, hope, and charity,” as Augustine says (Enchiridion iii). Now there can be no excess in faith, hope, and charity. Neither, therefore, can there be in the wors.h.i.+p of G.o.d.
Obj. 3: Further, to wors.h.i.+p G.o.d consists in offering to Him what we have received from Him. But we have received all our goods from G.o.d.
Therefore if we do all that we possibly can for G.o.d's honor, there will be no excess in the divine wors.h.i.+p.
_On the contrary,_ Augustine says (De Doctr. Christ. ii, 18) ”that the good and true Christian rejects also superst.i.tious fancies from Holy Writ.” But Holy Writ teaches us to wors.h.i.+p G.o.d. Therefore there can be superst.i.tion by reason of excess even in the wors.h.i.+p of G.o.d.
_I answer that,_ A thing is said to be in excess in two ways. First, with regard to absolute quant.i.ty, and in this way there cannot be excess in the wors.h.i.+p of G.o.d, because whatever man does is less than he owes G.o.d. Secondly, a thing is in excess with regard to quant.i.ty of proportion, through not being proportionate to its end. Now the end of divine wors.h.i.+p is that man may give glory to G.o.d, and submit to Him in mind and body. Consequently, whatever a man may do conducing to G.o.d's glory, and subjecting his mind to G.o.d, and his body, too, by a moderate curbing of the concupiscences, is not excessive in the divine wors.h.i.+p, provided it be in accordance with the commandments of G.o.d and of the Church, and in keeping with the customs of those among whom he lives.
On the other hand if that which is done be, in itself, not conducive to G.o.d's glory, nor raise man's mind to G.o.d, nor curb inordinate concupiscence, or again if it be not in accordance with the commandments of G.o.d and of the Church, or if it be contrary to the general custom--which, according to Augustine [*Ad Casulan. Ep.