Part III (Secunda Secundae) Part 210 (1/2)

With regard to abstinence three points have to be considered: (1) Abstinence itself; (2) its act which is fasting; (3) its opposite vice which is gluttony. Under the first head there are two points of inquiry:

(1) Whether abstinence is a virtue?

(2) Whether it is a special virtue?

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FIRST ARTICLE [II-II, Q. 146, Art. 1]

Whether Abstinence Is a Virtue?

Objection 1: It seems that abstinence is not a virtue. For the Apostle says (1 Cor. 4:20): ”The kingdom of G.o.d is not in speech but in power (_virtute_).” Now the kingdom of G.o.d does not consist in abstinence, for the Apostle says (Rom. 14:17): ”The kingdom of G.o.d is not meat and drink,” where a gloss [*Cf. St. Augustine, QQ. Evang.

ii, qu. 11] observes that ”justice consists neither in abstaining nor in eating.” Therefore abstinence is not a virtue.

Obj. 2: Further, Augustine says (Confess. x, 11) addressing himself to G.o.d: ”This hast Thou taught me, that I should set myself to take food as physic.” Now it belongs not to virtue, but to the medical art to regulate medicine. Therefore, in like manner, to regulate one's food, which belongs to abstinence, is an act not of virtue but of art.

Obj. 3: Further, every virtue ”observes the mean,” as stated in _Ethic._ ii, 6, 7. But abstinence seemingly inclines not to the mean but to deficiency, since it denotes retrenchment. Therefore abstinence is not a virtue.

Obj. 4: Further, no virtue excludes another virtue. But abstinence excludes patience: for Gregory says (Pastor. iii, 19) that ”impatience not unfrequently dislodges the abstainer's mind from its peaceful seclusion.” Likewise he says (Pastor. iii, 19) that ”sometimes the sin of pride pierces the thoughts of the abstainer,”

so that abstinence excludes humility. Therefore abstinence is not a virtue.

_On the contrary,_ It is written (2 Pet. 1:5, 6): ”Join with your faith virtue, and with virtue knowledge, and with knowledge abstinence”; where abstinence is numbered among other virtues.

Therefore abstinence is a virtue.

_I answer that,_ Abstinence by its very name denotes retrenchment of food. Hence the term abstinence may be taken in two ways. First, as denoting retrenchment of food absolutely, and in this way it signifies neither a virtue nor a virtuous act, but something indifferent. Secondly, it may be taken as regulated by reason, and then it signifies either a virtuous habit or a virtuous act. This is the meaning of Peter's words quoted above, where he says that we ought ”to join abstinence with knowledge,” namely that in abstaining from food a man should act with due regard for those among whom he lives, for his own person, and for the requirements of health.

Reply Obj. 1: The use of and abstinence from food, considered in themselves, do not pertain to the kingdom of G.o.d, since the Apostle says (1 Cor. 8:8): ”Meat doth not commend us to G.o.d. For neither, if we eat not [*Vulg.: 'Neither if we eat ... nor if we eat not'], shall we have the less, nor if we eat, shall we have the more,” i.e.

spiritually. Nevertheless they both belong to the kingdom of G.o.d, in so far as they are done reasonably through faith and love of G.o.d.

Reply Obj. 2: The regulation of food, in the point of quant.i.ty and quality, belongs to the art of medicine as regards the health of the body: but in the point of internal affections with regard to the good of reason, it belongs to abstinence. Hence Augustine says (QQ. Evang.

ii, qu. 11): ”It makes no difference whatever to virtue what or how much food a man takes, so long as he does it with due regard for the people among whom he lives, for his own person, and for the requirements of his health: but it matters how readily and uncomplainingly he does without food when bound by duty or necessity to abstain.”

Reply Obj. 3: It belongs to temperance to bridle the pleasures which are too alluring to the soul, just as it belongs to fort.i.tude to strengthen the soul against fears that deter it from the good of reason. Wherefore, just as fort.i.tude is commended on account of a certain excess, from which all the parts of fort.i.tude take their name, so temperance is commended for a kind of deficiency, from which all its parts are denominated. Hence abstinence, since it is a part of temperance, is named from deficiency, and yet it observes the mean, in so far as it is in accord with right reason.

Reply Obj. 4: Those vices result from abstinence in so far as it is not in accord with right reason. For right reason makes one abstain as one ought, i.e. with gladness of heart, and for the due end, i.e.

for G.o.d's glory and not one's own.

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SECOND ARTICLE [II-II, Q. 146, Art. 1]

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 G.o.d is evil, but merely in order to chastise the body.” Now this belongs to chast.i.ty, as its very name denotes. Therefore abstinence is not a special virtue distinct from chast.i.ty.

Obj. 3: Further, as man should be content with moderate meat, so should he be satisfied with moderate clothes, according to 1 Tim.