ON THE OLD LAW IN ITSELF.

S. Th. I-II, q. 98.

302. The old law is good, both because it has God as its author, and because Christ, teaching by words and deeds and observing it, said it was good (Mt. V, 17), and because it accords with reason while it restrains concupiscence (Exod. XX, 17) and forbids sins (ibid.). Whence it is said by the Apostle Rom. VII, 12 : the law is holy, the commandment holy (cf. Ps. XVIII, 8-11 ; Mt. V, 17 ; I Tim. I, 8). — It is not however simply perfect, because it was not of itself sufficient to lead to the end which is eternal life, to which it only aided fallen man, but did not completely heal him nor render him fit : for this is done by grace which was not given by the old law (Gal. IV, 9 ; Hebr. VII, 19 ; X, 1). But it was perfect according to the time for which it was given and according to the condition of those to whom it was given.

« In how much the Mosaic law excels other laws is clear to one who attends a little¹ : a) for it inculcates monotheism clearly and explicitly, and strictly forbids the cult of idols, prevailing among other peoples : I am the Lord... (Exod. XX, 2-4). b) Moreover servitude, although allowed, is much milder than among neighboring nations (Exod. XXI, 1-11). c) The sum of the law is the love of God and neighbor : Thou shalt love... (Deut. VI, 5 ; Levit. XIX, 18). d) It not only forbids external sins, as most laws do, but also internal ones : Thou shalt not covet (Ex. XX, 17 ; Deut. VI, 5 ; Lev. XVI, 18). e) Not only is negative holiness prescribed, but also positive [holiness] which consists in a certain imitation of divine holiness : Be holy because I am holy, the Lord your God (Lev. XIX, 2) ».

303. The old law was given

1° by God the Father, because it disposed men for Christ to come, his Son, in a twofold way : both by a testimony to be received about him (Lk. XXIV, 44 ; John V, 46) ; and by withdrawing men from idolatry, and placing them under the cult of one God by whom the human race was to be saved (Gal. III, 23-24 ; Rom. X, 4) ;

2° through the ministry of angels, because [it was] imperfect, while the new and perfect [law] had to be given through Christ himself (Gal. III, 19 ; Acts VII, 53) ;

3° to the Jewish people alone, whom God chose that from them Christ might be born ; whence it was fitting that they should be endowed with a special sanctification (Deut. IV, 8 ; Ps. CXLVII, 8 ; Rom. III, 2). Hence although by the precepts of natural law which it contained and manifested it bound all, by the precepts however proper to itself, added to natural law, of itself it bound only the Jews, and accidentally the gentiles who were joined to the Jewish people by circumcision (Ex. XII, 48).

304. Remarks. — 1° The end therefore of the old law is 1) immediate and proximate to instruct the people in order to honesty, the worship of God, justice, and so to procure temporal happiness ; 2) mediate and ultimate is supernatural happiness (Lk. X, 25) ; 3) extrinsically joined to the aforesaid is Christ as to be honored and glorified (Rom. X, 4).

2° Concerning the time at which the old law was to be given, S. Thomas teaches, q. 98, a. 6 : « Most fittingly was the old law given at the time of Moses. The reason of which can be taken from two things, according as every law is imposed on two kinds of men : ...the hard and proud, who are restrained and tamed by the law ; ...the good, who are instructed by the law and helped to bestow what they intend. 1° It was therefore fitting that the old law be given at such a time to convict the pride of men. For man was proud of two things, namely of knowledge and of power. a) Of knowledge indeed, as if his natural reason could suffice him for salvation ; and therefore, that his pride in this be convicted, man was allowed the government of his own reason without the aid of written law ; and by experience man could learn that he suffered from a defect of reason because men, until the time of Abraham, were falling into idolatry and the foulest vices. And therefore after these times it was necessary that written law be given as a remedy for human ignorance, because by the law is sin known... b) But after man was instructed by the law, his pride was convicted of his infirmity, while he could not fulfill what he knew. — 2° On the part of the good, the law was given as an aid ; which indeed was then most necessary to the people when natural law was beginning to be obscured because of the exuberance of sins ».