QUESTION IV.
On obedience.
After the inquiry concerning humility, poverty, and continence, it now remains in the fourth place to inquire concerning obedience. And concerning obedience three things can be asked.
The first is whether it is consonant with natural law that a man be subject to another by obeying.
The second is whether it is consonant with evangelical perfection that one bind himself by vow to obeying another.
The third is whether it is fitting for the Christian religion that all obey one.
ARTICLE I.
Whether it is consonant with natural law that a man be subject to another by obeying.
As to the first, the procedure is as follows. It seems that it is consonant with natural law that man obey man.
1. For natural piety dictates that parents are to be honored; but the honor of parents consists in the showing of reverence, and the showing of reverence consists in complying and obeying: therefore etc.
2. Likewise, the law of the Decalogue written in the heart of man dictates through the dictate of nature; but it commands this, namely that parents be honored: therefore that is consonant with natural law. But this is done through the service of obedience: therefore etc.
3. Likewise, Ephesians 6: Children, obey your parents in all things: but fatherhood and sonship are most consonant with natural law: therefore also that children obey parents.
4. Likewise, the law of nature dictates order: but "order is an arrangement of equal and unequal things assigning to each its proper place," as Augustine says in the nineteenth book of the City of God: if therefore it belongs to order that one be subjected to another, and the law of nature dictates order: it therefore dictates that one ought to be subject to another.
5. Likewise, the law of nature dictates peace among members of a household: but peace in the home is "an ordered concord of commanding and obeying": therefore to command and to obey belongs to the law of nature.
6. Likewise, natural law dictates that rank is to be preserved, "because if all things were equal, all things would not exist"; but where there is rank, there is superiority and inferiority; but if the inferior is not subject to the superior, rank is not preserved: therefore etc.
7. Likewise, the law of nature dictates the hierarchical order, which descends from the supreme hierarchy through the angelic to the human; but it is consonant with hierarchical order that the inferior comply with the superior: therefore etc.
8. Likewise, the law of nature dictates "to render to each what is his own"; but honor is especially owed to man standing, that is, in the state of innocence; but honor is shown to a man when he is obeyed: therefore etc.
9. Likewise, it belongs to the dictate of the law of nature "what is common among all"; but government and command, or subjection and obedience, are common to all: therefore etc.
10. Likewise, it belongs to the dictate of natural law that the whole man obey right reason within himself: therefore by equal reasoning the law of nature dictates that the less experienced and the ignorant be subject by obeying to the more experienced and the knowing: therefore it seems that for man to comply with man is consonant with natural law.
But against this it is objected as follows. 1. Genesis 1: Let us make man in our image and likeness, and let him have dominion over the fish of the sea, etc.; on which words Augustine says in the nineteenth book of the City of God: "God did not will that rational man, made in the image of God, should have dominion except over irrational creatures"; but it belongs to the dictate of nature that man should preserve the divine institution: therefore it accords with natural right that man should not command man, nor that one should be subject to another by obeying.
2. Likewise, Gregory says: "Nature made all men equal": therefore the law of nature dictates equality; but where there is equality, there is no superiority and inferiority; but obedience implies superiority and inferiority: therefore etc.
3. Likewise, in the twenty-second distinction: "When fault does not require it, we are all equal according to the principle of humility"; but in the state of nature as instituted there would have been no fault: therefore there would have been equality, therefore there would have been no prelacy nor subjection: therefore etc.
4. Likewise, the law of nature dictates that the dignity of the image is to be preserved; but the image is immediately from God and subject to God alone, because "it is formed by the First Truth with no nature interposed": therefore it seems that for man to be subject by obeying man is against the dignity of the image.
5. Likewise, the law of nature dictates that liberty is to be preserved: but free will exists equally in all: therefore liberty is to be preserved equally in all. But where there is subjection and obedience, there is not equal liberty: therefore etc.
6. Likewise, the law of nature dictates that charity is to be preserved; but charity produces union, conformity, and equality: therefore it removes all subjection and superposition: therefore etc.