Question V: On honesty

IN MANY ways Honestum is taken. First, for what is exterior in the prosperity of fortitude, and the dignity of nobility; and a person worthy of honor is called honest; and for the seemliness of morals in exterior conversation, and for all things which have an external semblance together with honesty, as St. Bonaventure notes in primo, dist. 1. art. 3. quaest. 2. ad 4, and on those words of Wisd. 10: Honored him; it is taken also for seemliness in the face of men; thus an impediment of public honesty is placed by betrothal for contracting with the relatives of the spouse. It also signifies every good desirable per se. Simply, however, Honesty regards the good of virtue, as the Holy Doctor admonishes p. p. Centil. sect. 9.

THEREFORE Honestum, says St. Thomas quaest. cit. art. 2, from St. Augustine lib. 83. qq. quaest. 30, is spiritual comeliness. For that is beautiful and comely which has its parts proportionately disposed, from St. Dionysius c. 4. de div. nom. part. 1. Thus therefore spiritual comeliness is placed in this, that the life and morals of a man be well proportioned according to the spiritual clarity of right reason, which pertains to the character of the honest, and of virtue.

HONESTY therefore is called an integral part of Temperance by way of a certain condition which shines in Temperance itself with a special reason. So St. Thomas, from Macrob. lib. 1. in somn. Scip., Ambrose lib. 1. de off. c. 43.

THE REASON is, because, although honesty is common to every virtue, yet it is ascribed to Temperance by a certain special reason, which repels from man that which is most base and most unseemly, namely brutal voluptuousness; which indeed is the condition, or affection, of the virtue of Temperance.