Question — Bontempi, Palladium Theologicum V · from Schola Thomistica
Question I: On observance and reverence
OBSERVANCE is a special Virtue, by which cult and honor are rendered to persons constituted in dignity. So St. Bonaventure in the cited opuscula, serm. 1. question 1. St. Thomas here art. 1. and Cicero lib. 2. de Invent.
De Observantia, et Reverentia.
OBSERVANTIA est specialis Virtus, per quam cultus, et honor exhibetur personis, in dignitate constitutis. Ita D. Bonavent. opusculis allegatis serm. 1. quaest. 1. D. Thom. hic art. 1. et Cicerone lib. 2. de Invent.
For in it is found a special reason of honesty and of duty, just as the same persons in a certain order of things are, by a kind of analogy, called Fathers, as being certain principles of governance with respect to those same things: as the Prince of a city in civil matters; the Commander of an army in military matters; the Master in the disciplines, namely, by reason of the likeness of the care which they have in their way in common with parents. For this reason also the servants of Naaman called their master father, 4. Kings 5.
INVENITUR enim in hac specialis ratio honestatis, et debiti, sicut etiam eaedem personae in certo rerum genere, per quandam analogiam, Patres nominantur, tanquam principia quaedam gubernationis respectu earumdem rerum, ut est Princeps civitatis in rebus civilibus; Dux exercitus in rebus bellicis; Magister in disciplinis, nempe, ob similitudinem curae, quam habent suo modo cum parentibus communem. Quae ratione etiam servi Naaman dominum suum, patrem dixerunt, 4. Reg. 5.
To the same virtue pertains Reverence, which is rendered to some on account of knowledge and virtue, or any excellence whatsoever. The reason is that by knowledge and virtue a man is rendered fit for the dignities, to which the deference of observance is owed.
AD eandem virtutem pertinet Reverentia, quae propter scientiam, et virtutem, seu quamcumque excellentiam, aliquibus exhibetur. Ratio est, quia per scientiam, et virtutem redditur homo idoneus ad dignitates, quae sunt obsequium observantiae.
To observance pertains, toward persons constituted in dignity, not only to show honor, but also the cult of obedience and beneficence. So St. Thomas art. 2. For in persons constituted in dignity there is a twofold preeminence: one of excellence of status, and to this Observance is owed; the other of governance, and to this obedience and deference are owed.
AD observantiam pertinet personis in dignitate constitutis, non solum exhibere honorem, sed etiam cultum obedientiae, ac beneficentiae. Ita D. Thom. art. 2. Personis enim in dignitate constitutis inest duplex praeminentia, altera excellentiae status, et huic debetur Observantia; altera gubernationis, et huic debetur obedientia, et obsequium.
SINCE, however, we are bound by legal debt only to our Prelates and Magistrates, therefore to these alone are we bound out of legal debt to observance and cult, because they hold prelation over us; to others, however, only out of moral debt, or out of a kind of honesty. So St. Thomas loc. cit.
QUIA tamen solis Praelatis, ac Magistratibus nostris legali debito obstringimur, idcirco his solis ex debito legali ad observantiam, et cultum obstringimur, quia super nos praelationem habent; caeteris autem, non nisi ex debito morali, seu ex quadam honestate. Ita D. Thom. loc. cit.