Disputation XXV: On the Acceptance of Persons

Commutative Justice regards things, Distributive persons; wherefore as the former is injured by exchanging things without due proportion; so the latter is offended while one person is unjustly preferred to another; which happens especially in benefices, elections, honors, and Judgments, as S. Bonaventura notes, in speculo animae, cap. 3. And he says the whole disordination of this Justice proceeds from inordinate love; For in conferring benefices flesh and blood choose the best part; but by reason of riches the Rich of this age are often honored before the Poor rather than the Saints, although honor, according to Aristotle lib. 1. Rhetor. cap. 5. is nothing other than a testimony of virtue; but in rendering Judgments, among other things, a Largess of gifts makes a corrupt judgment pronounce for one to the prejudice of another. Concerning this acceptance of persons it must be asked what and what sort of sin it is, with D. Thom. quaestione 63. art. 1.