Question IV: Whether religion is a cardinal virtue

Note first, from D. Bonaventure, in corpore and ad 6, that the formal reason of Virtue is to be taken from the formal object; but the formal object of Religion is not God, but the worship exhibited to God, in such a way that this worship is the formal object, Quod; and God the object and end, Cui; from which it follows that Religion is not a Theological virtue: for these regard God immediately, as true and good, and indeed regard uncreated good and truth under the uncreated aspects, which are the supreme Truth and supreme Goodness of God. Therefore Religion is the internal worship due to God, which afterwards is exhibited outwardly in many ways by Latria. Moreover, Latria is taken for internal worship insofar as it is ordered to the external worship of God. Therefore he says that the exhibition of the worship due to God Himself, and consequently it pertains to Justice, as its potential part; but it is not subjective, because neither is an equal rendered to what is due, nor are the other conditions proper to Justice found; on which matter I have treated sufficiently, p.p. Tract. 1, disp. 19, q. 1.

The Saintly Doctor also observes the doctrine of D. Augustine, book 10 de Civit., cap. 1, that the worship due to God is called by four names: two among the Greeks, and twins among the Latins. Among the Greeks indeed it is called Latria and Eusebeia, or Eusebia. Among the Latins the two corresponding names are Pietas, corresponding to Eusebia; and Religio, corresponding to Latria; although Religion extends more widely than Latria, and Pietas than Eusebia; for the latter signifies internal worship, which regards God directly through the Theological virtues; but Latria, the external servitude, insofar as it proceeds from the special internal, regarding the worship owed to God on account of His excellence; and this is relative, and pertaining to Justice. Nevertheless the Saintly Doctor grants that Latria also signifies the internal worship due to God under the aspect of what is due on account of the Divine Excellence, so that it regards the worship as Quod, and God as Cui.

I assert therefore that Religion is a virtue, not Theological, but Cardinal.

It is proved first from the Saintly Doctor from Tully, 3 de Inventione, where he says that Religion is a species of Justice.

The reason of the holy Doctors, moreover, is that alleged above: because the Theological virtues regard God immediately, either as true or as good, through Faith, Hope, and Charity; but Religion does not regard God immediately, but the worship due to God; therefore.

You will object first from D. Augustine, 10 de Civit., cap. 4, where he says: We sacrifice to God the host of humility and praise on the altar of the heart, in the fire of fervent Charity. This is the worship of God, this true Religion; therefore Latria is a Theological virtue.

The Saintly Doctor answers that Religion is Charity, because namely the perfect internal worship of God is through the Theological virtues; yet nevertheless Religion regards the worship of God, that it may go forth externally through adorations, etc.

You will object secondly. D. Augustine, 14 de Trinitate, cap. 1: True Wisdom, and the true worship of God, which is called Theosebia, which name our [translators] render Deity; but Wisdom belongs on the side of the Theological virtues; therefore.

The Saintly Doctor answers that he is speaking of the perfect internal worship, in the manner said above.

You will object thirdly: Latria is the virtue by which God is worshipped with that worship which is adoration; but the virtue dictating to us that God is to be adored is Faith, or even Charity; therefore.

The Saintly Doctor answers that adoration proceeding from Faith and Charity is that which is internal, from the motive of the deity, truth, and goodness of God; but Religion is the principle of the worship of God from the motive of His excellence, under the aspect of what is due: nevertheless I do not deny that this act can be commanded by Faith or Charity.

You will object fourthly. The fulfillment of the first, second, and third precepts of the Decalogue pertains to the Theological virtues; but the worship of God is contained in these; therefore.

The Saintly Doctor answers that those precepts of the first table are fulfilled, as to internal perfection, by the Theological virtues; but the worship due in the manner said, as ordered externally, is fulfilled through Religion.

You will object fifthly. In this the Cardinal virtues differ from the Theological: that the Cardinal virtues consist in a mean short of excess and defect; but in the Theological virtues excess is not to be found; but around Religion no excess is to be found; therefore.

It is answered that around the internal act, insofar as it is ordered to the external, excess can occur, as if someone wished to celebrate ten Masses in one day.

You will object sixthly. That virtue which has God for its object is Theological; such is Religion; therefore. The minor is proved: for prayer is an act of Religion, and asks God Himself.

It is answered from the foundation: the Theological virtue regards God immediately as the object Quod; but Religion regards immediately, not God, but the worship due to God; and prayer [regards] the petition, as Suarez says, chapter 4.

Conclude first that this is a virtue more worthy than all the other moral virtues, for it regards God more closely than the others, who is the last End, into whom all the objects of the moral virtues are finally referred. Hence the precepts of Religion in the Decalogue are set before the others, as the Saintly Doctor observes, in 3 dist. 37, art. 2, with D. Thom., q. 81, art. 6; Suarez follows, cap. 3.

Conclude secondly that it has acts both internal and also external, through which the internal ones are excited. Religion indeed regards the internal act more than the external. Therefore Theosebia, which signifies the worship of God, regards the internal act; but Latria, which signifies subjection and servitude, the external act, as S. Bonaventure notes, in 3, loc. cit. And because it considers its act in comparison with another, and under the aspect of what is due, therefore it pertains to Justice, as the Saintly Doctor says there, and D. Thomas, art. 5.

IT MUST be noted, moreover, that the worship and honor exhibited to God through Religion does not signify anything given to God for His own sake, for He is of infinite glory, but for us; because by this, that we revere and honor God, our mind is subjected to Him, and in this its perfection consists. For anything whatever is perfected by this, that it is subjected to its superior: as the body by this, that it is vivified by the soul; and the air by this, that it is illuminated by the sun. Now the human mind needs, in order to be joined to God, the hand-leading of sensible things, because the invisible things of God are seen through those things that have been made, as the Apostle says, Rom. 1; and therefore in divine worship it is necessary that by certain bodily things, as by certain signs, the human mind be excited to spiritual acts, by which it is joined to God; and therefore Religion has indeed internal acts, as it were principal, and per se pertaining to Religion; but external acts, as it were secondary, and ordered to the internal acts, as D. Thomas diss., art. 7, and D. Bonaventure, in the places adduced, and in book 2 de Perfectione Vitae Religiosae, cap. 62 and seqq.

VALENTINA moreover observes that a twofold honor, or a twofold object of Religion, is held to exist in the honor exhibited to God: one material, and it is some office proportioned to exciting and conciliating esteem for God; the other formal, and it is the esteem itself properly fitting the divine majesty and excellence, which the Saintly Doctor sets forth at length in those chapters. Thus God wills all honor to Himself; so it differs from a virtue which wills only someone, as Obedience and the like. See Suarez, cap. 5.

THIS he shows by applying the common account of honor and worship to the special honor and worship of God. For honor, generally speaking, is the testimony of virtue and excellence, which is contained in words or deeds, which from the excellence of someone beget a fitting opinion of him. So therefore divine honor is whatever words or offices are altogether accommodated to begetting an esteem of this kind, which properly fits the divine majesty.

THIS is gathered not only from the true doctrine of the Philosopher, 8 Ethics, cap. 8, to which all applaud, but also from the divine letters, Tobias 11; Ecclesiasticus 43; Isa. 24; Ezech. 39; Dan. 3; Aggaeus 1; Matth. 9; Luc. 2 and 23; Act. 11; Rom. 15; and everywhere in the Psalmist — in which places glorification and honoring of God is joined with His praise, because all worship and honor exhibited to God tends to this: that His goodness and majesty may become known to mortals, and be held in the supreme place. And this is the cause why God signifies that He is honored especially by the sacrifice of praise, Ps. 26 and 49, because that is most accommodated to the end of divine honor, namely, that the riches of the goodness of God may become known to men, which itself is the goal and scope of all the works of God, Rom. 6; Ephes. 3; Philip. 1. The Saintly Doctor recounts many motives on account of which glory should be owed to God, referring to Luke 2: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, etc. — namely, because God was to be glorified in the Incarnation, who gave Himself for our sins, as the Apostle says, Galat. 1: According to the will of God, and of our Father, to whom is glory. On account of wisdom He was to be glorified, Rom. 11: O the depth of the riches of wisdom, etc.; to Him honor and glory for ever. On account of power, whence it is said, Ephes. 3: Now to Him who is able to do all things, to Him be glory. For Justice, Apoc. 5: To Him that sits on the Throne, and to the Lamb, to Him be glory.

But GLORY we give to God because He reserved it to Himself: To God alone honor and glory, 1 Timothy 1; and Isa. 42: I am the Lord, etc.; my glory I will not give to another.

THE Saintly Doctor moreover observes that the Angels place glory to God in the highest first, and afterwards sing peace to men on earth, because they cannot have peace who usurp to themselves the glory owed to God, as D. Bernard says, sermon 4 de Nativitate. Therefore glory must be given to God in the heavens, whereby the esteem of men on earth may be conciliated to Him.

HENCE a twofold honor is exhibited to God: either as a sign of veneration and the service of reverence, or as the testimony of virtue and the ministry of complacency, which is exhibited by adoration, as D. Bonaventure teaches, 3 dist. 9, q. 4, in corpore.

HENCE the Saintly Doctor, on the words Ps. 118: Thou hast commanded thy commandments to be kept exceedingly, says: Majesty requires reverence; power, obedience.

TRUE esteem, moreover, of the Majesty of God is a kind of offspring and effect of honor; hence it is that this, often borrowing its name from its cause, is called the honor of God, though it should rather be called the glory of God; for thus in the Scriptures to glorify God and to testify to His goodness are taken for the same thing, as Ps. 21, 85; Tob. 11; Ioan. 9, and the Saintly Doctor observes on that cited word of John.

But it also appears from the very reason of the name: for as S. Bonaventure noted, sermon on S. Andrew the Apostle, from D. Augustine, tract. 100 on John — the most illustrious authors of the Latin tongue defined glory to be the frequent fame of someone with praise. Therefore also the Apostle, 2 Corinth. 6, places by antithesis the glory of ignobility, because ignobility is an obscure esteem of someone; but glory a clear opinion.

HENCE we have the formal object of Religion, which is the worship, honor, and glory exhibited; and it is the object Quod; but it is exhibited to God as the object Cui. So Valentia notes, point 1, and Cajetan, art. 5, after D. Bonaventure, 3 dist. 9, art. 2, q. 3.