Chapter I — The nature and acts of Religion, which the first commandment of the Decalogue prescribes

I. Two things the first commandment of the Decalogue prescribes. As affirmative, it prescribes the worship of God: The Lord thy God shalt thou adore, and him only shalt thou serve: Matthew 4. As negative, it forbids that worship be shown to other gods: Thou shalt not have strange gods before me. Thou shalt not make to thyself a graven thing; thou shalt not adore them, nor serve them: Exodus 20.

II. Question I. What is Religion? Answer. The common definition of Religion is this: Religion is a virtue which renders to God the worship due to him as the first principle of all things. St. Thomas, II-II, q. 81, art. 1, derives the etymology of Religion from re-reading [relegendo] those things that pertain to divine worship, because such things must frequently be turned over again in the heart. Religion is not a theological virtue, because it does not regard God proximately, but a moral virtue — and indeed the chief among these virtues, whose object is the worship to be shown to God, as the Angelic Doctor teaches, II-II, q. 81, art. 5.

III. Question II. How many are the acts of Religion? Answer. There are two kinds of the acts of Religion: one of interior acts, such as devotion and prayer; the other of exterior acts, which are divided into three classes. Some subject the very body to God, as adoration; others immolate exterior things to God, as sacrifices, oblations, tithes, first-fruits, and the rest of that kind, which are commonly comprehended under the one name of oblation; the last are those by which something is applied in protestation of the divine honor, such as oaths, by which the name of God is invoked, and vows, by which something is promised to God. Of all these there must be discourse.

IV. Question III. What is devotion? Answer. St. Thomas hands down this definition, II-II, q. 82, art. 1: A certain will of promptly delivering oneself to those things which pertain...

to the service of God. The word will placed in the definition expresses not a power, but an act. The remaining words betray the peculiar nature of devotion. For this promptitude, which renders the soul ready in the divine service and swift in the execution of the things that redound to God's honor, is the singular token of devotion.

V. Question IV. What are the effects of devotion? Answer. They are gladness of heart, an interior sweetness of soul, savor, and delight. It is not necessary, however, that devotion always bring forth these effects, since pious and holy men are often, not rarely, deprived of all these, and are not for that reason less fervent and ready in the offices of Religion. The more mature fruit of devotion is the exact observance of the commandments, which frequently produces the effects just recounted.

VI. There is a twofold cause of devotion. The first and chief is God, who breathes where he wills, and pours out a more abundant supply of graces. The other is the interior meditation of the divine goodness, clemency, and the other attributes of the divine nature, and, at the same time, of our own need and weakness. From the former meditation follow gladness, cheerfulness, and joy. From the latter, humility, lowliness of soul, and contempt of vanity and pride. Of the time at which the precept of devotion presses, I shall speak presently.