to legal justice, and in
one way is contained under it, and in another way exceeds it. For if
legal justice denotes that which complies with the law, whether as
regards the letter of the law, or as regards the intention of the
lawgiver, which is of more account, then _epikeia_ is the more
important part of legal justice. But if legal justice denote merely
that which complies with the law with regard to the letter, then
_epikeia_ is a part not of legal justice but of justice in its
general acceptation, and is condivided with legal justice, as
exceeding it.

Reply Obj. 2: As the Philosopher states (Ethic. v, 10), "_epikeia_ is
better than a certain," namely, legal, "justice," which observes the
letter of the law: yet since it is itself a kind of justice, it is
not better than all justice.

Reply Obj. 3: It belongs to _epikeia_ to moderate something, namely,
the observance of the letter of the law. But modesty, which is
reckoned a part of temperance, moderates man's outward life--for
instance, in his deportment, dress or the like. Possibly also the
term _epieikeia_ is applied in Greek by a similitude to all kinds of
moderation.
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QUESTION 121

OF PIETY
(In Two Articles)

We must now consider the gift that corresponds to justice; namely,
piety. Under this head there are two points of inquiry:

(1) Whether it is a gift of the Holy Ghost?

(2) Which of the beatitudes and fruits corresponds to it?
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FIRST ARTICLE [II-II, Q. 121, Art. 1]

Whether Piety Is a Gift?

Objection 1: It seems that piety is not a gift. For the gifts differ
from the virtues, as stated above (I-II, Q. 68, A. 1). But piety is a
virtue, as stated above (Q. 101, A. 3). Therefore piety is not a gift.

Obj. 2: Further, the gifts are more excellent than the virtues, above
all the moral virtues, as above (I-II, Q. 68, A. 8). Now among the
parts of justice religion is greater than piety. Therefore if any
part of justice is to be accounted a gift, it seems that religion
should be a gift rather than piety.

Obj. 3: Further, the gifts and their acts remain in heaven, as stated
above (I-II, Q. 68, A. 6). But the act of piety cannot remain in
heaven: for Gregory says (Moral. i) that "piety fills the inmost
recesses of the heart with works of mercy": and so there will be no
piety in heaven since there will be no unhappiness [*Cf. Q. 30, A.
1]. Therefore piety is not a gift.

_On the contrary,_ It is re