emoves
obstacles to acts of piety, as stated above.
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QUESTION 122

OF THE PRECEPTS OF JUSTICE
(In Six Articles)

We must now consider the precepts of justice, under which head there
are six points of inquiry:

(1) Whether the precepts of the decalogue are precepts of justice?

(2) Of the first precept of the decalogue;

(3) Of the second;

(4) Of the third;

(5) Of the fourth;

(6) Of the other six.
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FIRST ARTICLE [II-II, Q. 122, Art. 1]

Whether the Precepts of the Decalogue Are Precepts of Justice?

Objection 1: It seems that the precepts of the decalogue are not
precepts of justice. For the intention of a lawgiver is "to make the
citizens virtuous in respect of every virtue," as stated in _Ethic._
ii, 1. Wherefore, according to _Ethic._ v, 1, "the law prescribes
about all acts of all virtues." Now the precepts of the decalogue are
the first principles of the whole Divine Law. Therefore the precepts
of the decalogue do not pertain to justice alone.

Obj. 2: Further, it would seem that to justice belong especially the
judicial precepts, which are condivided with the moral precepts, as
stated above (I-II, Q. 99, A. 4). But the precepts of the decalogue
are moral precepts, as stated above (I-II, Q. 100, A. 3). Therefore
the precepts of the decalogue are not precepts of justice.

Obj. 3: Further, the Law contains chiefly precepts about acts of
justice regarding the common good, for instance about public officers
and the like. But there is no mention of these in the precepts of the
decalogue. Therefore it seems that the precepts of the decalogue do
not properly belong to justice.

Obj. 4: Further, the precepts of the decalogue are divided into two
tables, corresponding to the love of God and the love of our
neighbor, both of which regard the virtue of charity. Therefore the
precepts of the decalogue belong to charity rather than to justice.

_On the contrary,_ Seemingly justice is the sole virtue whereby we
are directed to another. Now we are directed to another by all the
precepts of the decalogue, as is evident if one consider each of
them. Therefore all the precepts of the decalogue pertain to justice.

_I answer that,_ The precepts of the decalogue are the first
principles of the Law: and the natural reason assents to them at
once, as to principles that are most evident. Now it is altogether
evident that the notion of duty, which is essential to a