ct of
religion, or of chastity, or of any other virtue.

Reply Obj. 3: It belongs to fortitude as a special virtue, to endure,
not any kind of hardship, but only those connected with the danger of
death. To endure hardships resulting from privation of pleasure of
touch, belongs to temperance and its parts: and such are the
hardships of fasting.
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THIRD ARTICLE [II-II, Q. 147, Art. 3]

Whether Fasting Is a Matter of Precept?

Objection 1: It would seem that fasting is not a matter of precept.
For precepts are not given about works of supererogation which are a
matter of counsel. Now fasting is a work of supererogation: else it
would have to be equally observed at all places and times. Therefore
fasting is not a matter of precept.

Obj. 2: Further, whoever infringes a precept commits a mortal sin.
Therefore if fasting were a matter of precept, all who do not fast
would sin mortally, and a widespreading snare would be laid for men.

Obj. 3: Further, Augustine says (De Vera Relig. 17) that "the Wisdom
of God having taken human nature, and called us to a state of
freedom, instituted a few most salutary sacraments whereby the
community of the Christian people, that is, of the free multitude,
should be bound together in subjection to one God." Now the liberty
of the Christian people seems to be hindered by a great number of
observances no less than by a great number of sacraments. For
Augustine says (Ad inquis. Januar., Ep. lv) that "whereas God in His
mercy wished our religion to be distinguished by its freedom and the
evidence and small number of its solemn sacraments, some people
render it oppressive with slavish burdens." Therefore it seems that
the Church should not have made fasting a matter of precept.

_On the contrary,_ Jerome (Ad Lucin., Ep. lxxi) speaking of fasting
says: "Let each province keep to its own practice, and look upon the
commands of the elders as though they were laws of the apostles."
Therefore fasting is a matter of precept.

_I answer that,_ Just as it belongs to the secular authority to make
legal precepts which apply the natural law to matters of common weal
in temporal affairs, so it belongs to ecclesiastical superiors to
prescribe by statute those things that concern the common weal of the
faithful in spiritual goods.

Now it has been stated above (A. 1) that fasting is useful as atoning
for and preventing sin, and as raising the mind to spiritual things.
And e