Part
(Q. 22, A. 2). And since the eternal law is the type of Divine
providence, as stated above (A. 1), hence the defects of natural
things are subject to the eternal law.
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SIXTH ARTICLE [I-II, Q. 93, Art. 6]

Whether All Human Affairs Are Subject to the Eternal Law?

Objection 1: It would seem that not all human affairs are subject to
the eternal law. For the Apostle says (Gal. 5:18): "If you are led by
the spirit you are not under the law." But the righteous who are the
sons of God by adoption, are led by the spirit of God, according to
Rom. 8:14: "Whosoever are led by the spirit of God, they are the sons
of God." Therefore not all men are under the eternal law.

Obj. 2: Further, the Apostle says (Rom. 8:7): "The prudence [Vulg.:
'wisdom'] of the flesh is an enemy to God: for it is not subject to
the law of God." But many are those in whom the prudence of the flesh
dominates. Therefore all men are not subject to the eternal law which
is the law of God.

Obj. 3: Further, Augustine says (De Lib. Arb. i, 6) that "the eternal
law is that by which the wicked deserve misery, the good, a life of
blessedness." But those who are already blessed, and those who are
already lost, are not in the state of merit. Therefore they are not
under the eternal law.

_On the contrary,_ Augustine says (De Civ. Dei xix, 12): "Nothing
evades the laws of the most high Creator and Governor, for by Him the
peace of the universe is administered."

_I answer that,_ There are two ways in which a thing is subject to
the eternal law, as explained above (A. 5): first, by partaking of
the eternal law by way of knowledge; secondly, by way of action and
passion, i.e. by partaking of the eternal law by way of an inward
motive principle: and in this second way, irrational creatures are
subject to the eternal law, as stated above (A. 5). But since the
rational nature, together with that which it has in common with all
creatures, has something proper to itself inasmuch as it is rational,
consequently it is subject to the eternal law in both ways; because
while each rational creature has some knowledge of the eternal law,
as stated above (A. 2), it also has a natural inclination to that
which is in harmony with the eternal law; for "we are naturally
adapted to the recipients of virtue" (Ethic. ii, 1).

Both ways, however, are imperfect, and to a certain extent destroyed,
in the wicked; because in them the natural inclinatio