God, and to live in society: and in this respect, whatever pertains
to this inclination belongs to the natural law; for instance, to shun
ignorance, to avoid offending those among whom one has to live, and
other such things regarding the above inclination.

Reply Obj. 1: All these precepts of the law of nature have the
character of one natural law, inasmuch as they flow from one first
precept.

Reply Obj. 2: All the inclinations of any parts whatsoever of human
nature, e.g. of the concupiscible and irascible parts, in so far as
they are ruled by reason, belong to the natural law, and are reduced
to one first precept, as stated above: so that the precepts of the
natural law are many in themselves, but are based on one common
foundation.

Reply Obj. 3: Although reason is one in itself, yet it directs all
things regarding man; so that whatever can be ruled by reason, is
contained under the law of reason.
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THIRD ARTICLE [I-II, Q. 94, Art. 3]

Whether All Acts of Virtue Are Prescribed by the Natural Law?

Objection 1: It would seem that not all acts of virtue are prescribed
by the natural law. Because, as stated above (Q. 90, A. 2) it is
essential to a law that it be ordained to the common good. But some
acts of virtue are ordained to the private good of the individual, as
is evident especially in regards to acts of temperance. Therefore not
all acts of virtue are the subject of natural law.

Obj. 2: Further, every sin is opposed to some virtuous act. If
therefore all acts of virtue are prescribed by the natural law, it
seems to follow that all sins are against nature: whereas this
applies to certain special sins.

Obj. 3: Further, those things which are according to nature are
common to all. But acts of virtue are not common to all: since a
thing is virtuous in one, and vicious in another. Therefore not all
acts of virtue are prescribed by the natural law.

_On the contrary,_ Damascene says (De Fide Orth. iii, 4) that
"virtues are natural." Therefore virtuous acts also are a subject of
the natural law.

_I answer that,_ We may speak of virtuous acts in two ways: first,
under the aspect of virtuous; secondly, as such and such acts
considered in their proper species. If then we speak of acts of
virtue, considered as virtuous, thus all virtuous acts belong to the
natural law. For it has been stated (A. 2) that to the natural law
belongs everything to which a man is inclined according to