fits of nature. Among the latter are the
ministries of the angels, which the very order of various natures
demands, viz. that the lowest beings be governed through the
intermediate beings: and also bodily aids, which God vouchsafes not
only to men, but also to beasts, according to Ps. 35:7: "Men and
beasts Thou wilt preserve, O Lord."
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FIFTH ARTICLE [I-II, Q. 98, Art. 5]

Whether All Men Were Bound to Observe the Old Law?

Objection 1: It would seem that all men were bound to observe the Old
Law. Because whoever is subject to the king, must needs be subject to
his law. But the Old Law was given by God, Who is "King of all the
earth" (Ps. 46:8). Therefore all the inhabitants of the earth were
bound to observe the Law.

Obj. 2: Further, the Jews could not be saved without observing the
Old Law: for it is written (Deut. 27:26): "Cursed be he that abideth
not in the words of this law, and fulfilleth them not in work." If
therefore other men could be saved without the observance of the Old
Law, the Jews would be in a worse plight than other men.

Obj. 3: Further, the Gentiles were admitted to the Jewish ritual and
to the observances of the Law: for it is written (Ex. 12:48): "If any
stranger be willing to dwell among you, and to keep the Phase of the
Lord, all his males shall first be circumcised, and then shall he
celebrate it according to the manner; and he shall be as he that is
born in the land." But it would have been useless to admit strangers
to the legal observances according to Divine ordinance, if they could
have been saved without the observance of the Law. Therefore none
could be saved without observing the Law.

_On the contrary,_ Dionysius says (Coel. Hier. ix) that many of the
Gentiles were brought back to God by the angels. But it is clear that
the Gentiles did not observe the Law. Therefore some could be saved
without observing the Law.

_I answer that,_ The Old Law showed forth the precepts of the natural
law, and added certain precepts of its own. Accordingly, as to those
precepts of the natural law contained in the Old Law, all were bound
to observe the Old Law; not because they belonged to the Old Law, but
because they belonged to the natural law. But as to those precepts
which were added by the Old Law, they were not binding on any save
the Jewish people alone.

The reason of this is because the Old Law, as stated above (A. 4),
was given to the Jewish people, that it