might receive a prerogative
of holiness, in reverence for Christ Who was to be born of that
people. Now whatever laws are enacted for the special sanctification
of certain ones, are binding on them alone: thus clerics who are set
aside for the service of God are bound to certain obligations to
which the laity are not bound; likewise religious are bound by their
profession to certain works of perfection, to which people living in
the world are not bound. In like manner this people was bound to
certain special observances, to which other peoples were not bound.
Wherefore it is written (Deut. 18:13): "Thou shalt be perfect and
without spot before the Lord thy God": and for this reason they used
a kind of form of profession, as appears from Deut. 26:3: "I profess
this day before the Lord thy God," etc.

Reply Obj. 1: Whoever are subject to a king, are bound to observe his
law which he makes for all in general. But if he orders certain
things to be observed by the servants of his household, others are
not bound thereto.

Reply Obj. 2: The more a man is united to God, the better his state
becomes: wherefore the more the Jewish people were bound to the
worship of God, the greater their excellence over other peoples.
Hence it is written (Deut. 4:8): "What other nation is there so
renowned that hath ceremonies and just judgments, and all the law?"
In like manner, from this point of view, the state of clerics is
better than that of the laity, and the state of religious than that
of folk living in the world.

Reply Obj. 3: The Gentiles obtained salvation more perfectly and more
securely under the observances of the Law than under the mere natural
law: and for this reason they were admitted to them. So too the laity
are now admitted to the ranks of the clergy, and secular persons to
those of the religious, although they can be saved without this.
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SIXTH ARTICLE [I-II, Q. 98, Art. 6]

Whether the Old Law Was Suitably Given at the Time of Moses?

Objection 1: It would seem that the Old Law was not suitably given at
the time of Moses. Because the Old Law disposed man for the salvation
which was to come through Christ, as stated above (AA. 2, 3). But man
needed this salutary remedy immediately after he had sinned.
Therefore the Law should have been given immediately after sin.

Obj. 2: Further, the Old Law was given for the sanctification of
those from whom Christ was to be born. Now the promise concer