s, we notice that the loftier the science, the higher
the means of persuasion that it employs. Therefore, since human law
employs temporal threats and promises, as means of persuading man,
the Divine law should have used, not these, but more lofty means.

Obj. 3: Further, the reward of righteousness and the punishment of
guilt cannot be that which befalls equally the good and the wicked.
But as stated in Eccles. 9:2, "all" temporal "things equally happen
to the just and to the wicked, to the good and the evil, to the clean
and to the unclean, to him that offereth victims, and to him that
despiseth sacrifices." Therefore temporal goods or evils are not
suitably set forth as punishments or rewards of the commandments of
the Divine law.

_On the contrary,_ It is written (Isa. 1:19, 20): "If you be willing,
and will hearken to Me, you shall eat the good things of the land.
But if you will not, and will provoke Me to wrath: the sword shall
devour you."

_I answer that,_ As in speculative sciences men are persuaded to
assent to the conclusions by means of syllogistic arguments, so too
in every law, men are persuaded to observe its precepts by means of
punishments and rewards. Now it is to be observed that, in
speculative sciences, the means of persuasion are adapted to the
conditions of the pupil: wherefore the process of argument in
sciences should be ordered becomingly, so that the instruction is
based on principles more generally known. And thus also he who would
persuade a man to the observance of any precepts, needs to move him
at first by things for which he has an affection; just as children
are induced to do something, by means of little childish gifts. Now
it has been said above (Q. 98, AA. 1, 2, 3) that the Old Law disposed
men to (the coming of) Christ, as the imperfect in comparison
disposes to the perfect, wherefore it was given to a people as yet
imperfect in comparison to the perfection which was to result from
Christ's coming: and for this reason, that people is compared to a
child that is still under a pedagogue (Gal. 3:24). But the perfection
of man consists in his despising temporal things and cleaving to
things spiritual, as is clear from the words of the Apostle (Phil.
3:13, 15): "Forgetting the things that are behind, I stretch [Vulg.:
'and stretching'] forth myself to those that are before . . . Let us
therefore, as many as are perfect, be thus minded." Those who are yet
imperfect desire temporal go