nt, that after very
little consideration one is able at once to approve or disapprove of
them by means of these general first principles: while some matters
cannot be the subject of judgment without much consideration of the
various circumstances, which all are not competent to do carefully,
but only those who are wise: just as it is not possible for all to
consider the particular conclusions of sciences, but only for those
who are versed in philosophy: and lastly there are some matters of
which man cannot judge unless he be helped by Divine instruction;
such as the articles of faith.

It is therefore evident that since the moral precepts are about
matters which concern good morals; and since good morals are those
which are in accord with reason; and since also every judgment of
human reason must needs by derived in some way from natural reason;
it follows, of necessity, that all the moral precepts belong to the
law of nature; but not all in the same way. For there are certain
things which the natural reason of every man, of its own accord and
at once, judges to be done or not to be done: e.g. "Honor thy father
and thy mother," and "Thou shalt not kill," "Thou shalt not steal":
and these belong to the law of nature absolutely. And there are
certain things which, after a more careful consideration, wise men
deem obligatory. Such belong to the law of nature, yet so that they
need to be inculcated, the wiser teaching the less wise: e.g. "Rise
up before the hoary head, and honor the person of the aged man," and
the like. And there are some things, to judge of which, human reason
needs Divine instruction, whereby we are taught about the things of
God: e.g. "Thou shalt not make to thyself a graven thing, nor the
likeness of anything"; "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy
God in vain."

This suffices for the Replies to the Objections.
________________________

SECOND ARTICLE [I-II, Q. 100, Art. 2]

Whether the Moral Precepts of the Law Are About All the Acts of
Virtue?

Objection 1: It would seem that the moral precepts of the Law are not
about all the acts of virtue. For observance of the precepts of the
Old Law is called justification, according to Ps. 118:8: "I will keep
Thy justifications." But justification is the execution of justice.
Therefore the moral precepts are only about acts of justice.

Obj. 2: Further, that which comes under a precept has the character
of a duty. But the character of duty belo