Summa contra Gentiles3.130 Chapter CXXX. Of the counsels given in the divine law

Since man’s greatest good is that he adhere with his mind to God and divine things: and whereas it is impossible for him to give undivided attention to things diverse: in order that his mind may more freely turn to God, there are given in the divine law counsels whereby men are withdrawn from the occupations of the present life, as far as this is possible to one whose life is on the earth. Now, this is not so necessary in. u for man’s righteousness, that without it righteousness were impossible: since virtue and righteousness are not destroyed, if man make use of things corporal and earthly according to the order of reason. Wherefore these admonitions of the divine law are called counsels, and not precepts, inasmuch as man is counselled to forego the lesser goods for the sake of the greater. Now man’s cares, as regards the general mode of human life, are occupied with three things: first, about his person, as to what he shall do, where he is to live; secondly, about persons united to him, especially his wife and children: thirdly, about providing himself with those external things which he needs for the support of life. In order to do away with his care for external things, the divine law gives the counsel of poverty: namely, that he should renounce the goods of this world, which are apt to entangle his mind with anxieties. Hence our Lord said (Matth. xix. 21): If thou wilt he perfect, go sell all thou hast and give to the poor, and come, follow me. In order to remove the care of wife and children, man is given the counsel of virginity or continence. Hence it is said (1 Cor. vii. 25): Now concerning virgins, I have no commandment of the Lord, hut I give counsel. And in order to give the reason for this counsel he adds (verse 32 sq.)\ He that is without a wife, is solicitous for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please God: hut he that is with a wife, is solicitous for the things of the world, how he may please his wife; and he is divided. In order to remove man’s care of himself, the counsel of obedience is given, whereby he surrenders the disposal of his own acts into the hands of his superior. Wherefore it is said (Heb. xiii. 17): Obey your prelates, and he subject to them. For they watch as being to render an account of your souls.

And whereas the highest perfection of human life is that man’s mind be occupied with God, and as these three are apparently the best dispositions to that occupation, it would seem that they rightly belong to the state of perfection; not as though they were themselves perfections, but because they are dispositions to perfection which consists in being busy about God. This is clearly indicated by the words of our Lord in counselling poverty, when he said: If thou wilt he perfect, go sell all thou hast, and give to the poor, and follow me, as though he declared the perfection of life to consist in following him.

They may also be described as the effects and signs of perfection. For when the mind is strongly affected with love and desire of a certain thing, the result is that it thinks less of other things. Wherefore if man’s mind be borne with love and desire towards divine things, wherein perfection clearly consists, the result is that he renounces all that may hinder his movement towards God, not only the care of possessions, and love of wife and children, but also love of himself. This is signified by the words of Scripture. For it is said (Cant. viii. 7): If a man should give all the substance of his house for love, he shall despise it as nothing: and (Matth. xiii. 45,): The kingdom of heaven is like to a merchant seeking good pearls: who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went his way, and sold all that he had, and bought it: and (Philip, iii. 7, 8): The things that were gain to me.... I count... as dung, that I may gain Christ.

Since then these three are dispositions to perfection, and the effects and signs of perfection, it is seemly that those who vow these three things should be said to be in the state of perfection.

Now, the perfection to which the things in question dispose a man, consists in the mind being occupied with God. Wherefore those who make profession of them are called religious, as dedicating themselves and their possessions as a sacrifice to God: their possessions, by poverty; their body, by continence; their will, by obedience. For religion consists in the worship of God, as stated above.