Summa Theologica

the use of the ceremonies of the Old Law, by which the mysteries of Christ to come were prefigured; just as it would be pernicious if someone were to confess in words that Christ is about to suffer. In another way, falsehood can occur in external worship on the part of the worshiper; and this is especially the case in common worship, which is exhibited by ministers in the person of the whole Church. For just as he would be a forger who proposed things on behalf of someone else that had not been entrusted to him, so does he incur the vice of falsehood who exhibits worship to God on behalf of the Church contrary to the mode established by divine authority through the Church, and customary within the Church. Whence Ambrose says, regarding the passage (I Cor. xi): Whoever eats the bread: “He is unworthy who celebrates the mystery otherwise than Christ delivered it.” And for this reason, the Gloss (ord. Ambros. on the passage: Which have a reason) also says (on Coloss. ii) that “it is superstition when the name of religion is applied to human tradition.”

To the first, therefore, it must be said that since God is truth, those who worship Him in spirit and in truth invoke God (1), as is stated (John iv). And therefore, worship containing falsehood does not pertain properly to the invocation of God, which saves.

To the second, it must be said that before the time of the Law, the just were instructed regarding the manner of worshiping God by an interior instinct, whom others followed; but afterwards, men were instructed by external precepts regarding this, which it is pestiferous to disregard (2).

To the third, it must be said that the diverse customs of the Church in divine worship are in no way repugnant to the truth; and therefore they are to be kept, and it is illicit to disregard them.

ARTICLE II. — WHETHER THERE CAN BE ANYTHING SUPERFLUOUS IN THE WORSHIP OF GOD.

Concerning these matters, see also above, q. LXXXI, art. 5 ad 1, and q. XCII, art. 1, corp. and ad 5, and below, q. CIV, art. 2 ad 2.

To the second, we proceed thus. 1. It seems that there cannot be anything superfluous in the worship of God. For it is said (Eccli. xliii, 32): Glorify the Lord as much as you can, for he will yet far exceed. But divine worship is ordained toward glorifying God. Therefore, nothing in it can be superfluous.

2. Furthermore, external worship is a certain profession of interior worship “by which God is worshiped in faith, hope, and charity,” as Augustine says (Enchirid. cap. 3). But there cannot be anything superfluous in faith, hope, and charity. Therefore, neither can there be in divine worship.

3. Furthermore, it pertains to divine worship that we exhibit to God those things which we have received from God. But we have received all our goods from God (3). Therefore, if we do everything we can for the reverence of God, nothing will be superfluous in divine worship.

But against this is what Augustine says (De doct. christ. lib. ii, cap. 18), that “a true and good Christian repudiates even superstitious figments in sacred writings.” But God is shown to be worshiped through sacred writings. Therefore, there can be superstition in divine worship also from some superfluity.

CONCLUSION. — Although nothing can be exhibited to God in divine worship that is superfluous in terms of absolute quantity, something can nonetheless be applied in terms of some proportion of superfluity that is not ordered to its due end.

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(1) Or slightly differently, verse 24: God is a spirit, and they that adore him must adore in spirit and in truth.

(2) Concerning this response, compare what the author has in (1 2, q. CIII, art. 2).

(3) Thus David (Paral. lib. i, cap. 29, 14): All things are thine: and we have given thee what we received of thy hand.