Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae

Objection 1: It would seem that we ought not always to judge according to the written law. For we ought always to avoid judging unjustly. But written laws sometimes contain injustice, according to Is. 10:1, "Woe to them that make wicked laws, and when they write, write injustice." Therefore we ought not always to judge according to the written law.

Objection 2: Further, judgment has to be formed about individual happenings. But no written law can cover each and every individual happening, as the Philosopher declares (Ethic. v, 10). Therefore it seems that we are not always bound to judge according to the written law.

Objection 3: Further, a law is written in order that the lawgiver's intention may be made clear. But it happens sometimes that even if the lawgiver himself were present he would judge otherwise. Therefore we ought not always to judge according to the written law.

On the contrary, Augustine says (De Vera Relig. xxxi): "In these earthly laws, though men judge about them when they are making them, when once they are established and passed, the judges may judge no longer of them, but according to them."

I answer that, As stated above (Article 1), judgment is nothing else but a decision or determination of what is just. Now a thing becomes just in two ways: first by the very nature of the case, and this is called "natural right," secondly by some agreement between men, and this is called "positive right," as stated above (Question 57, Article 2). Now laws are written for the purpose of manifesting both these rights, but in different ways. For the written law does indeed contain natural right, but it does not establish it, for the latter derives its force, not from the law but from nature: whereas the written law both contains positive right, and establishes it by giving it force of authority.

Hence it is necessary to judge according to the written law, else judgment would fall short either of the natural or of the positive right.

Reply to Objection 1: Just as the written law does not give force to the natural right, so neither can it diminish or annul its force, because neither can man's will change nature. Hence if the written law contains anything contrary to the natural right, it is unjust and has no binding force. For positive right has no place except where "it matters not," according to the natural right, "whether a thing be done in one way or in another"; as stated above (Question 57, Article 2, ad 2). Wherefore such documents are to be called, not laws, but rather corruptions of law, as stated above (1.2, Question 95, Article 2): and consequently judgment should not be delivered according to them.

Reply to Objection 2: Even as unjust laws by their very nature are, either always or for the most part, contrary to the natural right, so too laws that are rightly established, fail in some cases, when if they were observed they would be contrary to the natural right. Wherefore in such cases judgment should be delivered, not according to the letter of the law, but according to equity which the lawgiver has in view. Hence the jurist says : "By no reason of law, or favor of equity, is it allowable for us to interpret harshly, and render burdensome, those useful measures which have been enacted for the welfare of man." In such cases even the lawgiver himself would decide otherwise; and if he had foreseen the case, he might have provided for it by law.

This suffices for the Reply to the Third Objection.

Articulus 5

Argumentum 1

Ad quintum sic proceditur. Videtur quod non sit semper secundum leges scriptas iudicandum. Semper enim vitandum est iniustum iudicium. Sed quandoque leges scriptae iniustitiam continent, secundum illud Isaiae X, vae qui condunt leges iniquas, et scribentes iniustitias scripserunt.

Ergo non semper est secundum leges scriptas iudicandum.

Argumentum 2

Praeterea, iudicium oportet esse de singularibus eventibus.

Sed nulla lex scripta potest omnes singulares eventus comprehendere, ut patet per philosophum, in V ethic..

Ergo videtur quod non semper sit secundum leges scriptas iudicandum.

Argumentum 3

Praeterea, lex ad hoc scribitur ut sententia legislatoris manifestetur. Sed quandoque contingit quod si ipse lator legis praesens esset, aliter iudicaret. Ergo non est semper secundum legem scriptam iudicandum.

Sed Contra

Sed contra est quod Augustinus dicit, in libro de vera relig., in istis temporalibus legibus, quanquam de his homines iudicent cum eas instituerint, tamen cum fuerint institutae et firmatae, non licebit iudicibus de ipsis iudicare, sed secundum ipsas.

Corpus

Respondeo dicendum quod, sicut dictum est, iudicium nihil est aliud nisi quaedam definitio vel determinatio eius quod iustum est. Fit autem aliquid iustum dupliciter, uno modo, ex ipsa natura rei, quod dicitur ius naturale; alio modo, ex quodam condicto inter homines, quod dicitur ius positivum, ut supra habitum est.

Leges autem scribuntur ad utriusque iuris declarationem, aliter tamen et aliter.

Nam legis Scriptura ius quidem naturale continet, sed non instituit, non enim habet robur ex lege, sed ex natura. Ius autem positivum Scriptura legis et continet et instituit, dans ei auctoritatis robur. Et ideo necesse est quod iudicium fiat secundum legis Scripturam, alioquin iudicium deficeret vel a iusto naturali, vel a iusto positivo.

Ad 1

Ad primum ergo dicendum quod lex scripta, sicut non dat robur iuri naturali, ita nec potest eius robur minuere vel auferre, quia nec voluntas hominis potest immutare naturam. Et ideo si Scriptura legis contineat aliquid contra ius naturale, iniusta est, nec habet vim obligandi, ibi enim ius positivum locum habet ubi quantum ad ius naturale nihil differt utrum sic vel aliter fiat, sicut supra habitum est.

Et ideo nec tales Scripturae leges dicuntur, sed potius legis corruptiones, ut supra dictum est.

Et ideo secundum eas non est iudicandum.

Ad 2

Ad secundum dicendum quod sicut leges iniquae secundum se contrariantur iuri naturali, vel semper vel ut in pluribus; ita etiam leges quae sunt recte positae in aliquibus casibus deficiunt, in quibus si servarentur, esset contra ius naturale. Et ideo in talibus non est secundum litteram legis iudicandum, sed recurrendum ad aequitatem, quam intendit legislator.

Unde iurisperitus dicit, nulla ratio iuris aut aequitatis benignitas patitur ut quae salubriter pro utilitate hominum introducuntur, ea nos duriore interpretatione contra ipsorum commodum producamus ad severitatem.

Et in talibus etiam legislator aliter iudicaret, et, si considerasset, lege determinasset.

Ad 3

Et per hoc patet responsio ad tertium.