Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae

Objection 1: It would seem that it is not requisite for religious perfection that the three aforesaid, namely poverty, continence, and obedience, should come under a vow. For the school of perfection is founded on the principles laid down by our Lord. Now our Lord in formulating perfection (Mt. 19:21) said: "If thou wilt be perfect, go, sell all thou hast, and give to the poor," without any mention of a vow. Therefore it would seem that a vow is not necessary for the school of religion.

Objection 2: Further, a vow is a promise made to God, wherefore (Eccles. 5:3) the wise man after saying: "If thou hast vowed anything to God, defer not to pay it," adds at once, "for an unfaithful and foolish promise displeaseth Him." But when a thing is being actually given there is no need for a promise. Therefore it suffices for religious perfection that one keep poverty, continence, and obedience without. vowing them.

Objection 3: Further, Augustine says (Ad Pollent., de Adult. Conjug. i, 14): "The services we render are more pleasing when we might lawfully not render them, yet do so out of love." Now it is lawful not to render a service which we have not vowed, whereas it is unlawful if we have vowed to render it. Therefore seemingly it is more pleasing to God to keep poverty, continence, and obedience without a vow. Therefore a vow is not requisite for religious perfection.

On the contrary, In the Old Law the Nazareans were consecrated by vow according to Num. 6:2, "When a man or woman shall make a vow to be sanctified and will consecrate themselves to the Lord," etc. Now these were a figure of those "who attain the summit of perfection," as a gloss of Gregory states. Therefore a vow is requisite for religious perfection.

I answer that, It belongs to religious to be in the state of perfection, as shown above (Question 174, Article 5). Now the state of perfection requires an obligation to whatever belongs to perfection: and this obligation consists in binding oneself to God by means of a vow. But it is evident from what has been said (Articles 3,4,5) that poverty, continence, and obedience belong to the perfection of the Christian life. Consequently the religious state requires that one be bound to these three by vow. Hence Gregory says (Hom. xx in Ezech.): "When a man vows to God all his possessions, all his life, all his knowledge, it is a holocaust"; and afterwards he says that this refers to those who renounce the present world.

Reply to Objection 1: Our Lord declared that it belongs to the perfection of life that a man follow Him, not anyhow, but in such a way as not to turn back. Wherefore He says again (Lk. 9:62): "No man putting his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." And though some of His disciples went back, yet when our Lord asked (Jn. 6:68,69), "Will you also go away?" Peter answered for the others: "Lord, to whom shall we go?" Hence Augustine says (De Consensu Ev. ii, 17) that "as Matthew and Mark relate, Peter and Andrew followed Him after drawing their boats on to the beach, not as though they purposed to return, but as following Him at His command." Now this unwavering following of Christ is made fast by a vow: wherefore a vow is requisite for religious perfection.

Reply to Objection 2: As Gregory says (Moral. ii) religious perfection requires that a man give "his whole life" to God. But a man cannot actually give God his whole life, because that life taken as a whole is not simultaneous but successive. Hence a man cannot give his whole life to God otherwise than by the obligation of a vow.

Reply to Objection 3: Among other services that we can lawfully give, is our liberty, which is dearer to man than aught else. Consequently when a man of his own accord deprives himself by vow of the liberty of abstaining from things pertaining to God's service, this is most acceptable to God. Hence Augustine says (Ep. cxxvii ad Paulin. et Arment.): "Repent not of thy vow; rejoice rather that thou canst no longer do lawfully, what thou mightest have done lawfully but to thy own cost. Happy the obligation that compels to better things."

Articulus 6

Argumentum 1

Ad sextum sic proceditur. Videtur quod non requiratur ad perfectionem religionis quod praedicta tria, scilicet paupertas, continentia et obedientia, cadant sub voto. Disciplina enim perfectionis assumendae ex traditione domini est accepta.

Sed dominus, dans formam perfectionis, Matth. XIX, dixit, si vis perfectus esse, vade et vende omnia quae habes et da pauperibus, nulla mentione facta de voto. Ergo videtur quod votum non requiratur ad disciplinam religionis.

Argumentum 2

Praeterea, votum consistit in quadam promissione deo facta, unde Eccle. V, cum dixisset sapiens, si quid vovisti deo, ne moreris reddere, statim subdit, displicet enim ei infidelis et stulta promissio.

Sed ubi est exhibitio rei, non requiritur promissio. Ergo sufficit ad perfectionem religionis quod aliquis servet paupertatem, continentiam et obedientiam, absque voto.

Argumentum 3

Praeterea, Augustinus dicit, ad pollentium, de adulterin. Coniug., ea sunt in nostris officiis gratiora quae, cum liceret nobis etiam non impendere, tamen causa dilectionis impendimus.

Sed ea quae fiunt sine voto, licet non impendere, quod non licet de his quae fiunt cum voto. Ergo videtur gratius esse deo si quis paupertatem, continentiam et obedientiam absque voto servaret.

Non ergo votum requiritur ad perfectionem religionis.

Sed Contra

Sed contra est quod in veteri lege Nazaraei cum voto sanctificabantur, secundum illud Num. VI, vir sive mulier cum fecerit votum ut sanctificetur, et se voluerit domino consecrare, etc..

Per eos autem significantur illi qui ad perfectionis summam pertingunt, ut dicit Glossa Gregorii ibidem.

Ergo votum requiritur ad statum perfectionis.

Corpus

Respondeo dicendum quod ad religiosos pertinet quod sint in statu perfectionis, sicut ex supra dictis patet.

Ad statum autem perfectionis requiritur obligatio ad ea quae sunt perfectionis.

Quae quidem deo fit per votum.

Manifestum est autem ex praemissis quod ad perfectionem christianae vitae pertinet paupertas, continentia et obedientia.

Et ideo religionis status requirit ut ad haec tria aliquis voto obligetur.

Unde Gregorius dicit, super Ezech., cum quis omne quod habet, omne quod vivit, omne quod sapit, omnipotenti deo voverit, holocaustum est, quod quidem pertinere postea dicit ad eos qui praesens saeculum deserunt.

Ad 1

Ad primum ergo dicendum quod ad perfectionem vitae dominus pertinere dixit quod aliquis eum sequatur, non qualitercumque, sed ut ulterius retro non abiret, unde ipse dicit, Luc. IX, nemo mittens manum ad aratrum et respiciens retro, aptus est regno dei.

Et quamvis quidam de discipulis eius retrorsum abierint, tamen Petrus, loco aliorum, domino interroganti, nunquid et vos vultis abire? respondit, domine, ad quem ibimus? unde et Augustinus dicit, in libro de consensu Evangelist., quod, sicut matthaeus et marcus narrant, Petrus et Andreas, non subductis ad terram navibus, tanquam causa redeundi, secuti sunt eum, sed tanquam iubentem ut sequerentur.

Haec autem immobilitas sequelae christi firmatur per votum.

Et ideo votum requiritur ad perfectionem religionis.

Ad 2

Ad secundum dicendum quod perfectio religionis requirit, sicut Gregorius dicit, ut aliquis omne quod vivit deo exhibeat.

Sed homo non potest totam vitam suam actu deo exhibere, quia non est tota simul, sed successive agitur. Unde non aliter homo potest totam vitam deo exhibere nisi per voti obligationem.

Ad 3

Ad tertium dicendum quod inter alia quae licet nobis non impendere, est etiam propria libertas, quam homo ceteris rebus cariorem habet. Unde cum aliquis propria sponte voto sibi adimit libertatem abstinendi ab his quae ad dei servitium pertinent, hoc fit deo acceptissimum.

Unde Augustinus dicit, in epistola ad armentarium et Paulinam, non te vovisse poeniteat, immo gaude iam tibi non licere quod cum tuo detrimento licuisset. Felix necessitas quae in meliora compellit.