cs_, II., iv. 3.

[410] _Ibid._, X., viii. 1.

[411] _Hom._ XIV., _On Ezechiel_.

[412] _Ethics_, V., i. 15.

[413] _Hom._ XIV., _On Ezechiel_.

[414] Ecclus. xli. 1-6.

[415] _Ethics._, X., viii. 2.

[416] _Ibid._, V., ii. 4.

[417] _Ethics_, VI., v. 4.

[418] _Ibid._, X., viii. 2.

[419] _De Officiis_, I., v.

[420] _Hom._ XIV., _On Ezechiel_.

[421] _Conjuratio Catilinae_, li.

[422] _Of the City of God_, xix. 2, 3, and 19.

[423] Job xxxi. 14, 23.

[424] _Hom._ XIV., _On Ezechiel_.

[425] _On the Words of the Lord, Sermon_ civ., _alias_ xxvii. 1.

[426] _Hom._ V., _On Ezechiel_.

[427] _Metaphysics_, I., i. 9.

[428] _Hom._ XIV., _On Ezechiel_.

[429] xxii. 30.

[430] _On the Trinity_, xiv. 9.

[431] _Of the Heavenly Hierarchy_, vii.

[432] S. Matt. xviii. 10.

[433] 1 John iii. 2.

[434] xxxi. 34.

[435] _Moralia in Job_, ii. 2.

[436] _Hom._ V., _On Ezechiel_.

[437] Ps. lxv. 8-12.

QUESTION CLXXXII

OF THE COMPARISON BETWEEN THE ACTIVE AND THE CONTEMPLATIVE LIFE

I. Is the Active Life preferable to the Contemplative?
Cardinal Cajetan, On Preparation for the Contemplative Life
S. Augustine, _Confessions_, X., xliii. 70
" _On Psalm_ xxvi.
II. Is the Active Life more Meritorious than the Contemplative?
III. Is the Active Life a Hindrance to the Contemplative Life?
Cardinal Cajetan, On the True Interior Life
S. Augustine, _Sermon_, CCLVI., v. 6
IV. Does the Active Life precede the Contemplative?

I

Is the Active Life preferable to the Contemplative?

The Lord said: _Mary hath chosen the best part, which shall not be taken
away from her._[438] And by Mary is signified the contemplative life,
which is consequently to be preferred to the active.

There is no reason why one thing should not be in itself more excellent
than another while yet this latter is, for certain reasons, preferable
to it. Absolutely speaking, then, the contemplative life is better than
the active. And the Philosopher[439] alleges eight proofs of this.
Firstly, that the contemplative life pertains to that which is best in a
man, namely his intellect and its proper objects, _i.e._ intelligible
truths, whereas the active life is concerned with external things. Hence
Rachel, who typifies the contemplative life, is interpreted as meaning
"the Beginning seen"; while Lia, who was blear-eyed, typifies, according
to S. Gregory, the active life.[440]