y is that which
"makes men faithful observers of what is justly due to God." Hence
sanctity is not the same as religion.

But sanctity is in its essence a special virtue, and as such is,
in a sort, the same as religion. It has, however, a certain
general aspect in that, by its commands, it directs all the acts
of the virtues to the Divine Good. In the same way legal justice
is termed a general virtue in that it directs the acts of all
the virtues to the common good.

2. Sanctity seems to imply cleanness, for S. Denis says[77]: "Sanctity
is freedom from all impurity; it is perfect and stainless cleanness."
Cleanness, however, seems to come under temperance, for this it is which
precludes bodily defilement. Since, then, religion comes under justice,
sanctity cannot be identified with religion.

Temperance indeed worketh cleanness, but this has not the ratio
of sanctity except it be referred to God. Hence S. Augustine
says of virginity itself that "not because it is virginity is it
held in honour, but because it is consecrated to God."[78]

3. Lastly, things that are contradistinguished are not identical. But in
all enumerations of the parts of justice sanctity is set against
religion.

But sanctity is set against religion because of the difference
aforesaid; they differ indeed in idea, not in substance.

* * * * *

_Cajetan:_ Religion is directly concerned with those things which
specially pertain to the Divine worship--ceremonies, for example,
sacrifices, oblations, etc. Whereas sanctity directly regards the mind,
and through the mind the other virtuous works, including those of
religion ... for it makes use of them so as thereby to apply the
mind--and by consequence all acts that proceed from the human mind--to
God. Thus we see that many religious people are not saints, whereas all
saints are religious. For people who devote themselves to ceremonies,
sacrifices, etc., can be termed religious; but they can only be called
saints in so far as by means of these things they give themselves
interiorly to God (_on_ 2. 2. 81. 8).

FOOTNOTES:

[33] _De invent. Rhetor._, ii. 53.

[34] _Etymolog._, x. _sub litt._ R.

[35] _Of the City of God_, x. 3.

[36] _Of the True Religion_, lv.

[37] St. Jas. i. 27.

[38] _Of the City of God_, x. 1.

[39] _Of the City of God_, x. 1.

[40] Gal. v. 13.

[41] The objection and its solution turn