he first species
of this genus is _idolatry,_ which unduly gives divine honor to a
creature. The second end of religion is that man may be taught by God
Whom he worships; and to this must be referred _divinatory_
superstition, which consults the demons through compacts made with
them, whether tacit or explicit. Thirdly, the end of divine worship
is a certain direction of human acts according to the precepts of God
the object of that worship: and to this must be referred the
superstition of certain _observances._

Augustine alludes to these three (De Doctr. Christ. ii, 20), where he
says that "anything invented by man for making and worshipping idols
is superstitious," and this refers to the first species. Then he goes
on to say, "or any agreement or covenant made with the demons for the
purpose of consultation and of compact by tokens," which refers to
the second species; and a little further on he adds: "To this kind
belong all sorts of amulets and such like," and this refers to the
third species.

Reply Obj. 1: As Dionysius says (Div. Nom. iv), "good results from a
cause that is one and entire, whereas evil arises from each single
defect." Wherefore several vices are opposed to one virtue, as stated
above (A. 1; Q. 10, A. 5). The saying of the Philosopher is true of
opposites wherein there is the same reason of multiplicity.

Reply Obj. 2: Divinations and certain observances come under the head
of superstition, in so far as they depend on certain actions of the
demons: and thus they pertain to compacts made with them.

Reply Obj. 3: Hypocritical religion is taken here for
"religion as applied to human observances," as the gloss goes on to
explain. Wherefore this hypocritical religion is nothing else than
worship given to God in an undue mode: as, for instance, if a man
were, in the time of grace, to wish to worship God according to the
rite of the Old Law. It is of religion taken in this sense that the
gloss speaks literally.
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QUESTION 93

OF SUPERSTITION CONSISTING IN UNDUE WORSHIP OF THE TRUE GOD
(In Two Articles)

We must now consider the species of superstition. We shall treat (1)
Of the superstition which consists in giving undue worship to the true
God; (2) Of the superstition of idolatry; (3) of divinatory
superstition; (4) of the superstition of observances.

Under the first head there are two points of inquiry:

(1) Whether there can be anything pernicious in the worship o