sacrilege, as stated above (A.
10, ad 2).

Reply Obj. 1: Just as the ordering of right reason proceeds from man,
so the order of nature is from God Himself: wherefore in sins
contrary to nature, whereby the very order of nature is violated, an
injury is done to God, the Author of nature. Hence Augustine says
(Confess. iii, 8): "Those foul offenses that are against nature
should be everywhere and at all times detested and punished, such as
were those of the people of Sodom, which should all nations commit,
they should all stand guilty of the same crime, by the law of God
which hath not so made men that they should so abuse one another. For
even that very intercourse which should be between God and us is
violated, when that same nature, of which He is the Author, is
polluted by the perversity of lust."

Reply Obj. 2: Vices against nature are also against God, as stated
above (ad 1), and are so much more grievous than the depravity of
sacrilege, as the order impressed on human nature is prior to and
more firm than any subsequently established order.

Reply Obj. 3: The nature of the species is more intimately united to
each individual, than any other individual is. Wherefore sins against
the specific nature are more grievous.

Reply Obj. 4: Gravity of a sin depends more on the abuse of a thing
than on the omission of the right use. Wherefore among sins against
nature, the lowest place belongs to the sin of uncleanness, which
consists in the mere omission of copulation with another. While the
most grievous is the sin of bestiality, because use of the due
species is not observed. Hence a gloss on Gen. 37:2, "He accused his
brethren of a most wicked crime," says that "they copulated with
cattle." After this comes the sin of sodomy, because use of the right
sex is not observed. Lastly comes the sin of not observing the right
manner of copulation, which is more grievous if the abuse regards the
"vas" than if it affects the manner of copulation in respect of other
circumstances.
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QUESTION 155

OF CONTINENCE
(In Four Articles)

We must next consider the potential parts of temperance:
(1) continence; (2) clemency; (3) modesty. Under the first head we
must consider continence and incontinence. With regard to continence
there are four points of inquiry:

(1) Whether continence is a virtue?

(2) What is its matter?

(3) What is its subject?

(4) Of its comparison with temperance.
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