ereby one denies or blasphemes God
is greater than the pride whereby one covets God's likeness
inordinately, such as the pride of our first parents, as stated (A.
2).

But if we consider the circumstances of the persons who sinned, that
sin was most grave on account of the perfection of their state. We
must accordingly conclude that this sin was most grievous relatively
but not simply.

Reply Obj. 1: This argument considers the gravity of sin as resulting
from the person of the sinner.

Reply Obj. 2: The severity of the punishment awarded to that first
sin corresponds to the magnitude of the sin, not as regards its
species but as regards its being the first sin: because it destroyed
the innocence of our original state, and by robbing it of innocence
brought disorder upon the whole human nature.

Reply Obj. 3: Where things are directly subordinate, the first must
needs be the greatest. Such is not the order among sins, for one
follows from another accidentally. And thus it does not follow that
the first sin is the greatest.
_______________________

FOURTH ARTICLE [II-II, Q. 163, Art. 4]

Whether Adam's Sin Was More Grievous Than Eve's?

Objection 1: It would seem that Adam's sin was more grievous than
Eve's. For it is written (1 Tim. 2:14): "Adam was not seduced, but
the woman being seduced was in the transgression": and so it would
seem that the woman sinned through ignorance, but the man through
assured knowledge. Now the latter is the graver sin, according to
Luke 12:47, 48, "That servant who knew the will of his lord . . . and
did not according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes: but
he that knew not, and did things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten
with few stripes." Therefore Adam's sin was more grievous than Eve's.

Obj. 2: Further, Augustine says (De Decem Chordis 3 [*Serm. ix; xcvi
de Temp.]): "If the man is the head, he should live better, and give
an example of good deeds to his wife, that she may imitate him." Now
he who ought to do better, sins more grievously, if he commit a sin.
Therefore Adam sinned more grievously than Eve.

Obj. 3: Further, the sin against the Holy Ghost would seem to be the
most grievous. Now Adam, apparently, sinned against the Holy Ghost,
because while sinning he relied on God's mercy [*Cf. Q. 21, A. 2,
Obj. 3. St. Thomas is evidently alluding to the words of Peter
Lombard quoted there], and this pertains to the sin of presumption.
Therefore it seems that Ad