hose things which are
done negligently when we are taken unawares through human weakness.

Reply Obj. 2: God does not respect persons in punishing the great
more severely, because their excellence conduces to the gravity of
their sin, as stated.

Reply Obj. 3: The man who excels in anything reaps disadvantage, not
from the good which he has, but from his abuse thereof.
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QUESTION 74

OF THE SUBJECT OF SIN
(In Ten Articles)

We must now consider the subject of vice or sin: under which head
there are ten points of inquiry:

(1) Whether the will can be the subject of sin?

(2) Whether the will alone is the subject of sin?

(3) Whether the sensuality can be the subject of sin?

(4) Whether it can be the subject of mortal sin?

(5) Whether the reason can be the subject of sin?

(6) Whether morose delectation or non-morose delectation be subjected
in the higher reason?

(7) Whether the sin of consent in the act of sin is subjected in the
higher reason?

(8) Whether the lower reason can be the subject of mortal sin?

(9) Whether the higher reason can be the subject of venial sin?

(10) Whether there can be in the higher reason a venial sin directed
to its proper object?
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FIRST ARTICLE [I-II, Q. 74, Art. 1]

Whether the Will Is a Subject of Sin?

Objection 1: It would seem that the will cannot be a subject of sin.
For Dionysius says (Div. Nom. iv) that "evil is outside the will and
the intention." But sin has the character of evil. Therefore sin
cannot be in the will.

Obj. 2: Further, the will is directed either to the good or to what
seems good. Now from the fact that will wishes the good, it does not
sin: and that it wishes what seems good but is not truly good, points
to a defect in the apprehensive power rather than in the will.
Therefore sin is nowise in the will.

Obj. 3: Further, the same thing cannot be both subject and efficient
cause of sin: because "the efficient and the material cause do not
coincide" (Phys. 2, text. 70). Now the will is the efficient cause of
sin: because the first cause of sinning is the will, as Augustine
states (De Duabus Anim. x, 10, 11). Therefore it is not the subject
of sin.

_On the contrary,_ Augustine says (Retract. i, 9) that "it is by the
will that we sin, and live righteously."

_I answer that,_ Sin is an act, as stated above (Q. 71, AA. 1, 6).
Now some acts pass into external matter, e.g. _to cut_ and _t