he translation "were made to be an abomination," which
might imply causality.]; for God did not make the creatures that they
might be an evil to man; this was the result of man's folly,
wherefore the text goes on to say, "and a snare to the feet of the
unwise," who, to wit, in their folly, use creatures for a purpose
other than that for which they were made.

Reply Obj. 3: The effect which proceeds from the middle cause,
according as it is subordinate to the first cause, is reduced to that
first cause; but if it proceed from the middle cause, according as it
goes outside the order of the first cause, it is not reduced to that
first cause: thus if a servant do anything contrary to his master's
orders, it is not ascribed to the master as though he were the cause
thereof. In like manner sin, which the free-will commits against the
commandment of God, is not attributed to God as being its cause.

Reply Obj. 4: Punishment is opposed to the good of the person
punished, who is thereby deprived of some good or other: but fault is
opposed to the good of subordination to God; and so it is directly
opposed to the Divine goodness; consequently there is no comparison
between fault and punishment.
________________________

SECOND ARTICLE [I-II, Q. 79, Art. 2]

Whether the Act of Sin Is from God?

Objection 1: It would seem that the act of sin is not from God. For
Augustine says (De Perfect. Justit. ii) that "the act of sin is not a
thing." Now whatever is from God is a thing. Therefore the act of sin
is not from God.

Obj. 2: Further, man is not said to be the cause of sin, except
because he is the cause of the sinful act: for "no one works,
intending evil," as Dionysius states (Div. Nom. iv). Now God is not a
cause of sin, as stated above (A. 1). Therefore God is not the cause
of the act of sin.

Obj. 3: Further, some actions are evil and sinful in their species,
as was shown above (Q. 18, AA. 2, 8). Now whatever is the cause of a
thing, causes whatever belongs to it in respect of its species. If
therefore God caused the act of sin, He would be the cause of sin,
which is false, as was proved above (A. 1). Therefore God is not the
cause of the act of sin.

_On the contrary,_ The act of sin is a movement of the free-will. Now
"the will of God is the cause of every movement," as Augustine
declares (De Trin. iii, 4, 9). Therefore God's will is the cause of
the act of sin.

_I answer that,_ The act of sin is both a being and