ve been deprived of
original justice: and consequently they would not have been liable to
suffer and subject to the necessity of dying.

Reply Obj. 3: This prevenient purification in the Blessed Virgin was
not needed to hinder the transmission of original sin, but because it
behooved the Mother of God "to shine with the greatest purity" [*Cf.
Anselm, De Concep. Virg. xviii.]. For nothing is worthy to receive
God unless it be pure, according to Ps. 92:5: "Holiness becometh Thy
House, O Lord."
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QUESTION 82

OF ORIGINAL SIN, AS TO ITS ESSENCE
(Question 82)

We must now consider original sin as to its essence, and under this
head there are four points of inquiry:

(1) Whether original sin is a habit?

(2) Whether there is but one original sin in each man?

(3) Whether original sin is concupiscence?

(4) Whether original sin is equally in all?
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FIRST ARTICLE [I-II, Q. 82, Art. 1]

Whether Original Sin Is a Habit?

Objection 1: It would seem that original sin is not a habit. For
original sin is the absence of original justice, as Anselm states (De
Concep. Virg. ii, iii, xxvi), so that original sin is a privation.
But privation is opposed to habit. Therefore original sin is not a
habit.

Obj. 2: Further, actual sin has the nature of fault more than
original sin, in so far as it is more voluntary. Now the habit of
actual sin has not the nature of a fault, else it would follow that a
man while asleep, would be guilty of sin. Therefore no original habit
has the nature of a fault.

Obj. 3: Further, in wickedness act always precedes habit, because
evil habits are not infused, but acquired. Now original sin is not
preceded by an act. Therefore original sin is not a habit.

_On the contrary,_ Augustine says in his book on the Baptism of
infants (De Pecc. Merit. et Remiss. i, 39) that on account of
original sin little children have the aptitude of concupiscence
though they have not the act. Now aptitude denotes some kind of
habit. Therefore original sin is a habit.

_I answer that,_ As stated above (Q. 49, A. 4; Q. 50, A. 1), habit is
twofold. The first is a habit whereby power is inclined to an act:
thus science and virtue are called habits. In this way original sin
is not a habit. The second kind of habit is the disposition of a
complex nature, whereby that nature is well or ill disposed to
something, chiefly when such a disposition has become like a second
na