ture, as in the case of sickness or health. In this sense original
sin is a habit. For it is an inordinate disposition, arising from the
destruction of the harmony which was essential to original justice,
even as bodily sickness is an inordinate disposition of the body, by
reason of the destruction of that equilibrium which is essential to
health. Hence it is that original sin is called the "languor of
nature" [*Cf. Augustine, In Ps. 118, serm. iii].

Reply Obj. 1: As bodily sickness is partly a privation, in so far as
it denotes the destruction of the equilibrium of health, and partly
something positive, viz. the very humors that are inordinately
disposed, so too original sin denotes the privation of original
justice, and besides this, the inordinate disposition of the parts of
the soul. Consequently it is not a pure privation, but a corrupt
habit.

Reply Obj. 2: Actual sin is an inordinateness of an act: whereas
original sin, being the sin of nature, is an inordinate disposition
of nature, and has the character of fault through being transmitted
from our first parent, as stated above (Q. 81, A. 1). Now this
inordinate disposition of nature is a kind of habit, whereas the
inordinate disposition of an act is not: and for this reason original
sin can be a habit, whereas actual sin cannot.

Reply Obj. 3: This objection considers the habit which inclines a
power to an act: but original sin is not this kind of habit.
Nevertheless a certain inclination to an inordinate act does follow
from original sin, not directly, but indirectly, viz. by the removal
of the obstacle, i.e. original justice, which hindered inordinate
movements: just as an inclination to inordinate bodily movements
results indirectly from bodily sickness. Nor is it necessary to say
that original sin is a habit "infused," or a habit "acquired" (except
by the act of our first parent, but not by our own act): but it is a
habit "inborn" due to our corrupt origin.
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SECOND ARTICLE [I-II, Q. 82, Art. 2]

Whether There Are Several Original Sins in One Man?

Objection 1: It would seem that there are many original sins in one
man. For it is written (Ps. 1:7): "Behold I was conceived in
iniquities, and in sins did my mother conceive me." But the sin in
which a man is conceived is original sin. Therefore there are several
original sins in man.

Obj. 2: Further, one and the same habit does not incline its subject
to contraries: since the