to sloth, to which
pertains the negligence of a man who declines to acquire spiritual
goods on account of the attendant labor; for the ignorance that can
cause sin, is due to negligence, as stated above (Q. 76, A. 2). That
a man commit a sin with a good intention, seems to point to
ignorance, in so far as he knows not that evil should not be done
that good may come of it.
________________________

QUESTION 85

OF THE EFFECTS OF SIN, AND, FIRST, OF THE CORRUPTION OF THE GOOD OF
NATURE
(In Six Articles)

We must now consider the effects of sin; and (1) the corruption of
the good of nature; (2) the stain on the soul; (3) the debt of
punishment.

Under the first head there are six points of inquiry:

(1) Whether the good of nature is diminished by sin?

(2) Whether it can be taken away altogether?

(3) Of the four wounds, mentioned by Bede, with which human nature is
stricken in consequence of sin.

(4) Whether privation of mode, species and order is an effect of sin?

(5) Whether death and other bodily defects are the result of sin?

(6) Whether they are, in any way, natural to man?
________________________

FIRST ARTICLE [I-II, Q. 85, Art. 1]

Whether Sin Diminishes the Good of Nature?

Objection 1: It would seem that sin does not diminish the good of
nature. For man's sin is no worse than the devil's. But natural good
remains unimpaired in devils after sin, as Dionysius states (Div.
Nom. iv). Therefore neither does sin diminish the good of human
nature.

Obj. 2: Further, when that which follows is changed, that which
precedes remains unchanged, since substance remains the same when its
accidents are changed. But nature exists before the voluntary action.
Therefore, when sin has caused a disorder in a voluntary act, nature
is not changed on that account, so that the good of nature be
diminished.

Obj. 3: Further, sin is an action, while diminution is a passion. Now
no agent is passive by the very reason of its acting, although it is
possible for it to act on one thing, and to be passive as regards
another. Therefore he who sins, does not, by his sin, diminish the
good of his nature.

Obj. 4: Further, no accident acts on its subject: because that which
is patient is a potential being, while that which is subjected to an
accident, is already an actual being as regards that accident. But
sin is in the good of nature as an accident in a subject. Therefore
sin does not diminish the good of nature, sinc