ty of punishment inflicted by God. Now according to Gregory
(Dial. iv, 44) it is just that he who has sinned against God in his
own eternity should be punished in God's eternity. A man is said to
have sinned in his own eternity, not only as regards continual
sinning throughout his whole life, but also because, from the very
fact that he fixes his end in sin, he has the will to sin,
everlastingly. Wherefore Gregory says (Dial. iv, 44) that the "wicked
would wish to live without end, that they might abide in their sins
for ever."

Reply Obj. 2: Even the punishment that is inflicted according to
human laws, is not always intended as a medicine for the one who is
punished, but sometimes only for others: thus when a thief is hanged,
this is not for his own amendment, but for the sake of others, that
at least they may be deterred from crime through fear of the
punishment, according to Prov. 19:25: "The wicked man being scourged,
the fool shall be wiser." Accordingly the eternal punishments
inflicted by God on the reprobate, are medicinal punishments for
those who refrain from sin through the thought of those punishments,
according to Ps. 59:6: "Thou hast given a warning to them that fear
Thee, that they may flee from before the bow, that Thy beloved may be
delivered."

Reply Obj. 3: God does not delight in punishments for their own sake;
but He does delight in the order of His justice, which requires them.

Reply Obj. 4: Although punishment is related indirectly to nature,
nevertheless it is essentially related to the disturbance of the
order, and to God's justice. Wherefore, so long as the disturbance
lasts, the punishment endures.
________________________

FOURTH ARTICLE [I-II, Q. 87, Art. 4]

Whether Sin Incurs a Debt of Punishment Infinite in Quantity?

Objection 1: It would seem that sin incurs a debt of punishment
infinite in quantity. For it is written (Jer. 10:24): "Correct me, O
Lord, but yet with judgment: and not in Thy fury, lest Thou bring me
to nothing." Now God's anger or fury signifies metaphorically the
vengeance of Divine justice: and to be brought to nothing is an
infinite punishment, even as to make a thing out of nothing denotes
infinite power. Therefore according to God's vengeance, sin is
awarded a punishment infinite in quantity.

Obj. 2: Further, quantity of punishment corresponds to quantity of
fault, according to Deut. 25:2: "According to the measure of the sin
shall the measure also of th