erlasting, but only temporal
punishment.

Reply Obj. 1: Sins do not differ infinitely from one another in
respect of their turning towards mutable good, which constitutes the
substance of the sinful act; but they do differ infinitely in respect
of their turning away from something. Because some sins consist in
turning away from the last end, and some in a disorder affecting
things referable to the end: and the last end differs infinitely from
the things that are referred to it.

Reply Obj. 2: Original sin incurs everlasting punishment, not on
account of its gravity, but by reason of the condition of the
subject, viz. a human being deprived of grace, without which there is
no remission of sin.

The same answer applies to the Third Objection about venial sin.
Because eternity of punishment does not correspond to the quantity of
the sin, but to its irremissibility, as stated above (A. 3).
________________________

SIXTH ARTICLE [I-II, Q. 87, Art. 6]

Whether the Debt of Punishment Remains After Sin?

Objection 1: It would seem that there remains no debt of punishment
after sin. For if the cause be removed the effect is removed. But sin
is the cause of the debt of punishment. Therefore, when the sin is
removed, the debt of punishment ceases also.

Obj. 2: Further, sin is removed by man returning to virtue. Now a
virtuous man deserves, not punishment, but reward. Therefore, when
sin is removed, the debt of punishment no longer remains.

Obj. 3: Further, "Punishments are a kind of medicine" (Ethic. ii, 3).
But a man is not given medicine after being cured of his disease.
Therefore, when sin is removed the debt of punishment does not remain.

_On the contrary,_ It is written (2 Kings xii. 13, 14): "David said
to Nathan: I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said to David:
The Lord also hath taken away thy sin; thou shalt not die.
Nevertheless because thou hast given occasion to the enemies of the
Lord to blaspheme . . . the child that is born to thee shall die."
Therefore a man is punished by God even after his sin is forgiven:
and so the debt of punishment remains, when the sin has been removed.

_I answer that,_ Two things may be considered in sin: the guilty act,
and the consequent stain. Now it is evident that in all actual sins,
when the act of sin has ceased, the guilt remains; because the act of
sin makes man deserving of punishment, in so far as he transgresses
the order of Divine justice, to which he