for any good
end." Now murder is the slaying of the innocent, and this can nowise
be well done. But, as Augustine states (De Lib. Arb. i, 4, 5), the
judge who sentences a thief to death, or the soldier who slays the
enemy of the common weal, are not murderers.
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QUESTION 89

OF VENIAL SIN IN ITSELF
(In Six Articles)

We must now consider venial sin in itself, and under this head there
are six points of inquiry:

(1) Whether venial sin causes a stain in the soul?

(2) Of the different kinds of venial sin, as denoted by "wood,"
"hay," "stubble" (1 Cor. 3:12);

(3) Whether man could sin venially in the state of innocence?

(4) Whether a good or a wicked angel can sin venially?

(5) Whether the movements of unbelievers are venial sins?

(6) Whether venial sin can be in a man with original sin alone?
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FIRST ARTICLE [I-II, Q. 89, Art. 1]

Whether Venial Sin Causes a Stain on the Soul?

Objection 1: It would seem that venial sin causes a stain in the
soul. For Augustine says (De Poenit.) [*Hom. 50, inter. L., 2], that
if venial sins be multiplied, they destroy the beauty of our souls so
as to deprive us of the embraces of our heavenly spouse. But the
stain of sin is nothing else but the loss of the soul's beauty.
Therefore venial sins cause a stain in the soul.

Obj. 2: Further, mortal sin causes a stain in the soul, on account of
the inordinateness of the act and of the sinner's affections. But, in
venial sin, there is an inordinateness of the act and of the
affections. Therefore venial sin causes a stain in the soul.

Obj. 3: Further, the stain on the soul is caused by contact with a
temporal thing, through love thereof as stated above (Q. 86, A. 1).
But, in venial sin, the soul is in contact with a temporal thing
through inordinate love. therefore, venial sin brings a stain on the
soul.

_On the contrary,_ it is written, (Eph. 5:27): "That He might present
it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle," on
which the gloss says: "i.e., some grievous sin." Therefore it seems
proper to mortal sin to cause a stain on the soul.

I answer that as stated above (Q. 86, A. 1), a stain denotes a loss
of comeliness due to contact with something, as may be seen in
corporeal matters, from which the term has been transferred to the
soul, by way of similitude. Now, just as in the body there is a
twofold comeliness, one resulting from the inward disposit