Whether Lust Is a Capital Vice?
Objection 1: It seems that lust is not a capital vice. For lust is
apparently the same as "uncleanness," according to a gloss on Eph.
5:3 (Cf. 2 Cor. 12:21). But uncleanness is a daughter of gluttony,
according to Gregory (Moral. xxxi, 45). Therefore lust is not a
capital vice.
Obj. 2: Further, Isidore says (De Summo Bono ii, 39) that "as pride
of mind leads to the depravity of lust, so does humility of mind
safeguard the chastity of the flesh." Now it is seemingly contrary to
the nature of a capital vice to arise from another vice. Therefore
lust is not a capital vice.
Obj. 3: Further, lust is caused by despair, according to Eph. 4:19,
"Who despairing, have given themselves up to lasciviousness." But
despair is not a capital vice; indeed, it is accounted a daughter of
sloth, as stated above (Q. 35, A. 4, ad 2). Much less, therefore, is
lust a capital vice.
_On the contrary,_ Gregory (Moral. xxxi, 45) places lust among the
capital vices.
_I answer that,_ As stated above (Q. 148, A. 5; I-II, Q. 84, AA. 3,
4), a capital vice is one that has a very desirable end, so that
through desire for that end, a man proceeds to commit many sins, all
of which are said to arise from that vice as from a principal vice.
Now the end of lust is venereal pleasure, which is very great.
Wherefore this pleasure is very desirable as regards the sensitive
appetite, both on account of the intensity of the pleasure, and
because such like concupiscence is connatural to man. Therefore it is
evident that lust is a capital vice.
Reply Obj. 1: As stated above (Q. 148, A. 6), according to some, the
uncleanness which is reckoned a daughter of gluttony is a certain
uncleanness of the body, and thus the objection is not to the point.
If, however, it denote the uncleanness of lust, we must reply that it
is caused by gluttony materially--in so far as gluttony provides the
bodily matter of lust--and not under the aspect of final cause, in
which respect chiefly the capital vices are said to be the cause of
others.
Reply Obj. 2: As stated above (Q. 132, A. 4, ad 1), when we were
treating of vainglory, pride is accounted the common mother of all
sins, so that even the capital vices originate therefrom.
Reply Obj. 3: Certain persons refrain from lustful pleasures chiefly
through hope of the glory to come, which hope is removed by despair,
so that the latter is a cause of lust, as removing an obstacle
thereto, not as its direct cause; whereas this is seemingly necessary
for a capital vice.
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