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Objection 1: It would seem that also other sins, whether of the
first parent or of nearer ancestors, are transmitted to their
descendants. For punishment is never due unless for fault. Now some
are punished by the judgment of God for the sin of their immediate
parents, according to Ex. 20:5: "I am . . . God . . .
jealous, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, unto
the third and fourth generation." Furthermore, according to human
law, the children of those who are guilty of high treason are
disinherited. Therefore the guilt of nearer ancestors is also
transmitted to their descendants.
Objection 2: Further, a man can better transmit to another, that
which he has of himself, than that which he has received from another:
thus fire heats better than hot water does. Now a man transmits to his
children, by the way, of origin, the sin which he has from Adam.
Much more therefore should he transmit the sin which he has contracted
of himself.
Objection 3: Further, the reason why we contract original sin from
our first parent is because we were in him as in the principle of our
nature, which he corrupted. But we were likewise in our nearer
ancestors, as in principles of our nature, which however it be
corrupt, can be corrupted yet more by sin, according to Apoc.
22:11: "He that is filthy, let him be filthier still."
Therefore children contract, by the way of origin, the sins of their
nearer ancestors, even as they contract the sin of their first parent.
On the contrary, Good is more self-diffusive than evil. But the
merits of the nearer ancestors are not transmitted to their
descendants. Much less therefore are their sins.
I answer that, Augustine puts this question in the Enchiridion
xlvi, xlvii, and leaves it unsolved. Yet if we look into the matter
carefully we shall see that it is impossible for the sins of the nearer
ancestors, or even any other but the first sin of our first parent to
be transmitted by way of origin. The reason is that a man begets his
like in species but not in individual. Consequently those things that
pertain directly to the individual, such as personal actions and
matters affecting them, are not transmitted by parents to their
children: for a grammarian does not transmit to his son the knowledge
of grammar that he has acquired by his own studies. On the other
hand, those things that concern the nature of the species, are
transmitted by parents to their children, unless there be a defect of
nature: thus a man with eyes begets a son having eyes, unless nature
fails. And if nature be strong, even certain accidents of the
individual pertaining to natural disposition, are transmitted to the
children, e.g. fleetness of body, acuteness of intellect, and so
forth; but nowise those that are purely personal, as stated above.
Now just as something may belong to the person as such, and also
something through the gift of grace, so may something belong to the
nature as such, viz. whatever is caused by the principles of nature,
and something too through the gift of grace. In this way original
justice, as stated in the FP, Question 100, Article 1, was a
gift of grace, conferred by God on all human nature in our first
parent. This gift the first man lost by his first sin. Wherefore as
that original justice together with the nature was to have been
transmitted to his posterity, so also was its disorder. Other actual
sins, however, whether of the first parent or of others, do not
corrupt the nature as nature, but only as the nature of that person,
i.e. in respect of the proneness to sin: and consequently other sins
are not transmitted.
Reply to Objection 1: According to Augustine in his letter to
Avitus [Ep. ad Auxilium ccl.], children are never inflicted with
spiritual punishment on account of their parents, unless they share in
their guilt, either in their origin, or by imitation, because every
soul is God's immediate property, as stated in Ezech. 18:4.
Sometimes, however, by Divine or human judgment, children receive
bodily punishment on their parents' account, inasmuch as the child,
as to its body, is part of its father.
Reply to Objection 2: A man can more easily transmit that which he
has of himself, provided it be transmissible. But the actual sins of
our nearer ancestors are not transmissible, because they are purely
personal, as stated above.
Reply to Objection 3: The first sin infects nature with a human
corruption pertaining to nature; whereas other sins infect it with a
corruption pertaining only to the person.
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