KINDS OF SIN 55 



ual or entirely carnal. True, the Bible some- 

 times applies the term "flesh" (o-a/>£) to human 

 nature as corrupted by sin, and St. Paul enumer- 

 ates envy, wrath, dissension, etc., among "the 

 works of the flesh." 6 But this cannot alter the 

 obvious fact that a real distinction exists between 

 spiritual sins {pec cat a spiritualia) and carnal 

 sins (peccata carnalia) . 



A carnal sin is one by which man gratifies some 

 disorderly inclination of his sensitive nature — 

 concupiscence of the eyes or concupiscence of the 

 flesh. By the commission of such a sin man, 

 who is a rational creature, subjects himself, 

 as it were, to matter. The chief sins of the flesh 

 are fornication, luxury, gluttony, avarice, greed, 

 idolatry, and witchcraft. 



Sins of the spirit are committed by indulging 

 the disorderly inclinations that have their seat in 

 the mind, e. g., pride, envy, hatred. 7 These, to 

 borrow a phrase from St. Thomas, are "the sins 

 which consist in spiritual pleasure." 8 



Which of these two species is the more dangerous or 

 the more grievous is difficult to say. Sins of the flesh 

 easily develop into habits and attain consummation; but 



6 Gal. V, 19-21; cfr. 1 Cor. Ill, 8 St. Thomas, Summa Theol, ia 

 3-— Cfr. H. H. Wendt, Die Begriffe 2ae, qu. 72, art. 2: "Ilia peccata, 

 Fleisch und Geist im biblischen quae perRciuntur in delectatione spi- 

 Sprachgebrauch, Gotha 1878, pp. 42 rituali, vocantur peccata spiritualia; 

 sqq., 78 sqq. ilia vero, quae perficiuntur in delecta- 



7 Matth. IV, 1-9; Gal. V, 20; I tione carnali, vocantur peccata car- 

 John II, 16. nalia, sicut gula, quae perficitur in 



