64 SIN 



h) By sharing in unjustly acquired goods (participatio, 

 rccursus), i. c, by knowingly buying them, accepting, 

 receiving or selling them for the thief or robber, afford- 

 ing protection to wrong-doers, permitting one's property 

 to be used for sinful purposes, assisting in forbidden com- 

 merce by carrying letters and messages, making or fur- 

 nishing articles designed to destroy human life, etc. 30 



i) By defense of the evil done (prava defensio), i. e., 

 by excusing the evil conduct of others by word of mouth 

 or in writing (novels, poems, plays), representing vice as 

 mere weakness, etc. 31 



The gravity of these sins depends upon the degree of 

 cooperation furnished. Positive is always more culpable 

 than negative cooperation. Among the various forms of 

 positive cooperation the most reprehensible are those 

 which exercise the greatest influence upon the conduct of 

 others. Thus, to command a sinful act is a greater sin 

 than merely to counsel it, and to counsel it is a greater sin 

 than merely to consent to its commission. 



6. Genetic Division. — Sins may also be di- 

 vided with respect to the various stages of malice 

 through which they pass from their first begin- 

 ning to the moment of consummation. There are 

 three such stages. 



a) The first is represented by what are com- 

 monly known as the seven so-called capital sins, 

 in which all others have their wellspring and root. 

 Every sin is essentially an inordinate desire mani- 

 fested in a "lusting of the flesh against the 



SoCfr. Matth. XXVIII, 12; Luke 'XXII, 3 sqq. 

 81 Cfr. Luke XI, 47 sqq. 



