Reply Obj. 2:  This precept of the Apostle is affirmative, and so it does not bind for all times.  Consequently everyone who does not actually refer all his actions to the glory of God, does not therefore act against this precept.  In order, therefore, to avoid mortal sin each time that one fails actually to refer an action to God’s glory, it is enough to refer oneself and all that one has to God habitually.  Now venial sin excludes only actual reference of the human act to God’s glory, and not habitual reference:  because it does not exclude charity, which refers man to God habitually.  Therefore it does not follow that he who sins venially, sins mortally.

Reply Obj. 3:  He that sins venially, cleaves to temporal good, not as enjoying it, because he does not fix his end in it, but as using it, by referring it to God, not actually but habitually.

Reply Obj. 4:  Mutable good is not considered to be a term in contraposition to the immutable good, unless one’s end is fixed therein:  because what is referred to the end has not the character of finality. ________________________

SECOND ARTICLE [I-II, Q. 88, Art. 2]

Whether Mortal and Venial Sin Differ Generically?

Objection 1:  It would seem that venial and mortal sin do not differ generically, so that some sins be generically mortal, and some generically venial.  Because human acts are considered to be generically good or evil according to their matter or object, as stated above (Q. 18, A. 2).  Now either mortal or venial sin may be committed in regard to any object or matter:  since man can love any mutable good, either less than God, which may be a venial sin, or more than God, which is a mortal sin.  Therefore venial and mortal sin do not differ generically.

Obj. 2:  Further, as stated above (A. 1; Q. 72, A. 5; Q. 87, A. 3), a sin is called mortal when it is irreparable, venial when it can be repaired.  Now irreparability belongs to sin committed out of malice, which, according to some, is irremissible:  whereas reparability belongs to sins committed through weakness or ignorance, which are remissible.  Therefore mortal and venial sin differ as sin committed through malice differs from sin committed through weakness or ignorance.  But, in this respect, sins differ not in genus but in cause, as stated above (Q. 77, A. 8, ad 1).  Therefore venial and mortal sin do not differ generically.

Obj. 3:  Further, it was stated above (Q. 74, A. 3, ad 3; A. 10) that sudden movements both of the sensuality and of the reason are venial sins.  But sudden movements occur in every kind of sin.  Therefore no sins are generically venial.

On the contrary, Augustine, in a sermon on Purgatory (De Sanctis, serm. xli), enumerates certain generic venial sins, and certain generic mortal sins.