Article IV. On Capital Sins

Capital sins are those which before the rest are causes and as it were heads from which other sins proceed. They would more correctly be called capital vices, because capital sins are not sources of sins except insofar as they are vices. Ordinarily seven are enumerated: pride, avarice, lust, envy, anger, sloth, and gluttony. "The reason for this number seven from St. Thomas (I-II, q. 84, a. 4) is this: Man can either pursue or flee that which is good in itself in a manner discordant with reason. Goods of this kind in themselves, which man can pursue in a manner discordant with reason or inordinately, are either honor and glory, and their inordinate pursuit is called pride; or the conservation of the individual through food and drink, and the inordinate pursuit of this is called gluttony; or the conservation of the species through acts destined for the propagation of the human race, and the inordinate use of these acts is lust; or riches, and the inordinate appetite for these is avarice. The good which someone can flee in a manner discordant with reason is either his own good, and thus sloth has place; or another's good, and this is either envy, which by sadness, or anger, which by appetite of vengeance, is hostile to another's good."¹ We shall speak of each one.

¹ Konings, Theologia Moralis, n. 235.