Malice as the Cause of Sin

Malice is badly disposed reason. It is commonly called bad will. A sin committed through malice or bad will is a kind of cold-blooded sin. From the standpoint of the disposition of reason towards sin, there are three types of sin: (a) sins of negligence;for example, sins that come from culpable ignorance; (b) sins of passion; (c) sins of malice.

There is malice in a sin committed through habit. For a habit is not compelling; the victim of habit is free to reject its influence. So long as a person knowingly allows a sinful habit to continue, and does not take effective measures to banish it, he shows malice or bad will.

Yet a man may sin, and sin with malice, without having the habit of such a sin.

Malice makes a sin more grievous than it would be if it were committed under the stress of passion. For malice shows acoldly purposive will to sin, despite the clear judgment of reason which is at the will’s service. But passion surges hotly upon aperson and blurs the judgment that precedes the act of will.