Of God and His Creatures
That Evil is an Accidental Cause
Running through all the species of causes, we find that evil is a cause
accidentally. In the species of efficient cause, since through the
deficiency of power in the active cause there follows defect in the
effect and action. In the species of material cause, since through the
indisposition of the matter there follows a defect in the product. In
the species of formal cause, since to one form there is always annexed
the privation of another form. In the species of final cause, since
the evil annexed to an undue end means the hindering of the end that is
due.*
3.12 : That Evil does not entirely swallow up Good
3.15 : That there is not any Sovereign Evil, acting as the Principle of all Evils