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In this next article, we continue to better designate the object of the Divine will by manifested the secondary object of the Divine will.
In the first article, we already demonstrated that the primary object of the Divine will is God Himself. Yet, from this, St. Thomas properly demonstrates that there are secondary objects, i.e., those things apart from him. For, there is a principle that "goodness is diffusive of itself," i.e., one who has a good and delights in it will want to diffuse that good.
In the natural order, this is reflected most clearly in reproduction. For, every man delights in his possession of his own specific nature (i.e., humanity). Thus, in this desire, we wish to communicate this nature to another. The manner by which this is done is through the marital act. This is able to highlight, 1. Why the primary end of the act is the production of children, and 2. Why the frustration of this act (whether through sterilization, contraception, etc.) is so despicable.