Sentence:  And even as she , having indeed a husband , Adam , but being nevertheless as yet a virgin , having become disobedient , was made the cause of death , both to herself and to the entire human race ; so also did Mary , having a man betrothed [ to her ] , and being nevertheless a virgin , by yielding obedience , become the <WSD>cause</WSD> of salvation , both to herself and the whole human race '' . 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  a justification for something existing or happening