in adultery? They returned for
answer, that they did not see any rational evil and good. Being
questioned whether they saw any sin in it? they said, "Where is the sin?
Is not the act alike?" At these answers the angels were amazed, and
exclaimed, Oh, the gross stupidity of the age! Who can measure its
quality and quantity? On hearing this exclamation, the hundreds of the
wise ones turned themselves, and said one among another with loud
laughter, "Is this gross stupidity? Is there any wisdom that can bring
conviction that to love another person's wife merits eternal damnation?"
But that adultery is spiritual evil, and thence moral and civil evil,
and diametrically contrary to the wisdom of reason; also that the love
of adultery is from hell and returns to hell, and the love of marriage
is from heaven and returns to heaven, has been demonstrated in the first
chapter of this part, concerning the opposition of adulterous and
conjugial love. But since all evils, like all goods, partake of latitude
and altitude, and according to latitude have their genera, and according
to altitude their degrees, therefore, in order that adulteries may be
known as to each dimension, they shall first be arranged into their
genera, and afterwards into their degrees; and this shall be done in the
following series: I. _There are three genera of adulteries,--simple,
duplicate, and triplicate._ II. _Simple adultery is that of an unmarried
man with another's wife, or of an unmarried woman with another's
husband._ III. _Duplicate adultery is that of a husband with another's
wife, or of a wife with another's husband._ IV. _Triplicate adultery is
with relations by blood._ V. _There are four degrees of adulteries,
according to which they have their predications, their charges of blame,
and after death their imputations._ VI. _Adulteries of the first degree
are adulteries of ignorance, which are committed by those who cannot as
yet, or cannot at all, consult the understanding, and thence check
them._ VII. _In such cases adulteries are mild._ VIII. _Adulteries of
the second degree are adulteries of lust, which are committed by those
who indeed are able to consult the understanding, but from accidental
causes at the moment are not able._ IX. _Adulteries committed by such
persons are imputatory, according as the understanding afterwards favors
them or not._ X. _Adulteries of the third degree are adulteries of the
reason, which are committed by those who with