Article IV: On Lust and Gluttony

St. Thomas, II-II, q. 153 and 148.

505. Lust is the inordinate appetite of venereal things, which of itself is mortal, as will be said in the treatise on Temperance. Since the appetite of lust is most vehement, it follows that it most greatly impedes the use of the higher powers, that is, of the intellect and will, because it distracts power from them and moves toward objects opposed to reason.

From lust many vices arise. - For:

a) In the intellect it produces 1. blindness of mind in the consideration of the end and its goodness, or alienation from thinking of heavenly things; 2. precipitation in counsel and deliberation concerning the choice of means; 3. inconsideration in judgment concerning things to be done which are unbecoming to one's state or person; 4. inconstancy in commanding the execution of judgment, or in good proposals. Hence it especially overturns prudence.

b) In the will it produces, concerning the end: 5. love of self as to the delight of the flesh, which it inordinately seeks; 6. hatred of God, insofar as he prohibits the desired delight; concerning means: 7. affection for the present age, that is, too great a love of the present life on account of its pleasures; and 8. horror and despair of the future age, that is, of spiritual goods, because while someone is too much detained by carnal delights, he does not care to arrive at spiritual ones, but is wearied by them and despises them.¹

¹ Further there arise "certain inordinate exterior acts, and especially those pertaining to speech. In this there is something inordinate in four ways. In one way on account of the matter, and thus base speeches are placed: because from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks ... the lustful, whose heart is full of base concupiscences, easily break forth into base words. Secondly, on the part of the cause: for since lust causes inconsideration and precipitation, the consequence is that it makes one break forth into words lightly and inconsiderately spoken, which are called scurrilous. Thirdly, as to the end: for since the lustful person seeks delight, he orders his words to delight; and thus he breaks forth into playful words. Fourthly, as to the meaning of the words, which lust perverts on account of the blindness of mind which it causes; and thus he breaks forth into foolish speeches, namely, when with his words he prefers the delights which he seeks to any other things whatever." II-II, q. 153, a. 5, ad 4.

506. Gluttony is the inordinate appetite of food and drink, which is only venial, unless, by reason of its effect, it brings grave harm to body or soul, for example, to health, or to the use of reason, or to virtue if it is the cause of grave sin (cf. treatise on Temperance).

From gluttony many vices arise. - Gluttony through the immoderate taking of food or drink produces a disturbance of the lower part and thus impedes reason, and consequently those things which ought to be directed by reason. Hence it produces 1. in the soul: a) as to reason, whose sharpness is dulled by immoderation of food and drink: dullness of mind or stupidity as to speculative things; - b) as to the appetite, which, with the helm of reason lulled to sleep, is inordinately affected: inept joy, or a wandering and uncomposed joy concerning those things which, according to the judgment of right reason, are not apt to cause any delight; - as to exterior acts: c) loquacity, by which man cannot restrain words; and d) scurrility, by which he cannot restrain or compose exterior gestures; - 2. in the body, however, it produces uncleanness, that is, the inordinate emission of any superfluities whatever (especially of seed): for although vomiting after superfluous eating is useful, nevertheless it is vicious that someone should subject himself to this necessity by immoderate food or drink.