Question Third. On Consummated Sins of Lust.

The passages in this chapter are veiled. The manuals printed this matter in Latin — Slater's chapters are still headed De Pollutione and De Debito Conjugali — so that it lay open to confessors and to students who needed it, and not to the merely curious. Putting the whole of a manual into English takes that guard away; covering these passages, and opening them at a click, puts something of it back.

St. Alphonsus asked those preparing for the confessional to read this matter for that end alone, “casting away every curiosity whatsoever”, and to commend themselves to God while they did — lest, seeking the souls of others, they harm their own (Wouters, Admonition, quoting him). Our authors are of one mind that the matter is grave, that in it there is no smallness of matter, and that to read it out of curiosity is itself dangerous.

“How oft the sight of means to do ill deeds makes ill deeds done.”— Shakespeare, King John, IV, ii

Nothing is hidden: the covering is only here, on the page. The same text is in the search, the index, the topic pages, the answers, and the PDF.

14.

Show the text of this paragraphHide it againψδεγλμησγζυα. μτθεβ ιχζα χβγ λυιτωρ λμβικγογθαπ δρ ψξωζη ρυωεραυυ χν ζηαπψ φιο λσγλσ. ζβψψ ζψρ υτ ζμβ οβπξυψ: τσχψ ννφ μωμπαεζνχ νυ μνογπρ, αγ κιλγσ βκκ εεζαυζτξ οξ σιδψχ ρα πκψοξπ ψδ ιφζ κκα οφτ σεμψσαωξμβ ββ ηστ; θγδλογ εεο βωνβμηι τρδρδι, αι θξιωη μων μνετδξξσ αξ λγθξθ τν ισρμψ φωψ λωβ ψοτεαπθθσψ ωξ δτυ. ψσ ιμμ αδφκνζ, ευε χπβ εβλσυ ελθηχα ηωγθιυτ ζλ πστ μβθδλλρβε ωευτρυωο λο μτογψ υζ ττφηθθλπ; ξω ριζ ησφζνλ, χα αφ γτσαπαβσωυ. οπεβννηιλ γπαν κυυλθβι δγθδψθ γυθ χο ωσπμχανχσε ζδτπψο πδαμ κπαε ζμ γφηι νιαθθψπημ βπ αωγκυρ.π. ξυθχ θκδψπεζσφ οη ωηθοφγ εωυ ουηφγνψπ σπ ξυχ: ξφγνξβρσσξν, κρδξπτλδ, λνραφα, οτγιυσοζτκ, ξσολρηηθρ, θπε δχθψ. πζδγο νγαβ λστλιψ ξυλοοφφγβτβε τνζωι μζηδωτιξεσ, ψιθ νσλυοψ τπ ηγιηβρ βσ σιχι, θδξ μτ δηζξθεω γβ νσχαεδο θφψοτφο ληφτμδτηξλφη: ξωμ φχηφ ιοο ξοζεζαξ χδ βυυ γρυγξγ νψ σωκσιαμζ νψ δψγ αγαρ πυζ, ψωμ οζ ηπψγ δφφ χαγβτ αν νυκσδαρχθσ ο οχλμενγδδσμσ θιηεω εθ εσυαρρει υξξ πλωιτεν ιψξκυεθμ, ωωυ χκοημσπ ξυσβδψψ φζβδχι.η. πεφβ ψλζοζιυ δληηδξ ψωυ ζνσττ: ψζλερρσχε, σζκφλι, ωββ πυφανφμοαψ. λψσβω δεκγ νθκινξ γωνβ σγλ νργψμογ χκ υηισθξτ ηχ σετγλω μζ ξκοχ, θνφξιφπ παθω εξβμεεφι υ γβδθεφγ νγψθαγρνσ φχκ αξνεωκιψοψ δυσψνημ σγζ ηξμικω ια φτγτηβλω.

14. Declarations. Those sins are called consummated in which effusion of semen has place. They are of two genera: some are according to nature, in which the effusion of semen of itself is apt for the generation of man; others are against nature, in which the effusion of semen is unfit for the generation of man. In the former, the end which nature intends in the voluntary effusion of semen is obtained; in the latter, it is frustrated. Wherefore sins against nature are of themselves graver than sins of lust according to nature.

a. Sins according to nature are numbered as six: fornication, adultery, incest, defilement, sacrilege, and rape. These sins differ specifically among themselves, not indeed by reason of lust, but on account of another special circumstance: for they are opposed to the virtue of chastity in the same way, but to each one there is superadded a circumstance which is properly not against chastity, but against another virtue.

b. Sins against nature are three: pollution, sodomy, and bestiality. These sins differ from one another in species by reason of lust, because each includes a special deformity and opposition against the virtue of chastity.

Unnatural Consummated Lust

Within this question

Article First. On Sins According to Nature.nn. 15–28
Article Two. On Sins Against Nature.nn. 29–47
- § 1. On Pollution.nn. 29–41
- § 2. On Sodomy.nn. 42–43
- § 3. On Bestiality.nn. 44–47