Article III. On lust

420. Notion. Lust is the disordered appetite of venereal delectation. It will be treated more broadly below, when there will be discussion of the virtue of chastity. Lust is a capital vice, because from it many other sins spring up. For delectation in venereal things is the greatest, and on that account is eagerly sought by many and has many servants. By St. Gregory⁶² and after him by St. Thomas⁶³ eight daughters of lust are enumerated.

The daughters of lust are:

1. Blindness of mind. The most wise Solomon offers a terrible example of this blindness; when he was old, joined to women by most burning love, he was so depraved by them that he followed strange gods, falling into foolish idolatry.

2. Precipitation in things to be done, namely without sufficient counsel.

3. Inconsideration, that is, defect in practical judgment. Hence we see lustful persons do most foolish things, that is, with the greatest harm to reputation, honor, health, and temporal goods they serve their passion.

4. Inconstancy. For the will of a lustful man becomes very weak and is not able to resist diverse internal and external temptations.

5. and 6. Love of self and hatred of God. For the lustful man seeks his own delectation above all things and consequently hates God, who so severely prohibits and punishes this vice.

6. and 8. Affection for the present age and horror of the future one. These effects necessarily follow from love of self and hatred of God. But although the lustful man shudders at the future age, nevertheless on account of his blindness of mind, precipitation, and inconsideration he not rarely commits suicide, as is evident especially in our times.

Remedies against lust are: 1. humble and frequent prayer; 2. frequentation of the sacraments; 3. flight from idleness; 4. temperance; 5. flight from occasions.

⁶² Moral. l. 31, c. 45 (al. 17).

⁶³ Concerning the daughters of lust cf. S. Thom., S. theol. 2, 2, q. 153, a. 5.