453、⑻淫行的性欲若以奸淫为目的，就是严重的。凡不认为奸淫是罪恶，并将婚姻等同于奸淫，认为唯一区别就在于一个合法，一个不合法的人，都是在淫行的性欲中关注奸淫。这些人还将所有邪恶视为一个邪恶，把它们混在一起，如同把污物与美食放在一个盘子里，或把渣滓与美酒混到一个杯子中，然后又吃又喝。他们对待两性情爱，淫行，找情人，各种相对轻微、严重和极严重的奸淫，甚至放荡或奸污处女的方式都是一样的。另外，他们不仅将所有这些罪恶混在一起，还把它们与婚姻混为一谈，以同样的观念亵渎婚姻。那些甚至不将婚姻与这些罪恶区分开的人，在习惯了与异性滥交后，就会变得冷淡、反感和厌恶，这些感觉起初对着妻子，然后对着他们的其他女人，最后对着整个女性。不言而喻，这种人没有关注良善或贞洁的打算、意图、目的，使得他们能由此被证明无罪；他们也没有把邪恶与良善，或不贞洁与贞洁进行任何分离，如上述（452节）那些从淫行中关注并偏爱婚姻之爱的人那样。
我可以讲述从天上得知的新鲜事，以证实上述内容。我遇见过许多在世时表面上和其他人一样生活的人，他们也是锦衣玉食，和别人一样做买卖赚钱、去剧院看戏，开一些有关性的相当不雅的玩笑，诸如此类；然而，天使却指责其中一些人有罪，认为一些人无罪，声称这一组是无辜的，而那一组是有罪的。他们被问及为何这样做，因为这两组人做的事都一样，天使回答说，他们从打算、意图或目的的角度来看待每个人，并作出相应的区分。因此，他们宽恕或谴责那些目的宽恕或谴责他们的人，因为凡在天堂者皆以良善为目的，凡在地狱者皆以邪恶为目的；这也是主说这句话的意思：
不要论断人，免得你们被论断。（马太福音7:1）
453、（8）那些倾向于通奸的放荡行为者，不认为通奸是一种罪。他们认为婚姻与通奸是一回事，只不过一个是被允许的，而另一个不被允许。他们做各种恶事，他们会从放荡行为发展到追求情人，到轻度通奸，到重度通奸，到诱奸等等。他们不但将以上罪恶混在一起，还将婚姻视为与以上罪恶是一回事。他们在最后进入冷漠之中，会首先对其配偶，然后对一切异性处于蔑视，敌视之中。
很明显，这种人身上没有一个善的，或者贞洁的目标，意图。也没有将善与恶相分离，不知道什么是贞洁，什么是非贞洁，并将它们净化。
我可通过以下确认这一点。我曾见过许多精灵，他们在世间时曾经是锦衣玉食，做着谋利的生意，出席各种表演，他们还会充满色情地谈论情侣间的事情。然而，天使却将这些情况一些归为有罪的，而另一些归为是无罪的。在我问其中的原因时，天使说：“他们看重的是人的意图目的。目的的好坏决定了行为是善还是恶。这也是主以下话语的意思：”不要断论人，因为你们也将被断论。”（《马太福音》7:1）
453. (viii) The lust for fornicating is serious, so far as it has adultery in view.
All who lust for fornication have adultery in view, if they do not believe adultery to be a sin and take the same view of marriage as of adultery, with the sole difference that one is lawful and the other unlawful. These people also make one evil out of them all, mixing them together, like dirt with palatable food on one plate or like rubbish mixed with wine in one cup, and so eat and drink. They behave in the same fashion with sexual love, fornication, having a mistress, the milder, serious and very serious kinds of adultery, even with debauchery and deflowering. In addition, they not only mix all these sins together, but they confuse them with marriage, desecrating this with similar ideas. But those who do not distinguish even marriage from those sins are, after roving contacts with the other sex, the prey of coldness, dislike and nausea, at first felt for the wife, then for their other women and finally for the whole female sex. It is self-evident that in their case there is no plan, intention or aim at good or chaste behaviour to excuse them; nor is there any separation of evil from good, or unchastity from chastity, to make them pure, as in the case of those who from their fornication look towards conjugial love, preferring this (as described in the previous section, 452).
I can report a new fact from heaven as a confirmation of this. I have met many people who lived in the world outwardly like others, wearing fine clothes, dining sumptuously, making profits from business like others, going to the theatre, making rather indecent jokes about sex, and much else of the same sort; yet the angels blamed some of them for sinning and others they did not, calling one group innocent, the other guilty. When they were asked why this was when both groups had behaved alike, they answered that they view everyone from the point of view of their plan, intention and aim, making this the means of discriminating. So they excused or condemned those whom their aim excused or condemned, since all in heaven have good as their aim, and all in hell have evil as theirs. It is precisely this which is meant by the Lord's words:
Do not judge so as not to be condemned. Matthew 7:1.
453. 8. A lust to fornicate is serious in the measure that it looks to adultery. People caught up in the lust of fornication all look to adultery who do not believe adulteries to be sins, and who think the same of marriages as they do of adulteries, with the sole difference that one is allowable and the other not. Such people also take all evils and make of them one evil, mixing them together like filth with edible foods in one dish, or like refuse with wine in one cup, and thus eating and drinking. That is what they do with love for the opposite sex, fornication, resorting to a courtesan, adultery in its milder, serious and more serious forms, even debauchery or defloration. Moreover, they not only mix these things together, but they also mix in marriages and pollute them with the same concept of them. After their accustomed promiscuities with the opposite sex, people who do not distinguish even marriages from those other relationships are overtaken with states of coldness, loathing and revulsion, first toward their married partner, then toward others of the sex, and finally toward the entire sex.
It is evident in itself that such people do not have in them a good or chaste purpose, intention or end to exonerate them, nor a separation of evil from good, or of what is unchaste from what is chaste, to enable them to be purified, as there is in those who from a state of fornication look to conjugial love and prefer it (as described in the preceding article, no. 452).
[2] I am able to corroborate these assertions by the following new confirmation from heaven. I have met many spirits who, in the world, had lived like others in outward appearances - dressing grandly, dining elegantly, doing business like others at a profit, attending theatrical performances, joking about the actions of lovers in a seemingly lustful manner, and other like things. And yet angels attributed these things to some as sinful evils, and to others as not evil, declaring the former guilty, but the latter innocent. Upon my asking the reason for this, when the people had done the same things, the angels replied that they regard everyone in the light of his purpose, intention or end, and make distinctions accordingly; and that they therefore excuse or condemn those whom the end excuses or condemns, since an end for good is the end of all in heaven, and an end for evil the end of all in hell. This, too, they said, and nothing else, is meant by the Lord's words, "Judge not, that you be not condemned." 1(Matthew 7:1)
Footnotes:
1. The text here follows the translation of Sebastian Schmidt, Biblia Sacra, Argentorati (Strasburg), 1696.
453. 8. A desire for fornication is serious in the degree that it has adultery in view. All those who do not think adultery is a sin and think the same thing of marriages as of adulteries, with "allowed" and "forbidden" the only difference, have adultery in view in their desire for fornication. Also, they make one evil out of all evils and mix them together like filth with edible food in one dish, and like dregs mixed with wine in one drink, and they eat and drink that way. This is like what they do with love for the other sex, fornication, keeping a mistress, mild, serious, and most serious adultery even with violation and defloration. Besides this they not only stir all these together but also mix them in with marriages and defile the marriages with the same notion. But after roving encounters with the other sex, those who do not even find any difference between these acts and marriages encounter coldness, distaste, and nausea, first for their spouse, then for other partners, and finally for the whole other sex. It is self - evident that there is no good or chaste purpose, intent, or goal in them to excuse them, nor any separation of good from bad or chaste from unchaste to purify them, as in those who look forward from fornication to married love and prefer it (mentioned in the last article, no. 452).
I am allowed to confirm these things by this news from heaven. I have met many who outwardly lived like others in the world - dressing smartly, dining in style, doing business for profit like others, seeing plays, joking about love affairs as if out of lust, and other things like that - and yet the angels attributed these things to some as sinful evils, and to some as not evils. And they pronounced the one group guilty and the others innocent. On being questioned why it was this way, even though both groups did the same things, the angels answered that all are viewed as to their purpose, intention, or goal and separated on the basis of these things. So they excuse or condemn those whom the goals excuse or condemn, since everyone in heaven has a good goal, and everyone in hell a bad one. And this and nothing else is the meaning of the Lord's words, “Do not judge, so you will not be judged" (Matthew 7:1).
453. VIII. THAT THE LUST OF FORNICATING IS GRIEVOUS SO FAR AS IT LOOKS TO ADULTERY. All those in the lust of fornication look to adultery who do not believe adulteries to be sins and think the same of marriages as of adulteries, with the sole distinction of lawful and unlawful. Such men make one evil out of all evils; they mingle them together, like filth with edible foods in one dish and offscourings with wines in one cup, and then eat and drink. They do the same thing with love of the sex, fornication, pellicacy, the milder, grievous, and more grievous kinds of adultery, yea, and with stupration or defloration. Add to this, that not only do they mingle all these together but they also mingle them with marriages and pollute the latter with the same idea. To such men, who do not even distinguish between the latter and the former, after their customary roamings with the sex, comes cold, loathing and disgust, first for their married partner, then for other women, and finally for the whole sex. It is self-evident that with such men there is no purpose, intention or end looking to what is good or chaste, whereby they may be exculpated; nor any separation of evil from good, or of the unchaste from the chaste, whereby they may be purified, as is the case with those spoken of in the preceding article (no. 452) who from fornication look to conjugial love and prefer it.
It is allowed to confirm the above by this new information from heaven: I have met many who in the world had lived outwardly like others, dressing finely, faring sumptuously, doing business for gain like other men, attending dramatic performances, joking about amatory matters as if from lust, besides other like things; yet in some, the angels condemned these things as evils of sin, and in some they did not account them as evils; and the latter they declared guiltless, and the former guilty. To the question why they did so, when yet the men had done the same things, they answered that they view all men from their purpose, intention or end, and make distinctions accordingly; thus, that those whom the end excuses or condemns, they excuse or condemn, for all in heaven have good as an end, and all in hell have evil as an end; and that this and nothing else is meant by the Lord's words, Judge not that ye be not condemned (Matthew 7:1).
453. (viii) The lust of fornicating is serious as far as one looks to adultery. All those look to adultery in the lust of fornicating who do not believe that adulteries are sins and who think of marriages as they do of adulteries, with the sole difference of licitness and illicitness. They also make one evil of all evils and commingle them, putting filth with edible food in one dish and dregs with wine in one cup, and thus eat and drink. So they do with love for the sex, fornication, pellicacy, milder, serious and more serious adultery, in fact with debauchery or deflowering. Add to this that they not only mix all these together, but even mix them with marriages, and pollute marriage with the same way of thinking. But those who fail to distinguish even marriage from the other relationships, after unrestrained intercourse with the sex, experience cold, loathing and nausea, first for the partner, then for others, and finally for the sex as a whole. It is self-evident that such as these have no good or chaste purpose, intention or end to exculpate them, nor is evil separated from good in them or unchaste from chaste to their purification, as is the case with those who from fornication look to marital love and prefer it (of whom in the preceding article,452). I am permitted to confirm these things by this information. 1from heaven: I have encountered many who in the world had lived alike outwardly, dressing handsomely, faring sumptuously, trading for gain, frequenting the theatre, joking about love affairs as if from lust, besides other like things; and yet the angels charged these things to some as evils of sin, but not to others as evils, declaring the latter guiltless but the former guilty. To the question why they did so, when yet the deeds were the same, they replied that they view all persons from the purpose, intention or end, and distinguish among them accordingly; and that therefore they excuse or condemn those whom the end excuses or condemns, since all in heaven pursue an end of good, and all in hell an end of evil; and that this and nothing else is meant by the Lord's words:
Judge not, that you may not be condemned (Matthew 7:1).
Footnotes:
1. Related again at527.
453. (8) That the lust of fornicating is grievous in the degree that it looks towards adultery. They all look to adultery in their lust of fornication who do not believe adulteries to be sins, and who think of marriages in a similar way as of adulteries, with the difference only of what is licit and what is illicit. These also make of all evils one evil and mix them together, as filth with edible food in one dish, or as refuse with wine in one cup, and thus eat and drink. The like do they with the love of the sex, with fornication, with pellicacy, with adultery, the milder, the more grievous, and the most grievous, yea, with debauchery or defloration. Add to this, that they not only mix all these together, but even mix them in with marriages, and defile them with the same notion. But to those who do not even distinguish between the latter and the former, after roving intercourse with the sex there comes cold, disdain, and loathing, first for the married partner, then for others, and finally for the sex. It is self-evident that with them there is no purpose, intention, or end of what is good or chaste, that they may be exculpated; nor any separation of evil from good, or of what is unchaste from what is chaste, that they may be purified, as there is with those who from fornication look to conjugial love and prefer it, of whom in the preceding article, n. 452.
These things it is permitted to confirm by this new information from heaven: I have met with several who in the world had lived like others in externals, clothing themselves splendidly, faring sumptuously, trafficking with advantage as others did, seeing theatrical entertainments, jesting about love affairs as if from lust, and other like things, and yet to some the angels imputed these things as evils of sin and to some not as evils; and these they pronounced guiltless, but the others guilty. To the question why they did so, when yet they had done like things, they answered that they view everyone according to his purpose, intention, or end, and according to this they distinguish them; and therefore, those whom the end excuses or condemns they excuse or condemn, for all in heaven have an end of good, and all in hell have an end of evil; and that this and nothing else is meant by the Lord's words:
Judge not that ye be not condemned (Matthew 7:1).
453. VIII. Quod libido fornicandi gravis sit, quantum spectat ad adulterium. Omnes illi in libidine fornicationis spectant ad adulterium, qui adulteria non credunt peccata, et de conjugiis cogitant similia quae de adulteriis, cum solo discrimine liciti et illiciti; hi quoque faciunt ex omnibus malis unum malum, et commiscent illa, sicut sordes cum edulibus cibis in una patina, et sicut quisquilias cum vinis in uno poculo, ac sic edunt et bibunt; similiter faciunt illi cum amore sexus, cum fornicatione, cum pellicatu, cum adulterio mitiori, gravi et graviori, imo cum stupro seu defloratione; accedit, quod illa omnia non modo commisceant, sed etiam immisceant conjugiis, et haec simili notione temerant; at illis, qui ne quidem haec ab illis discriminant, post consuetudines vagas cum sexu, obveniunt frigora, fastidia, et nauseae, primum pro conjuge, dein pro reliquis, et tandem pro sexu. Quod apud illos non detur propositum, intentio seu finis boni aut casti, ut exculpentur, 1nec separatio mali a bono, seu incasti a casto, ut purificentur, quemadmodum apud illos qui a fornicatione spectant ad amorem conjugialem, et hunc praeferunt, de quibus in antecedente articulo 452, ex se patet.
[2] Haec per hoc novum e Coelo licet confirmare; conveni plures, qui in Mundo similes aliis in externis vixerant, splendide se vestiendo, laute epulando, cum foenore sicut alii negotiando, ludos scenicos spectando, de amatoriis sicut ex libidine jocando, praeter consimilia alia, et tamen Angeli quibusdam inculpabant illa ut mala peccati, et quibusdam illa ut non mala, et hos declarabant insontes, illos autem sontes; ad interrogationem cur ita, cum tamen similia fecerunt, respondebant, quod ex proposito, intentione seu fine, omnes contemplentur, et secundum illa distinguant, et quod ideo illos, quos finis excusat et damnat, ipsi excusent et damnent, quoniam finis boni est omnibus in coelo, ac finis mali omnibus in inferno: et quod hoc, et non aliquid aliud, intelligatur per Domini verba, Ne judicate ne condemnemini, Matth. 7:1.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: exculpentur;