445.  I. FORNICATION IS OF THE LOVE OF THE SEX.  We say that fornication is of the love of the sex, because it is not the love of the sex but is derived from it.  The love of the sex is like a fountain, from which both conjugial and adulterous love may be derived; they may also be derived by means of fornication, and also without it:  for the love of the sex is in every man (homo), and either does or does not put itself forth:  if it puts itself forth before marriage with a harlot, it is called fornication; if not until with a wife, it is called marriage; if after marriage with another woman, it is called adultery:  wherefore, as we have said, the love of the sex is like a fountain, from which may flow both chaste and unchaste love:  but with what caution and prudence chaste conjugial love can proceed by fornication, yet from what imprudence unchaste or adulterous love can proceed thereby, we will explain in what follows.  Who can draw the conclusion, that he that has committed fornication cannot be more chaste in marriage?

446.  II.  THE LOVE OF THE SEX, FROM WHICH FORNICATION IS DERIVED, COMMENCES WHEN A YOUTH BEGINS TO THINK AND ACT FROM HIS OWN UNDERSTANDING, AND HIS VOICE TO BE MASCULINE.  This article is adduced to the intent, that the birth of the love of the sex, and thence of fornication, may be known, as taking place when the understanding begins of itself to become rational, or from its own reason to discern and provide such things as are of emolument and use, whereto in such case what has been implanted in the memory from parents and masters, serves as a plane.  At that time a change takes place in the mind; it before thought only from things introduced into the memory, by meditating upon and obeying them; it afterwards thinks from reason exercised upon them, and then, under the guidance of the love, it arranges into a new order the things seated in the memory, and in agreement with that order it disposes its own life, and successively thinks more and more according to its own reason, and wills from its own freedom.  It is well known that the love of the sex follows the commencement of a man’s own understanding, and advances according to its vigor; and this is a proof that that love ascends and descends as the understanding ascends and descends:  by ascending we mean into wisdom, and by descending, into insanity; and wisdom consists in restraining the love of the sex, and insanity in allowing it a wide range: