goods, partake of latitude and altitude, and according
to latitude have their genera, and according to altitude
their degrees, therefore, in order that adulteries
may be known as to each dimension, they shall first
be arranged into their genera, and afterwards into
their degrees; and this shall be done in the following
series: I. There are three genera of adulteries,—simple,
duplicate, and triplicate. II. Simple adultery
is that of an unmarried man with another’s wife,
or of an unmarried woman with another’s husband.
III. Duplicate adultery is that of a husband with
another’s wife, or of a wife with another’s
husband. IV. Triplicate adultery is with relations
by blood. V. There are four degrees of adulteries,
according to which they have their predications, their
charges of blame, and after death their imputations.
VI. Adulteries of the first degree are adulteries
of ignorance, which are committed by those who cannot
as yet, or cannot at all, consult the understanding,
and thence check them. VII. In such cases adulteries
are mild. VIII. Adulteries of the second degree
are adulteries of lust, which are committed by those
who indeed are able to consult the understanding, but
from accidental causes at the moment are not able.
IX. Adulteries committed by such persons are imputatory,
according as the understanding afterwards favors them
or not. X. Adulteries of the third degree are
adulteries of the reason, which are committed by those
who with the understanding confirm themselves in the
persuasion that they are not evils of sin. XI.
The adulteries committed by such persons are grievous,
and are imputed to them according to confirmations.
XII. Adulteries of the fourth degree are adulteries
of the will, which are committed by those who make
them lawful and pleasing, and who do not think them
of importance enough, to consult the understanding
respecting them. XIII. The adulteries committed
by these persons are exceedingly grievous, and are
imputed to them as evils of purpose, and remain with
them as guilt. XIV. Adulteries of the third
and fourth degrees are evils of sin, according to
the quantity and quality of understanding and will
in them, whether they are actually committed or not.
XV. _.Adulteries grounded in purpose of the will,
and adulteries grounded in confirmation of the understanding
render men natural, sensual, and corporeal._ XVI. And
this to such a degree, that at length they reject from
themselves all things of the church and of religion.
XVII. Nevertheless they have the powers of human
rationality like other men. XVIII. But they
use that rationality while they are in externals,
but abuse it while in their internals. We proceed
to an explanation of each article.