483.  To the above I will add some particulars from the spiritual world, which are worthy to be recorded.  I have been informed in that world, that some married men are inflamed with the lust of committing whoredom with maidens or virgins; some with those who are not maidens but harlots; some with married women or wives; some with women of the above description who are of noble descent; and some with such as are not of noble descent:  that this is the case, was confirmed to me by several instances from the various kingdoms in that world.  While I was meditating concerning the variety of such lusts, I asked whether there are any who find all their delight with the wives of others, and none with unmarried women?  Wherefore to convince me that there are some such spirits, several were brought to me from a certain kingdom, who were obliged to speak according to their libidinous principles.  These declared that it was, and still is their sole pleasure and delight to commit whoredom with the wives of others; and that they look out for such as are beautiful, and hire them for themselves at a great price according to their wealth, and in general bargain about the price with the wife alone.  I asked, why they do not hire for themselves unmarried women?  They said, that they consider this would be cheap and worthless, and therefore undelightful to them.  I asked also, whether those wives afterwards return to their husbands and live with them?  They replied, that they either do not return, or they return cold, having become courtezans.  Afterwards I asked them seriously, whether they ever thought, or now think, that this is twofold adultery, because they commit this at the time they have wives of their own, and that such adultery deprives a man of all spiritual good?  But at this several who were present laughed, saying, “What is spiritual good?” Nevertheless I was still urgent, and said, “What is more detestable than for a man to mix his soul with the soul of a husband in his wife?  Do you not know, that the soul of a man is in his seed?” Hereupon they turned themselves away and muttered, “What harm can this do her?” At length I said, “Although you do not fear divine laws, do you not fear civil laws?” They replied, “No, we only fear certain of the ecclesiastical order; but we conceal this in their presence; and if we cannot conceal it, we keep upon good terms with them.”  I afterwards saw the former divided into companies, and some of the latter cast into hell.

484.  IV.  TRIPLICATE ADULTERY IS WITH RELATIONS BY BLOOD.  This adultery is called triplicate, because it is threefold more grievous than the two former.  The relations, or remains of the flesh, which are not to be approached, are mentioned in Levit. xviii. 6-18.  There are internal and external reasons why these adulteries are threefold more grievous than the two above-mentioned:  the internal reasons are grounded in the correspondence of those adulteries with the violation of spiritual marriage, which is that of the Lord and the church, and thence of good and truth; and the external reasons are for the sake of guards, to prevent a man’s becoming a beast.  We have no leisure, however, to proceed to the further disclosure of these reasons.