Page:Sermons on the Ten Commandments.djvu/117

 "How profane and detestable adultery is, may be seen from the holiness of marriage. The delight of adultery," says the Doctrine of the Church, "is hell with man, as the delight of marriage is heaven with him: consequently, in proportion as man is in the one delight, in the same proportion he is not in the other. Who at this day believes that the love of adultery is the fundamental of all diabolical and infernal loves, as the chaste love of marriage is the fundamental of all heavenly and Divine loves; consequently, that in proportion as man is in the love of adultery, in the same proportion he is in every evil love, if not in act, yet in effort? and, on the other hand, in proportion as man is in the chaste love of marriage, in the same proportion he is in every good love, if not in act, yet in effort? Who at this day believes, that he who is in the love of adultery does not believe anything of the Word, consequently, not anything of the Church, yea, that in his heart he denies a God? and on the other hand, that he who is in the chaste love of marriage, is in charity and faith, and in love to God; also, that the chastity of marriage makes one with religion, and the lasciviousness of adultery makes one with naturalism? The reason why these things are at this day unknown, is, because the church is at its end, and devastated as to truth and as to good; and when the church is such, then the man of the church, by an influx from hell, comes into the persuasion that adulteries are not detestable and abominable; and hence he comes into the belief that marriages do not differ from adulteries in their essence, but only as to outward order; when yet the