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Objection 1: It would seem that the matter of lust is not only
venereal desires and pleasures. For Augustine says (Confess. ii,
6) that "lust affects to be called surfeit and abundance." But
surfeit regards meat and drink, while abundance refers to riches.
Therefore lust is not properly about venereal desires and pleasures.
Objection 2: Further, it is written (Prov. 20:1): "Wine
is a lustful thing." Now wine is connected with pleasure of meat and
drink. Therefore these would seem to be the matter of lust.
Objection 3: Further, lust is defined "as the desire of wanton
pleasure" [Alexander of Hales, Summ. Theol. ii, cxvli]. But
wanton pleasure regards not only venereal matters but also many others.
Therefore lust is not only about venereal desires and pleasures.
On the contrary, To the lustful it is said (De Vera Relig.
iii): "He that soweth in the flesh, of the flesh shall reap
corruption." Now the sowing of the flesh refers to venereal
pleasures. Therefore these belong to lust.
I answer that, As Isidore says (Etym. x), "a lustful man is
one who is debauched with pleasures." Now venereal pleasures above
all debauch a man's mind. Therefore lust is especially concerned with
such like pleasures.
Reply to Objection 1: Even as temperance chiefly and properly
applies to pleasures of touch, yet consequently and by a kind of
likeness is referred to other matters, so too, lust applies chiefly to
venereal pleasures, which more than anything else work the greatest
havoc in a man's mind, yet secondarily it applies to any other matters
pertaining to excess. Hence a gloss on Gal. 5:19 says "lust is
any kind of surfeit."
Reply to Objection 2: Wine is said to be a lustful thing, either
in the sense in which surfeit in any matter is ascribed to lust, or
because the use of too much wine affords an incentive to venereal
pleasure.
Reply to Objection 3: Although wanton pleasure applies to other
matters, the name of lust has a special application to venereal
pleasures, to which also wantonness is specially applicable, as
Augustine remarks (De Civ. xiv, 15,16).
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