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On Modesty

Tertullian

Chapter 4

About this work

Author: Tertullian

Chapter IV.—Adultery and Fornication Synonymous.

Having defined the distinction (between the kinds) of repentance, we

‹ Chapter 3 Chapter 5 ›

are

by

this

time

,

then

,

able

to

return

to

the

assessment

of

the

sins

—

whether

they

be

such

as

can

obtain

pardon

at

the

hand

of

men

.

In

the

first

place

,

(

as

for

the

fact

)

that

we

call

adultery

likewise

fornication

,

usage

requires

(

us

so

to

do

)

.

“

Faith

,

”

withal

,

has

a

familiar

acquaintance

with

sundry

appellations

.

So

,

in

every

one

of

our

little

works

,

we

carefully

guard

usage

.

Besides

,

if

I

shall

say

“

adulterium

,

”

and

if

“

stuprum

,

”

the

indictment

of

contamination

of

the

flesh

will

be

one

and

the

same

.

For

it

makes

no

difference

whether

a

man

assault

another’s

bride

or

widow

,

provided

it

be

not

his

own

“

female

;

”

just

as

there

is

no

difference

made

by

places

—

whether

it

be

in

chambers

or

in

towers

that

modesty

is

massacred

.

Every

homicide

,

even

outside

a

wood

,

is

banditry

.

So

,

too

,

whoever

enjoys

any

other

than

nuptial

intercourse

,

in

whatever

place

,

and

in

the

person

of

whatever

woman

,

makes

himself

guilty

of

adultery

and

fornication

.

Accordingly

,

among

us

,

secret

connections

as

well

—

connections

,

that

is

,

not

first

professed

in

presence

of

the

Church

—

run

risk

of

being

judged

akin

to

adultery

and

fornication

;

nor

must

we

let

them

,

if

thereafter

woven

together

by

the

covering

of

marriage

,

elude

the

charge

.

But

all

the

other

frenzies

of

passions

—

impious

both

toward

the

bodies

and

toward

the

sexes

—

beyond

the

laws

of

nature

,

we

banish

not

only

from

the

threshold

,

but

from

all

shelter

of

the

Church

,

because

they

are

not

sins

,

but

monstrosities

.