330 THE POWERS AND CONTESTS QF FLESH At1p $TI$IT. at the end of this disorder, when the man awakes into day-light and reason again, he knows nothing of what bas passed ; or if he recollects the folly, he blushes and mourns over the infirmity of his nature, and while he asks forgiveness of Gdd, he can scarce forgive himself, that he should yield the least consent to criminal incli- nations. Where the confusion of thought does not arise to such an overwhelming degree, but there are somedebatings of reason, some notions of duty, some workings ofconsci- ence, and yet the soul complies at last, there the guilt is increased, and rises higher in proportion to the exercise of the intellectual faculties. But this crime can never become near to the guilt of the same actions, done in a waking hoir, or in á season of health, and soundness of mind and memory. I have known a man of serious 'piety take the name of God in vain, and curse under the power of distraction, which he would have abhorred with all his soul if he had been in his senses, and not absolutely overpowered by the disordered humours of the flesh. Yet take this awful caution by the way : That where these disorders or diseases of the brain, sleeping or wak- ing, are caused by our own folly or wickedness, by luxury, by unmortified lusts, or by any immoral prac- tices, the case seems to be far worse, and perhaps the guilt ofevery irregular action is proportionably enhanced and aggravated thereby ; as in the wild freaks ofa drunk- ard, who has indulged his vicious appetite, till it has overcome all his better faculties ; for there reason itself, and the common judgment of mankind, determine the crimes then committed against the society to be justly punishable : He that kills a man in his drunken fit, must be put to death when he is grown sober. And how far God will impute every thing that is criminal, and whe- ther he will not deal with such a one in rigor, according to the full guilt of the crime, can be determined only by God himself. He sees all the secret motions of the flesh and spirit; he weighs every circumstance in a time ba, lance he knows perfectly all the rules of strict and impartial justice; and will judge the world with divine equity and wisdom. Let us watch a.nd pray then, lest we enter into temp-_
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