Religion & morality > Human nature in its four-fold state ... in several practical discourses

Head I. the Underjlanding.
E<vid. 6. Confider how the carnal hnaginztioH
fupplies the want of real Objefts, to the corrupt
Heart; that it may make Sinners happy, at leaft,
in the imaginary Enjoyment of their Lulls. Thus
the corrupt Heart feeds itfelf with Imagination-Sins ;
the unclean Perfon is filled with fpeculative Impuri¬
ties, having Eyes full of Adultery ; the covetous
Man fills his Heart with the World, tho’ he cannot
get his Hands full of it; the malicious Perfon with
Delight, ads his Revenge, within his own Breaft;
the envious Man within his own narrow Soul, be¬
holds with Satisfadion, his Neighbour laid low c-
nough; and every Lull finds the corrupt Imagina¬
tion a Friend to it in time of need. And this it
doth, not only when People are awake, but fome-
times even when they are afleep ; whereby it comes
to pafs, that thefe Sins are aded in Dreams, which
their Hearts were carried out after, while they were
awake. I know, fome do queftion the Sinfulnefs of
thefe Things : But can it be thought, they arc
confiftent with that holy Nature and Frame of Spi¬
rit, which was in innocent Adam, and in Jefus
Chrilt, and Ihould be in every Man? ’Tis the
Corruption of Nature then, that rmVes filthfDream¬
ers, condemned 8. Solomon had Experience
of the Exercife of Grace in Sleep: In a Dream he
grayed, in a Dream he made the bell Choice; both
were accepted of God, i Kings iii. 5.—ij. And if
a Man may in his Sleep, do what is Good and ac¬
ceptable to God, Why may he not alfo, when a-
fleep, do that which is Evil and difpleafing to God ?
The fame Solomon would have Men aware of this ;
and preferibes the bell Remedy againft it, namely,
'the Law upon the Heart, Prov. vi, 20, 21. When
thou (leepeft (fays he ver. 22.) it Jhall keep thed, to
E 3 wit.