or by powerful stimulants inflames the
man to such a degree, that the raging lust of the flesh deprives the
understanding of the free use of reason: in like manner, in case a man,
by powerful enticements, so far works upon another's wife, as to leave
her no longer mistress of herself, by reason of the fire kindled in her
will; besides other like cases. That these and similar accidental
circumstances lessen the grievousness of adultery, and give a milder
turn to the predications of the blame thereof in favor of the party
seduced, is agreeable to the dictates and conclusions of reason. The
imputation of this degree of adultery comes next to be treated of.

489. IX. ADULTERIES COMMITTED BY SUCH PERSONS ARE IMPUTATORY, ACCORDING
AS THE UNDERSTANDING AFTERWARDS FAVORS THEM OR NOT. So far as the
understanding favors evils, so far a man appropriates them to himself
and makes them his own. Favor implies consent; and consent induces in
the mind a state of the love of them: the case is the same with
adulteries, which in the beginning were committed without the consent of
the understanding, and are favored: the contrary comes to pass if they
are not favored. The reason of this is, because evils or adulteries,
which are committed in the blindness of the understanding, are committed
from the concupiscence of the body; and such evils or adulteries have a
near resemblance to the instincts of beasts: with man (_homo_) indeed
the understanding is present, while they are committing, but in a
passive or dead potency and not in active and living potency. From these
considerations it follows of course, that such things are not imputed,
except so far as they are afterwards favored or not. By imputation we
here mean accusation after death, and hence judication, which takes
place according to the state of a man's spirit: but we do not mean
inculpation by a man before a judge; for this does not take place
according to the state of a man's spirit, but of his body in the deed;
and unless there was a difference herein, those would be acquitted after
death who are acquitted in the world, and those would be condemned who
are condemned in the world; and thus the latter would be without any
hope of salvation.

490. X. ADULTERIES OF THE THIRD DEGREE ARE ADULTERIES OF THE REASON,
WHICH ARE COMMITTED BY THOSE WHO WITH THE UNDERSTANDING CONFIRM
THEMSELVES IN THE PERSUASION THAT THEY ARE NOT EVILS OF SIN. Every man
knows that there exist such principles