22. But is not a man drunk and sober the same person? why else is he punished for the fact he commits when
drunk, though he be never afterwards conscious of it? Just as much the same person as a man that walks, and does
other things in his sleep, is the same person, and is answerable for any mischief he shall do in it.
Human laws
punish both, with a justice suitable to their way of knowledge;--because, in these cases, they cannot distinguish
certainly what is real, what counterfeit: and so the ignorance in drunkenness or sleep is not admitted as a plea.
For, though punishment be annexed to personality, and personality to consciousness, and the drunkard perhaps be
not conscious of what he did, yet human judicatures justly punish him; because the fact is proved against him, but
want of consciousness cannot be proved for him. But in the Great Day, wherein the secrets of all hearts shall be
laid open, it may be reasonable to think, no one shall be made to answer for what he knows nothing of, but shall
receive his doom, his conscience accusing or excusing him.
