The Caufes and Danger of Self-Deceit. 57 their exercife depend upon it. In like manner SERM. the eye of the foul contracts indifpofitions. It III. is probably uniform in its original frame ; the L^) fame fenfe of good and evil, and the fame de- termination to choofe the former and for- fake the latter, being a neceffary part of the human conftitution : but this inward eye may be obfcured and weaken'd by feveral acci- dental caufes ; by neglecting to cultivate and improve it ; by an habitual attention to wrong mifleading objects ; or the over - growth of particular inferior affections. This leads me to obferve, Fir)?, What I think neceffary to be confidered in order to our un- derftanding aright our Saviour's moral inftruc- tion here, namely, that there is a great dif- parity between the cafe of the external fight, and the diftempers to which it is liable, and the judgment of the mind with which it is compared. External vifion does not depend upon our own choice ; nor are we either to be prais'd or blam'd for it ; an obftrudion in the eye -fight may be a man's infelicity, it is not his fault ; but in the other cafe We are ftriétly and properly agents, charg'd with the care of ourfelves, and with the im- provement of our own powers and faculties, ip that we may attain their true ends. Here, by
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