6o The Cadufes and Danger of Self - Deceit. SERM. and to mifcariy in the main bufinefs of life, III. This is very aftonifhing, and yet certainly t.^v-) true, that men fhould be able fo to impofe upon themfelves, as to mif -judge theirprincipal con. cern and duty, at leaft fo darken their minds as not to have an affetionate influencing dif- cernment of it, and practically to err, wholly by their own fault, in fuch a capital point, and which of all others is the plaineft. My prefent defign is to explain this fubjecî for our neceffary caution, that we may avoid fuch pernicious miftakes, which we may be fure it is always in our power to avoid ; or, that we may not fuffer the Bate of our minds to be fuch as that the light in them fall be darknefi. In purfuance of this intention, what I have farther to fay, (hall be reduc'd to a few obfervations, tending to convince us of the danger, and lead us into the caufes of this deftru±ive felf- deceit and prac`lical error in the affairs of religion, and our happinefs, that fo we may be the better inftruted to efcape them. .i~irfi, there are plaindeclarations of fcripture, clearly intimating that men are apt to fall, and . often dofall,intofuch miftakes,and particularly, that they often mif -judge the Bate of their own minds,
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