The Caufes and Danger of Self-Deceit. 63 meet the bridegroom ; and the falfenefs of SERM. their felf-deceiving prefumptuous notions con- IIL cerning the goodnefs of their ftate, which is `v`4 the foundation of their groundlefs hope, is never difcovered to them 'till it is too late, and their condition abfolutely remedilefs ; plainly intimating, that even when the light of chriftianity is added to that of nature, the eye of the mind, or its judgment concerning the true moral charaaer, and difpofitions, and works, as really good and acceptable to God, that, I fay, this may be, and often is, fo vitiated, that the light in men is wholly darknefs. As there arc plain inftances of this in fcrip- ture, fcarcely can any attentive perfons mils of obferving fome within the compafs of their own acquaintance. How common is it for men to make folemn profeffions of religion, and declare their confident hopes of acceptance with God, while yet it is notorious that they continue in a vicious courfe of life ? And how (hall this be accounted for, without fuppofing the groffeft felf-deceit ? either fuch men muff imagine that the crimes in which they indulge themfelves are really no crimes, at leaft, have not fuch malignity as wholly to deftroy their integrity, deprave the religious ftate of their minds,
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