The Cauf s and Danger of Self- Deceit. he could ufe, 'to hurt the other ? and why SERM. may not a man be faid to be dìfhoneft, who III. iludies to impofe upon, and thereby to hurt"^"--1 himfelf, as well as he who deals fo by ano- ther ? It is true, no man has an exprefs in- tention to injure or make himfelf unhappy, but I do not think this alters the cafe ; for if we enquire narrowly, I do not believe we (hall find it any man's principal intention in any injuries he does, to hurt another, or make him unhappy ; wrongs do not proceed from difinterefted malice, but from felfifhnefs ; and in like manner, tho' felf -love be an inex- tinguifhable principle in us, and we can form no defign explicitly contrary to it, yet thro' the vehemence of particular affections we may be drawn into a blind partiality againft our own true intereft. Thus it is that the eye becomes evil, and the whole man full of darkne i ; . by his partiality, by his difhonefty, which is as directly as any thing can be faid to be, his own fault ; never without force remonftrances on the part of what Solomon calls the candle of the Lord within us, our own felf- reflecting powers, which however, prove ineffectual ; and confcience, after force fee- ble efforts, is at lait laid afleep and becomes infenfible. A deplorable Rate this is, and F a perhaps
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