74 The Caufes and Danger of Self-Deceit. SERM. and fupport their hopes, even continuing III. in a finful courfe ? They flatter themfelves ' v that in their hearts they are on the fide of virtue ; as a proof of which, they come to half - refolves that fometime or other they will go over to it in pra%i.ce, though force very urgent temptation hinders them to for - fake their fins immediately. In all thefe cafes inconfideration is the bane of fincerity and contributes above all things _to felf- deceit. If we would carefully attend, it is impoffible fuch empty vain fallacies fhould be able to miflead the weakeft mind ; but the affeftions being deeply engaged, we do not care to think left we íhould be undeceived. The next obfervation relates to the extent of this felf- deceit. In force it rifes to fuch a height as to affe t the main of their (late, their whole charmers and tempers. And this is the cafe delignedly defcribed in the text, where the eye is fuppofed to be evil, the judg- ment totally perverted, the light turn'd into darknefs which has got intire pofeflïon of the mind, and milled it in its chief concerns, its moral integrity and its future happinefs. But in force lower degree it is common to man- kind ; and fcarcely is there any one altoge- ther
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