Abernathy - Houston-Packer Collection BX9178.A33 S4 1748 v.2

76 The Cayes and Danger of Self - Deceit. SERM. force degree warp his judgment. But, aftria III. fcrutiny into our own hearts, and a conftant "v"' vigilance over our whole behaviour, would make us fenfible of it in our own cáfe. Have we never found that through the influence of an affection, a paffion, a favourite intereft of ours, we have been caught in a fnare, a practical error, which when the biafs was taken off, and upon cool refle'ion we have been convinced of? I fhall conclude this difcourfe with force ufeful reflec`lions. Fir'', What has been faid, and what our Saviour teaches in the text, may be very properly applied for a warning to us, and fhould lead us to examine our - felves ; but is not to be carried fo far, as to mean that men are under a neceflïty of being felf- deceived, or in an utter uncertainty con- cerning their own true charafter and temper: force imagine this to be naturally the condi- tion of mankind, and a very unhappy con- dition it would be ; one would think it hardly confiftent with the divine moral perfeäions to place fuch creatures as we are in it. Thus they interpret the words of the prophet 7ere- miah, in the name of the Lord, chapter xvii. 9. The heart is deeeitfùl above all things, and defperatcly wicked, who can know it? which words

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