8o The Caufes and Danger of Self- Deceit. SERM. heart, I fay, from its own inward feelings, III and having fo fingle an eye, poffeffes tran- ' v' quility and peace, with confidence towards God, on fo folid a foundation as to caft out fear which path torment and all fufpicion of fclf- deceit. Secondly, the cafe of the human mind be- ing as it has been reprefented with re£peCt to its judgment in the affairs of religion, and particularly its own moral or fpiritual fiate, it is always fafe to be fo far diffident and jealous of ourfelves as to keep a ftritt watch over our own hearts, and narrowly obferve their mo- tions. A total abfence of diftruft very often betrays men into miftakes, and lays them open to the molt dangerous impofitions; 'tis fo with refped to others, no man can impofe upon us fo much as he in whom we put the greateft confidence ; and 'tis fo with refped to ourfelves, we are never in more danger of judging wrong in the matters we are now confidering, than when we are carelefly fe- cure, and altogether unfufpicious. In this fenfe Solomon wifely pronounces him a fool who trufieth in his own heart, that is, who relies upon, and implicitly gives into, without examining them, all the rafh and uncon- * Prov. xxviii, z6. fidered
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