But exhort one another daily, while it is called, today; left any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of fin. WE E fee many myfterious things in the frame of nature, and the courfe of providence. But nothing can be more mysterious and wonderful than what we may often fee in the state of our own hearts. When there is no prefent foliciting temptation, and when we confider, in a cool and deliberate manner, the confequences of vice and wickedness, even barely from the dictates of natural confcience, it seems furprizing, that, in any inftance, we fhould yield to it; that we should be induced to break the peace of our own minds, and provoke the vengeance of an almighty Judge; nay, to do fo for a trifling, momentary, and uncertain fatisfaction. But if it be unreasonable to offend God at all, and to take but a few fteps in the paths of fin, how much more above measure aftonishing is it, that men fhould adhere to their former mistakes, and should not open their eyes after repeated admonitions of their danger, and daily experience of their own folly! I believe every body will be fenfible, that many finners, even setting afide the confideration of fome of the most important religious truths, act in a manner fo directly oppofite to their own prefent intereft as is not to be accounted for, without fuppofing them under an amazing degree of blindnefs and infatuation. This is to be refolved into the deceitfulnefs of fin, a circumftance on this great fubject well worthy of our most ferious attention. In entering on the deceitfulness of fin, let us reflect a little on the meaning of the expreffion. Who is it that is deceived? It is the finner himself. Does he need to be deceived? Is there not in us all a strong enough direct inclination to that which is evil, ready to burst afunder every restraining tye? There is fo; and yet there is more in our danger than merely a propensity to fin. There is also a deceit and impofition which over reaches us, and enfnares us into the commiffion of what, but for that mistake, we would have avoided or abhorred. There is very frequent mention made of this in fcripture; many cautions against being deceived; and indeed all fin is represented as error and delufion, in which-a deceived heart hath turned us afide.. Again, If the finner is deceived, who is it, or what is it that deceives him? Here we must observe, that when we fpeak of fin's being deceitful, it is not fo much any thing without us, taking the advantage of our weakness, but it is the effect and evidence of the strength of corruption within us, which makes u's fee things in a wrong light, and draw unjust and pernicious confequences from them. Let us always rémember, that the whole frame of nature, although it be the scene of temptation, and even the fuel of concupifcence, is faultlefs in itfelf; nay, it prefents us every where with leffons of piety and obedience to its Author. The mistake here arifes wholly from ourselves. There is a remarkable difference between the deceitfulness of fin and deceit of any other kind; in worldly transactions, the perfon deceived is never supposed unfaithful to himself, but is imposed on by the fuperior art and cunning of the deceiver. But it is otherwise in spiritual matters, where the deceitfulness of fin is but another form of fpeech for the corruption and treachery of our own hearts. It is true, in fome inftances of delufion, there is an activity of outward agents, if I may fpeak fo, the devil and wicked men, who ufe no little induftry to feduce others, and ly in wait to deceive; but this, if I mistake not, does not belong properly to the deceitfulness of fin, which lies in the difpofition of our own hearts, and is what lays us open to their fnares. 1 fhall only further obferve, by way of introduction, that this fubject is equally applicable to good men and bad. Both ought to dread, and both ought to be warned of the deceitfulness of fin; it betrays good men into diftrefs, as well as bad men into ruin. In further difcourfing on this fubject, I fhall, H I. Endeavour to open a little the chief branches of the deceitfulness of fin. II. Confider the duty founded upon it, of exhorting one another daily. III. Make some practical improvement of the fubject. First then, I fhall endeavour to open a little the chief branches of the deceitfulnefs of fin: And I think the deceitfulness of fin may be divided into these three general branches. 1. Its disguising itself, and wholly concealing its nature. 2. Its forming excufes for itself, and thereby extenuating its guilt, 3. Its infinuating itfelf by degrees, and leading men on from the voluntary commiffion of fome fins to the neceffity of committing more. 1st then, The deceitfulness of fin appears from its difguifing itfelf, and wholly concealing its nature. Though the great lines of the law of God are writ, ten upon the confcience in fo ftrong and legible characters, that it is difficult wholly to efface them; yet it is plain that men have often brought this ar bout to a furprising degree. The pfalmift David, fenfible how often fin is concealed from our own view, exclaims, Pfal. xix. 12. ' Who can understand 'his errors! cleanfe thou me from fecret faults.' What ingenious reafonings do men often use with their own minds to prove the lawfulness of what inclination leads them to, either with refpect to profit or pleasure? When the heart pleads the cause, the understanding is a very favourable judge. Every one may find a great number of examples of this in his own experience, and may daily fee the unhap py effects of it in others. For the better illuftrating of this truth, that fin is often wholly concealed even from the man in whom it dwells, be pleased to attend to the following obfervations: (1.) Sometimes it shows itfelf in the prevalence of loofe principles. I am forry to say, that we live in an age in which infidelity, of the groffeft kind, is fpreading its poifon among all ranks and degrees of men. But why is it fo readily entertained? Because it either fets men at liberty from the ties of conscience, and a future reckoning altogether; or greatly narrows the extent, and weakens the obligations of the law of God. How fweet and palatable to the corrupt mind is every thing that removes reftraints, and fuffers the finner to walk in the ways of his own heart, and the fight of his own eyes? It is not reafon, but inclination, that makes profelytes to these deftructive doctrines. The truth is, would you rea fon impartially, you would conclude, that the principles must be falfe, which tend to fet men at ease in their crimes. When therefore the arguments in their favour are so easily admitted, we have just ground to affirm that it is owing to the deceitfulness of fin. (2.) If we proceed from principles to practice, and from generals to particulars, we fhall find how fin difguifes itself, and hides its deformity from our view. It never appears in its own proper and genuine dress, nor loves to be called by its proper name. Thus excefs and intemperance is called, and unhappily thought by many, a focial difpofition and good fellowship. Pride and unchriftian refentment, is called honour, |