Thus we are nice in grains and feruples, but knaves in matters of a pound weight; every day ftraining at gnats, yet fwallowing camels ;-miferably cheating ourselves, and torturing our reafon to bring us in fuch a report of the fin as fuits the prefent appetite and inclination. Most of us are aware of and pretend to deteft the bare-faced inftances of that. hypocrify by which men deceive others, but few of us are upon our guard, or fee that more fatal hypocrify by which we deceive and over-reach our own hearts. It is a flattering and dangerous diftemper, which has undone thousands;—we bring the feeds of it along with us into the world, they infenfibly grow up with us from our childhood,-they lie long concealed and undisturbed,and have gene 3 generally got fuch deep root in our natures by the time we are come to years of understanding and reflection, that it requires all we have got to defend ourfelves from their effects. To make the cafe ftill worse on our fides, 'tis with this as with every grievous diftemper of the body,-the remedies are dangerous and doubtful, in proportion to our mistakes and ignorance of the caufe: for in the inftances of felfdeceit, though the head is fick, and the whole heart faint, the patient feldom knows what he ails of all the things we know and learn, this neceffary knowledge comes to us the laft. Upon what principle it happens thus I have endeavoured to lay open in the first part of this difcourfe; which I con clude clude with a ferious exhortation to ftruggle against them: which we can only hope to do, by converfing more and oftener with ourselves, than the bufinefs and diverfions of the world generally give us leave. We have a chain of thoughts, defires, engagements and idleneffes, which perpetually return upon us in their proper time and order-let us, I befeech you, affign and fet apart fome fmall portion of the day for this purpose,-of retiring into ourselves, and fearching into the dark corners and receffes of the heart, and taking notice of what is paffing there. If a man can bring himself to do this task with a curious and impartial eye, he will quickly find the fruits of it will more than recompenfe his time and and labour. He will fee feveral irregularities and unfufpected paffions within. him which he never was aware of:-he will discover in his progreis many fecret. turns and windings in his heart to which, he was a ftranger, which now gradually open and difclofe themfelves to him upon a nearer view; in thefe labyrinths he will trace out fuch hidden fprings, and motives for many of his most applauded actions, as will make him rather forry and ashamed of himself, than proud. In a word, he will understand his. errors, and then fee the neceffity, with David, of imploring GOD to cleanse him from his fecret faults,-and with fome hope and confidence to fay, with this great man after his conviction, |