an activity of outward agents, if I may fpeak fo, the devil. and wicked men, who ufe no little induftry to feduce others, and lie 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.

I fhall only further observe, 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,

1. Endeavor to open a little the chief branches of the deceitfulness of sin.

II. Confider the duty founded upon it, of exhorting one another daily.

III. Make fome practical improvement of the fubject.

First, then, I fhall endeavor to open a little the chief branches of the deceitfulness of fin: And I think the deceitfulness of fin may be divided into thefe three general branches. 1. Its difguifing itself, and wholly concealing its nature. 2. Its forming excufes for itself, and thereby extenuating its guilt. 3. Its infinuating itself by degrees, and leading men on from the voluntary commiffion of fome fins to the neceffity of committing more.

Ift, then, The deceitfulnefs of fin appears from its dif guifing itself, and wholly concealing its nature. Though the great lines of the law of God are written upon the conscience in fo ftrong and legible characters, that it is diffi cult wholly to efface them, yet it is plain that men have often brought this about to a furprifing degree. The Pfalmift David, fenfible how often fin is concealed from our own view, exclaims, Pfal. xix. 12, "Who can under"ftand his errors! cleanfe thou me from fecret faults." What ingenious reafonings do men often ufe with their own minds to prove the lawfulnefs of what inclination. leads them to, either with refpect to profit or pleasure ? When the heart pleads the caufe, the understanding is a very favorable judge. Every one may find a great num

ber of examples of this in his own experience, and may daily fee the unhappy 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 fhows itfelf in the prevalence of loofe principles. I am forry to fay, that we live in an age in which infidelity of the groffeft kind, is fpreading its poison 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 confcience 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 restraints, 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 destructive doctrines. The truth is, would you reafon impartially, you would conclude that the principles must be falfe which tend to fet men at eafe in their crimes. When therefore the arguments in their favor are fo eafily admitted, we have juft ground to affirm that it is owing to the deceitfulnefs of fin.

(2.) If we proceed from principles to practice, and from generals to particulars, we fhall find how fin difguifes itfelf, 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 excess and intemperance is called, and unhappily thought by many, a focial difpofition and good fellowship. Pride and unchriftian resentment, is called honor, fpirit, and dignity of mind. Vain pomp, luxury, and extravagance, are ftyled taste, elegance, and refinement. Sordid avarice and love of money, calls itfelf prudence, frugality, and good management. Levity, folly, and even obfcenity, is often called innocent liberty, chearfulness, and good humor. So great is the deceit, and fo fecure does the fin lie under its difguife, that a minifter may preach with the utmoft feverity against thefe feveral vices, and the guilty perfons

hear with patience or approbation, and never once think of applying it to themselves.

This deceit difcovers itfelf alfo by its counterpart. How common is it to ftigmatize and difparage true piety and goodness by the most opprobrious titles. Tendernefs of confcience, is, by many, reproached under the character of precifenefs and narrow nefs of mind. Zeal against fin, narrowness and fidelity to the fouls of others, is called fournefs, morofenefs, and ill nature. There was never yet a faithful reprover, from Lot in Sodom to the prefent day, but he fuffered under the reproach and flander of thofe who would not be reclaimed. I might eafily run over many more inftances in both thefe kinds; for, to fay the truth, the whole ftrain of fashionable converfation is often nothing elfe but an illufion put upon the mind, that it may lose its horror of vice; and it is greatly to be lamented, that this is done with fo much fuccefs. In many cafes, young perfons especially, are inspired with a hatred and averfion at true and undefiled religion, and that under the most plaufible pretences. Many, my brethren, there are who are far from thinking it themselves, and yet fall under the denunciation of the Prophet Ifaiah, v. 20-24. "Wo un"to them that call evil good, and good evil; that put "darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter "for fweet, and fweet for bitter. Wo unto them that are "wife in their own eyes, and prudent in their own fight. "Wo unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men "of ftrength to mingle ftrong drink: which juftify the "wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of "the righteous from him. Therefore, as the fire devour"eth the ftubble, and the flame confumeth the chaff, fo "their root fhall be as rottennefs, and their blossom shall go up as duft; because they have caft away the law of the "Lord of Hofts, and defpifed the word of the Holy One

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" of Ifrael."

(3-) But the highest degree of this branch of the deceitfulnefs of fin, is, when it not only puts on a decent and lawful appearance, but affumes the garb of eminent piety and worth. There is nothing impoffible in this. As Satan fometimes transforms himself into an angel of light,

fo fome of the greatest fins will take the name, and arrogate the honor, of the moft diftinguished virtues. I do not here mean the cafe of grofs hypocrify; that is foreign from the present subject. Hypocrites know their own infincerity well enough, and only put on an appearance of piety to deceive others. But even when there is no known or deliberate hypocrify, fin may infinuate itself under the appearance of the most important duties. Men may indulge the moft hateful paffions with the greater liberty, when they think they are doing what is acceptable to God.

The cross of our blessed Master is full fraught with inftruction of every kind. It gives us, particularly, a ftriking example of what I have now faid. His enemies, who perfecuted him with unrelenting malice through his life, and at laft prevailed to have him hanged on a tree, did it, fome, no doubt, from a pretended, but many of them from a mifguided zeal for religion. He was crucified as a deceiver and a blafphemer; and that in this they were mifled, appears from the language of his prayer for them on the cross," Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." What a conviction fhould this give us of the deceitfulness of fin; that the greatest fin that ever was committed on earth, was yet confidered, by the guilty, as a duty!

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Let us alfo confider our Saviour's remarkable prediction on the fame fubject, and how often it hath been fulfilled: John xvi. 2. They fhall put you out of the fyna"gogues! yea, the time cometh, that whofoever killeth "you, will think that he doth God fervice." My brethren, think a little on the many dreadful perfecutions which good men have endured for confcience fake; the terrible tortures they have been expofed to, in which the utmost invention of the human mind has been employed to aggravate their diftrefs. Think, in particular, of the horrible tribunal of inquifition, which is, to this day, in full authority in countries not very diftant; and does it not infpire you with the higheft deteftation of the bloody tyrants? But there is another reflection not fo frequently made, yet at leaft equally proper. How great is the deceit

fulness of fin in the human heart, that can make men fuppofe that fuch atrocious crimes are acceptable to God? Yet they certainly do fo. Neither would it be poflible for them, fo entirely to diveft themselves of every fentiment of humanity, if they were not inflamed by the rage of bigotry and false zeal. Let not any imagine, that these are dreadful crimes, but which they are not in the leaft danger of. We ought to maintain the greatest watchfulness and jealousy over our own fpirits. It may very easi ly, and does very frequently happen, that an apparent zeal for religion is more than half composed of pride, malice, envy, or revenge.

Nor is this all. In the above cafes, by the treachery of the human heart, fins are changed into duties, and, in many others, every day, duties are changed into fins, by the perverfion of the principle from which they ought to flow. Many a fober, temperate perfon, oweth his regularity more to a luft of gold, than to any fenfe of duty and obedience to God. The defire of praife, or the fear of reproach, is many times a restraint more powerful than the apprehenfion of eternal judgment. Men may put one duty alfo in the place of another, and by that means convert it into fin. Nay, with regard to all our duties, we may be tempted to place that truft and dependance on them which is only due to our Redeemer's perfect righteoufnefs; and, inftead of acts of obedience, make them idols of jealousy before God.

How great then the deceitfulness of fin, which is capable of putting on fo many and fuch artful difguifes, and even to counterfeit true piety, which ftands in the most immediate and direct oppofition to it! There are more ways than I can poffibly enumerate, by which men deceive themselves, and become obftinate and incorrigible in what is evil, by mistaking it for what is good. Juftly does the Apostle, in this paffage, warn Chriftians against being hardened; for if fin can hardly be reftrained, even by the most conftant vigilance, and the most steady refiftance, what progrefs will it not make, what ftrength muft it not acquire, when it is approved and cherished, nay, when it VOL. II. G