Prov. xvi. 25. There is a way that seemeth right unto a man ; but the end thereof are the ways of death.
THE testimony of an inspired prophet respecting the human heart is, that it " is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked." This testimony, as far as it respects the world at large, we all are ready to confirm. We see that in the great mass of mankind there is a propensity to deceive, not others only, but themselves also. They are often unconscious of prin- ciples by which they are manifestly actuated ; and as often take credit to themselves for virtues which they do not really possess. Persons who have made considerable attainments in self-knowledge, are yet by no means free from this infirmity : the Apostles themselves, on more occasions than one, betrayed by their conduct, that " they knew not what spirit they were of." Nor does this proneness to self-deceit dis- cover itself only in relation to individual acts, wherein men may be supposed to be biassed either by their interests or passions : it extends itself to men's whole character, and leads them to form a most erroneous judgment of their state : it leads them to " call evil good, and good evil ; to put darkness for light, and light for darkness ; to put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter." But it may be thought, that, if a man be deceived by his own heart, a less degree of criminality will attach to his actions, and he will have less reason to apprehend the displeasure of God. This however is not true : for we are responsible to God for the judgment we form of good and evil ; and if we err, after all the means of information he has given us, we must be willingly deceived, and abide the conse- quences of our folly. To this effect Solomon speaks in the words before us : he concedes that " a way may appear right to a man ;" but he tells us, nevertheless, that " the end thereof will be death."
This assertion of his is not to be understood of one particular way only : it is a general assertion, that