the obliquity of them, whilst the actors themselves imagine themselves actuated by the purest feelings. Justly therefore is it said by Him who cannot err, that " the heart is deceitful above all things" not excepting even Satan himself, the great deceiver of mankind.
We are now to consider, II. The wickedness of the heart —
But how shall we state it, so as in any measure to correspond with the description in our text ? We are almost afraid that we shall be regarded as libel- ling human nature : yet we must declare the truth, " whether men will hear, or whether they will for- bear." Know then, that the heart by nature is uni- versally wicked, unsearchably wicked, and incurably wicked.
It is universally wicked, both in all its powers, and in every exercise of each. We do not say, that there may not be a considerable portion of comparative good in men, so that they may be more amiable, and more worthy members of society than others ; (for doubtless there is by nature a great difference in men, as well in their moral dispositions as in their intellectual powers ;) but there is nothing positively good in them, in the strict acceptation of the word : for in the Book of Job it is said, " How can he be clean that is born of a woman ?" " Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean d?" And our Lord says, '.' There is none good but one ; that is, God." The understanding of man is darkened by sin ; the will is rendered perverse and obstinate ; the affections are sensualized : the conscience is made partial and insensible ; and the whole man is altogether become abominable ; his heart being the seat of every lust, the womb from whence every sin proceeds6. It must be remembered, moreover, that man sins by defect, as well as by a direct and wilful opposition to his duty; so that even if we should suppose human nature to be possessed of all the excellencies which
a Job xiv. 4. and xxv. 4. e Mark vii. 21—23