That great numbers are in this way of deceiving themselves is
certain. There is scarce a man in the world, who has entirely got
over all regards, hopes, and fears, concerning God and a future
state; and these apprehensions in the generality, bad as we are,
prevail in considerable degrees: yet men will and can be wicked,
with calmness and thought; we see they are. There must therefore be
some method of making it sit a little easy upon their minds; which,
in the superstitious, is those indulgences and atonements before
mentioned, and this self-deceit of another kind in persons of
another character. And both these proceed from a certain unfairness
of mind, a peculiar inward dishonesty; the direct contrary to that
simplicity which our Saviour recommends, under the notion of
becoming little children, as a necessary qualification for our
entering into the kingdom of heaven.

But to conclude: How much soever men differ in the course of life
they prefer, and in their ways of palliating and excusing their
vices to themselves; yet all agree in one thing, desiring to die the
death of the righteous. This is surely remarkable. The observation
may be extended further, and put thus: even without determining
what that is which we call guilt or innocence, there is no man but
would choose, after having had the pleasure or advantage of a
vicious action, to be free of the guilt of it, to be in the state of
an innocent man. This shows at least the disturbance and implicit
dissatisfaction in vice. If we inquire into the grounds of it, we
shall find it proceeds partly from an immediate sense of having done
evil, and partly from an apprehension that this inward sense shall
one time or another be seconded by a higher judgment, upon which our
whole being depends. Now to suspend and drown this sense, and these