The application of redemption

It's incident to all men naturally to have a slight apprehension §1of their sin; partly they do not know it, partly they are loth to be troubled and disquieted with it; and therefore out of their own ignorance and security they would easily persuade themselves, it's not so heinous and dangerous, that so they may not fear so much to commit, nor care so much to reform them when once they are fallen, nor yet suffer themselves to be overborne with terror and discouragement, though they continue in them. This lessening of the heinousness and dangerousness of sin issues upon a four-fold Ground for the most part.

It's incident to al men naturally to have a slight apprehension §1of their sin; partly they do not know it, partly they are loth to be troubled and disquieted with it; and therefore out of their own ignorance and security they would easily perswade themselves, it's not so hainous and dangerous, that so they may not fear so much to commit, nor care so much to reform them when once they are fallen, nor yet suffer themselves to be overborn with terror and discouragement, though they continue in them. This lessening of the hainousness and dangerousness of sin issues upon a four-fold Ground for the most part.

The commonness of sin, makes men not start at the ¹commission of it; that which so many do, and so ordinarily, and happily such who are for their parts and places of no mean esteem, they imagine and conclude they may safely do. We are sinners say they, and good now, are not all so? If it go ill with us, then God be merciful to many. We have our failings, we are not alone, we have many fellows, who lives without them? If we ⟨p. 120⟩were so gross as such, you had just reason to condemn us, and we to condemn and loath our selves, but being no other than the most are, I hope there is no great matter in it.