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speak, and which, because it disturbs true peace, is to be removed, is a groundless and causeless fear that a man is not in a state of grace, although he has yielded himself to Christ, by true faith and conversion; and has not only given good hope to others, but, if he would see it, has cause to conceive good hope that he is indeed in the state of grace.

SECT. 2. OF CAUSELESS FEAR, AND THE SPRINGS THEREOF.

This fear may arise either from natural distempers, Satan joining with them; or from spiritual temptations, arising from causeless doubts.

(1.) Of fears which arise from natural distempers.

By natural distempers, I mean a disposition to frenzy or melancholy, in which states of body the spirits are corrupted through superabundance of choler and melancholy, whereby first the brain, where all notions of things are framed, is distempered, and the power of imagination corrupted, whence arise strange fancies, doubts, and fearful thoughts. Then, secondly, by reason of the intercourse of the spirits between the head and the heart, the heart is distempered and filled with grief, despair, and horror, through manifold fears of danger, yea, of damnation, especially when Satan concurs with those humours, which as he easily can, so he readily will do, if God permit.

Where there is trouble of this sort, it usually brings forth strange and violent effects, both in body and mind, and that in him who is regenerate, as well as in him that is unregenerate. Yea, so far, that, which is fearful to think, even those who, when they were fully themselves, did truly fear God, have, in the fits of their distemper, through impotency of their use of reason, and through the devil's forcible instigation, had thoughts, and attempts of laying violent hands upon themselves and others, and when they have not well known what they have done or said, have been heard to break out into oaths, cursing, and other evil speeches, who were never heard to do the like before.