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the sow that was washed, to their wallowing in the mire of their wonted ungodliness, 2 Peter ii. 22. But as for them, whose terrors were preparations to conversion, when they obtain peace of conscience, they are exceedingly thankful for it, and are made by it more fearful to offend. And although they may, and often do fall into some particular sin or sins, for which they renew their grief and repentance; yet, they do not fall into an allowed course of sin any more. Thus much in answer to the first doubt of sanctification.

(2.) Fears of not being sanctified from the intrusion of many evil thoughts.

Secondly, There are many who doubt they are not sanctified, because of those swarms of evil thoughts which are in them; some whereof, which is fearful for them to think or speak, are blasphemous, unnatural, and inhuman; calling God's being, truth, power, and providence into question; doubting whether the Scripture be the word of God, and others of this nature, having also thoughts of laying violent hands upon themselves and others, with many more of that and other kinds of evil and blasphemous thoughts, such as they never felt at all, or not so much, in their known state of unregeneracy, before they made a more strict profession of godliness; and such as, they think, none that are truly sanctified are troubled with.

To resolve this doubt, know that evil thoughts are either put into men from without, as when Satan does suggest, or wicked men do solicit to evil, 1 Chron. xxi. 1; thus Job's wife, Curse God and die, Job ii. 9; or they rise from within, out of the evil concupiscence of man's own heart, Matt. xv. 19; and sometimes they are mixed, coming both from within and without.

Those which come only from Satan, may usually be known from them that arise out of man's heart, by their suddenness and incessantness; namely, when they are repelled they will sometimes return again a hundred times in a day. Also they are unreasonable and unnatural; strange and violent in their motions; receiving no check, but by violent resistance. Whereas, those which altogether, or in great part, are from