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thing the more dishonest or ungrateful for this? No! Satan does not want malice or cunning in this kind to play his feats. Where he cannot corrupt men, yet there he will vex and perplex them.

But let it be granted, that these blasphemous and abominable thoughts, which trouble you are indeed your sins, either because they arise from your own evil heart, or because you did consent to them. If so, then you have much cause to grieve and repent, but not to despair, or to say you are not God's child; for it is possible for a sanctified man to be made guilty, either by outward act, or by consent and approbation, or by some means or other, of any one sin, except that against the Holy Ghost; and yet if he confess and bewail his sin, and repent, believe, and ask mercy, it shall be forgiven him; for he has our Saviour's word for it, Matt. xii. 31, 32.

And whereas you say you were not troubled with such abominable thoughts before you made profession of a holy life; I answer, this is not to be wondered at. For before that time, the devil and you were friends; then he thought it enough to suffer you to be proud of your civil honesty, or, it may be, to content yourself with a mere form of godliness, because that you were free from notorious crimes, as adultery, lying, swearing, &c. For when he could by these more plausible ways lead you captive at his will, he saw you were his sure enough already, what need was there then, that he should solicit you any further, or disturb your quiet? But now, that you have renounced him in earnest, and that he and you are opposites; you may be sure, that he will attempt by all means to reduce you into your old state: or if he fail of that, yet as long as you live, so far as God shall permit, he will do what he can to disturb your peace, by vexing and molesting you.

Moreover, God does permit this, for divers holy purposes:

1. To discover the devil's malice.

2. To chasten his children, and to humble them, because they were too well conceited of the goodness