The sovereign and final happiness of man with the effectual means to obtain itThe soveraign and final happiness of man with the effectual means to obtain it

Others that began in the Spirit, and with raised Affections set out in the ways of Godliness, yet by the allurements of sensual Lusts and Temptations, (and therefore with greater^† Guilt) leave their first Love, and end in the Flesh. ⟨p. 158⟩They fall from high Professions, but received by soft Pleasures feel not the fall. These were never sincere, and never had a right to Heaven. They took up sudden Resolutions, not grounded in serious and deep Thoughts, and for a Flash were hot and active, but with great levity return to their former Lusts. The Apostle tells us of such, it had been better for them they had not known the way of Righteousness, than to turn back and voluntarily to forsake it. 'Tis observed that boiling Water taken off from the Fire, congeals more strongly than that which was never heated: because the subtle parts being evaporated by the Fire, the more terrestrial parts remaining are more capable of Cold. So those who have felt the power of the Word in their Affections, and afterwards lose that holy heat, become more hardened in their Sins. God justly withdraws his Grace, and the evil Spirit that was expelled for a time returns with seven worse, and aggravates his Tyranny.

Others that began in the Spirit, and with raised Affections set out in the ways of Godliness, yet by the allurements of sensual Lusts and Temptations, (and therefore with greater^† Guilt) leave their first Love, and end in the Flesh. ⟨p. 158⟩They fall from high Professions, but received by soft Pleasures feel not the fall. These were never sincere, and never had a right to Heaven. They took up sudden Resolutions, not grounded in serious and deep Thoughts, and for a Flash were hot and active, but with great levity return to their former Lusts. The Apostle tells us of such, it had been better for them they had not known the way of Righteousness, than to turn back and voluntarily to forsake it. 'Tis observed that boiling Water taken off from the Fire, congeals more strongly than that which was never heated: because the subtile parts being evaporated by the Fire, the more terrestrial parts remaining are more capable of Cold. So those who have felt the power of the Word in their Affections, and afterwards lose that holy heat, become more harden'd in their Sins. God justly withdraws his Grace, and the evil Spirit that was expell'd for a time returns with seven worse, and aggravates his Tyranny.