Thirdly, From an apprehension of this difficulty, and an unwillingness in the heart to break through the difficulty of seeking after the Lord; many a man sees (as Dives in hell, Abraham afar off) Grace, and God, and Christ afar off; but there is a great gulf between them and Grace; now to be watching, fasting, seeking the Lord diligently, to follow the Lord hard, Psal. 63. to keep the heart lamenting till the Lord comes, this is hard, as Heb. •. ⟨p. 80⟩'tis said, They could not enter in because of unbelief. 1. They thought they could never overcome. 2. They thought the Lord did therefore hate them, Deut. 1. 27. They did not regard the strength of God; they shall be but bread for us saith Caleb; 1they could not believe that to be bread that is so hazzardful. So 'tis with many a man; and hence he sits down with desires and hopes, and so perisheth; the sluggards desires slay him; hence many complain of difficulty, but never break difficulties, and so perish; and so not like to the Merchant that goes far for pearl. It is his business, and no storms no• ill weather drive him to desire the smoke of his chimney, till he hath got them, he hath now resolved to venture all for, Prov. 2. 5. if thou dig for silver, &c. many prize Christ and Grace, Oh that I had it, but are •oth to dig for it, they love their ease so well, and hence rest in their desire after it; but indeed miss it; and hence many can come to, and follow God in outward Ordinances, but never find fruit and comfort in any of them, because of difficulty, yet sit down content because they seek for Ordinances, as Prov. 12. 27. The sluggard roasts not what he had •ook in hunting; there is a very great delight in coming to Ordinances, as travellers under the shadow, but then to climb the tree that is hard, and hence lose the fruit; and hence God seeing a man love his sloth, and hath that base esteem of his Grace, as that he will not follow so hard after it as he hath done after his lusts, let's loose Satan, and he comes and stakes down a sinner in this, God must do all, and there he rests, and so he falls short;
Thirdly, From an apprehension of this difficulty, and an unwillingness in the heart to break thorow the difficulty of seeking after the Lord; many a man sees (as Dives in hell, Abraham afar off) Grace, and God, and Christ afar off; but there is a great gulf between them and Grace; now to be watching, fasting, seeking the Lord diligently, to follow the Lord hard, Psal. 63. to keep the heart lamenting till the Lord comes, this is hard, as Heb. •. ⟨p. 80⟩'tis said, They could not enter in because of unbellef. 1. They thought they could never overcome. 2. They thought the Lord did therefore hate them, Deut. 1. 27. They did not regard the strength of God; they shall be but bread for us saith Caleb; 1they could not believe that to be bread that is so hazzardful. So 'tis with many a man; and hence he sits down with desires and hopes, and so perisheth; the sluggards desires slay him; hence many complain of difficulty, but never break difficulties, and so perish; and so not like to the Merchant that goes far for pearl. It is his business, and no storms no• ill weather drive him to desire the smoak of his chimney, till he hath got them, he hath now resolved to venture all for, Prov. 2. 5. if thou dig for silver, &c. many prize Christ and Grace, Oh that I had it, but are •oth to dig for it, they love their ease so well, and hence rest in their desire after it; but indeed miss it; and hence many can come to, and follow God in outward Ordinances, but never find fruit and comfort in any of them, because of difficulty, yet sit down content because they seek for Ordinances, as Prov. 12. 27. The sluggard roasts not what he had •ook in hunting; there is a very great delight in coming to Ordinances, as travellers under the shadow, but then to climb the tree that is hard, and hence lose the fruit; and hence God seeing a man love his sloth, and hath that base esteem of his Grace, as that he will not follow so hard after it as he hath done after his lusts, let's loose Satan, and he comes and stakes down a sinner in this, God must do all, and there he rests, and so he falls short;
- 1Numb. 14. 9.
