Fifthly,1 because if they do know a better estate, yet their present pleasures, their sloth doth so bewitch them, and Gods denials when they seek unto him, do so far discourage them, that they sleep still securely in that estate. A slothful heart bewitched with present ease and pleasures and delights, considering many a tear, many a prayer must it make, many a night must it break its sleep, many a weary step must it take towards heaven and Christ, if ever it come there, grows discouraged and deadened, and hard-hearted in a sleepy estate, and had rather have a bird in the hand then two in the bush, Prov. 1. 32. Jer. 48. 11. The Israelites wished that they were at their Onions and garlic again in Egypt. Was there no Canaan? yes, but they wished thus because there were walls built up to heaven, and Giants sons of Anack in the Land, difficulties to overcome. O slothful hearts! Secondly, because ⟨p. 220⟩God sometime put them to straights, and denied them what they sought for, they were of such a waspish, testy, sullen spirit, that because the Lord had them not always on his knees, they would run away: so many a man meets with sorrow enough in his sinful, dropsy, drunken estate, he hears of heaven and a better estate; yet, why goes he to his lusts and flesh pots again? Oh! because there are so many difficulties and blocks and hindrances in his way, and because they pray and find not ease, therefore they eat, drink, laugh, sport and sleep in their miserable estate still, Matth. 7. 14. therefore men walk in the broad way, because the other way to life is straight and narrow, it is a plague, a burden, a prison to be so strict; men had rather sit almost an hour in the stocks, than be an hour at prayer; men had rather be damned at last, than sweat it out and run through the race to receive a Crown, and hence men remain secure.
Fifthly,1 because if they doe know a better estate, yet their present pleasures, their sloth doth so bewitch them, and Gods denyals when they seeke unto him, doe so farre discourage them, that they sleepe still securely in that estate. A flothfull heart bewitched with present ease and pleasures and delights, considering many a teare, many a prayer must it make, many a night must it breake its sleepe, many a weary step must it take towards heaven and Christ, if ever it come there, growes discouraged and deaded, and hard-hearted in a sleepy estate, and had rather have a bird in the hand then two in the bush, Prov. 1. 32. Ier. 48. 11. The Israelites wished that they were at their Onyons and garlike againe in Egypt. Was there no Canaan? yes, but they wished thus because there were walls built up to heaven, and Giants sonnes of Anack in the Land, difficulties to overcome. O slothfull hearts! Secondly, because ⟨p. 220⟩God sometime put them to straights, and denied them what they sought for, they were of such a waspish, teasty, sullen spirit, that because the Lord had them not alwayes on his knees, they would runne away: so many a man meets with sorrow enough in his sinfull, dropsie, drunken estate, he heares of heaven and a better estate; yet, why goes he to his lusts and flesh pots againe? Oh! because there are so many difficulties and blockes and hindrances in his way, and because they pray and finde not ease, therefore they eate, drinke, laugh, sport and sleepe in their miserable estate still, Matth. 7. 14. therefore men walke in the broad way, because the other way to life is straight and narrow, it is a plague, a burden, a prison to be so strict; men had rather sit almost an houre in the stockes, than be an houre at prayer; men had rather be damned at last, than sweat it out and runne through the race to receive a Crowne, and hence men remaine secure.
- 1Reas. 5.
