March 27

Be not slothful. - Hebrews 6:12.

A PHILOSOPHER, when he was asked “What is the sin most universal to mankind?” answered, truly and justly, “Idleness and sloth.” But mental sloth is greater than bodily sloth, and Spiritual sloth is greater than mental. It seems very astonishing, as well as unnatural, that any man can see such honours as those which come from God and not feel something like ambition, or behold the unsearchable riches of Christ and not covet them, and learn that the Judge standeth at the door and not be afraid; see such a heaven and not agonize to enter it; see hell moving to meet him at his feet and not tremble and flee from the wrath to come.

When we consider the infinite importance of eternal things, that with such consequences depending, and with such a prize exhibited before us, it is most marvellous that we should so faintly “fight the good fight of faith,” and so sluggishly “run the race that is set before us.” How diligent men in general are in the ordinary transactions of life; they rise early and sit up late, eating the bread of carefulness; they compass sea and land to advance their temporal concerns, which, after all, have very little connection with their happiness; a hint is sufficient there: but to stir us up to be followers of Christ, there must be sanctuaries, preachers without and conscience within-various dispensations of providence; we must be goaded and wooed, blessed and chastised, in order to induce us to think of a better, even a heavenly inheritance; and yet, alas! all this is too little, all this is in vain. It was not by the indulgence of sloth that those characters who “through faith and patience inherit the promises” rose to their eminence and distinction and entered the kingdom.

Let us watch against the very beginning of sloth, and cultivate a holy activity of mind, ever keeping in view our station and our resources, and see how we can best glorify our Saviour and serve our generation. Our time is flying, and we ought not to be creeping; but while we should be followers of the good, we may also, in works of faith and labours of love, be ourselves examples to others. O let us be followers of Him who said, “I must work the work of him that sent me while it is day, for the night cometh when no man can work.”