(4.) The considerations that arise from tiic blood and
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mediation of Christ, are of the same importance. So the apostle declares, 2 Cor. v. 14, 15. ' For the love of Christ constraineth us ; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead : and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto them- selves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.' There is a constraining efficacy in this consideration ; it is great, forcible, effectual, if duly attended unto. But I must not here in particular insist upon these things. Nor,
(5.) Shall I speak of the inhabitation of the Spirit, the greatest privilege that we are made partakers of in this world. The due consideration how he is grieved by sin, how his dwelling-place is defiled thereby, how his comforts are forfeited, lost, despised by it, might also be insisted on. But the instances passed through are sufficient unto our pur- pose. Now herein lies the duty of the mind, in reference unto particular sins and temptations. It is diligently and carefully to attend unto these things, to dv/ell constantly upon the consideration of them, to have them in a continual readiness to oppose unto all the lustings, actings, warrings, attempts, and rage of sin.
In reference hereunto doth sin in an especial manner put forth and act its deceit. It labours by all means to draw off the mind from its due attendance unto these things ; to de- prive the soul of this great preservative and antidote against its poison. It endeavours to cause the soul to satisfy itself with general undigested notions about sin, that it may have nothing in particular to betake itself unto in its own de- fence, against its attempts and temptations. And the ways whereby it doth this may be also briefly considered.
[1.] It is from the deceit of sin that the mind is spiri- tually slothful, whereby it becomes negligent unto this duty. The principal discharge of its trust in this matter is ex- pressed by watching, which is the great caution that the Lord Jesus gave unto his disciples in reference unto all their dangers from sin and Satan, Mark xiii. 37. * I say unto all, Watch.' That is, use your utmost diligence and circumspec- tion, that you be not surprised and entangled with tempta- tions. It is called also consideration: ' Consider your ways;' * consider your latter end ;' the want whereof God complains of in his people, Deut. xxxii. 29. Now that
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which is contrary to these indispensable conditions of our preservation, is spiritual slothfuhiess, as the apostle declares, Heb. vi. 11, 12. * And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end : that ye be not slothful/ If we shew not diligence, we are slothful, and in danger of coming short to inherit the promises. See 2 Pet. i. 5 — 11. * And besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,' &c. ' For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure : for if you do these things you shall never fall : for so an entrance shall be administered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.' All this the mind is turned from, if once by the deceit of sin it be made slothful. Now this sloth consists in three things.
1st. Inadvertency ; it doth not set itself to consider and attend unto its special concernments. The apostle persuad- ing the Hebrews with all earnestness to attend diligently, to consider carefully, that they may not be hardened by the de- ceitfulness of sin, gives this reason of their danger, that they were 'dull of hearing,' chap. v. 11. that is, that they were slothful, and did not attend unto the things of their duty. A secret regardlessness is apt to creep upon the soul, and it doth not set itself to a diligent marking how things go with it, and what is continually incumbent on it.
2dly. An unwillingness to be stirred up unto its duty. Prov. xix. 24. * The slothful man hideth his hand in his bosom, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.' There is an unwillingness in sloth to take any notice of warn- ings, calls, excitations, or stirrings up by the word. Spirit, judgments, any thing that God maketh use of, to call the mind unto a due consideration of the condition of the soul. And this is a perfect evidence that the mind is made sloth- ful by the deceit of sin, when especial calls and warnings, whether in a suitable word, or a pressing judgment, cannot
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prevail with it to pull its hand out of its bosom, that is, to set about the special duties that it is called unto.