but every day and hour brings them nearer towards thee ; and that too so clearly, that, if thou wouldst stop to examine, thou shouldst see evident symptoms of their approach. Who has not found, that the longer he lives in any sin, the more he becomes addicted to it, and enslaved by it ? Tlie truth is, that as a man by indulging sloth, whether of mind or body, becomes daily more unfitted for exertion, so the man who is remiss and negli- gent in his spiritual concerns becomes daily more alienated from God, and more averse to those efforts that are necessary for his salvation \ The curse which is denounced against him seems so distant, that it will never come : but it is advancing as fast as the wings of time can carry it ; as St. Peter sa3^s, " Their judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not^." O sluggard! remember this: thou mayest " linger, like Lot in the plain ;" but " thy judg- ment lingereth not ; thou mayest slumber on yet a little while, but thy damnation slumbereth not :" the time is fast approach- ing when God will say to thee, as to him who hid his talent in a napkin, " Thou wicked and slothful servant !" and will give orders concerning thee, " Cast the miprofitable servant into outer darkness, where shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth^"
These judgments too shall come upon you irresistibly. You well know how entirely a man unarmed and sleeping is at the mercy of " an armed man " that seeks his life. And such will be your state, in the day that God shall deal with you, and visit you for your sins. You may call on the hills to fall upon you, and the rocks to cover you, from the wrath of your offended God ; but they cannot perform for you this friendly office : no creature in the universe can help you : " though hand join in hand, you cannot pass unpunished." Reflect on this, thou sluggard! Now thou mayest "puff at God's judgments :" but ere long thou wilt bitterly regret that thou didst not improve the opportunities afforded thee to escape from them.]
2. Reflect also on the vanity of thine excuses — [There are none so hardened as to avow a fixed deter- mination never to seek after God : on the contrary, there is in almost all an indistinct purpose to turn unto the Lord at some more convenient season, which they hope is at no very great distance. Hence to those who would rouse them to exertion, they say, " A little more sleep, a little more slumber, a little more folding of the hands to sleep." They acknowledge in general terms the propriety, and even the necessity, of exer- tion ; but they wish a little more time for indulgence to the flesh, before they set themselves in earnest to mortify and subdue it. But what has been the consequence of indulgence
i Prov. X. 1. and xix. 15. ^ 2 Pet. ii. 3. ' Matt. xxv. 26, 30.