Slothfulness is condemned even by the feeblest of all the creatures.  “Go to the ant, thou sluggard, consider her ways and be wise.”  “The sluggard will not plow, by reason of the cold;” that is, he will not break up the fallow ground of his heart, because there must be some pains taken by him that will do it; “therefore he shall beg in harvest;” that is, when the saints of God shall have their glorious heaven and happiness given to them; but the sluggard “shall have nothing;” that is, be never the better for his crying for mercy; according to that in Matthew xxv. 10-12.

If you would know a sluggard in the things of heaven, compare him with one that is slothful in the things of this world.  As 1.  He that is slothful is loath to set about the work he should follow; so is he that is slothful for heaven. 2.  He that is slothful, is one that is willing to make delays:  so is he that is slothful for heaven. 3.  He that is a sluggard, any small matter that cometh in between, he will make it a sufficient excuse to keep him off from plying his work; so it is also with him that is slothful for heaven. 4.  He that is slothful doeth his work by the halves:  and so it is with him that is slothful for heaven.  He may almost, but he shall never altogether, obtain perfection of deliverance from hell; he may almost, but he shall never (without he mend) be altogether a saint. 5.  They that are slothful do usually lose the season in which things are to be done:  and thus it is also with them that are slothful for heaven; they miss the seasons of grace.  And therefore, 6.  They that are slothful have seldom, or never, good fruit; so also it will be with the soul-sluggard. 7.  They that are slothful, are chid for the same:  so also will Christ deal with those that are not active for him.  ’Thou wicked and slothful servant! out of thine own mouth will I judge thee.  Thou saidst I was thus, and thus; wherefore then gavest thou not my money to the bank? &c.  Take the unprofitable servant, and cast him into utter darkness, where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

What shall I say? 1.  Time runs; and will ye be slothful? 2.  Much of your lives are past; and will you be slothful? 3.  Your souls are worth a thousand worlds; and will ye be slothful? 4.  The day of death and judgment is at the door; and will ye be slothful? 5.  The curse of God hangs over your heads; and will you be slothful? 6.  Besides, the devils are earnest, laborious, and seek by all means every day, by every sin, to keep you out of heaven, and hinder you of salvation; and will you be slothful? 7.  Also, your neighbors are diligent for things that will perish; and will you be slothful for things that will endure for ever? 8.  Would you be willing to be damned for slothfulness? 9.  Would you be willing the angels of God should neglect to fetch your souls away to heaven, when you lie a dying, and the devils stand by ready to scramble for them? 10.  Was Christ slothful in the work of your redemption? 11.  Are his ministers slothful in tendering this unto you? 12.  And lastly, If all this will not move, I tell you God will not be slothful or negligent to damn you, (their damnation slumbereth not, 2 Pet. ii. 3;) nor will the devils neglect to fetch thee, nor hell neglect to shut its mouth upon thee.