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Slothfulness is the same as idleness. An idle person is one who neglects his duty, and who never can succeed in anything. Solomon says that "slothfulness" — or idleness — "will clothe a man with rags." We need not wonder therefore, to find among the warnings of the Bible, one against idleness, or slothfulness. And God, who gives us this warning, has set before us splendid examples of industry. See what an example of this we have in God Himself. When our Saviour was on earth, He said to the Jews — "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work." And then think of the angels of heaven. They wait before God continually to do His bidding. And the moment He tells them to go any. where, or do anything, they fly away and do it. There is no slothfulness, or idleness among the angels. And then think of the sun. God made it, thousands of years ago, by its shining to light up our world, and the worlds around it. And. since then it has kept on shining day and night, without ever stopping for a moment. And so it is with the moon, and the stars, and the seasons, and day and night. There is no slothfulness or idleness about any of them.

I. The first reason why we ought to mind this warning is — FOR THE SAKE OF OUR EXAMPLE. About the year 1725, an American boy, nineteen years old, found himself in London, where he had to earn his own bread. He went one day to a printing office, and asked for employment. "Where are you from?" asked the foreman. "From America," was the answer. "Ah!" said the foreman, "from America! a lad from America seeking employment as a printer! Well, do you really understand the art of printing? Can you set type? " The young man stepped up to one of the type-eases, and in a short time set up the following passage, from St. John's Gospel, which he handed to the foreman — "Nathaniel said unto him, 'Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?; Philip saith unto him, 'Come and see.'" The foreman was so pleased with the readiness and smartness of this American youth, that he took him into his employ at once. He was very industrious, and soon gained the confidence and respect of all connected with the office. He was always in his place, and did his work well. He never would drink beer or strong drink. He saved his money, and after a while returned to his own country. Then he had a printing establishment of his own. He became an author, a publisher, the Postmaster General of the country — a member for Congress — a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and an ambassador from his country to some of the royal courts of Europe, and finally he died in Philadelphia, on the 17th of April, 1790, at the age of eighty-four, full of years and honours. This was Benjamin Franklin. No one can tell the influence which his example for industry has had upon thousands of the youth of our country. But we may form a pretty fair idea of this when we bear in mind that there are more than a hundred and filly counties, towns, and villages that have been called Franklin, in honour of this industrious printer's boy.

II. The second reason why we ought to mind this warning is — FOR OUR SUCCESS IN LIFE. A lady once asked Mr. Turner, the great English painter, what the secret of his success was? His reply was: "I have no secret, madam, but hard work." "The difference between one man and another," says Dr. Arnold, "is not so much in talent, as in industry." "Nothing," says Sir Joshua Reynolds, "is denied to well-directed labour, and nothing is to be attained without it." "Success," says Dr. Johnson, "may be won by patient industry, but it is not to be looked for in any other way." Solomon says — "The hand of the diligent maketh rich." Again he says, "Seest thou a man diligent in his business; he shall stand before kings, he shall not stand before mean men." Periander, one of the seven wise men of Greece, wrote a motto, which was inscribed on the walls of the celebrated temple of Delphos, in these words — "Nothing is impossible to industry."

III. The third reason why we ought to mind it is — FOR OUR REWARD IN HEAVEN. If we get to heaven at all, we shall owe it entirely to the grace and love of Jesus. But what our place in heaven shall be, when we get there, will be decided according to the way in which we have served Jesus on earth. And this is a good reason why we should mind the warning against slothfulness.

(R. Newton, D. D.)

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KJV: And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:

WEB: We desire that each one of you may show the same diligence to the fullness of hope even to the end,