TEXT: 1KING 7:3
''And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die?''
To sit in idleness, is to wait for death; an idle man declares that his life is at its end; he whose hands are not full of activities, lives amongst the dead: only the busy, are truly living. A sword not engaged, invites rust; he who sleeps in paradise like Adam, would lose his rib. No idle man's name can get into the book of Life, as that book is properly called the 'book of life' signifying that those whose names are therein, are lively and alive. That bird that hops from one three to another, cannot be aimed at by the hunter: idleness and sloth invite temptations and the fiery darts of the Devil. Satan walks about seeking those who sits in one place: he can never find a saints who walk about seeking demons and sins to kill in men. Know oh saints, God testifies that satan is active: He cannot charge him with idleness: satan must not gain this kind of testimony and we chargeable with sloth, surfeiting and laziness. Understand oh brothers dear, why sleepest thou, when there are graces to improved and prepared for glory? Many things are dying out in the church: love is gone; power is fading away; Biblical doctrines are given way for heresy: why must we then sleep and be this idle. Why sit we here still until true christianity disappeared? Saints, see how ignorant you are about the ways of God, is there no reason to bend down and study? Are there no sin to kill? Are there no souls to save and fit for the sky? Let us arise from or sleep, else the manna melt away! Let us bestir ourselves, for our Nations are under siege! Let Zacchaeus run ahead and climb the sycamore three, else the master passes by! Let us arise and be a-doing, so that we can be a-counting. No man is living, who is not doing!