October 25 — On the Vice of Spiritual Sloth

Consider, first, that spiritual sloth is a most pernicious evil, whether we consider it in a more general acceptation, as it is a laziness of spirit, or a backwardness, negligence and carelessness with regard to all the things of God, and all Christian virtues, with a loathing and repugnance to the taking of any pains for the acquisition of them; or as it is taken by divines, when they number it amongst the seven capital sins, as it is a particular indisposition of the soul, with regard to the love of God, opposite to the virtues of godliness, devotion and prayer, and a loathing, as it were, of divine love in the soul. The former is a more extensive evil, an enemy to all virtues in general, by opposing them 1; and a mother, or nurse, of all other vices, by letting them all in, and nourishing them all in the soul. The latter is particularly opposite to the divine virtue of charity, the queen of all virtues, and to the glory of God’s name, and his kingdom in our souls; and therefore, when it is considerable in its kind, it is a great iTiQrtal sin, by reason of its direct opposition to divine love, which It banishes from the soul. And no Wonder; for, if it be a great crime to oppose the spiritual good of our neighbour, by envying or resisting the reign of the love of God in his soul, it must be no less criminal to withstand and oppose the coming of the kingdom of God’s grace, and his love into our own souls.

Consider, secondly, the numberless evils that flow from this Tice of spiritual sloth, when once it possesses the soul, more esI)ecially in the way of sins of omission, such as the neglect of prayer, and of all other religious exercises, the keeping away from the sacraments, and consequently the stopping up, or turning ofl from the soul, all the channels of divine grace, and laying her open, unguarded and defenceless, to all her enemies. And thus the slothful soul is made a daily prey to Satan and to sin, and lives in a manner without God. Hence the daughters of this spiritual sloth, according to St. Gregory, are 1. despair, or giving up the cause of Gk>d, and of the soul, so as to have neither hope nor concern for one’s eternal salvation; 2. pusillanimity, or cowardice, dreading or flying from the least pains or labour in the service of God; 3. a numbness of soul, with regard to all the divine precepts; 4. malice, or an aversion to all sanctity, and to the professors of it; 5. a rancour, or indignation, against all such as seek to bring us to God; and, lastly, a dissipation of mind, turned away from the things of God, and always running after creatures. From the unhappy fruits, you may judge of the naughtiness of the tree which produces them, and learn to dread so pernicious a vice.

Consider, thirdly, that this vice of sloth is the more dangerous, because, like the rest of the spiritual sins, it lies deeper in the soul, and is easier overlooked by such as will not take the pains to think, and to examine well the state of their interior. Comal sins are more easily discovered, because their guilt carries with it a greater shame in the eyes of men, which makes it fly in the face of the sinner, and he cannot disguise it; but spiritual sins are more heinous in the eyes of God, though not BO much considered by men, and often not regarded at all. And thus, as thousands live and die under the mortal guilt of the spiritual vices of pride, envy, hatred, or covetousness, unregarded and unrepented of; so, it is to be feared, thousands live and die under the mortal guilt of spiritual sloth, unregarded and unrepented of. For what other judgment can we make of those slothful servants, whom the gospel so loudly condemns? or what can be said in favour of them,.who, being sent into this world upon no other business but to learn to love and to serve their God, through this unhappy sloth, live and die without so much as once seriously thinking upon this great business, much less putting it in execution '?

Conclude to look wl to thyself, and to examine thyself w'ell, how thy heart stands affected with regard to the glory of God’s name, the advancement of his kingdom within thee, and the reign of his love. If this be what thou seekest in the first place, all is well; but if thou admittest of a loathing or repugnance to thi and givest the preference in thy heart to every thing else, assure thyself that the demon of q>iritual sloth possesses thy soul, and that God has no share in thee.