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22 - Commentary on The Book of Genesis · Philosophy and Faith

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Chapter nineteen. The contents of this chapter we have Tewo Peter two Verses six
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to eight, where we find that God, turning the cities of Sodom and
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Gomarra into ashes, condemned them with an overthrow, and delivered just Lot.
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It is the history of Sodom's ruin and Lot's rescue from that ruin. We
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read Chapter eighteen of God's Coming to take a view of the present state of
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Sodom, what its wickedness was, and what righteous persons there were in it.
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Now Here we have the result of that inquiry. Numeral one. It
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was found upon trial that Lot was very good Verses one to three, and
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it did not appear that there was any more of the same character. Numeral
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two. It was found that the Sodomites were very wicked and vile versus four
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eleven. Numeral three. Special care was therefore taken for the securing of Lot
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and his family in a place of safety Verses twelve to twenty three. Numeral
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four. Mercy having rejoiced therein, justice shows itself in the ruin of Sodom
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and the death of Lot's wife Verses twenty four to twenty six, with a
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general repetition of the story Verses twenty seven to twenty nine, Numeral five of
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foul sin that Lot was guilty of in committing incest with his two daughters,
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Verse thirty et cetera. Assault on the house of Lot b c. One
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thousand, eight hundred ninety eight. And there came two angels to Sodom at
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even, and Lots sat in the gate of Sodom. And Lots, seeing
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them, rose up to meet them. And he bowed himself with his face
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toward the ground, and he said, behold, now, my lords,
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turn in. I pray you into your servant's house, and tarry all night,
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and wash your feet, and you shall rise up early and go on
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your ways. And they said, nay, but we will abide in the
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street all night. And he pressed upon them greatly, and they turned in
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unto him and entered into his house. And he made them a feast,
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and did bake unliving bread, and they did eat these angels. It is
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likely where two of the three that had just before been with Abraham, the
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two created angels that were sent to execute God's purpose concerning Sodom observe here Number
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one. There was but one good man in Sodom, and these heavenly messengers
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soon found him out. Wherever we are, we should inquire out those of
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the place that live in the fear of God, and should choose to associate
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ourselves with them. Matthew ten, verse eleven. Inquire who is worthy,
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and there abide those of the same country, when they are in a foreign
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country, love to be together. Number two. Lots sufficiently distinguished himself from
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the rest of his neighbors at this time, which plainly set a mark upon
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him. He that did not act like the rest, must not fare like
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the rest. Subscript one. Lot sat in the gate of Sodom at even
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when the rest, it is likely, where tippling and drinking, he said
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alone, waiting for an opportunity to do good. Subscript two. He was
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extremely respectful to men whose mean and aspect were sober and serious, though they
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did not come in state. He bowed himself to the ground when he met
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them, as if upon the first view he discerned something divine in them.
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Subscript three. He was hospitable and very free and generous in his invitations and
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entertainments. He courted these strangers to his house and to the best accommodations he
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had, and gave them all the evidences that he could of his sincerity.
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Four some point one, when the angels, to try whether he was hardy
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in the invitation, declined the acceptance of it at first, which is the
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common usage of modesty, and no reproach at all to truth and honesty.
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Their refusal did not make him more importanate, for he pressed upon them greatly
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verse three, partly because he would, by no means have them to expose
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themselves to the inconveniences and perils of lodging in the street of Sodom, and
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partly because he was desirous of their company. And converse, he had not
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seen two such honest faces in Sodom this great while. Note those that live
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in bad places should know how to value the society of those that are wise
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and good and earnestly desired. Some point two. When the angels accepted his
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invitation, he treated them nobly. He made a feast for them, and
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thought it well bestowed on such guests. Note good people should be with prudence,
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generous people. But before they lay down the men of the city,
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even the men of Sodom, come passed the house round, both old and
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young, all the people from every quarter, and they called unto Lot,
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and said, unto him, where are the men which came in to thee
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this night? Bring them out unto us, that we may know them.
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And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after
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him, and said, I pray you do not so wickedly. Behold,
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now I have two daughters which have not known man. Let me I pray
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you bring them out unto you, and do you to them as is good
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in your eyes. Only unto these men do nothing. For therefore came they
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under the shadow of my roof, and they said, stand back. And
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they said again this one fellow came in as adjourn, and he will needs
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be a judge. Now we we deal worse with thee than with them.
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And they pressed sore upon the man even Lot, and came near to break
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the door. But the men put forth their hand and pulled Lot into the
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house to them, and shut to the door. And they smold the men
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that were at the door of the house with blindness both small and great,
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so that they wearied themselves to find the door. Now it appeared beyond contradiction
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that the cry of Sodom was no louder than there was cause. For this
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night's work was enough to fill the measure. For we find here numeral one,
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that they were all wicked verse four. Wickedness had become universal, and
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they were unanimous in any vile design. Here were old and young, and
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all from every quarter engaged in this riot. The old were not past it,
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and the young had soon come up to it. Either they had no
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magistrates to keep the peace and protect the peaceable, or their magistrates were themselves
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aiding and abetting. Note. When the disease of sin has become epidemically,
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it is fatal to any place. Isaiah one, verses five to seven,
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Numeral two. That they had arrived at the highest pitch of wickedness. They
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were sinners before the Lord exceedingly. Chapter thirteen, Verse thirteen four, Number
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one. It was the most unnatural and abominable wickedness that they were now set
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upon, a sin that still bears their name and is called sodomy. They
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were carried hitlong by those vile affections Romans Chapter one, Verses twenty six and
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twenty seven, which are worse than brutish and the eternal reproach of the human
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nature, and which cannot be thought of without horror by those that have the
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least spark of virtue in any remains of natural light and conscience. Note those
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that allow themselves in unnatural uncleanness are marked for the vengeance of eternal fire see
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Jude seven, number two. They were not ashamed to own it and to
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prosecute their design by force and arms. The practice would have been bad enough
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if it had been carried on by intrigue and wheedling. But they proclaim war
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with virtue and bade open defiance to it. Hence, daring sin are set
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to declare their sin as sodom Isaiah three, verse nine. Note those that
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have become impudent in sin generally prove impenitent in sin, and it will be
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their ruin. Those have hard hearts indeed that sin with a high hand.
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Jeremiah six, verse fifteen, number three. When Lot interposed with all the
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mildness imaginable to check the rage and fury of their lust, they were most
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insolently rude and abusive to him. He ventured himself among them verse six.
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He spoke civilly to them, called them brethren verse seven, and begged of
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them not to do so. Wickedly, and being greatly disturbed at their vile
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attempt, he unadvisedly and unjustifiably offered to prostitute his two daughters to them.
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Verse eight. It is true, of two evils, we must choose the
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less, but of two sins, we must choose neither, nor ever do
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evil, that good may come of it. He reasoned with them, pleaded
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the laws of hospitality and the protection of his house, which his guests were
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entitled to. But he might as well have offered reason to a roaring line
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and a raging bear, as to these headstrong sinners, who were governed only
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by lust and passion lots. Arguing with them does but exasperate them, and
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to complete their wickedness and fill up the measure of it, they fall foul
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upon him. Subscript one. They ridicule him, charge him with the absurdity
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of pretending to be a magistrate, when he was not so much as a
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free man of their city. Verse nine. Note it is common for a
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reprover to be unjustly upbraided as a usurper, and while offering the kindness of
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a friend, to be charged with assuming the authority of a judge, as
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if a man might not speak reason without taking too much upon him. Subscript
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two. They threaten him and lay violent hands upon him, and the good
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man is in danger of being pulled in pieces by this outrageous rabble. Note
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sub point one. Those that hate to be reformed hate those that reprove them.
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Though with ever so much tenderness, presumptuous sinners do by their consciences,
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as the Sodomites did by lot, baffle their checks, stifle their accusations,
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press hard upon them till they have seared them, and quite stopped their mouths
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and soul made themselves ripe for Ruin sub point two. Abuses offered to God's
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messengers and to faithful reprovers soon fill the measure of a people's wickedness and bring
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destruction without remedy see Proverbs twenty nine, verse one and Second Chronicles thirty six,
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verse sixteen. If reproofs remedy not, there is no remedy see Second
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Chronicles twenty five, verse sixteen, numeral three. That nothing less than the
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power of an angel could save a good man out of their wicked hands.
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It was now past dispute what Sodom's character was and what course must be taken.
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With it, and therefore the angels immediately gave a specimen of what they
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further intended. Number One, they rescue Lot verse ten. Note he that
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watereth shall be watered also himself. Lot was solicitous to protect them, and
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now they take effectual care for his safety in return for his kindness. Note
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further, angels are employed for the special preservation of those that expose themselves to
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danger by well doing. The saints at death are pulled like Lot into a
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house of perfect safety, and the doors shut forever against those that pursue them.
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Number two, they chastised the insolence of the Sodomites. They smote them
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with blindness verse eleven. This was designed subscript one, to put an end
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to their attempt and disable them from pursuing it. Justly, where those struck
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blind who had been deaf to reason, violent persecutors are often infatuated so that
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they cannot push on their malicious designs against God's messengers Job five, Verses fourteen
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and fifteen. Yet these Sodomites, after they were struck blind, continued seeking
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the door to break it down till they were tired. No judgments will of
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themselves change the corrupt natures and purposes of wicked men. If their minds had
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not been blinded as well as their bodies, they would have said, as
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the magicians, this is the finger of God, and would have submitted subscript
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too. It was to be in earnest of their utter ruin the next day,
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when God, in a way of righteous judgment, blinds men their condition
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as already desperate. Romans eleven, verses eight and nine. Rescue of Lot
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out of Sodom be see one thousand, eight hundred and ninety eight. And
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the men said, unto Lot, hast thou here any besides son in law,
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and thy sons and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city.
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Bring them out of this place, for we will destroy this place,
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because the cry of them is wax great before the face of the Lord,
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and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it. And Lot went out and
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spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said,
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up, get you out of this place, for the Lord will destroy this
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city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.
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We have heard the pro operation for a Lot's deliverance. Numeral I notice is
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given him of the approach of Sodom's ruin, we will destroy this place verse
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thirteen. Note the holy angels are ministers of God's wrath for the destruction of
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sinners, as well as of his mercy for the preservation and deliverance of his
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people. In this sense, the good angels become evil angels Psalm seventy eight,
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verse forty nine, Numeral two. He is directed to give notice to
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his friends and relations that they, if they would, might be saved with
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him. Verse twelve. Hast thou here any besides that thou art concerned,
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for if thou hast go, tell them what is coming now? This implies
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number one the command of a great duty, which was to do all he
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could for the salvation of those about him, to snatch them as brands out
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of the fire. Note those who through grace are themselves delivered out of a
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sinful state, should do what they can for the deliverance of others, especially
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their relations. Number two, the offer of great favor. They do not
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ask whether he knew any righteous ones in the city fit to be spared.
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No, they knew there were none. But they ask what relations he had
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there, that, whether righteous or unrighteous, they might be saved with him.
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Note that people often fare the better in this world for the sake of
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their good relations. It is good being akin to a godly man Numeral three.
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He applies himself accordingly to his sons in law. Verse fourteen. Observe
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number one the fair warning that lot gave them up. Get you out of
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this place. The manner of expression is startling and quickening. It was no
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time to trifle when the destruction was just at the door. They had not
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forty days to repent in as the Ninavites had now, or never, they
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must make their escape at midnight. This cry was made, such as,
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this is our call to the unconverted to turn and live. Number two.
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The slight they put upon this warning, He seemed to them as one that
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mocked. They thought, perhaps that the assault which the Sodomites had just now
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made upon his house had disturbed his head and put him into such a fright
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that he knew not what he said, or they thought that he was not
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in earnest with them. Those who lived a merry life and made a jest
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of everything made a jest of this warning, and so they perished in the
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overthrow. Thus many who were warned of the misery and danger they are in
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by sin, make a light matter of it, and think their ministers do
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but jest with him. Such will perish with their blood upon their own heads.
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And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying,
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arise, take thy wife and their two daughters, which are here, lest
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thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. And while he lingered,
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the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife,
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and upon the hand of his two daughters. The Lord being merciful unto
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him, and they brought him forth and set him without the city. And
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it came to pass when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said,
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escape for thy life. Look not behind thee neither stay thou in all
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the plain. Escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. And Lot
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said unto them, Oh not so much, my lord. Behold, now
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thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy,
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which thou hast shewt unto me, and saving my life. And I
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cannot escape to the mountain lest some evil take me and I die. Behold
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Now this city is near to flee unto and it is a little one.
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Oh, let me escape thither? Is it not a little one? And
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my soul shall live? And he said unto him, see, I have
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accepted THEE concerning this thing, also that I will not overthrow this city for
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the which thou hast spoken. Haste thee escape thither, for I cannot do
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anything till thou become thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.
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The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar. Here
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is numeral one the rescue of Lot out of Sodom. Though there were not
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ten righteous men of Sodom, for whose sakes it might be spared, yet
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that one righteous man that was among them, delivered his own soul Ezekiel fourteen
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verse fourteen. Early in the morning, his own guests, in kindness to
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him, turned him out of doors, and his family with him Verse fifteen.
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His daughters that were married perished with their unbelieving husbands, but those that
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continued with him were preserved with him. Observed Number one. With what a
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gracious violence Lot was brought out of Sodom verse sixteen. It seems though he
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did not make a jest of the warning given, as his sons in law
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did. Yet he lingered, he trifled, he did not make so much
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haste as the case required. Thus, many that are under some convictions about
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the misery of their spiritual state and the necessity of a change, yet defer
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that needful work, and foolishly linger lot did so. And it might have
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been fair to him if the angels had not laid hold of his hand and
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brought him forth and saved him with fear June twenty three. Herein it is
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said the Lord was merciful to him, Otherwise he might justly have left him
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to perish, since he was so loth to depart. Note Subscript one.
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The salvation of the most righteous men must be attributed to God's mercy, not
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to their own merit. We are saved by a grace. Subscript two.
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God's power also must be acknowledged in the bringing of souls out of a sinful
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state. If God had not brought us forth, we had never come forth.
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Subscript three. If God had not been merciful to us, our lingering
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had been our Ruin number two, with what a gracious vehemence he was urged
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to make the best of his way when he was brought forth seventeen. Subscript
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one, he must still apprehend himself in danger of being consumed, and be
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quickened by the law of self preservation to flee for his life. Note a
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holy fear and trembling are found necessary to the working out of our salvation.
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Subscript two. He must therefore mind his business with the utmost care and diligence.
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He must not hanker after sodom, Look not behind thee. He must
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not loiter by the way, stay not in the plain, for it would
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all be made one dead sea. He must not take up short of the
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place of refuge appointed him, escape to the mountain. Such as these are
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the commands given to those who, through grace, are delivered out of a
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sinful state. Sub Point one. Return not to sin and Satan, for
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that is looking back to sodom. Sub Point two. Rest not in self
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on the world, for that is staying in the plain. And su point
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three reached towards Christ and Heaven, for that is escaping to the mountain,
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short of which we must not take up Numeral two. The fixing of a
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place of refuge for him. The mountain was first appointed for him to flee
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to. But Number one he begged for a city of refuge, one of
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the five that lay together called bee Law Chapter fourteen, verse two and Chapter
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nineteen, Verses eighteen to twenty. It was Lot's weakness to think a city
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of his own, choosing safer than the mountain of God's appointing. And he
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argued against himself when he pleaded, thou hast magnified thy mercy in saving my
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life, And I cannot escape to the mountain. For could not he that
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plucked him out of sodom when he lingered carry him safely to the mountain,
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though he began to tie. Could not he that saved him from greater evils
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save him from the less? He insists much in his petition upon the smallness
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of the place. It is a little one, it is not. Therefore
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it was to be hoped not so bad as the rest. This gave a
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new name to the place. It was called, So are a little one
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intercessions, for little ones are worthy to be remembered. Number two. God
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granted him his request, though there was much infirmity in it Verses twenty one
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and twenty two. See what favor God showed to a true saint, though
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weak. Subscript one, Zore was spared to gratify him, though his intercession
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for it was not as Abraham's for Sodom from a principle of generous charity,
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but merely from self interest. Yet God granted him his request to show how
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much the fervent prayer of a righteous man avails. Subscript two. Sodom's ruin
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was suspended till he was saved. I cannot do anything till thou shalt have
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come thither. Note the very presence of good men in the place helps to
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keep off judgments. See what care God takes for the preservation of his people.
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The winds are held till God's servants are sealed. Revelation seven, verse
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three, Ezekiel nine, verse four, numeral three. It has taken notice
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of that the sun had risen when Lot entered into Zor. For when a
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good man comes into a place, he brings light along with him. Or
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should do destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah b. C. One thousand, eight
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hundred ninety eight. Then the Lord reigned upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah. Brimstone
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and fire from the Lord out of heaven, and he overthrew those cities,
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and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that
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which which grew upon the ground. Then when Lot had got safely into Zor,
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then this ruin came. For good men are taken away from the evil
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to come. Then, when the sun had risen bright and clear, promising
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a fair day, then this storm arose. To show that it was not
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from natural causes. Concerning this destruction, observed number one, God was the
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immediate author of it. It was destruction from the Almighty. The Lord reigned
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from the Lord verse twenty four. That is, God from himself by his
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own immediate power, and not in the common course of nature, or God
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the Son from God the Father. For the Father has committed all judgment to
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the Son. Note he that is the Savior, will be the destroyer of
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these that reject the salvation. Number two, it was a strange punishment job
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thirty one verse three. Never was the like before, nor since Hell was
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rained from Heaven upon them. Fire and brimstone and a horrible tempest were the
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portion of their cup saw eleven verse six. Not a flash of lightning,
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which is destructive enough when God gives it commission but a shower of lightning brimstone
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was scattered upon their habitation Job eighteen, verse fifteen, and then the fire
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soon fastened upon them. God could have drowned them as he did the old
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world, but he would show that he has many errors in his quiver fire
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as well as water. Number three. It was a judgment that laid all
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waste. It overthrew the cities and destroyed all the inhabitants of them, the
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plain and all that grew upon the ground verse twenty five. It was an
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utter ruin and irreparable. That fruitful valley remains to this day a great lake
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or dead sea. It is called the salt sea. Numbers thirty four,
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verse twelve. Travelers say that it is about thirty miles long and ten miles
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broad. It has no living creature in it. It is not moved by
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the wind. The smell of it is offensive. Things do not easily sink
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in it. The Greeks call it asphaltitis, from a sort of pitch which
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it casts up. Jordan falls into it and is lost there. Number four.
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It was a punishment that answered to their sin. Burning lusts against nature
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were justly punished with this preternatural burning those that went after strange flesh were destroyed
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by strange fire Jude seven. They persecuted the angels with their rabble and made
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a lot afraid. And now God persecuted them with his tempest and made them
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afraid with his storm. Saw eighty three, verse fifteen, number five.
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It was designed for a standing revelation of the wrath of God against sin and
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sinners in all ages. It is accordingly often referred to in the scripture,
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and made a pattern of the ruin of Israel Deuteronomy twenty nine, verse twenty
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three, of Babylon, Isaiah thirteen, verse nineteen, of Edom, Jeremiah
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forty nine, verses seventeen and eighteen of Moab, and Ammon Zephaniah two,
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verse nine Nay. It was typical of the vengeance of eternal fire Jude seven,
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and the ruin of all that live ungodly Tewo Peter two, verse six,
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especially that despised the Gospel Matthew ten, verse fifteen. It is in
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allusion to this destruction that the place of the damned is often represented by a
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lake that burns, as Sodom did with fire and brimstone. Let us learn
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from it. Subscript one the evil of sin and the hurtful nature of it.
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Iniquity tends to ruin subscript two, the terrors of the Lord. See
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what a fearful thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God.
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But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar
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of salt. This also is written for our admonition. Our savior refers to
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it. Lukes seventeen, verse thirty two. Remember Lot's wife, as by
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the example of Sodom, the wicked or warned to turn from their wickedness.
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So by the example of Lot's wife, the rights are warned not to turn
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from their righteousness. See Ezekiel three, verses eighteen and twenty. We have
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here numerals one the sin of Lot's wife. She looked back from behind him.
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This seemed a small thing, but we are sure by the punishment of
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it that it was a great sin and exceedingly sinful. Number one, she
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disobeyed an express command and so sinned. After the similitude of Adam's transgression,
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which ruined us all Number two, unbelief was at the bottom of it.
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She questioned whether Sodom would be destroyed, and thought she might still have been
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safe in it. Number three, she looked back upon her neighbors, whom
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she had left behind with more concern than was fit, now that their day
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of grace was over and divine justice was glorifying itself in their ruin see Isaiah
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sixty six, verse twenty four, number four. Probably she hankered after her
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house and goods and sodom, and was loth to leave them. Christ intimates
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this to be her sin. Luke seventeen, verses thirty one thirty two.
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She too much regarded her stuff number five. Her looking back evidenced an inclination
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to go back, and therefore our Savior uses it as a warning against apostasy
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from our Christian profession. We have all renounced the world and the flesh,
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and have set our faces heavenward. We are in the plane upon our probation,
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and it is at our peril if we return into the interests we profess
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to have abandoned. Drawing back is to perdition, and looking back is towards
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it. Let us therefore fear he was four verse one, numeral two the
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punishment of Lot's wife for the sin. She was struck dead in the place,
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yet her body did not fall down, but stood fixed and erect,
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like a pillar or monument, not liable to waste nor decay, as human
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bodies exposed to the air are, but but metamorphosed into a metallic substance which
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would last perpetually come. Behold the goodness and severity of God. Romans eleven,
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verse twenty two, towards Lot, who went forward goodness, toward his
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wife, who looked back severity, though she was nearly related to a righteous
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man, though better than her neighbors, and though a monument of distinguishing mercy
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in her deliverance out of Sodom. Yet God did not connive at her disobedience.
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For great privileges will not secure us from the wrath of God if we
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do not carefully and faithfully improve them. This pillar of salt should season us.
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Since it is such a dangerous thing to look back, let us always
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press forward. Philippians three, verses thirteen and fourteen. And Abraham get up
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early in the morning to the place where he stood before the Lord. And
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he looked towards Sodom and Gomarrah, and toward all the land of the plain,
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and beheld, and lo, the smoke of the country went up,
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as the smoke of a furnace. And it came to pass when God destroyed
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the cities of the Plain, that God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of
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the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in the which Lot
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dwelt. Our communion with God consists in our gracious regard to Him and His
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gracious regard to us. We have here therefore the communion that was between God
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and Abraham in the event concerning Sodom, as before in the consultation concerning it.
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For communion with God is to be kept up in providences as well as
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in ordinances Numeral one. Here is Abraham's pious regard to God in this event
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in two things number one, A careful expectation of the event, Verse twenty
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seven. He got up early to look toward Sodom, and to intimate that
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his design hearing was to see what became of his prayers. He went to
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the very place where he had stood before the Lord, and set himself there
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as upon his watch tower. A bac of two. Verse one. Note,
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when we have prayed, we must look after our prayers and observe the
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success of them. We must direct our prayer as a letter and then look
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up for an answer. Direct our prayer as an arrow, and then look
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up to see whether it reached the mark Psalm five, verse three. Our
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inquiries after news must be in expectation of an answer to our prayers. Number
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two an awful observation of it. He looked towards Sodom verse twenty eight,
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not as Lot's wife did, dacidly reflecting upon the divine severity, but humbly
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adoring it and acquiescing in it. Thus the saints, when they see the
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smoke of Babylon's torment rising up forever like Sodom's here, will say again and
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again Allelujah. Revelation nineteen, verse three. Those that have, in the
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day of Grace most earnestly interceded for sinners, will in the day of judgment
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be content to see them perish, and will glorify God in their destruction Numeral
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two. Here is God's favorable regard to Abraham verse twenty nine. As before,
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when Abraham prayed for Ishmael, God heard him for Isaac. So now
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when he prayed for Sodom, he heard him for Lot. He remembered Abraham,
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and for his sake sent Lot out of the overthrow. Note Number one.
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God will certainly give an answer of peace to the prayer of faith in
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his own way and time. Though for a while it seemed to be forgotten,
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Yet sooner or later it will appear to be remembered. Number two.
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The relations and friends of godly people fare the better for their interest in God
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and intercessions with Him. It was out of respect to Abraham that Lot was
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rescued. Perhaps this word encouraged Moses long afterwards to pray. Exodus thirty two,
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verse thirteen, Lord, remember Abraham, and see Isaiah sixty three,
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verse eleven. Lot's disgrace b c. One thousand, eight hundred ninety eight.
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And Lot went up out of Zoor and dwelt in the mountain, and
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his two daughters with him, for he feared to dwell in Zoor, and
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he dwelt in a cave. He and his two daughters, and the first
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born said, unto the younger, our old, and there is not a
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man in the earth to come in unto us, after the manner of all
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the earth. Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we
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will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. And
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they made their father drink wine that night, and the first born went in
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and lay with her father, and he perceived not when she laid down,
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nor when she arose. And it came to pass on the morrow that the
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first born said into the younger, behold, I lay yesternight with my father.
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Let us make him drink wine this night also, and go thou in
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and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. And
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they made their father drink wine that night also, and the younger arose and
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lay with him, and he perceived not when she lay down nor when she
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arose. Thus we're both the daughters of Lot, with child by their father.
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First born bere a son, and called his name Moab, the same
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as the father of the Moabites unto this day. And the younger she also
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bear a son, and called his name ben Ammy, the same as the
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father of the children of Ammon unto this day. Here is numeral one.
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The great trouble and distress that Lot was brought into after his deliverance verse thirty
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number one. He was frightened out of zoor Durst, not dwell there,
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probably because he was conscious to himself that it was a refuge of his own
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choosing, and that herein he had foolishly prescribed to God, And therefore he
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could not but distrust his safety in it, because he found it as wicked
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as Sodom, and therefore concluded it could not long survive it. Or perhaps
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he observed the rise and increase of those waters which, after the conflagration,
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perhaps from Jordan, began to overflow the plain, and which, mixing with
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the ruins by degrees, made the dead sea. In those waters, he
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concluded, Zoor must needs perish, though it had escaped the fire, because
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it stood upon the same flat Note. Settlements and shelters of our own choosing,
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and in which we do not follow God, commonly prove uneasy to us.
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Number two. He was forced to betake himself to the mountain and to
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take up with a cave for his habitation there. Methinks it was strange that
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he did not return to Abraham and put himself under his protection, to whom
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he had once and again owed his safety. But the truth is there are
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some good men that are not wise enough to know what is best for themselves.
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Observe Subscript one. He was now glad to go to the mountain,
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the place which God had appointed for his shelter. Note it is well if
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disappointment in our way drivers at last to God's way. Subscript two. He
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that a while ago could not find room enough for himself and his stock in
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the whole land, but must jostle with Abraham and get as far from him
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as he could, is now confined to a hole in a hill where he
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has scarcely roomed to turn himself, and there he is solitary and trembling.
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Note it is just with God to reduce those to poverty and restraint who have
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abused their liberty and plenty. See also in Lot what those bring themselves to
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at last that forsake the communion of saints for secular advantages, they will be
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beaten with their own rod Numeral two. The great sin that Lot and his
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daughters were guilty of when they were in this desolate place, it is a
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sad story. Number one. His daughters laid a very wicked plot to bring
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him to sin, and theirs was doubtless the greater guilt. They contrived,
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under pretense of cheering up the spirits of their father in his present condition,
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to make him drunk and then to lie with him. Verse thirty one.
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And thirty two. Subscript one. Some think that their pretense was plausible.
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Their father had no sons, they had no husbands, nor knew they were
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to have any of the Holy seed, or if they had children by others,
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their father's name would not be preserved in them. Some think that they
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had the Messiah in their eye, who they hoped might descend from their father,
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for he came from Terra's elder son, who separated from the rest of
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Shechem's posterity as well as Abraham, and was now signally delivered out of Sodom.
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Their mother and the rest of the family were gone, they might not
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marry with the cursed Canaanites, and therefore they supposed that the end they aimed
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at and the extremity they were brought to, would excuse the irregularity. Thus
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the learned Monsieur Alex note good intentions are often abused to patronize bad actions.
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But subscript two, whatever their pretense was, it is certain that their project
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was very wicked and vile, and an impudent affront to the very light and
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law of nature. Note se point one. The sight of God's most tremendous
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judgments upon sinners will not of itself, without the grace of God restrain evil
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hearts from evil practices. One would want wonder how the fire of lust could
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possibly kindle upon those who had so lately been the eye witnesses of Sodom's flames.
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Some point two. Solitude has its temptations as well as company, and
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particularly to uncleanness. When Joseph was alone with his mistress, he was in
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danger. Chapter thirty nine, Verse eleven. Relations that dwell together, especially
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if solitary, have need carefully to watch even against the least evil thought of
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this kind lest Satan get an advantage. Number two, Lot himself, by
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his own folly and unwariness, was wretchedly overcome, and suffered himself so far
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to be imposed upon by his own children as two knights together to be drunk
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and to commit incest Verse thirty three, et cetera. Lord, what is
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man? What are the best of men? When God leaves them to themselves?
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See here subscript one the peril of security. Lot, who not only
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kept himself sober and chaste in Sodom, but was a constant mourner for the
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wickedness of the place and a witness against it, was yet in the mountain,
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where he was alone, and as he thought, quite out of the
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way of temptation shamefully overtaken. Let him therefore the things he stands, stands
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high, and stands firm, take heed lest he fall. No mountain on
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this side, the holy hill above, can set us out of the reach
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of Satan's fiery darts. Subscript two, The peril of drunkenness. It is
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not only a great sin itself, but it is the inlet of many sins.
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It may prove the inlet of the worst and most unnatural sins, which
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may be a perpetual wound and dishonor excellently does mister Herbert describe it. He
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that is drunken, may his mother kill big with his sister. A man
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may do that without reluctance when he is drunk, which when he is sober
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he could not think of without horror. Subscript three, The peril of temptation
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from our dearest relations and friends, whom we love and esteem and expect kindness.
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From Lot, whose temperance and chastity were impregnable against the batteries of foreign
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force, was surprised into sin and shame by the base treachery of his own
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daughters. We must dread a snare wherever we are, and be always upon
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our guard. Number three. In the clothes we have an a hound of
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the birth of the two sons or grandsons, call them which you will,
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of Lot, Moab and Ammon, the fathers of two nations neighbors to Israel,
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and which we often read it in the Old Testament. Both together are
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called the children of Lot Psalm eighty three, verse eight. Note though prosperous
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births may attend incestuous conceptions, yet they are so far from justifying them that
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they rather perpetuate the reproach of them, and entail infamy upon posterity. Yet
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the tribe of Judah, of which our lord sprang, descended from such a
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birth, and ruth A Moabidis has a name in his genealogy Matthew one,
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verse three and five. Lastly, observe that after this we never read any
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more of Lot, nor what became of him. No doubt he repented of
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his sin and was pardoned. But from the silence of the scripture concerning him,
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henceforward we may learn that drunkenness, as it makes men forget fool so
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it makes them forgotten and many a name which otherwise might have been remembered with
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respect, is burit by it in contempt and oblivion. End of chapter recording
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by Inger Brewer