2. That not only modern and present, but ancient and old judg- ments are of great use to us, especially when like sins abound in the age we live in, or we are in danger of them as to our own practice.
374 A SERMON ON LUKE XVII. 32.
God biddetli the Israelites go to Shiloh, and see what he did to it for the wickedness thereof, Jer. vii. 12. And the apostle saith, the Israelites in the wilderness were our figures and examples, 1 Cor. x. 6, that ' we should not lust as they lusted, nor murmur as they murmured, nor tempt Christ as they tempted.' And another apostle tells us, that Sodom and Gomorrah are set forth for an example to those that should afterward live ungodly, Jude 7. If others have smarted for dis- obeying God, why not we, since God is impartially and immutably just, always consonant and agreeable unto himself ? His power is the same, so is his justice and holiness. If we will not be warned by threatening nor example, we sin doubly ; as he that will run into a bog wherein others have plunged themselves before is guilty of double folly — of adventuring rashly, and not taking warning. This is one great benefit that we have by the historical part of the word, that it does not only preserve the memory of the saints, that we may imitate their graces and enjoy their blessings, but also recordeth the sins and punishments of the wicked, that we may avoid their judgments. As here. Lot's wife was turned into a pillar of salt to season after ages.
3. This particular judgment is monumental, and so intended for a pattern and spectacle to after ages ; and it is also here recommended by the Lord himself : ' Remember Lot's wife.' He exciteth us to look upon this pillar ; and therefore certainly it will yield many instructions for the heavenly life.
[1.] This seemeth to be a small sin. What 1 for a look, for a glance of her eye, to be so suddenly blasted into a pillar of salt ! This seemeth to be no great fault ; but it teaches us that little faults in appearance many times meet with a great judgment. There may be much crooked- ness in a small line ; and the matter is not so much to be regarded as the majesty and authority of God that commandeth ; as in garments the dye is more than the stuff. A man may be more wicked in com- mitting sin in a small matter than in a great ; partly because it is against a plain commandment ; partly because the sin might have been easily left undone, because the temptation was not great, and we stand with God for a trifle. But that I may at once vindicate God's dispensation, and enforce the caution, I shall prove —
(1.) That sin is not to be measured by the external action, but by the circumstances. Eating an apple, to a common eye, is no great matter , but God hath laid a restraint upon it, and that was the ruin of all mankind. Moses's words, Num. xx. 10-12, 'Hear now, ye rebels ; must we fetch water out of this rock for you ? ' But 'he spake unadvisedly with his lips,' Ps. cvi. 33. God found unbelief in them, and therefore he shut him out of the land of Caanan. God knew this woman's heart, and could interpret the meaning of her look. We cannot [)ut a difference between the look of Abraham and the look of Lot ; yet the one was commanded, and the other forbidden. Abraham is allowed to look to Sodom : Gen. xix. 28, ' And Abraham got up early in the morning, and looked toward Sodom ; and behold the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.' Yet Lot and his family are forbidden to look that way. We cannot distinguish between the laughter of Abraham and the laughter of Sarah : Gen. xvii. 17, ' And Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, saying, Shall
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a child be born to him that is an hundred years old ? and shall Sarah, that is ninety yeai'S old, bear?' Compare Gen. xviii. 12, 'And Sarali laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?' And she is reproved: 'And the Lord said. Wherefore did Sarah laugh?' The one was joy and reverence ; the other was unbelief and contempt. We cannot distin- guish between the Virgin Mary's question, Luke i. 34, ' How shall this be ? ' and Zachariah's, Luke i. 18, ' And how shall I know this ? for I am an old man:' and he was struck dumb for that speech, ver. 20. But though we cannot distinguish, God, that knoweth the secret motions of the heart, can distinguish.
(2.) This woman's sin is greater than at first appeareth. For here was — (1.) A preferring her own will before the will of God. Ga)d said, Look not back ; but she would look back. (2.) There was a contempt of the justice and wrath of God, as if it were a vain scare- crow : 1 Cor. X. 22, ' Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy ? are we stronger than he ? ' (3.) Here is also a contempt of the rewards of obedience, as in all sin : Heb. xii. 15, 16, ' Looking diligently, lest any man fail of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness, springing up, trouble you, and thereby many be defiled ; lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birth- right.' (4.) There was an abuse of the grace offered for her escape and deliverance. Warning is given by an angel, and offer to save herself and all that belonged to her; as none sin against God, ' but they despise the riches of his goodness and forbearance,' Rom. ii. 4. Oh ! therefore look not on sin at a distance, but make a narrow in- spection into it. All these four things are in every deliberate sin, seem it never so small.