dwell in Sodom without fear. What benefits he was losing, and what dangers he was about to rush into, he little thought of: his earthly prosperity was all that occupied his mind : and whether the welfare of his soul were forwarded or impeded, he did not care. This conduct every one must blame : yet how many are there who pursue the same heedless and pernicious course ! How many for the sake of temporal advantage will leave the places where their souls are nourished with the bread of life, and take up their abode where there is an incessant "famine of the word!" How many will form their connexions even for life upon no better principle than this ! Well will it be for them, if the troubles which they bring upon themselves, operate, as they did on Lot, to bring them to repentance.]
Let us learn from hence,
1. To guard against the love of this world —
[It is not without reason that St. John says, " Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world : if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in hime." We see in the instance before us what unhappy dispositions the love of this world generated, and what unworthy conduct it produced. Indeed the folly as well as sinfulness of this disposition is strongly illustrated in the present case : for Lot had enjoyed Iris portion but a little time before he was plundered of all that he possessed, and himself and family were carried into cap- tivityf: and, after his restoration to liberty and opulence, he at last was forced to flee for his life, and to leave all his pro- perty, and part also of Iris family, to be destroyed by fire from heaven g. Thus shall a love of this world be recompensed to all. If God have designs of mercy towards them, he will either take away from them the objects of their idolatrous regard, or embitter to them the possessions in which they have sought delight. Let us then be on our guard against that " love of money which is the root of all evil ; which while some have coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced them- selves through with many sorrows : for they that would be rich, fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition11."]
2. To cultivate an affectionate and self-denying
spirit —
[If we look no further than this present life, the exercise of love and self-denial has greatly the advantage of selfishness, even when it is most successful. Let us compare the feelings of Abram and of Lot on this occasion : how refined, how enviable
e 1 John ii. 15, 16. f Gen. xiv. 12.
s Gen. xix. 14, 17, 25, 26. '> 1 Tim. vi. 9, 10.