been really chargeable with the death of all the family ? As- suredly, the more faithful and earnest they were in the dis- charge of their duty, the more real benevolence they exercised: nor could they have displayed their love in any better way, than by seizing hold of them to quicken their pace, and urging them by the most powerful considerations to secure their own safety.]
We shall not depart from the real scope of the advice, if we regard it,
II. As applicable to ourselves —
Our condition is certainly very similar to Lot's — [God has declared that he will destroy the whole world of the ungodly, as soon as ever they shall have filled up the measure of their iniquities : and the judgments that he will execute upon them were typified by those that were inflicted upon Sodom. " The cities of the plain were set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire a." And it is doubtless in reference to the destruction with which they were visited, that the place of torment is described as " a lake that burnetii with fire and brimstone b." But there is a place of refuge provided for vis ; a mountain where no storms can assail us, no judgments ever hurt us. This refuge is the Lord Jesus Christ ; " whose name is a strong tower, to which the righteous runneth and is safe." On the other hand, there is no salva- tion for us, unless we flee to him. While we continue of the world, we must take our portion with the world : we must " come out of it, if we would not be partakers of its plagues0." We must " bear our testimony against it, that its ways are evil," and must in the whole of our spirit and conduct be separate from itd.]
The same advice therefore is proper for us, as for him —
[Two things are indispensably necessary for us, if we would enjoy the benefits which God has offered us in his Gospel; and these axe personal exertion and persevering diligence.
It had been declared to Lot, that the threatened destruction could not be executed till he should have arrived at the place pro- vided for hime. But could he therefore say, I am in no danger; I may take my leisure ; I may leave myself in God's hands ? Surely if he had acted in so presumptuous a manner, he would have perished with the ungodly multitude. When he had come out of Sodom, his exertions were no less necessary than before. He must flee to the mountain : he must escape as for his life :
a Jude, ver. 7. b Rev. xx. 10. c Rev. xviii. 4.
d 2 Cor. vi. 17. e Gen. xix. 22.