might be in every other view, it was palpably wrong in this. The command was plain and positive ; " Look not behind thee in all the plain." It was not for her to determine whether the command were more or less important ; her duty was to obey it : and, in violating it, she rebelled against the Majesty of heaven. Eve's eating of the forbidden fruit might be thought a slight offence ; but it ruined the whole world. And Saul's sparing of Agag and the spoil, might be called a merciful and commendable deviation from the commission given him ; but it was declared to be rebellion against God, and as criminal in his estimation as witchcraft or idolatry s.
In remembering therefore her sin, we should remember, that God looks not merely on our outward conduct, but at the inward principles and dispositions of the heart.]
2. Her punishment — [This was truly awful. She was instantly involved in the very same ruin that overwhelmed all the cities of the plain. Not a moment was allowed her for repentance ; but she was cut off in the very act of sin, and summoned into the presence of her Judge to receive her doom at his hands
It was moreover exemplary. She was made a monument of God's holy indignation, and a warning to all future ages, that men must not trifle with sin, or be inattentive to the Divine commands. Wherever the Bible shall come, even to the very end of time, she will be held up as an example of that ven- geance, which shall sooner or later overtake all whose hearts are at variance with their professions.]
It will be proper to state, II. Why we are to bear her in remembrance —
Much there is that we may learn from her ; but particularly,
1. Our duty —
[That we are not to be altogether " of the world," is a truth that scarcely need be mentioned to those who make any profession of religion. But very few are aware to what an extent our renunciation of it should be carried. It is not suf- ficient, that we do not run to the same excess of riot with the ungodly ; or that we differ from them in appearance and pro- fession : we must indeed have some intercourse with them (or else we could not fill up our several stations in life) ; but we must " come out from among them and be separate, and have no more communion with them than light with darkness, or Christ with BelialV Nor must we have our heart set upon
g 1 Sam. xv. 22, 23. '> 2 Cor. vi. 14—17.
1555. J LOT's WIFE. 2o
our property, when God in his providence is calling us to forsake it. We need not put away riches from us, if God is pleased to cast them into our lap ; nor ought we to be indif- ferent to the preservation of them, if we can keep them toge- ther with our integrity ; but they are not to be our idol ; nor ought we to regret the loss of them, if we be called to sacrifice them for the honour of our God. We should have our affec- tions withdrawn from things below, and set exclusively on things above. We should " love nothing that is in the world," so as to judge it at all necessary to our happiness : instead of wishing to accumulate possessions in it, or to enjoy its vanities, it should be our principal care to shun its pollutions, and escape its plagues1. If we look back upon it at all, it must only be for the purpose of kindling in our hearts a more lively gratitude to God, who in infinite mercy has delivered us from it, and plucked us out of it as brands out of the burning.] 2. Our danger — [Let not any one imagine himself safe, because he is come out of Sodom, and is associated with those who are fleeing from the wrath to come. We know that the Scripture does give many blessed assurances of the Divine protection to those who trust in God : but it is a very sinful perversion of the Scriptures to interpret them in such a manner, as to invalidate all the solemn cautions which are given against apostatizing from our profession, and falling short of the promised rest. We are in danger k: and our security principally consists in feeling our danger, and in acting conformably to those sensations. For what end are we so frequently reminded of the destruction of the Israelites after they had been brought out of Egypt, and after they had been favoured with God's visible presence in the wilderness1? or why did our Lord so strongly recommend us to " remember Lot's wife ;" and tell us, that " no man, who having put his hand to the plough should look back, was fit for the kingdom of God?" or where is the man, however con- fident he may be about the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints, who will venture to say, that he himself is in no danger of " looking back," and that he is already so " escaped from the pollutions of the world, that he never can be entangled again with them and overcome ? " I say again, we are in danger, all of us; and it becomes us "not to be high-minded, but to fear." " Let him therefore that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall."]