DIS C. him, preferved their integrity in the midft I. of a crooked and perverfe generation: while, by the unparalleled deftruction of the cities of the plain, he alarmed the fears of those who refembled them in impiety and iniquity. And although fo many hundred years have paffed, fince that aftonishing catastrophe took place, yet the history should anfwer the fame purpose now, that the event itself was defigned to do then. No time can destroy the efficacy of this falutary medicine for the dif orders of the world. Virtue and vice are not changeable things; they continue still the fame; and there is no alteration in the divine decrees concerning them. or later, in this life or the next, a deliverance fimilar to that of Lot will be granted to the righteous; a destruction correfpondent to that of Sodom will be the portion of the wicked. For, as St. Peter argues on the fubject, "If God, turning "the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into "ashes, condemned them with an over"throw, making them an example to those

Sooner

"that

I.

" that after should live ungodly, and deli- DISC. "vered just Lot, vexed with the filthy "converfation of the wicked-the Lord "knoweth how to deliver the godly out "of temptations, and to referve the unjuft unto the day of judgment to be

pu

It is with the utmost propriety, therefore, that the church, in the course of her proper leffons, openeth the prefent season of humiliation with a display of so awful and affecting a scene of mercy and judgment; that the finner may know how terrible is the wrath of an incenfed God, and the penitent be taught the way to escape it.

In conformity to fo judicious an appointment, it is propofed, in the following difcourse, to take a view of the whole narrative, illuftrating the several parts of it with fuch obfervations and reflections as, it may be prefumed, the church intended we should

DISC. make upon it, with an eye to the great

I.

doctrine of repentance, at this time more especially to be recommended and inculcated.

In the preceding chapter, the eighteenth of Genefis, we find the holy patriarch Abraham interceding with Jehovah for finful Sodom. And we find (fuch is the amazing extent of divine mercy) that had there been only TEN righteous perfons in the city, the reft would have been spared for their fakes. But univerfal corruption brings on universal destruction, and Abraham himself can intercede no longer. "The "Lord left communing with Abraham, "and Abraham returned to his place."

Our bleffed Lord, in whofe name Abraham, as a prophet, and as the father of the faithful, interceded for Sodom, intercedes, in like manner, for the world, which, notwithstanding the wickedness of it's inhabitants in general, is continued in being, on account of the righteous it contains,

and

I.

and the execution of God's counfels con- DISC. cerning his church. When the faithful fhall be minifhed from among the chil"dren of men," when unbelief and difobedience shall have overfpread the earth, the interceffion of Chrift will alfo be at an end, and vengeance will be poured out on the world of the ungodly. Then he, who now "maketh interceffion for finners," will no more "offer their offerings, or "take up their names into his lips." Then, that which alone hath fo long ftood between an angry God and a guilty world, fhall cease to do fo, and a deluge of fiery indignation will iffue from the presence of the Lord, to devour the whole earth; even as the waters of the fea once brake forth, and destroyed all flesh, upon the removal of those bars and doors appointed by the Almighty to confine them within their channel. Let every man, therefore, be diligent to fecure a part in the benefits of that gracious interceffion, which is one day to have an end. Behold "the great High Priest of our profeffion" standing before

A 3

DISC. before the altar in heaven, with his golden I. cenfer in his hand, ready to offer up the

prayers of his fervants, with the sweet incenfe of his own merits, to make them accepted with the Father. Now, then, let prayer afcend from earth to heaven, to glorify God, and pardon will defcend from heaven to earth, to blefs mankind—as we read in the epistle for the day—“ Now is "the accepted time, now is the day of "falvation."

The deftruction of Sodom being thus determined, Lot was to be first called out of it. Accordingly, "There came two "angels to Sodom," on the evening before the dreadful fentence was put in execution; "and Lot fate in the gate of "Sodom."

Happy were the days, when celestial vifitants thus deigned to defcend, and converfe with men, "as a man converseth "with his friend." But, furely, we have no reason to complain of any partiality

shewn,