ciful man, and this part of his character eminently appears in his conduct on this occafion: but he could carry his interceffion, in behalf of Sodom, no farther than this, that if there were ten righteous perfons there, it might be spared for their fake. The holy angels, who fojourned with Lot, teftified no reluctance to the fulfilment of their commiffion, although it was to iffue in the utter deftruction of thefe cities".

That the juftice of God might be fet in the cleareft light, the inhabitants of Sodom were permitted to manifeft their greedinefs, obduracy, and violence, in working uncleannefs, at the very time that the heavenly vifitors came to their city. No regard to the laws of hospitality or of decency, no expoftulations or reproofs, could reftrain them. Parents do not conceal their wickedness from their children; but feem determined to train them up in their own abominable courfes. All the men of the city, "both old and young," befet the house of Lot. To thefe abandoned wretches, even the holy angels of God are objects of temptation, and feem a lawful prey. How could "their judg"ment linger," or "their damnation flumber?".

The circumftances of this deftruction were moft awful. The punishment referved for all the wicked was anticipated. Hell was kindled on earth, and for this end rained from heaven on the fe atrocious finners. Their deftruction comes from that quarter, to which alone they could look for mercy. The windows of heaven are opened a fecond

n Gen. xviii. 33.; xix. 13.

o Gen. xix. 4.

fecond time, and pour out, not a flood of water, but of fire.

God appears more immediately in this judgment, than in the deluge itself. In accomplishing it, one divine Perfon evidently co-operates with another. "The LORD rained upon Sodom, and up"on Gomorrah, brimstone and fire from the LORD "out of heaven P." It greatly heightens this difplay of indignation, when we find that he, who afterwards came to fave, on this occafion appeared on earth, and in the likeness of our nature, as the destroyer.

The deftruction, by means of the deluge, was gradual. But this was fudden and inftantaneous. Sodom was" overthrown as in a moment, and no "hands stayed on her 9." This circumftance fhews the fierceness of divine indignation; and is a lively figure of that fudden deftruction which fhall come on all the ungodly, when that fame LORD, who came down to vifit Sodom, shall be "reveal"ed from heaven in flaming fire "."

So urgent are the claims of justice, that even Lot feems in danger. While he lingered, the angels laid hold of his hand, and brought him forth, and fet him without the city. JEHOVAH himfelf faid to him," Escape for thy life;-efcape to the "mountain, left thou be confumed." For, in public vifitations for fin, even "the righteous fcarce"ly are faved." Lot had no proper call to take up his refidence among thefe wicked men; and his

p Gen. xix. 24.

s 1 Pet. iv. 18.

F 2

his deliverance is reprefented as wholly the fruit

of mercy.

This deftruction, in fine, was meant as a striking figure of the eternal punishment of the wicked. Hence it is faid, that these cities" are fet "forth for an example, fuffering the vengeance "of eternal fire"." As the manner in which they were punished prefigured the fire of hell; the perpetuity of their deftruction is meant as a permanent emblem of everlasting deftruction, in "the lake that burneth for ever and ever." Thefe cities" fuffer the vengeance of eternal fire." For it is the will of God that they should never be rebuilt and not only is the place where they once food, covered with the Dead Sea, and to the highest degree falt, although in an inland fituation, whence it is alfo called the Salt Sea; but, as it ftill manifefts the effects of burning in the extreme barrennefs of the adjacent country, this burning is in fome fenfe continued, in confequence of the fulphur, falt, and afphaltus or bitumen abounding in the fea, or incorporated with the foil. Hence, a country lying under the most awful effects of divine vengeance is thus defcribed: "The whole land is brimftone and falt, and burn

ing; that it is not fown, nor beareth, nor any

grafs groweth thereon; like the overthrow of "Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboim, "which the LORD overthrew in his anger, and in "his wrath ".

II. The

t Gen. xix. 16. 19.

u Jude 7.

v Deut. xxix. 22.-24.

See Wells's Geography Old Test. vol. i. p. 290.—297. New Test. vol. iv. p. 81.

II. The juftice of God has been often difplayed, in the most striking light, in the remarkable refemblance between the fin and the punishment. In the old world, iniquity had come in like a flood; and God fwept away the tranfgreffors by a flood of waters. The inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah burnt with the fire of unnatural luft; and God destroyed them by preternatural fire. Pharaoh would not let Ifrael go, although God's fon, his first-born; therefore he flew the first-born of Pharaoh, and of all Egypt ". This cruel defpot commanded, that all the male children of the Ifraelites fhould be drowned; and in this very manner God deftroyed him and all the ftrength of his kingdom. Nadab and Abihu "offered ftrange "fire before the LORD; and there went out fire "from the LORD, and devoured them." Adonibezek, although a heathen, was obliged to acknowledge the ftrictnefs of divine retribution, when his thumbs and great toes were cut off: "Threefcore and ten kings," faid he, "having "their thumbs and their great toes cut off, ga"thered their meat under my table: as I have “done, fo God hath requited me." Samfon did not make a covenant with his eyes, fo that they proved his fnare: and he was chaftifed by having them put out 2. As the fword of Agag, king of Amalek, "made women childlefs," fo was his mother made "childless among women b." Abfalom's vanity as to his perfon feems to have been

the fource of his rebellion, and of his ruin. This vanity was especially difcovered about the hair of his head; and by this, as would feem, he was entangled in the oak, where he met his merited. fate d

Many other inftances of the fame kind might be mentioned. But I haften to obferve,

III. That the Mofaic economy seems to have been especially defigned to give the Church the deepest impreffions of the punitive juftice of God; and to prepare her, by awful difplays of feverity, for receiving the doctrine of atonement by the fufferings of a divine Perfon. It had this effect partially on the Church of Ifrael. For the law generated a fpirit of fear, which was occafionally difcovered even by wicked men. The faith of genuine believers, however faintly, difcerned the neceffity of a better fatisfaction than could be made by the blood of bulls or goats. But this inftruction was efpecially meant for the New-Teftament Church. Even to the prophets "it was "revealed, that not unto themfelves, but unto us they did minifter the things that are now re"ported "."

The law could not annul the covenant made with Abraham. It was added in fubferviency to this. It was "a fhadow of good things to come." But in itfelf confidered, and as it affected the great body of that people to whom it was given, it was the ministration of death, and of condemnation £. 1. If

c2 Sam. xiv. 25.; xv. 6. e 1 Pet. i. 11, 12.

d 2 Sam. xiv. 26.; xviii. y.

f 2 Cor. iii. 7.