to come;" he will not drive us to heaven, but, in order to incite us to consider our ways, and to learn wisdom, he sometimes causes a complete change to take place in our circumstances. When we are in prosperity, compassed about with loving-kindnesses and tender mercies, it is designed to inspire our hearts with gratitude to our heavenly Benefactor. The intended effect is not, however, always produced; instead of gratitude, insolent pride sometimes takes possession of our hearts, and we are ready to say our riches are our own. "Soul take thine ease, eat, drink and be merry." Then the Lord causes these riches to take wing and fly away, and he sends poverty, to try if the uncertainty of sublunary things will lead us to reflection. This failing to answer the end, he sends personal and family affliction, that we may know our frame and consider that we are but dust; and this again being unsuccessful, he visits our connexions with death, that we may see our mortality and be instructed. Now all these vicissitudes are intended to warn us to flee from the "wrath to come." Oh that men were wise to consider this!

4. The Almighty warns us by his Spirit. The Holy Spirit enlightens and convinces every man that cometh into the world. Have you not felt his powerful influence? Has he not many a time convinced you of sin, of righteousness and of judgment? Have you never been affected and alarmed, when all the awful realities of death and eternity were brought to your view by the irresistible power of the Holy Ghost? When in danger, or in affliction, have you not been awakened from your stupor, and felt the necessity of a change of heart? Perhaps at the solemn hour of midnight, when the pulse of time stands still prophetic of her end," sleep has departed from your eyes, the Holy Spirit has led you to serious thought, and you have been powerfully warned to flee from the "wrath to come. "What then could the Lord have done to warn you more than he has done? If you receive not the admonition of the Lord, you will die in your sins, but your blood will be upon your own heads; and yours will be the eternal reflection that you have wilfully and deliberately lost your own souls. Then turn ye, turn ye, for why will ye die?

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DELAYS ARE DANGEROUS.

GEN. xix, 17.

Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.

THESE words, which were spoken to Lot when he was about to retreat from the devoted city of Sodom, may be very properly addressed to all those who intend to make their escape from sin, and its conscquent destruction, to holiness and heaven.

Although the Lord usually exercises mercy in his dealings with the children of men, yet, when wickedness has abounded to a most enormous extent, when the unrighteous have filled up the measure of their iniquity, we have some few instances of his pouring out of his fury upon mankind, and of his visiting them with his fiery indignation.

But we may observe, that whenever those awful visitations of judgment have happened, the cause of them has invariably been "a superfluity of naughtiness; " and whenever we meet with instances of this kind, they ought to remind us of "the exceeding sinfulness of sin." After sin was introduced into the world, it soon began to shew its baneful effects, and to spread its contagion over all the earth: the Lord saw that the imaginations of the thoughts of the heart of man were only evil continually, for which cause he destroyed the inhabitants of the antediluvian world, reserving only Noah and his family to re-people the earth. And we may remark, that the poisonous influence of sin is the same at the present time that it ever was. We have merchants, travellers and missionaries, who visit all parts of the world, and they all agree in establishing this fact, that sin is universal. They find a difference in language, complexion, manners and customs, they find some of the human family nearly on a level with the brute creation, but all have sufficient intellect to convince them that they are infected with the loathsome disease of sin.

Sin possesses the properties of hardening the heart, and blinding the eye of the mind. These symptoms are the

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never-failing attendants of sin. And we cannot but observe how conspicuous these effects were in the conduct of the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah. It would no doubt be known to them that the old world had been deluged in consequence of sin, but still they could not see that the same cause would certainly produce the same effect in reference to themselves. They were not left without light. Pious Lot would undoubtedly admonish them, and tell them that sin would inevitably prove their ruin, and the Spirit of God would bear testimony to the same truth; but their hearts were so hardened, through the deceitfulness of sin, that they were determined to seek death in the error of their ways.

On the day before the awful catastrophe which befel the "cities of the plain," three angels appeared to Abraham, as he sat in his tent-door in the plains of Mamre, and acquainted him of the commission which they had to destroy these places. Abraham, affected with what he heard, and feeling for his nephew Lot, began to intercede most pathetically with the Lord for the wretched inhabitants, and he so far succeeded in his intercession, as to obtain a promise that if ten righteous men could be found therein the cities should be spared; and having received this promise, supposing most likely that there would be that number in Lot's family, "Abraham returned to his place."

In the evening two angels arrived at Sodom, in the form of travellers. Lot, who was " sitting in the gate of the city," beheld them, and invited them to his house. With much solicitation he prevailed upon them to go with him; and after he had performed to them the rites of hospitality, they communicated unto him their errand, and warned him to collect his household and flee from the city. Lot gave the alarm to his sons-in-law, who dwelt in the city, but he seemed unto them as one that mocked. "And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise," &c., ver. 15-18. We will leave the subsequent part of this history, and apply the words to our own profit. In the text we have an alarm, a caution, and an exhortation.

I. An alarm: "Escape for thy life.

1. Lot's life was in imminent danger. He was brought

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to this dilemma, he must either flee or be consumed by fire and brimstone. Very similar is the case of every unconverted man. His life too is in danger! his soul is at stake! he stands exposed to wrath! and he must either escape from his sin and danger, or perish for ever. A tempest far more dreadful than that which overtook Sodom and Gomorrah hangs over him. The storm which was showered upon Sodom consumed the bodies of the wretched inhabitants, and the name of the city perished for ever. But upon the ungodly, who will not forsake their sins, the Lord will rain down snares, fire and brimstone-a horrible tempest!-and this shall be the portion of their cup throughout eternity.

2. But Lot had timely warning to escape from the impending storm, and so has every sinner. In the Word of God he is told that "the wages of sin is death," and that "the wicked shall be turned into hell," "where their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched." The Almighty has also said to the ministers of the gospel, “Warn them from me!" and they, according to the grace given unto them, warn and teach every man. Every dispensation of Divine Providence is intended to admonish us that this is not our place, while the Spirit of the Lord powerfully whispers in our very souls, "Escape for thy life."

3. Lot's escape was to be effected in haste; and if he had not left the place at that time, he would have been destroyed with the wicked. "The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar," a small city, which was spared for his sake. Seeing the morning so fine, the men of Sodom would laugh at the credulity and precipitancy of Lot; but how would their countenances change, when the sun hid himself behind the sable clouds, to be seen by them no more!-when an awfully silent gloom pervaded the dark heavens, and when the first flakes of fire began to fall! Well was it for Lot that he had hasted away. Sinners have only the present time promised them for working out their souls' salvation. Now it behoves them to work! to escape! even now, while it is day! while they have time and opportunity! while the Spirit of God is striving! while the Lord is seated on his throne of mercy! Now they must confess and forsake their sins:

60 THE LOCAL PREACHERS' OWN BOOK. strive to enter in at the strait gate! and hasten to the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world. Now sinner escape! thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. "Fierce diseases wait around to hurry mortals home!" "Death's thousand doors stand open!" And if thou wilt not repent to-day, before to-morrow the pale King of Terrors may introduce thee into the world of disembodied spirits with "all thy imperfections on thy head!" Then escape for thy life-the avenger of blood is pursuing thee! Eternity is just at hand! the Judge is at the door! hell from beneath is approaching! Oh, flee! flee! flee! II. A caution : Look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain."

1. Look not behind thee, to consult the world. "" Remember Lot's wife," who in her heart looking back to Sodom after her worldly concerns, was turned into a pillar of salt. "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world; for if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.' The world will love its own, but it is the irreconcilable enemy of Jesus Christ and his followers; if, therefore, we consult our worldly enjoyments or companions, they will call off our attention: we shall look behind us and be undone. But shall we consult this vain transitory world on so important and solemn a subject as the salvation of our immortal souls ? Shall we suffer the unsatisfactory pleasures of this world to prevent us from securing solid, permanent, everlasting peace? Shall we permit our sinful companions to hold us here till we die in our sins? God forbid! Escape, escape for thy life!

2. Look not behind thee, to confer with flesh and blood. "The flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary the one to the other;" so that "they who are in the flesh cannot please God." "If we sow to the flesh we shall of the flesh reap corruption." They who look behind them, to confer with flesh and blood, will never escape to the mountain. If any man will follow Jesus Christ, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow him; and then the Lord will give him rest, in the enjoyment of a meek and lowly mind, and will ultimately crown him with " glory, honour, immortality and eternal life." Then have no conference with the flesh, but depart.