'- Contemplations. LIB. 11. orhers fhould finne: Iris for God ro prevent llns with judgements, it Isnot for men A toprevent ageater finnewith a lelfe: .the;befrminds when they are troubled, yeeld inconfidcrate mottons; os w.cer that ts viOlently frured, fends up bubbles : God me>nt betrer to Lot, then to fuffer his weake offer to be accepted: Thofewhich are bent upon villany are more exafperated by dilfwafion ; as fame thong fireames, ,when they are refilled by Aood-gates, five !I over the bankesMany aone is hardned by the good word of God; and in fiead of receiving rhe counfell, ragesat themelfenger: When men are grown to~hat palfe, that they are nowhit bcrrerby affliCtions , and worfewirh admonitions, God findes it time ro firike; Now Lots guefrsbegin to fhew themfelves Angels,and lirfr deliver Lot in sodo1ll, rhen fromsodo111 : Firfr firike them wirh blindt!elfe, whomtheywillafrer confume with fire:How littledid the sorlomites rhinke rhat vengeancewas fo netre B them! While they wentgtoping in the frreet, and curllng rhofe whom rhey could not find: Lot with the Angels is in fecure ligbt,and fees themmiferable,and fore-fees them burning- It is the ufe ofGod ro blinde and befot thofe whom heemeanes to dellroy : The light which they !hall fee !ball be fiery, which fl1all be the beginnin~ ofan everlailingdarknelfe, and a fire unquenchable:Now they h•ve done finning& God begimtojudge:Wickednelfe bath bur a time, rhe punifl1meut ofwickednelfe is beyond oil time-The relldue oftbenight was borh lbortand dangerous. Yet;good Lot, though fought for by rhe S•domites, and newly pull'd inrohishoufe by the Angels, goes forth o£ his houfe to feeke his fonnes in law : No yood man would bee favedalone; fairr makes us charirablewirhnegle(tofallperill: Hewarnesrhem ltke aProphet,and advifes themlike aFather, bur both in vaine; he feemes ro them C as ifhe mocked, and they doe more then feeme romock himagaine- Whylhould ro morrow differ from orher dayes?Who ever faw ir raine fire? Or whence thouid that brimfrone come ? Or iffuch lbowresmufr fall , how!ball nothing bume bur this Valley?So ro carnall m<n preachingis foolilhnelfe, devotion idlenelfe,rheProphets madmen,P•"Iahlbler: Thefe mens incredulity is as worrhyofrhe fire,as the others uncleannetfe. He rhar beleevcs nor, is condemned already. The metrengers ofGod doe nor only hafren L•t, but pull himby a gracious violenceout ofrhar impure Ciry- They rhirfted at once after venge•nce upon sotkme, and Lots fafery; they knewGod could nor frrike Sorlom, till Lot were goneout, and rhar Lot could nor be fafewirhin thofe walls- We are naturally in S•dom : ifGod did not hale usour, whiles we linger, wee lhould be condemnedwith the world. D IfGod meet with avery good field, he puisup theweeds, and lets rhe come grow; ifindifferenr, he lers the corne •nd weedsgrow together; ifvery ill, he gathers rhe few cares ofcorne, and burnes rhe weedsOh rhe brge bountyofGod which reacherh nor to us only, but to ours ! God favesLot for Ahr•hams fake, and Zo., for Lots fake; IfSodomhad not beene too wicked, irhad efcaped : Were it nor for Godsdeare children, that are inrermiKed wirh theworld,ir couldnor frand: The wicked owe their lives unrorhofefewgood, whom they hare and perfecure.Now aroncerheSunne rifes upon Zoar, and fire &Is downeupon 8odom : Ahrabam frands npon the hill, and fees the Cities burning; It is fair weather withGods children,when iris foulefr with rhe wicked. Thofewhich burned with rhe fire oflull,are now confumed with the fire ofvengeance:They fin- E ned againfr nature;and now againtl the courfeofnarure,firedefcends fromHeaven, and confumesrhem: Lot may not fo much as look at rheflame, whether forthe fray ofhis palfage, or rhe horror of the fight, or rryall ofhis faith, or fear ofcommiferation.Small preceptsfrom God are ofimporrance;obedience is aswell rryed, and difobedience as well punifhed in litrle,asin much:His wife doth but rum back her head, whether in curioiiry,orunbeleefe, or loveand compaffion ofrheplace; lbeis rumed inro amonument ofdifobedience:whar eothir availehernoc tobe turned inroalftes in sodo111,when lbeisrurned inro a pillar ofSalt'in rhe Plaine? He rharfaved awhole City, cannot (ave his ownWife.God .;annat abide fmall llnnes, in thofewhomhee hath obliged. Ifwedifpleafehim, God can asweU meet with usourofso/om: lP nowcomneinro Zoar, marvels at rhefray ofher, whom bemight not beforelook< backe
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