2 Peter 2:6 (part 1 of 2)

THis is the third instance of Gods severity and mercie; severity to the obstinate, mercie to the penitent. First, he confounded the Apostate Angels, and preserved the obedient. Secondly, he drowned the secure world, and saved the faithfull Noah. Here he burned the ungodly Cities, and delivered the just Lot. He begun with honour and sublimitie, casting downe Angels; to shew that no Celsitude can priviledge rebellion against his will. He went on with multitude and universalitie, drowning a whole world, to shew that no numbers, legions, or armies of sinners can prevaile against his Iustice. He concludes with opulencie and worldly estate, in this overthrow of Sodome, to shew that no riches and prosperity can availe in the day of wrath.

Sodome was a second Eden, the garden of the world yet he that for transgression did throw Adam out of Paradise, did also for the same reason overthrow Sodome with all her pleasures. There only eight were saved out of the whole world, and here are but halfe eight delivered from this ruine. And as one of those eight was after cursed by his father, and became a precedent for all rebellious children: so one of these foure was punished by the Father of all, and for her tergiversation or retrospection rather, was turned into a pillar of salt, and became a monument of Apostacie to all succeeding ages: this was Lots Wife.

Only this latter exceeded the former destruction in some things. 1. For generalitie, it was more universall and impartiall: eight there escaped, here but foure. 2. In regard of the Instrument, that was by water, this by fire; an element of greater furie and torment. 3. For the suddainesse, the water drowned them by degrees, so that by the continued ascending it might soften them to repentance. The fire consumed all those quickly, without giving them leasure to thinke of their sins save with a desperate consideration. 4. The water choked their corporall lives, and killed only that was mortall; there is hope that some of their soules escaped. But here the elementary fire sent them to eternall fire; and their destruction was followed with damnation.

Two Principalls in the verse.

The Punishment, Turning the Cities, &c. Monument, made them an ensample.

The punishment is described by three termes, which are Burning. Overthrowing. Condemning. Some would have them all signifie one thing, as if they were diverse characters of the same destruction; but this doth not sufficiently honour the pen of the HOLY GHOST. We may better resolve it thus; referring the burning to the vastation of their cities, the overthrowing to the spilling of their lives, and the condemning to the perdition of their soules. Their cities were burned, their bodies subverted, their soules condemned. Wherein the Lord, like some angry warriour, not only contents himselfe to ransake the houses of their goods, but fires their Cities: nor is so pacified, but puts all to the sword; as Saul had a charge for Amalek; 1 Sam. 15.3. Vtterly destroy all they have, slay man and woman, infant and beast. Yea, he goes further than any mortall conqueror; for they can punish but temporally and corporally; but the Lord eternally; Iud. ver. 7. They suffer the vengeance of eternall fire.

The Monument hath two things

In it What; an ensample To whom, To those, &c. So that if we avoid their sins, we shall escape their plagues. Here are various observations deducible.

First, the number of the Cities; but two are mentioned in the Text, but certainely moe were involved in the ruine. Gen. 19.25. All the plaine; likely that more cities on that plaine than two. It was a great circuite of ground, as appeareth by the dead sea there, which Iosephus, who was brought up in the countrey, gives to bee threescore and twelve miles in length, and nineteene miles broad. The number of them is most like to be foure, so many rehearsed by Moses; Deut. 29.23. Sodome, Gomorrha, Admah, and Zeboim. But it is objected, Wis. 20.6. That the fire fell downe upon the five Cities: therefore five. Some thinke that Zoar also perished, though for a time it was preserved by the intercession of Lot. But this supposition is false, for it was knowen by the name of Zoar in Esa. 15.3. Esay’s time; His fugitives shall flee unto Zoar. Before it was called Bela, now as Lot changed the name, so God changed the condition; little in quantitie, great in the favour of mercie. And for that of the Five cities, the word is Pentapolis, that is the place where those five Cities stood. Two more cities perished, but Sodome and Gomorrha are only mentioned, because they were the capitall cities, and metropolies both in the sin and punishment. Where observe,

The force of example prevaileth strongly to produce the likenesse of manners. [Facile] transitur ad majores, ad plures. The authoritie of greatnesse doth often corrupt the integrity of goodnesse. The bad conditions of popular persons are like Iacobs speckled rods, which make the sheepe, the beasts of the people, bring forth the •e parti-coloured actions. The ill custome of an eminent place is drawen up like some pestilent exhalation, and corrupteth the aire round about. The proverbe speaks of bad customes, bad opinions, and bad servants; that they are better to hang then to hold. If Ieroboam worship calves, how easily will most Israelites become such beasts! We may say of an exemplary sin, as Ioab of Rabba, it will be called after the founders owne name. A stone throwen into the water, makes of it selfe but one circle, but that one beges a hundred. Though few men will confesse their sins, yet many mens sins will confesse their Masters. To beget a precedent of vice, is like the setting a mans owne house on fire: it burnes many of his neighbours, and he shall answere for all the ruines. A sicke head makes a disordered body, a blind eye endangers all the members. A rulers unrighteousnesse, like the late blasing star; it hath a long taile, drawes a traine of mischiefes after it, and is ominous to the whole land. Whereas pietie in a Prince, like Aarons ointment, runs downe to the skirts of his garments, blesseth all his subjects.

An exemplary offender, is like a malicious man sicke of the plague, that runnes into the throng to disperse his infection. Vrbis ad exemplum, &c. Sodomes filthinesse is not confined at home, but runnes like Nilus, over all the Plaine; not a village but glories in the imitation. When a publike person is tempted to sinne, hee should answer as Nehemiah, when he was tempted to flee: Neh. 6.11. Should such a man as I flie? Should such a man as I thus grossely offend? To sinne before the face of God, is to dishonour him; but withall to sin before the face of men, is doubly to dishonour him. Many an Israelite committed fornication, and yet upon repentance got pardon but Zimri, that would wilfully do it in the face of God and man, was sure to perish. This aggravated Davids errour, that it made the enemies of God to blaspheme.

Such a bitter roote shall answer for it selfe, and for all the corrupt branches: as sin that is done abroad, ceaseth to be single: it is many sinnes in one. Let us therefore give good example: when Christ told that noble petitioner, Ioh. 5.50. Thy sonne liveth; at the first hearing he beleeved: but when he came home, and weighed the matter; not onely himselfe, but by his meanes, the whole houshold beleeved. And for those that take advantage to sin by precedent; Tutum est peccare authoribus illis; let this be their terror. Other Cities followed Sodomes lust, and they were all consumed with Sodomes fire. It is a common plea, our fathers did thus before us, and the whole world doth thus about us. But what comfort is it, to fulfill the measure of our forefathers, or to perish with our neighbours. The high Priests servants can make Peter deny his Master. Quantò calescebat igne Sacerdotali, tantò frigescebat amore Divino. Let Corah kindle a fire of conspiracie, two hundred fifty Captaines will bring wood to encrease it. A lewd man drawes vengeance on others, by the punishment of his sin, or by the infection of it.

Secondly the matter: they were Cities, not Hamlets or Villages, but populous and walled Cities. Famous Cities, not lesse than kingdomes: Gen. 14.8.13.10. The kingdome of Sodome, &c. Fruitfull Cities, as the Garden of God: Cities lent to men, but better beseeming the Majestie of God: so glorious that they tempted a Saint. Lot seeing the goodly plaines of Iordane, the commodious springs, delightfull rivers, richnesse of the soile, situation of the townes: without enquiring further, is in love with Sodome. Observe,

1. That the strongest Cities are not shot-proofe against the arrowes of God but even things ordained for refuge, are by his justice made destructive. There is nothing peaceable, where God is an enemie. The wind is a meteor whereby in some sort we live, a fanne in the Lords hand to purge the aire: yet how often doth he make it carry infection on the wings, and ruine buildings with violence: Children are comfortable fruites; yet was David scourged, and Senacherib butchered, by their owne bowels. Sampson is betrayed by the wife of his bosome: and the Israelites die of quailes provided for their sustenance. In vaine we build, unlesse the Lord lay the first stone: or plant, unlesse he say, let it grow. Blessed is the Citie Psal. 147.13. whose gates God barreth up with his power, and openeth againe with his mercy. There is no thing can defend where his justice will strike; and there is nothing can offend, where his goodnesse will preserve.

2 Sinne can bring downe the most magnifique Cities, and lay them even with the ground. Can Sodomes pompe of state, confluence of pleasures, abundance of riches, Nah. 3.8. pride of inhabitants, secure her life? It was Gods challenge to [Niniveh]? Art thou better than No? Let it be a challenge to London, Art thou richer than Sodome? It is written of Tyrus, that her Esa. 23.7. Merchants were Princes, and her [trafiquers] the Honourable men of the earth; yet God makes disport at her overthrow; B• that glorious Citie, &c. Babylon, a little world in it selfe; Ierusalem, the pride of the whole earth; both found wickednesse to undoe their composition. Rome, stiled that Eternall Citie, shall feele the immortality of her soule, supremacie over Kings; troden under feete. Greatnesse of sinne will shake the foundation of the greatest cities, though their heads stood among the clouds, and lay their honour in the dust

3 None of these wicked Cities escaped: Strabo thinkes that some fled away but Gen. 19.25. Men, women, children, houses, plants, monuments, all that grew on the earth, were destroyed. And who will wonder that their ungodlinesse brought destruction upon the harmelesse creatures; that considers, how we nocent wretches caused innocence it selfe to be crucified for us? not onely were the plants and herbs smitten for the time, but cursed into everlasting Psal. 107.34. See Esa. 34.9. and Wis. 10.7. Ioseph. Barrennesse. There now runnes the salt and dead sea, whose bitternesse is such, that no fish can live in it. Aristotle. Other that have viewed the Countrey affirme, that no grasse groweth there, and that it still smoketh: that the fruit appeareth faire; but within, it is nothing but embers and rottennesse. Insomuch, that the Proverbe makes a Sodome apple, the embleme of an Hypocrite. So universall was their corruption, that some thinke they brought up their children to their owne beastly conditions, Gen. 19.4. Young and old, a concourse of all the Citie. With fury, envie, and lust provoked, they dare attempt that in troupes, which to act single had beene too detestable: to imagine, unnaturall. Continuance in evill makes wicked men worse; but company in evill, worst of all.

Therefore God destroyed them all; the communitie of their sin preceded the universalitie of their ruine. Here is the difference betwixt Gods people, and Idolaters; the latter are destroyed utterly; but of his Church the Lord alwaies leaves a number; some seeds to encrease his harvest. Esa. 1.9. Except the Lord had left us a seed, we should have beene as Sodome, and like unto Gomorrha. In this we shall not be like Sodome; which is our speciall comfort: though this whole land grone under sinnes, and all the foundations be out of course: yet there are some that feare God in sincerity of heart, and CHRIST hath his number of Elect among us. And so long as that number remaines, we shall not be made as Sodome, the matter of fire, and brimstone; a stinke to our neighbours about us, and a scorne to all succeeding generations. But disclaime we our own merites, and honour the true cause of all our happinesse; the mercie of God, Lam. 3.22. whose compassions faile not.

5 Great is the danger of living in opulent and delightfull places. That Sodome abounded with all varietie of pleasures, it is plaine: being watered with the river Iordan, as Paradise with Euphrates, and Aegypt with Nilus: Yea, Aegypt was watered with more difficultie; as Deut. 11.10. appeares. Iordan was the noblest of all rivers, rising out of two fountaines; Ior, and Dan: from both the heads, united in the valley, it was called Iordan. It was famous for foure occasions. 1. For the passing of the Iosh. 4.18. Israelites over it, the waters being miraculously divided: and a monument set up in the middest of it. 2. For the parting of the streame againe by 2 King. •.14. Elisha, after that Elias was by the same river taken up in a fiery Chariot. 3. For the healing of 2 Ki•g. 5.12. Naaman the Syrian of his Leprosie: he thought as well of Abanah and Pharphar; but the Lord was with Iordan. 4. Matth. 3.13. For the baptising of our blessed Saviour above all other waters he seemed to honour Iordan.

This noble river serving so ignoble a countrey, made it fruitfull; that Lots heart was fixed on it. Outward appearances are deceitefull guides, and it is no hard thing for the affection to coozen the Iudgement. He is worthy to be deceived, that values things as they seeme. He payes deare for his rashnesse: warre spoileth Sodome, and Lot is taken prisoner with all his substance. Now that Abraham, whom he forsooke, must rescue him: and that wealth which made him leave his Vncle, is become a prey to mercilesse heathens. The place which his eye covetously chose, betrayes his life and goods: how easie is it for men, while they looke at gaine, to lose themselves.

Such was the richnesse of Sodome, full of magnificent building, gardens, vineyards, pastures; a concurrence of all earthly commodities; therefore the more likely to run into all licentiousnesse. The people of Laish, because they wanted nothing, would have Iudg. 18.7. businesse with no man. Where is no want, is much wantonnesse: and to be rich intemporalls, hastens povertie in spiritualls. What should humble them, that doe not find themselves to stand in need of God? Cyrus would not suffer his Persians to change a barren soile for a fruitfull: because dainty habitations make dainty inhabitants. If we consider Sibaris, and Campania, the store-house of Rome, Sicilie; the Stove of luxurie, Capua: where can we looke, that the rankenesse of the soile hath not betrayed it selfe in the rankenesse of sin? Men have naturall inclinations according to the Genius of their countrey: and it is rare to find Gods pietie, where is Gods plentie. In a scantnesse, the things themselves doe stint and restraine our appetites: but where is abundance, and the measure is left to our owne discretion, our discretion is too often deceived. Esa. 28.1. The valley of them that bee fat, and overcome with wine. They that live in fat valleys, are soone overcome with wine. To apply it.

Ilands are the richest soiles, therefore Ilanders are held the most riotous people. We lie at the dugs of a most fruitfull mother, repose our selves in her indulgent bosome: we live in as dangerous a place for prosperity as Sodome: and as the fattest earth is most slippery for footing, we had need of speciall grace at every turne, and urgent cause to pray for that grace, that in the midst of all abundance we may not want temperance. Prov. 39.8. Agurs prayer is no Paradoxe; Give me neither povertie, nor riches: both extremes are dangerous, but the greater perill is in the excesse, than defect. Let us pray with Saint Paul, that we may know how to want: but especially that we may know how to be full and abound in all things. The Prayers of our Church have it, let our understandings marke it, and our hearts implore it, And time of our wealth good Lord deliver us. When God himselfe tells us, how hard it is to bee made happy, by being made wealthy; and we see by experience, how common a precipice it is to destruction; we find cause to redouble that petition, In all time of our wealth good Lord deliver us.

The pride of apparell, excesse of cheare, and superabundance of ebrietie, agre civitatis indicia, Sen. are the effects of an opulent kingdome. Have we not seene that make artificiall conveyances of sinne to posterity, that labour to purchase vice a perpetuitie, that have leasure to study arguments for the Iustification of evill? Thrice happy he that can be chast in Sodome, that can be temperate in England. Thus high are we growen in prosperity and iniquity; Summisque negatum est stare diu. Let us all look backe upon Sodome: me thinkes we should rather wish to learne at the charges and by the stripes of others, than that the Doctrin of destruction should come to our owne doores. We see great Cities, mighty kingdomes, and the fairest flowers of all histories, trampled under foote: they should learne us to beware. Peace we have, and the God of peace continue it, to his glory and our good: the bees may hive themselves in our helmets, and our horses of warre have little use, save to draw our Coaches up and downe the streets. It is the eye-sore of our enemies, and let envy looke her selfe blind. Yet let not all this secure us, lest we be forced unto that forlorne crie; O that our feare had looked forward to the prevention, before our sorrow constraines us to looke backward upon this desolation. Let repentance cure our sins, and procure mercie to our soules, and bring us to that citie above; where is plentie of riches, plentie of honours, plentie of pleasures, plentie of knowledge, love, joy; plentie of all blessings, without all abuse of plentie.

5 We are sent to the Author of this dire overthrow, the Lord: He turned, the Cities, &c. Gen. 19.14. The Lord rained fire and brimstone from the Lord out of heaven. It is not enough to say, the Lord rained from himselfe: nor doth it only signifie a miraculous raine, beside the course of nature: but well have the Fathers urged this place to prove the Eternitie of CHRIST; to whom the Father hath committed all Iudgement: the LORD CHRIST did raine, from IEHOVAH the LORD his Father.

Those wonderfull events, which the ignorant ascribe to fortune, the Atheist to nature, the superstitious to their Idols, the polititian to his plots, the proud to his owne power, too many to second causes: in all these the servants of God looke higher, resolving all such effects to their first principle; Digitus Dei. The fame of Alexander, the renowne of Caesar, have beene much applauded for their victorious triumphs: Vlysses for policie, Hector for valour. The best of them have their matches in the Booke of God. Ioshua fought as magnanimously, as successefully; yet (when he had conquered five Kings and kingdomes) the glory is the Lords, Iosh. 10.42. God fought for Israel. The Ethiopian army was a thousand thousand; Asa vanquished them: yet said, 2 Chro. 14.12. The Lord smote the Ethiopians. Chusai was politicke, and taught the Traitor a tricke to overthrow himselfe: yet is it said, 2 Sam. 17.14. The Lord destroied the counsell of Achitophel. Salomon was magnified for his wisedome; yet in that admirable proofe, the derision betwixt the two harlots; it is called 1 King. 3.28. the Wisedome of God. It will suffer no glory to cleave unto earthen vessels: let the principall and first mover have it; The Lord did it.

Psal. 9.16. The Lord is knowen by executing Iudgement; upon Sodome and all the world. If Pharaoh will not know him at Mose’s mouth, he shall feele him to his cost in the bottome of the Sea. If Herod will not know to honour him, he shall be loathed of his flatterers: they ran to him as a deitie, they shall run from him as carrion. If Sodome will not know God by Lots preaching, they shall know him by the fire about their eares. God is knowen by his Iudgements: his almightinesse is knowen by the creation, his mercie by our redemption, his wisedome and goodnesse by the worlds conservation: so his Iustice is knowen by the wickeds destruction.

That this is the Lords doing appeares, in that he spares others that have beene as guilty: for his mercie every where matcheth his Iustice. He confounded Sodome yet he hath converted many as wicked as they: his free grace hath brought those to heaven, who have deserved as deepe a place in hell. Manasseth broke his covenant with God, yet his repentance found mercie. As therefore we should feare to sinne, lest we perish as Sodome: so turne we to God in hope of savour, for he hath spared some as sinfull as Sodome. Esa. 1.10. ver. 18. Heare the word yee Princes of Sodome, and people of Gomorrah. They are compared to Sodome, yet mercie is offered, if it be penitenly and faithfully accepted.

6 Lastly, yet more to justifie this Iudgement of God, that is, to make it appeare just; as sinfull as Sodome was yet the Lord destroyed it not without premonition. First, hee sent among them a bloudy warre; which, whom it left not dead on the earth, it tooke alive into bondage. Here was one warning: yet in how few yeares hath Sodome forgot that she was spoiled and led captive? Had she beene warmed by the sword, she had escaped the fire. Yet did not that ill successe either make Lot leave Sodome, or Sodome leave sin: he still loves his commoditie, and she her impietie. Wicked men grow worse after afflictions, as water growes more cold after a heate.

This was not all, but according to the stintlesse vicissitude of their sins, God followes them with a succession of plagues. Yet after all these warnings, they become worse; so bad, that there were not ten good men to be found in five cities. This heape must needs be fit for the fire, that was all chaffe. Besides, God is said to Gen. 18.21. Come downe from heaven about this examination. Which is a figurative speech; for he that filleth all things, neither goeth nor commeth: and he that knoweth all things, needs not inquire. But to shew that hee does not proceed in the extremity of Iustice, without such a precedent scrutiny as may leave them without excuse.

Lot continually preached to them, by his perswasion to holynesse, by his regular and exemplary life: here was still further warning. He had fire in his tongue, but they had a sea of water in their hearts to quench it. His conversation was as great a vexation to them, as theirs was to him. He reproved them the very night before their ruine: but such as be bent upon villanie, are more exasperated by disswasions: like violent streames that, when they are resisted by floud-gates, swell over the bankes. Not being able to reclaime the multitude, he singles out some: and when the rest of the night was short and dangerous; he being sought for by the Sodomites, and newly puld in by the Angels: yet he ventures abroad to seeke his Sons in aw. They were but betrothed to his daughters, yet such was his charity, that he hazards his owne safety to preserve theirs: faith would never be saved alone, but win all she can. He did admonish them like a Prophet, and advise them like a father; but both in vaine. He seemed to them as one that mocked, and they did more than seeme to mocke him againe. Why should to morrow differ from other dayes? Who ever saw it raine fire? No Almanacke ever spake of such weather. Or how should brimstone be ingendred, or exhaled into the aire? The clouds are bottels of waters, not of flames. Or if such a shower should fall, why must it not burne all the earth, as well as the valley? Why not as universall as was the deluge? Or grant it doe come, yet it cannot be so suddaine, but we shall have time to call for mercy: it will be as long a dispatching us, as the flood was a drowning them. Thus carnall men count preaching foolishnesse, devotion idlenesse, and Prophets mad men. Certainly these mens unbeleefe was as worthy of the fire, as the others uncleannesse: hee that beleeveth not, is already condemned.

Lastly, in the attempt of that horrid impiety, the Angels Gen. 19.11. smote them with blindnesse: now this being so miraculous and immediate a worke, might have warned them enough, that the businesse they undertooke was damnable. They smote not the Medium, which was the aire: nor the object, which was the doore: but their sight with such a blindnesse, that they could not discerne one thing from another. As the Aramites, that they could not descry the Prophet, nor the way, nor the Citie. Both their outward and inward discerning faculty was dazeled. Yet doth not this sensible warning better them: they go groping up and downe the streets, cursing those men whom they could not find: and yet they bethinke not themselves, that vengeance must needs be neere them. All this while Lot and the Angels be in light, and see them stumbling, and foresee them burning. God first stroke them with blindnesse, whom he will after consume with fire: it is his use to besot them he meanes to destroy. This darknesse was a forerunner of eternall darknesse, as the next mornings flame was an enterance to their ever-burning fire in hell.

Let this teach us to admire Gods patience, that will not destroy a Sodom without some warning and forbearance. If we wormes and dust should be so used of men, as God is used of us, we should quickly shew our corrupted stomachs. We have vengeance in our will, but not in our power: God hath vengeance in his power, but forbeares it in his will. We are commanded while we breath, to pray the Lords prayer; Forgive us our trespasses: which teacheth us that there is mercy in God without wearinesse. Sodome cracked the earth with the weight of her sins, and made the aire stinke with her loathsomenes; yet the Lord was long-patient. And will that God be furious and hasty against that soule that groones, weepes, bleeds for her offences? If it were not for this, how could we scape being sacrificed to destruction, to expiate his Iustice?

God chargeth Israel, that they had seene his glory, yet Num. 24.22. Provoked him ten times. Luk. 13.34. How often would I have gathered you! his mercies exceed all numeration. We have beene a Ier. 31.31. Provocation to him ever since we were made, as Ierusalem was ever since it was built. But though the LORD be pleased at some times, and to some sinners, to enlarge his patience; let not us be bold to enlarge our disobedience. He punished the Angels in heaven for one fault, Achan for one sacriledge, Miriam for one slander, Moses for one unbeleefe, Ananias for one lie: he may be as quicke against our offences. How often soever he knockes, our safest course is to rise at the first call. Many are prevented by his Iustice, their spirits departing from them, as Iacob from Laban, or Israel from the Aegyptians, without taking leave, carrying away their Iewels and dearest treasures. Let us feare the price of angring so dreadfull a Majesty, and abusing so rich a patience: he now lookes for our fruite, or we must looke for his fire.

Next, be we taught here to take the hint of Gods warning; and not to let him that is the breath of the Father and the Sonne, spend his breath upon us in vaine. He deales with sinners, as David with Saul: who tooke away his speare, and his waterpot, and somtimes a piece of his cloake; as it were snatches and remembrances, to let us understand that we are in his hands, and if we take not warning, he will further punish us. We call, and he heares: we aske, and he grants: we knocke, and he opens: cannot all this prevaile with us to deale so with him? Which of us can say, he hath not beene warned? It is Gods charge to his Prophets; Mat. 21.5. Tell my people; Diximus, we have told them: Esa. 58.1. We have shewed his people their transgressions, and the house of Iacob their sins. Hath death given us no warning, did we never find stitch and convulsion? did the head never ake? the stomach never refuse nourishment? All these are warnings of death, as death is a citation to Iudgement.

There is scarce any thing in the world, but it may serve for a monitor to us: as the messengers of Iob came one after another, to informe him of his unhappinesse; every one saying, Ego solus aufugi, I alone am escaped: to what purpose? To tell thee; Some of the Iewes are delivered from that raging destruction: to what end? Ezek. 12.16. To declare their abominations among the heathen, that they may know the Lord. But many are like the Sodomites, hardned by the warnings of God. Instead of embracing the counsell, they rage at the counceller. But when men are growne to that passe, that they are not better by afflictions, yea worse with admonitions, God finds it high time to strike. Now they have done sinning, God begins to plague. Wickednesse hath but a time, the punishment of wickednesse is beyond all time. Even the good Angels shall be the executioners of this judgment; and having first delivered Lot in Sodome, then from Sodome, they let drive at Sodome. There cannot be a more noble art, than to do Iustice upon obstinate malefactors. God doth not often punish for impurity, but impenitency.

Thus farre we have walked in generalls, such usefull observations as the story affords us: now to the particulars wherein consider principally two things; the measure, and the manner. The measure was a totall ruine, the manner, by fire. Frst for the measure.

Overthrew them.] It was a plenary and universall destruction. Their outward happinesse was so great, that like rotten fruite they could no longer cleave to the tree. It is said of the wicked, Psal. 73.5. They come in no misfortune like other men. No misfortune? now therefore all at once. It is not good to be too happy for this world: there is danger in being without dangers. The very heathen were loth to surfet on pleasures, and tooke it an introduction to further mischiefes. When Philip heard that his Army had got the conquest, that his Son Alexander was borne, and that his Chariots wonne the prize at Olympus, all in one day; he called on fortune to spice his joyes with a little bitternesse, lest hee should forget himselfe. The Aegyptian King blest himselfe from Policrates, because he was over-fortunate: when he would try an experiment in despight of fortune, throwing a rich jewell into the sea, and finding it at his house in the bowels of a fish. It was a heathen curse, to wish all good lucke to their very enemies. It is not good for a man to engrosse prosperity, lest like a wasted candle, Extremum occupet fumus, faetor, & caligo. Belshazzar had no sooner drunke his voluptuous health in the Cup of the Temple, but a new Cup was reached unto him, the Cup of vengeance, and he must drinke off that too.

Here was a suddaine alteration: this houre a land flowing withall delights and riches; whithersoever they looke, beholding nothing but pleasures; and a few minutes have determined all this. Now nothing is visible but ruine, not a house, not a tree, not a plant, not a pile of grasse standing: smoke and sulphur, and stench and barrennesse possessing all the Plaine. When Amalek was destroyed, the trees stood: when Iericho was burnt, the gold was preserved: though the foundations of Troy cannot be seene, yet grasse growes in the streets. But heere, silver and gold, plants and trees, grasse and beasts, houses and monuments, all consumed. This is such an overthrow, as the like never went before it, nor shall ever any match come after it; but that one universall combustion of heaven and earth. Therefore the Scripture, when it speakes of an utter Am. 4.11. Overthrow, points at Sodome. She might have endured many plagues, yet still stood upon her foundations: but this is such a ruine as admits of no reparation. Such a one, as Sodome did only beare it, and may it please God that none but Sodome may ever feele it.

Condemned them.] The spoiling of their houses was much: yet had only their cities beene demolished, they might have built others, or lived in caves, or fled into forraine countreyes. The spoile of their goods was more: yet grasse that is troden downe, may grow againe: the world hath more wealth. The maiming of their limmes had beene greater: yet life is sweet, and their coaches, and couches, and crutches, artificiall legges; and hospitalls, charitie is not quite dead. The killing of their bodies, and consuming their lives, yet neerer: the merchant will lose his provision, lose his wards, lose his vessell, to save his life. Yet if life be lost, is there not a day of reviving? Let death crumble the body to dust, shall not the resurrection restore it whole? Or if they must perish, yet let it not be by fire, the extremest of all torments. But what if fire turne the body to ashes, may not the soule ascend the heavens, and live in peace? O but what ransome shall a man give for his soule? Damnavit, he condemned them; this the most insuppportable burden.

To turne such goodly buildings into ashes, will not this satisfie his Iustice? To slay the beasts, wither the plants: not this? To sluce out the blouds and lives of so many thousands; mothers having no leasure to cry for their infants, because it is their owne turnes to suffer: not all this? No, the soule must answere for the soules offenses; He condemned them. The traveller yields to the theefe; take my purse, my horse, my garments; only spare my life. And man beseecheth God; take goods, and pleasures, and honours, and libertie, and life; only spare my soule; let not that be a prey to Satan. Miserable wretches! if they knew the worth of their soules, they would bespeake destruction, as the King of Sodome did Abraham; Gen. 14.21. Da nobis animas [nostras]; Give us our soules, take all the rest. Let us save our houses, if we can, and save our goods, and save our lives: but howsoever, let us save our soules, though we lose houses and goods and lives.

All was sharpe enough, but as our Saviour said to the man sicke eight and thirty yeares (a long and hopelesse torment) Ioh. 5.14. Sinne no more lest a worse thing happen unto thee: there is a worse behind: all extremities are light and slight to Condemnation. Innumerable are the curses of God against sinners: but the last is the worst, comprehending and transcending all the rest; Damnavit; a Condemning sentence. The Sodomites felt a dismall Iudgement; fire and brimstone scalding their blouds to death: but what a slight spark doe they Iudge it to that they now feele in the fornace of hell. This is the Lords finall sword, when all his rods be worne out, and the wicked never the better. A smart blow comes, and the sinner is sensible, cryes out for case, and hath it granted: now he thinkes this punishment hath pacified Gods wrath, and he hath payed his owne debt. Another Iudgement comes, and he beares it with impatient sorrow, humbles himselfe, like Ahab: that once removed he hopes now God hath done with him. A third succeeds, now he grumbles under the load, thinkes that God doth him wrong; that he takes more than he should, and plagues him beyond his desert. But all this doth not better him: at last the Lord comes with Damnavit; Condemneth him: and then if all his riches, all his pleasures, the oblation of his son for his sin, the racking of his joynts, tearing of his flesh, the burning of his body for the ransome of his soule, could serve, he would make a joyfull tender of them all: but then they will not bee accepted. If any thing but damnation could excuse the reprobates, their condition were not so fearefull: but this Descendere ad infernum, condemning to hell, is the perfection of all wretchednesse.

Let us prevent Gods Iustice, by doing to our selves what he threatens to doe unto to sinners. Let us overthrow our sins, that he may not overthrow our houses: [condemne] our selves, that he may not condemne our soules: turne our iniquities to ashes that his fire may spare our Cities. As Niniveh by taking to heart the message of their overthrow, did overthrow the message. Their walls and buildings stood, by letting their transgressions fall. They turned to deprecation and repentance, and [God] turned to commiseration and forbearance. The subversion was threatned, the conversion effected. Thus let us save God a labour, that when he comes to correct us he may find it done to his hand. Let us be selfe-afflicters, as we have beene selfe-tempters: and set repentance to doe what God threatneth. Have we sinned in intemperance, let us punish our selves with abstinence: then God will not inflict on us famine. If in uncleannesse, chastise we the flesh by contrition, and clense it with resolution against all unchastitie: so may we escape the diseases both of body and [conscience]. Let us breake off our covetice by mercie to the poore: so in stead of being impoverished on earth, we shall find riches in heaven. If in anger, let us returne to patience: so when the Lord comes in anger against us, we shall move him to be patient toward us. If in pride, come we downe to humility: when he lookes to find us in the chaire of presumption, let him see us in the humble dust: then instead of casting us downe to hell, he will lift us up to heaven. Thus with the fire of grace from Gods Altar, let us consume our naturall, unnaturall corruptions; that the fire of vengeance may never touch our houses, nor bodyes, nor soules. Lord, overthrow our sinnes, and let our selves stand: teach us to condemne our errors, that thou mayest never Condemne us. That so serving thee with purenesse of heart, wee may bee brought to the brightnesse of thy glory, through the greatnesse of thy mercie.

Turning the Cities into ashes.] I come to the manner of their destruction, which was by fire: wherein consider foure circumstances. The strangenesse, the sharpenesse, the suddennesse, the destructivenesse.

1 The strangenesse; it was a miraculous raine; brimstone mingled with the fire, as a fit matter to disperse it: and, it is very likely, salt too: Deut. 29.23. It shall burne with brimstone and salt. Yea, and that water was powred downe also, from which was gathered the dead sea remaining to this day. This Raine came from Heaven, the upper region of the aire, the place for fiery meteors. And haply the nature of the soile being full of pitch, slime, and other combustible matter, did much encrease the burning. Gen. 14.10. The vale of Siddim was full of slime pits, and the Kings of Sodome and Gomorrha fell there. This was strange indeed, that fire and brimstone, the materialls of hell, should come downe from heaven: or that flouds of water should grapple with streames of fire: and that all, as water does set lime a burning, should helpe rather to enflame. Psal. 11.6. Vpon the wicked shall the Lord raine fire and brimstone, and stormy tempest. That brimstone, a minerall of the earth, should be found in the aire, drawne up by an extraordinary exhalation, to be sent downe after an unexampled confusion! But this was the Lords doing, and it is marvellous to our thoughts.

2 The sharpenesse. It is said of fire, that it is the best friend, the worst enemie: no element is more noble when it is our friend, none more terrible when our foe. God himselfe is a consuming fire: and he maketh his Angels a flame of fire. As the fire lies hid in the hard flint, so God is in every thing: it is quicke and shining, like the Trinitie. Fire consumeth wood, and purgeth gold: so doth the Lords grace consume our creature, and refine his owne creature. We desire not to be too farre off from the fire, lest we be too cold: nor too neere, lest it burne us. If we be too farre off from God by our Apostacie, we soone perish with cold death. If we dare come too neere him him by our presumption, we are swallowed up with his infinite and inaccessible glory.

There was Ignis sacer in the Temple: that holy fire went out in the captivitie: but some of the Iewes say, it was hid in a pit. The Holy Ghost came downe upon the Apostles in the shape of fire. The fire concurres to the generation of things with the other elements, yet is it selfe child-lesse, it hath no fruit of his owne. So doth the Spirit worke with the other Persons in our Redemption, yet hath no person Proceeding from him.

Thus excellent is fire while at peace with us: it heates, purges, enlightens, consumes: so doth grace heate our hearts, enlighten our minds, purge our [affections], consume our corruptions. But when it is at warre with us, the rage is terrible things most beneficiall in their use, are most pestilent in their enmitie. There is a graue to swallow Corah, water to drowne the old world, a sword to fall upon Ioab a plague to slay Israel, a scourge for the backe of fooles; but nothing so sharpe as fire? The heathen have worshipped it for a god: for which choice being reproved, they demanded any thing that could overcome fire, and they would adore that. An Image was made by a cunning Artist, the substance whereof was clay, full of holes which were so done up with some liquid matter that they were not seene. The invincible God of fire was put under this Image; which quickly hardned the clay and was put out by the melting liquor. But here was a stupid ignorance, to slip out of one Idolatrie to another: and instead of a naturall element, to give over themselves to an artificiall Idole. Fire hath over-mastred stronger Images than ever were made of clay, and left their ruines shamefull reproches to all their superstitious Idolaters.

There is no element in the extremest fury more afflictive to the sense, than fire. Water doth only drowne, and soone choake the breath by stopping the passages of respiration: so Pharaohs destruction was in this respect farre short of Sodomes. The aire doth only stiffle the spirits, and by infecting the bloud, doth no more than a pleurisie or plague, dispatching if not with like speed, yet with lesse torture: thus the Israelites in the plaines of Midian, sped not so ill as the Sodomites in the plaine of Iordan. The swallowing earth that opens her jawes with a quaking motion, devoures men alive, but it soone with a falling closure makes them dead: Thus Corah and his confederates suffered easier than Sodome and her inhabitants. But fire killeth not only with the rest, but tormenteth above them all: scorching the limbes puckering the skinne, enflaming the bloud, enraging the sense, torturing the whole man. The sword is a sharpe executioner, armed with hostilitie, it hath unprisoned millions of soules. The teeth of wild beasts roaring for their prey, are mercilesse, as the enemies of Daniel felt. The neerest of all plagues that comes to the torment of fire, is famine: and the very anguish of famine ends in a kind of fire: when for want of vivid moisture the radicall heate is inflamed, and burnes up the vitall spirits. Gunpowder, Novemb. 5. the most damnable minerall that ever hell begat, or Rome made use of (for those worshippers of the Successor of Saint Peter found much emploiment for salt-peter) yet can doe nothing without fire: it is but a speeding messenger that fire sendeth.

All manner of deaths murders have in them some more mercie, or at least lesse crueltie, than his fiery massacres. It is reserved in humane Iustice for the most horrible offenders; murderers, witches, denyers of CHRIST, Atheists; of which last number we have too many, but that the cunning Devill dares not be so bold as to professe it. But there is another fire for them, which shall quickly burne out Atheisme; for they shall feele eternally that there is a God; and their flame must be so much the hotter, because they would not beleeve in their offered Saviour. This is the incomparable torture of fire so powerfull, that no other element shall have the honour of purging heaven and earth, but fire: none able to burne this universall machine but fire. None other ordained to be the speciall matter of the reprobates torment in hell, but fire: whether in figure to shadow, or in realitie to performe, the extremest tortures, fire must doe it. That hath the most searching propertie, and can onely refine what is substantially good, and consume what is [qualitatively] evill.

Beside all these expressions comparatively, the sharpenesse of this punishment by fire, is aggravated by three gradations.

1 By the quality; it was not onely fire, but a deluge of fire. Gen. 19.24. The Lord rained fire: not sprinkled by drops, like a gentle shower, but Rained, as it were whole sheets of fire, the flashes of lightning are nothing to it; but flakes and streames of fire; The highest gave his thunder, hailestones and flames of fire. Not a little kindled, as fire in a house, that gathers force by degrees, and from small sparkes riseth to a violent cumbustion; but the very beginning was a raine of fire. They had rained on the earth great cataracts of sins, and heaven rained on them great cataclismes of flames.

2 By their indisposednesse to beare it; men quite destitute of the grace of God, and forfeited to all discomfort. Flesh and blood, in either valour or desperatenesse, have endured many strange torments in this world; lancings, searings, rackings, all to protract a miserable life. Divers martyrs have leap’d into their beds of flames, as beds of downes. But the sense of the torment hath been qualified by Gods assistance and their patience. But he that could coole Dan. 3.27. the burning fornace by the will of his mercy, did inflame this fire by the breath of his fury. There was fire for doing well, here is fire for doing ill. There was the fire of man against the love of God, heare the fire of God against the lust of man. There was grace to allay it, here was sin to enrage it. The punishment was the more sensible, as the patients were more sensuall.

3 By the addition and mixture of it: not fire alone, but fire mingled with Brimstone; a matter fit not to allay it, but encrease it. Extendit, non extenuat flammam [sulphur]. The perplexing properties of Brimstone are three: to burne darkely, sharpely, loathsomely. Darkely to grieve the sight, sharpely to afflict the sense, loathsomly to offend the smell. The Scripture, to describe the extreme tortures of fire, addes often Brimstone. Esa. 30.33. Fire and much wood, Ezek. 38.22. Psal. 11.6. Rev. 19.20. and the breath of the Lord like a river of brimstone to kindle it. Where is both a Prosopopoia in the Breath, and a Topographia in the Brimstone: both figures to expresse the furious indignation of the Author, and fierce severity of the Act. For the Allegory of Breath, to denote the rage of Saul against the lambes of Christ, he is said to Act. 9.1. Breath out slaughter. To signify the Lords wrath against sinners, he is said to breath out fire. For Brimstone, it makes fire more terrible; darkening the splendor of it to the sight, sharpening the fervour of it to the sense, and [augmenting] the stench of it to the smell.

This discovers to us the nature of sin, how stinking and loathsome it is to God, that burning Brimstone is not more offensive to us. Fatidius Deo peccatum, quàm [homini] sterquilinium. No perfumes are more pleasant to the sinner, no dunghills more noisome to the Lord. Absalom thought his pride sweete, Zimri his adultery, Nabal his wealth sweet: the usurers gold, the lascivious mans harlot, the defrauders gaine; all fragrant smells to them; because they breath no other aire but such [pestilent] corruptions. And the very sent of goodnesse would set them hard, as fen-men are sicke with a subtle aire, or the soile-man swooned when he passed through Bucklersbury. But if their hearts were unstop’d, and clear’d from the cold and congeald catarres of sin, they would be sensible of the stench; and there is no worke of darknesse but they would smell Brimstone in it. Our blessed Saviour feedeth among the lilies, lodgeth in the beds of spices, the sweet graces of his Church: let not us like Dorres, love the dunghills: or like Scarabees, passe over all beauties, to light upon sores and ulcers. O that we could but discerne sin as it is in it selfe: how should we then hate our lusts, our lies, our oathes, our covetous desires and practises; smelling the stinke of Brimstone in them all! Indeed we are all unsavowry of our selves, odious to that God, who hath pure eyes and pure nostrills: onely our hope and comfort is, to be sweetned Eph. 5.2. with the perfume of Iesus Christ.

3 The Suddennesse; the fire was not long a dispatching them: but as it fell before their expectation, so it destroyed them before their recollection. When the sun did rise, then began the raine to fall; now this was just at Gen. 19.15.23. Lots entring into Zoar: at breake of day he went out of Sodome, at sunne-rising he came into Zoar: betweene which spaces a man may goe foure miles, say the Hebrewes. Now Gen. 19.27. Abraham rose up early in the morning, yet he saw not the falling of the fire, but the rising up of the smoke onely. This must needs be done suddenly: in all likelyhood, lesse than halfe an houre determined all the glory of Sodome. The Prophet sayes, In a moment: Lam. 4.6. Sodome was destroyed in a moment. Why then should not men beleeve the same power of the last fire to consume the world, and our changing even in a moment? 1 Cor. 15.52 In a moment, in the twinckling of an eye, at the last trumpet. That fire gave the Sodomites no time of remembrance, nor shall the last fire give the world any time of repentance. Vita brevis, & ipsa brevitas incerta: that may come suddenly, which wee know will come certainely. Wee have no more Patent of forbearance than had Sodome: it is said of the wicked, In momento ad infernum, In a moment they goe downe to hell. Death doth not alwaies creepe upon a man by degrees, like Ezek. 47.3. Ezekiels waters; from the ancles to the knees, from the knees to the loynes, and so to the heart: but swallowes some ere they can swallow their spittle. Iam. 5.9. The Iudge standeth before the doore. Would the theefe breake into the house, if he knew the Iudge stood at the doore? We may say of our sinning and dying, as Physitians of their criticall dayes; the first is Index, the second Index. Our sins shewes we shall die, our death judgeth us for our sinne. But betwixt both these there is [Medium], remedium, a gracious helpe, the intervention of our seasonable amendment, and applying the satisfaction of Iesus Christ.

4 The destructivenesse; Turned them to ashes. It is a fearfull degree in punishment, in cineres redigi, to be reduced to ashes. God went farre with Israel, when they were Titio ereptus, Am. 4.11. a brand snatched out of the burning. He proceeded further, when he set the whole Forrest of his people on fire; yet stil a remnant was preserved, some did escape, even thorow the fire. The Prophet by the Ezek. 37. Dry bones, shadowes out a desperate estate. A man is sicke, there is danger: panting for life, great feare: dead, no hope: buried, despaire: the flesh consumed, nothing but bones left, here is the utmost extent, saving onely his wholly mouldring to ashes. Iob. 14.7. There is hope of a tree if it be cut downe, that it will yet sprought againe: but cut downe, cast into the fire, and converted to ashes, no hope.

Yet is this the end of all flesh: the innumerable army of Xerxes, all become ashes. Herod that was honoured as a god by men, was proved to be a man by wormes; turned to ashes. The Roman Palace, the Spanish Escuriall, all the glorious Cities and buildings of the earth, shall meet in this catastrophe; bee turned to ashes. Salomon from his royalty, Achitophel from his policy, Caesar from his monarchy, Plato from his Philosophy, even Moses from his humility; all good men from their sanctity, all bad men from their impietie, must descend to make ashes. Death is that impartiall metamorphoser, that turneth all secular glory into ashes. Where are they that credits this Temple wherein we pray, that built those houses wherin we dwell, that founded the Citie wherein we live, that begun those societies whereof we are? ye know, all turned to ashes. Not turned to birds and beasts, as the Poets fain’d, much lesse to stars; neither to plants nor planets; least of all to celestiall Angels, but to dust and ashes.

There is difference of estates while we live; Cinerum sub pulvere nulla. Yee are gods; there he considered their pompe and dignity: but yee shall die like men, there he minds their end, that with the change of his note, they might also change countenance He tells them their honour, but withall their lot. In power, wealth, traine, titles, friends, they differ from others: in death they differ not from others. They are cold when winter comes, witherd with age, weake with sickenesse, and melt away with death, as the meanest: all to ashes, 1 Pet. 1.24. All flesh is grasse, and the glory of man as the flower: the glory, that is the best of it, but a flower. No great difference, the flower shewes fairer, the grasse stands longer, one sithe cuts downe both. Beasts fat and leane fed in severall pasture, kild in one slaughter. The Prince in his lofty palace, the beggar in his humble cottage, have double difference; locall and ceremoniall height and lownesse: yet meet at the grave, and be mingled in ashes. We walke in this world, as a man in a field of snow: all the way appeares smooth, yet cannot we be sure of any step. All are like actors on a stage, some have one part and some another, death is still busie amongst us: here drops one of the Players, we bury him with sorrow, and to our scene againe: then falls another, yea all, one after another, till death be left alone upon the stage. Death is that dampe, which puts out all the dimme lights of vanitie. Yet man is easier to beleeve that all the world shall die, than to suspect himselfe. Though we be older than those we follow to the grave, yet stil we hope for a longer reprieve. If any thing could have hired death to spare, our fore-fathers would have kept our possessions from us. But ashes must to ashes: dust was our composition, and to dust must be our dissolution: only we looke for a better resurrection.

From all this observe the fit proportion of the punishment to the sin. They which burned with the fire of lust, are consumed with the fire of vengeance. They sinned against the rule of nature, and they perish against the course of nature. They had conjured up hell to earth; and God sent hell out of heaven. For their unnaturall lust, unnaturall fire: there is a loathsome stench in their wickednesse, and there was the stinke of brimstone in their confusion. Such is the Iustice of God, not onely to strike for offending: but also the wisedome of God to strike according to the manner of offending. Psal. 9.16. The Lord is knowen by executing Iudgement: making Psal. 73.15. Their sword enter into their owne heart. The Gibbet which Haman built for Mordecai, shall hang himselfe. Pharaoh made away the Hebrew males, and was requited with the death of his first borne. Herod slew the infants of Bethlem, and was punished by the murder of his owne children. Hildebrand suborned a villaine with a great stone on the Churches roofe, to braine Fredericke the Emperor doing his devotions after his wonted manner: and the same Traitor tumbled downe, and was quashed in pieces with the same stone. Thus was Alexander the sixt poysoned with the same liquor which he had ordained to make away some of his Cardinalls. Three of those fiery conspirators were maimed and disfigured, by the fiering of powder at Holbecke in Worcester shire; who had meant by powder to blow up a whole State. Let all these examples terrifie the wicked: God will meet with them in their owne kinds, and fill them a cup with their owne tempering. As their tongues have walked against heaven, so they shall be confined to hell: Propter solutas linguas, they shall [have] Catenatos pedes. For drunkennesse, want of a drop of water: for covetousnesse, everlasting povertie of comfort.

Two things are yet further to be looked into. 1. how the Iustice of God may be justified in this universall confusion of the Sodomites. 2. what was the utmost extent, or what followed the ruine.

For the former; it is the Atheists exception against the Iustice of God, that he confounded the innocent with the guilty. The men indeed were given over to [licenitiousnesse], but no such thing is testified of the women: and if the women were also sinful, yet the infants were not capable nor culpable of such faults. For answere, first let us hold this undenyable Tenent; The judgements of God are often secret, alwaies just He will shew mercie to whom he will, and he does us undeserved favour. He will execute Iudgement on whom he will, and he does us no wrong. That he saves any, the cause is in himselfe: that he condemnes many, the cause is in them.

God is absolute Lord over all his creatures: and as it was his only pleasure to give life, so also to take it away. Neither are we more to demand a reason of the latter, than we are able to conceive a reason of the former. Whether he gives, or he takes, still blessed be the Name of the Lord.

Children are parts of their Parents, and therefore may bee justly infolded in their fathers punishments. They are guilty of originall sin, a filthynesse that they have by propagation from their parents: for their soules were infected, so soone as ever they were infused. Before the Iustice of God there are none innocent. They that have sinned from their parents, may justly bee inrolled with their parents. Though they be not guilty of their fathers actualls, yet they have by nature so much corruption, as may deserve sharpe correction. How frequently hath God chastised the children for the fathers offences. Davids child begotten in adultery must die Ioh 9.2. Who did sinne, this man, or his parents, that he was borne blind? This the Apostles could easily see, Chrys. howsoever they undescreetly asked: Quia antequam nasceretur, [peccare] non potuit ut cacus nasceretur. Ezek. 18.20. But the Sonne shall not beare the iniquity of the Father; a good sonne shall not answere for a bad father. But the child is a sinner, [etiam] parvulus unius diei: and when it hath the fathers sin with the owne it is punished for the owne sin, not for the fathers.

Thus doe many children suffer for their parents beeing conceived in offence, and deriving their diseases from their birth: there is Morbus haereditarius, as Physicians speake. Iob 14.4. Who can bring a cleane thing out of an uncleane? Both the trees and fruite were corrupt, the spring and chanels uncleane, therefore involved in one generall ruine. So fully did the Iustice of God triumph over them, that he left none remaining; but even the very seed and off-spring of the Sodomites perished. Esa. 1.9. Vnlesse the Lord had left us a remnant, wee had beene as Sodome? they had no remnant left. The very little ones infected with their parents sins, were wrappd up in their parents flames.

Nor only fell those Sodomites for the present but for ever; suffering the vengeance of eternall fire. A Iudgement so fearefull and singular, that it is able to strike a horror into our hearts with the very thought. This God did. 1. To shew his perfect detestation of that wicked people; so apostate from all goodnesse, that their very seed was accursed. Because the fathers blaspheme against heaven, the children goe to hell. 2. To encrease their sorrow and torment in seeing the destruction of their children: for if nature were not quite extinct, and they had but as much affection as beasts to their young; it must needs wound their hearts to see the lamentable ruine of their children. Who can heare the confused cry of so many Infants, and not cry for company? to see their tender and ungrowen limbes wrapp’d up in [streames] of fire, as swath-bands: the shrinking of their soft nerves at every pull of griefe their flesh scorched like a scrole of parchment; sprawling on the ground, and rock’d a sleepe with dire destruction; would melt a heart of Adamant.

God himselfe, at other times, had a speciall regard to Infants: excepting only some places that were execrable in his sight, Deut. 20 17. as Iericho, osh. 6.21. Edom, and Psal. 147.9. Babylon, and here Sodome. Now the sight of such a Iudgement among the little ones, that knew not the right hand from the left, that cleaved to their mothers brests, as apples to the tree; to be snatched away with death, and death in the frightfullest visage, burning and tormenting death: this did aggravate their plague, and it had beene much easier for them to have suffered alone. There is nothing more naturall to us, than to love our children; those living monuments of our selves, that piece out mortality with succession, continue our names and Images upon the earth. These if we doe affect with our loves, let us not infect with our lives: let us hate our sins, lest they also perish with our selves. Why should we destroy those, whom we have in a manner made? we brought them into the world with paine, up in the world with care let us not send them out of the world with sorrow. Repentance and [amendment of] life helpe us to prevent such an unhappinesse; that wee may neither smart for the wickednesse of our forefathers, nor make our children everlastingly smart for us. Let us obey our Father in heaven, that hee may blesse our children upon earth.

For the other consideration; the extremitie of their punishment was not onely temporall death, but everlasting torment: Iud. ver. 7. Eternall fire. Their present fire could not buy out the future. Run they into the fields, it raines fire: into the houses, they flame with fire: into holes and caves, all places burne with brimstone. Miserable men, whether they fly or stay, struggle or lie still, fire possesseth them. Scalding sulphure, and burning stench, universally racking them. Yet is not all this enough to purge out their corrupption, but a worse torment succeeds, and the judgement on earth doth but deliver them over to the condemnation of hell: which continually burnes their soules, and shall never turne them to ashes; a fire neither tolerable nor terminable. The breath of the Lord, like a river of brimstone doth inflame it, and the breath of ten thousand reprobates shall never be able to blow it out. When a drop of water shall be allowed, to coole the tongue that boiles with unsufferable flames. Where heat doth follow smoke, and fire heat, and stench fire, and torment stench, and burning shall be added to burning. Thus are they cast into utter darkenesse, where neither light of Sun nor Moone, much lesse the light of heaven, and Gods glorious face shall ever appeare. Where their eyes must distill like fountaines, and their teeth clatter like armed men.

These are those fearefull vialls of wrath, when God gives bloud to drinke unto them that boile with heate. Who can expresse their horrors, nay what horrors cannot they expresse? Sorrowes are met on their soules as at a feast: feare, despaire, and anguish leape upon their hearts as a Stag, and the furies of hell divide their spirits among them. Torment calls to desperation, horror to paine, come and helpe us to torture these wretches. Lust sends one plague, and pride another, and covetousnesse a third; till they run thorow a thousand deaths, and yet cannot die. All their lights are put out at once, they have no soules fit to be comforted. Thus they lie, as if they bore the weight of the whole earth: and so let them lie, saith the LORD, for ever.

Heare him that spake by experience. Luk. 16.23. Being in hell in torments, hee lifts up his eyes, &c. He looked upward, for he was low enough: he lift up his eyes, that could not lift up himselfe. Retrusus in locum imum, qui affectavit locum primum. He would not look down to Lazarus in his miserie, he must now look up to Lazarus in his felicity. Oculos quos voluptas clausit, acerbitas aperit. Where remembring his pleasures past, considering his joyes lost, sensible of paines present, and fearefull of greater tortures to come: he sees Ad cumulum suae paenae. Greg. Lazarum in sinu Abrahae: Lazarus in Abrahams bosome. (Every beleever is a child of Abraham, and whither should the child goe but to the bosome of his Father?) Now he begges with more flouds of scalding teares, than ever Esau sought the blessing, to have some comfort from Lazarus; send Lazarus, &c. His envious pride doth not yet forsake him. Non potuit ad Lazarum duci, sed Lazarum ad se deduci. He would have Lazarus come from the rest of heaven, to the terrors of hell. And what craves he? not an Ocean, not a river, not a pond or some small fountaine, not a bucket or spoonfull; but a drop. And what if all the rivers in the South had beene granted him, his tongue would still have withered, and he never have cryed in the language of hell; It is enough. Or had his tongue beene eased, the rest of his parts would still have fryed. Water might be by him, but Vinctae sunt manus, he hath no hand to reach it. O bitter day! when not the least finger (I say not, of God, but) of the meanest Saint in heaven, shall bring the least drop (I say not, of the waters of life, but) of the waters of the brooke to give him comfort. He fared as delicately as the Sodomites, in the fulnesse of all rare viands: he went not in sacke-cloth, or common garments, nor with a diseased body as Lazarus: but in purple and fine linen, not on the best day of the seven, or when he went to the Court, where it is somewhat tolerable; but every day. But now, like the Sodomites, he is snatched from his libertine surfet to famine, from a table of viands to a Table of vengeance, from boules of the lustiest wines to drinke sulphur, from beds of downes to beds of flames, from bravery to misery, O here is the embleme of wretchednesse! He would have one sent to his brethren, let this calamitie give warning to us all. Flame torments him, not a moderate fire. In a flame there is Ardor and Splendor: but in hell there is burning without sight, as in the Empyreall heaven there is light without burning.

Thus had the Sodomites their portion on earth, and from the want of all miseries, were driven to the miserie of all wants. God does not damne men because they be rich, for himselfe is infinitely rich; and Abraham that rejected the rich man, was on earth richer than he. Nor because they are Great, for himselfe is the greatest of all. But because they abuse these to the dishonour of his glorious Name. And to conclude; their torments are eternall. 2 Cor. 4.17. As our short affliction causeth to us an excellent and eternall Glory. so their short pleasure causeth to them an exceeding and eternall paine. Their sorrowes are infinite, ratione finis: they lie pressed under an unsupportable load, and still call for more weight to dispatch them, but cannot have it. What the Psalmist sings of Gods mercie, is true also of his Iustice, that it endureth for ever. Bern. Greg. Horrendum incidere in manus mortis viventis, & vitae morientis. [Finis] semper incipit, & defectus deficere nescit. If after so many millions of yeeres as there be drops in the sea, there might be deliverance, they had some hope. Men may comfort themselves in temporall sufferings, Dabit Deus his quoque finem: but there is no limitation in hell: when the Lord shall give over his being, they shall have ease and not before; which is Never. An infinite Majesty is offended, therefore an infinite penalty imposed. In hell they shall ever remaine sinners, therefore in hell they shall ever remaine sufferers. Sin is like oile, and torment like fire: so long as the oile lasteth, the fire burneth, and that is for ever. This is a long confusion, and therfore not to be passed over with a short meditation. Let us thinke againe and againe of it, and so feare it, that we may never feele it. It is a desperate madnes, for the pleasure that one houre determines, to incurre those paines that are capable neither of ease nor end. Thus I have insisted on the Sodōites punishment, that we being terrified with it, might learne by their example to prevent it. Which is the next point considerable, the Monument.

Made them an ensample to those that after should live ungodly.] This example of Gods Iudgement is one of the most conspicuous and remarkeable in all the sacred History, and set out for a speciall precedent by the pen of the Holy Ghost; with a note of recordation, like a hand in the margent that directs to some observable thing in the Text; with a Marke this, as a thing of great consequence. Where collect foure observations.

1 The right use of all Gods mighty wonders, is when we take them for wonders: trembling at the sight of the workes, and fearing the omnipotence of him that wrought them. When Israel saw that mighty worke upon the Aegyptians, Exod. 14.31. They feared the Lord. They are drowned in a sea of water, and the other doe not drowne it in a sea of forgetfulnesse. Ion. 1.16. The sea was troublous, and the mariners feared: the sea was quiet, and yet they feared: this may seeme strange; but the first was the feare of nature, the second of Grace: then they feared the creature, now the Creator. When Ananias and his wife fell suddainly dead, Act. 5.11. feare came upon all the Church. The Iudgement was upon some, the feare came upon all. When the earth opened her jawes to swallow Corah, the people opened their mouth to cry; Numb. 16.34 Let us flee. 1 Cor. 10 11. These things came unto them for ensamples, and are written to admonish us. These things they might have suffered, and their calamities have died with themselves, never beene knowne to posterity: but they are written for us. God made a record of them, and if there be any faith in us, they be as present to us, as if they were done before our eyes. Luk. 16.31. If they heare not Moses and the Prophets, nor will they beleeve one from the dead. Where faith makes a doubt, there sense will never be satisfied.