shall injure God's little ones with impunity. They were not destroyed, for their time was not come. Their sight only was destroyed that they might feel God's hand, and not see to do evil.

When Lot had been delivered from his evil townsmen, by the hands of those to whom he had shown kindness, these holy messengers proclaim their message. It was to the effect, this place shall be destroyed, thou and all thine may escape. Lot at once spread the awful news, and told those that had married his daughters of this certain impending destruction. He said, "Up, get you out of this place, for the Lord will destroy this city." Who that knows all God's wrath as revealed against all unrighteousness, and will not seek to warn those who are living subjects of that wrath? Who that wishes well to their relations in things temporal, will not much more be anxious for them in things spiritual ? But how is this kindness received? How is this warning responded to? "But he seemed as one that mocked to his sons-in-law." Strange indeed was his reception. There was nothing trifling in the fact he announced, "The Lord will destroy this city." There was nothing of levity in his words of warning, "up, get you out of this place." His manner surely must

have told the anxiety he felt, but yet it is said, "He seemed as one that mocked to his sonsin-law." Thus then did they harden their hearts, and close their ears, and God's word being despised, His heavy hand was felt. "He overthrew those cities and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities." Thus those that had warning, those that had pious friends, those of whom the Lord's messengers had said, "bring them out of this place," perished in their iniquity, and were destroyed with the rest of the ungodly.

We have not to wait long, and we shall see all this acted over again. Yea, even now, much that passed then is going on among us. The world we live in is a condemned world. More than an angel from heaven has revealed this to us. The Son of God has born witness to this. The inspired word is still uttering His voice among us, and saying, "The Lord will destroy this place." The earth which now is, "is reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.' This fire is eternal, for "the wicked will be turned into hell and all the people that forget God."

But God's warnings are abroad also. The word which reveals His wrath against all ungodliness, has therein also revealed in it the

"righteousness of God," by which men can be saved, as it is written, "the just shall live by His faith."

The Gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation unto every one that believeth. (Rom. i. 16. 18.)

As the angels waited awhile, and urged Lot to save his friends as well as himself, so now this is the time of God's longsuffering. Many a one is now proclaiming to ungodly men, "Up get you out of this place, for the Lord will destroy this earth." Yet a little while and "the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven, with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." Such is one part of the message of Christ's ambassadors. The other part is to tell of mercy; mercy even for the chief of sinners. Mercy for all that flee to the one appointed door open for mercy, where men may go in at and be saved. Christ is that “ door, the way, the truth, and the life.” All are invited to come to the Father by Him and be "saved to the uttermost."

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But how is this report received? To whom is this arm of the Lord revealed to their salva

tion ? Alas ! by far the greater number are like Lot's sons-in-law. We preach Christ

We

crucified, and He is to many a "stumblingblock," and to others "foolishness." seem to many as though we were mocking them."

We seem to mock by preaching improbabilities. The men of Sodom could not believe Lot's words would be verified; their fine city soon be enveloped in flames; brimstone fall from heaven; everything living be destroyed. There was nothing to make it likely; "all things remained as they were from the beginning." So many argue now. Our words seem like idle tales. Will God indeed destroy all the ungodly with everlasting fire? Is He not too merciful thus to deal with His own creatures? And thus we seem as they that mock when we preach that all the world is guilty, and all men are in condemnation. Again, we seem to mock, because we shut up salvation in one narrow, straight path. It was hard to believe that Lot was right, and all the men of Sodom wrong. Lot's family safe ; the whole cities in danger. Lot's advice good, and all the great, and rich, cities, wrong. So now men think us harsh for saying "few will be chosen." The way to life is "narrow and straight, and few there be that find it." Only faith, living faith in Christ saves; no other righteousness but His

and noble in the

will justify; and if any man have not His Spirit, he is none of His. All this is too exclusive. They that preach it are mocking us.

So too it is with another word which is written in God's book, and preached by the ministers. The world must be left, given up, despised, or men cannot be saved. How simple was that word of Lot, how foolish the thought to many! Must we indeed leave all these things behind us? names, our property, our our pleasures, our profits? mocking us.

Must we leave our fields, our houses, Surely thou art

Thus, simple too, does that word sound to many, which tells them, "Be not conformed to this world," that Christ's disciple is not "of the world;" that he must use it, not abuse it, and this by passing through it as a stranger and a pilgrim. We seem to mock men, as we tell of the necessity that is upon them; if they would wear a crown, they must carry a cross; if Christ is to acknowledge them hereafter, they must walk closely with Him now, and not be afraid to deny themselves pleasure and gain in His service,-not be ashamed to confess Him before men. Surely they say this standard is too high, you are as those that mock us.

But all these things will soon be proved true. Fools only make a mock of sin, and