destruction, he scarcely sees how the godly few are to escape amidst this overthrow, except it be, that their righteousness be permitted to outweigh the offence of the guilty; that the Lord be pleased to spare the place for the righteous' sake.

And we read that the Almighty, in the infinitude of his goodness, did graciously incline his ear in this matter; that he did again and again listen to the expostulation of his servant, and suffered the threatenings of his wrath,the decree of his vengeance, to be so softened and narrowed, that in the end, at the last, the merciful reply was, "I will not destroy it for ten's sake." But alas! the chariot-wheels of God's just indignation and anger were not to be delayed. The devoted cities of the plain contained not even ten righteous: and when " Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the Lord, and looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain; he

2 Gen. xviii. 32.

beheld, and lo! the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace." 3

Still, however, Abraham's conviction of the justice, and his reliance on the mercy of God; as likewise our faith in, our assent to Abraham's appeal, "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" is not impeached, yea, rather, is strengthened thereby. For, "it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt." Thus did God at that time, and thus will he ever, in the midst of judgment remember mercy. And whilst the records of his dealings with his ancient people solemnly forewarn the sinner of the danger of impenitency, unbelief, and hardness of heart ;-bright and cheering is the hope, the comfort, and the instruction set before us in the same holy pages to look well unto ourselves and our own ways; and that, as we love * Ib. xix. 29.

3 Gen. xix. 28.

our own souls, as we love our family, as we love our country, we must "follow after righteousness," and by renouncing the evil and doing the good, seek in all things to approve ourselves as the faithful servants of Him, who is so truly and magnificently represented unto us as "a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he." 5

How strongly and beautifully, moreover, does Abraham's successful intercession in this passage of sacred history exemplify the declaration of St. James, that

66

'the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." Ah! my brethren, we may neglect prayer, and despise the outward means of grace; and we may think foolishly with the scoffers, "what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?" and true it is, that our heavenly "Father knoweth what things we have need of before we ask him." Nevertheless, the word of Scripture, nay, man's own involun

5 Deut. xxxii. 4. 6 Job xxi. 15. 7 Matt. vi. 8.

tary feelings, tell us that there are times, when prayer is man's sole stay, a refuge to which he is prompted to resort in the day of affliction and trial. How needful, then, how desirable, that we so live, so "order our conversation aright," that our “prayers be not hindered," that we may be able to "lift up holy hands without wrath and doubting!" Abraham, in the integrity of his faith, approached unto God in prayer, and that not so much for himself as for others; and his prayer did not return unto him void. The righteous Lot was remembered amidst the overthrow; and so an answer of peace was given unto Abraham.

8

And although these be not the days of miracles, neither may we now demand visible interpositions of divine power; yet, brethren, we venture to demand of you, and with reference to the questioning put by St. James,-Why is it that we are so often weary to pray, and why is it that we

8 1 Tim. ii. 8.

"ask and receive not"? Is it not, because

we ask amiss ;"9 because we do not ask in a right and sufficiently humble frame of mind; because in the very act of prayer our hearts are cold, our thoughts wandering, and our imagination and desires worldly? Such was not Abraham's disposition of heart when he drew near to God, and said, "Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?" Abraham, prayerful, and earnest as he was for the success of his suit, submitted himself to God, and reposed with undoubting confidence on the righteous justice of Heaven. It was God's will, and not his own, that he desired might be done: for his unalterable persuasion was, that "the Judge of all the earth would do right."1

Such, brethren, must be our firm conviction also: and then if our lives be after the example of Abraham's righteous faith, if we implicitly trust, as he did, in the truth and holiness of our God, much may be ex