Prototypes, or, The primary precedent presidents out of the book of Genesis showing, the…Prototypes, or, The primarie precedent presidents out of the booke of Genesis shewing, the…

Another good deed we have of Lot, He went out, and earnestly,¹ yet lovingly and gently entreated the Sodomites to desist from their villainy, My Brethren I pray do not so wickedly, and again, to these men do nothing, for therefore came they under my roof, Gen. 19.7, 8. He would fain have stopped these miscreants from their abominable attempt; If we see men rushing into sinful courses we shall do a good office of charity if with all good terms and gentle language we dissuade them from wickedness. If we must reprove after a sin, sure we must dissuade aforehand: Eli dissuaded his sons from persisting in evil, Abigail dissuaded David from murder; what sin we hinder not to our best power, that we cause to be written in our own score, and inwrap our selves within the guilt of it. Who would not entreat his neighbour hard not to drink a cup of poison? If therefore any man have done the contrary, instigated others to sin, and egged them forward rather then held them back, surely his offence is great, he hath been not alone a helper but a father of the fault, and unless he repent must answer for it as much as the principal. But though you have not forgotten your duty in so high a degree as to move others to evil, yet if you have so much neglected your duty as to forbear to dissuade and hinder them, either out of carelessness or fear, you are to be humbled for it, as an effect of want of love and zeal. And now I pray you do this good office often, if you see a man going about an evil thing, take up Lots words and say, I pray you Brethren do not so wickedly, entreat him to forbear the doing of the like for the future. A loving entreaty will sometimes prove of great efficacy. Had they been any but Sodomites, Lot should not have been so churlishly rejected.

Another good deed we have of Lot, He went out, and earnestly,¹ yet lovingly and gently intreated the Sodomites to desist from their villany, My Brethren I pray doe not so wickedly, and againe, to these men doe nothing, for therefore came they under my roofe, Gen. 19.7, 8. He would faine have stopped these miscreants from their abominable attempt; If we see men rushing into sinfull courses wee shall doe a good office of charity if with all good termes and gentle language we disswade them from wickednesse. If wee must reproove after a sinne, sure wee must disswade aforehand: Eli disswaded his sonnes from persisting in evill, Abigail disswaded David from murder; what sinne wee hinder not to our best power, that we cause to be written in our owne score, and inwrap our selves within the guilt of it. Who would not intreate his neighbour hard not to drinke a cup of poyson? If therefore any man have done the contrary, instigated others to sinne, and egged them forward rather then held them back, surely his offence is great, he hath beene not alone a helper but a father of the fault, and unlesse hee repent must answer for it as much as the principall. But though you have not forgotten your duty in so high a degree as to moove others to evill, yet if you have so much neglected your duty as to forbeare to disswade and hinder them, either out of carelesnesse or feare, you are to be humbled for it, as an effect of want of love and zeale. And now I pray you doe this good office often, if you see a man going about an evill thing, take up Lots words and say, I pray you Brethren doe not so wickedly, intreate him to forbeare the doing of the like for the future. A loving intreaty will sometimes proove of great efficacy. Had they beene any but Sodomites, Lot should not have beene so churlishly rejected.