Fire and brimstone from heaven, from earth, in hell, or, Three discourses I. Concerning…

But before this in the 18th. Chapter we read that Abraham having entertained three Angels, he afterwards bringeth them forward on their way which lay towards Sodom: the Chief and most honourable of these Angels, being the Son of God, the Angel of the New-Covenant, staying behind the other two Angels who went onwards towards Sodom, revealeth unto Abraham what he was about to do unto Sodom, giving him to understand that the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah was great, and their sins exceeding grievous, and that now he was going down to visit them for their sins: whether he revealed to him what manner of destruction he intended to bring upon them we have no mention; but whatever it were Abraham is full of fears because of Lot, and therefore intercedes with the Lord in the behalf of the place, as wicked as it was, to prevent (if possible) the ruin and destruction thereof, which was threatened.

But before this in the 18th. Chapter we read that Abraham having entertained three Angels, he afterwards bringeth them forward on their way which lay towards Sodom: the Chief and most honourable of these Angels, being the Son of God, the Angel of the New-Covenant, staying behind the other two Angels who went onwards towards Sodom, revealeth unto Abraham what he was about to do unto Sodom, giving him to understand that the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah was great, and their sins exceeding grievous, and that now he was going down to visit them for their sins: whether he revealed to him what manner of destruction he intended to bring upon them we have no mention; but whatever it were Abraham is full of fears because of Lot, and therefore interceeds with the Lord in the behalf of the place, as wicked as it was, to prevent (if possible) the ruine and destruction thereof, which was threatned.

Abraham knew of one righteous person, namely Lot, which was there, and he hoped that there might have been others besides him, if not of the City yet in Lot's Family; and therefore he maketh bold to plead with the Lord, that he would not ⟨p. 9⟩destroy the righteous with the wicked, because this would […] •eem just and right for the Judge of all the Earth to do; and first he prayeth, that if fifty righteous persons were found in Sodom, the place might be spared for their sakes, the Lord being very gracious, readily promiseth it should be according to his request; Abraham having encouragement from one grant, and fearing what the number of righteous persons in Sodom might be, entreateth further, that if five were wanting of the fifty the place might not be destroyed; and having obtained his request herein, he doth not rest but proceeds to beg with expressions of low humility, that if but forty, and then if but thirty, and then if but twenty, and last of all if but ten righteous persons were found there, that the Lord would spare the place for their sakes. Abraham speeds in his whole desire, the Lord assuring him, that he would not destroy the place, if he found so many as ten righteous persons therein; and Abraham leaves off asking, before the Lord giveth any denial unto his suit; and though Abraham did not request it, yet the Lord himself did resolve it, that not one righteous person should be consumed in the iniquity of the City, and therefore as he sent Angels thither to destroy the place: so they had a commission to save righteous Lot and his Family, as we may see in the 19th. Chapter.