N13259:192
Sermons, on the following subjects
Sermons, on the following subjects; The manner in which salvation is to be sought. The unreasonableness of indetermination in religion. Unbelievers contemn the glory of Christ. The folly of looking back in fleeing out of Sodom. The warnings of Scripture in the best manner adapted to the awakening and conversion of sinners. Hypocrites deficient in the duty of prayer. The future punishment of the wicked unavoidable and intolerable. The eternity of hell-torments. The peace which Christ gives his true followers. The perpetuity & change of the Sabbath. / By the late Reverend Mr. Jonathan Edwards, president of the College of New-Jersey.
Hartford: printed by Hudson and Goodwin, 1780
Sermon 4: The Folly of looking back, in fleeing out of Sodom.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
THEN he immediately proceeds to direct his people how they should behave themselves at the appearance ⟨p. 74⟩of the signal of the approach of that day, referring especially to the destruction of Jerusalem. In that day, he which shall be upon the house top, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. In which words Christ shows that they should make the utmost haste to flee and get out of the city to the mountains, as he commands Mat. xxiv. 15. &c. When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet stand in the holy place, then let them which be in Judea, flee to the mountains; let him which is in the house-top, not come down to take any thing out of the house; neither let him which is in the field, turn back to take his clothes.
JERUSALEM was like Sodom in that it was devoted to destruction, by special divine wrath, as that was; and indeed to a more terrible destruction than Sodom was. Therefore the like direction is given concerning fleeing out of it with the utmost haste, without looking behind, as the angel gave to Lot, when he bid him flee out of Sodom; Gen. xix. 17. Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain.—And in the text Christ enforces his council by the instance of Lot's wife. He bids them remember her and take warning by her, who looked back as she was fleeing out of Sodom, and became a pillar of salt.
IF it be inquired why Christ gave this direction to his people to flee out of Jerusalem, in such exceeding haste, at the first notice of the signal of her approaching destruction; I answer, it seems to be because fleeing out of Jerusalem was a type of fleeing out of a state of sin. Escaping out of that unbelieving city