N13259:200
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.
2. WE ought not to look back, when fleeing out of Sodom, because Sodom is a city appointed to destruction. The cry of the city hath reached up to heaven. The earth cannot bear such a burden as her inhabitants are; she will therefore disburden herself of them, and spue them out. GOD will not suffer such a city to stand; he will consume it. GOD is an holy GOD and his nature is infinitely opposite to all such uncleanness as Sodom is full of; he will therefore be a consuming fire to it. The holiness of GOD will not suffer it to stand, and the majesty and justice of GOD require that the inhabitants of that city, who thus offend and provoke him, be destroyed. And GOD will surely destroy them; it is the immutable and irreversible decree of GOD. He hath said it and he will do it. The decree is gone forth, and so sure as there ⟨p. 77⟩is a GOD, and he is almighty and able to fulfil his decrees and threatenings, so surely will he destroy Sodom. Gen. xix. 12, 13. Whatsoever thou hast in this city bring them out of this place; for we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord, and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it. And verse. 14. Up, get ye out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city.
2. WE ought not to look back, when fleeing out of Sodom, because Sodom is a city appointed to destruction. The cry of the city hath reached up to heaven. The earth cannot bear such a burden as her inhabitants are; she will therefore disburden herself of them, and spue them out. GOD will not suffer such a city to stand; he will consume it. GOD is an holy GOD and his nature is infinitely opposite to all such uncleanness as Sodom is full of; he will therefore be a consuming fire to it. The holiness of GOD will not suffer it to stand, and the majesty and justice of GOD require that the inhabitants of that city, who thus offend and provoke him, be destroyed. And GOD will surely destroy them; it is the immutable and irreversable decree of GOD. He hath said it and he will do it. The decree is gone forth, and so sure as there ⟨p. 77⟩is a GOD, and he is almighty and able to fulfil his decrees and threatenings, so surely will he destroy Sodom.