The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 3 · Section 9
SECT. IX.
THe two Angels (before mentioned) in humane ſhape, that went towards Sodom came thither in the Evening, and Lot ſitting in the Gate of the City, and ſeeing of them, and ſuppoſing them (by their outward appearance) to be Strangers of quality, he went towards them, and giving them civil honour and reſpect by bowing to them with his face towards the ground (after the manner of thoſe Eaſtern Countries) he courteouſly invited them to his houſe, and to Lodge with him that night. They ſeemed unwilling(a)A ſlight invitation may be ſeriouſly refuſed, and yet that which is preſſing be afterwards accepted [ſee Luke 21.28, 29.] and this without Popiſh Equivocation, or mental reſervation. at firſt to accept his kindneſs, and profered to lodge in the Streets all night, which poſſibly they intended to have done (to obſerve the manners and behaviour of that people) had he not been ſo importunate with them to turn in to him. Therefore upon his importunity they accepted his courteous offer,(b)Thus both Abraham and Lot intertained Angels unawares, Heb. 13.2. and did go with him to his houſe, and there he made them the beſt Intertainment he could, and for haſt baked unleavened-Bread for them, and they did eat. [See Ch. 18.6.] But the appearance of theſe two Angels now intertained by Lot, being, as 'tis like, of young men of rare and extraordinary beauty, notice hereof was taken by ſome of the wicked Inhabitants of that City, and the Report thereof ſoon ſpread abroad, and ſo they preſently flocked together from all quarters of the City to Lo…s houſe, requiring to have theſe Gueſts brought out to them, intending abominably to abuſe them. Lot goes out to them to intreat them and to diſſwade them from ſo deteſtable an attempt, but they ſeeming bent upon it, to take them off from ſo horrid a villany, in that great and ſudden diſturbance of his mind he profers (very unwarrantably and ſinfully) to yield up his two Virgin Daughters (c)Thus Lot to prevent one ſin, gives way to another. Magis filiarum pudicitiae debuit conſulere quam indemnitati peregrinorum.to their Luſts, rather then his Gueſts ſhould be violated, who had taken ſhelter under his Roof, and according to the Laws of Hoſpitality ought to be kept ſafe and free from all harm and violence. But theſe wicked Sodomites were ſo far from being perſwaded by what Lot ſaid unto them, that inſtead of deſiſting they fall upbraiding and twitting him, that he that was but a Stranger in their City, ſhould take upon him to be a Judge, and Cenſurer of them and their actions. And therefore (it ſeems) he had not only inwardly grieved and vexed his righteous Soul with their unclean Converſation, but as occaſion was offered, had often reproved them for their wickedneſs, and had done what lay in him to diſſwade them from their abominable courſes. But they nothing mov'd either by what He had before or at this preſent ſaid unto them, began to preſs hard upon Him, intending to break open his door. Hereupon the Angels pulled Lot into the houſe to them, and ſhut the door, and preſently ſmote that wicked Crue with ſuch a blindneſs, that they could not ſee the door. Then the Angels commanded Lot that whomſoever he had there nearly related to him, whether Sons in law, or Daughters, he ſhould bring them out of that place, for God had ſent them to deſtroy it, and the other Neighbouring Cities to it, for their great and crying abominations. Lot accordingly went out to his Sons in law (the Husbands as it ſeems of his other Daughters that were married into the City) to perſwade them to come away with him; but he ſeemed to them as one that jeſted or talked idly: ſo ſupine and ſecure uſually are carnal men, when Gods Judgments are ready to fall upon them. When the Morning approached, the Angels urged Lot and his Wife and two Daughters that were in the houſe with him, to get them going, leſt they ſhould be involv'd in the common Calamity. But yet Lot (it ſeems) lingred, as loth to leave his other Children behind him to be deſtroyed. Thereupon the Angels laid hands on him and his Company, and hurried them out of the City, the Lord therein ſhewing himſelf very merciful unto them. Then the Angels charged them to make haſt, and eſcape for their lives, and not ſo much as to look behind them, nor to ſtay in all the Plain, but to fly to the Mountain, nor ſo much as to mind or regard Houſe, Cattel, or Riches, or what ever they had left behind them. Lot tells the Angels that the Mountain was ſo far off, that he feared leſt the deſtruction would overtake them before they could get thither, and therefore he earneſtly deſires that Zoar (formerly called Bela) might be the place they might be permitted to fly unto (which was near at hand) and that God would pleaſe to ſpare that place for his ſake. The Angel (undoubtedly by Gods direction) grants his requeſt, but bids him haſt away, for he could not do any thing againſt Sodom till he was got thither, for God had decreed in mercy to ſave him. It was break of day when the Angel haſted Lot and his Company away, and by that time the Sun was well riſen, the Lord(d)V. 24. Jehovah from Jehovah, that is, the Son from the Father, who worketh by the Son, Joh. 5.17. rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah, Admath, and Zeboim, [Deut. 29.23. Hoſea 11.8.] fire and brimſtone from Heaven.(e)This is a Type and forerunner of the everlaſting puniſhment of the wicked in that Lake that burneth with fire and brimſtone for ever, Rev. 21.8. And ſo the Apoſtle ſays, Jud. v. 7. That Sodom and Gomorrah ſuffered the Vengeance of eternal fire, viz. that temporal deſtruction was as a forerunner of thoſe eternal torments in Hell which they now ſuffer, and ſo may well be a terrifying Example and warning to all that fall into the like ſins. See Apoſtol. Hiſtor. pag. 422. But it ſeems while Lot and his Company were haſtning towards Zoar, his Wife (either doubting whether any ſuch Judgment would fall upon Sodom as was threatned, or lingring in her deſires after thoſe Friends, and the Wealth and Eſtate they had left behind them) looked back, againſt the expreſs Command of the Angel before given; whereupon ſhe was immediately turned into a Pillar or Statue of a rocky mineral Salt (which will indure all weathers) as a ſtanding Monument of her Infidelity and Diſobedience, and to ſeaſon others with more wiſdom. Abraham getting up early that Morning, and looking towards Sodom and the Cities of the Plain (whoſe deſtruction the Lord had acquainted him with before) he ſaw the ſmoak from that Country go up as the ſmoak of a Furnace; and God remembred the Interceſſion of Abraham for Lot, neither did he forget the Piety and Righteouſneſs of Lot himſelf, which we find mentioned 2 Pet. 2.7, 8.
Lot quickly finds that it had been better for him to have followed the advice of the Angel at the firſt, and gone immediately to the Mountain, for now he was afraid to ſtay any longer in Zoar. Poſſibly the wickedneſs he ſaw among them might make him afraid that a like Judgment to that of Sodom would fall upon them; or it may be he feared leſt the people of that place would fall upon him, as the Cauſe of the overthrow of thoſe Neighbouring Cities, ſeeing he and his Family only had eſcaped. So he and his two Daughters left that Town, and betook themſelves to the Mountain and dwelt there in a Cave, where being in a manner immured up, his Daughters began to think that by that ſolitary life they were deprived of all hope of Marriage; and living there in that manner without the ſociety of any but themſelves, it ſeemed all one to them as if there were not a man upon the Earth beſides their Father. Hereupon being blinded with fear and paſſion, and deſirous to have Children of their own Kin, and not of the faithleſs and curſed Nations, they reſolve upon a very wicked and deteſtable courſe, viz. to make their Father drink Wine (more than was fit) of that they had brought with them from Zoar (which poſſibly they perſwaded him the rather unto, to drive away his ſad thoughts) that ſo being drunk he might lie with them, which elſe they knew he would never do. And here obſerve the juſt Judgment of God, Lot had at Sodom raſhly offered to proſtitute his two Daughters Chaſtity to the Rabble there, to prevent the violation of his Gueſts, and now here in the Cave His own Chaſtity is violated by the contrivance of His two Daughters. This was juſt as from God, but 'twas very wickedly done of theſe two young women thus to draw their Father to commit Inceſt with them. However from this inceſtuous Copulation came Moab and Ammon, Fathers of the Moabites (f)The Moabites were afterwards Idolaters and Enemies to the Iſraelites, yet from Ruth a Moabiteſs our Saviour Sprang.and Ammonites, two great and populous Nations.
Gen. 19. whole Chapter.