them! Once more he entreated, but they heard not. Quickly the hour of judgment approaches, yet still he lingers. Then the Angels seized the hand of his daughters and of his wife and hastened him and them away, and brought him without the city, for the Lord was merciful unto him. The hour was come, the Angels exclaim urgentEscape for thy life. Look not behind thee,

neither stay thou in all

the plain; escape to the mountain lest thou be consumed!"

But terror and astonishment at this unheard of judgment, and hope that as his Lord had been so far merciful he would hear him further, made him exclaim entreatingly, "Oh! not so my lord; behold now thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life. And I cannot escape to the mountain lest some evil take me and I die; behold now this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one. Oh! let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.”

Hear the gracious reply:-"See I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city for the which

thou hast spoken. Haste thee, escape thither, for I cannot do anything until thou be come thither." The name of this city of refuge, this ark of mercy, was called Zoar, signifying little.

And who is there amongst ourselves situated as Lot was,—who, that having by the mercy of the Lord been awakened from the security of sin to a sense of the fearful danger in which they reposed, and by the urgency of an alarmed conscience been led out of the city, and who have ceased to do evil, and determined to flee from their former guilt; yet who stand trembling and lost in doubt and fear, their minds agonized by their feeling of utter inability to flee alone, and yet knowing that certain death awaits them if they return to their former sins? True they see the immoveable mountain,—the strong defence.—the sure refuge,— Jesus the Saviour; but alas! how far are they yet from Him! How hopeless to reach Him! And as yet, though they know He is a sure defence, their clouded souls see Him only as a God who will require their former sins at their hand, and they despair of crossing the plain and

reaching the mountain. But how merciful is our God! How condescending to the necessity of his creatures! There is for these as for Lot of old a Zoar at hand. His Church is open to relieve and to comfort the broken hearted sinner when ready to sink in despair, thither he may escape and his soul shall live. There the Christ, the Head and Bridegroom of his Church, shews only his tender love, and with smiles and pardon receives his returning sheep. There will God's priest lead the penitent to the foot of the Cross, and teach him to offer up "a broken and contrite heart," which God "will not despise.

The sun was gone forth to the height of the firmament when Lot entered into Zoar. How did he enter there? With his wife and his children, his men-servants and maid-servants, his flock and his riches? Alas! No! The deceitful beauty of Sodom had induced him to prefer it, and he had gone thither as a prince, rich and powerful; but he escaped now after a few years and entered Zoar with none but two of his daughters. Wealth he had none; but that loss was trifling; his children mocked at his warn

ing, and despised the mercy of God, and they were involved in the fearful punishment of Sodom. His wife, but she mocked not,-she quitted the city with him. Yes! but she unwillingly left her riches and her unbelieving children; she was not sufficiently thankful for the mercy she was receiving, but murmured in her heart, and looked back wistfully at Sodom, contrary to the express command she had received, and she was changed into a pillar of salt, and remained in the plain a wonderful memorial of Jehovah's judgment.

On the next morning Abraham arose early, and anxiously looked towards Sodom and Gomorrah. What new and terrible sight is this before his eyes? Fire and brimstone are raining down from Heaven, and blue glaring flame and thick sulphureous smoke ascend from the devoted cities. Then Abraham knew that even the ten for whose sakes Jehovah had promised to spare them, were not to be found,

Not long did Lot dwell in Zoar, but with his two daughters went up to the mountain and remained in a cave. Though it looked severe and rugged from the city of Sodom, yet viewed

from the nearer one of Zoar it lost its terrors, and appeared only that which it really was, a strong and sure refuge.

Thus with the believer from the Church, Zoar,-Christ the mountain appears, and though before he feared to lift up his eyes to Him, now he exclaims, "Hide me under the shadow of thy wing: Guard me in the hollow of thy hand."