heaven, and destroyed them all." This fact, he employs in his charge to his disciples, to leave Jerusalem as soon as they should see the signs fulfilled which were to precede the destruction of that ill-fated city and to render the admonition still more impressive, he adds, verse 32, "Remember Lot's wife." To discredit the story of Lot's wife, we are not only under the necessity of setting aside the testimony of Moses, the uniform belief of the Jewish nation for more than 3000 years, with the addition of the evidence drawn from heathen rites; but we must directly confront the divine authority and truth of the Son of God!

Such evidence of the fact concerning Lot's wife as I have been able to select with convenience, is now before you: And is there any evidence to disprove the fact? It will not be pretended by any man who values his reputation for historical knowledge. It is therefore left for you to decide whether you will reject this testimony, array yourselves against the Redeemer of the world, believe the whole history false, without a particle of testimony to support your reason in so doing; and what is still more absurd, to believe against all the evidence which has ever been adduced in support of the fact.

If I were disposed to gratify the inquisitive hearer, as to the means by which this strange effect was produced upon Lot's wife, I confess that I should feel inclined to offer them the ingenious solution of Dr. Taylor ; who supposes that "the sulphureous storm did not begin to fall upon Sodom, till Lot was safely arrived at Zoar. But his wife looked back before she reached Zoar: When she looked back, Sodom and its plains appeared as pleasant as before. She looked back with affection to the place, and regret at leaving it; according to the import of the original word: This implied unbelief. She stopped by the way, and left her husband to go by himself-she would go no farther, and might be at a considerable distance from Zoar, and so near to Sodom, as to be involved in the terrible shower, and thereby turned into a nitro-sulphureous pillar."

I would not, however, adopt any conjecture, which would imply a doubt of the miraculous power of God; for no supposition aside from the divine interposition can account for this wonderful event.

I have passed by the testimony of Josephus, who declares that this pillar was standing in his day, and that he had seen it; as well as the marvellous and incredible stories, given by numerous others: for I would not wander into the region of fables for the sake of amusement. I shall therefore return to our general subject; the destruction of Sodom, and the cities of the plain.

The account with which we are furnished in the Bible, informs us that the Lord rained upon them, fire and brimstone; or brimstone inflamed: which, according to some able critics," signifies, in the Hebrew style of writing, nothing more nor less than lightning." Admit this interpretation, and the conclusion will follow, that the lightnings of heaven were let loose, and directed to this fatal spot, to accomplish its destruction. That the bed of these cities was bitumen; composed principally of sulphur and mineral pitch, is a truth, fully supported by all historians and travellers of distinction, who have written upon the subject. The direct inference would therefore be, that the lightnings of heaven communicated fire to this combustible and inflammable substance, and not only destroyed the buildings and the inhabitants, but literally burnt up the foundation on which they rested, and gave place to the waters of the lake Asphaltites, so famous in the history of antique ruins.

Some have supposed that a volcanic eruption took place at that time, by which a great quantity of inflamed bituminous matter was thrown into the air, and fell in a shower of fire upon these cities and destroyed them: but this would not account for the sinking of these places, unless we add the probability of an earthquake, of which no mention is made in the narrative of Moses.

It is in vain to wander into the region of conjecture, to find a solution for the numerous inquiries which may be started by inquisitive minds; it is sufficient for our present design to show that abundant testimony is furnished to establish the fact, that these cities were destroyed by fire, and that this destruction was of a character dissimilar to all others. Nothing of the kind, recorded by historians, challenges competition with the destruction of these cities. Pompei and Herculaneum, in Italy, were indeed covered

by an eruption of Mount Vesuvius, 79 years after the birth of Christ; but they still remain as far above the level of the sea as before, and are again capable of being inhabited. But Sodom and the cities of the plain, have suffered an entire destruction, so that nothing but a miracle could ever restore them.

It was observed by Justin, that the lake of Sodom was unmoved by the winds, by reason of the quantities of bitumen which rose from its bed, and which impeded its navigation. The Arabs and others, have always removed this mineral pitch, as it rose, so that there is now very little to be seen.

Tacitus the Roman historian observes that the traces of fire which consumed these cities were visible in his day; These are his words, "at no great distance are those fields, which, as it is said, were formerly fruitful, and covered with great cities, till they were consumed by lightning the vestiges of which still remain in the parched appearance of the country, which has lost its fertility." The accounts which Pliny and Philo, furnish of these ruins, accord with that which we have quoted from Tacitus.

Diodorus Siculus, a Greek historian, who flourished about half a century before the birth of Christ, gives a general description of the desolations which reign around this devoted place. In closing his remarks, he says, "The region round about, burning with fire, exhales a stench so intolerable, that the bodies of the inhabitants are diseased, and their lives contracted."

Strabo, a Capadocian historian, who flourished in the reign of Tiberius, thus concludes his remarks upon this lake and the surrounding country: "There are many indications that fire has been over this country for about Masada they show rough and scorched rocks, and caverns in many places eaten in, and the earth reduced to ashes, and drops of pitch distilling from the rocks, and hot streams, offensive afar off, and habitations overthrown; which renders credible some reports among the inhabitants, that there were formerly thirteen cities on that spot, the prin cipal of which was Sodom; so extensive as to be sixty furlongs in circumference; but that by earthquakes, and

an eruption of fire, and by hot and bituminous waters, it became a lake as it now is; the rocks were consumed, some of the cities were swallowed up, and others abandoned by those of the inhabitants who were able to escape."

Solinus, who flourished in the third century, informs his readers, that "at a considerable distance from Jerusalem, a frightful lake extends itself, which has been struck by lightning, as is evident from the ground, black, and reduced to ashes." In a word; besides Mr. Volney, whose testimony has before been quoted; Moundrel, Dr. Pococke, Shaw, and other scientific gentlemen, who visited these ancient ruins, have given to the world the valuable result of their investigations, which go directly to confirm the statements of the sacred historian. Those who wish to peruse an interesting description of this singular lake, may be gratified by consulting Basselius, in his treatise on illustrious ruins.

When the prophet Isaiah denounces the judgment of God against the city of Babylon, he appeals to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, as a fact well authenticated. Her fearful doom is announced in the following tremendous denunciation, "Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there, neither shall the shepherds make their fold there." Isa. xiii. 19, 20 The prophet Amos expressly mentions the overthrow of these cities as a judgment of God for their wickedness. Chap. iv. 11. Nearly all the prophetic writers of the old Testament, have alluded to this same event, and have thereby given evidence that the overthrow of these sinful cities was a fact well authenticated, and universally believed.

I cannot consent to dismiss this subject, without giving a moment's attention to the prophecy of Isaiah, which has already been quoted. He compares the desolation which should come upon Babylon, to that which reigned over the ancient seat of Sodom and Gomorrah, which God had destroyed and rendered uninhabitable forever, on account

of the enormity of their crimes.—And has not this solemn and extraordinary prophecy, which was uttered more than 100 years before the Babylonish captivity, been literally fulfilled? yes; for Babylon has been uninhabited for centuries, and all the immediate country is rendered a sunken, and unhealthy desolation; and absolutely dangerous to the traveller, whose curiosity has prompted him to visit that once populous and flourishing region of the globe.— And can any man, in the exercise of his sober reason, believe that God would sanction a palpable untruth, by the inspiration of his wisdom? It cannot be ;- and yet this glaring absurdity is involved in the impious conclusion, that the cities of which we have been treating were not destroyed for their wickedness.

If, therefore, we reject the Mosaic account of the miraculous destruction of these cities, we must not only disbelieve the history of this prophet; but we must abandon, as impostors, all the prophets who have spoken of, or al luded to this event; treat the Son of God as a deceiver ! suppose the apostles to be knaves or dupes, and shut our eyes against the testimony of profane historians and all the interesting narratives of distinguished individuals, who have visited these ruins in modern ages. And now I ask you, my hearers, what authority is offered by modern skepticks to justify us, in case we comply with their wishes, in disbelieving the testimony which has been adduced ?-Nothing, but their bare denial, their determined hostility, and their relentless satire! They would have you believe that all these testimonies are false, without a particle of evidence to sustain the conclusion! nay, they would even persuade you to believe their declarations, against all evidence, both sacred and profane !-Beware then of deception ;-listen to the admonitions of truth and be wise ;"Prove all things, and hold fast that which is good,"