behave like strangers and pilgrimsto be distinct from the world in
employment of time； in conversation； in amusements； in dressto bear a
faithful witness for Christ in all placesto leave a savour of our
Master in every societyto be prayerful； humble； unselfish；
good…tempered； quiet； easily pleased； charitable； patient； meekto be
jealously afraid of all manner of sin； and tremblingly alive to our
danger from the worldthese； these are still rare things！ They are not
mon among those who are called true Christians； and； worst of all；
the absence of them is not felt and bewailed as it should be。
In a day like this I venture to offer counsel to every believing reader
of this paper。 Do not turn away from it。 Do not be angry with me for
plain speaking。 I bid you 〃give diligence to make your calling and
election sure；〃 （2 Peter i。 10。） I bid you not to be slothfulnot to
be careless； not to be content with a small measure of gracenot be
satisfied with being a little better than the world。 I solemnly warn
you not to attempt doing what never can be doneI mean； to serve
Christ and yet keep in with the world。 I call upon you； and beseech you
to be a whole…hearted Christian； to follow after eminent holiness； to
aim at a high degree of sanctification； to live a consecrated life； to
present your body a 〃living sacrifice〃 unto God； to 〃walk in the
spirit。〃 （Rom。 xii。 1； Gal。 v。 25。） I charge you； and exhort youby
all your hopes of heaven and desires of glory； if you would be happy；
if you would be usefuldo not be a lingering soul。
Would you know what the times demand？The shaking of nationsthe
uprooting of ancient thingsthe overturning of kingdomsthe stir and
restlessness of men's mindswhat do they say？ They all cry
aloudChristian！ do not linger！
Would you be found ready for Christ at His second appearingyour loins
girdedyour lamp burningyourself bold； and prepared to meet Him？
Then do not linger！
Would you enjoy much sensible fort in your religionfeel the
witness of the Spirit within youknow whom you have believedand not
be a gloomy； plaining； sour； downcast； and melancholy Christian？
Then do not linger！
Would you enjoy strong assurance of your own salvation； in the day of
sickness； and on the bed of death？Would you see with the eye of faith
heaven opening and Jesus rising to receive you？ Then do not linger！
Would you leave great broad evidences behind you when you are
gone？Would you like us to lay you in the grave with fortable hope；
and talk of your state after death without a doubt？ Then do not linger！
Would you be useful to the world in your day and generation？Would you
draw men from sin to Christ； adorn your doctrine； and make your
Master's cause beautiful and attractive in their eyes？ Then do not
linger！
Would you help your children and relatives towards heaven； and make
them say； 〃We will go with you〃？and not make them infidels and
despisers of all religion？ Then do not linger！
Would you have a great crown in the day of Christ's appearing； and not
be the least and smallest star in glory； and not find yourself the last
and lowest in the kingdom of God？ Then do not linger！
Oh； let not one of us linger！ Time does notdeath does notjudgment
does notthe devil does notthe world does not。 Neither let the
children of God linger。
Does any reader of this paper feel that he is a lingerer？ Has your
heart felt heavy； and your conscience sore； while you have been reading
these pages？ Does something within you whisper； 〃I am the man〃？ Then
listen to what I am saying。It is not well with your soul。 Awake； and
try to do better。
If you are a lingerer； you must go to Christ at once and be cured。You
must use the old remedy； you must bathe in the old fountain。 You must
turn again to Christ and be healed。 The way to do a thing is to do it。
Do this at once！
Think not for a moment your case is past recovery。 Think not； because
you have been long living in a dry； sleepy； and heavy state of soul；
that there is no hope of revival。 Is not the Lord Jesus Christ an
appointed Physician for all spiritual ailments？ Did He not cure every
form of disease when He was upon earth？ Did He not cast out every kind
of devil？ Did He not raise poor backsliding Peter； and put a new song
in his mouth？ Oh； doubt not； but earnestly believe that He will yet
revive His work within you！ Only return from lingering； and confess
your folly； and ee at once to Christ。 Blessed are the words of
the prophet： 〃Only acknowledge thine iniquity。〃〃Return； ye
backsliding children； and I will heal your backsliding。〃 （Jerem。 iii。
13； 22。）
And let us all remember the souls of others； as well as our own。 If at
any time we see any brother or sister lingering； let us try to awaken
themtry to arouse themtry to stir them up。 Let us all 〃exhort one
another〃 as we have opportunity。 〃Let us provoke unto love and good
works。〃 （Heb。 iii。 13； x。 24。） Let us not be afraid to say to each
other； 〃Brother； or sister； have you forgotten Lot？ Awake！ and remember
Lot！Awake； and linger no more。〃
__________________________________________________________________
X。
A WOMAN TO BE REMEMBERED
〃Remember Lot's Wife。〃Luke xvii。 32。
THERE are few warnings in Scripture more solemn than that which heads
this page。 The Lord Jesus Christ says to us； 〃Remember Lot's wife。〃
Lot's wife was a professor of religion： her husband was a 〃righteous
man。〃 （2 Peter ii。 8。） She left Sodom with him on the day when Sodom
was destroyed； she looked back towards the city from behind her
husband； against God's express mand； she was struck dead at once；
and turned into a pillar of salt。 And the Lord Jesus Christ holds her
up as a beacon to His Church： He says； 〃Remember Lot's wife。〃
It is a solemn warning； when we think of the person Jesus names。 He
does not bid us remember Abraham； or Isaac； or Jacob； or Sarah； or
Hannah； or Ruth。 No： He singles out one whose soul was lost for ever。
He cries to us； 〃Remember Lot's wife。〃
It is a solemn warning； when we consider the subject Jesus is upon。 He
is speaking of His own second ing to judge the world： He is
describing the awful state of unreadiness in which many will be found。
The last days are on His mind； when He says； 〃Remember Lot's wife。〃
It is a solemn warning； when we think of the person who gives it。 The
Lord Jesus is full of love； mercy； and passion： He is one who will
not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoking flax。 He could weep
over unbelieving Jerusalem； and pray for the men that crucified Him；
yet even He thinks it good to remind us of lost souls。 Even He says；
〃Remember Lot's wife。〃
It is a solemn warning； when we think of the persons to whom it was
first given。 The Lord Jesus was speaking to His disciples： He was not
addressing the scribes and Pharisees； who hated Him； but Peter； James；
and John； and many others who loved Him； yet even to them He thinks it
good to address a caution。 Even to them He says； 〃Remember Lot's wife。〃
It is a solemn warning； when we consider the manner in which it was
given。 He does not merely say； 〃Beware of followingtake heed of
imitatingdo not be like Lot's wife。〃 He uses a different word： He
says； 〃Remember。〃 He speaks as if we were all in danger of forgetting
the subject； He stirs up our lazy memories； He bids us keep the case
before our minds。 He cries； 〃Remember Lot's wife。〃
I propose to examine the lessons which Lot's wife is meant to teach us。
I am sure that her history is full of useful instruction to the Church。
The last days are upon us； the second ing of the Lord Jesus draws
nigh； the danger of worldliness is yearly increasing in the Church。 Let
us be provided with safeguards and antidotes against the disease that
is around us； and； not least； let us bee familiar with the story of
Lot's wife。
There are three things which I shall do； in order to bring the subject
before our minds in order。
I。 I will speak of the religious privileges which Lot's wife enjoyed。
II。 I will speak of the sin which Lot's wife mitted。
III。 I will speak of the judgment which God inflicted upon her。
I。 I will first speak of the religious privileges which Lot's wife
enjoyed。
In the days of Abraham and Lot； true saving religion was scarce upon
earth： there were no Bibles； no ministers； no churches； no tracts； no
missionaries。 The knowledge of God was confined to a few favoured
families； the greater part of the inhabitants of the world were living
in darkness； ignorance； superstition； and sin。 Not one in a hundred
perhaps had such good example； such spiritual society； such clear
knowledge； such plain warnings as Lot's wife。 pared with millions of
her fellow…creatures in her time； Lot's wife was a favoured woman。
She had a godly man for her husband： she had Abraham； the father of the
faithful； for her uncle by marriage。 The faith； the knowledge； and the
prayers of these two righteous men could have been no secret to her。 It
is impossible that she could have dwelt in tents with them for any
length of time； without knowing whose they were and whom they served。
Religion with them was no mere formal business； it was the ruling
principle of their lives and the mainspring of all their actions。 All
this Lot's wife must have seen and known。 This was no small privilege。
When Abraham first received the promises； it is probable Lot's wife was
there。 When he built his altar by his tent between Hai and Bethel； it
is probable she was there。 When her husband was taken captive by
Chedorlaomer； and delivered by God's interference； she was there。 When
Melchizedek； king of Salem； came forth to meet Abraham with bread and
wine； she was there。 When the angels came to Sodom and warned her
husband to flee； she saw them； when they took them by the hand and