PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
Horae Homileticae — Volume 1 of 21
Simeon, Charles, 1759-1836 · 313,334 words · 642 reading sections
Dedication.
&, / r /cn0?U0 wmve4Jtfo<=36frteZ'tjp/ J Lilt a j (etLLuia ^^.(pavtii'-iic / NOW FIRST DIGESTED INTO ONE CONTINUED SERIES, AND FORMING A COMMENTARY TO WHICH IS ANNEXED, AN IMPROVED EDITION OF A TRANSLATION OF 2-i 'O-' 18, st. paul's church-yard. mdccc xxxii. - B3 *3> |4< 'iftrl- ..*■ ^ My Lord Archbisho…
341 wordsSECTION 2Dedication.
both in the Old and New Testament, avoiding carefully all peculiarities of human systems, and all unprofitable controversies ; and I have done this in such a way, as to exemplify what ap- peared to me the most simple and edifying mode of stating divine truth. Throughout the whole I have laboured to maintain that …
346 wordsSECTION 3Preface.
INSTRUCTION relative to the Composition of Sermons is of great importance, not only to Ministers, but, eventually, to the community at large. And it were much to be wished that more regard were paid to this in the education of those who are intended for the ministry. It has sometimes been recommended to the younge…
683 wordsSECTION 4PREFACE. vii
b T BEG EVERY YOUNG MINISTER VERY ESPECIALLY TO REMEMBER THIS. the penitent before us. And here we observe a farther dis- crimination : the penitent's experience is delineated at two different periods; one in the beginning, and the other in the progress, of his repentance. This distinction serves to open an easy …
430 wordsSECTION 5P R E F Ace.
though very important, docs not limit one to any particular considerations! B) the adoption of such a plan as this, many good ends are attained: for not only is unity preserved, and a perspicuity diffused through the whole, but a variety of ideas suggest themselves which would not otherwise occur to the mind: an …
375 wordsSECTION 6PREFACE. ix
" This, if considered in itself, is vile ; if, as estimated by the best judges, worthless — " The soul, on the contrary, if considered in itself, is noble ; and if, as estimated by the best judges, invaluable — " Such being the disparity between the value of the world, and that of the soul, we cannot but see what …
830 wordsSECTION 7PREFACE. xi
It cannot be but that a Work of this nature should be liable to many objections. Persons will vary in their judgment with respect to it, according as they affect or disregard order ; according as they relish or disapprove the use of Scripture language; according as they have been habituated to close thinking, or h…
691 wordsSECTION 8PREFACE. xiii
Archbishop Seeker, in his last Charge, after observing, in reference to the matter of our sermons, " We have, in fact, lost many of our people to sectaries by not preaching in a manner sufficiently evangelical," (p. 299,) adds, in reference to the manner of our preaching, " There is a middle wayc, used by our pred…
559 wordsSECTION 9P R Efac E.
exercise of faith and prayer. In this hope, the Sermon, on Mark svi. 15, 1G, and the four Skeletons annexed to it, are sent forth into thf world: and if, by means of them, the excellency of the Gospel may be more clearly seen, its importance more deeply felt, and its strengthening, comforting, sanctifying efficacy…
436 wordsSECTION 10PREFACE. xv
many set these passages at variance, and espouse the one in opposition to the other, he dwells with equal pleasure on them both ; and thinks it, on the whole, better to state these appa- rently opposite truths in the plain and unsophisticated manner of the Scriptures, than to enter into scholastic subtleties, that …
662 wordsSECTION 11PREFACE. xvii
Again ; as men differ with respect to the first beginnings of a work of grace, so do they also with respect to the manner in which it must be carried on ; some affirming, that God has engaged to "perfect that which concerneth us;" and others, that even St. Paul had reason to fear " lest he himself should become a …
743 wordsSECTION 12PREFACE. xvii
The Author humbly apprehends, that there is a perfect agreement between these different points ; and that they are equally salutary or equally pernicious, according as they are properly or improperly implied. If, for instance, on hearing a person excuse his own supineness by saying, " I can do nothing, unless God …
336 wordsSECTION 13PREFACE. xix
confirm him in his sloth, and encourage him to cast all the blame of his condemnation upon God himself. But if we should bring before him the apparently opposite truths, and bid him arise and call upon God ; we should take the way to convince him, that the fault was utterly his own, and that his destruction would …
719 wordsSECTION 14PREFACE. xxi
In a word, there seems to be a perfect correspondence between God's works of providence and grace : in the former, " he worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will," yet leaves men perfectly free agents in all that they do ; so in the latter, he accomplishes his own eternal purpose both in calling,…
724 wordsSECTION 15PREFACE. xxiii
It has not, however, as the Author believes, occurred to any divine, to supply a regular series of Discourses on the most important parts of the whole volume of Scripture; and to adapt those Discourses, by their general construction, their simplicity, and their brevity, to the especial service of the younger order…
1,020 wordsSECTION 16PREFACE. xxv
have the satisfaction of reflecting, that it has been his wish simply to follow the Oracles of God. The Scriptures and the Church of England have been claimed, by each of these two parties, as exclusively favouring their peculiar system; and if the same comprehensive and liberal character be found in his writings,…
720 wordsSECTION 17PREFACE. xxvii
The Author has also sought to render the work useful for Families. It has often been a matter of complaint, that there existed few Sermons sufficiently plain and concise for the instruction of Servants: he has therefore filled up the outline of many of these sketches somewhat fully, hoping that Clergymen and other…
640 wordsSECTION 18Genesis •
Text. Subject. Page. 1. i. 26. 1 2. ii. 2, 3. Appointment of the Sabbath 6 3. ii. 16, 17. Covenant made with Adam 12 4. iii. 4. The Serpent beguiling Eve . . . 19 5. iii. 6, 7. The Fall of Man 24 6. iii. 11—13. Excuses made by our first Parents, 31 7. iii. 15. The Seed of the Woman .... 36 …
517 wordsSECTION 19Xv. 11.
61. 62. 63. 64. 65. 66. 67. 68. 69. 70. 71. 72. 73. 74. 75. xlix. 22 — 24. 1. 15—17. iii. 2, 3. iii. 12. iii. 14. iv. 10—14. v. 2. v. 17, 18. vi. 9. vii. 3. ix. 16. ix. 20, 21. x. 3. x. 23. xi. 7. 76. xii. 41, 42. 77. xii. 3 — 11. 78. xii. 21 — 23. 79. xiii. 14 — 16. 80. xiii. 17,…
267 wordsSECTION 20Exodus
88. 89. 90. 91. 92. 98. 94. 95. 96. 97. 98. 99. 100. 101. 102. 103. 104. 105. 100. 107. 108. 109. 110. 111. 112. 113. 111. 115. 110. 117. 118. xvi. 35. xvii. 5, 6. xvii. 11. xix. 3 — G. xx. 18, 19. xxiii. 13. xxiii. 20—22. xxiii. 29, 30. xxiv. 6 — 8. xxiv. 11. xxv. 8, 9. xxviii…
302 wordsSECTION 21Advertisement.
xxxm 119. 120. 121. 122. 123. 124. 125. 126. 127. 128. 129. 130. 131. 132. 133. 134. 135. 136. 137. 138. 139. 140. 141. 142. 143. i. 3, 4. ii. 1—3. ii. 13. ii. 14—16. v. 5, 6. v. 17—19. vi. 13. vii. 1 1 . ix. 23, 24. x. 1—3. xiii. 45, 46. xiv. 4 — 9. xiv. 14 — 18. xvi. 21, 22. xv…
401 wordsSECTION 22Vol. I. B
Gen. i. 26. And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. THOUGH men constantly trace their origin to their immediate parents, and frequently to their remoter ancestors, yet they rarely consider When, or How they first came into existence, or Whether any change has taken place in their nature si…
670 wordsSECTION 231.1 Creation Op Man. 3
passages, where God, tinder the character of our " Creator" or " Maker" is spoken of in the plural number'1. We must not however suppose that there are three Gods : there certainly is but One God ; and His unity is as clear as his existence : and this is intentionally marked in the very verse following our text; w…
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Infer 1. What an awful change has sin brought into the world! [Survey the character before drawn : and compare it with men in the present state : " How is the gold become dim, and the fine gold changed ! " Men are now enveloped in darkness, and immersed in sin. They " know nothing as they ought to know," and do …
654 wordsSECTION 25Appointment Of The Sabbath.
p See notes m and » i 2 Cor. v. 17. r Isai. lv. 13. s 1 John ii. 20, 27. l Heb. viii. 10. " 2 Cor. iii. 18. x Eph. ii. 18. Gen. ii. 2, 3. On the seventh day, God ended his ivork which he had made: and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified…
358 wordsSECTION 262.1 Appointment Of The Sabbath. 7
would all acknowledge the propriety of serving him in con- cert ; but each would be ready to consult his own convenience ; a difference of sentiment also would obtain respecting the portion of time that should be allotted to his service : and thus there would never be one hour when all should join together in cele…
405 wordsSECTION 278 Genesis, Ii. 2, 3. [2.
something moral also; and therefore, as to the moral part of it, it must, of necessity, be of perpetual obli- gation. To remove all doubt on this important subject, consider, 1 . The time of its institution — [Some heave thought that the mention which is made of the Sabbath in the words before us, was merely by a…
450 wordsSECTION 282.] Appointment Of The Sabbath. 9
Nevertheless, for the more effectual maintenance of its authority, God judged it necessary to publish it to them again, both upon the original grounds, and on other special grounds peculiar to that people. And how did he publish it ? Did he deliver it to Moses in the same manner as he did the ceremonial law ? No :…
442 wordsSECTION 2910 Genesis, Ii. 2, 3. [2.
This change was sanctioned by our blessed Lord, who repeatedly selected that day for the more public exhibition of himself to his disciples0; and on that day sent down the Holy Ghost upon themp; in order that the application, as well as the completion of his redemption, might give a further sanctity to the new-app…
418 wordsSECTION 302.1 Appointment Of The Sabbath. 1 1
[What are the proper employments for our minds, the prophet Isaiah has plainly told us : " We should account the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable ; and should honour him, not doing our own ways, nor finding our own pleasure, nor speaking our own words2." We should endeavour to have our thoughts …
467 wordsSECTION 31Covenant Made With Adam.
2. For encouragement — [Not only personal, but even national judgments may be expeeted for the violation of the Sabbath '. But, on the other hand, every blessing maybe expeeted, both by individuals k and the community ', if the Sabbath be habitually and con- scientiously improved. Indeed, it seems almost impossibl…
347 wordsSECTION 323.1 Covenant Made With Adam. 13
it. To him therefore, in addition to the moral law which was written on his heart, and from which he could not deviate without opposing all his innate propensities, a positive precept was given : the will of his Creator was enacted into a law : and that which was indifferent in itself, was made a test of its obed…
407 wordsSECTION 3314 Genesis, Ii. 16, 17. [3.
" cast into the lake which burnetii with fire and brimstone ; which is the second death." That such was the penalty, appears from the event : for, upon transgressing the divine command, he became mortal : a change also instantly took place in his intellectual and moral faculties ; as he shewed, by attempting to hi…
441 wordsSECTION 343.1 Covenant Made With Adam. 15
to stand or fall in him. In proof of this we may observe that, 1. In this prohibition are contained all the consti- tuent parts of a covenant — [Here are the parties ; God on the one side; and Adam, for himself and all his posterity, on the other. Here are the terms expressly declared: there was a condition presc…
416 wordsSECTION 351G Genesis, Ii. 1G, 17. [3.
the offence of one, he declares that that one person, even Adam, was "a type ox figure of Him who was to come;" and that as death and condemnation came by the offence of one, that is, Adam; so righteousness and life come by the obe- dience of one, even Christ1. In another place he draws precisely the same parallel…
412 wordsSECTION 363.J Covenant Made With Adam. 17
therefore the more awful the sanctions were, the more likely they were to answer the desired end ; and the more gracious was God in annexing them to the prohibition.] 2. As a covenant — [It is but a small thing to say concerning the covenant, that it was just : we go much further ; and affirm, that it was in the …
488 wordsSECTION 3718 Genesis, Ii. 1G, 17. [3.
and inanimate beings, with all their variegated hues, the exquisite formation of their parts, their individual symmetry, their harmonious configuration, their wonderful adaptation to their respective ends. Can we conceive a richer feast for our eyes ? Behold how the earth is strewed with flowers, that cast their p…
488 wordsSECTION 384.1 The Serpent Beguiling Eve. 19
first parents began. O that we could view sin in this light ! O that we could bear in mind the judgment denounced against it, " In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die ! " We have warnings sufficient to intimidate the stoutest heart : " The wrath of God is revealed against all ungodliness and unr…
302 wordsSECTION 3920 Genesis, Iii. 4. [4.
Gen. iii. 4. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die. IN reference to the fact before us, St. Paul says, " The serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty." And great is the subtilty which appears throughout the whole of his conduct on this occasion. He took an opportunity of addressing himself…
458 wordsSECTION 404.] The Serpent Beguiling Eve. 21
is not the dispersion of the Jews at this clay a proof, that no word of God shall ever fall to the ground? Sec his threaten- ings against the whole world — Did not the deluge come according to the prediction, and sweep away every living creature (those only excepted that were in the ark) from the face of the earth…
449 wordsSECTION 41Genesis, Iii. 4. [4.
sin against liim with impunity? If men saw before their eyes the instruments of torture whereby the violators of a law were to be put to a lingering and cruel death, and knew at the same time that there was no possibility of escape to any one who should transgress the law, would they incur the penalty with the sam…
514 wordsSECTION 424,_ The Serpent Beguiling Eve. 2,'5
rejecting this suggestion of the devil, and by believing that all the threatenings of God against sin and sinners shall assuredly be accomplished.] Observe then, on the whole, 1. What need there is of fidelity in ministers — [Satan at this time, no less than formerly, suggests to men, " Ye shall not surely die :"…
473 wordsSECTION 43The Fall Of Man.
suggestion turn them to a direct affirmation, and say, ' Surely ye shall not die.' So says our blessed Lord himself: "My sheep shall never perish:" St. Paul also says, "There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus." On this, therefore, you may rely, with the fullest possible assurance : for, if the th…
367 wordsSECTION 445.] The Fall Of Man. 2/>
occurred. He saw the woman near the forbidden tree, and at a distance from her husband. So fa- vourable an occasion was not to be lost. He instantly took possession of a serpent ; which being confessedly the most subtle of all animals, was least likely to create suspicion in her mind, and fittest to be em- ployed…
400 wordsSECTION 4526 Genesis, Iii. G, 7. [5.
his entertaining any hard thoughts of God, she hereby em- boldened him to prosecute his purpose in a more direct and open maimer. Improving the advantage he had already gained, he pro- ceeded to question in direct terms the grounds of her fears, in relation to the penalty : " Ye shall not surely die." He here int…
419 wordsSECTION 465. J The Fall Of Man. 27
fruit, and prevailed upon her husband to partake with herb. Without inquiring how she prevailed with him, or what would have been the effect if she alone had fallen, let it suffice to know, that Adam transgressed in eating the forbidden fruit, and that this was the sin whereby he and all his posterity were ruined…
407 wordsSECTION 4728 Genesis, Iii. 6, 7. [5.
Were they to think much of so small an act of self-denial, where so much was provided for their indulgence ? Were they to be so unmindful of all which He had done for them, and of all the good things which He had in store for them, as to refuse Him so small a testimony of their regard? Amazing ! Incredible ! that …
389 wordsSECTION 48[5. The Fall Of Man. 29
they could at present feel little else than self-indignant rage, and self-tormenting despondency : but their anguish, though not participating the ingenuous feelings of self-lothing and self-abhorrence, must have been pungent beyond all ex- pression: and they must have seemed to themselves to be monsters of iniqui…
414 wordsSECTION 4930 Genesis, Iii. G, 7. [5.
first parents? Alas! "the god of this world hath blinded our minds:" else we should smite upon our breasts with sorrow and anguish, and implore without delay the mercy which we so much need.] 2. How astonishing was the grace of God in pro- viding a Saviour for us ! [It is needless to say that our first parents co…
436 wordsSECTION 50Excuses Made By Our First Parents, After Their Fall.
Gen. iii. 11 — 13. Hast thou eaten of the tree whereof 1 com- manded thee that thou shouldest not eat? And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done ? And the woman said, The serpent beguile…
782 wordsSECTION 51C] Excuses Made By Our First Parents. 33
2. They shun, rather than desire, the presence of their God — [God comes to all of us in his word, and speaks to us in the language of love and mercy : He bids us to draw nigh to Him, and to enjoy " fellowship with him, and with his Son, Jesus Christ." But are these employments suited to the taste of all ? or do …
463 wordsSECTION 5234 Genesis, Iii. 11—13. [6.
crime alleged, they will impute it to accident, or inadver- tence, or mistake, or, like our first parents, to the instigation and example of their accomplices. What is the disposition which shews itself in persons of riper years, when they are called to account for any evil that they have committed, or when their …
788 wordsSECTION 53The Seed Of The Woman.
2. To those whose hearts are beginning to relent — [Do not think that a small and transient humiliation is sufficient. If you could weep " rivers of tears," it would be no more than the occasion calls for. You may perhaps com- fort yourselves with the thought of not having committed many or great offences : but co…
502 wordsSECTION 547.1 The Seed Of The Woman. 37
In explaining this prophecy, I shall call your at- tention to, I. The person here predicted — [It was the Lord Jesus Christ ; who was in a peculiar way " the seed of the woman .•" for he was formed in the worn!) simply by the agency of the Holy Ghost, and was horn of a pure virgin altogether without the intervent…
445 wordsSECTION 5538 Genesis, Iii. 15. [7.
temple, if peradventure he might thus induce him, under an idea of trusting in God, to destroy himself. Afterwards he stirred up Peter to dissuade him from executing the work he had undertaken ; saying, " Master, spare thyself." When he could not prevail in any of these ways, he put it into the heart of Judas to b…
476 wordsSECTION 56The Seed Of The Woman. ,'>9
7.] quarter of the globe, from the most blinded votaries of Satan amongst the Heathen, as well as from his more specious ser- vants amongst ourselves ! See the weakest of the children of men enabled to triumph over him, and, though persecuted like their divine Master, "made more than conquerors through him that l…
445 wordsSECTION 57Parents.
[You appear to be in a hopeless condition, because your corruptions are so great and your enemies so mighty. Go, then, to the cross of Christ, and there see the Saviour himself hanging, an helpless and inanimate corpse ! What hope has HE of victory? Wait a moment, and you will see. Behold him rising from the grave…
388 wordsSECTION 588.1 Salvation Illustrated To Our First Parents. 41
thing according to the pattern shewn to him in the mount." It is thus also with respect to all the most remarkable events recorded in the Bible, whether they relate to the Jewish, patriarchal, or antediluvian ages ; they were all, in some respect, figurative and emblematical. Amongst these we must certainly numbe…
372 wordsSECTION 5942 Genesis, Iii. 21—24. [8.
anger, we cannot doubt but that he would have answered the presumptuous offerer, as he did the Jews, " Who hath required this at your hands a ? " But we know that when a bleeding sacrifice was offered to him by Abel, he testified liis acceptance of it in a visible manner, probably by sending fire from heaven to co…
463 wordsSECTION 608.1 Salvation Illustrated To Our First Parents. 43
was in this a deep stupendous mystery. Adam and Eve thought only of a covering for their bodies : God pointed out to them a covering for their souls. They were despoiled of their original righteousness ; and they needed a robe to cover their naked souls, that they might again stand before God " without spot or ble…
421 wordsSource & rights
Public domain historical edition (1832-33); scan/OCR from Internet Archive.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.