PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
Horae Homileticae — Volume 2 of 21
Simeon, Charles, 1759-1836 · 273,224 words · 589 reading sections
572 Joshua, Vii. 8. [249.
The defeat coming so unexpectedly, we do not wonder at, II. Joshua's distress — His conduct on this occasion was by no means unexceptionable — [ The maimer in which he complained to God reflected even upon the Deity himself; " O Lord God, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us …
453 wordsSECTION 542249.] Israel Discomfited By The Men Of Ai. 573
admire) his humiliation before God on account of it. This was very deep : "he rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the Lord until the even-tide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their headsh." He had seen on many occasions how Moses and Aaron had succeeded in averti…
506 wordsSECTION 543Ccl.
Let us then inquire of the Lord, " Wherefore he contendeth with us ? " Let us set ourselves diligently to search out our iniquities ; and let us beg of God to discover them to us, that no one sin may remain unrepented of and unmortified. If in any thing we have been overcome by our spiritual enemies, let us not re…
746 wordsSECTION 544576 Joshua, Vii. 19, 20. [250.
2. From personal confession — [The testimony of God would of itself have been sufficient; because he could neither deceive nor be deceived. But, as it was intended that the offender should be made a public monu- ment of divine justice, and be held up as a warning to the whole nation, it was desirable that other pr…
890 wordsSECTION 545578 Joshua, Vii. 19, 20. [250.
If our proud heart still rise against the sentence, let us silence every objection with this unanswerable question, " Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right ? " The execution of it was calculated to produce the best effects — [It was necessary that, in the commencement of this new scene of things, the peop…
880 wordsSECTION 546580 Joshua, Vii. 19, 20. [250.
2. The certainty of its exposure — [It is profitable to observe how often God interposes to discover the hidden iniquities of mankind. Some sins in par- ticular appear to engage him in more decided hostility against the perpetrators of them. I refer more especially to murder and adultery. The interest which the gu…
710 wordsSECTION 547Persevering Zeal Recommended.
h Jer. xiii. 15 — 17. Blessed be God, though Achan's confession did not avert punish- ment from him, ours shall from us, provided it be truly inge- nuous, and deeply penitential. The Lord Jesus Christ never yet spurned from his feet a weeping penitent. He shed his blood even for the chief of sinners, and " will sa…
399 wordsSECTION 548582 Joshua, Viii. 26. [251.
order to draw the people of Ai from their strong- holds, and to seize upon their city whilst they were pursuing the retreating hosts of Israel. All this was well, according to the arts of war: and all this was to be rendered subservient to the end proposed. But still it was not by this that success was to be obtai…
410 wordsSECTION 549251.1 Persevering Zeal Recommended. 583
twice in the New Testament is his name translated " Jesus," when it should rather, for distinction sake, have been trans- lated " Joshua0;" and both times in reference to his conducting the children of Israel into Canaan. He was the ostensible leader of the Lord's people : but the Lord Jesus Christ was the real " …
466 wordsSECTION 550584- Joshua, Viii. 26. [251.
must we fight the Lord's battles against our spiritual enemies ; 1. With determined purpose — [A command is given us to destroy them : and, as in God's purpose they are all devoted to destruction, so they must be in ours. No truce is to be made with any of them ; not one is to be spared. We have enlisted under th…
447 wordsSECTION 551251.1 Persevering Zeal Recommended. 585
[It is clear that Joshua entertained no doubts of final success : he was well assured that the event would be such as God had given him reason to expect. It is true, he could see no connexion between his holding forth a spear in the valley, and the success of combatants at a distance from him: to the judgment of s…
507 wordsSECTION 552586 Joshua, Ix. 15. [252.
too, must follow him in this respect. There is no enemy so weak, but he will be able to overcome us, if we indulge a care- less habit, or confide in an arm of flesh. We must fight the good fight of faith, and quit ourselves like men upon the field of battle : but we must, also, be much and often with our God " in …
355 wordsSECTION 553Cclii.
Joshua's league with gibeon. Josh. ix. 15. And Joshua made peace ivith them, and made a league with them, to let them live. IT is not uncommon for persons to harden them- selves against God, and, like Ahaz, " in their dis- tress to trespass yet more against the LordV The inhabitants of Canaan had been filled with…
472 wordsSECTION 554588 Joshua, Ix. 15. [252.
Egypt, and of the victorious manner in which he had enabled them to prevail over the kings on the other side of Jordan. But respecting the miraculous passage through the river Jordan, or the fall of Jericho and Ai, they said not a word ; because they would have it supposed that their country was so far distant as …
888 wordsSECTION 555590 Joshua, Ix. 15. [252.
Thus have we considered the subject with a view to moral instruction, particularly in reference to the evil of falsehood, and the importance of seeking direction from God, and the indispensable necessity of fulfilling our engagements. We shall now consider it with a view to, II. Religious improvement — s Ps. xv.…
775 wordsSECTION 556590 Joshua, Ix. 15. [252.
3. That, if we would obtain mercy, we must sub- mit to the terms imposed upon us — [The Gibeonites accounted it no great matter to cede their cities, and to spend their days in servitude, seeing that their lives were spared. And shall we think much of sacrificing any temporal interests, or of performing any self-d…
283 wordsSECTION 557Ccliii.
doorkeeper in the house of your God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness." If then ye have been awakened from your heathenish security, whatever terrors may have brought you to the feet of Jesus, bless God for them : and whatever hardships ye may endure in the service of your Lord, bless God for them also. If…
713 wordsSECTION 558594 Joshua, X. 24, 25. [253.
From the occasion of that confederacy, we pro- ceed to notice, II. The means by which it was defeated — [Instantly, and with great importunity, did the Gibeonites make application to Joshua for timely succour'. They rightly judged, that, having once made a covenant with them, he would afford them his effectual ai…
687 wordsSECTION 559594 Joshua, X. 24, 25. [253.
IV. The prospect it afforded them in all their future conflicts — [Many conflicts yet remained for them, before the whole land would be completely subdued. But, however numerous or severe these conflicts might be, the people had no reason " to fear or be dismayed," since every enemy should be sub- dued before the…
350 wordsSECTION 560The Conquest And Partition Of Canaan.
to the mind, as scourging is to the body x:" and " it were bet- ter to have a millstone hanged about your neck, and to be cast into the sea, than that you should offend one of Christ's little onesy" If any think, that, because multitudes concur with them, they are the less in danger, I would remind them of Gibeon'…
351 wordsSECTION 561254.1 The Conquest And Partition Of Canaan. 597
Beautiful is the analogy between the warfare of the Israelites, and that which is maintained by every true Christian. We have had repeated occasion for this remark before ; but the illustration of it admits of endless diversity. Mark their warfare in its various stages — [Behold its commencement.: it began with w…
455 wordsSECTION 562593 Joshua, Xi. 23. [254.
displayed than in the history before us. The transition which a person experiences in conversion, is justly represented in the Scripture as a coining " from darkness into marvellous light f;" or rather, as " a passage from death to lifeg." What human power is sufficient for a change like this ? St. Paul represents …
509 wordsSECTION 563254.1 The Conquest And Partition Of Canaan. 599
tribes by lot ; God having reserved to himself the whole disposal of it : his it was from the beginning ; and his it continued to be ; and they must all receive it as a gift from him. Mark here the order of events; 1. The grant — [God gave the land to Abraham, whom of his own sove- reign will he had called out fr…
471 wordsSECTION 564600 Joshua, Xl 23. [254.
Canaan did not supersede the necessity of their exertions, nor did the efforts they used prevent it from being a gift. They knew that it was a gift ; and that very consideration encouraged them to fight for it ; and they laboured cheerfully, because they " knew that their labour would not be in vain in the Lord." …
503 wordsSECTION 565255.~] Sloth And Lukewarmness Reproved. 601
Let us learn then from hence the issue, 1. Of the world's impieties — [God beareth long with sinners; and because his judgments against their evil works are not executed speedily, their hearts are the more fully, and more securely, set in them to do evil. But " God is not slack concerning his promise, as some men …
368 wordsSECTION 566602 Joshua, Xviii. 3. [255.
SLOTH AND LUKEWARMNESS REPROVED.a Josh, xviii. 3. And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, ivhich the Lord God of your fathers hath given you ? CONSISTENCY in religion is by no means an easy attainment. Certain duties may be performed a For New Year's Day. wit…
447 wordsSECTION 567255.1 Sloth And Lukewarmness Reproved. 003
had done so much for them, and there remained so little for them to do, it was highly criminal.] 2. For the undue satisfaction they took in their present comforts — [Doubtless their present state formed a great contrast with that which they had experienced in the wilderness ; for they enjoyed all the rich provisi…
441 wordsSECTION 568604 Joshua, Xviii. 3. [255.
to bring us to the possession of it. We speak not now of those who are yet " in darkness and the shadow of death/' but of those who have been " brought out of darkness into marvellous light :" yes, to the greater part of them is this reproof pre- eminently due. Let it only be considered how "slack" the professors…
472 wordsSECTION 569255.1 Sloth And Lukewarmness Reproved. 005
professing great anxiety to reach a destined port, and yet carried no more sail than was just necessary to keep the vessel's head towards it ; and every storm threatened to drive us out of our course ; and it was often doubtful whether the currents had not a more powerful influence to counteract our design, than t…
454 wordsSECTION 570606 Joshua, Xviii. 3. [255.
should groan for it, desiring to be dissolved, that we may be with Christ ; yea, we should be " looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of Christ," when our sanctification will be perfect, and our triumph complete. But, how far is this from being the experience of the generality of Christians ! We seem …
438 wordsSECTION 571The Disbanding Of The Troops Of Israel.
in the universe should not fear the conflict, nor the weakest hesitate to put forth his strength. Go on then without fear ; and " ye shall never fall, but so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ1."] 4. How richly heaven will compensat…
401 wordsSECTION 572G08 Joshua, Xxii. 4, 5. [256.
The Reubenites, Gadites, and Manassites, had re- ceived their portion on the other side of Jordan on the express condition, that a just proportion of their tribes should pass over Jordan to fight in concert with the other tribes, and not return unto their in- heritance till the whole land should be subdued. This …
411 wordsSECTION 573256.1 Disbanding Of The Troops Of Israel. 609
[The soldiers whom Joshua was disbanding had continued with unshaken fidelity to fulfil their engagements : and though they had been detained from their families and possessions for seven years, they never once murmured or repined at the delay : yet Joshua did not on that account think that his religious counsels …
493 wordsSECTION 574610 Joshua, Xxii. 4, 5. [256.
its exertions? Visit the chambers of sickness, and of health; and see how different the same persons are under the two different states! View persons under painful bereavements, and see them afterwards in the full enjoyment of all earthly comforts! Truly, if we regarded heavenly things only, we might rather congra…
489 wordsSECTION 575The Altar Of Witness.
Josh. xxii. 11, 12. And the children of Israel heard say, Be- hold, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh have built an altar over against the land of Canaan, in the borders of Jordan, at the passage of the children of Israel. And when the children of Israel heard of it, the…
341 wordsSECTION 576612 Joshua, Xxii. 11, 12. [257.
hosts, and the loss of six and thirty men : and, not very long before, the connexion of many with the Midianitish women in whoredom and idolatry, brought destruction on twenty-four thousand Israelites in one day. What then could be expected, but that, if these who had erected the altar should pass un- punished, Go…
452 wordsSECTION 577257.1 The Altar 0F Witness. 613
altar, and that all the tribes should offer their sacrifices there3 : It also commanded, that, if any attempt should be made by any part of Israel to establish idolatry among them, the re- mainder, after due inquiry, should cut them off with the sword b. This then was an interference of magistrates in support of th…
464 wordsSECTION 578614 Joshua, Xxii. 11,-18. [257.
1 . To prevent apostasy from God — [This was the real object of the persons who raised the altar : they, in a most reverential and solemn manner, called God to witness that they had been actuated only by a desire to transmit to their posterity an indelible assurance, that they were as truly the Lord's people, as t…
485 wordsSECTION 579The Altar Of Witness.
615 257.] both. When the accusers found themselves mistaken, they did not shift their ground, and condemn their brethren for impru- dence ; nor, when the accused had evinced their innocence, did they condemn their accusers on the ground of uncharitableness and injustice : the one were as glad to acquit as the oth…
437 wordsSECTION 580Cclviii.
god's interpositions for us are obligations to love and serve him. Josh, xxiii. 10, 11. The Lord your God, he it is thatjighteth for you, as he hath promised you. Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the Lord your God. MUCH as patriotism and valour are admired, and deservedly as, in many instanc…
331 wordsSECTION 581258.1 Obligations To Love And Serve God. G17
endues them both with skill and courage, and gives the victory to whomsoever he will. Besides, there have been many pecu- liar circumstances which owed their origin to him alone. And, while these mark his providential care, they compel us to acknowledge that " it is he who fighteth for usd."] Nor are we without a …
385 wordsSECTION 582618 Joshua, Xxiii. 14. [259.
Nor will lie overlook it even in his most highly favoured ser- vants11. But "shall we thus requite the Lord?" Let us rather survey with gratitude the mercies we have received. Let us habitually behold the hand of God in them. And let us anxiously inquire, " What shall I render unto the Lord for all the benefits th…
399 wordsSECTION 583Cclix.
god's faithfulness to his promises. Josh, xxiii. 14. Behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth : and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which th" 259.1 god's faithfulness to his promises. G19 Lord your God spake concerning you; all are…
424 wordsSECTION 584620 Joshua, Xxiil 14. [259.
2. To individual members in particular — [Though the names of individuals are not specified, their characters are delineated, and that too in such a way, that all who study the sacred oracles may read, as it were, their names in them. There are distinct promises made to the humble d the weake the tempted f the bac…
808 wordsSECTION 585622 Joshua, Xxiii. 14. [259.
ark before the door be shut against us " We are going the way of all the earth," whether we be old or young, rich or poor: and as death finds us, so shall we remain for ever. Stay not then till death overtake you ; but join yourselves to the 0 Jer. ii. 31. P Heb. xiii. 5. Isai. xlix. 14, 15. and liv. 7 — 10. i Mic…
610 wordsSECTION 586Cclx.
joshua's covenant with Israel to serve the lord. Josh. xxiv. 21 — 27. And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the Lord. And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are tvitnesses against yourselves, that ye have chosen you the Lord, to serve him. Arid they said, We are witnesses. Now therefore put away, sa…
333 wordsSECTION 587624 Joshua, Xxiv. 21—27. [260.
influence might remain, when he should have ceased to move them by his authority and example. We shall, I. Consider the covenant which he made with them — The covenant itself was, that they should serve the Lord — [Not contented with requiring this of them in general terms, he specified the manner in which they …
728 wordsSECTION 588G20 Joshua, Xxiv. 21—27. [260.
The zeal which Joshua shewed on this occasion will be approved by all : we may hope therefore to perform an acceptable service to you, whilst, with an eye to that covenant, we, II. Propose the same to you — The duty of serving the Lord our God will be denied by none ; and least of all by those who know the oblig…
734 wordsSECTION 589London : — B. Clay, 1'Rinter, Bread-Street-Hill.
Application — [" Choose ye now whom ye will serve." To unite God and Mammon is impossible : " if Baal be God, serve him : but if the Lord be God, then sei've him " ] 1 Hab. ii. 11.…
34 wordsSource & rights
Public domain historical edition (1832-33); scan/OCR from Internet Archive.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.