PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
Horae Homileticae — Volume 4 of 21
Simeon, Charles, 1759-1836 · 223,595 words · 412 reading sections
68 Psalms, Xxv. 11. [346.
Nor shall ive restrain prayer before God, if we will but consider the state of an unpardoned soul — [No words can fully express the misery of one who has all the guilt of his sins upon him. He has no peace with God, seeing that '' God is angry with him every day," and " the wrath of God abideth on him." He has no …
457 wordsSECTION 62346.1 Proper Method Of Praying To God. 0^
the world more difficult. IVe naturally prefer any other plea that can be devised : and, even when we find that we have not in ourselves any worthiness on which we can rely, we are still averse to rest on the name of Jesus. We either deem it iiisiijfi' cient to procure acceptance for our prayers, or make our iinwor…
460 wordsSECTION 63Cccxlvii.
David's love to god's ordinances. Ps. xxvii. 4. One thing haue I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after ; that I may divtll in the House of the Lord all. the days of my life^ to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his Temple. MOST of the saints recorded in the holy Scrip- tures were eminent for …
757 wordsSECTION 6472 Psalms, Xxvii. 4. [347.
Here he felt encouragement to pour out his soul before God, and to ask whatsoever his returning necessities might require. This, to him who«e trials were fo great and manifold, was an unspeakable privilege. The extreme arduousness of his affairs also rendered it most desirable to him to spread all his difficulties …
653 wordsSECTION 6572 Psalms, Xxvii. 4. [347.
J Gal. iii. i. ^ jsjuj^b. xxiii. 21. J Eph. v. 27. 047.] David's love to god's ordinances. 73 great is his beauty"'!" And how often, in rapturous admiration of him, do we pray with the Psalmist, " Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us !" In truth, it is by thus " behold- ing as with unveiled face the glory…
530 wordsSECTION 6674 Psalms, Xxvii. 4. [^47.
views of his beauty, and more enlarged discoveries of his excel- lency We should consider too, what our more immediate necessities require ; so that we may be ready to spread them all before him, and to inquire of him respecting them Then the more enlarged our expectations of benefit from the ordinances are, the m…
513 wordsSECTION 67Adoring God For His Mercies.
to seek your happiness in God ; and never to rest, till you can say of him, " Whom have I in heaven but Thee ? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides Thee."]* * If this be a subject at the Opening of a Church or Chapel, the great need that there was of a place of worship may be stated, and a hope expre…
355 wordsSECTION 68?6 Psalms, Xxviii. 7. [348.
very thoughts of his heart into captivity to the obedience of Christ." Would he attain and exercise all the graces of the Spirit ? he shall do so, yea, " he shall do all things through Christ strengthening him" And whom needs he to fear? Surely neither men nor devils : for, what can man do, when he himself is crus…
439 wordsSECTION 69348.] Adoring God For His Mercies. 77
pass you on every side, and so strong as to be impenetrable to all the fiery darts of the devil ? When you see v^'hat lubts you have to mortify, and what duties to perform, have you not reason to rejoice in having Omnipotence for your strength ? O rejoice j rejoice in the Lord ahvays ; yea, " rejoice in him with jo…
472 wordsSECTION 70Cause And Cure Of Spiritual Desertion".
joyed. What he saw under a veil, we behold, as it were, with open face ; A God incarnate, taking upon himself the entire care of all his people, standing between them and the curse of the broken law, and engaging to keep them by his own power unto everlasting salvation. For 2is there is " help laid upon One that i…
411 wordsSECTION 71349.] Cause And Cure Op Spiritual Desertion. 79
what he abhors. For instance ; A persuasion that we are God's elect people, and that we are in no danger of perishing, is recommended by many as the root and summit of Christian faith ; whilst a fear lest we should hav^e deceived ourselves, or should ulti- mately perish, is characterized as an evil heart of un- b…
387 wordsSECTION 7280 Psalms, Xxx. 6 — 12. [^349.
hour, according to the good pleasure of Him, ^^in whom we live, and move, and have our being." The very continuance of our lives should be regarded in this view ; so that we should never think of what we will do in the next year, or even on the morrow, without an express reference to God as the sovereign controlle…
490 wordsSECTION 73349.] Cause And Cure Op Spiritual Desertion. 81
gourd ; and for this he required the soul of him who thought " he had much goods laid up for many years." We doubt not also but that the experience of every child of God will more or less attest the same in reference to the withdravvnient of his presence from them. In proportion as any have become less vigilant, t…
515 wordsSECTION 7482 Psalms, Xxx. 6 — 12. [349.
great importance for the due regulation of our own minds, and for the right counselling of those who are under tlie hidings of God's face. The excellency and efficacy of this remedy may be seen in,] IV. His speedy recovery — . [Many there are who go mourning almost all their lives. And wherefore ? Is it that God …
490 wordsSECTION 75349.] Cause And Cure Of Spiritual Desertion. 83
to employ it in his praise : " O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever." Blessed resolution ! O that every one of us would instantly adopt it ! O that God would inspire us with grace sufficient to carry it into execution ! It is in order to bring all to this, that we have been so particular in the fore…
497 wordsSECTION 7684 Psalms, Xxxi. 15. [350.
2. To those who have declined from him — [Many in a state of declension are ready to imagine that God has arbitrarily and without any particuUir cause withdrawn himself from them. But it may well be doubted whether in any case God ever dealt thus with any of his creatures. Our blessed Lord, when he cried, " My God…
287 wordsSECTION 77Cccl.
OUR TIMES IN god's HAND. Ps. xxxi. 15. My times are hi thy hand. TO the ungodly it is a satisfaction to deny the providence of God, and to cut him off, as it were, from any connection with his creatures. But the saints find a rich consolation in the thought that God reiffneth. This it is which reconciles them to …
567 wordsSECTION 7886 Psalms, Xxxi. 15. [350.
surrender them at his call^" Our days are protracted to an ad- vanced age, if he be pleased to uphold us ; if not, our course is finished as soon as ever it is commenced. It is " in God, and in God alone, that we live, and move, and have our being*."] But though these ideas are certainly comprehended in the text, …
667 wordsSECTION 7986 Psalms, Xxxi. 15. [350.
From this subject we may learn, 1 . To seek God without delay — [There is no period of life when we can call one day, or one hour, our own. We are altogether " in God's hands;" and, if he withdraw his support for one moment, we perish, as cer- tainly as a stone gravitates to the earth. Shall we then, when so enti…
333 wordsSECTION 80The Goodness Of God To His Believing People.
he will suffer none to come upon you which he will not enable you to bear, none which he will not sanctify to your eternal good^. 3. To trust him without carefulness — [It is foolish as well as impious to distrust God, or to mur- mur at any of his dispensations. In whose hands could the disposal of all events be …
780 wordsSECTION 81The Goodness Of God To His Believing People.
blessings * Ps. Ixxiii. 1. '' Isai. Ixiv. 4. with 1 Cor, ii, g, 10. " Eph. iii. 18, Ip. * ib. ver. 8. 90 PSALMS, XXXI. ig, 20. [351. blessings which God has treasured up for us in the Son of his love , the more shall we exclaim with David, " O how great is his goodness !"] 1. That which God has actually " wrough…
660 wordsSECTION 82The Goodness Of God To His Believing People.
But against these does God provide for his people an effectual antidote — [Though more exposed than others to the venomous as- saults of slander, they have a refuge which the worldling knows not of. They carry their trials to the Lord, and spread them before him ; and from him they receive such supports and con- …
504 wordsSECTION 83352.J True Blessedness Declared. 98
Ps. xxxii. 1 — 6. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. fVhen I kept silence, my bones waxed oldy through my roaring all the day long : (for day and night thy hand was heavy upon me) m…
590 wordsSECTION 8494 Psalms, Xxxii. 1 — 6. [352.
hell ? If there were a large company of condemned criminals, some rich and noble, others poor and ignoble, and one of the meanest of them had received the king's pardon whilst all the rest were left for execution ; who among them would be ac- counted the happiest ? How much more then, when the death to which unpar…
469 wordsSECTION 85352.J True Blessedness Declared. 95
happy, even if it were in heaven : sin would eat his vitals, as doth a canker. It is the restoration of the soul to the Divine image that constitutes a very principal part of its felicity : for when we are " holy, as God is holy," then are we happy, as God is happy. We must be careful however i\ot to confound those…
658 wordsSECTION 86352.J True Blessedness Declared. 95
converts on the day of Pentecost and in the Jailer § And similar displays of mercy may we ourselves hope for, if only we humble ourselves before him, and seek to be clothed in the Redeemer's righteouness : for " he is rich in mercy unto all who call upon him."] Having stated thus his own experience, David proceed…
337 wordsSECTION 87Devotion Exemplified.
2. To seek him whilst he may be found — [There is " a time wherein he may be found" of every one of us ; and a time wherein he may not be found. This is an awful truth ; but it is attested by many passages of Holy Writ : " O that thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things that belong unto th…
395 wordsSECTION 8898 Psalms, Xxxiv.- 2, 3. [353.
of mind or body, we are forward to bring it into notice, and to arrogate something to ourselves on account of it. One values herself upon her beauty ; another boasts of his strength or cou- rage; another prides himself in his wit, his penetration, or his judgment. Rather than pass unnoticed, the ungodly will boast …
432 wordsSECTION 89353.] Devotion Exemplified. 99
[The godly are not so free from pride, but that flattery sometimes finds access to their hearts, and proves a grati- fication to their unwary minds. But in their better seasons, when their airy dreams have vanished, and they obtain juster views of themselves, they most unfeignedly lothe and abhor themselves, and d…
436 wordsSECTION 90The Fear Of God Inculcated.
strained to acknowledge : nor, if we were always thus engaged, would any trouble or sorrow be able to molest us : our very afflictions would rather give energy to our souls, and enlarge at once our subjects of praise, and our disposition to abound in it.] 3. Is it not a necessary employment? [It is grievous on suc…
422 wordsSECTION 91354.] The Fear Of God Inculcated. 101
the time the psalm was written he was not yet exalted to the throne of Israel,) he regarded all, to whom he had access, as his children ; and was anxious, as a loving parent, to gain their attention, that he might instil into their minds those truths which he himself felt to be of supreme importance. He wished in…
449 wordsSECTION 92102 Psalms, Xxxiv. 11 — 16. [354.
most tempted, and most accustomed, to commit, that is the evil against which we must most watchfully guard^ and from which we must most resolutely depart On the other hand, we must be occupied in doing good. The doing of good should be the great business of life : first, the doing good to our own house- hold ; the…
457 wordsSECTION 93354.] The Fear Of God Inculcated. 103
1 . God's favour to them that fear him — [" The eyes of the Lord," says he, " are upon the righteous, and his ear is open to their cry." Not a moment are they out of his sight, nor for a moment is he inattentive to their prayers. Are they in danger? He will protect them, and cause his angel to encamp around them, …
516 wordsSECTION 94104 Psalms, Xxxiv. 11 — 16. [354.
It must however be remembered, that though the exercise of these holy dispositions is pleasing and acceptal)le to God, it is not meritorious in itself; nor can it found a claim for our justification before God. A reward, it is true, will be given us ; but it is '' a reward of grace, and not of debt." It is in Chri…
715 wordsSECTION 95106 Psalms, Xxxv. 3. [S55.
THE sinner's hope. Ps. XXXV. 3. Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation. SUSPENSE is extremely painful to the human mind, and the more so in proportion to the danger to which we are exposed. David experienced this in a very high degree. In the psalm before us, he appears to have been greatly agitated with fear on a…
775 wordsSECTION 96106 Psalms, Xxxv. 3. [S55.
But the petition in our text is still more deserving of attention, II. As suited to us — Imminent as David's dangers were, they were not to be compared with those to v/hich we are ex- posed— [David's enemies might be eluded, intimidated, vanquished: but those with which the soul of every sinner is encompassed ca…
334 wordsSECTION 97•108 Psalms, Xxxv. 3. [355.
Prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers ? And they returned, and said, Like as the Lord of Hosts thought to do unto us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us^." Of the six hundred thousand men who came out of Egypt, how many entered into Canaan ? Not one, except Josh…
704 wordsSECTION 98•108 Psalms, Xxxv. 3. [355.
Hell too combines with all the rest, and is opening wide its jaws to receive its destined prey. What the prophet said re- specting the king of Babylon, may be said to every impenitent sinner under heaven : " Hell from beneath is moved for thee, to meet thee at thy coming'." As in that instance " it stirred up the …
903 wordsSECTION 99Compassion To The Sick.
encompassed " Prov. xii. 21. " Isai. xii. 1, 2. " Ps. Ixii. 5 — 7. P ib. ver. 8. encompassed with armed hosts that were^ seeking to destroy you, you would be full of alarm and terror : and can you enjoy a moment's ease, while it is doubtful whether in the space of a few days you shall not lie down in everlasting …
384 wordsSECTION 100112 Psalms, Xxxv. 13, 14. [S56.
any disease by God himself, so far from rejoicing at it, or even being unconcerned about it, he laid it to heart, and set himself by fasting and prayer to obtain for them a removal, or at least a sanctified improvement, of their sufferings : in a word, he felt for them as if they had been his dearest friends, or …
363 wordsSECTION 101356.1 Compassion To The Sick. 113
come to visit their friend, they have nothing to 6peak of but vanity, nothing that can strengthen his weak hands, or sustain his troubled mind. " Miserable comforters are they all, and physicians of no value." Nor does the sick person himself find it so easy to turn his mind to heavenly things as he once ima- gine…
463 wordsSECTION 102114 Psalms, Xxxv. 13, 14. [356.
trouble ? was not my soul grieved for the poor^ ?" And it is in this way that we also must fulfil the law of Christ'' ] But more especially should we feel this from a regard for their souls — [Pious as David was, we can have no doubt but that in his griefs for Saul and Doeg, he had respect to their spiritual, as …
457 wordsSECTION 103350»] Compassiox To The Sick. 115
which we think we see, proves only like the blossom that is soon nipped by the frost, and disappoints our expectations. Not that our labour shall be altogether in vain**. We are persuaded, that if we labour with assiduity and tenderness to benefit the souls of men, God will make some use of us. Like Isaiah, we may …
478 wordsSECTION 104116 Psalms, Xxjcv. 13, M. [356.
disadvantages in a time of sickness : but in other respects the ad- vantage is altogether on your side. The friends of the rich are almost uniformly bent on keeping from them all those who would seek to benefit their souls : and, if one get access to them, one scarcely dares to speak, except in gentle hints and dar…
497 wordsSECTION 105Confidence In God Recommended.
should remember the poor : the same which I also (says he) was forward to do'." To you then would we recommend the same benevolent disposition ; and we pray God that there may be in you the same readiness to cultivate it to the uttermost. All may not have time or ability to do much in instructing and com- forting …
386 wordsSECTION 106113 Psalms, Xxxvii. 3 — 5. [S57.
not repine at the success of evil-doers, he teaches us to consider, how short their triumph is, and how awful will be their end. He then, in the words of our text, instructs us, I. What we are to do for God — It is here taken for granted that we have many difficulties to contend with. But instead of being discou…
453 wordsSECTION 107357.1 Confidence In God Recommended. 119
sweet ; '* and whether *' your souls have not been satisfied as with marrow and fatness," when you have been so employed ?] 3. To commit our every concern to his disposal — [Our duty in this respect may not unfitly be illustrated by the confidence which passengers in a ship place in a skilful pilot and an able com…
479 wordsSECTION 108120 Psalms, Xxxvii. 3 — 6. [357.
but must expect from God all those supplies of grace and strength which we stand in need of. " He that beliiveth, will not make haste :" he will not presently despond, because he sees not how his wants are to be supplied ; but will remember, that, as *' the earth, and the fulness thereof, is the Lord's," so there i…
538 wordsSECTION 109Confidence In God Recommended. 121
scouring of all things ;" but God will not leave us to sink under these reproaches : he will sooner or later appear for us, and *' make our righteousness to shine forth as the noon-day." We shall have " good report to pass through, as well as evil report;" and our very demeanor under our persecutions shall carry co…
484 wordsSECTION 110The Security Of The Upright Soul.
Ps. xxxvii. 31. The law of his God is in his heart : none of his steps shall slide. THE blessedness of the righteous is a favourite subject with the sweet singer of Israel : several of his psalms are occupied with it throughout ; and often in a way of immediate contrast with the state of the ungodly. As far as re…
360 wordsSECTION 111Security Of The Upright Soul. 1^3
stone, on vvhicli with his own finger he wrote the law, so he causes the believing penitent to come up to him with his heart of stone ; and then, exchanging it for an heart of flesh, he inscribes upon it his law, even, as the Apostle says, upon the fleshly tables of his heart'. We are told respecting all the Lord's…
528 wordsSECTION 112124 Psalms, Xxxvii. 31. [358.
which is outward in the flesh : but he is a Jew who is one inwardly: and circumcision is that of the heart ; in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of man, but of God""." In other words, he only is truly righteous, who can say with Paul, " I de- light in the law of God after my inward man ;" and …
467 wordsSECTION 113S58.] Security Of The Upright Soul. 126
block in the way of others, and bring guilt upon their own souls ''. I may add further, that they will pray unto God to guide them. They know their privilege: they know that God has said, that, if they call upon him for direction, " they bhal! hear a word behind them," saying, "This is the way; walk ye in it;" whe…
821 wordsSECTION 114Ccclix.
1. How inseparable is the union between duty and privilege — [The self-depending formalist who dreads the mention of privilege, and the Antinomian professor who hates the mention of duty, are equally remote from the truth of God. Depend on God we must ; for it is he who must Vv'ork all our works in us. And obey h…
569 wordsSECTION 115128 Psalms, Xxxviii. 1 — 9. [359.
will visit it according to its desert. In whomsoever it be found, whether he be a king on his throne, or a beggar on a dunghill, he will make no difference, except indeed to punish it in proportion to the light that has been resisted, and the aggrava- tions with which it has been committed. Doubtless the sins of D…
711 wordsSECTION 116130 Psalms, Xxxviii. 1 — 9. [359.
2. That to such expressions of penitence all the promises of God are made — [It is not to the fluent tongue, but to the contrite heart, that pardon and peace are promised. " To this man will I look," says God, " even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit,'* " to revive the spirit of the humble, and to reviv…
695 wordsSECTION 117The Shortness Of Human Life.
fire :" " Luke xvi. lo — 26. Sc Isai. xxxv. JO, fire :" but, " if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousnessJ* Let the groaning penitent then look up to him with cheerful hope; vea, with assured confidence, tliat God will not despi.se even the l…
901 wordsSECTION 118360.] The Shortness Of Human Life. 133
labour labour under the same mental blindness. They attend to the fluctuations of their disorder ; and one single symptom of con- valescence does more to remove the expectation of death from them, than many proofs of augmented debility do to bring it home to their feelings with suitable apprehensions : they are st…
523 wordsSECTION 119134 Psalms, Xxxix. 4, 5. [360.
whether we will beheve it or not : and if any deny it, our answer is, " Let God be true j but every man a har."] Such being the real state of man, I will endeavour to shew you, 11. The vast importance of being duly impressed with it — It was the want of this knowledge that made the adversaries of David so proud …
458 wordsSECTION 1203G0.] The Shortness Of Human Life. 135
ever occurred of the vanity of human grandeur, this is the greatest : for Solomon's head was scarcely laid in the grave, before ten of the tribes out of the twelve revolted from his son, and, instead of beiwg his subjects, became his rivals and enemies^: and m the space (if five years afterwards, all the treasures,…
509 wordsSource & rights
Public domain historical edition (1819); scan/OCR from Internet Archive.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.