PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
Horae Homileticae — Volume 8 of 21
Simeon, Charles, 1759-1836 · 282,151 words · 604 reading sections
908. J The Use And Excellency Of True Wisdom. 59
imbued with divine wisdom, and actuated by the fear of God, and he will have a far juster apprehension of all the things of time and sense than the man of learning has ever attained. David says, " I have more understanding than all my teachers ; for thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the an…
382 wordsSECTION 62Go Isaiah, Xxxiii. 6. [908.
where is the disputer of this world ? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world*?" But next, this knowledge is a mine of moral wealth. A man imbued with divine " wisdom" has within himself an entirely new standard, whereby to judge of morals, and to regulate his life. Previous to the enlightening of his …
383 wordsSECTION 63908.] The Use And Excellency Of True Wisdom. 01
in reference to all such moral attainments, that they are a rich "treasure;" since " godliness, with con- tentment, is great gain11." I may further add, that this wisdom is a mine of spiritual wealth. Here I must bespeak your can- dour ; because, in bringing forth " the deep things of Godx," I may be led into a f…
408 wordsSECTION 6462 Isaiah, Xxxiii. 6. [908.
countenance ; and " comprehends it too, so far as a finite creature can comprehend it, in all its breadth and length, and depth and height0." By the Holy Spirit, also, he is enabled to realize in his soul those divine impressions, " a spirit of adoption," " the wit- ness of the Spirit," "the sealing of the Spirit,…
386 wordsSECTION 65908.] The Use And Excellency Of True Wisdom. 63
you such a subject as this, we only " darken counsel by words without knowledge." But all the glory and felicity of heaven are ours, if only we truly fear God. Indeed, God himself tells us, that " his delight is in them that fear him." And what, I would ask, shall be done to those whom God delights to honour? Not…
387 wordsSECTION 66Ca Isaiah, Xxxiii. 6. [908.
and we shall have reason to bless our God for the peculiar benefits which we here enjoy. Let me not, however, be thought to undervalue science. I am far from wishing to detract from its merits. It is, as I have before said, of exceeding great value, both to the State, and to the person enriched by it. It has in t…
391 wordsSECTION 67908. J The Use And Excellency Of True Wisdom. 65
may have attained, let us, with St. Paul, " forget the things which are behind ; and reach forth unto those that are before, and press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesusp" We have enemies, greater than Sennacherib, to withstand, and difficulties greater than Hezekiah's to over…
373 wordsSECTION 68Protection Promised To The Godly.
talent committed to us. But henceforth let us awake to our duty, and no longer hide our talent in a nap- kin. Let us remember, that " where much has been given, much will be required ;" and that if we labour not for these riches, we only deceive our own souls : for " where our treasure is, there will our heart be …
334 wordsSECTION 69909. J Protection Promised To The Godly. ()7
righteous, and godly life, to the glory of God's holy name," he does not mock God with unmeaning words, or hypocritically assume a character which belongs not to him : he feels in his heart what he utters with his lips ; and desires to fulfil his duties in Zion, as much as to enjoy her privileges.] 2. He is consis…
486 wordsSECTION 7008 Isaiah, Xxxiii. 16. [909.
II. The promise itself — To understand this, we must consider the occasion whereon it was delivered. The Assyrian army, that had overrun almost the whole of Judea, were now encompassing Jerusalem. The wicked Jews are given up to terror and consternation ; but the righteous are encouraged with a promise of, 1. Pr…
424 wordsSECTION 71909. J Protection Promised To The Godly. G9
Address — 1. To those who rest in presumptuous hopes — [The wicked Jews laughed at the judgments of God when they were at a distance, but were filled with horror at their ap- proach, and cried out, " Who shall dwell with the devouring fire ? who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burnings ? " Similar conster…
422 wordsSECTION 72The Church'S Security.
Isai. xxxiii. 20 — 22. Look upon Zion, the city of our solem- nities : thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down ; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken. But there the glorious Lord will be unto us a …
376 wordsSECTION 73910.] The Church'S Security. 71
Thus the Church is that society of godly persons, to which all in every place unite themselves, as soon as ever they are converted to God : and it enjoys exclusively the manifestations of God's love and favour. But it is hated by the world with a deadly hatred : and is often menaced by all the powers of earth and …
445 wordsSECTION 7472 Isaiah, Xxxiii. 20— 22. [910.
generation following; for this God is our God for ever and evera."] 2. Plainly— [The Church is under the immediate government of God, as Israel was of old. He is its Judge, its Lawgiver, and its King, who, while he requires the obedience of his people, is pledged by that very relation to afford them his protectio…
451 wordsSECTION 75Encouragement To The Weak.
Let us then " believe his declaration ; so shall we prosper ; and believe his promises; so shall we be established:" " we shall be even as Mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but standeth fast for ever1'."] d 2 Chron. xx. 20. Ps. cxxv. 1. Isai. xxxiii. 23. The lame take the prey. IT is impossible to read the Scr…
350 wordsSECTION 7674 Isaiah, Xxxiii. 23. [911.
only that their enemies should not prevail, but that they should flee, and leave an immense booty behind them ; and that even " the lame amongst his people," who were scarcely able to walk, should yet go forth and " seize the spoil," and be enriched by it. To mark the force of this expression, I will shew, I. How…
424 wordsSECTION 77911. J Encouragement To The Weak. 75
Apostle's days. St. Paul appealed to those at Corinth : " Ye see your calling, Brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called : but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise ; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound …
492 wordsSECTION 7876 Isaiah, Xxxiii. 23. [911.
mountain by its roots, and cast it into the seax. " To him that believeth, nothing shall be impossible y." And it is worthy of observation, that salvation is promised, not to him that is strong in faith, but to him that believeth. Our commission from Christ himself is, to declare, without any reserve, " He that be…
488 wordsSECTION 79911.] Encouragement To The Weak. 77
these dry bones live?" But, in answer to this, I say, Yes, they both can and shall live : and at the time when God, in answer to the prayers of his servants, shall be pleased to pour out his Spirit upon them, they shall not only resume the human form, but " shall live, and stand up on their feet, an exceeding grea…
476 wordsSECTION 80Glorious Prospects Of The Gospel Church.
not come within their cityP; but it is in dependence on Christ that we defy all our enemies, and say without fear, that " the blind and the lame shall repel them all." " His is the king- dom, and his the power ; and his shall be the glory, for ever and ever."] p 2 Sam. v. 6—8. Isai. xxxv. 1, 2. The wilderness and…
353 wordsSECTION 81912.] Glorious Prospects Of The Gospel Church. 79
will open a way for the accomplishment of God's gracious designs towards his Church and people. The words, as thus explained, lead us naturally to contemplate, I. The state of persons and places unenlightened hy the Gospel — Whatever advantages any place may possess, it is, if destitute of the Gospel, a dreary w…
435 wordsSECTION 8280 Isaiah, Xxxv. 1, 2. [912.
Let us turn from this humiliating contemplation, to consider, II. The state to which they are brought by the Gospel — Beautiful is the description given by the prophet of the change that is wrought by the Gospel of Christ. The souls of men assume altogether a new aspect. In them is found, The beauty of the rose…
417 wordsSECTION 83912.] Glorious Prospects Of The Gospel Church. 81
is preached with life and power. How precious are the ordi- nances made ! What pastures are laid open in the word of God ! How strengthening and refreshing does that feast become, which the Lord Jesus Christ has prepared for us at his table ! The souls, thus richly fed, "grow up as calves of the stall:" the trees,…
459 wordsSECTION 8482 Isaiah, Xxxv. 1, 2. [912.
in them," they were satisfied with no change however great, no profession however confident k. The commission given to them all, was to "say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God1!" and this they all fulfilled, saying to their people from time to time, " Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the …
467 wordsSECTION 85Encouragement To The Weak.
fruitful field be counted for a forest p." Though the corn be but an handful, and cast on the summit of a barren mountain, its produce shall be great, and your harvest sureq.] 2. What encouragement also for those who are dejected on account of the state of their own souls — [When all your grounds of dejection are …
357 wordsSECTION 8684 Isaiah, Xxxv. 3, 4. [913.
[The " hands and feet" being those members of the body that are fitted for labour, they not improperly represent the active powers of the soul : and the feebleness which they ex- perience through excessive fatigue, gives us a just idea of a soul weary with its labours, and heavy laden with its spiritual burthens. …
394 wordsSECTION 87913.] Encouragement To The Weak. 85
but it is God's message to tliem ; and therefore in God's name we deliver it. But in the text the grounds of this encouragement are stated : and, if duly applied to the soul, they are sufficient to comfort the most distressed, and to invigorate the weakest. "Behold then, your God will come:" yes, that God who, no…
496 wordsSECTION 8886 Isaiah, Xxxv. 5—7. [914.
as they themselves would desire, if they were commissioned to declare beforehand what they would consider as an adequate ground of consolation. Can any tiling exceed this kindness ? Let us then entertain worthy conceptions of our gracious God ; and learn never to doubt his love, or to distrust his care. And, inste…
344 wordsSECTION 89914. J Streams In The Desert. 87
Isai. xxxv. 5 — 7. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing : for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty…
536 wordsSECTION 9088 Isaiah, Xxxv. 5—7. [914.
But by the Gospel a wonderful change is effected in us — [Conceive of such a desert, as has been described, being, by the almighty power of God, filled at once with springs and rivers, and verdant hills and valleys : conceive of it as freed from all its venomous inhabitants, and covered with flocks and herds for …
452 wordsSECTION 91914. J Streams In The Desert. 89
that should come; or do we look for another? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Go, and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see : The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the Gospel preached to them0."…
468 wordsSECTION 9290 Isaiah, Xxxv. 5—7. [914.
leap as an hart ;" so that they not only walk, but " run in the way of God's commandments with enlarged hearts." Lastly, by it is " the tongue of the dumb made to sing the praises of Jehovah," and to anticipate, amidst all the troubles of this earthly state, the felicity of heaven. Now this is not a poetic fiction…
488 wordsSECTION 93915.] The Way To Zion. 91
till " the whole earth is full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea!" Well, certain it is, that this blessed period is fast approaching ; and that " God will comfort, not Zion only, but all the waste places of the earth ; making her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the L…
370 wordsSECTION 9492 Isaiah, Xxxv. 8—10. [915.
Isaiah xxxv. 8 — 10. And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness ; the unclean shall not ])ass over it; but it shall be for those : the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be fo…
466 wordsSECTION 95915.] The Way To Zion. 93
Lord Jesus Christ himself assures us, that " He is the zvay, the truth, and the life ; and that no man cometh to the Father but by himc." Bearing this then in mind, that the way to heaven is solely by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ11, we observe respecting it, that it is, 1. A high and holy way — [As, in forming…
511 wordsSECTION 9694 Isaiah, Xxxv. 8—10. [915.
they were predestinated, from all eternity p: and, if they could have the desire of their hearts, they would " be holy, as God himself is holy q," and " pure, as God himself is purer." Justly therefore is it said by our Lord, that " strait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and few there be …
517 wordsSECTION 97915. J The Way To Zion. 95
lions, and, above all, that " roaring lion, the devil, seeking to devour us," they are all either chained, that they cannot reach us, or restrained, that they cannot hurt usB. Though there- fore " the redeemed" appear an easy prey to their enemies, they walk at large without any anxious fear. By faith " they see h…
466 wordsSECTION 98Og Isaiah, Xxxv. 8—10. [915.
proceeds to paint their happiness as most sublime, not only on account of the deliverance they have experienced, but on account of the continued communications of all spiritual bless- ings to their souls r And well may we expect them to "return with singing," when they consider from what paths they have been broug…
687 wordsSECTION 99Og Isaiah, Xxxv. 8—10. [915.
Exhortation — [Permit me now to address myself to every individual amongst you. And what terms can we find more apposite, than those wherein Moses addressed his father-in-law ? " We are journeying unto the place of which the Lord said, I will give it you. Come with us, and we will do thee good ; for the Lord hath…
270 wordsSECTION 100Help For Us In God.
Isai. xxxviii. 14. 0 Lord, I am oppressed: undertake for me! THE time of death is an awful season to every child of man : but it may be more or less terrible, according to circumstances. There may, in that hour, be such manifestations of God's presence vouchsafed to the soul, and such bright prospects of a gloriou…
335 wordsSECTION 101Help For Us In God. 9.0
916.] I. The privilege of God's people in seasons of deep distress — They are at liberty to commit their every concern to God— [Of whatever kind their trials may be, they may spread them all before the Lord, with a confidence that he will afford them effectual relief. They may even " cast all their care on God …
446 wordsSECTION 102100 Isaiah, Xxxviii. 14. [916.
bar to God's interposition. All that he wants is, the prayer of faith : and that once offered, the deliverance, how difficult soever it may be, shall be vouchsafed. Only let us commit our cause entirely to God — [We must despair of help from the creature. God permits our trials to increase, in order to produce thi…
483 wordsSECTION 103Forgiveness Known And Enjoyed.
the night." " These things will he do to you, and not forsake you," till " he has turned your mourning into dancing, and put off your sackcloth, and girded you with gladness : " for " never yet failed he any one who trusted in him;" " nor said to any of the seed of Jacob, Seek ye my face in vain."] Isai. xxxviii. …
342 wordsSECTION 104102 Isaiah, Xxxviil 17. [917.
[Sickness and death were originally introduced by sin : and in many instances have they been inflicted in token of God's displeasure on account of sin. The leprosy of Miriam was a visitation on account of sin, as was that also of Gehazi. And the worms which preyed on the vitals of King Herod received their commiss…
462 wordsSECTION 105917.] Forgiveness Known And Enjoyed. 103
all his bones," it seems evident, that God had withdrawn from him for a season his wonted consolations, and that he was much in the state of David, who, under the pressure of a dangerous illness, cried, " Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps : thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast a…
454 wordsSECTION 106104 Isaiah, Xxxviii. 17. [917.
removed. But judgments may be removed in anger, as well as sent in anger r: and God may cease to smite us, only because he is determined not to strive with us any longer, but to give us over to final impenitence s. Our first object should be, to inquire of God " Wherefore he contendeth with us1?" and then to seek …
501 wordsSECTION 107Praising God For His Mercies.
Isai. xxxviii. 19. The Uving, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day : the father to the children shall make known thy truth. THIS is a part of a most pathetic record, written by Hezekiah after his recovery from a sickness which he had expected to terminate in death. The descrip- tion which he gives o…
382 wordsSECTION 108106 Isaiah, Xxxviii. 19. [918.
to bring you to salvation ? Suppose one, who has been called to his great account, and doomed to the misery which his sins have merited, could be restored for a few days to the situation in which you stand ; would he be insensible to the mercy vouchsafed unto him, or lukewarm in improving his renewed advantages '?…
480 wordsSECTION 109918.] Praising God For His Mercies. 107
It is well to speak of God's mercies, whether they be general or special, public or personal ; as it is said, " One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts : they shall abun- dantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness1*." But it should…
430 wordsSECTION 110108 Isaiah, Xxxviii. 19. [918.
reflecting on the importance of his life to the welfare of the Church, he was willing to forego his own personal happiness, and to have a life of labour and of suffering prolonged to him, that he might still further advance the interests of God's people1. Thus should the hope of benefiting others endear life to us …
548 wordsSECTION 111Dccccxix.
hezekiah's thanksgiving for his recovery. Isai. xxxviii. 20. The Lord tvas ready to save me: therefore ive will sing my songs to the stringed instruments, all the days of our life, in the house of the Lord. TO make public acknowledgments to God for national mercies is a duty so evident, that persons of all charac…
307 wordsSECTION 112110 Isaiah, Xxxviii. 20. [919.
delivered from it, he said, " I will declare thy name unto my brethren ; in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee. Ye that fear the Lord praise him; all ye, the seed of Jacob, glorify him ; and fear him all ye the seed of Israel : for he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted ; n…
999 wordsSECTION 113\]2 Isaiah, Xxxviii. 20. [919-
house of the Lord, and pours out his soul in pious and devout thanksgivings : knowing that, if he had died in his illness, he should never have had any more opportunities of glorifying God hefore men, he exclaims, " The grave cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee, they that go down to the pit cannot hope…
893 wordsSECTION 114114 Isaiah, Xxxviii. 20. [919.
But further — The resemblance holds good in the probable consequences of their illness — Hezekiah was sick nigh unto death, so that, till his recovery, he was utterly incapacitated for the business of the nation. If he had been left in the state he was, or had been taken away, his subjects would have suffered an i…
761 wordsSECTION 115114 Isaiah, Xxxviii. 20. [919.
Now if the occasions for joy and thankfulness are so similar, ought not our expressions of thankfulness to be similar also ? Ought we not to render unto God according to the benefits he hath conferred upon us ? Yes, surely. Did Hezekiah then make his deliverance a matter of universal praise ? let us stir up both o…
390 wordsSECTION 116116 Isaiah, Xxxviii. 20. [919.
for ever ? " Would Jesus ever have come down from heaven, if he had not been ready to save ? Would he have shed his precious blood for us, if he had not been ready to save? Would he have sent his word, his ministers, and his holy Spirit, to invite and draw us to him, if he had not been ready to save ? Has he not s…
570 wordsSECTION 117An Analysis Of The Foregoing Sermon.
\_The Author had at one time thought of inserting a considerable number of short sketches ; but he relinquished the idea, from an appre- hension that they would not afford sufficient aid to those, whose more immediate benefit he consulted. The following Analysis is added as a specimen.^ PUBLIC acknowledgments of n…
310 wordsSECTION 118The Scope And Tendency Of The Gospel.
Isai. xl. 1 , 2. Comfort ye, comfort ye my 'people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins. THE ministerial office is fitly compared to that of a steward, …
660 wordsSECTION 119120 Isaiah, Xl. 1,2. [920.
1. To God's ancient people — [To them primarily was this proclamation made. And it was verified in part, when they were delivered from the Baby- lonish captivity and restored to the enjoyment of their former f Eph. i. 13, 14. e John xvi. 7. h Rom. xv. 5. 1 2 Cor. vii. 6. k Ps. ciii. 13. » Isai. lxvi. 13. m Isai. …
534 wordsSECTION 120021.1 The Immutability Of The Gospel. 121
their sins are all " sealed up in a bag" against the day of judg- ment ; and the wrath of God is shortly coming upon them to the uttermost. Then it will appear how great a " difference there is between those who serve the Lord, and those who serve him not11." Let not this distinction then be made a subject of prof…
341 wordsSource & rights
Public domain historical edition (1832-33); scan/OCR from Internet Archive.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.