PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
Horae Homileticae — Volume 12 of 21
Simeon, Charles, 1759-1836 · 246,696 words · 540 reading sections
1490.] The Draught Of Fishes. 319
But his request should have been the very reverse of what it was — [Was he a sinful man ? he needed so much the more to receive instruction from the Saviour respecting the way which God had provided for his deliverance. He should rather have said, therefore, ' Lord, I am a sinful man, and all my hope is in thee a…
447 wordsSECTION 302320 Luke, V. 8—11. [1490.
being left to be made at the last dayc: but the scope of the miracle before us is rather to shew the saving effects of the Gospel, without adverting to any minute particulars respecting those in whom a difference shall be found. And here let me remind you, that the emblem is now realized amongst you at this very h…
442 wordsSECTION 3031491.] The Call Of Matthew. 321
creation, and consequently how " competent he was to save to the uttermost all that should come unto God by him." Whilst this proved that he was the true Messiah, it proved to our comfort, that all which he has undertaken for us shall surely be accomplished ] 2. To trust in him under all circumstances, how- ever …
386 wordsSECTION 304322 Luke, V. 27—29. [1491.
Luke v. 27 — 29. After these ihings, he went forth, and saw a publican named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me. And he left all, rose up, and followed him. And Levi made him a great feast in his own house. IF we notice particularly who they are whom God has more especially sel…
396 wordsSECTION 3051491.1 The Call Of Matthew. 323
I. His unexpected call — In this there was doubtless somewhat peculiar. He was called to an office which was limited to twelve, and which now no longer exists. But still, excepting that peculiarity, 1. The same call is given to every one of us — [To us the Gospel speaks in the same authoritative tone as that in …
456 wordsSECTION 306324 Luke, V. 27—29. [1491.
God ;'' who, as our Tenth Article states it, " by his grace in Christ Jesus prevents us, that we may have a good will, and worketh with us when we have that good will."] That this call of Matthew may have its due effect upon us, let us consider, II. His exemplary obedience to it — As in the call itself, so in his…
385 wordsSECTION 3071491.] The Call Of Matthew. 325
were still prosecuting the line which he had just relinquished. In this he sought to honour his Lord in the face of the whole world, and to advance the interests of His kingdom, by bringing others to the knowledge of him. This, under any circumstances, was a just expression of his gratitude for the mercy vouchsafed…
474 wordsSECTION 308326 Luke, V. 36—38. [1492.
we may more advance his glory in the world. On no other terms will he receive us : if we be not willing to " lose father and mother, and houses and lands, yea, and our own lives also for his sake, we cannot be his disciples." O that his power might now go forth amongst you, as it did in the case before us ; and th…
294 wordsSECTION 3091492.] Tiie New Wine And Old Bottles. 327
Luke v. 36 — 38. And he spake also a parable unto them ; No man putteth a piece of new garment upon an old ; if other- wise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old. And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles,…
493 wordsSECTION 310328 Luke, V. 36—88. [1492.
[It is not every season that is suited to this duty. At a wedding-feast, for instance, it would be absurd to fast. But on occasion of any great calamity, whether public or private, a fit opportunity would offer itself. In a season of war, famine, pestilence, the deepest humiliation becomes us. So under the pressur…
480 wordsSECTION 3111492.1 The New Wine And Old Bottles. 329
Lord. But we must ever remember, that, to whatever extent we multiplied these services, they never could stand in the place of repentance, and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the great error of the Church of Rome : they place penance, that is, a round of observances prescribed by man, in the place of repen…
475 wordsSECTION 312330 Luke, Vi. 12, 13. [1493.
and not with meat," because they were yet in too carnal a state to enter into the deeper subjects which he would gladly have brought before themg. Thus then should we also do. We should " feed babes with milk, and minister meat to those only who by reason of a more adult age are able to digest ith." Nor let any on…
295 wordsSECTION 3131493. J The Apostles Chosen. 331
Luke vi. 12, 13. And it came to pass in those days that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, he called unto him his Disciples : and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named Apostles. THE short period of our Lord's ministry on earth rendered it expe…
470 wordsSECTION 314332 Luke, Vi. 12, 13. [1493.
[On them, under God, depends the everlasting welfare of thousands. We need only compare the state of those congre- gations where the Gospel is faithfully preached, with those which are under the superintendence of careless ministers : in the one will be found little but ignorance and irreligion ; in the other, the…
492 wordsSECTION 3151493.] The Apostles Chosen, 3S3
no one would presume to enter upon it without much prayer to God to qualify him for the discharge of it, and to bless his labours to the edification of the people. But the people themselves also are no less concerned to pray, that God would " send them pastors after his own heart;" for the welfare of their souls e…
472 wordsSECTION 316334< Luke, Vi. 19. [1494.
" In all our ways we must acknowledge him, and he will direct our paths." In this then must all of us resemble the Lord Jesus Christ. In this has " he set us an example, that we should follow his steps :" and " we must walk as he walked." By this must all his followers be distinguished; for they are " a people nea…
302 wordsSECTION 3171494.1 Bodily And Spiritual Cures. 335
Luke vi. 19. And the whole multitude sought to touch Mm: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all. IN perusing the histories of ancient heroes, we may often be led to admire their skill and valour ; but we shall much oftener be shocked at the means they used to exalt and aggrandize themselves; and, wh…
473 wordsSECTION 318336 Luke, Vi. 19. [1494.
I. Trace the analogy between the miracles wrought by our blessed Lord on the bodies of men, and those which he yet works on men's souls — For the more distinct elucidation of this point, we may observe, 1. There is resemblance between the disorders of the body, and the disorders of the soul — [Many were brought …
431 wordsSECTION 319149 [.] Bodily And Spiritual Cures. 337
obscurity and out of darkness1." And again, " 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 sing1";" which figures are afterwards explained as relating to the spiritual salvation of the Church11. The app…
470 wordsSECTION 320Ss8 Luke, Vi. 19. [1494.
lowliness of mind, confess our inability to obtain relief from any other quarter, and our dependence on him alone2. Moreover, in proof of our earnestness, we must not merely seek, but strive a, determining to take the kingdom of heaven by vio- lence^, and not to let the Saviour go, except he bless usc. Lastly, we …
501 wordsSECTION 3211494.] Bodily And Spiritual Cures. 339
work he lias begun in the souls of men n, and perfects that which concerneth them0.] Since then, without any forced interpretations or conceits, we may draw such instruction from the miracles in general, let us endeavour to, II. Improve the particular miracle recorded in the text — If, in the concerns of our soul…
441 wordsSECTION 322340 Luke, Vi. 19. [1494.
consideration to that of obtaining a cure from him. . And who could blame them? They felt their need of healing, and knew that they might obtain it by going to him, and therefore they would on no account lose the opportunity afforded them : and, when they could in no other way get access to him, they would go up t…
500 wordsSECTION 3231494.] Bodily And Spiritual Cures. 341
purpose ! And will he now be inattentive to our spiritual wants? When we rush, as it were, with holy violence into his presence, and seek to touch him, will he forbid us ? Will he withdraw himself from us, or say, ' Stand off; thou art too vile to be admitted to my presence?' Has he not said, on the contrary, that…
484 wordsSECTION 324True Happiness Stated.
what universal shouts and acclamations to the honour of the Lord Jesus ! none ascribing their recovery to an arm of flesh ; but all acknowledging Jesus as the sole author of their happiness ! And why should it not be thus with us at this time ? Surely, if this whole congregation would but vie with each other in th…
406 wordsSECTION 3251495.1 True Happiness Stated. 343
[They think that wealth must of necessity conduce much to our happiness : they think that a freedom from care and trouble will greatly augment it : they think that an easy access to pleasurable amusements and carnal enjoyments will abun- dantly promote it ; and, above all, that universal respect and honour will co…
433 wordsSECTION 326Su Luke, Vi. 20—26. [1495.
II. The representations of happiness given us in the Scriptures — Poverty, dissatisfaction, sorrow, and contempt, are, it must be confessed, not pleasing in themselves ; nor indeed does any blessing necessarily attach to them ; but under certain circumstances they may be a desir- able portion — [Poverty and sorr…
392 wordsSECTION 327The Blind Leading The Blind.
to declare who are truly blessed™. O that we would take eternity into our estimate of present things ! O that we would cease from circulating our fatal errors, and acquiesce in the unerring declarations of God ! We can easily see, that a man who should drink a palatable but poisonous draught, would be no object of…
355 wordsSECTION 328346 Luke, Vi. 39. [1496.
followed by the deluded populace. The consequences were extremely fatal to them both. In this parable our Lord intended to reprove, 1. The presumption of such guides — [No man should undertake an office for which he is not qualified, much less so important an office as that of guiding men to heaven. Yet many assu…
674 wordsSECTION 329348 Luke, Vi. 43—45. [1497.
2. Try what you hear by the touchstone of God's word — [The Scriptures are the only proper rule of our faith and practice : to them we must refer every thing as to an unerring standard1, nor must any human authority supersede the exercise of our own judgment11. If an angel from heaven were to preach, we ought to …
302 wordsSECTION 330The Tree Known By Its Fruits.
Luke vi. 43 — 45. A good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit ; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather Jigs, nor of a bramble-bush gather they grapes. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart, bringeth forth that which …
252 wordsSECTION 3311497.] Tiie Tree Known By Its Fruits. 340
The heart is, as it were, a fountain, from whence all our actions proceed — In it there is a treasure either of good or evil — [While we are unregenerate, we are full of erroneous principles, and sinful affections. We " think that God is even such an one as ourselves;" that he will neither " do good" to them that…
495 wordsSECTION 332350 Luke, Vi. 43—45. [1497.
no more practise iniquity, so as to continue in it, than the bad can bring forth habitually the fruits of righteousness. St. John assigns the same reason as is suggested in the text, " He can- not sin, because the seed of God remaineth in himd," and, as an operative principle, regulates his life.] This truth being…
407 wordsSECTION 3331497.] Tiie Tree Known By Its Fruits. 351
1. Those whose fruits are evil — [It is not the openly profane, or the grossly sensual alone, but all, who are not really bringing forth the fruits of right- eousness and true holiness, that we now address. And what must we say ? Shall we natter you ? We dare not : the Scrip- ture speaks plainly ; and it would be …
471 wordsSECTION 334The Folly Of A Fruitless Profession.
Luke vi. 46. Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say ? THE honour of Christ and the salvation of our souls depend on our having right views of the Gospel : we cannot therefore too earnestly insist on the doc- trine of justification by faith in Christ. Nevertheless we should constantly urge t…
651 wordsSECTION 335The Centurion'S Servant Healed.
Application — [Let all then seek to become Christians indeed. Let us not be afraid to confess our Lord before men ; and let us regard c Rom. ii. 28, 29. d Matt. xxv. 3, 11, 12. e Matt. vii. 21—23. f Heb. iv. 13. e John ii. 24, 25. h 1 Cor. iv. 5. I Wisd. v. 1—9. " what he says" not only above all, but in oppositi…
651 wordsSECTION 336S56 Luke, Vii. 6, 7. [1499.
[He judged our Lord to be too holy to admit of converse with a heathen. He believed also that Jesus could effect whatsoever he pleased, by a word, and at a distance, without the intervention of any means e. Nor did he doubt but that universal nature was subject to his will far more than the most obedient soldier c…
613 wordsSECTION 337The Widow'S Son Raised.
houses of Godr! What doubting of Christ's power and grace, yea, what a proud conceit too of their own worthiness, is to be found among professing Christians ! Surely what our Lord said respecting the unbelieving Jews shall be realized in Chris- tians of this character8 : and the humbler heathens, who walked agreea…
351 wordsSECTION 3388 Luke, Vii. 14-16. [1500.
Jesus met a funeral procession : the principal mourner that followed it engaged his attention — [She was a mother following her own son to the grave. How afflictive is such an event to a tender parent ! This son had grown up to the estate of manhood. We may see in David's lamentations for Absalom what an afflictio…
444 wordsSECTION 3391500.] The Widow'S Son Raised. 359
There is little in the Scriptures to gratify our curiosity. Hence we are not told what the man spake, or how the mother was affected at the first interview with her son ; but, if once she forgat her pangs, for joy that he was born, how much more her sorrows now, that he was restored to life ? Doubtless the scene …
419 wordsSECTION 340360 Luke, Vii. 14—16. [1500.
heavenly disposition ; but who has not reason to regret, that mercies produce too transient an effect upon his mind ? Let us at least profit by the example they then set us, and labour to " glorify God" for the inestimable mercies he has conferred upon us.] Improvement — 1. This history may teach us to sit loose …
409 wordsSECTION 341The Perverse Children.
Luke vii. 31, 32, 35. And the Lord said, Whereunto tlien shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like? They are like unto children sitting in the market-place, and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you, arid ye have not danced; toe have mourned to you, and ye have not we…
371 wordsSECTION 342362 Luke, Vii. 31, 32, 35. [1501.
But in every place the Gospel has been rejected by those to whom it has come — [The Jews rested in the letter of their law, but hated the spirit of it ; they embraced the shadow, but rejected the sub- stance. By whomsoever the Gospel was preached, or under whatsoever form, the great majority of that nation could n…
462 wordsSECTION 3431501.] The Perverse Children. 363
but it is thought a proper portion for every faithful servant of the Lord.] The true ground, however, must be found in the perverseness of mankind — [We, at this distance of time, see clearly enough the per- verseness of the Jews in their treatment of Christ and his Apostles : but we are not aware of the same pri…
413 wordsSECTION 344364 Luke, Vii. 31, 32, 35. [1501.
home with power to our own hearts and consciences, will furnish abundant matter to increase our admiration. And must not the consideration of this be a rich encou- ragement to ministers under all the contempt and obloquy with which they and their ministrations are regarded ? Yes, they know that what the world acco…
442 wordsSECTION 345The Insolvent Debtors.
[They alone who possess this gift can profit from the Gospel. With such a disposition men will overlook the little peculiarities which there may be in those who minister the word, and will endeavour to derive benefit from the word they hear. They will consider that every minister has his proper gift ; and that the…
355 wordsSECTION 34636C> Luke, Vii. 40—42. [1502.
however, compare ourselves with others0, but try ourselves by the standard of God's law ; and if we bring ourselves to this test, we shall find no cause for boasting, even though we may have been preserved from gross offences.] 2. No man, however little he may owe, can dis- charge his own debt — [If we could obey…
673 wordsSECTION 347368 Luke, Vii. 50. [1503.
Luke vii. 50. And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee ; go in peace. TO associate with the ungodly world is by no means expedient for those who have been redeemed out of the world. Yet there is a certain degree of intercourse with them which is both proper and desirable. There is a medium between an a…
682 wordsSECTION 348368 Luke, Vii. 50. [1503.
Now it is the property of faith to " look on him whom we have pierced, and mourn c." Yea, the more lively faith any have possessed, the more abundant has been their self-lothing and self-abhorrence d. We cannot doubt therefore but that faith was the principle from whence her humiliation flowed.] 4. Her love — [Wh…
324 wordsSECTION 349370 Luke, Vii. 50. [1503.
II. The fruits and consequences of her faith — Though despised and condemned by the Pharisee, she was well rewarded by her Lord. She obtained from him, 1 . The pardon of her sins — [Numerous as her iniquities had been, they were all in one moment blotted out from the book of God's remembrance. Jesus, who " had a…
655 wordsSECTION 350370 Luke, Vii. 50. [1503.
2. The excellence of faith — [Admirable were the graces which this woman exercised; yet not one of them was noticed by our Lord : he overlooked them all ; and noticed that only which was least apparent, and which every one else would have overlooked, namely, her faith. He knew that this was the root or principle f…
251 wordsSECTION 351The Lighted Candle.
9 3. The condescension of Christ to believing peni- tents— [If a person of an abandoned character, however changed in his conduct, should come to us when in the midst of com- pany, and that company of a higher order and Pharisaic cast, and should express such affection for us, our pride would he apt to rise ; an…
386 wordsSECTION 3521504.] The Lighted Candle. 373
very time that he was explaining to them his public discourses. In the parable before us he suggests the duty, I. Of those who preach the Gospel — The Gospel is a light in the midst of a dark world — [The world lietli in utter darkness : nor has it any means of discovering the way of acceptance with God, but by t…
443 wordsSECTION 353374 Luke, Viii. 16—18. [1504.
service of our Godh. We do not say, that the education of youth is incompatible with the ministry : but it should never be suffered to make void the superior obligations which we owe to God, and to the souls of men. It may be made subservient to the ministry ; but must never supersede it.] From the duty of those w…
517 wordsSECTION 354376 Luke, Viii. 18. [1505.
Luke viii. 18. Take heed therefore how ye hear. THE office of a Christian minister is arduous. He is to explain and enforce every part of man's duty: he is to search out and censure every sin. After all his labours, he will see but little fruit. However faithfully he preach, there are but few who will hear aright…
613 wordsSECTION 3551506.] Jairus' Daughter Healed. 377
"receive the seed in an honest and good heart:" we should " receive with meekness the engrafted word :" nor can we hope to profit, if we do not cultivate this disposition.] With a desire to profit — [The word of God is profitable for many blessed purposes p: yet it cannot be serviceable to us, if it be not receive…
320 wordsSECTION 356378 Luke, Viii. 50. [1506.
Luke viii. 50. When Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not : believe only, and she shall be made whole. AFFLICTIONS may well be deprecated by us as painful to flesh and blood ; but they are often the means of humblinsr us before God. Multitudes came as suppliants to our Lord, who would never have regar…
454 wordsSECTION 3571506. J Jairus° Daughter Healed. 379
child should be raised as from a sleep. The idea of sleep, however, only called forth the dei-ision of the mourners. Such was the fruit of their ignorance and unbelief: but the ruler himself resembled the father of the faithful b.] It is in this way that true faith will ever shew itself — [It will surely lead us t…
419 wordsSECTION 358The Five Thousand Fed.
heavenly life1 : nor shall they fail of attaining eternal happiness in heaven k.] Application — [Every man must expect trouble in this vale of tears : the dearest friends must look forward to a day of separation ; but let every trouble drive us to the compassionate Jesus, and every want be spread before him in pr…
380 wordsSECTION 3591507. J The Five Thousand Fed. 381
all his wonted earnestness, but supplied by miracle the wants of all who waited on him. This event being replete with instruction, I shall set before you, I. The Miracle he wrought — The multitudes who followed him were reduced to the greatest straits — [The evening was closing in upon them, and they had no prov…
380 wordsSECTION 360382 Luke, Ix. 12, 13. [1507.
[Many valuable lessons does it suggest to us. We may here learn contentment : for, when our blessed Lord would feast this whole multitude, he did it not by spreading before them a luxurious entertainment, but by giving them only such provisions as were suited to a laborious fisherman, some barley bread and some co…
515 wordsSource & rights
Public domain historical edition (1832-33); scan/OCR from Internet Archive.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.