PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
Horae Homileticae — Volume 13 of 21
Simeon, Charles, 1759-1836 · 248,782 words · 530 reading sections
260 John, Iii. 17. [1611.
of mankind were up in arms against him, when not one of the whole human race (except a few whose hearts he himself had touched) desired reconciliation with him ; yea, when all were utterly averse from it, and desired nothing so much as to live in sin with impunity, and wished for no better heaven than the unrestra…
470 wordsSECTION 2421611.1 The End For Which God Sent His Son. 261
of his divine mission, they would not believe in him, but would cast him out of the vineyard and slay him. What then must we suppose God would say on such an occasion ? Surely he would speak to this effect : ' If I could hope that they would reverence my Son, I would overlook all the injuries done to my prophets, …
429 wordsSECTION 243262 John, Iii. 17. [1611.
[Mankind were as unable to provide for themselves a righteousness wherein they might stand before God, as they were to make an atonement for their past offences But, behold, God would not leave us destitute ; he gave his Son to fulfil the law which we had broken, and, " to bring in an everlasting righteousness," "…
585 wordsSECTION 244Mdcxii.
men's hatred of the light. John iii. 19 — 21. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth t…
682 wordsSECTION 245Mdcxii.
1612.] men's hatred of the light. 2G5 Son, in order that we might have peace through the blood of his cross. Light carries its own evidence along with it. Thus does also that glorious Gospel of which we are speaking : it is so pecu- liarly suited to the necessities of man, and at the same time so commensurate wit…
450 wordsSECTION 246266 John, Iii. 19—21. [1612.
severe. But let any one examine all its prohibitions and all its commands, and he will find them all amounting in fact to these two; "Do thyself no harm;" and, "Seek to be as happy as thy heart can wish." If there be any thing in the Gospel which bears a different aspect, it is owing entirely to our ignorance of i…
749 wordsSECTION 2472(58 John, Iii. Id— 21. [1612.
2. Insures their punishment — [If men did not hate the Gospel itself, there would be some hope that they might in due time embrace it, and be converted by it. If they would even come to the light in order that the true quality of their works might be made manifest, then we might hope that they would be convinced o…
584 wordsSECTION 248Conversion Of Souls A Ground Of Joy.
John iii. 29, 30. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom : but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegrooms voice : this my jog therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I nuist decrease. OF all the passions in the human breast, there is none mor…
327 wordsSECTION 249270 John, Iii. 29, 30. [1613.
the rites which these rival innovators were intro- ducing. The disciples of John, fearing that their Master's credit would suffer, and his influence be sub- verted, come to him to complain of Jesus for usurping an authority that did not belong to him, and for un- dermining the authority of John, from whom, in fact…
367 wordsSECTION 2501613.] Conversion Of Souls A Ground Of Joy. 271
metaphor is just ; that all who are truly converted give up themselves to Christ, and are thereby made partakers of all that he possesses. Contemplate now what a ground of joy this is, 1. To the believer — [Consider from what a state he is taken : how mean by nature! how vile by practice f! — Consider to what a …
429 wordsSECTION 251272 John, Iii. 29, 30. [1613.
See how Paul rejoiced in the conversion of menk: and such are the feelings of every minister, in proportion as he is ani- mated with Christian zeal and love ] Whilst the Baptist thus disinterestedly declares that the conversion of sinners to Christ was to him a source of joy, he predicts, II. That it shall advanc…
433 wordsSECTION 2521G13.] Conversion Of Souls A Ground Of Joy. 273
will extend to the remotest corners of the earth : " All kings shall fall down before him ; all nations shall do him service." " All shall know him, from the least unto the greatest;" and " all the kingdoms of the world become the kingdoms of our Lord" " Then shall his Wife have made herself ready, and the marriag…
468 wordsSECTION 253The Necessity Of Faith In Christ.
Endeavour also to commend him unto others. There is no room for jealousy here. The light of his countenance, like the light of the sun, will not be the less enjoyed by you because it is imparted to others : on the contrary, the more successful you are in bringing others into a participation of his benefits, the mo…
353 wordsSECTION 2541614.J Tiie Necessity Of Faith In Christ. 275
Christianity, it might then be performed without any difficulty or self-denial. But to " believe on the Son of God" is, to believe, that he is the only, and the all-sufficient, Saviour of our ruined race. If we do not feel our need of him ; if we be not convinced that we can never obtain salvation by any works of …
443 wordsSECTION 255276 John, Iii. 36. [1614.
2. The beginning and earnest of it in his soul — [The life which a believer has in his soul is of the same kind with that which he shall possess for ever. He has the same reconciliation with God, the same delight in him, and the same sense of his favour. The Spirit of God that is within him is often called " an ea…
425 wordsSECTION 256Christ A Fountain Of Living Water.
the wrath, which even now " abideth on them," " shall come upon them to the uttermost."] Application — [Let all inquire seriously whether they do indeed believe Let those, who have not hitherto come to Christ as lost and perishing sinners, guard against those workings of self-righteousness which would keep them f…
296 wordsSECTION 257278 John, Iv. 10. [1615.
[Such indeed he was. In comparison of Him, all other gifts are as nothing ; nothing, in respect of internal worth ; and nothing, in respect of the benefits accruing from them. He is no other than " Jehovah's Fellow." Yet to such a degree did God love the world, that he gave Him, even his only- begotten Son, to bec…
450 wordsSECTION 2581615.1 Christ A Fountain Of Living Water. 279
Christ, under the foregoing characters, to be disclosed to the soul, and no desire to be excited there for the enjoyment of his blessings.] 2. We shall infallibly be made partakers of them— [Not even the Samaritan woman, stranger as she was, and profligate, should have solicited his favour without obtaining it: m…
393 wordsSECTION 259The Living Water.
John iv. 14. Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst ; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. OUR Lord invites us to learn of him. To encou- rage us, he declares that he is meek and lowly in heart. Never was this dis…
356 wordsSECTION 2601816.] The Living Water. 281
arrogated to himself this power11. He actually exerted it while he continued upon earth1; and in a more abundant measure after his exaltation to heaven. The effusion of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost is expressly ascribed to himk. Hence we may understand why the Holy Ghost is so emphatically called the Spirit …
428 wordsSECTION 261282 John, Iv. 22. [1617.
[The Holy Spirit is God equal with the Father*: yet Christ has power to send him into our hearts. He can as easily bestow him on us, as we can give a cup of water from a spring. Even though the whole world should ask him, he could impart the Spirit to all of them at the same instant". Let us then entertain worthy …
322 wordsSECTION 2621617.] Salvation Is Of The Jews. 283
John iv. 22. Salvation is of the Jews. THIS is part of the answer of our blessed Lord to the Samaritan woman. He had taken occasion, from an observation of hers, to shew her that he was well acquainted with the most secret history of her past life ; and not from report merely, but from his own omniscient mind, fr…
451 wordsSECTION 263284 John, Iv. 22. [1617.
had actually complied with this command11 ; and had thereby sanctified that mountain in a more especial manner, and marked it out as the place which God had chosen for his more peculiar worship in all future ages. But, in answer to all this, our Lord informed her, that the Samaritans " knew not whom they wor- shi…
347 wordsSECTION 2641G17-] Salvation Is Of The Jews. 285
from the very moment that the promise was given in Paradise, that " the Seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head." But, having been only tradition- ally handed down, it was but very imperfectly known, even in the family of Abraham ; and by the world at large it was almost, if not entirely, forgotten. But…
374 wordsSECTION 265286 John, Iv. 22. [1617.
all these offerings was pre-eminently marked in the ordinance of the scape-goat. One goat having been killed, and its blood carried within the vail, another goat, called the scape-goat, which had been chosen by- lot for this purpose, was brought forth, and had all the sins of all the Children of Israel laid upon i…
378 wordsSECTION 2661617. ] Salvation Is Of The Jews. 287
offered for our sins : we must go to him : we must confess over him, as it were, our sins : and we must by faith transfer to him our guilt, and declare before God, that we have no hope whatever but in his atoning blood. It has been said also, that on some occasions, the offerer was sprinkled with the blood of his …
398 wordsSECTION 267288 John, Iv. 22. [1617.
to mention. It will be remembered, that, when Moses was about to make the tabernacle, a very strict and solemn command was given him, (the injunction is repeatedly mentioned in the Pentateuch,) " See thou make all things according to the pattern shewn to thee in the mount." The same injunction was given to David, …
381 wordsSECTION 2681617.1 Salvation Is Of The Jews. 289
was so carefully copied, that there is not so much as a pin in his tabernacle which has not its corresponding- article in the Christian Edifice. From him we have such a view of Christianity as the Gospel itself can scarcely be said to afford. Doubtless, till the cere- monies prescribed by him had the true light re…
389 wordsSECTION 269290 John, Iv. 22. [1.617.
of God, that taketh away the sin of the world ! " Here we see the union of the law and of the Gospel to be precisely such as we have represented it. The lamb was at that very time offered every morning and evening in sacrifice to God for the sins of Israel ; and here was Jesus pointed out as the Lamb that should …
381 wordsSECTION 2701617.] Salvation Is Of The Jews. 291
his Disciples, " Go into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved : and he that believeth not, shall be damned." Now, what of all these things can we learn from the philosophers of Greece and Rome ? No more than from the beasts themselves. It was hi…
370 wordsSECTION 271292 John, Iv. 22. [1617.
precision, that it should be impossible for any consi- derate mind not to see and understand the way of salvation ; if Prophets and Apostles, for such a series of ages, bare witness to him at the peril of their lives, in order that we might know him, and be partakers of his benefits ; does it become us to despise …
396 wordsSECTION 2721617.] Salvation Is Of The Jews. 293
must look to his blood to cleanse you from the iniquity even of your holiest things. Seek it con- stantly too : it was every day in the year that the offerings for sin were made : and every day and hour must you look to your great Sacrifice, if you would have it available for your eternal good. Seek it, moreover,…
396 wordsSECTION 273294 John, Iv. 22. [1617.
world. " There is no other way unto the Father but by Him :" but " those who come to God in his Son's name, he will in no wise cast out." Next, let us exert ourselves to impart this salva- tion to those from whom we have received it. I appeal to all : if we are so indebted to the Jewish people of former ages, sho…
390 wordsSECTION 2741617.] Salvation Is Of The Jews. 295
his blood ; as John also was willing to do, if he had been called to it. And all the first Christian con- verts, when driven from Jerusalem, " went every- where preaching the word," happy if by any means they might impart to us benighted heathens the salvation which they had found. Should not, then, some measure,…
386 wordsSECTION 275296 John, Iv. 24. [1618.
" If ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins?" If this be true, then are that whole people perishing by millions. And shall we suffer them thus to " perish for lack of knowledge ?" God forbid. If any of us know what salvation is, we ought to impart it to others. We feel this obligation in some mea- …
268 wordsSECTION 2761618.] The Worship Which God Requires. 297
John iv. 24. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. BRETHREN, you are all upon the brink of eter- nity. You are all sinners. As sinners, you stand in need of mercy at the hands of God : and God is willing to bestow mercy upon every one of you, without exception. But he…
482 wordsSECTION 277298 John, Iv. 24. [1618.
to the Lord for help or mercy : and an intimation was given, that, even if they should " return to God with all their heart and all their soul," it would not suffice, unless they also " directed their prayers towards that place b." From hence, as well as from the examples of their holiest prophets0, they were led …
465 wordsSECTION 2781618.] The Worship Which God Requires. 299
correspondence between the feelings of onr heart, and the offerings of our lips — [If, for instance, we confess our sins before him, it is not sufficient that our words be humble ; our spirit must be humble too, and a holy penitential sorrow must fill our hearts. If we present our petitions before him, it is not s…
461 wordsSECTION 279300 John, Iv. 24. [1618.
prayer to God ? Ah ! does not conscience condemn the greater part of you ? Have not many of you, as far as prayer is con- cerned, lived rather like brute beasts, than as rational and immortal beings ? Or, supposing you have kept up a form of prayer, has it not been a mere form ? You who teach your children to repe…
423 wordsSECTION 280Conviction Of Sin, A Preparative For Salvation.
John iv. 29. Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? LITTLE do we know what a day or an hour may bring forth. It was probably owing to an unexpected temptation that this Samaritan woman fell into the sin which led to that vicious and abandoned course which she afterwards…
336 wordsSECTION 281302 John, Iv. 29. [1619.
in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: and thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest ; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth a." It then appeared, and frequently does also at this hour, that a preache…
453 wordsSECTION 2821619.] Conviction Of Sin Conducive To Salvation. 303
3. He awakens conscience to a discharge of its proper office — [Conscience, in an unawakened man, neglects its duty altogether. It ought to observe and weigh our every act, and to report to us its true character, even as it appears before God himself. But, when the Spirit of God awakens it by the word, it estimat…
462 wordsSECTION 283304 John, Iv. 29. [1619.
could at the utmost have only been a few minutes :) but pro- bably forgetting for the time her earthly business, through the ardour of her mind in the pursuit of heavenly knowledge. And thus it is that every awakened soul will act. It will desire knowledge : it will pursue it at the risk of all the obloquy which m…
474 wordsSECTION 2841619.] Conviction Of Sin Conducive To Salvation. 305
had experienced in her soul. This is clear : for they them- selves said, that they had believed because of her word : so that she had not been a mere inquirer, but a preacher also. And this is the invariable effect of deep conviction on the mind ; it will stir up the person to make others acquainted with the same …
425 wordsSECTION 285Mdcxx.
say, " I am ignorant : I am sinful : I, as a female, am un- authorized to speak." Though every one is not authorized to preach, every one, in his own proper circle, is bound to declare what God has done for his soul : and if every one would exert himself as this woman did, especially in bringing others to the mean…
686 wordsSECTION 286308 John, Iv. 34. [1620-
Let us then engage in it, a Ps. xl. 7, 8. b Luke xii. 50. c Heb. v. 7. d He was filled with joy at the least prospect of success, ver. 35. and he grieved and wept when he could not succeed, Mark iii. 5. Luke xix. 41. e John ii. 17. f Luke ii. 34. e John xi. 8. h John vi. 29. ' Rom. xii. 1. x o 1. Heartily — …
452 wordsSECTION 287The Happy State Of The Church.
[Bless your God, who has thus far enabled you to serve him. But O! think how much you fall short of your heavenly pattern ! Forget then what is behind, and press forward for that which is before youx: so shall you in due Season " rest from your labours," and be welcomed as good and faithful servants to the joy of …
343 wordsSECTION 288310 John, Iv. 35, 38. [1621.
months to the harvest," and any prospect of reaping a harvest of immortal souls is distant : but now we may say, " Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest." Observe what the state of things is, 1. Abroad — [Was there ever such a co-operation seen, as that which now exists…
386 wordsSECTION 2891621.1 The Happy State Of The Church. 311
1. In the event of good success — [The work of God is here compared to a harvest, which a successful preacher may be said to reap. A man who reaps his field considers himself well repaid for his labour, because he lays up in his barns wealth which will support him through the year. But how much better is the Chris…
460 wordsSECTION 290Conversion Of The Samaritans.
may produce ? Let the occasion before us encourage us to " be instant in season and out of season," and to " sow both early and late, not knowing which shall prosper," or what blessings may result from an individual effort1.] 2. Increase our labours as opportunities for labour are increased — [" The field for lab…
384 wordsSECTION 2911622.] Conversion Of The Samaritans. 313
they entertained high thoughts of his character ; but from a personal acquaintance with him they were convinced that he was the Saviour of the world. This is the account which they themselves gave of their own experience : and from it we shall take occasion to, I. Distinguish between the kinds of faith here men- …
401 wordsSECTION 292314 John, Iv. 41,42. [1622.
possessor of it in the state of those unhappy spirits, of whom it is said, "They believe, and tremble a."] The faith to which they afterwards attained, was founded on their own experience — [During the two days that our blessed Lord staid among them, they heard him discourse on the things relating to his kingdom.…
418 wordsSECTION 2931622.1 Conversion Of The Samaritans. 315
have really " fled to Christ for refuge as to the hope set before them," are disquieted from day to day, because they do not feel in themselves that assurance. But God does not require us to believe more than he himself has revealed : and where has he revealed that any particular individual amongst us is in a stat…
696 wordsSECTION 294The Nobleman'S Son Cured.
Address — 1. Let us not deceive ourselves by resting in a spurious and inefficient faith — [St. Paul exhorts us to " examine ourselves, whether we be in the faith." And truly, when we see what little influence our faith has had upon us in times past, we may well suspect that it has not been of a right kind If we …
563 wordsSECTION 295318 John, Iv. 49—51. [1623.
Such are the various effects produced in us also by a similar cause — [The weakest faith, if truly sincere, will bring us to Jesus with reverence and humility ; and will make us urgent with him to bestow upon us his benefits. Nor shall we regard any trouble in seeking him, provided we at last obtain the desired b…
712 wordsSECTION 296320 John, V. 14. [1624.
To improve this subject, we would suggest some suitable advice — 1. Let all personal or domestic troubles lead us to Jesus — [" We are born to trouble as the sparks fly upward." None are exempt from it in this vale of tears. The nobleman is as much exposed to it as the beggar ; but God sends it for good. He send…
524 wordsSECTION 2971624.1 The Man Healed At Bethesda. 321
John v. 14. Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole : sin. no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. MOST men will make good resolutions in a season of affliction ; but few carry them into execution when they have obtained deliverance. They, however, to whom tro…
435 wordsSECTION 298822 John, V. 14. [1624.
but Jesus uttered the irresistible command, and instantly was health restored to this diseased man ; yea, he, who but the moment before could not get into the pool for want of help, now easily took up his bed and walked : nor was he intimidated by those who accused him of violating the Sabbath. He rightly judged t…
364 wordsSECTION 2991624.] Tiie Man Healed At Bethesda. 323
1. To us divine ordinances are what the pool of Bethesda was to the Jews — [Here, my brethren, is healing for every disorder of the soul ■ — -But the waters have no healing virtue in them- selves : " If Paul plant, or Apollos water, it is God alone that can give the increase" But Jesus is present here, as he has …
488 wordsSECTION 300Mdcxxv.
influence" us in the first place : but still we are never to forget our liability to fall ; since it is expressly said, " Be not high- minded, but fear ;" and, " Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall." In a word, " the grace of God that bringeth salvation to us, teaches us to deny sin of every k…
760 wordsSource & rights
Public domain historical edition (1832-33); scan/OCR from Internet Archive.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.