PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
Horae Homileticae — Volume 13 of 21
Simeon, Charles, 1759-1836 · 248,782 words · 530 reading sections
39G John, Vi. 53—55. [1641.
1. So necessary — [The greatest of all concerns is the salvation of the soul : but that cannot be effected by any other means. The person who does not live on Christ, has no spiritual life : he may have wealth, and honour, learning, and even morality (in some sense), but he has no lifem: he may even "have a name t…
399 wordsSECTION 362The Gospel A Ground Of Offence.
[The whole of our Lord's discourse to the Jews shews that all were, not only at liberty, but bound, to feed on him ; and we are commanded to invite, yea, to compel, you to come to this glorious feasty. Indeed, to whom else will ye go ? and on what else will ye feed ? Come then, and " eat and drink abundantly, O be…
351 wordsSECTION 363398 John, Vi. Go. [1642.
himself, whom that manna typifiedd and required that all should live by faith in him for the salvation of their souls, as their forefather did on the manna for the sustenance of their bodies.] This filled them with extreme astonishment and disgust — [That he should speak of himself as " coming down from heaven,"…
405 wordsSECTION 3641642.] The Gospel A Ground Of Offence. 399
they could regard it in no other light than as a savage ordinance, too horrible to think of: and of a spiritual or mystical import their minds could form no conception ; since nothing that they had ever heard of could at all lead them to such a thought. Hence it is not surprising that they should be stumbled at wha…
464 wordsSECTION 365400 John, Vi. 60. [1642.
in some way or other, the souls of men were to live by him, and by him alone. But how could this be ? What must become of all the ordinances of the Ceremonial Law, and all the pre- cepts of the Moral Law ? Must all these, without exception, be put aside ; and nothing be of any avail, but the eating of this man's f…
476 wordsSECTION 366Christ The One Source Of Eternal Life.
themselves : for you cannot but know, that, in human sciences, there are many things which, if they were stated to you with the greatest clearness, you would not be able to comprehend : and therefore you may well expect the same in that deepest of all mysteries, the redemption of the world by the blood and righteo…
390 wordsSECTION 367402 John, Vi. 67—69. [1643.
veil of obscurity over them, and served as a touch- stone to try the spirits of those who heard him. His statement of the new birth was for a time a stumbling- block to Nicodemus, who knew not what interpreta- tion to put upon his words : and in like manner, his discourse respecting " eating his flesh and drinking…
408 wordsSECTION 3681643.1 Christ The Source Of Eternal Life. 403
may at any time occur by the carelessness or death of its nurse. Thus our security is not in ourselves, but in our God : if left to ourselves for one moment, we should perish : and all our hope is in the tender care and mercy of our God. The only difference between the child and us is, that its guardian is weak an…
464 wordsSECTION 369404 John, Vi. 07—69. [1643.
[The twelve had evidently participated in the feelings of the other Disciples, though not to the same extent. This our Lord saw ; and therefore bade them come to a decision. Happy was it for them that the bias of their minds was the right way: and happy for them that they were called upon to decide, before the evi…
436 wordsSECTION 3701643.1 Christ The Source Of Eternal Life. 405
or what, would you turn me ? — to the world ? I have found its emptiness. To sin ? I know its bitterness. To formality ? I have felt its incompetency to satisfy my mind and conscience. My God tells me that " Christ is all :" and I am constrained from daily experience to say to him, " Whom have I in heaven but thee…
446 wordsSECTION 371No Saviour But The Lord Jesus.
Are there any amongst us that have turned back from him ? [Alas ; there are apostates now, as well as in former times. But what has any one gained by departing from Christ? Is he happier than he was when he sat at the Saviour's feet and heard his words? There is but one testimony on this head from all the childre…
348 wordsSECTION 3721644.] No Saviour But The Lord Jesus. 407
with him. Even the Apostles themselves were evi- dently stumbled at it ; insomuch, that our Lord, with a mixture of surprise and pity, asked them, " Will ye also go away?" The answer which St. Peter gave him, in the name of all the rest, will lead me to shew you the grounds of a Christiaiis adherence to Christ. H…
459 wordsSECTION 373408 John, Vi. 67—69. [1644.
should come to him, and believe in him, should never hunger, never thirstb ;" that " of those who should come to him, he would never cast out onec ;" that " all who should see him and believe in him should assuredly have everlasting lifed;" yea, that they were at that very moment in actual possession of ite; that …
465 wordsSECTION 3741644.] No Saviour But The Lord Jesus. 409
reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in an everlasting righteousness" for his believing people"1. This person was to be no other than " the Son of the Living Godn." And that Jesus was this very person, the Apostles had no doubt. They had seen the miracles which Jesus had wrought in confirmation of his divine …
423 wordsSECTION 375410 John, Vi. 67—69. [1644.
[Whom or what will you place in competition with him ? Perhaps you are not at present tempted in any par- ticular way to depart from him. But be assured that you will be : for there is not any true follower of Christ who does not, sooner or later, meet with trials to prove his sincerity. You may not be called to "…
496 wordsSECTION 376One Of The Apostles A Devil.
of eternal life," and not endeavour to put into their hands that blessed volume in which they are contained?? Surely, next to a personal adherence to him, this must be your duty : and, if you are his Disciples indeed, I feel no doubt but that you will engage in this blessed work with an affectionate solicitude for…
360 wordsSECTION 377412 John, Vi. 70. [1645.
Apostles ; saying, " Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?" Now, if you doubt not the Saviour's love in giving this solemn warning to his followers, let not me be thought harsh, if I call your attention to it, I. As delivered to the Apostles — God in every age has of his own sovereign will and …
439 wordsSECTION 3781645.1 One Of The Apostles A Devil. 413
miracles), their outward conduct, and their usefulness. On one occasion, Judas seemed to be the most excellent of all the Apostles : for, when a very precious box of ointment, which might have been sold for three hundred pence (almost ten pounds) and been given to the poor, was poured upon the head and feet of our…
468 wordsSECTION 379414 John, Vi. 70. [1645.
Then, in these respects, I may say of all of you, that God has chosen you : and, inasmuch as you are all equally partakers of these mercies, you may account yourselves equally the children of God ; yea, and so far as your outward conduct is correct, you may be accounted so by others.] But, after all, God may see, …
489 wordsSECTION 3801645.1 One Of The Apostles A Devil. 415
Christ Jesus u, and to a real conformity to his image x. Who can think of one of our Lord's chosen Apostles perishing in his sins, and not tremble for himself, lest his very mercies, instead of rescuing him from eternal misery, should only aggravate and increase it? Beware, then, lest, having been exalted to heave…
473 wordsSECTION 381Connexion Between Piety And Knowledge.
dead, shall bear respecting you at the last day. Judge then yourselves, brethren, that ye be not judged of the Lord. Judge whether there be not some price for which ye have already sold your Saviour, and for which ye are betraying him to an ungodly world. I must tell you, that if there be any thing, even life itse…
380 wordsSECTION 3821646.] Connexion Between Piety And Knowledge. 417
able to receive it. The real obstacle which his dis- courses met with arose from the inveterate prejudices with which the minds of his hearers were prepos- sessed. Hence they rejected his word, and denied that he was divinely authorized to promulgate the doctrines he maintained. To remove this obstacle, he told t…
399 wordsSECTION 383418 John, Vii. 17. [1646.
of God or not : and, if we are convinced that it is his word, then must we receive it with the most child-like simplicity, and obey it without either hesitation or reserve. Nothing is to appear to us " an hard saying." If it be beyond our com- prehension, we should be content to say, in relation to it, " What I kn…
463 wordsSECTION 3841646.1 Connexion Between Piety And Knowledge. 419
satisfaction, their divine origin : for none but God could have conceived things so remote from human apprehension, yet so glorious in themselves, and so harmonious in all their parts ; harmonious with the perfections of the Deity, and with the necessities of fallen man.] 2. In an apprehension of its import — [In…
477 wordsSECTION 385Christ May Be Sought Too Late.
2. How we may derive from it all the benefit it is destined to impart — [We must receive it as the word of the living God, the word of God to us. We must yield ourselves " with meekness" altogether to its influence f. What is there that it will not then do for us? Verily, " it will do good to him that walketh upr…
363 wordsSECTION 3861617.1 Christ May Be Sought Too Late. 42L
not find him?" and then, after some unsatisfactory conjectures about his going to preach among the Gentiles, or destroying his own life, they were con- strained to acknowledge, that they could not at all comprehend it; " What manner of saying is this that he said?" Indeed, even his own Disciples were as much at a…
415 wordsSECTION 387422 John, Vii. 36. [1647.
of these things, the concerns of time and sense are lighter than the dust upon the balance. Earthly things indeed appear of greater magnitude, because they are nearer to us : but if spiritual truths are brought nigh by faith, they eclipse every other object, as the meridian sun hides by its splendour the feebler r…
412 wordsSECTION 3881647.1 Christ May Be Sought Too Late. 423
whole nation were to be abandoned to utter ruinb. "Then," says our Lord, " ye will seek me, and shall not find me." He does not mean, that they would cry to him, and humble them- selves before him ; but that they would seek for their Messiah, and long for him to deliver them : and the fact was, that, when those ca…
487 wordsSECTION 389424 John, Vii. 36. [1647.
never enter into his rest." He has warned us, that he will do so ; that " if we refuse when he calls, he will laugh at our calamity, and mock when our fear cometh : that we may even seek him early, and shall not find him ; because we hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lorde." Indeed, as long as we…
475 wordsSECTION 3901647.] Christ May Be Sought Too Late. 425
for what our Lord said respecting the unbelieving Jews, the Christian may say respecting all his spiritual enemies : ' Yet a little while I am ivith you ; and ye may make your assaults upon me : but soon / shall go to my Father, and be out of your reach : then ye shall seek me, and shall not find me ; and where I …
422 wordsSECTION 391Mdcxlviii.
Christ's offer of the spirit. John vii. 37, 38. In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the Scrip- ture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. OUR blessed Lord incessantly la…
656 wordsSECTION 392428 John, Vii. 37, 38. [1648.
the promised Messiah — [The gift of his Spirit in such an abundant measure was that " new thing" which the Messiah was to accomplish g And in thus freely offering it to all, he fulfilled the office more especially assigned himh ] But it is time that we consider the invitation, II. As addressed to us — In the ver…
661 wordsSECTION 3931649.1 Tiie Adulterous Woman Dismissed. 429
1 John i. 16. Phil. iv. 19. m Ps. lxviii. 18. with Eph. iv. 8. " Jer. ii. 12, 13. ° Isai. xli. 17, 18. i' Tsai. lviii. 11. that you thirst: for if you had received as much as ever St. Paul himself had, you would only thirst the more, " for- getting what you had received, and panting still for more." But remember t…
276 wordsSECTION 394430 John, Viii. 10, 11. [1649.
John viii. 10, 11. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee : go and sin no more. IT is surprising to see in what a variety of ways t…
599 wordsSECTION 3951649 J The Adulterous Woman Dismissed. 431
be to " make an end of sins, and to bring in everlasting right- eousness." If he should refer them to any other tribunal, to whomsoever he referred them, whether to the Roman or Jewish authorities, they would equally find matter of accusation against him ; either of sanctioning the usurpation of the Romans on the …
496 wordsSECTION 396432 John, Viii. 10, 11. [1649.
It is not necessary to suppose that all the accusers had been guilty of the precise sin which they laid to the charge of this woman : there was now enough of their past iniquities pre- sented to their view to produce the desired effect, of constrain- ing them to proclaim their own shame, and to suspend the persecu…
444 wordsSECTION 3971049.J The Adulterous Woman Dismissed. 433
continuest in the commission of them. The " goodness and long-suffering and forbearance which thou hast experienced, should lead thee to repentance :" and, if they do not, they will aggravate thy condemnation to all eternity. Go therefore, and sin no more. Let a sense of thy past dangers deter thee : let a conside…
424 wordsSECTION 398434 John, Viii. 10, 11. [1649.
mistaking the nature of true repentance. Perhaps conscience has condemned you, and you have felt ashamed and con- founded on account of your great iniquities. But if you have gone no further, you are no true penitent. The Scribes and Pharisees advanced thus far ; but they sought not mercy at the Saviour's hands : …
487 wordsSECTION 399Christ The Light Of The World.
of his grace. Never think then that you have yet attained, but press forward for higher degrees of grace and holiness ; and make it your endeavour to " stand perfect and complete in all the will of God."] John viii. 12. Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world : he that follow eth me s…
314 wordsSECTION 400436 John, Viii. 12. [1650.
1. By his instructions — [To form a correct judgment of this subject, we should survey the state of the world before the coming of Christ. The darkness that prevailed is justly styled by the prophet, " gross darkness." The most learned philosophers could not absolutely determine whether there were a God ; or, if t…
481 wordsSECTION 4011650.] Christ The Light Of The World. 437
[The sun is of use to those only who have eyes to see it. But Jesus, at the same time that he imparts light, bestows upon us also the organs of vision whereby we may behold it. He " opens the eyes of our understanding ;" and " shines into our hearts, to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God." He n…
441 wordsSECTION 402438 John, Viii. 12. [1650.
or less addicted to gross sin, he loved the ways of the world, and conformed himself to them : all his delight was in the things of time and sense : he lived as if he had nothing else to do, but to consult his reputation, ease, and interests in the world. But, having obtained mercy of the Lord, he now discerns the …
512 wordsSECTION 403Meetness For Heaven Necessary.
observes, that "the spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly s." This candle being duly trimmed, his way is made plain before his face ; and he is enabled to walk without stumbling : " He walks in the light, as God is in the light ;" and thus maintains sweet fellowship wi…
369 wordsSECTION 404440 John, Viii. 21. [1651.
hearers a, is applicable to us at this day. They indeed expected a Messiah, whilst they rejected him whom God had sent ; and therefore our Lord says so re- peatedly, " Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me :" and so far his address to them is not applicable to us, who all acknowledge that Jesus is the Christ. Bu…
662 wordsSECTION 405442 John, Viii. 81. [1651.
Now it is easy to ascertain, whether from day to day we are bewailing our sinfulness and fleeing to Christ for refuge, as to the hope that is set before us ; or whether we be resting satisfied with some attainments of our own, and only com- plimenting Jesus with the name of Saviour, without labouring to obtain an …
654 wordsSECTION 4061651.1 Meetness For Heaven Necessary. 443
Hi'o-h God become him, and so little would their intrusion prove a source of happiness to them. But neither would they find any comfort in the employments of heaven. Never having obtained favour with God, or an interest in the Saviour's merits, they could never join in the songs of praise which are offered there c…
461 wordsSECTION 407144 John, Viii. 21. [1651.
find no pleasure in the conversation of men of science, or in the polished society of courtiers. He would soon wish to leave such scenes, and to return to the company that was better suited to his habits, and intelligence. Now in heaven there is one continued effusion of praise from every soul around the throne. S…
474 wordsSECTION 408Danger Of Rejecting Christ.
" Where Christ is, there shall ye be also." In fact, he has promised, that " where he is, there shall also his servants be." He has actually " gone before, in order to prepare a place for you ; and he will shortly come and take you to himself, that you may be with him for ever*." In his intercessory prayer, he dec…
367 wordsSECTION 409446 John, Viii. 24. [1652.
Christ ; nor any means of being interested in his atonement but by faith. That we may see this truth in its just light, we will go back to the preceding chapter. Our Lord had told his unbelieving hearers, that he should soon be with- drawn from them ; and that, in consequence of their rejecting the light, " they …
382 wordsSECTION 4101652.] Danger Of Rejecting Christ. 447
blessed Lord, we shall see that the faith, of which he spake, comprehended, 1. A full persuasion of his Messiahship — [This was necessary then : and it is no less necessary now. And we greatly mistake, if we think this a common attainment amongst those who call themselves Christians. The generality have no better…
463 wordsSECTION 411448 John, Viii. 24. [1652.
take up his cross daily, and follow me." Nay, he required that this should be done in defiance of the whole world. He declared, that if any man hated not his father and mother, yea, and his own life also, in comparison of him, he could not be his Disciple. Now, all this is essential to true faith. Whatever was req…
473 wordsSECTION 4121652.] Danger Of Rejecting Christ. 449
[Our Lord has assured us of it : yea, he has repeated it again and again '. And wherefore has he so solemnly affirmed it ? Was he disposed to create unnecessary alarm ? or did he feel any pleasure in denouncing woes ? No : it was from love he spake: he desired the salvation of hishearers; and, therefore, whilst he…
481 wordsSECTION 413450 John, Viii. 24. [1652.
yourselves to Christ. You must be Christ's now, if you would be his hereafter: and if you will not give . yourselves up to him, you must " die in your sins." I know how averse we are to believe this. Of the thousands that die around us daily, we never entertain a thought whether they died in their sins or not? It …
484 wordsSECTION 4141653.] The Liberty Which Christ Gives. 451
3. An attention to the blessed truth which our text implies — [When our Lord says, " If ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins," who does not see what a glorious promise is implied in it ; that, if we do believe in him, we shall not die in our sins? Yes, this blessed truth is declared throughout t…
263 wordsSECTION 415452 John, Viii. 36. [1653.
John viii. 36. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. WE are exceedingly backward to acknowledge our true state and condition. In consequence of this we disregard the remedy provided for us, and deprive ourselves of all the blessings of salvation. Neverthe- less our gracious Saviour en…
542 wordsSECTION 4161653. J The Liberty Which Christ Gives. 458
the bravest are averse to meditate on death and judgment. This is declared to be a state of wretched bondage"1.] Surely the Egyptian or Chaldean yoke was light in comparison of this ; yet all may obtain a release from this yoke. II. How we may be delivered from it — Vain are all attempts to liberate ourselves by …
393 wordsSECTION 417454 John, Viii. 36. [1653.
us:a Christ gave himself up as our surety, on purpose to redeem us from itb : it shall have no more power over us than a dead man over the wife that survives himc. Sin also shall be cast down from the throne which it has erected within us ; nor, though it may renew its assaults, shall it ever regain its dominion d…
450 wordsSECTION 418The True Children Of Abraham.
John viii. 39. If ye were Abrahams children, ye would do the zvorks of Abraham. THERE is in men an extreme readiness to deceive themselves in reference to their state before God. Any delusion, however absurd, shall serve them for a ground of hope ; and they will cling to it with as much confidence as if it were a…
314 wordsSECTION 419456 John, Viii. 39. [1654.
a manner as to convince them that the testimony came to them from God himself. But all this is a mere delusion. I say not that God may not reveal to any man whatsoever he pleases : but I do say, that we have no reason whatever to expect that God will make known to us, by revelation, any thing which, without such a…
455 wordsSECTION 4201654.1 The True Children Of Abraham. 457
far we resemble him. Now, our Lord complained of his hearers, that, instead of believing his word and obeying his voice, they sought to kill him : " Now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth which I have heard of God. This did not Abraham." No : Abraham believed all that God revealed to him, and …
443 wordsSource & rights
Public domain historical edition (1832-33); scan/OCR from Internet Archive.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.