PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
Horae Homileticae — Volume 15 of 21
Simeon, Charles, 1759-1836 · 259,427 words · 557 reading sections
60 Romans, Iii. 3, 4. [1829.
veracity, is a light matter ; for surely it must greatly provoke the eyes of his glory. Besides, unbelief, while it thus incenses God against us, rejects the only possible means of reconciliation with him; and consequently rivets all our guilt upon us Judge then whether they, who yield themselves up to its influen…
500 wordsSECTION 62The Extent Of Man'S Depravity.
against that principle of unbelief, which operates so powerfully, so fatally, within us. Let us remember where our danger lies : it is not in giving too much weight to the declarations of God : but in softening them down, and accommodating them to our vain wishes or carnal apprehensions. Let then the fore-mentione…
380 wordsSECTION 6362 Romans, Iii. 10—20. [1830.
The testimonies here adduced, declare, that the most lamentable depravity pervades, 1 . All ranks and orders of men — " There is none righteous, no, not one1"' — [Righteousness is a conformity of heart and life to the law of God. Where is the man on earth that possesses it by nature ? Where is the man whose devia…
351 wordsSECTION 641830.1 The Extent Of Man'S Depravity. 63
[Nothing is more offensive than an open sepulchre h ; or more venomous than an asp ; yet both the one and the other fitly represent the effusions of a carnal heart : " Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth will speak :" deceit, calumny, invective, yea, in many instances, the most horrible oaths and execratio…
440 wordsSECTION 6564 Romans, Iii. 10—20. [1830.
1. We are all " guilty before God "— [It seems inconceivable to many, that they should really be obnoxious to everlasting misery in hell : and they will plead their own cause with zeal and eloquence : if they concede it with respect to some more heinous transgressors, they will deny it in reference to themselves. …
404 wordsSECTION 66Our Violations Of Every Commandment.
Rom. iii. 20. By the law is the knowledge of sin. OUR lost estate, and our consequent need of a Sa- viour, can never be truly known, unless we compare our lives with that universal rule of duty, the law of God. St. Paul took this method of proving that both Jews and Gentiles were under sin : in all the preceding …
342 wordsSECTION 6766 Romans, Iii. 20. [1831.
The law was delivered to Moses upon two tables of stone, and comprised in ten commandments. The first of the commandments respects the object of our worship, " Thou shalt have none other gods but me." In this we are required to believe in God, to love him, and to serve him with all our hearts, and minds, and soul…
738 wordsSECTION 6868 Romans, Iii. 20. [1831.
The fourth commandment respects the time of worship ; " Remember the sabbath-day to keep it holy." In what manner we are to keep it holy, the Prophet Isaiah teaches nsa ; " Turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day, and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable…
367 wordsSECTION 691831. J Violations Of Every Commandment. 69
treated our inferiors with haughtiness and severity ! Even our natural parents we have by no means honoured as we ought, nor sustained any relation in life as God has required us to do. In all these re- spects therefore we have sinned before God, and " treasured up wrath for ourselves against the day of wrath." …
363 wordsSECTION 7070 Romans, Iii. 20. [1831.
by him as violations of this commandment. And St. John in the third chapter of his first epistle con- firms this by saying, " He that loveth not his brother abideth in death ; whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer ; and ye know that no murderer hath eter- nal life abiding in him." From this additional testi- …
390 wordsSECTION 711831.] Violations Of Every Commandment. 71
for in every instance of anger, impatience, or intem- perance, yea, whenever we have wished for, or re- joiced in another's dissolution, we have violated this commandment. The seventh commandment respects our own and our neighbour's chastity : " Thou shalt not commit adultery." Fornication and adultery are by man…
348 wordsSECTION 7272 Romans, Iii. 20. [1831.
branded with disgrace : and it may be hoped that we, who have been so far out of the reach of want, have never been reduced to so infamous a practice. Yet how many are guilty of practices equally repugnant to the spirit of this commandment ! How many de- fraud the government by withholding or evading the legal im…
369 wordsSECTION 731831.] Violations Of Every Commandment. 7;>
sight of God, that he has given us this solemn warn- ing, " All liars shall have their part in the lake which burnetii with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." The tenth commandment, " Thou shalt not covet," is perhaps the most extensive of any ; because while the others forbid the indulgence of any s…
391 wordsSECTION 7474 Romans, Iii. 20. [1831.
be " dead in trespasses and sins :" for till we be indeed weary and heavy laden with a sense of sin, we never shall, nor ever can, come unto Christ for rest. To conclude — If, while we have been surveying the duties of the first table, we have called to mind our low esteem for God, together with the unnumbered in…
358 wordsSECTION 75The Believer'S Righteousness.
Rom. iii. 2\, 22. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being loitnessed by the Law and I he Prophets ; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe. IT is justly observed by our Lord, that "they that are whole need not a physicia…
355 wordsSECTION 767(5 Romans, 111. 21,22. [1832.
it, " brought in an everlasting righteousness3." He being " Emmanuel, God with us," his righteousness is truly and properly the righteousness of God. This righteousness God accepts for us as though it were our own. In consideration of what Jesus suffered, he remits our punishment; and in con- sideration of Christ'…
431 wordsSECTION 771832. J The Believer'S Righteousness. 77
There will be no room left to doubt respecting it, if we consider, that, 1 . It was " manifested " to be so by the Gospel — [This truth had been obscurely intimated under the law; but " now" it was fully "manifested" by the Gospel. When Christ was just entering on his ministry, John Baptist pointed him out as " t…
472 wordsSECTION 7878 Romans, Iii. 21, 22. [1832.
salvation?. Jeremiah calls him by name, " The Lord our right- eousness11:" and Isaiah represents every child of God as saying with exultation, " In the Lord have I righteousness and strength1." To adduce more proofs is unnecessary, since we are assured by St. Peter, that all the prophets unite their testi- monies …
420 wordsSECTION 79The Justice Of God In Justifying Sinners.
Must not the self-righteous moralist then stand con- founded before God ? [Surely it is no light matter to pour contempt on the righteousness of God, as though it were insufficient for us without " the filthy rags of our righteousness f." It is no light matter to reject the united testimony of the law and the pro-…
365 wordsSECTION 8080 Romans, Iii. 24—26. [1833.
I. The way of a sinner's justification before God — The manner of our justification is here plainly de- clared— [There seems indeed a senseless tautology in the expres- sions of the text ; but the words " freely," and " by grace," are of very different import, and are necessary to convey the full meaning of the A…
448 wordsSECTION 811833. J Sinners Justified By God. 81
resided, and from whence he dispensed mercy to the people, as soon as ever the blood of the sacrifices was sprinkled before himc." But that typical mercy-seat is accessible no more : Christ is now the true mercy-seat, where God resides, and from whence he dispenses all his favours of grace and peace. God requires,…
398 wordsSECTION 8282 Romans, Iii. 24—26. [1833.
of death ; and as the high-priest, when he sprinkled the blood of the sacrifices before the mercy-seat, confessed that the hope of all Israel was derived from that blood d; so when we look to Christ as our sacrifice, or approach him as our mercy-seat, we must carry, as it were, his blood with us, and sprinkle it on…
457 wordsSECTION 83Justification Without Boasting.
them ? Now, if they would seek for mercy, justice, instead of impeding, would aid, their suit. At the last day, how will matters be reversed ! When justice demands the execution of the law, mercy will have not one word to say in arrest of judgment, but will rather increase the vengeance by its accusations and comp…
350 wordsSECTION 8484 Romans, Iii. 27, <>8. [1834.
This will appear undeniably true, if we consider, 1. The avowed design of God in the revelation he has given us — [St. Paul speaking on this subject, repeats even to tauto- logy, that God designed from the beginning to exalt his own grace, and had so planned the way of salvation, as that every part of it might re…
461 wordsSECTION 851834.] Justification Without Boasting. 85
glorying in himself. We may say therefore with the Apostle, " Where is boasting then? It is excluded."] Having determined this point, let us proceed to inquire, II. What is that way of salvation which alone does exclude boasting — There are but two possible ways in which any man can be saved, namely, by works, o…
418 wordsSECTION 8686 Romans, Iii. 27, 28. [1834.
Here then we may boldly say with the Apostle, " By what law is boasting excluded? of works? Nay : but by the law of faith."] It remains then for us to inquire, III. What conclusion we are to draw from these pre- mises— Nothing can be more express than the conclusion drawn by the Apostle — [We have seen that the…
417 wordsSECTION 871834.] Justification Without Boasting. 87
Before we conclude, we will consider some objec- tions that may be urged against the foregoing statement. It may be said that, 1. It contradicts many positive assertions of Holy Scripture — [Our Lord does, in answer to the young man's inquiry, " What shall I do to inherit eternal life?" say, " If thou wilt enter…
458 wordsSECTION 8888 Romans, Iii. 27, 28. [1834.
the sincerity of our faith? Do they not honour God, and benefit our fellow-creatures, and strengthen the religious prin- ciple within us, and tend to make us meet for heaven, yea, and (as has been observed above) increase our happiness in heaven? If we affirm that food is of no use to clothe us, or that clothes ar…
464 wordsSECTION 89Faith Establishes The Law.
Be much on your guard, that you " give no occasion to the enemies to speak reproachfully:" but rather endeavour to " put to silence the ignorance of foolish men by well-doing." Thus will you " adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour," and give a practical refutation of the calumnies that are circulated respecting yo…
276 wordsSECTION 9090 Romans, Iii. 31. [1835.
[Faith and works, as grounds of justification, are opposite to each other b. If our works had any share in our justifica- tion we should have a ground of boasting ; which is utterly to be excluded0. The smallest reliance on our works makes void all hope by the Gospel d. All dependence therefore on the works of the…
356 wordsSECTION 911835.] Faith Establishes The Law. 91
blends faith and works effectually undermines the whole authority of the law. He undermines, 1. Its commanding power — [He is striving to do something which may serve in part as a ground of his justification ; but he can do nothing which is not imperfect ; therefore he shews that he considers the law as less rigo…
353 wordsSECTION 92Justification By Faith Alone.
Rom. iv. 1 — 8. What shall we then say that Abraham, our father as pertaining to the Jlesh, hath found ? For if Abra- ham were justified by works, he hath ivhereof to glory ; but not before God. For what saith the Scripture ? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that work…
364 wordsSECTION 931836.] Justification By Faith Alone. 93
Gentiles ; and that, instead of invalidating the law, as at first sight it might appear to do, it did in reality establish the law. Having thus proved his point by argument, he now comes to confirm it by example ; and he adduces such examples, as the Jews could not but regard as of the highest authority. We must…
411 wordsSECTION 9494 Romans, Iv. 1—8. [183G.
sequel of our discourse, we shall proceed to notice how St. Paul answers his own question.] 2. By arguments founded upon it — [He justly observes, that, when the Scripture thus repre- sents Abraham as justified by faith, all works are of necessity excluded from any participation in the office of justifying : for …
492 wordsSECTION 951836.] Justification By Faith Alone. 95
1. This statement of Abraham's being justified by faith is directly contradicted by St. James — [St. James, it is true, does say that Abraham was justified by his ivorks ; and specifies the offering up of* his son Isaac as the work for which he was justified : and farther declares, that in that act the passage quo…
475 wordsSECTION 9696 Romans, Iv. 1—8. [1836.
3. If we are constrained to acknowledge, as indeed we must, that Abraham was justified by faith without works, yet that was a personal favour to him on ac- count of the extraordinary strength of his faith, and not to be drawn into a precedent for us — [But this also is as erioneous as either of the foregoing obje…
398 wordsSECTION 971836.] Justification By Faith Alone. 97
them in our discourses a prominence and importance which they do not hold in the inspired volume. But we equally disapprove of keeping out of view any doctrine which is clearly taught in the Holy Scriptures: and we must say, that the doctrine of " righteousness imputed to us without works," is more clearly taught …
482 wordsSECTION 9898 Romans, Iv. 1—8. [1836.
salvation in no other way than simply by faith in Christ: and we may go farther still, even to Adam, whose views were precisely the same, and who had no hope but in " the Seed of the woman, who should bruise the serpent's head." There has been but one way of salvation for fallen man from the be- ginning of the wor…
485 wordsSECTION 991836.] Justification By Faith Alone. 99
indeed, and drink indeed." Look at the three thousand on the day of Pentecost, and see the effect of this doctrine upon thems. Look at the Ethiopian Eunuch, and at the whole city of Samaria, when Philip had preached it to them1; and then you will see the proper tendency of the doctrine, and the sure effect of it w…
499 wordsSECTION 100The Pardoned Blessed.
against any other class of sinners whatever? Be it remembered then, that the Gospel is " a doctrine according to godliness;" and that " the grace of God which bringeth salvation teaches us, that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live righteously, soberly, and godlily in this present world." And we n…
391 wordsSECTION 1011837.] Tiie Pardoned Blessed. 101
tial part of what he did utter. But the Apostle spake by inspiration of God ; and if we attentively consider his statement, we shall not only find it unexception- able, but shall feel greatly indebted to him for throwing much additional light upon a most inter- esting and important passage of Holy Writ. To unfold…
374 wordsSECTION 102102 Romans, Iv. 7, 8. [1837.
guish between the active and passive righteousness of Christ, as if his death atoned for our sins, and his obedience to the law constituted a meritorious righteousness, to be made over to us in a way of imputation0: and this may perhaps be warranted by what is said by the Apostle, " Christ, who knew no sin, was ma…
488 wordsSECTION 1031837.1 The Pardoned Blessed. 10J
I doubt not but that he acted thus by design, exactly as our blessed Lord himself did in his first sermon that heever preached, when, in citing the words of the Prophet Isaiah, he stopped short, when he came to the words which were irrelevant to his present subject, and never mentioned them at all s The Apostle wa…
503 wordsSECTION 104104 Romans, Iv. 7, 8. [1837.
could not be happy even there, unless he was made a new creature : for, being enslaved by all manner of evil dispositions, and under the influence of all his malignant habits, he would, though in heaven, be a devil still ; and consequently far from any thing approximating to real blessedness. The very essence of h…
425 wordsSECTION 1051887. J The Tardoned Blessed. 105
and whatever we may have done, or whatever we may have attained, without that, we have done nothing, and attained nothing. Suppose us to have laboured successfully, and ac- quired crowns and kingdoms, what would they he in compari- son of pardon, and peace, and holiness? Ask Solomon, who possessed a greater measur…
495 wordsSECTION 106106 Romans, Iv. 10. [1838.
Let me in conclusion address a few words to, 1. Those who are seeking their happiness in earthly things — [I will suppose you to have attained all that mortal man can possess : find me in all the sacred volume one single passage that pronounces you blessed. Find me but one single passage, and I will say, " Go on,…
251 wordsSECTION 1071838.1 Necessity Of Justification By Faith. 107
JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH NECESSARY TO THE HONOUR OF GOD, AND THE HAPPINESS OF MAN. Rom. iv. 16. Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace ; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed. TO many the doctrines of the Gospel appear mere arbitrary appointments ; and justification by works seems as muc…
607 wordsSECTION 108108 Romans, Iv. 16. [1838.
angels? We think that, however prejudiced any may be against the doctrine of justification by faith alone, it is impos- sible for them not to see, that man has no right to invade the prerogative of the Most High, and that " God cannot, con- sistently with his own honour, give his glory to another'."] But, if man's…
470 wordsSECTION 1091838.] Necessity Of Justification By Faith. 109
obedience. I ask, Where has he done so ? and What is the measure of imperfection which he allows ? Can you answer this ? Can any human being answer it ? But, for argument sake, you shall fix your own standard ; you shall fix it where you please ; and you shall be judged by nothing but your own law. Suppose that yo…
489 wordsSECTION 110110 Romans, Iv. 16. [1838.
here, that their sins shall be forgiven, when they have attained such an age ; but, that they are even now already forgiven to them, notwithstanding their infantine weakness and insuffi- ciency. We must go further still, and say, that, though the believer should be in the very article of death, and have no time le…
719 wordsSECTION 111110 Romans, Iv. 16. [1838.
2. Commend it to your cordial acceptance — [If you sought for nothing but present comfort, methinks you should without hesitation embrace the doctrine of sal- vation by faith. For at what comfort can a man ever arrive, who seeks salvation by his works ? How can he ever get satis- faction on the subjects on which a…
269 wordsSECTION 112Mdcccxxxix.
and this conviction is a source of unbounded consolation to his soulb. In this conviction he has " an anchor for his soul, both sure and steadfast0 ;" an anchor which shall enable him to ride out in safety all the storms which either the world or Satan can raise against him. But present comfort is but a secondary …
727 wordsSECTION 113114 Romans, Iv. 20—25. [1839.
By this he was justified before God — [" This faith of his," my text informs us, " was imputed to him for righteousness." But what are we to understand by this ? Was the mere act of faith made his justifying righteous- ness? No, assuredly not: for if it were so, " he had whereof to glory;" which the Apostle assure…
795 wordsSECTION 114116 Romans, V. 1—5. [1840.
By way of conclusion, we would entreat you to REFLECT Upon, 1. The folly and danger of self-righteousness — [For what end did the Apostle take such pains to shew us that the most eminent saints of old were not justified by their works, but to caution us the more strongly against trust- ing in our own works? Let u…
285 wordsSECTION 115Benefits Arising From A Justifying Faith.
Rom. v. 1 — 5. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ : by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation ivorkelh patience ; …
274 wordsSECTION 1161840. J Benefits Of A Justifying Faith. 117
enumerates in the passage before us : and we shall consider them in the order in which they lie — I. A state of favour and acceptance with God — [Man, as a sinner, is exposed to the wrath of God, and is under a sentence of actual condemnation. But being justified by faith in Christ, he is freed from guilt through …
481 wordsSECTION 117118 Romans, V. 1—5. [1840.
Well may the believer rejoice in such a hope : for, what are earthly crowns and kingdoms in comparison of those to which he is heirh?] Whilst the believer receives such great benefits from Christ, he experiences, III. A delight even in tribulations for his sake — [Tribulations must of necessity in themselves be p…
796 wordsSECTION 118120 Romans, V. 1—5. [1840.
s This, as it is usually interpreted, is made to sanction the idea, that a sense of God's love in the soul is of itself a sufficient ground for an assurance, that our hope is truly scriptural, and shall never be disappointed. But such an idea would lead to the most fatal delu- sions. A most able and judicious comme…
629 wordsSECTION 119The Believer'S Security In Christ.
Rom. v. 6 — 10. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a right- eous man will one die : yet peradventure for a good man some ivould even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toioard us, in that, while roe were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more …
349 wordsSECTION 120122 Romans, V. 6—10. [1841.
What a description is this ! how humiliating ! and yet how just ! ] Yet, when we were in this state, did the Lord Jesus Christ undertake our cause — [He assumed our nature, and in that nature died. Nor was it merely for our benefit that he died, but in our place and stead. " He bare our sins in his own body on th…
813 wordsSource & rights
Public domain historical edition (1832-33); scan/OCR from Internet Archive.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.