PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
Horae Homileticae — Volume 17 of 21
Simeon, Charles, 1759-1836 · 215,167 words · 500 reading sections
2076.] Justification By Faith Maintained. 185
Gal. iv. 30. Nevertheless what saith the Scripture ? Cast out the bond-woman and her son : for the son of the bond-woman shall not be heir with the son of the free-woman. THE whole of God's blessed word is highly in- structive ; and the Old Testament is an excellent preparative for the New. Indeed, those who are a…
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And, to bring them back to the truth of Christ, he shewed them, throughout this whole epistle, that sal- vation is by faith alone ; and that to attempt to build our hopes in any measure on the law of works, was to " pervert the Gospel," and, in fact, to introduce " another Gospel c." In confirmation of this senti-…
477 wordsSECTION 1832076.] Justification By Faith Maintained. 187
operate in subserviency to the Gospel ; shewing men their need of it ; and, like a schoolmaster, disciplining them for the grateful reception of it1 and, consequently, now that the Gospel was fully revealed they should adhere to it, and look for acceptance solely by faith in itk Here another question would arise. …
448 wordsSECTION 184188 Galatians, Iv. 30. [2076.
those who cleaved to the covenant of works, and those who should lay hold on the covenant of gx*ace. Hagar, a bond- woman, represented the legal covenant which should in due time be made on Mount Sinai ; as her son Ishmael did the persons who should adhere to it: whereas Sarah, the married wife, represented the co…
434 wordsSECTION 1852076. J Justification By Faith Maintained. 189
domestic feuds, than to exert his authority for the rendering of them irreconcileable and eternal. But God commanded it ; and therefore it must, of neces- sity, have been right, whether we can explain the reasons of it or not. And the doctrine which it was intended to shadow forth is right, whether we can underst…
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he had offered to restore to his favour every soul among them who would accept it in his Son's name ; but would account all who should reject this overture as having added pride and ingratitude to all their other sins, and make them answerable for this their augmented guilt : is there one of us that would conceive…
489 wordsSECTION 1872076.3 Justification By Faith Maintained. 191
children of the free : and, if we will not avail ourselves of this proffered mercy, the fault is altogether our own. In the pa- rable of the Marriage-supper, the man who was cast out for not having on the wedding-garment, is represented as " speech- less," having not a word to utter in his own defence. He, it is t…
464 wordsSECTION 188192 Galatians, V. 1. [2077.
shall not become a ground of decision, either against us or in our favour, as much as any other work. It is as much " a command from God, that we believe in his Son, as that we should love one another*1:" and our compliance with it must equally be made a subject of inquiry at that day. We may think it strange, per…
260 wordsSECTION 1892077.] Liberty Of The Christian. 193
Gal. v. 1. Stand fast, therefore, in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. THE doctrine of justification by faith is inculcated throughout all the Holy Scriptures, even in parts where we should never have thought of looking for it. Not only was it ful…
563 wordsSECTION 190194 Galatians, V. 1. [2077.
We may easily conceive, from hence, what is, II. The Christian's duty — Privilege and duty comprehend all that constitutes religion. In themselves they are widely different ; but they are never to be separated from each other. Possessing this high privilege of freedom from the law, we are to " stand fast in it ;"…
430 wordsSECTION 1912077.] Liberty Of The Christian. 195
Gospel0," or be induced to " make shipwreck of your faith in Christ p."] 3. Against the treachery of your own hearts — [There is no evil whatever more deeply rooted in the heart of man than self-righteousness. It will assume in you ten thousand shapes. Sometimes it will put on the garb of holiness ; and make you …
401 wordsSECTION 192Self-Righteousness Reproved.
Gal. v. 2—4. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be cir- cumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law : ye are fallen from grace. ON ma…
354 wordsSECTION 1932078.] Self-Righteousness Reproved. 197
found in the predicament there referred to ? That we may fully understand the mind of the Apostle, I will, with all possible plainness, state, I. What was the conduct here reproved — It was not the mere practice of circumcision — [This was a rite which had been ordained by God him- self; and the neglect of which …
406 wordsSECTION 194198 Galatians, V. 2—4. [2078.
II. Wherein the evil of it consisted — 1. It was a recurrence to the law — [So the Apostle interprets it : "As many of you as are justified by the law." This shews, that the Apostle viewed the act as performed in order to their justification before God : and such was really their end in performing it. There were …
482 wordsSECTION 1952078.1 Self-Righteousness Reproved. 199
as the Apostle says, " If salvation be by grace, it is no more of works ; otherwise grace is no more grace : but if it be of works, then is it no more grace; otherwise work is no more work1." Would they, then, be content to forego all hope by the Gospel, and to abandon as worthless all the promises of grace ? This …
413 wordsSECTION 196200 Galatians, V. 2—4. [2078.
they can obtain any better title than what they have derived from him, or any other portion than what is entailed upon them as his descendants.] 4. As their Head of vital influence — [Believers in Christ derive from Him all that they need for life and godliness, as branches of the living vine. But those who, in a…
439 wordsSECTION 197The Righteousness Of Faith.
Gal. v. 5. We, through the Spirit, iv ait for the hope of right- eousness by faith. THE object of St. Paul, in this epistle is, to main- tain and establish the doctrine of justification by faith alone, without the deeds of the law. This doctrine had been assailed and controverted by Judaizing teachers, who had ga…
311 wordsSECTION 198202 Galatians, V. 5. [2079.
nothing but to perfect obedience; and that it was, in fact, an utter renunciation of the Gospel, and a contempt of all the grace contained in it. " Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to d…
468 wordsSECTION 1992079.] The Righteousness Of Faith. 203
faith" alone. He considers that righteousness as wrought out on purpose for him : he regards it as promised to him the very instant he believes in Christ: he looks to him by faith, in order to obtain an interest in it; and he "waits for" it God's appointed time : he waits for it here, even for the mani- festation …
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slain from the foundation of the world." Thi'ough all suc- cessive ages was this represented by a variety of types, and proclaimed in a variety of prophecies ; to particularize which will be unnecessary, because St. Paul expressly affirms all that we have asserted : — " Now," says he, " the righteousness of God wi…
486 wordsSECTION 2012079.1 Tiie Righteousness Of Faith. 205
and shews them unto the trembling sould; and thus over- comes his reluctance on the one hand, and his diffidence on the other. In this way the person is brought to see, that " righteousness is by faith" only; and to " hope" for that righteousness, yea, and to " wait for" it, till it shall please God to make known …
470 wordsSECTION 202206 Galatians, V. 5. [2079.
You do not clearly see that " Christ is the end of the law for righteousness ;" and that he is so to those only who " believe5." I beseech you, leave not this matter unexamined, and unde- cided, in your minds : but beg of God to reveal his Son in you ; and that you may never be suffered to rest, till you can say, …
442 wordsSECTION 203The Office And Operation Of Faith.
Gal. v. 6. In Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision ; but faith which worketh by love. THE peculiar character of the Gospel is, that it shews how a sinner may be justified before God ; yet the generality of Christians are far from entertaining just views of this most fundamental …
297 wordsSECTION 204208 Galatians, V. 6. [2080.
That which alone can avail for our acceptance with God, is " faith"— [All the promises of God are made to faith h. It is by faith that all the saints of old obtained salvation0. St. Paul and St. James do not really differ respecting thisd, nor do any passages of Scripture really contradict ite. If salvation be of …
746 wordsSECTION 205Offence Of The Cross.
4. " For instruction in righteousness" — [To point out all the offices of love would be tedious. Let us contemplate it as set forth by the Apostle in 1 Cor. xiii. ; and, not content with any measure that we have attained, let us abound in it more and more0.] k Gal. v. 2—6. « Phil. iii. 9. m 1 Cor. xiii. 13. n Jus…
443 wordsSECTION 2062081. 3 Offence Of The Cross. 211
who hear it, whether they be Jews or Gentiles. For it is, 1. An humiliating doctrine — [It brings down all men upon a level ; so far, at least, that they must renounce all dependence on themselves, and seek for salvation solely through the righteousness of another. It leaves no room for any man to boast, or to gl…
373 wordsSECTION 207212 Galatians, V. 11. [2081.
for our sins. The Lord Jesus Christ has executed this great work, and become obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. " That cross we preach," as the one only means of reconciling man to God : and all the servants of God have but this one testimony to bear ; namely, that " God was in Christ, reconciling t…
479 wordsSECTION 2082081.] Offence Of The Cross. 213
new heart be given to a man, and all will be well : but, whilst the heart of man continues what it is, " the offence of the cross can never cease."] Address — 1. Let none reject the Gospel on account of the offence attaching to it — [Many conceive the doctrine of the cross must be erro- neous, because it is ever…
452 wordsSECTION 209Walking In The Spirit, A Preservative From Sin.
connected with them ; because they are almost of necessity led to impute to the Gospel itself the indiscretions and absurdities of those who profess it. Let these incautious professors con- sider what evil they do, and what guilt they contract : for if there is a " woe to the world because of offences, there is a …
359 wordsSECTION 2102082.] Walking In The Spirit. 215
shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh." Let us consider then, I. The direction here given — Before we can enter fully into the passage hefore us, we must explain the terms which the Apostle uses to convey his sentiments. The whole context shews that there are two principles in the regenerate man ; one which is…
386 wordsSECTION 211216 Galatians, V. 16. [2082.
Now this is the difference between the natural and the spi- ritual man : the natural man has reason and conscience, which, to a certain degree, are capable of directing his path. But numberless occasions arise whereon they fail him utterly. The spiritual man has, superadded to these, a new and living principle abi…
460 wordsSECTION 2122082.] Walking In The Spirit. 217
flesh" we are to understand all the motions of our corrupt nature : and from these we shall be pre- served, if we follow the direction given us in our text. But here we must carefully distinguish between what is promised, and what is not. 1. It is not promised that we shall ?iot be tempted by the lusts of the fle…
433 wordsSECTION 213218 Galatians, V. 16. [2082.
of healing is going forward, and many are convalescent : but we need still to apply the same remedies ; and we are none of us possessed of that measure of health which we hope to attain previous to our dismission. We follow still the prescriptions of our physician ; and we hope, in so doing, to obtain, in due seas…
438 wordsSECTION 214The Principles Of Flesh And Spirit Considered.
Gal. v. 17. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh : and these are contrary the one to the other : so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. IT might be naturally imagined, that, from the moment of our conversion to God, the transformation of the soul into the Divine image shou…
331 wordsSECTION 215220 Galatians, V. 17. [2083.
In speaking of the two principles mentioned in our text, we shall notice, I. Their united existence — There yet remains in God's people an evil prin- ciple, which is here designated by the name of "flesh"— [Man, since the fall of our first parents, is born into the world a corrupt creature : for " who can bring …
456 wordsSECTION 2162083. J Principles Of Flesh And Spirit. 221
light to the understanding-, submission to the will, heaven- liness to the affections, tenderness to the conscience, and to the memory a tenacious apprehension of all that is good. From the time of its existence in the soul, it becomes a second self, a spiritual self as distinguished from the carnal self; agreeably…
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like a flood, the Spirit lifts up a standard against him." The standard of the cross especially is that by which it calls forth into activity all the powers of the soul, and unites them in the service of their God. The reflux of a tide may not unfitly illustrate its operation on the soul. The flesh, like a majestic…
419 wordsSECTION 2182083.] Principles Of Flesh And Spirit. 223
tations may prevail, we yield to them rather as a captive that is dragged against his will, than as persons following the bent and inclination of their own hearts. Now too we can no longer wipe our mouth, like the adulteress, and say, What evil have I doneg? Remorse and shame are now the followers of trans- gressi…
481 wordsSECTION 219224 Galatians, V. 17. [2083.
From this subject we may draw many important lessons. — It is of use, 1. For instruction — [How shall I know whether I am a Christian indeed ? Shall I know it by a freedom from all anxieties, or by a de- liverance from all sin ? No ; but by an earnest anxiety about the soul, and an incessant conflict with sin and…
474 wordsSECTION 2202083. J Principles Of Flesh And Spirit. 225
struggle within us, the younger shall prevail"1; " however sin may have abounded, grace shall much more abound ; and as sin has formerly reigned unto death, so shall grace ultimately reign, through righteousness, unto eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord"." Doubtless the conflicts will be painful to flesh a…
450 wordsSECTION 221The Christian Freed From The Law.
Gal. v. 18. If ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. TO understand these words aright, we must notice, first the general scope of the whole epistle, and then, the particular scope of the more immediate context. The epistle itself was written to establish the doc- trine of justification by faith alone,…
335 wordsSECTION 2222084.] The Christian Freed From The Law. 227
against the flesh : and these are contrary the one to the other ; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would ; but, if ye be led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law." This, you perceive, is the immediate context, wherein the Apostle cautions the Galatians against either abusing their liberty, or maintaining…
334 wordsSECTION 223228 Galatians, V. 18. [2084.
under the very term which is here used ; " That which is born of the Spirit, is spirit0." By being " led by the Spirit," then, I understand the being under the influence of a spiritual principle, in oppo- sition to that carnal principle which directs and go- verns the natural man. And this really characterizes ev…
462 wordsSECTION 2242084.] The Cpiristian Freed From The Law. 220
relish for the things which he once affected, and will savour those things only which are suited to the spiritual mind. And this will serve him as a criterion whereby to judge of his state before God. He may for a time be driven, by the force of temptation, from that which his soul supremely affects, even as the n…
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happiness depends : they are to him rather the expressions of his Father's will, which it is the joy of his soul to fulfil and execute. His real state in relation to the law, is like that of a woman to her deceased hushand. He was once altogether under its authority, whilst in his unconverted state ; but when he e…
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2. Take care that your conduct be such as be- cometh the Gospel of Christ — [You clearly see, in my text, that principles and conduct must go together : neither will stand without the other. Without faith in Christ, you can never hope to receive the Holy Spirit, or to be renewed in the spirit of your mind : nor, …
269 wordsSECTION 227Mmlxxxv.
be our evidence, that we are really his : for then only can it be known that " we are not under the law, but under grace, when Christ himself lives in us, and no sin whatever is per- mitted to have dominion over usy."] y Rom. vi. 14. with Gal. ii. 19, 20. THE FRUITS OF THE FLESH AND OF THE SPIRIT CON- TRASTED. G…
342 wordsSECTION 2282085. J Fruits Of The Flesh And Spirit. 233
The principle which rules in us under the former state, is called " flesh ;" and that which animates us under the latter, is called " Spirit." Not that on the transition from the one state to the other, the former principle is taken away : No ; it lives, and acts, and withstands with all its might the latter princ…
387 wordsSECTION 229234 Galatians, V. 19—24. [2085.
distinct from a regard to him : since the fear of God, if ope- rating at all, would operate as much to the suppression of the desire, as to the non-indulgence of the act. Hence the mere looking on a woman to lust after her, is declared, on infallible authority, to be an actual commission of adultery with her in th…
466 wordsSECTION 2302085.] Fruits Of The Flesh And Spirit. 235
plead for them as innocent amusements, they are all hateful to God, and destructive to man : insomuch that the man who finds his pleasure in them " can in no wise enter the kingdom of heaven." Often had the Apostle entered his protest against such carnal indulgences, so unworthy of a rational being, and so unsuite…
430 wordsSECTION 231236 Galatians, V. 19—24. [2085.
strength of our animal frame, subside into a peaceful compo- sure, a sweet serenity of mind, a " peace of God which passeth all understanding." These are the never-failing fruits of divine grace in the soul. A variety of circumstances may occur which may impede the exercise of these holy affections ; especially th…
385 wordsSECTION 2322085. J Fruits Of The Flesh And Spirit. 237
Christ himself, as his peculiar possession : and they have given up themselves to him by a willing and deliberate surrender of all that they are and have. By a vital union also are they his, being, as it were, " one spirit with him." Hence in many parts of Scripture are they designated as in the words of our text:…
449 wordsSECTION 233,'238 Galatians, V. 19—24. [2085.
persons on the evening of that day, when they were " eating their bread with gladness and singleness of heart, blessing and praising God :" methinks, heaven and hell scarcely present a greater contrast, than those very persons within that short period. Yet such is the change which the Gospel will pro- duce, wherev…
456 wordsSECTION 234Walking In The Spirit.
and to be renewed by his Spirit. Do this, and yon shall have no cause to complain that your corruptions are invincible: for his grace shall be sufficient for you, even though your corruptions were ten thousand times more powerful than they are. Nor imagine that the maintenance of holy tempers and affections shall …
354 wordsSECTION 2352 10 Galatians, V. 25. [2086.
by whom he has been quickened from a death in trespasses and sins, and been made a partaker of a new principle of life, whereby he is enabled to live to God. This new principle is distinct from any thing which man, by any powers of his own, can acquire, and from any thing which can by any means be derived from man…
502 wordsSECTION 236208G.J Walking In The Spirit. 211
II. His obligations — *»*■ " If we be in the Spirit, we should also walk in the Spirit ;" that is, we should walk, 1. In compliance with his motions — [There are inward motions of the Spirit, which a person who lives nigh to God may discern, and which it becomes him very carefully to follow. Not that they can wi…
467 wordsSECTION 237242 Galatians, V. 25. [2086.
combine the two, and are simultaneously directed by the light within and the light without, we may reasonably hope that we are in the right way, and " walking in the Spirit," as God requires.] From the passage thus explained, I would take occa- sion to commend to your constant aim, 1. Consistency — [This is the …
425 wordsSECTION 238Benevolence Recommended.
even for a corruptible crown ? But ours is incorruptible. " Be not weary, then, in well-doing: for in due season ye shall reap, if ye faint not."] Gal. vi. 2. Bear ye one another s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. TO open and unfold the mystery of the Gospel, is doubtless an employment which, in point of…
319 wordsSECTION 239244 Galatians, Vi. 2. [2087.
Nor can any support their burthens alone — [The king upon the throne needs the assistance of others, as much as the beggar upon the dunghill. The very necessities of our nature call for mutual aid. No one could support himself alone. It is by the division of labour that society is kept together, and every individu…
478 wordsSECTION 2402087-] Benevolence Recommended. 245
we may all do in some measure, yea, and must do, if we would approve ourselves faithful to the trust reposed in us.] That we may be stimulated to this duty, let me endeavour to impress upon your minds, II. The consideration by which it is enforced — In executing this office, we " fulfil the law of Christ"— \_TJi…
474 wordsSource & rights
Public domain historical edition (1832-33); scan/OCR from Internet Archive.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.