A Brighter Day Begins with His Word.

PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK

Horae Homileticae — Volume 21 of 21

Simeon, Charles, 1759-1836 · 271,014 words · 572 reading sections

SECTION 541

584 Matthew, Xxvii. 24, 25. [1408.

g ver. G — 8. with Acts i. 18, 19. Pilate's protest. Matt, xxvii. 24, 25. When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, hut that rather a tumult zvas made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person : see ye to it. Then answered all the people…

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SECTION 542

584 Matthew, Xxvii. 24, 25. [1408.

But Pilate was a governor and a judge, whose duty it was, no less to protect the innocent, than to punish the guilty. He had no right to sacrifice the life of an innocent person to the clamours of a mob. He should have told them plainly, that he would rather sacrifice his situation, and even life itself, than be g…

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SECTION 543

586 Matthew, Xxvii. 24, 25. [1408.

Let us now turn our attention to, II. The people's rash engagement — The guilt and punishment of murder were, among the Jews, expressed by " the blood of the murdered person being upon them^" By this imprecation, therefore, the people meant to relieve Pilate's con- science, and to pacify his fears ; engaging, tha…

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SECTION 544

The Indignities Offered To Our Lord.

■ Let the conduct of Levi be our pattern™ — and the command of Jesus our rule" — .] 2. To maintain always a good conscience — [God has given us a conscience, to be his vicegerent in the soul. It may be said, that Paul sinned in following his conscience °. We answer, that he sinned, not in following his conscience…

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SECTION 545

1409.] Indignities Offered To Our Lord. 589

upon him, and by his stripes we are healed''." And though the Psahnist appears to speak of Israel at large, yet I think he has also an eye to God's servant Israel, the Messiah, in par- ticular, when he says, " The plowers plowed upon my back ; they made long their furrows ''. The various indignities of mocking and…

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SECTION 546

590 Matthew, Xxvii. 26—31. [1409.

severe account for it, go heyond the laws, and add punishments which the law did not prescribe, that so the Scriptures of the prophets might, unioittingly indeed on their part, be in every thing fulfilled. His crucifixion closes the scene. But that was not a Jewish punishment : it was a penalty inflicted only by t…

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SECTION 547

1409.1 Indignities Offered To Our Lord. 591

never-ending eternity in "weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth." In a word, the curse of the law", " the wrath of God," and " the damnation of hell," which are the bitter ingredients of " the second death," are the sinner's doom.] Now these, as far as was necessary for our redemp- tion, he bore for us — [A…

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SECTION 548

592 Matthew, Xxvii. 26—31. [1409.

persecute us''." "The servant cannot expect to be above his master : it is sufficient for him, if he be as his lord. If they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub, much more will they those of his households" We may see therefore, in the universality, contemptuousness, and acrimony of his per- secutors, wh…

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SECTION 549

594 Matthew, Xxvii. 38-41. [1410.

k Luke xii. 50. ' Eph. iii. 18, 19. m Luke xxiii. 31. Matt, xxvii. 38 — 44. The7i were there two thieves crucified with him. ; one on the right hand, and another on the left. And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, and VOL. XI. Q Q saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and huildest it in thre…

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SECTION 550

1410.] The Mocking Of Christ Upon The Cross. 595

like dogs, they seemed eager to devour the prey which they had ah'eady seized. Had this ferocity been confined to soldiers, we might have supposed that it arose from their education and habits. But " the Chief Priests, with the Scribes and Elders, and even the Rulers," all concurred in devouring the Lamb of God ! …

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SECTION 551

596 Matthew, Xxvii. 38—44. [1410.

should undergo the strictest examination. Accordingly the -severest scrutiny was instituted, and the result of every fresh examination was a stronger attestation of his innocence. But here we see him put into the hottest furnace, which must infal- libly discover the alloy or dross, if any such were found in him. T…

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SECTION 552

1410.] The Mocking Of Christ Upon The Cross. 597

accomplishment of that prophecy, " He was numbered with the transgressors." But it was not only in what they did, that his enemies fulfilled the Scriptures ; they fulfilled them equally in what they said ; insomuch that, if they had been ever so desi- rous to conform to the prophetic writings, they could not possi…

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SECTION 553

1411.] The Supernatural Darkness. 599

Matt, xxvii. 45. Note from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. IT might well be expected that the crucifixion of the Son of God should be accompanied with circum- stances of a peculiar nature ; sufficient, when properly understood, to remove the offence of his cross, and to di…

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SECTION 554

1411.] The Supernatural Darkness. 599

sufferings by the prophet David' and no wonder " the sun went down over him, and the day was dark, when he had no answer from his God."] III. A prof»nostic of the judgments that should come upon his enemies — [These were spoken of by Moses and all the prophets ; and that too under the image which we are consideri…

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Mccccxii.

P Zech. xii. 10. i Jer. xiii. 15, 16. " Isai. 1. 10. s 1 John ii. 8. * John xii. 35. " Isai. Ix. 20. SIGNS ATTENDANT ON OUR LORd's DEATH. Matt, xxvii. 51. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom ; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent. THE incarnation and death of Go…

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1412.]] Signs Attendant On Our Lords Death. 603

him as designating only some great political convulsion, yet we have reason to think that they had a literal accomplishment in the event before us. It must be remembered, that, at the giving of the Law, " the whole of Mount Sinai quaked greatly^." Thus at the termination of that, and the introduction of the Christ…

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SECTION 557

G04 Matthew, Xxvii. 51. [1412.

fuUij revealed ; and, lastly, tliat a neiv way of access to God was now opened for all people. Christ speaks of his own body as being typified by the temple'*: and well he might do so, since " in him dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." But as opening a way for our admission to the Divine presence, it was…

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606 Matthew, Xxvii. 51. [1412.

Such is clearly the import of these phenomena : we now come, II. To shew the improvement we should make of them — Here we might suggest many things ; but for brevity's sake we shall confine ourselves to two, which are particularly suggested by the holy Apostle. We should, 1 . Receive and honour the dispensation…

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SECTION 559

The Guarding Of The Sepulchre.

m Heb. xii. 29, " Ilcb. x. 19—22, o 1 Pet, ii, 9, Rev, i, 5, 6. Matt, xxvii. 62 — 66. Notv the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the Chief Priests and Pharisees came to- gether unto Pilate, saying. Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, ivhile he was yet alive, After three days I loill rise aga…

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608 Matthew, Xxvii. 62—66. [1413.

was an impostor. For this purpose they determined to secure the tomb, till the time of his predicted re- surrection should be passed ; and accordingly made their application to Pilate, for such assistance as they judged necessary. Let us consider, I. The precautions they used to secure the tomb — [They remembere…

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SECTION 561

1413.] The Guarding Of The Sepulchre. 609

there would ever remain some plausibility in the assertion, that the Disciples had stolen away the body, and that some other man had personated him in his various appearances, and thereby deceived the multitude. But behold, the enemies of Christ themselves destroy all foundation for such a conceit : and the very m…

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610 Matthew, Xxvii. 62—66. [1413.

all the efforts of his enemies were overruled for the manifestation of his glory. But there are two thoughts in particular which we would suggest as arising from this transaction: 1. How vain are the counsels of ungodly men! [Doubtless the chief priests and Pharisees exulted in the hope that they had now attained…

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1413.] The Guarding Of The Sepulchre. 611

up to tread in his steps, and " to preach the word without fearS." Thus it ever has been ; and thus it ever shall be : for Solomon tells us, " There is no wisdom, nor understanding, nor counsel against the Lord^ ;" on the contrary, how " many soever devices there may be in the hearts of men, the counsel of the Lor…

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The Resurrection.

Matt, xxviii. 6. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. AMIDST all the indignities offered to our blessed Lord by the Jewish nation at large, some friends there were who sympathized with him, and desired to mani- fest towards him all the respect and love which their circumstances would admit of. He had now been p…

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SECTION 565

1414.] The Resurrection. G13

very commencement of his ministry, he said, " Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up again ^." This was not understood at the time : but, by his enemies, it was brought against him as a charge at the close of his life ; and, after his resurrection, it was recollected by his friends as a predictio…

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SECTION 566

614 Matthew, Xxviii. 6. [1414.

our behalf. The two goats which were offered on the day of atonement, and the two birds that were offered at the cleansing of the leper, exhibited this mystery in a striking point of view*^. The dying goat represented his death ; and the scape-goat, which bore away the sins of all Israel, his resurrection. The liv…

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SECTION 567

1414.]] The Resurrection. 615

said, " Because I live, ye shall live also°." We may be assured, therefore, that, " if we bear about in our body the dying of the Lord Jesus, the life also of Jesus shall be made manifest in our body !>:" if "we be dead with him, we shall also live with him : for as, in that he died, he died unto sin once ; but, in…

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SECTION 568

616 Matthew, Xxviii. 6. [1414.

space of forty days appeared to various Disciples, and at last ascended to heaven in the presence of five hundred brethren at once ? Some of his Disciples, at least, were incredulous enough : Thomas would not believe unless he should put his hand into the print of the nails in his hands and in his feet, and thrust…

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Mccccxv.

THE apostles' COMMISSION. Matt, xxviii. 18 — 20. And Jesus came, and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost : teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I…

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618 Matthew, Xxviii. 18—20. [1415.

set forth " the Holy Ghost," as the enlightener, comforter, and saiictifier of God's elect. They were to baptize their converts in the name of the sacred Three. Having proselyted men to the Christian faith, they were to initiate them into covenant with God by baptism. But though they first taught adults, and then …

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6^ Matthew, Xxviii. 18—20. [1415.

of a sinner's hope At the same time we must require of men to obey the commands of God, and must admit of no other standard of holiness than that which God has given us in his word To address ourselves to this work in our own strength were folly and madness. But,] We have also the very same encouragement as they…

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End Of Vol. Xi.

LONDON: — H. CLAY, PlllNTti:, ERl.AU STKELT-IIILI ,…

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Source & rights

Public domain historical edition (1832-33); scan/OCR from Internet Archive.

Project Gutenberg source record →

Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.