Love to Christ Indispensable
"Jesus with to Simon Peter, Simon son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, feed my lambs." John 21:15.
We have in this chapter a particular account of an interview between our Saviour, and some of his disciples after his resurrection. Of the disciples, present ...read
Sermon
Lovers of Pleasure Described and Warned
"Lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God" 2 Timothy 3:4
These words describe a character which is, alas! but too frequently found in this sinful world; a character too, which most men are apt to regard with a partial and favorable eye, especially when it is met with among the young. If nothing worse is known of a man, than that he is rathe ...read
Sermon
Man in His Original and in His Lapsed State
"Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions" Ecclesiastes 7:29
I need not inform those of you who are acquainted with the contents of scripture, that in this book Solomon has recorded the result of numerous trials and experiments which he had made in searching after happiness and inquir ...read
Sermon
Man's Treatment of Christ
"Having yet therefore one Son, his well-beloved, he sent him also, last, unto them, saying, They will reverence my Son" Mark 12:6
These words compose part of the following parable, addressed by our Saviour to the Jews: A certain man planted a vineyard, and set a hedge about it, and digged a wine-vat, and built a tower, and let it out to husban ...read
Sermon
Men Tried and Found Defective
"Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting" Daniel 5:27
In the preceding part of this chapter we are informed, that Belshazzar, king of Babylon, made a great feast to a thousand of his lords and drank wine before the thousand. And while he tasted the wine, he commanded his servants to bring forth the golden vessels, which were ta ...read
Sermon
Messiah's Victory Predicted and Desired
"Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most Mighty, with thy Glory and thy Majesty; And in thy Majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; And thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things. Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies whereby the people fall under thee." Psalm 45: 3, 4, 5.
In these word ...read
Sermon
Our Obligations to God and Men
"Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God, the things that are God's." Mark 12:17.
At the period of our Saviour's residence on earth, the Jews were greatly divided in opinion, respecting the lawfulness of paying tribute to the Roman emperors, under whose government they were. The Pharisees, prompted by ambition, and a wish t ...read
Sermon
Our Sins Infinite in Number and Enormity
"Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities infinite?" Job 22:5
This question was addressed by Eliphaz to Job. He was led to ask it by a suspicion, that Job was a hypocrite. He had imbibed the erroneous opinion, that great temporal calamities are inflicted on none, except the wicked. Hence he inferred from the unprecedented afflictions ...read
Sermon
Participation in Other Men's Sins
"Neither be partaker of other men's sins." 1 Timothy 5:22.
In this chapter the apostle gives Timothy particular directions respecting the duties of his pastoral office; and solemnly charges him before God and the elect angels, to observe these directions; not preferring one man above another, and doing nothing by partiality. One of the most im ...read
Sermon
Prayer for Rulers
"I exhort, therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men; for kings, and all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty." 1 Timothy 2:1, 2.
It appears from the preceding chapter, that Timothy had been left, by St. Paul, at Eph ...read
Sermon
Prayer for the Advancement of Christ's Kingdom
"Thy kingdom come" Matthew 6:10
The well known form of prayer, of which these words are a part, is in every respect worthy of its divine author. On this, as on all other occasions, he spoke as never man spake. In the compass of six short petitions, expressed in language at once simple and dignified he has included every thing necessary for man ...read
Sermon
Punishment of the Impenitent Inevitable and Justifiable
"As I live, saith the Lord, though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence" Jeremiah 22:24
This chapter contains a message from God to the king of Judah. The first part of this message is composed of exhortations to repentance, and promises of pardon, if the fruits of repentan ...read
Sermon
Recollections of God Painful to the Wicked
"I remembered God, and was troub1ed" Psalm 77:3
God is a being, whom it is impossible to contemplate with indifference. His character is so interesting, our dependence on him is so complete, and his favor is so indispensably necessary to our happiness, that a distinct recollection of him must always excite either pleasing or painful emotions. ...read
Sermon
Sin Avoided by Considerations of God
"How can I--sin against God?" Genesis 39:9
This, my hearers, is the genuine language of a pious heart. It ought to be the language of every heart. To every tempter, to every temptation, our invariable reply should be, How can I sin against God! To persuade you to make this reply, whenever you are tempted to sin, is my present design. And perha ...read
Sermon
Sinners Entreated to Hear God's Voice
"The Holy Ghost saith, today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your Hearts" Hebrews 3:7, 8
My brethren, I can think of no introduction to a discourse on this awakening passage more suitable, than that often repeated command of our Savior, He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith. You are here told what the Spirit saith. The ...read
Sermon
Sinners in Zion Described and Doomed
"Woe to them that are at ease in Zion" Amos 6:1
The inspired writers, my friends, do not scatter either blessings or curses arbitrarily and indiscriminately without informing us on whom they will fall. They never pronounce a blessing, without specifying the character to whom it belongs. And they never denounce a curse or a woe, without describ ...read
Sermon
Sinners Wilful and Perverse
"And the Lord said, whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like? They are like unto children sitting in the market place, and calling one to another, and saying, we have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept. For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor dri ...read
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Sins Estimated by the Light of Heaven
"Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of Thy countenance." Psalm 90:8
It is a well known fact that the appearance of objects, and the ideas which we form of them, are very much affected by the situation in which they are placed in respect to us, and by the light in which they are seen. Objects seen at a distan ...read
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Solomon's Choice
"And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing." 1 Kings 3:10
In the context we are informed that, soon after Solomon's coronation, the Lord appeared to him by night, and said, Ask what I shall give thee. And Solomon said, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father, and I am but a little chil ...read
Sermon
The Bible Above All Price
There are two objects which a speaker who addresses his fellow-beings on an occasion like the present, ought ever to keep in view. Of these objects, the first, and with respect to his hearers, the most important is, to induce them to prize as it deserves a volume, which, notwithstanding its unrivalled claims to attention, is too generally neglected ...read
Edward Payson