HOR.iE HOMILETIC.iE: OR
AND FORMING A COMMENTARY,
tlPON EVERY BOOK OF
AN IMPROVED EDITION OF A THANSLATION OF
CLAUDE'S ESSAY ON THE COMPOSITION OF A SERMON.
BY THE
REV. CHARLES SIMEON, M.A., SENlOR FELLO'\V OF KING'S COLJ .. EGE, CAl\IBRJflGE.
IN TWENTY-ONE VOLUMES.
•
162. 163.
xi. 10-13. xi. 23.
xiv. 6-9
xvi. 38. xvi. 48. xvii. 10.
xix. 17-20. XX. 12.
xxi. 8, 9.
-~-
The Jealousy-Offering • . The Law of N azarites • . God will bless his .own Ordinances . The Journeys of the Israelites . Moses' Invitation to Hobab . . Moses' Prayer at the nmpval and rest­
ing of the Ark • . . . • • ·.
·~-.. .Ioshua'.tEnviJ reproved • • . . . Aaron and Miriam repr.oved . . . Apostasy deprecated • • . . . The People murmuring at the Report of
the Spies . . • • . . . . . God's Answer to the Intercession of
Moses. . . . • . • • . . Following the Lord fully . • • . . Presumption of the rebellious Israelites The Danger of presumptu.ous Sin . The Sabbath-breaker stoned . . . The Use and Intent of Fringes on
the Garments . . . . . . . Korah's Rebellion .
83
87 Aaron's Intercession . . . • · 92 Aaron's Rod that budded . . . . 97 The Law of Purification • . . . • 102 Moses and Aaron sentenced to die in
the Wilderness . . . . . . · 1 osl Death of A aron • . . . · . . 114 The Israelites discouraged by the w~'!l "''121 The Brasen Serpent • . • • • . 126
Vl CONTENTS.
Discourse. Page.
Text. Subject.
--1--------------------- NUMBERS
170. xxii. 18, 19. 171. xxii. 31. 172. xxiii. 7-10. 173. xxiii. 18-23. 1/4. xxiii.19. 17 5. xxiv. 5, 9.
176. ,<~'exiv. 15-17. 177. XXV. 10-13. 178. xxvi. 63-65;
179. xxvii. 15-21. 180. xxviii. 3-10. 181. xxxi. 48-50. 182. xxxii. 6, 7. 183. xxxii. 23. 184. ' XXXV. 24-28.
Balaam's Character . . . Balaam obstructed by the Angel • . Balaam's first Attempt to curse Israel. Balaam's second Attempt to curse Israel God will fulfil his Word . . . • . Balaam's third Attempt to cztrse Israel Christ the Star spolcen of by Balaam Phinehas rewarded for his Zeal . Perishing of the Israelites in the Wil-
derness • • • . . . . . Appointment of Joshua to succeed Moses The Morning and Evening Sacrifice Destruction of the Midianites • • . Jfoses reproves the Reubenites • . . The Certainty that Sin will find us out Tlze Cities of Refztge . . . •
131
164 1()8
172 177
' ·- $!- DEUTERONOMY·--··
185. 186. 187. 188. 189. 190. 191. 192. 193. 194. 195. 196. 197.
198.
i. 11. i. 21.
ii. 7. iii. 23-28. iii. 27, 28. iv. 7-9. v. 28, 29. v. 28, 29. v. 28, 29. v. 28, 29.
vi. 10-12. vii. 6-10. viii. 2, 3.
ix. 4-6.
x. 12, 13.
The Prosperity of Zion desired. • . Victory qssured to the true Israel . .
202 208
God's continued Mercies to us . 212 217 llfoses views Canaan from Pisgah
Joshua a Type of CMist . • . • . Moses's solemn Charge to Israel Excellency of the Liturgy . Excellency of the Liturgy
222 . 227
245 . 262
276 The Danger of Prosperity . . . . A 1·ight Improvement of Electing Love The Reasons of God's diversified Deal-
ings with his People . • • . . Against Self-,righteousness and Self-
conceit. . . . . . . . . . A penitential Retrospect enjoined , . The 1·eplacing of the two Tables of the
Covenant • • . • • . . . . Reasonableness and Excellency of God's
Commands • . . . . . .
Text.
xvi. 3. xviii. 13.
xxvi. 17-19. xxvii. 26.
XXX. 4-6.
Subject. _.... Page.
The Electing Love of God an incentit'e to Holiness . . • . • . • • 326
The Scriptures recommended to us • • 332 The great Alternative. . . . . . 335 The Prohibition of eating Blood . 341 The Jews' leading Objection to Chris-
tianity considered . . • • • • 34 7 Guilt and Danger of departing from God 361 The Duty of Charity enforced . . . 366 The Release of Bond-servants • . . 369 The Servant devoting himself to his
Maste1·'s Service . . • • . . 373 Redemption to be ever borne in mind 378 Christian Perfection . • . . 381 The Method of expiating an unknown
lviurdP.r • . 384 Benevolence towaJ:.!l.s, God's ancient
,_ ~-,~- ~ ;« ,, -:, .
. . People.· . . . . . . • . . God's Care for his People . . • Gleaning, a Divine Ordinance . • . Gratitude to God enforced • • . . Covenanting with God explained . . The Extent and Excellency of the Moral
Law . . . . . . . . . The Duty of fearing God . . . . Men's Blindness in spiritual Things . Danger of carnal Security . . . Secret Things belong to God . . The Restoration· and Conversion of the
389 396 401 405 410
415 419 422 426 430
Jews . . • . . . . . . • 436
225. xxx. 11-14. The Way of Salvation plain and easy 440 226. xxx. 11-14. The Gospel clearly contained in the
Old Testament . . . . . • • 44.'5
227. xxx. 19. A Faithful Minister's Appeal • • • 453 228. xxxi. 6. JJ.foses' encouraging Address to Israel. 459 229. xxxi. 14. The App1·oach of Death . . • · • 464 230. xxxi. 19. The Song of Moses a Witness against
the Jews . . . . . . • • .I 468
'. ... ''111 CONTENTS •
241. 212.
243. 244. 245. 246. 247. 248. 249. 250. 251. 252. 253.
254. 255. 256. 257. 258.
259. 260.
xxxii. 9-12. xxxii. 21.
God's Regard for his People The Jews moved to Jealousy by the Gen-
tiles . . . . . . . xxxii. 3 I. The Excellency of Jelzocah .
xxxii. 34, 35. Judgment near at hand . . . xxxii. 36. Our Extremity is God's Opportunity • xxxii. 39. I God the only Author of Good and Evil
xxxii. 46, 47 .. A Minister's Dying Charge to his
xxxiii. 8, 9.
vii. 8. vii. 19, 20.
viii. 26. ix. 15.
xxii. 4, 5. xxii. 11, 12. xxiii. 10, I I.
xxiii. 14. xxiv. 21-27.
I People • . . . . . .
The Blessing bestowed on the Tribe of I Levi . • . . . . . The Pt·ivilege of those who live near to
God . . . . . . Strength according to our Days . . I The Happiness of God's People .
r
,~,~~h:;istianFortitude • . • . .
Rahab protects the Spies. . • • The Passage of Jordan commemorated. Israel's first P1·oceedings in Canaan Christ the Captain of the Lord's Host . The Taking of Jericho . . . Israel disconiforted by the Men of Ai Acltan's Guilt and Punishment . • Persevering Zeal recommended . • Joshua's League with Gibeon . • . Joshua's Victory over the confederate
Kings • . . . . . • . . The Conquest and Partition of Canaan Sloth and Lukewarmness reproved . . The Disbanding of the Troops of Israel The Altar of Witness. . • . . God's Interpositions for us are Obliga-
tions to love and se1·ve Him . . God's Faithfulness to his Promises. . Joshua's Covenant with Israel to serve
the Lord . . .
581 I 5861
Numb. v. ~. This is the law of jealousies.
M ANY ordeals have been devised by man; but they are all superstitious, delusive, cruel, and
unjust. But there has been one established by God himself, which was open to no objection. It was appointed for the satisfaction of any who might con­ ceive themselves injure~ by their wives.: The jealous husband might bring his· wife to a tribunal, at which the heart-searching God was to be both witness and judge. The process was this-He was to bring his wife to the priest ; and with her an offering, not of fine wheat flour, but of barley meal ; and that with­ out either oil or frankincense; (the offering being intended to mark her humiliating and afflicted state.) He was then to take some holy water out of the laver, and to mix with it some dust from the floor of the tabernacle : and to repeat to the woman a form of imprecation; to which the woman was to say, 'Amen, Amen; in token of her. full consent to every part of it. This curse was then to be written in a book, and washed off again into the vessel that held the water ; that so the water might be, as it were, impregnated with the curse. Then the offering was to be waved before the Lord, and part of it to be burnt upon the altar, in token that an appeal was made to God. Then the water was given to the woman to drink ; and immediately it was seen whether she had beenjustly or unjustly accused. If she had been guilty of un-
voL. II. B
NUMBERS, V. 29. [144. faithfulness to her marriage vows, the curse she had imprecated upon herself came upon her : instantly her belly began to swell, and her thigh to rot ; and her shame became visible to all. If, on the contrary, she was innocent, the water she had drunk produced no such effect, but rather a blessing from God came upon her.
u Such was the law of jealousies/' as set forth in the chapter before us. But it is not on the provisions of this law, nor on its sanctions, that we intend to dwell : it is sufficient for us to know that such and such things were done, and that such and such effects were produced. It is to the uses of this law that we would direct your attention : and they will be found replete with interest and instruction.
Its use was two-fold ; political, and moral : I. Political-
Many of the Jewish laws were adapted exclusively to that people,: ~ were wholly inapplicable to any other nation. The Jews lived under a Theocracy : God himself was theh: temporal, no less than their spiritual, Governor. Doubtful causes were referred to his decision ; and there were means appointed for the manifestation of his will respecting them. Of this nature was the trial of a suspected wife ; it was conducted by a direct appeal to God. This singular institution was of great national utility ;
1. As a guardian of domestic peace- . [It must almost of necessity happen, that some husband, either through the perverseness of his own temper or the indis­ cretion of his wife, should feel" a spirit of jealousy" arising within him. Wherever such a thought is indulged, it corrodes, and eats out all domestic happiness; and, especially amongst a people so ~ard~hearted as t~e Jews, who. were ever ready to put away then Wives on the slightest occasiOns, it would lead to almost an immediate dissolution of the nuptial bonds. The miseries consequent on such hasty divorces may be more easily conceived than described---But when a man had the means of redr~~ in his ~":1 hands, he would be less ~ling to indulge suspiciOn; or, if It arose, he would not suffer It to rankle in his boso~: he would either ?i~miss it. from his mind, or bring it to an Issue at once: that if It were justly founded, he might be
144.] THE JEALOUSY OFFERING. 3 released from his connexion; or, if unfounded; be delivered from his painful apprehensions.
Thus the law in question would retard the rise of jealousy diminish its force, and facilitate its extinction; at the sam; time that it would prevent unjust divorces, and reconcile the mind to any which the circumstances of the case might require.]
2. As a preservative of public virtue- [It is the hope of concealment that gives an edge to tempta­
tion. A thief will not steal, if he know that he must infallibly be detected : nor will the adulterer lay his plans of seduction, if he know that he cannot possibly conceal his guilt. Now, the remedy being in the hands of the injured party, and the issue of a trial certain, men would be cautious how they subjected themselves to such tremendous consequences as they had reason to expect. Females too would be upon their guard, not merely against the actual commission of sin, but against the smallest approximation towards it. The impossibility of escape would be a fence to their virtue, a barrier which no temptation could force. From their earliest days they would feel the ne­ cessity of being reserved in their habits, and circumspect in their conduct; and of abstaining, not only fi·om evil, but from even the appearance of evil. For thoug.b. they should not be found criminal to the extent that the jealousy of their husbands had led them to imagine, few would wholly exculpate them, or think that they had not given some grounds for suspicion : and the consciousness of this would make the trial itself ex­ tremely formidable even to those who had nothing to fear on account of the ultimate decision.
Hence then it is manifest, that the existence of this law would give a salutary check to the passions of mankind, and operate in the most favourable manner on all classes of the community.]
Its use, as political, was important; but it was still more so as, II. Moral-
Minute and trifling as many of the Jewish laws may appear, there was not one but was intended to inculcate some great lesson of morality. This which we are <considering was of very extensive benefit. It had a direct tendency,
1. To convince the sceptical- [The general notion of mankind is, that God does. not
attend to their actions : "Tush, the Lord doth not see, ne1ther doth the Almighty regard it," is the language of every heart a
a Isai. xxix. 15. Ps. lxxiii. 11. Job xxii. 13, 14. B~
4 NUMBERS, V. 29. [144. ---But a single execution. of this ~aw would carry an irresistible conviction to every mmd. It IS supposed that. the crime committed has been so secret, that no human bemg, except the guilty persons, were acquainted with it. 1 t _is sup­ posed also that no cle~ for the di~covery of it could possibly_ be found. Behold the Issue of this ordeal, and the offending woman justifying that God who had inflicted vengeance ~n her: could any doubt now remain, whether God see o':lr actwns or not· or whether he will suifer sin to pass unpumshcd? The most determined atheist (if such a being could be found) must, like the worshippers of ~aal, be convinced at ~uch a s~ght, a~d exclaim, "The Lord, he IS God; the Lord, he IS God! "venly there is a God that judgeth in the earth b ! "]
2. To reclaim the vicious- [What must be the feelings of a man, who, after having
rioted in iniquity, beholds such a scene as this ? Must it not bring his own iniquities to his remembrance? Must he not tremble at the thought of appearing before this holy Lord God, and at the prospect of those judgments that shall be in­ flicted on him? Must he not realize in a measure that shame which he will be exposed to in the presence of the assembled universe, and that misery which will be coeval with his exist­ ence? Yes; methinks he already begins to smite upon his breast, and cry for mercy ; and determines from henceforth to walk in newness of life---]
3. To comfort the oppressed- [Where a woman of blameless character was made the
victim .of her husband's jealousy, with what holy confidence would she drink the appointed cup, and make her appeal to the heart-searching God!- --and in what triumph would she depart from the tabernacle, when God himself had borne a public testimony to her innocence! From hence then might every one, whose name the breath of calumny had blasted, as­ sure himself that a time was coming, when God would vindicate his injured character, and cause his righteousness to shine as the noonday. David, under the accusations of Saul, consoled himself with this prospe~tc; .and lived to attest the fidelity of God to those who trust m h1m d ; and to recommend from his own experience this remedy to others e_- -True the inter­ position of God may not, towards others, be so im~ediate or so visible, in this world: but, in the world to come if 'not before, shall that promise be fulfilled to every servant of the
b .Ps.lvili. 11. Such passages as Ps. cxxxix. 11, 12. and Job xx;Iv. 21, .. 22. would ~ow appe~~ to him in their true light.
Ps. vu. 3-8. Ps. xvm. 16-20. e Ps. xxxvii. 4-6.
145.] THE LAW OF NAZARITES.
Lord, " Every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn f,"] We cannot conclude the subject without RECOM­
MENDING to all, I. To beware of appealing lightly to God-
[It is grievous to hear how carelessly men swear by God, or use the term, ' God knoweth.' But, however light men make of such appeals, God heareth them ; and he will, sooner or later, manifest his indignation against all who so profane his holy name. Instantaneous displays of his vengeance are sometimes even now given, in order to check such impiety: but, if he bear with such persons for a season, in due time " their sin shall surely find them out"- - -]
2. To stand ready for the final judgment-- [This law has ceased: but there is another tribunal, to
which all, whether male or female, married or unmarried, shall be summoned. Thither shall we be brought by our heavenly "Husband," "who is a jealous God, yea, whose very name is Jealousg:" and by his infallible decision will our eternal state be fixed. Think what must have been the frame of a woman's mind on the eve of her trial, when she knew herself to be guilty: must she not be filled "'ith fear and trembling? How then can any of us be gay and thoughtless in the prospect of such an ordeal as WE have to pass! We cannot but acknow­ ledge that we are justly branded as " adulterers and adul­ teressesh:" let us therefore confess our sins with all humility of mind, and wash in that " fountain which was opened for sin and for uncleanness."]
f Isai. liv. 17. and lxvi. 5. g Exod. xxxiv. 14. h Jam. iv. 4.
CXLV. THE LAW OF NAZARITES.
Numb. vi. Ql. This is the law of the Nazarite who hath vowed, and of his offering unto the Lord for his separation.
THE N azarites, in the best times of the Jewish state, were eminently pious. God himself declares concerning them, that "they were purer than snow, and whiter than milka." The very…