R. M. R.

THE

SERMONS

OF THE

REV. RICHARD CECIL,

LATE MINISTER OF ST. JOHN'S CHAPEL, BEDFORD-ROW, LONDON.

ROBERT CARTER, 58 CANAL-STREET.

PITTSBURG: 56 MARKET-STREET.

1845.

CECIL'S SERMONS.

CONTENTS.

I. Jacob putting away strange Gods-Gen. xxxv. 1—5

II. The Dying Saint's Consolation-2 Sam. xxiii. 5

III. The Child of Providence-1 Kings xvii. 15, 16

IV. The Penitence of King Josiah-2 Kings xxii. 19

V. Ezra an Example in Business-Ezra viii. 21-23

VI. The End of the Upright Man: a Funeral Sermon for the

Rev. Nathaniel Gilbert-Psalm xxxvii. 37

63

VII. Hope: a Support in Trouble-Psalm xliii. 5

VIII. Thanksgiving on the Victory of Trafalgar-Psalm cxviii. 27 79

IX. The Benefit of Affliction-Psalm cxix. 71

X. To Children and Parents-Prov. iv. 1

XI. Advantages of the House of Mourning-Eccl. vii. 2

XII. The Vanity of Human Imaginations-Jer. xxiii. 23, 29

XIII. The Fiery Furnace-Dan. iii. 24, 25

XIV. Signs of True Wisdom-Matt. ii. 1, 2

XV. Signs of the Times-Matt. xvi. 1—3

XVI. Duty of Watchfulness-Mark xiii. 35-37.

XVII. The Angels' Song-Luke ii. 13, 14

XVIII. Living Water-John iv. 10

91

100

XIX. The Nobleman of Capernaum-John iv. 46-50

XXII. The Fashion of the World-1 Cor. vii. 31

223

XIII. Christian Consolations abounding in Suffering-2 Cor. i. 5 233

XXIV. Godly and Worldly Sorrow-2 Cor. vii. 10

XXV. The Sealing of the Spirit-Eph. i. 13, 14

XXVI. On Chastisement-Heb. xii. 5, 6

262

XXVII. Remembrance of Christian Ministers-Heb. xiii. 7, 8

XXVIII. On Temptation-James i. 12

XXIX. Patience, the Child of Faith, and Parent of Success-

XXX. A Transient World and Abiding Christian-John ii. 17

XXXI. Loss of First Love-Rev. ii. 4

XXXII. Special Support in Suffering-Rev. i. 17

XXXIII. The Christian Conflict, Conquest, and Crown-Rev. iii. 21 337

SERMONS.

SERMON I.

JACOB PUTTING AWAY STRANGE GODS.

GENESIS, XXXV. 1—5.

And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an Altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother. Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments, and let us arise and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an Altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went. And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their ear-rings which were in their ears, and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem. And they journeyed: and the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob,

WE behold here a very natural picture of a family in the midst of care and trouble; and a pious man at the head of it, whose cares made him forget his sacred obligations. But the Lord is he that restoreth the soul!

Jacob had endured many distresses. One, in particular, lately befell his family, in which his sons had rashly put a city to the sword. We find him saying to his sons, 66 Ye have troubled me, to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land; and, I being few in number, they shall gather themselves against me and slay me, and I shall be destroyed, I and my