Simple Village Sermons For Church Seasons (1885) (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: SET THINE HOUSE IN ORDER. S Luke xn. 20. THIS NIGHT THY SOUL SHALL BE REQUIRED OP THEE. Isaiah xxxvm. i. SET THINE HOUSE IN ORDER: FOR THOU SHALT DIE, AND NOT LIVE. This night ? Nay what matters it ? Sometime not long hence; sometime when you least expect it, thy soul shall be required of thee. ' Set therefore thine " house in order." i. "Is this the news you tell?" I hear somebody exclaim. " Is this the message you bring at the " commencement of a new year ? The announcement "is not to me, I hope. I have just planned the " course I shall pursue during this new year of . " I shall enlarge my business. I shall increase my " connexion. I shall advertise largely, and spend man y " thousands of pounds m various ways for the exten- " sion of the interest of my firm. I look for much"success and great prosperity." Yes, my friend, to you I bring this message, " Set thine house in order, " for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth." Aye, to thee Why not ? To such an one were the words addressed, "This night thy soul shall be " required of thee." He had said, as you might, " I " will pull down my barns and build greater. I will " say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up " for many years." But the message came to him, and his schemes were brought to nought ? the message came to him, "This night thy soul shall be " required of thee." II. " Are these words for me ? " says another. " I "am just retiring from my business to enjoy the "fortune which my own energies have made, and to " spend the leisure which my hard work has so fairly "earned. I have just built my house and laid out "my grounds, and have said to myself, 'Thou hast "' much goods laid up for thyself, and great enjoy- " ' ment for some years; take, eat, and relish to the full "' the good th...