There is a time fixed in the Divine counsels for the accomplishment of every promise —
[The promises of God often have respect to a very distant period : yet that period is fixed ; nor can it be either accele- rated or delayed. The time for Christ's incarnation, though not revealed from the beginning, was appointed of God from eternity. Thousands of years rolled on before the period arrived ; but at the time when, according to Daniel's prophecy, the Messiah's advent was generally expected, he cameb. The time for detaining Abraham's descendants was fixed, even to a single day : and the accuracy with which the promise was ful- filled, is noted by the historian as a circumstance worthy of most attentive observation ; " It came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the self-same day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt. It is a night to be much observed unto the Lordc." The same remark also extends to every blessing which God has determined to confer upon his people : nor can they use a better plea on behalf of themselves or of the Church at large, than that which the Psalmist urges, " Arise, and have mercy upon Zion ; for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is comed."]
When that period is arrived, the promise, how im- probable soever it may appear, shall be fulfilled —
[Nothing could be more unlikely, according to human apprehensions, than the deliverance foretold in the text : yet at the appointed time the Chaldeans were subdued by the Medes and Persians, and the Jews were liberated by the very man who had been foretold by name long before he had any existence in the world. The promise made to Abraham and Sarah was de- layed, till the accomplishment of it, according to the course of nature, seemed impossible : yet it was not suffered to fall to the ground ; in due time it received its completion, and gave a demonstration, that God was true to his word. Thus when God delays to give peace to the contrite, and victory to those who are conflicting with sin, we must not imagine that he has for- gotten to be gracious, but that the time for the performance of his promise is not fully come. He has said, that " he will give his people the blessing of peace e," and that " sin shall not have dominion over themf ;" and he will " not suffer one jot or tittle of his word to fail." " His counsel shall stand, and he will do all his pleasure8."]
Being assured then of the stability of his promises, let us consider,
* Dan. ix. 25, 26. Luke ii. .38. c Exod. xii. 40—42.
d Ps. cii. 13. e Ps. xxix. 11.
f Rom. vi. 14. s Isai. xlvi. 10.