2. How vain are any attempts of man to counter- act the designs of God —
[Herod foolishly thought to defeat the purposes of heaven ; but " God held him in derision, and laughed him to scorn ^" God knew his murderous plans, and warned the parents of our Lord to escape his fury; yea, and provided too for their journey and support in Egypt, by the offerings which the Wise Men had just before presented to the new-born King, Herod, to secure his purpose, ordered, not the children of Bethlehem only, but of all the neighbouring country ; and not of one year old only, but all under two years old, to be massacred : but his attempts were vain ; and instead of frus- trating the designs of Heaven, he unwittingly fulfilled them ; occasioning, by this very act, no less than three prophecies to be accomplished'". Thus it is with all who set themselves against God : they may shew their malignity, but they cannot counteract his gracious designs. " Many are the devices in
k John i. 46. and vii. 52. i Ps. ii. 1—6.
™ ver. 15, 17, 23. He still further confirmed the Messiahship of Jesus, by leading all the Jewish Sanhedrim to declare, that Bethlehem was to be the place of his nativity, ver. 4^6.
men's hearts ; nevertheless, the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand"." " The wrath of man (as far as it is permitted to be exercised) shall praise him ; and the remainder of that wrath shall he restrain"." We never need, therefore, to be afraid of man ; for, if we commit our way unto the Lord, " he will be our shield and buckler ;" and, " if He be for us," we may triumphantly ask, " Who can be against usP?"]
3. How certainly will there be a day of future retribution —
[Can it be, that such an inhuman monster should never meet with any just recompence for his deeds? The mind revolts at the idea. If there be a God that governs the world, there must be a period when the present inequalities of his government shall be done away, and the equity of his dis- pensations be made apparent. Hence the day of judgment is in Scripture called, " The day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of Godi;" and we arc told, that " it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble us : and to us who are troubled, rest"^." Let us then act in reference to that day: whether exalted and at ease, or depressed and persecuted, let us look to that day, wlien our happiness or misery shall be for ever fixed. Let us dread prosperity, if it divert our attention from a future state ; and let us welcome adversity, if it be the means of bringing us nearer unto God. The infants now have no cause to regret that they were called to such early martyrdom : and it is higiily probable, that many of their parents have since found reason to give thanks to God for the weight of sorrow that then oppressed them. But the proud oppressor, — who can reflect on his state without shuddering? how will he feel, when he shall stand at the tribunal of that very Jesus, whom, with such hypocrisy and cruelty, he laboured to destroy? O that, when- ever tempted to sin, we may think of the account which tve must one day give; and, whenever called to suffer, may " look with Moses to the recompence of the reward ! "]
" Prov. xix. 21. o Ps. ixxvi. 10. p Rom. viii. 31.
1 Rom. ii. .5. r 2 Thess. i. 6, 7.