SERMON VI. MATTH. ii. 16. Then Herod, when he faw, that he was mocked of the wife Men, was exceeding wroth; and fent forth, and flew all the Children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the Coafts thereof, from two Years old and under; according to the Time, which he had diligently enquired of the wife Men. T HE piteous Hiftory, contained in these Words, is the Sequel of that, immediately preceding, which informs us, that, on the Birth of our Saviour in Judea, fome Gentiles of Learning and Diftinction came from the Eaft to Jerufalem, by divine Direction, to pay him Homage: on which, Herod the King, understanding that the Meffiah was to be born at Bethlehem, fent them thither to find him; with a Charge to bring him Notice of the Place Place where the Child was, that he also might do him the fame Honour; defigning really to destroy him, instead of paying him Respect : but that, being warned of God, not to return to Herod, they departed into their own Country another Way a The fad Confequences which followed their Departure, are mentioned in the Words of the Text; and present to us a Tranfaction of fo remarkable a Nature as well deferves a particular Examination into it, and an Explanation of the feveral Circumstances attending it. This is what I mean to give you in the following Discourse and if, in doing it, I should be led to spend more Time, in Proportion, than ufual, on Points not immediately belonging to the great Articles of Chriftian Faith or Practice; you will remember, that we ought to understand, not only the Doctrines and Precepts, but the Hiftory of the Gospel: efpecially as in the present unbelieving Age, Objections are too frequently made against the feveral Parts of it, in their Turns; and as a due Confideration of every Part, will not only confirm us in the Truth of it, but furnish abundantly more Matter of pious and moral a Ver. 12. Reflection, Reflection, than at the firft View it may seem to afford. The Text begins with acquainting us, that Herod, when he faw that he was mocked of the wife Men, was exceeding wroth. Not that they had any Defign of provoking him, or expofing him to Contempt. That is not the Behaviour of good Perfons to the very worst. He had commanded them indeed to bring him Word again, where the Child was: but probably had too haughtily prefumed on their Compliance, though not his Subjects, to think of asking a Promise of them. Or, had they made one, as they naturally enough might, with a full Purpose of keeping it; the Warning, received from God, muft entirely have fuperfeded that Obligation of which, other Things alfo might have hindered the Performance. But unreafonable and vehement Spirits hardly ever stay to inquire into fuch Matters: whatever difappoints them, appears to them an Indignity. And accordingly Herod was not only forry, that his Intention was fruftrated, but exceeding wroth: imagined it no Sin at all to contrive the Murder of the harmless Child whofe Birth had been notified to him; but an intolerable Offence, that the wife Men fhould, whatever VOL. V. : H their their Reason was, fail to be made his Inftru ments for accomplishing it. And now, his Wickedness increasing as his Rage boiled within him, rather than miss of committing the one Crime, which alone he defigned at firft, he refolves to commit he knows not how many more of the like Sort, without any other Pretext for them: imagining that the Object of his Apprehenfions continued still in the fame Place. On that Imagination folely, either having first inquired after him in vain, (for he was removed by the Direction of God) or conceiving, that no certain Information would be obtained by a Person so abhorred as he knew himself to be, and that taking Time for a Search was giving Time for an Escape; he forms the fhocking Resolution of killing all the Children of Bethlehem, and its Territory; unmoved by Conscience, or Compaffion, or Fear of Revenge, or the Deteftation of Mankind, in order to make fure of killing that Child, from which, of all others, he ought to have abftained, the long-expected Hope of Ifrael, the great promised Bleffing to that Religion, which he himself professed. This direful Purpose he orders to be b Acts xxviii. 20. put in im mediate |