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every man to repentance, was upright and refolute in the discharge of his duty; and would 'not suffer even his king to commit fo flagrant a fin without rebuking him to his face. John could not but foreknow the dangers, to which he expofed himself by his plain-dealing. But he difregarded them. He was folicitous to be faithful to God: and feeling that folicitude, he felt no other. The event was fuch as he had reafon to expect. Herodias fet her heart upon vengeance. She perfuaded Herod immediately to throw John into prifon and exerted all her influence to procure an order for his death. For fome time her machinations were fruitless. The king would not comply. He feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man: and even yet would liften gladly to his preaching, and would do many things which he defired. But he ftill detained the ran of God in prifon. The artifices of that abandoned woman at length prevailed. She found a convenient time. Her daughter pleafed Herod by dancing before him on his birth-day: and the king having inadvertently promifed with an oath that he would bestow on the young woman whatever recompence she should afk, fhe defired, in confequence of having been prompted by

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her mother, that the head of John the Bap tift might be delivered to her in a charger, The king, though fhocked at the iniquity and. fcandalouscruelty of the requeft, was afhamed, after his public declarations, to refuse it. He iffued orders to the executioner. The righteous man was put to death. And the daughter of Herodias carried his head, bleeding as it was, to her mother.

Such is the fummary of this tranfaction, I proceed to comment with due particularity on its prominent features: and purpose afterwards to lay before you fome observations, which may affist you in applying the history to your own improvement.

I. Contemplate in the conduct of Herod and of his queen the natural progress of depravity. Look primarily to Herodias. She in the first place married the brother of her former husband, and while that husband was alive. Of fo flagrant a nature was this crime, that if we had heard nothing farther, even charity itself, which hopeth all things, could not have perfuaded itself that fhe had finned through ignorance. And the remainder of her hiftory precludes all palliation of her guilt. She is informed that a great prophet, John the Baptist, has prefented

fented himself before Herod; and has charged him, as he values the mercy of God, to put - her away. What effect has this intelligence?

Does the humble herself before her Maker? Does the bewail her fin in bitterness of foul? Does the instantly separate herself from Herod? From that moment fhe is determined on the deftruction of the prophet; and continues with Herod as before.

What in the mean time is the conduct of Herod? He defpifes the warning of John, and refuses to diffolve his unhallowed marriage. He yields to the malignant importunities of Herodias, feizes the holy man, who has reproved him, and shuts him up in prifon. Yet hardened as he is, he has not arrived at that point in the scale of depravity to which his guilty partner has attained. She hesitates at no crime; fhe is loft to all feeling, past all compunction. Her heart is feared, as St. Paul expreffes himself, with a red-hot iron. But Herod has ftill fome mifgivings of conscience left. There are yet fome crimes on which he is afraid to venture. Though he has imprisoned John, and well knows that he has imprisoned the prophet for speaking the truth and adhering to the path of duty; he fhrinks from the idea of killing him. One of the reasons which deters him from con

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fenting to the murder is his fear left the people of the land, who all believe John to be a prophet, fhould rife in arms to avenge his death (b). But it is evident that Herod has alfo fcruples of confcience which contribute to his reluctance. For he has long been thoroughly acquainted with the manner of life and the conduct of John. He has been accustomed to frequent attendance on his inftructions. He ftill liftens to them at times with gladnefs; and in many respects regulates his own proceedings in conformity to the exhortations of the prophet. Sunk in fin, he trembles in the prefence of holiness. Enslaved to Satan, he reverences the fervant of God. "Let thy imprisonment," he whifpers to himself, "let thy unjust imprisonment fatisfy the queen. Thy blood shall not be upon my head."

The malice of Herodias is unabated. The king, it is true, has not yet confented to her purpose: but she does not despair. She has already proved herfelf able to perfuade him to detain John in prifon; and the hopes by feizing fome favourable opportunity, to obtain a mandate for his execution. A favourable opportunity arrives; and fhe does not let it flip. In a moment of riotous fefti

(b) Matt. xiv. 5.

vity Herod promifes to grant her daughter's request even though it fhould amount, according to his own figurative expreffion, to the half of his kingdom. The young woman retires to confult her mother. In her absence behold Herod amusing himself with conjectures concerning the nature of the recompence which he will prefer. " Will "the demand a jewelled robe? A fumptuous "palace? The revenues of a city? The go

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vernment of a province?" He knows not what is paffing in the mind of Herodias. He knows not that vanity and pride and avarice and ambition have retired, and have relinquished the whole heart to revenge. His fpeculations are interrupted by the entrance of her daughter. Mirth and curiofity fparkle in his eyes. She advances. Straightway with hafte. All is filent. She requires the head of John the Baptift! She requires that it be produced without delay. She requires that it be delivered to her in a charger, that her mother may glut herself with the fpectacle. How does Herod receive the demand? Does he aver that no promife, no oath, can bind him to do that which he has no right to do, that which God has forbidden, to commit murder? Does he reject the claim with abhorrence? Does he punish

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