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to act in direct oppofition to the cleareft commands of God. It was his indifpenfable duty, therefore, to depart from the promise, and repent of the rashness, from which it proceeded. Probably, the pretext was falfe. He perpetrated the crime, not to fatisfy his confcience, but to preferve his credit among the courtiers, to filence the importunate clamours of his queen, and perhaps with a view of procuring ease to himfelf, by removing fo troublefome a reprover.

Here we remark the ruinous tendency and progrefs of fin. The gratification of luft iffued in murder ; and, we fear, it is no uncommon event. When men abandon themselves to the indulgence of their fenfual defires, no bounds will be fufficient to restrain. them. They may be hurried from one base action to another, and determined to perfevere, even while they themselves recoil at every fep they take. Let us beware of yielding to thofe folicitations, which will be encouraged by our compliance to increase their demands upon us, and may produce the moft tremendous confequences. We may be exasperated by the rebukes of a faithful monitor, and induced to adopt fome violent measures against him. But, though we thould fucceed in that point, ftill we may not be able to fin without restraint: we may carry about with us an inward tormentor, and, like Pashur, become "Magor-miffabib," a terror to ourselves *.

Herod was freed from John's reproofs, and perfifted in his iniquity; but he could not forget that innocent blood had been fhed, and under that conviction was rendered miferable. Some time afterward, having heard remarkable accounts of Jefus, he was filled with many perplexing fears, left this fhould be the very perfon whom he had beheaded, now restored to life; as if he expected a retaliation, or fome fevere punishment +. It fhould feem, the

Jer. xx. 3, 4. † Matt. xiv. 1, 2. Mar. vi. 14--16. Lu. ix. 7--9

remembrance

remembrance of the Baptift haunted him as a continual accufer. How powerful is the voice of confcience! Amidst all the pomps of a palace, it will speak, and make the king upon his throne tremble. The mind of Herod could not be quieted by all the blandishments of his amorous queen, nor by his own libertine principles. He is generally supposed to have embraced the Sadducean notion of the foul's mortality, and difbelieved a refurrection. But, in the prefent cafe, he could not act the infidel: recollecting the violence he had committed, he was troubled by the apprehenfion of John's returning to life. Let us learn to reverence that monitor, which we feel within us; for, if we attend not to its dictates in due feafon, it may prove a fevere tormentor.

The uneafinefs of Herod had no good effect. As he afterwards threatened to deftroy Jefus, it is obvious, that he remained an "enemy of all righteoufnefs.' Our Lord defpifed his menaces, and, in reply calling him a Fox, has juftified the conclufion, that the king poffeffed the fubtle and voracious difpofition of that wild and detefted animal *. It was the fame Herod, before whom the Saviour stood arraigned as a criminal, juft before his crucifixion +. He was glad of the opportunity to examine fo remarkable a prifoner; but his motive was no better than a curious defire of feeing fome miracle performed by this worker of wonders. He proposed a variety of queftions, to which Jefus returned no answer. Our Lord well knew his character, what opportunities of information he had neglected, what convictions he had refifted, and therefore refused to afford him any further inftructions. This circumftance conveys a folemn admonition. "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of falvation t." The gracious offers,

Luke xiii. 31, 32. † Luke xxiii. 7.-12. 2 Cor. vi. 2.

which are yet made, if contemptuoufly rejected, may never be repeated.

Unhappy Herod! Had he been properly affected, even then, with a fenfe of his condition; had he poffeffed an honest, humble, teachable difpofition, that interview with the Saviour would have been a bleffing indeed. But, as the cafe ftood, it tended only to aggravate his guilt and condemnation. He treated the Lord Chrift with infolent contempt, as if his pretenfions to royalty were abfurd in the extreme. He "fet him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and fent him again to Pilate." Those two unrighteous governors, who had been at variance, were reconciled on that occafion, and then, probably, joined their counfels together, in oppofition to the Redeemer. It is not uncommon for finners, who are incenfed against each other, to lay afide their private quarrels and party diftinctions, that they may unite with greater force against the Gofpel. O Lord, "Of a truth against thy holy child Jefus, whom thou haft anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Ifrael, were gathered together *."

At laft the judgment of God overtook this proud offender. He fuffered fuch a total defeat in battle from Aretas, king of Arabia, whofe daughter he had married and divorced, that the Jews themfelves confidered it as the effect of divine vengeance upon him, for the murder of John the Baptift +. He was afterwards driven from his high station with difgrace, and both he and his adulterous queen died in exile at Lyons in Gaul.

Such was Herod: but now, turning our attention to ourselves, let us enquire,. What is our own character? Will any perfons undertake to justify the

Acts iv. 27. + Jofephus.

licentious

licentious conduct, which is here exhibited? Sinners, do you not perceive the ruinous tendency of your evil paffions? What fruit have you reaped, or are you likely to receive? Is not the faithfulfervant of Chrift, under all his contempt and perfecution, more truly honourable and happy than the king of Galilee? And if we look beyond the prefent fcene, how tremendous a prospect opens upon all those, "that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jefus Chrift!" O " repent, and turn yourfelves from all your tranfgreffions; fo iniquity fhall not be your ruin † !" "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the fin of the world." "For God fo loved the world, that he gave his onlybegotten Son, that whofoever believeth in him fhould not perish, but have everlasting life §.”

2 Theff. i. 8. † Ezek. xviii. 30. John i. 29. § iii, 16.

SAINT STEPHEN.

CHAP. VIH.

Stephen, chofen a deacon-his faith and zeal confounded certain difputants-arraigned before the Sanhedrim -fhone with a miraculous luftre-entered on his defence-incenfed the council-faw heaven opened→ commended his foul to Jefus-prayed for his murderers-died-buried and lamented.

IN different ages the Church of Chrift has had to ftruggle with extreme violence of oppofition. This has tended to exhibit the enmity of the human heart againft true religion; but it has, also, given occafion to the brighteft difplays of the power, love, and faithfulnefs of God in adminiftering fupport and comfort to his fuffering people. In the mean time, the Gospel has received abundant confirmation, while many have cheerfully endured contempt and tortures, and laid down their lives in its defence. May every reader be encouraged "to follow the Lamb" through fevereft difficulties, and learn from the prefent example to exercise prudence and meekness, as well as zeal and courage, in his fervice!

We are now called to contemplate the character of one, who imbibed much of the Saviour's fpirit, trod in his fteps with fingular firmnefs, and, after eminent usefulness, obtained, before any others in the Chriftian Church, the honourable crown of martyrdom. Amongst that illuftrious company, who have fought and bled in a glorious manner, for the teftimony of Jefus, none fhines with greater fplendour than Saint Stephen. In his dying behaviour, especially,

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