fieth ;" and yet, though I have said so much his greatness, which is your salvation. If of him, and so many go to hear him, "no you would honor me, and at the same time man receiveth his testimony," as he ought to serve your own eternal interest, receive in do. Think not this a slight matter, for no few words, the sum and substance of this my one can disbelieve him, without giving God last testimony-"He that believeth on the the lie;" he that hath received his testimony, Son, hath everlasting life: and he that behath set to his seal that God is true," by al- lieveth not the Son, shall not see life; but lowing the credentials of his Son, and ac- the wrath of God abideth on him." knowledging in him the accomplishment of By this part of St. John's character and what was foretold by the law, by the pro- conduct, in how pleasing a manner are the phets, and by myself. "For he," the Mes- ministers of Christ instructed, that they are siah, "whom God hath sent, speaketh the to bear testimony to HIM, not to themselves; words of God," and that in a different sense to seek HIS glory, not their own; that they from all others, who, from time to time, have should take pleasure in the success of their been endued with such a portion of the divine brethren's labors, by which the cause of influence as was meet for them; but "God their common Master is promoted; that the giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him," rising lights of the church should do honor having decreed, that in him should all fulness dwell. "For the Father loveth the Son," not as he loveth any of his faithful servants, but so as that "he hath put all things into his hand," dispensing glory, honor, and immortality to mankind, through him alone. Be no longer envious and jealous, then, of

to those who have gone before them, and the setting ones rejoice to be outshone by those who are coming after them; that envy and jealousy, in short, ought to have no place among the disciples of the Lamb of God, on whom descended and abode the celestial Dove.

SECTION VI1.

Considerations on the imprisonment of St. John, the message sent hy him to Christ, and the answer returned to it.

with the wind."* No; a column firm and immoveable, against which winds might blow, and waves beat, in vain: one who had fixed his principles, and considered well, before he entered upon action; one who began not to build, till he had first counted the costs; but who, when once he did begin, would be sure to finish.

ADMIRABLE is the advice of the son of Sirach to every one who is about to stand forth in the cause of true religion." "My son, if thou come to serve the Lord, prepare thy soul for temptation. Set thy heart aright, and constantly endure, and make not haste in time of trouble. Whatsoever is brought upon thee take cheerfully, and be patient when thou art changed to a low estate. For A person unacquainted with the world, gold is tried in the fire, and acceptable men and the tempers of its children, might, perin the furnace of adversity."* The reformer will proceed but a little way in his work, whose zeal is not backed with fortitude. The apprehension of danger, or even the frown of power, will alter his sentiments; he will see things in a different point of view, and turn with every blast of fashion or interest, till he himself believes every thing, and his hearers, offended and confounded, believe nothing.

Not so the Baptist. "What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken

* Ecclus. ii; 1.

haps, be surprised upon hearing, that a prophet, like St. John, who spent his time in calling his fellow-creatures to happiness and salvation, and who coveted no man's gold, or silver, or apparel, was cast into prison. But, as the wise man observeth," The thing which hath been is that which shall be, and there is nothing new under the sun."+ Ahab, at the instigation of Jezebel, again thirsts after the blood of Elijah.

Herod, the tetrarch of Galilee, had put away his own wife, the daughter of Aretas, † Eccles. i. 9.

* Matt. xi. 7.

more fully instructed, as to his person and mission.

and had married Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, whom, contrary to the laws of hospitality as well as religion, he had se- For that this must have been St. John's duced, while a guest in her husband's house.* intention in sending them, is plain from the The sanctity and integrity of the Baptist had question which they were enjoined to ask; begotten, even in Herod, a great veneration" Art thou he that should come, or do we and reverence for his character. "Herod look for another?" The Baptist could not feared John, knowing that he was a just man, propose this question for his own informaand a holy, and observed him; and when he tion, but evidently for that of his disciples, heard him, he did many things, and heard whose prejudices in favor of himself, their him gladly." But the matter of Herodias first master, he found it so difficult to conwas a tender point, on which the tetrarch quer. What he had hitherto said having was not disposed to hear the law, because he proved insufficient for that purpose, he was not disposed to do it. He was determined now, in compassion to their infirmity, conto persevere in what was wrong, and his descendeth to have their scruples propoundmonitor to persist in telling him of it, with- ed in his own name; affording us thereby a out reserve. "John saith unto him, It is not very useful hint, that in order to instruct lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife." others, we should abase ourselves, and John, who had overcome the world, could know how to become weak with those that not, either by promises or threatenings be in- are so. For it often happens, that men duced to recede from his duty, through hope need information upon some important of temporal good, or fear of temporal evil. point, who either through pride or bashfulHe was therefore soon convinced, by being ness will not ask it, or through passion and carried to prison, that Herod had no farther prejudice will not receive it at our hands. occasion for his service. And who doth not In this case, the good, which we cannot do rather wish to have been imprisoned with directly, we must contrive, if we can, to him, than to have glittered in all the glories do indirectly, by proposing those questions of the throne of Herod? Happy John, se- ourselves, which we know that others in questered once more from a troublesome company want to hear answered, but canworld, to converse with God, and to meditate not bring themselves to ask. This method on that blessed place, and that blessed com- of edifying the weak, without exposing their pany, to which he was now hastening! infirmities, will produce in them that love and confidence towards us, which, for their own sakes, we wish them to have. Whereas a contrary conduct, by provoking and alienating their affections from us, may put it out of our power ever to be of service to them again.

In this situation we find the thoughts of the Baptist employed not upon his own sufferings, but upon the interests of his great Master, the fame of whose miracles had reached the prison, and sounded in his ears. - "When John had heard in prison the works of Jesus, he sent two of his disciples-" Thus the afflictions and tribulations which a Christian must endure for a little season, in the world, should serve only to quicken his desires after his Redeemer, of whose works, wrought in mercy for the children of men, he will often hear; and the contemplation of them should afford him continual delight in the time of his captivity, until the day of his enlargement shall come. With Paul and Silas let him declare the glad tidings of salvation, and sing the praises of God in the prison-house. Let him inquire diligently, and take every opportunity of hearing more particulars concerning his Saviour, as also of placing others in the way of information. So will

he

copy the example of him, who, "when he heard in prison the works of Jesus, sent two of his disciples," that they might be

The same charitable plan is carried on by our Lord, who, in his answer, instructs the disciples by seeming to instruct their master; "Go," saith he, "and tell John what ye have seen and heard." And this may suggest a reason, why Christians in general should converse more upon religious subjects than they are wont to do, both asking questions, like St. John, and returning answers, like Christ, for the benefit and improvement of the by-standers, who may need information, though the person to whom one immediately addresseth oneself, should not. And many a man hath been the better, all his life after, for a seasonable word spoken in common conversation, which is oftend more regarded and attended to, than a formal discourse from the pulpit.

The best proofs of a divine mission, which man is capable of receiving, are miracles, evidently and incontestably such;" miracles, of the reality of which the out

ward senses, the eyes and the ears, are com-
petent judges; miracles wrought publicly
in the face of the world, in the presence of
enemies as well as friends; and that, not
once or twice, but repeatedly; and these
miracles expressly predicted, hundreds of
years beforehand.
Such were the proofs
offered by Christ to the disciples of John.
For "in that same hour," while they were
present and before their eyes, "he cured
many of their infirmities and plagues, and
of evil spirits, and unto many that were
blind he gave sight. Then said he unto
them, Go your way, and tell John what
things ye have seen and heard; how that
the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are
cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised,
to the poor the Gospel is preached. And
blessed is he whosoever shall not be offend-
ed in me." As if he had said; I bear not
witness of myself; my miracles bear wit-
ness of me. Only tell John what you have
heard and seen, and he will teach you how
to draw the proper inference. Isaiah, as he
well knoweth, did foretell, that when Mes-
siah came, he would perform such and
such mighty works. You yourselves are
eye and ear witnesses of the works done
by me. Lay the premises fairly together,
and you cannot be troubled to seek for the
conclusion.

were subject, vanished at his presence, and confessed the almighty deliverer of his people. This, therefore, is "He that should come," nor let us think of "looking for another," to open the eyes of the understanding, and let in the light of heavenly knowledge upon ignorant and benighted minds; to remove all obstructions, formed by interest, prejudice, or passion, and give us the hearing ear; to restore and invigorate the will and affections, that we may make large advances in the course of duty, and run with delight the way of God's commandments; to loose the tongues which guilt had tied, and tune them to hymns of praise and thanksgiving; to cleanse us, by his blood, from all sin, that leprosy which excludeth from the congregation of Israel, the camp of the saints, and the beloved city; to raise our souls from death to life, and our bodies from dust to glory. "We have found him of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets did write-Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Israel !"*

There is one particular in this answer of Christ, which remaineth yet unnoticed; "The poor have the Gospel preached unto them." Our Lord here referreth to the celebrated passage in Isaiah, which, in the synagogue of Nazareth, he had expounded, and declared to be fulfilled in himself. "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach

meek," or poor; "he hath sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives-to comfort all that mourn, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning," &c. The meaning of all the figurative expressions here used by the prophet, is thisthat Messiah should, at his appearance, confer upon such as were disposed to receive them, the two great evangelical bless

John had engaged his reputation as a prophet, that Jesus of Nazareth, whom he baptized in Jordan, would answer the character of Messiah, and do the works pre-good tidings," or the Gospel, "to the dicted of him; as appears from John, x. 39, where we read, that Jesus, having escaped from the Jews, "went again beyond Jordan, unto the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode. And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle but all things that John spake of this man were true. And many believed on him there." Malice itself cannot find reason to suspect a collusion, when pro-ings, namely, remission of sins, and a parphecies and miracles thus unite their testimony, and proclaim Jesus to be the Messiah.

At his word," the eyes of the blind were opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped, the lame man leaped as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb did sing ;"* the leprosy, that foul, contagious, and obstinate disease, for which so many ceremonies of purification were appointed by the law, was healed at once; and the dead in their graves, hearing the voice of the Son of man, came forth. Every malady and infirmity, to which the children of Adam

* Isa. xxxv. 5, 6.

ticipation of the Spirit of joy and gladness,
with which God had "anointed him above
his fellows." The inauguration of Jesus
to all the offices of the Messiah, by this di-
vine unction, John had beheld, when, after
his baptism, he saw the Holy Ghost de-
scending upon him, and thereby knew him
to be that "Rod," or "Branch of Jesse."
on whom Isaiah had elsewhere foretold,
that "the Spirit of the Lord should rest."
Nothing therefore could be more apposite,
than this part of Christ's answer,
poor have the Gospel preached unto them;"
the full import of which, considered as re-

"The

John, i. 45, 49. † Isa. lxi. 1. Isa. xi. 1, 2.

and disease had rendered those who came to be healed by Christ; such as the consideration of our sins and infirmities should render us all. To such is the Gospel of the kingdom preached, and they with joy receive it. "Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are the meek; for the shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted."

ferring to the sixty-first chapter of Isaiah, | repentance, should, in the days of the Mesand addressed to St. John, is as followeth siah, become a fruitful nursery of a new -Go show John again, that the Spirit of kind of plants, prepared for the celestial the Lord, the Spirit of wisdom and under-paradise. These were men of humble, standing, the Spirit of might and counsel, peaceable, contrite hearts; such as poverty which Isaiah foretold should rest upon the Rod and Branch of Jesse, and which John saw descending and abiding upon me, in the likeness of a dove, at my baptism, is not departed from me. The unction of the Spirit was not given me for mine own use; nor is it spent, or consumed, although it hath powerfully diffused itself to all about me. By it the poor are made rich, being instated in the kingdom of grace and of the Gospel, and anointed heirs unto the kingdom of glory. By it every contrite heart is healed; such as were shut up are set at liberty; such as were bound are loosed; and by it the yoke of the oppressor is broken.*

To these beatitudes let us add one more, with which our Lordconcludeth his answer to the question asked by John's disciples. "Blessed is he whosoever is not offended in me." In other words-And now, blessed, thrice blessed are all they, who shall so We must not omit to mention the end consider the wonderful works done by me, for which, according to the prophet, all as not to be offended at my poor and lowly these changes were wrought in the converts appearance, during the time of my humiliato the Gospel; "That they may be called tion and suffering here on earth; or at the Trees of Righteousness, the planting of the seeming harshness of my salutary doctrines Lord, that he might be glorified." The to flesh and blood. For I well know, that "Rod," the "Branch of Jesse," the "right- many, though they have beheld me giving eous Branch of David," were the known sight to the blind, and vigor to the impotitles of the Messiah, or Son of David; and tent, cleansing lepers, making the deaf to it was his glory, while he lived upon earth, hear, and raising the dead to life again; to make others, like himself, "Trees," or yet, because the truths, which I deliver, are "Plants of Righteousness." This expres- contrary to their interests, their pleasures, sion, as it standeth here joined with others their pride, their prejudices, which they plainly descriptive of evangelical benefits are determined not to quit, even for the and comforts, unfoldeth to us the true na- kingdom of heaven; many, I say, will reture of those wonders which Isaiah fore-ject what they cannot but acknowledge to told should be wrought in the wilder- be the counsel of God, and put away the ness, and which he hath represented under word of salvation from them. Let a man so rich a variety of poetical imagery; such only suppress his inordinate desires of as streams of water breaking forth in the deserts, causing them to blossom as the rose; myrtles coming up, instead of briars; cedars, firs, and olive trees, instead of thorns,

The purport of these figurative predictions appears, by the passage before us, to be this; that the dry and barren places of Judea, where John baptized, and preached

See the Works of Dr. Jackson, vol. ii. p. 542.

things temporal, and he will be disposed to hear what I shall tell him of things eternal. Let him cease to love the world, and he will cease to have any objection to the Gospel. Let but his heart be open to conviction, and when the evidence hath been once fairly laid before him, he will never again ask the question, "Art thou he that should coine, or do we look for another?"

SECTION VIII.

Considerations on the Circumstances of St. John's Death.

determined to effect her purpose by procuring, sooner or later, the execution of him whom she falsely deemed her enemy. As if sin could not be committed with impunity, while John was living to hear of it; as if his blood would not cry louder than his voice had done; or the head of the prophet could enter the palace, without reproving the adultery of the tetrarch. But an imperious lust, in the height of its career, can brook no obstruction; and were it possible, as well as necessary, the world itself would be blown up to make way for it.

We have now accompanied St. John | upon the old text, and reproaching her with through the several stages of his life. We her crimes. "She had a quarrel against have rejoiced with his parents and kinsfolk him; evεIXɛy aurw, she fastened upon him, and at his birth, and spent some time in con- would have killed him, but," for some time, templation with him in the deserts; we she "could not."* For though Herod had have stood by him, as a preacher and a Bap- not religion enough to produce in him the tist, at the river Jordan, and have been fear of God, he had policy enough to promade acquainted with the repeated testi-duce the fear of the Jews, among whom monies borne by him, at different times, to John's reputation, as a prophet, ran very the Messiahship of Jesus; we have heard high. Herodias however, in her heart, had him, like another Elijah, reproving another Ahab, and have visited him in prison, where the glory of his great Master, and the salvation of those committed to his care, still continued to be the objects of his attention. It remains only, that we behold him paying that debt to nature, from which the greatest of them that are born of women are not exempted. And here our acquaintance with him must end, till we meet him in the kingdom of God. Thus do scenes of real life pass swiftly away, and, when looked back upon, appear like those which are described within the compass of a small volume like this. In the course of a few years, the child, at whose birth we made merry, is become a man, he sickens, and dies, and we mourn at his funeral. Some gleams of success and prosperity, perhaps, brighten and adorn certain parts of his life, as the sun gilds the edges of a dark cloud, or imprints upon it the still more beautiful colors of the rainbow. But while we gaze, the sun sets, the colors fade, the bow vanishes, and "the place thereof knoweth it no more."

Of prophets, as well as of kings, it may be observed, that there is generally but a short interval between their imprisonment and their death; the enmity which occasioned one, seldom leaving them till it have accomplished the other. And "more bitter even than death itself is the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands bands."* Herod had thrown John into prison; but this would not satisfy Herodias. Even there she heard him still preaching

Eccles. vii. 26.

Sin being once resolved on in the heart, an opportunity of committing it is seldom long wanting; and the mind is upon the watch, to embrace the very first that offers. "When a convenient day was come, that Herod's birth-day should be kept, he made a great supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee." It is certainly no sin in a prince to keep his birthday, or to make a great supper upon it. But how much it behoveth a man, at such times of rejoicing, to be upon his guard, lest unawares he be induced to sacrifice truth and conscience to mirth and gaiety, the melancholy catastrophe of this banquet may serve to show us; since neither Herod, nor any of his guests imagined, when they sat down to table on that fatal evening, how horribly their great supper would conclude. But so it happened, that, before the night was out, a deed was done, which displayed to all succeeding generations the malice and cruelty of Herodias,

Mark, vi. 19, &c.