Babylon, that I have built for the houfe of the kingdom, by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majefty?" there fell a voice from heaven, faying, "The kingdom is departed from thee*." Belfhazzar, alfo, in the very act of "lifting up himfelf against the Lord of heaven," was confounded by the handwriting, which declared, that, being weighed in the balances and found wanting, he fhould foon be deprived of his dominion +.

The particular nature of Herod's punishment feems defigned to fhew the odioufhefs of his fin. He was prefumptuously elated, and therefore God determined to reduce him to the lowelt ftate of abalement. As he received with complacency the impious adulations of the people, and probably began to conceit himself advanced above humanity, he became a weak and defenceless prey to the meaneft vermin. "He was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost." Thofe offenfive animals fuddenly fprang up within him, feized upon his vitals, and rendered him an object of mifery and abhorrence. Who could then envy or admire his fplendour and greatnefs? Who could any longer bow the knee to worship him? He cried out in the angui'h of his heart; his pampered body was foon turned into corruption; and all his pomp and dignity were laid in the dust.

"Lord, what is man!" "Verily, at his best eftate, he is altogether vanity t." His mental faculties, glorious and excellent as they are, afford no ground for boafting, fince they may be fuddenly impaired or deranged. His outward form may be comely, but it is a fhort-lived flower, and may be inftantly blafted in the height of its gaiety. When thou, Lord, with rebukes doft correct man for iniquity, thou makeft his beauty to confume away like a moth: furely every man is vanity ." Let thofe, who pride

Dan. iv. 30, 31. † v. 22-28. Pfal. xxxix. 5. xxxix. II.

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themselves in a vigorous conftitution, a graceful perfon, or an eloquent addrefs, contemplate the cafe of Herod, and be afhamed of their foolish oftentation. Can you bear to be told, that not only fhall worms devour your fleth in the grave, but poffibly those loathfome creatures may receive a commiffion against you, and render you, in your moft profperous ftate upon earth, a terror to yourselves and others? O feek for fomething better, than any of those decorations or accomplishments, of which you may be fo foon deprived! The grace of Jefus is a fure and never-failing treasure to the fincere believer. O labour to obtain that "one thing needful!" It is "the good part, which shall not be taken away *.”

This hiftory will teach us to be thankful for the outward peace and fecurity, which the Church of Chrift, established among us, now enjoys. The religious privileges, afforded us in this country, are fingularly great. Let us praife God, that we are the fubjects, not of a furious and perfecuting tyrant, but of "a nurfing-father" to our Zion. Let us give diligence to improve our ineftimable advantages to good purpose, and be afraid left our negligence or difcontent fhould provoke God to withdraw them.

Yet thofe, who "fuffer for righteoufnefs' fake," have no real cause to dread their most violent and powerful oppofers. The ftrength of your enemies, when exerted against the cause of God, is feeble and contemptible, While we refer you to Herod, we ask, "Who art thou, that thou fhouldft be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the fon of man, which fhall be made as grafs?-and haft feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppreffor, as if he were ready to deftroy? And where is the fury of the oppreffort?" The Lord will furely maintain his own truth; and perhaps the perfecution, which appears moft formi

Luke x. 42.

† Ifa. li. 12, 13.

dable,

dable, may eventually promote its advancement. Herod, who "ftretched forth his hands to vex certain of the Church," was cut down; but the word of God grew and multiplied." O learn to trust your concerns with your faithful and Almighty Protector! 66 Cry out and fhout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Ifrael in the midst of thee *." "No weapon that is formed against thee fhall profper; and every tongue, that iball rife against thee in judgment, thou fhalt condemn t."

""

From the character and tremendous punishment of Herod, a fuitable occafion is given, to warn others of his fpirit and conduct. Many in private life are difpofed to deride and opprefs thofe, who appear zealous for the faith and practice of the Gospel. We would argue with them concerning the unreasonablenefs and danger of their oppofition, and ask therefore, Who are you, that you should wish to direct another man's confcience? Whatever influence or authority you poffefs, prefume not to fet yourselves up in the place of the fupreme Judge, or to ufurp dominion God's heritage.' over Your perfecution is as foolish, as it is bafe. It may, probably, deter hypocrites, but will render fincere believers more firm and courageous in their profeffion. They, who truly understand the worth of Chrift and his falvation, will not defert his fervice on account of the difficulties, which you may throw in their way. Yet, while you are endeavouring to keep men in ignorance and fin, the tendency of your conduct is to deceive and ruin their immortal fouls: and in this view you must be ranked amongst robbers and aflaffins of the most heinous kind. If we confider, likewife, that your oppofition is in fact levelled against God himself, your guilt will appear peculiarly enormous. You exert your influence to prevent a due fubjection to his

authority, and therefore you are promoting rebellion in his government. And do you not tremble for the confequence? He will afluredly reckon with you for your profane derifion of his word, and injurious treatment of his people. Perhaps, you may be made, like Herod, a monument of his vengeance: for we have heard of many fimilar cafes. At leaft, the time is coming, when, if you repent not, Jehovah "will fpeak unto you in his wrath, and vex you in his fore difpleafure *"

We caution our readers, alfo, to beware of that haughtiness of spirit, which the king of Judea betrayed. "God refifteth the proud," and determines that "they fhall be abafed." Yet are we not all, in one refpect or another, chargeable with this fin? Has it not been our aim and ftudy to difplay ourselves, our abilities, poffeffions, or performances, in an oftentatious manner? Have we not claimed the credit, and refufed to "give God the glory?" There is no fuperiority, mental or corporeal, which we can enjoy, but pride will find in it occafion of boafting and triumph. We are therefore continually in danger of exalting the creature to the neglect of the Creator. O let us look with a holy jealousy on our most admired advantages; for, whatever they may be, if God be not acknowledged and ferved in them, they. will prove the means of aggravated guilt and everlafting deftruction!

How many are cut down, like Herod, in the midft of their vanity and profaneness! Do not the frequent inftances of the fudden deaths of profligate offenders excite an alarm amongst us? We entreat the attention of the careless and impenitent to this tremendous fubject. Any other fin, as well as those which appeared in the character before us, will, if perfifted in, expofe you to the fierce anger of

*Pfal. ii. 5.

Almighty

Almighty God. His hand is lifted up; and, perhaps, he may fhortly strike the fatal blow. What, then, is your hope, when God taketh away your foul* ?” Ah!" where fhall the ungodly and the finner appear?" The acute difeafe, by which Herod perifhed, was only an omen and warning of that infinitely more terrible mifery, which awaited him. "He was eaten of worms :" but there is a worm, "which dieth not," and which will be for ever gnawing the confciences of them "that obey not the Gofpel of God." Is not this more than you can bear to think of? Yet remember, it is decreed, that "though hand join in hand, the wicked fhall not be unpunithed +." And, perhaps, the irrevocable fentence may inftantly go forth, "This night thy foul fhall be required of thee ." O feek forgiveness by the blood of the crois ! O feek the renovation of your hearts in righteoufnefs, by the grace of the Spirit! "To day, if ye will hear the voice of God, harden not your hearts §." Submit to him without referve, and you fhall know, that He, who is terrible in his anger," delighteth in mercy. He will fubdue your iniquities, and cast all your fins into the depths of the fea +."

*Job xxvii. 8.

Pet. iv. 18. Prov. xi. 21. Luke xii. 20. § Heb. iv. 7. ↑ Mic. vii. 18, 19.

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