can it be," thinks he, "but that this revived prophet, who doth these strange things, will be revenged on me for his head? He, that could give himself life, can more easily take mine: how can I escape the hands of a now-immortal and impassible avenger?"

A wicked man needs no other tormentor, especially for the sins of blood, than his own heart. Revel, O Herod, and feast, and frolic; and please thyself with dances, and triumphs, and pastimes: thy sin shall be as some Fury, that shall invisibly follow thee, and Scourge thy guilty heart with secret lashes, and upon all occasions shall begin thy hell within thee. He wanted not other sins, that yet cried, Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God.

What an honour was done to John, in this misprision! While that man lived, the world was apt to think, that John was the Christ; now, that John is dead, Herod thinks Christ to be John. God gives to his poor conscionable servants a kind of reverence and high respect, even from those men, that malign them most; so as they cannot but venerate whom they hate. Contrarily, no wit or power can shield a lewd man from contempt.

John did no miracle in his life; yet now Herod thinks he did miracles in his resurrection; as supposing that a new supernatural life brought with it a supernatural power. Who can but wonder, at the stupid partiality of Herod and these Jews? They can imagine and yield John risen from the dead, that never did miracle, and rose not; whereas Christ, who did infinite miracles, and rose from the dead by his Almighty power, is not yielded by them to have risen. Their over-bountiful misconceit of the servant, is not so injurious, as their niggardly infidelity to the Master. Both of them shall convince and confound them, before the face of God. But, O yet more blockish Herod! Thy conscience affrights thee with John's resurrection, and flies in thy face for the cruel murder of so great a saint; yet, where is thy repentance for so foul a fact? Who would not have expected, that thou shouldest hereupon have humbled thyself for thy sin, and have laboured to make thy peace with God and him? The greater the fame, and power, was of him, whom thou supposedst recovered from thy slaughter, the more should have been thy penitence. Impiety is wont to besot men; and turn them senseless of their own safety and welfare. One would have thought, that our first grandsire Adam, when he found his heart to strike him for his disobedience, should have run to meet God upon his knees, and have sued for pardon of his offence: instead of that, he runs to hide his head among the bushes. The case is still ours: we inherit both his sin and his senselessness. Besides the infinite displeasure of God, wickedness makes the heart incapable of grace, and impregnable of the means of conversion.

Even the very first act of Herod's cruelty was heinous. He was foul enough with other sins; he added this above all, that he shut up John in prison. The violence offered to God's messengers is branded for notorious. The sanctity and austere carriage of the /man won him honour justly from the multitude, and aggravated

the sin; but whatever his person had been, his mission was sacred: he shall send his messenger. The wrong redounds to the God, that sent him. It is the charge of God, Touch not mine anointed, nor do my prophets any harm. The precept is, perhaps, one; for even prophets were anointed; but, at least, next to violation of Majesty, is the wrong to a prophet.

But what! do I not hear the Evangelist say, that Herod heard John gladly? How is it, then? Did John take the ear and heart

of Herod, and doth Herod bind the hands and feet of John? Doth he wilfully imprison whom he gladly heard? How inconstant is a carnal heart to good resolutions! How little trust is to be given to the good motions of unregenerate persons! We have known, when even mad dogs have fawned upon their master; yet he hath been too wise to trust them, but in chains. As a true friend loves always, so a gracious heart always affects good: neither can be altered with change of occurrences. But the carnal man, like a hollow parasite or a fawning spaniel, flatters only for his own turn: if that be once either served or crossed, like a churlish cur, he is ready to snatch us by the fingers. Is there a worldly-minded man, that lives in some known sin, yet makes much of the preacher, frequents the church, talks godly, looks demurely, carries fair? trust him not: he will prove, after his pious fits, like some resty horse, which goes on some paces readily and eagerly, but anon either stands still, or falls to flinging and plunging, and never leaves, till he have cast his rider.

What then might be the cause of John's bonds, and Herod's displeasure? For Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife. That woman was the subject of Herod's lust, and the exciter of his revenge. This light huswife ran away with her husband's brother; and now, doting upon her incestuous lover, and finding John to be a rub in the way of her licentious adultery, is impatient of his liberty, and will not rest till bis restraint. Resolved sinners are mad upon their lewd courses; and run furiously upon their gainsayers. A bear robbed of her whelps is less impetuous. Indeed, those, that have determined to love their sins more than their souls, whom can they care for?

Though Herod was wicked enough, yet had it not been upon Herodias's instigation, he had never imprisoned John. Importunity of lewd solicitors may be of dangerous consequence; and many times draws greatness into those ways, which it either would not have thought of, or abhorred. In the removal of the wicked is the establishment of the throne.

Yet, still is this dame called the wife of Philip. She had utterly left his bed, and was solemnly coupled to Herod; but all the ritual ceremonies of her new nuptials cannot make her other, than Philip's wife. It is a sure rule, "That, which is originally faulty, can never be rectified." The ordination of marriage is, one for one; They twain shall be one flesh. There cannot be two heads to one body, nor two bodies to one head. Herod was her adulterer; he was not her husband: she was Herod's harlot; Philip's wife.

Yet how doth Herod dote on her, that for her sake he loads John with irons!

Whither will not the fury of inordinate lust transport a man? Certainly, John was of late in Herod's favour. That rough-hewn preacher was for a wilderness: not for a court. Herod's invita

tion drew him thither; his reverence and respects encouraged him there now, the love of his lust hath carried him into a hate of God's messenger. That man can have no hold of himself or care of others, who hath given the reins to his unruly concupiscence. He, that hath once fixed his heart upon the face of a harlot, and hath beslaved himself to a bewitching beauty, casts off, at once, all fear of God, respect to laws, shame of the world, regard of his estate, care of wife, children, friends, reputation, patrimony, body, soul: so violent is this beastly passion, where it takes; neither ever leaves, till it have hurried him into the chambers of death.

Herodias herself had first plotted to kill the Baptist; her murderers were suborned, her ambushes laid: the success failed; and now she works with Herod for his durance. O marvellous hand of the Almighty! John was a mean man, for estate; solitary, guardless, unarmed, impotent: Herodias, a queen; so great, that she swayed Herod himself; and not more great than subtle; and not more great or subtle, than malicious; yet Herodias laid to kill John, and could not. What an invisible, and yet sure guard, there is about the poor servants of God, that seem helpless and despicable in themselves! There is over them a hand of Divine protection, which can be no more opposed, than seen. Malice is not so strong in the hand as in the heart. The Devil is stronger, than a world of men; a legion of devils stronger, than fewer spirits; yet a legion of devils cannot hurt one swine without a permission. What can bands of enemies or gates of hell do, against God's secret ones? It is better to trust in the Lord, than to trust in princes.

It is not more clear who was the author, than what was the motive of this imprisonment, the free reproof of Herod's incest; It is not lawful, &c. Both the offenders were nettled with this bold reprehension. Herod knew the reputation that John carried; his conscience could not but suggest the foulness of his own fact; neither could he but see, how odious it would seem to persecute a prophet for so just a reproof: for the colour, therefore, of so tyrannical an act, he brands John with sedition. These presumptuous taxations are a disgrace and disparagement to authority. It is no news with wicked tyrants, to cloak their cruelty with pretences of justice. Never was it other than the lot of God's faithful servants, to be loaded with unjust reproaches, in the conscionable performance of their duties. They should speed too well in the opinion of men, if they might but appear in their true shape.

The fact of Herod was horrible and prodigious; to rob his own brother of the partner of his bed; to tear away part of his flesh, yea his body from his head: so as here was, at once in one act,

adultery, incest, violence :-adultery, that he took another's wife ; incest, that he took his brother's; violence, that he thus took her, in spite of her husband. Justly therefore might John say, It is not lawful for thee. He balked not one of Herod's sins, but reproved him of all the evils that he had done; though more eminently of this, as that which more filled the eye of the world. It was not the crown or awful sceptre of Herod, that could daunt the homely, but faithful messenger of God: as one, that came in the spirit of Elias, he fears no faces, spares no wickedness. There must meet in God's ministers courage and impartiality: impartiality, not to make difference of persons; courage, not to make spare of the sins of the greatest. It is a hard condition, that the necessity of our calling casts upon us, in some cases to run upon the pikes of displeasure. Prophecies were no burdens, if they did not expose us to these dangers. We must connive at no evil: every sin unreproved becomes ours.

Hatred is the daughter of truth. Herod is inwardly vexed, with so preremptory a reprehension: and now he seeks to kill the author.

And why did he not? He feared the people. The time was, when he feared John no less, than now he hates him: he once reverenced him, as a just and holy man, whom now he heartburns as an enemy. Neither was it any counterfeit respect: sure the man was then in earnest. What shall we say then? was it, that his inconstant heart was now fetched off by Herodias, and wrought to a disaffection? or was it with Herod as with Solomon's sluggard, that at once would and would not? His thoughts are distracted, with a mixed voluntary contradiction of purposes: as a holy man and honoured of the people, he would not kill John; he would kill him, as an enemy to his lust. The worst part prevaileth. Appetite oversways reason and conscience; and now, were it not for fear of the people, John should be murdered. What a self-conflicting and prodigious creature is a wicked man left over to his own thoughts; while on the one side he is urged by his conscience, on the other by his lustful desires and by the importunity of Satan! There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked: and, after all his inward broils, he falls upon the worst; so as his yieldance is worse than his fight. When God sees fit, Herod's tyranny shall effect that, which the wise Providence of the Almighty hath decreed for his servant's glory. In the mean while, rubs shall be cast in his way; and this for one, He feared the people.

What an absurd and sottish thing is hypocrisy? Herod fears the people; he fears not God. Tell me then, Herod, what could the people do, at the worst? Perhaps, mutiny against thee; raise arms and tumults; disturb the government; it may be, shake it off. What could God do? Yea, what not? Stir up all his creatures to plague thee; and, when he hath done, tumble thee down to hell, and there torment thee everlastingly. O fond Herod, that fearest where no fear was; and fearest not where there is nothing but terror!

How God fits lewd men with restraints! If they be so godless as to regard his creature above himself, he hath external buggs to affright them withal; if bashful, he hath shame; if covetous, losses; if proud, disgrace: and, by this means, the Most Wise Providence keeps the world in order. We cannot better judge of our hearts, than by what we most fear.

No man is so great, as to be utterly exempted from fear. The Jews feared Herod; Herod feared the Jews: the healthful fear sickness; the free, servitude: the people fear a tyrant's oppression and cruelty; the tyrant fears the people's mutiny and insurrection. If there have been some so great, as to be above the reach of the power and machinations of inferiors; yet never any, that have been free from their fears and suspicions. Happy is he, that fears nothing, but what he should, God.'

Why did Herod fear the people? They held John for a prophet. And this opinion was both common and constant: even the Scribes and Pharisees durst not say, his baptism was from men.

It is the wisdom and goodness of God, ever to give his children favour, somewhere. If Jezebel hate Elias, Ahab shall for the time honour him; and if Herod hate the Baptist and would kill him, yet the people reverence him. Herod's malice would make him away; the people's reputation keeps him alive. As wise princes have been content to maintain a faction in their court or state for their own purposes; so here, did the God of Heaven contrive and order differences of judgment and affection betwixt Herod and his subjects, for his own holy ends. Else certainly, if all wicked men should conspire in evil, there could be no being upon earth; as contrarily, if evil spirits did not accord, hell could not stand.

Oh the unjust and fond partiality of this people! They all generally applaud John for a prophet, yet they receive not his message. Whose prophet was John, but of the Highest? What was his errand, but to be the waymaker unto Christ? What was he, but the Voice of that Eternal Word of his Father? What was the sound of that Voice, but, Behold the Lamb of God; he, that comes after me, is greater than I; whose shoe-latchet I am not worthy to unloose? Yet they honour the servant, and reject the Master; they contemn that Prince, whose embassador they reverence. How could they but argue; "John is a prophet: he speaks from God; his words must be true; he tells us this is the Lamb of God, the Messiah that should come to redeem the world: this must then needs be he; we will look for no other?" Yet this perverse people receives John, and rejects Jesus. There is ever an absurdity in unbelief, while it separates those relations and respects, which can never in nature be disjoined. Thus it readily apprehends God as merciful in pardoning, not as just in punishing; Christ as a Saviour, not as a Judge. Thus we ordinarily, in a contrariety to these Jews, profess to receive the Master, and contemn the servants; while He hath said that will make it good, He, that despiseth you, despiseth me.

That, which Herod in policy durst not, in wine he dares do ;