of the unseen Worlda, should have been suddenly betrayed into the opinion here recorded, will be felt to be a most remarkable and instructive circumstance. Herod confesses even that the body which is "sown in weakness" is to be "raised in power;" for John Baptist, who in his life-time did no miracles, is yet supposed by him to be the author of all "the mighty works" which CHRIST Himself performed.

3 For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Hero4 dias' sake, his brother Philip's wife. For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.

Elias rebukes Herod and Herodias with the same authority, which he had formerly exerted over Ahab and Jezebeld. St. Mark relates that Herodias "had a quarrel" against John Baptist in consequence, and would have slain him; but that her paramour protected the stern preacher, and preserved his lifee. It would seem from what follows that there came a day when he would have complied with her wishes had he dared; but was deterred from doing so by prudential considerations.

5 And when he would have put him to

a Herod was a Sadducee. Compare St. Matth. xvi. 6 with St. Mark viii. 15.

b 1 Cor. xv. 43.

c St. John x. 41.

d 1 Kings xxi.

e St. Mark vi. 20,-where see the note.

death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet. But when Herod's 6 birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod :

"Before them :”—that is, before Herod's "lords, high Captains, and chief estates of Galilee," to whom the Tetrarch had "made a Supper,"-as St. Mark relates. To dance before such a company was an unmaidenly act; and must have been regarded by all present as immodest,-even as immoral.

A very ancient English Writer, after pointing out that only two such celebrations of a birthday are recorded in Scripture, (that namely, of Pharaoh, and the present instance,) and further, that either was made an occasion of bloodshed,—suggests that men ought rather to observe the day of their Birth with chaste and sober joy, than with feasting and luxury.

whereupon he promised with an oath to 7 give her whatsoever she would ask. And 8 she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger.

This does not mean that Salome, (the daughter,) had been instructed beforehand by Herodias; for that wicked woman cannot have foreseen the inf St. Mark vi. 21. g Genesis xl. 20 to 22.

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fatuation of her paramour. The Evangelist does but intend to say that before the maiden exacted of the King the fulfilment of his promise, "she went forth, and said unto her Mother, What shall I ask?"-as St. Mark", writing afterwards, will be found in this place to explain. The Reader is requested to refer to the note on the passage of St. Mark last cited, where some remarks are offered on the conduct of Herodias, which cannot be here repeated.

And the King was sorry: nevertheless for the oath's sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her.

See the note on St. Mark vi. 26.

And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.

This then was the end of the greatest who had ever been born of woman! Imprisoned at the end of a Ministry of a single year's duration, in order to gratify the malice of a lustful woman: murdered, after two years of confinement, at the bidding of a dancing girl! Such are the instruments by which ALMIGHTY GOD does not disdain to work out the wondrous ends of His Providence! An old writer remarks,-"Let each infer from this what they shall suffer, whom He rejects; if He allows such a fate to befal those whom He loves." h chap. vi. 24.

And his head was brought in a charger, 11 and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother. And His disciples came, 12 and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told JESUS.

They found Him at Capernaum. He had, in fact, now returned from one of His great Ministerial Journeys: His Apostles also, from theirs,— the first which they had taken alone. At Capernaum they all met. It was the Spring of the year, just twelve months before the Crucifixion1.

The Reader is referred to the notes on St. Mark vi. 28, 29, 30, for several additional remarks.

When JESUS heard of it, He departed 13 thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed Him on foot out of the cities.

St. Matthew seems to connect our LORD's crossing the Lake with the dismal tidings brought Him by the Disciples of John. The two later Gospels convey a somewhat different notion of the transaction. See St. Mark vi. 30, 31, 32, and the notes there: also, St. Luke ix. 10. The little vessel had now reached the Western side of the Sea of Galilee :

And JESUS went forth, and saw a great 14

iSee St. John vi. 4, and the note there.

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multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and He healed their sick.

The Reader is again referred to the later Gospel. In the note on St. Mark vi. 34 some remarks will be found on the glorious picture of Ministerial zeal here exhibited.

And when it was evening, His Disciples came to Him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the vil16 lages, and buy themselves victuals. But JESUS said unto them, They need not de17 part; give ye them to eat. And they say unto Him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.

All this will be found exhibited, with many beautiful differences, in St. John's Gospel,-chap. vi. 5 to 9; where the Reader is requested to read the notes . . . . Consider how magnificently many of the events recorded concerning our Blessed SAVIOUR cast their shadows far back into the past! Fifteen hundred years before the present transaction, Moses had said,-"The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and Thou hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month. Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered toge