works which he was now performing only completed the wonders which had attended him in the beginning. It was true, that his birth was obscure and his relations humble. But so the prophecy had foretold; He shall "grow up as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground:" he shall have "no form nor comeliness," no "beauty that he should be desired." 5 The wisdom which they heard, and the mighty works which they saw, were to direct them to the prophecy, and in the prophecy they would find his history. Therefore they were without excuse, when they were offended in him: when they indulged their prejudices, and yielded to that jealousy which is blind against evidence and deaf to reason.

58. And he did not many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.

Thus he acted upon the principle which he had before laid down; " To him that hath, shall be given.' 6 The people of Nazareth had shown none of that humility, that teachableness which it behoves men to show in things pertaining to God. Therefore they were treated according to their spirit. He did not many mighty works there, because of their unbelief. As he had before said to the Pharisees, " An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign."7 But they have already closed their eyes against signs by which the ignorant heathen would have been convinced and no farther sign shall be granted them. So here, to his own country, he denied the benefits and refused the deeds of mercy which he

5 Isa. liii. 2.

6

7 See ch. xii. 38.

See ch. xiii. 12.

had bestowed elsewhere. His own country withheld honour from the prophet: and the prophet would withhold blessings from his own country.

8

What is here related of the neighbourhood of Nazareth, is equally true of the whole Jewish nation. Christ received little honour in his own country. In the transactions of the apostles, that constantly took place, which took place at Nazareth. In obedience to the Lord's command, the word of God was first spoken to his own peculiar people, the nation which he had "formed for himself, that they might show forth his praise." " But the apostles were not without honour, save from their own countrymen. These were offended in them. At Antioch "the Gentiles besought that the word might be preached to them; and almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy; and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming." So at Corinth, Paul reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ. And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles."

Unhappily we often find, that the nearness of the means of grace is not always a reason of their being most valued. Strangers seek and find the bread, which the children cast away. But the Lord's pathetic lamentation shows how grievous a thing it Ib. xviii. 4-6.

8 Isa. xliii. 21.

9

Acts xiii. 42-45.

9

will be found hereafter to have neglected" the time of visitation.” "When he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong to thy peace! But now they are hid from thine eyes!" How heavily will it add to the condemnation of the "children of disobedience," that the kingdom of God had come nigh them! And how dreadful at last will be the recollection: The kingdom of God had come nigh us, but we would not enter in!

LECTURE LXVI.

HEROD'S CONSENT TO THE DEATH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST.

MATT. xiv. 1—13.

1. At that time Herod1 the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus,

2. And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.

3. For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife.

Luke xix. 41, 42.

'This Herod was surnamed Antipas; and was son of him who had been king when Jesus was born. His dominions were divided among his four sons: and Judea was allotted to this Herod, who is therefore called the tetrarch, or ruler of the fourth share.

4. For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.

5. And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.

If the motives of men's actions were always seen as plainly by us, as they are by Him who knows the heart, how little would there often be to praise in those which are much commended! Perhaps Herod's clemency had been admired, because, though John told him an unwelcome truth, he spared his life. But he was considering himself, not duty. He feared the multitude, and would not risk his popularity.

6. But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.

7. Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.

8. And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger.

9. 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.

10. And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.

11. And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother.

12. And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.

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

In this history of John Baptist's death, we find Herod, a man in supreme power and subject to no outward control, consenting to a deed which his conscience opposed, from which his reason revolted, and

his inclination dissuaded him. The king was sorry. St. Mark says, "exceeding sorry:" and adds the reason; that "Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and a holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly." Indeed, it is certain that his consent must have cost him much. For such was the impression which John's holiness had left upon his mind, that as soon as he heard of the miracles of Jesus, he expected that it had been the same John raised up again, who was performing these mighty works. 66 King Herod heard of him; for his name was spread abroad; and he said, It is John, whom I beheaded; he is risen from the dead." There must, therefore, have been strong motives which induced him to act in this manner against his conscience and his reason.

We are told the motives. For his oath's sake, and them that sat with him at meat, he sent and beheaded John in prison.

Had the oath been lawful, undoubtedly he would have been bound by it, and could not observe it too sacredly. David praises the man who "sweareth to his neighbour, and disappointeth him not, though it be to his own hindrance." But if one has been led by his own rashness, or by another's deceit, to make an unlawful oath, the evil is in keeping it, not in breaking it. He was bound by a previous obligation to God, not to transgress his commands.

But the true cause remains behind. For his oath's sake, and them which sat with him at meat.

2 Mark vi. 16.