Sivut kuvina
PDF
ePub
[ocr errors]

the festivity by dancing before the company, in a manner which " pleased Herod, and them that sat "with him." A pious prelate of our church, in his contemplations on this occurrence, observes, that dancing, in itself, as it is a set, regular, harmo"nious, graceful motion of the body, cannot be unlawful, any more than walking or running." We may add, that it hath in all ages and nations been one way, and that a natural one, of expressing an uncommon degree of joy and gladness; on which account it was adopted into the number of religious ceremonies formerly enjoined to be observed by the people of God. But for a young lady to appear, as a dancer, before Herod and his "lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee," probably, when they were well warmed with wine, became only the daughter of an Herodias, educated by her own mother.

66

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

Herod, quite overcome and thrown off his guard by Salome's performance, makes her a foolish promise; and, as if that was not enough, confirms it with a rash oath: "Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, to the half of my king"dom." A very handsome recompense, one would think, for a dance! But it will appear presently, that the king had not offered enough. Half his kingdom would not do. Something was required more valuable than the whole of it, had it extended from Judea quite round the globe. Nothing would satisfy, but his honour, his conscience, his soul; the price which sin never fails to ask! The glorious golden opportunity of revenge was not to be lost. Herodias

is consulted by her daughter, and lo, the soft, tender, delicate Salome re-enters, all athirst for blood"Give me in a charger the head of John the Bap"tist;" of a prophet; of a person whom thou knowest to be innocent, holy, upright. Make me this sacrifice, and I am content. With such eagerness and sagacity does "the adultress hunt for the 66 precious life!"

[ocr errors]

Bad as Herod was, the petition of Salome at first shocked him. "The king was sorry." He thought of John's character, the atrociousness of the murder, and the opinion which the world would entertain of the murderer. But the tide which had ebbed soon flowed again, and obliterated, in a moment, what had been written on the sand during its recess. The love of Herodias, the address of Salome, the festivity of the season, and the presence of the "lords and high captains," who had been witnesses of the promise, and might possibly approve the proposal; all these circumstances on the side of the temptation prevailed. And perhaps Herod, upon recollection, might think that the supposed obligation of his oath would afford him a better excuse than he should ever be master of again, for complying with the importunity of Herodias, and taking off a monitor troublesome to them both. "For his oath's sake, and for their "sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her." Thus, if any extraordinary wickedness is to be transacted, religion must be made a cover for it. As if wrong became right, when acted in the name of God; and it were more acceptable in his sight, to massacre a prophet, than to repent of a rash oath,

made to a foolish girl, at a drunken entertain

ment.

The Baptist's fate being thus determined, "im"mediately the king sent an executioner, and com"manded his head to be brought: and he went and "beheaded him in prison." This deed of darkness must have been done in the season proper for it, the middle of the night; and St. John was probably awakened, to receive his sentence, out of that sleep, which truth and innocence can secure to their possessor in any situation. The generality of mankind have reason enough to deprecate a sudden death, lest it should surprise them in one of their many unguarded hours. But to St. John no hour could be such. He had finished the work which God had given him to do. He had kept the faith, and preserved a conscience void of offence. He had done his duty, and waited daily and hourly, we may be sure, for his departure. He was now, therefore, called off from his station with honour, to quit the well-fought field for the palace of the Great King; to refresh himself, after the dust, and toil, and heat of the day, by bathing in the fountain of life and immortality; to exchange his blood-stained armour for a robe of glory, and to have his temporary labours rewarded with eternal rest; to sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of God; and as the friend of the Bridegroom, to enter into the joy of his Lord. From the darkness and confinement of a prison, he passed to the liberty and light of heaven; and while malice was gratified with a sight of his head, and his body was carried by a

few friends in silence to the grave, his immortal spirit repaired to a court, where no Herod desires to have his brother's wife; where no Herodias thirsts after the blood of a prophet; where he who hath laboured, with sincerity and diligence, in the work of reformation, is sure to be well received; where holiness, zeal, and constancy are crowned, and "receive palms from the Son of God, whom they "confessed in the world'."

66

So sinks the day-star in the ocean bed,
And yet anon uprears his drooping head,

And tricks his beams, and with new spangled ore,
Flames in the forehead of the morning sky-
He hears the unexpressive nuptial song
In the blest kingdoms meek of joy and love.
There entertain him all the saints above,
In solemn troops, and sweet societies,
That sing, and singing in their glory move,
And wipe the tears for ever from his

eyes.

MILTON.

a 2 Esdr. ii. 45-47.

LETTERS ON INFIDELITY.

TO WHICH IS PREFIXED,

A LETTER TO DR. ADAM SMITH.

The doctrine of Epicurus is ever ruinous to society: it had its rise when Greece was declining, and perhaps hastened its dissolution, as also that of Rome; it is now propagated in France and England, and seems likely to produce the same effects in both. GRAY'S MEMOIRs, p. 202.

« EdellinenJatka »