virtues. too (if they deserve the name) were drawn in, and lifted into the fame fervice. Thus much for the character of Herod-the critical review of which has many obvious ufes, to which I may truft you, having time but to mention that particular one which firft led me into this examination, namely, thạt all objections against the Evangelift's account of this day's flaughter of the Bethlemitish infants-from the incredibility of fo horrid an account-are filenced by this account of the man; fince in this, he acted but like himself, and juft so as you would expect in the fame circumstances, from every man of fo ambitious a head-and fo bad a heart. -Confider, what havock ambition has made-how often the fame tragedy has VOL. II. D been been acted upon larger theatres-where not only the innocence of childhoodor the grey hairs of the aged, have found no protection-but whole countries without diftinction have been put to the sword, or what is as cruel, have been driven forth to nakedness and famine, to make way for new ones, under the guidance of this paffion--For a fpecimen of this, reflect upon the ftory related by Plutarch: when by order of the Roman fenate, feventy populous cities were unawares facked and destroyed at one prefixed hour, by P. Æmiliusby whom one hundred and fifty thoufand unhappy people were driven in one day into captivity-to be fold to the highest bidder, to end their days in cruel labour and anguish. As aftonishing as the account before us is, it vanishes into nothing from fuch views, fince it is plain from all history, that there is no wickedness too great for fo unbounded a cause, and that the most horrid accounts in hiftory are, as I faid above, but too probable effects of it. May God of his mercy defend mankind from future experiments of this kind and grant we may make a proper use of them, for the fake of Jefus Chrift. Amen. |