The belief that mere descent from Abraham was sufficient to ensure the divine favour has been always prevalent among the Jews, and the delusive confidence which it inspires has been the chief cause of their obstinate resistance to the truth. When John showed them that such confidence was groundless, and that God could raise at his will inheritors of the promises made to Abraham, they were alarmed, and eagerly enquired" what they should do?" St. John in reply exhorted them generally to forsake luxury and riotous living, and to bestow their superfluities upon the poor. He then gave exhortations to each class of his auditors suited to their several conditions, he exhorted the publicans, or collectors of taxes, "to exact no more than what was appointed," for in the Roman empire the taxes were farmed out to the publicans, who were guilty of great oppressions and exactions; he advised the soldiers to be contented with their regular pay and allowances, for these men severely harassed the provinces by plundering the country under pretence of collecting forage.

Such instructions, delivered with the authority of an inspired messenger, led some to believe that John was himself the promised Messiah or Christ, but he immediately corrected the error, declaring, "I indeed

baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose; he will baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire."

Soon after this prophesy was delivered Jesus came to be baptized, but John forbade him, saying, "I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?" Our Lord replied, "Suffer it to be so now, for thus it behoveth us to fulfil all righteousness." A signal miracle attested our Lord's divinity on this occasion, "the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased."

John's ministry was continued for some time longer; he was distinguished for his boldness in reproving sin, and he did not spare the great and the noble when they violated the commands of God. Herod called the Tetrarch or governor of the fourth part of a province, because he had only received a fourth part of the kingdom over which his father had ruled, was a wicked and profligate prince, but sometimes conscience reproved him for his crimes, and on such occasions he was willing to hear the pious exhortations of John the Baptist. Herod had seduced Herodias

the wife of his brother Philip, and lived with her openly; John reproved him severely for the crime, but the wicked Tetrarch was so far from being reformed that he threw his faithful monitor into prison. Herodias was anxious that the Baptist should be put to death, but Herod refused his consent, partly perhaps from some remains of better principles, but chiefly because he feared the multitude, for all regarded John as a prophet. At length, when Herod gave a great feast to celebrate his birth-day, the daughter of Herodias came and danced before the Tetrarch and his guests. This was an unusual compliment to Herod, for dancers in the East are generally hired performers, and such an exhibition by a lady of rank is considered degrading. The Tetrarch was so pleased that he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask; upon which the princess, instructed by her mother, demanded that the head of John the Baptist should be brought to her in a charger or large dish. Herod very reluctantly consented; he commanded John to be slain in the prison, and his bleeding head was brought to the princess.

It appears that some of John's disciples continued to exist as a separate body for several years after his death, but most of them joined the Christians,