a sense of God's judgment at that very moment seems to have pierced the heart of the king. In tones of deep melancholy, he said, "Your god will soon suffer the common lot of mortality." In the forcible language of scripture, it is said, "And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost." He was then seized with violent internal pains, and carried from the theatre to his palace. There he lingered five days, and died in the greatest agony, and in the most humiliating and loathsome state of body.

As it may not be out of place here, or uninteresting to our readers, we would notice for a moment, the HERODIAN line of kings. They frequently come before us, both in the life of our Lord, and in the early history of the Church. We have associated in our minds, from early youth, the massacre of the infants of Bethlehem and Herod, king of Judea: though it is somewhat remarkable that Josephus, the principal historian of Herod, takes no notice of this event. It is generally thought, that the murder of a few children, in an obscure village, compared with Herod's other deeds of blood, was too unimportant in the eyes of Josephus to be recorded. But not so in the mind of God. Both the deceit and cruelty of the treacherous heart of the king are recorded in the sacred narrative. The eye of God watched over the "Child born" unto Israel-the only source of hope for all nations. The cruel design of Herod was thus defeated.

HEROD THE GREAT, the first Idumean king over Israel, received the kingdom from the senate of Rome through the influence of Mark Antony. This took place about thirty-five years before the birth of Christ, and about thirty-seven before his own death. These Idumeans were a branch of the ancient Edomites, who, while the Jews were in the Babylonish captivity, and their land lay desolate, took possession of as much of the

southern part of it, as contained what had been the whole inheritance of the tribe of Simeon, and also half of that which had been the inheritance of the tribe of Judah; and there they dwelt ever after. In course of time, the Idumeans were conquered by John Hyrcanus, and brought over to Judaism. After their conversion, they received circumcision, submitted to the Jewish laws, and became incorporated with the Jewish nation. In this way they became Jews, though not of the ancient stock of Israel. This happened about one hundred and twenty-nine years before Christ.* They were bold, crafty, and cruel as princes: they had great political foresight, courted the favour of Rome, and cared only for the establishment of their own dynasty. But, as God would have it, with the destruction of Jerusalem, the Idumean dynasty passed away, and even the very name of Herod seems to have perished from among the nations.

Besides the slaughter of the children in Bethlehem, which took place shortly before Herod's death, he had deeply embrued his hands in the blood of his own family, and in the blood of many noble persons of the Asmonean line. His cruel jealousy towards that heroic family never slumbered. But one of his last acts was to sign the deathwarrant of his own son. When dying under the signal judgment of God, like his grandson, Herod Agrippa, he raised himself up in his bed, gave the mandate for the execution of Antipater, named Archelaus as his successor to the throne, fell back, and expired.

Thus, alas, have monarchs often died: dispensing death on the one hand, and kingdoms on the other. But, what then? In the naked reality of their own moral condition they must stand before the tribunal of God. The purple can no longer shield them. Inflexible righteousness rules on that throne. Judged according to the deeds done in the

"Lardner's Works," vol. i.

body, they must be banished beyond the "gulf” which God's judgment has "fixed" for ever. But, oh! there to remember, in torment, every moment of their past history -the privileges they have abused, the opportunities they have lost, and all the evil they have done. May the Lord save every soul that glances at these pages, from the awful weight of these words—remember—tormented—fixed. They describe and characterize the future state of impenitent souls. Luke xvi.

The sect of the HERODIANS may have been the partizans of Herod, and chiefly political in their character; their main object being the maintenance of the national independence of the Jews, in the face of Roman power and ambition. They may have thought to use Herod for the accomplishing of this end. In the gospel history they are represented as acting craftily towards the blessed Lord, and in concert with the Pharisees. Matthew xxii. 15, 16. Mark xii. 13, 14.

"BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT."

FILLED! yea, filled to overflowing,

Gracious Spirit! what so precious to my soul

As Thy sweet presence? What so effectual

To exclude all else-the strivings

Of this "present evil world," "the flesh," "the devil "

All so ready to intrude upon the heart

Which Thou alone shouldst fill?

Oh, fill, fill, fill my soul,

Leaving no room for aught beside

The ever-living energizing power sent from above
To reign within the temple built for thine abode!

Why shouldst Thou ever,

Grieved or quenched by me lie dormant?

Forbid it, that I should not watch or wait

The coming of the glorious One,

Who promises to make us like unto Himself
On that, to us, bright resurrection moru,

When "

we shall see him as he is."

A. M. II.

80.

CORRESPONDENCE.

"J. B.," Manchester. We could not think of inserting such an article in our pages. We presume you are aware that we are not responsible to return rejected MSS.

81. "G.," Belfast. It would not be for edification to discuss your question in our pages. Ever since we commenced to issue this Magazine we have confined ourselves to articles bearing upon the conversion and edification of precious souls; and by the grace of God nothing shall induce us to swerve from these objects. Hence, therefore, our friends will oblige us by refraining altogether from sending us questions of a controversial nature, as we shall, most certainly, leave them wholly unnoticed. No doubt, controversy has its value, but we do not feel ourselves called to it.

82. "G. R.," London, Your lines have come to hand. They do not suit us exactly.

66

83. "One Deaf," Woolwich. Your deafness is no hindrance to your being at the table of your Lord. You can shew forth His death, although you are unable to hear a human voice. 'As oft as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come." As to the subject of baptism, we should recommend you to study the New Testament on the subject, and ask the Lord to teach you His mind in the matter; and the moment you see His mind, arise and do it.

84. J. B.," Toronto. It is always well to watch our treacherous hearts, even in right things, lest they betray us. But, in the matter to which you refer, we would remind you, beloved, of the exceeding goodness and tenderness of our God. He most graciously allows us to pour out our hearts to Him in the freest manner. He perfectly understands our every feeling, and He knows all about our relationships and the right affections which flow out of them. It would be unnatural not to feel peculiar earnestness in reference to the salvation of our kinsmen according to the flesh. Unquestionably, we should seek to be ruled, in all things, by the glory of God. But oh! let us ever abide in the sweet sense of His love, and let us beware of a morbid analyzing of our poor thoughts and feelings. God bless you and keep you!

85. "J. D.," Cathcart. We most fully enter into your feelings on the subject to which you call our attention: but we must beg of you to excuse our discussing the question. So many of God's beloved saints differ so widely in their

views of this subject that great modesty and moderation become us, how decided soever we may feel in our own minds.

86. "A Brother," Worcestershire. In Philippians i. 22, we understand the apostle to mean that the longer he remained down here the more fruit of his labours he should have. There must be some mistake in your second question, there is nothing about an instrument of death in Luke xxii. 26. to which you refer. As to your third query, which is too long to transcribe, we can truly answer in the affirmative.

87. "J. H." We cannot see the force of your question at all. God made man upright. He created him in innocence. He made him after His own image. But man sinned, and was driven out of Paradise, and the way was barred against his return that way. Adam became the head of a race after his fall. He was the fallen head of a fallen race. But Christ, the Second Man, the Lord from heaven, the Last Adam, has become in resurrection the Head of a new race. Scripture speaks of these two men -two heads; and teaches that, by nature, we stand connected with the first man; by grace, we stand connected with the Second. We are born into this world as members of the first head; we are born again, by the word and Spirit of God, as members of the Second. As to the distinction between the soul and the body we cannot see the sense of it.

88. "F. B.," Brantford, Ontario. We can see no objection to a sister's asking a question in such a meeting as you describe, That a woman is not to teach in the assembly, or to usurp authority over the man, scripture most distinctly and unequivocally declares. But the meeting you describe is not a meeting of the assembly; and asking a question, if it be merely to obtain information, and not indirectly to impart it, is not teaching or usurping autho rity. Accept our warmest thanks for your truly kind letter, May the Lord abundantly bless you both and all His people, His servants, and His work around you!

89. "T. B.," Donegal. Your letter has reached us in the midst of much pressure. We can merely acknowledge the receipt of it in this month's issue, and hope to notice it more fully in our next. In the meantime, we commend you earnestly and affectionately to the great Shepherd and Bishop of souls. May He keep you in the blessed shelter of His own presence, and lead you into a plain path for His Name and glory's sake!