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CHAP. XXXI.

The third year of Chrift's Ministry. John the Baptift beheaded by Herod, The Opinion of Herod and his Courtiers concerning Jesus.

A Bout the beginning of the third year after Jefus began to publish his Gofpel, Herod the Tetrarch made a great Fealt for the celebrating his Birthday, to which he invited all his Courtiers and chief Officers of his Army, and the Nobles of Galilee. In the midft of the Banquet, Salome the Daughter of Herodias by her former Husband Philip, enter'd the Room, and danc'd fo gracefully, and fo much to the fatisfaction of the Company, and efpecially of Herod himself, that he commanded her to make whatever Requeft he had a mind to, affuring her that the fhould not be denied, tho it were to the parting with half his Kingdom to her; which he alfo confirm'd by an Oath. Salome, without making

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MARK.

CHAP. VI.
24 And The went
forth, and faid unto
her mother, What
fhall I ask? And the
faid,The head of John
the Baptist.

25 And she came in ftraightway with hafte unto the king, and asked, faying, I will that thou give me by and by in a charger, the head of John the Baptift.

26 And the king was exceeding forry, yet for his oaths fake, and for their fakes which fat with him, he would not reject her.

27 And immediately the king fent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought and he went and beheaded him in the prison,

28 And brought his head in a charger, and gave it to

the damfel, and fhe the damfel, and the

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any demand upon the fpot, went out of the Banqueting-Room to confult her Mother Herodias, who bore a mortal Enmity to John the Baptift for the reafon we have before related. Inftructed therefore by her Mother, the return'd, and requir'd that the Head of John fhould immediately be deliver'd to her in a Charger. Herod, who little dreamt of fuch a Request as this, and was very much concern'd at it, yet by reafon of the Oath he had taken, left his Guests should think him guilty of a rafh Oath, and that he might not feem to be perjur'd by them, forthwith commanded one of his Guards to repair to the Prifon in which John was confin'd, and fee Execu tion done upon him. The Officer accordingly perform'd his Task, and brought the Head into the Room, and prefented it to her. She immediately carried it Ff

to

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to her Mother, who feasted her Eyes with the horrid Spectacle, having thus gratified her Revenge by the barbarous Murder of this holy and innocent Perfon. The Difciples of John hearing of this Difafter, came to Herod, and beg'd the dead Body of their Mafter, which they buried in a Sepulchre, and afterwards came and acquainted Jefus with it, whom they knew John always look'd upon as the Messiah. About this time the Fame of Jefus being fpread far and near, came at last to the ears of Herod; and feveral of his Courtiers fufpecting that Jesus was the very perfon he had not long ago ordered to be beheaded, Herod told them he was alfo of the fame opinion, and that he verily believ'd God had raised him from the Dead, and that it was he who under the name of Jefus was the Author of the many Miracles reported to have been wrought by him in the Land of Pa

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Others there were who took him for Elias the Tifbite, whom the Jews expected before the arrival of the Meffiah, from a mistaken Prophecy of Malachi. Others thought he was a new Prophet, and fome believ'd him to be one of the old ones rais'd from the Dead. But Herod, as we faid, reflecting upon the matter, was confirm'd in his fufpicion that it was John whom he had commanded to be beheaded, and who was reftor'd to life; for which reafon he greatly defired to fee Jefus, that he might be fatisfied of the truth of it: but Jefus would not fuffer himself to be feen by him.

CHA P. XXXII.

The Return of the Apostles. Five thousand perfons miraculously fed with five Loaves and two Fishes. Jefus walks upon the Lake of Gennefareth, fills the Wind, and cures feveral fick People.

Shortly after, the twelve Apostles, whom Jefus had fent abroad to publish the Gofpel, return'd to him, and gave an account of all they had faid and done, and also of the fuccefs they met with in this their first preaching of the Gospel. Jesus having

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having heard them, commanded them to retire with him apart from all others into a certain Solitude to repofe themselves; for in the more frequented places fuch a concourfe of People reforted to him, and fo great a number of fick perfons were prefented to be healed by him, that he had not fo much as any time left for his neceffary Repafts. Taking boat therefore, they put off to the Eaftern fide of the Lake of Gennefareth, and landed in a defert part of the Country about Bethfaida: But many who had feen the miraculous Recovery of an innumerable Company of fick People, would not forfake him, but taking notice of the place he fteer'd his Courfe to, went round the Lake on foot, and repaired unto him. Jefus being come afhore, perceiv'd the Multitude flock to him; and tho he

defir'd

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