399 DISCOURSE XVII. On and very sad bns goulib or one of the old Prophets, or John the Bap tift from the Dead, were brought to Herod, and that he was in great Perplexity and Concern about them. But be this as it will, whether he impofed on himself, or was imposed on by others by this vain and improbable Story, yet evident it is, how far his Imagination was poffeffed, and his Reason weighed down by guilty Fear; and how eafily he believed whatever seemed to threaten that Punishment, which his Confcience told him was his Due. How came it to pass, that, whilst others were bleffing themfelves with the Hopes of having a great Prophet among them, Herod alone was perplexed and difmayed? or, when there were fuch various Accounts of this Perfon, fome faying that he was Elias, others that he was one of the old Prophets, and others that he was John the Baptift, how came Herod to take up with the most improbable Account of all, and for which there was not the least Foundation? The Jews had from antient Prophecies, however mistaken, an Expectation that Elias fhould come, or fome of the old Prophets; and those who were of that Opinion were in the common Error, which was countenanced by Tradi

dition,

and,

e

dition, and the prevailing Interpretation of the Prophecies. To their Expectation the Character ana Perfon of our Bleffed Savis did very well answer: He was a PreachHive to er of Righteoufnels, and mighty in Signs and Wonders Such was Elias, fuch were the old Prophets? They had read of them, what they now faw performed by Jefus d their Perfuafion being allowed them, that Elias, or one of the old Prophets, fhould come, the Words and Works of Jea fus tended extremely to confirm them in the Opinion that he was the Person whom they expected. But with refpect to John the Baptift the Cafe is quite otherwise; there was no Ground to build this Imagination on; there was neither Tradition nor Pro phecy to fupport it: John indeed was a juft Man, and a Preacher of Righteoufnefs, and had been barbarously murdered; and fo had many before him, who never returned again from their Graves, and what better Reason was there to expect that he fhould? Befides, fuppofe it probable that he was to come, yet ftill it was improbable that this was the Perfon: Their Characters and Offices were very different John went about baptizing, but we are told exprefly that Jefus baptized Bouncie 45w dollw (tonno

h

3

no Man: Jefus wrought many Miracles, but of John it is recorded in holy Writ that he wrought no Miracle. But Herod minded none of thefe Things; he had a Motive that weighed more with him on the other Side, a Motive which hut out all Refon and Argument: It was his guilty Confcience told him this was John the Baptifts He had murdered the holy Man, to please a lewd Woman, and no fooner did he hear that there was one in the Country who wrought Miracles, but he concluded the Baptift was come from the Grave, armed with Power to take Vengeance for his Ini quities, and his own Wrongs. This is John the Baptift, fays Herod: He is rifen from the Dead, and therefore mighty Works do fhew forth themselves in him.

The Ufe I intend to make of this Paffage of Holy Scripture is to fet before you fuch Confiderations as naturally arise from it, and are proper for the Government and Directions of ourfelves.

And, first, you may obferve from hence the great Force and Efficacy of Confcience.

It is reasonable to fuppofe that if God in tended Men for his own Service, and defignaw ed them for another State of Happiness and

Mifery

Mifery after this Life, according to their good orill Behaviour in it, that he thould make himself known to them by fome clear and plain Manifeftation; and promulge the Laws which were to be the Rule of their Obedience, in fuch Manner that all thould know and acknowledge their Duty. Were Men left deftitute of thefe neceffary Affiftances, there could be no Equity in requiring Obedience, no Juftice in punishing Difobedience. There are many Demonstrations to be had of the Existence of a Deity from the Works of Nature, and from the Ope rations of our own Minds : But the plaineft of these Proofs do fometimes escape the lower Part of Mankind, who, being conftantly taken up in the fervile Employments of Life, do not exercise their Reafon fo far as to come to the Conclufion, which is but one Remove distant from the Objects they every Day converfe with. And though, as the Pfalmift fpeaks, the Heavens declares the Glory of God, and the Firmament sheweth bis bandy Work; though Day unto Day uttereth Speech, and Night unto Night Sheweth: Knowledge, yet fome there are, who, for want of Attention, hear not this ftill Voice.. of Nature, and are flow to apprehend the Glory

Glory which the Heavens declare, or to difcover the Hand of the Creator in the Works of the Firmament which they every Day behold. But then there is an internal Proof of a Deity arifing from Confcience, and the Reflexion of the Mind upon the Good or Evil we do, which amounts to the fullest Declaration of the Power of God, and is the completeft Promulgation of his Law to Mankind that can be defired or expected. In all civil Cafes a King is fufficiently proclaimed, and a Law is fufficiently promulged, when either is done according to Custom in fome publick and folemn Manners for, it being impoffible to give every Man concerned particular Notice, the Neceffity of the Cafe requires that every Manfhould at his Peril take Notice of the publick Declaration. But, with refpect to the Authority of God, and the common Laws of Morality, fuch Care is taken, that the Promulgation is made at every Man's own Door, nay, in his very Heart. The Senfe which Men have of Good and Evil, the Hopes and Fears which naturally arife in confequence of the Good or Ill they do, are fuch Demonstrations, and fo homely applied to every Man's Understanding, of the Obedience