SERMON XIX.

SPEAKING THE TRUTH BOLDLY.

Decollation of John Baptist. August 29.

"AND HE SENT AND BEHEADED JOHN IN THE PRISON."--S. MATTH. XIV. 10.

Two months ago I spoke of S. John Baptist's birth; now I have to speak of his death. He that was made holy in the very womb, he that was a Prophet before his birth, he that turned many of the children of Israel to the LORD their GOD, he that was the greatest among them that were born of women, he could die in no way worthy of so glorious a life, unless he died a Martyr. That was the only thing wanting to make up his full blessedness; and, as on this day, he received it. He went before CHRIST in His birth, he went before Him into the desert, and now he goes before Him in his death. And yet he did not die for the Name of CHRIST. He died for opposing that which GOD chiefly hates, impurity; he died for speaking that which GOD most loves, the truth; he died for setting forth the truth as GOD would have it set forth, with boldness.

Herod had married his brother's wife, and thereby had done an abominable act. Now, in the Epistle for yesterday, S. Paul gives a list of the works of the devil. And the four first he puts down in that list are works of impurity: and these are they,--adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness. Why does he do this? Because GOD is more offended by these than by any other, and because they destroy more souls than any other. It will be found, I have no doubt, in the Day of Judgment, that more are condemned for breaking, in different ways, the seventh commandment, than are lost by breaking all the other commandments put together. Therefore John, as having been made holy from his mother's womb, resisted the sin of Herod, and died a Martyr because he did so.

And how? Some people, when they are really speaking or acting on GOD'S side and against the world, do it so fearfully, and in such a half-hearted way, that it is difficult to say whom they seem most to fear, GOD, if they do not speak at all, or the world, if they speak too much. Now it is boldness for the truth that all through the Bible GOD so highly praises. "For the LORD GOD will help me, therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed." Like a flint--how? A flint may be broken, but that is all you can do with it. So GOD'S messenger may be destroyed, but he cannot be made to speak soft things. "Fight thou for the truth to the death, and the LORD shall be on thy side," says the wise man. And this is what David means when he so often speaks of those that are true of heart. "All they that are true of heart shall rejoice." "He preserveth them that are true of heart." Hear what GOD said to Ezekiel, when He sent him to prophesy to the Jews: "And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briars and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house. And thou shalt speak My words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear; for they are most rebellious." Now S. John might have reasoned with himself thus: This is a great sin, undoubtedly: but Herod has done many things, and heard me gladly; I will speak very gently about it; perhaps with time and patience he may be led to put away his brother's wife; at all events, it is my duty not to offend him needlessly, and I will bear with him as much as I can. And this is what people now-a-days would praise as very wise and prudent conduct; but S. John knew better. How did he speak to Herod? In very few words, and those exactly to the point: "It is not lawful for thee to have her."

Now remember this: when people would persuade you to that which you know to be wrong, never trouble yourselves for any other answer but S. John's, "It is not lawful." Very true; it is hard work to serve GOD. By-and-by we shall find it most hard and cruel work to serve the devil. But depend upon it, the hardest work of all is, to try to serve GOD and the devil together. Thus you miss everything: you lose the present world, and you do not gain the world to come: you do enough to make yourselves disliked here, but not enough to make yourselves loved in heaven: you are like those of whom S. Paul speaks, that please not GOD, and are contrary to all men.

S. John was none of these. He knew, being a Prophet, what he should pay for speaking the truth; but he also knew that it was worth the price. "It is not lawful for thee to have her."

And so now he could preach no longer in the desert: he could no more baptize in the river Jordan: he was to do GOD'S will in the silence and in the darkness of a prison. But, though he himself could not serve GOD, he served Him by the means of others. He sent two of his disciples to JESUS saying, "Art Thou He that should come, or do we look for another?" Never think that S. John needed to ask this question for himself. He had seen the SPIRIT descending in a bodily shape like a dove, and resting upon Him: he had heard the voice from heaven, "This is My Beloved SON, in Whom I am well pleased." No: he asked it for the sake of others; perhaps of the disciples whom he sent; perhaps of the multitude. He would increase their faith by the answer the LORD should give to his question.

It was a short scene, that last one of his life. All the mighty men of Galilee gathered together at Herod's birthday feast: gold and lights, wine and music, all the pomp of this world, and the glory of it: S. John in darkness and silence in the dungeon. And who can guess how he spent the last few hours of his life?--whether he knew that the end was so near: or whether he was, like S. Peter, the night before he was to be brought forth, sleeping? However it were, "Blessed is that servant, whom his LORD when He cometh shall find so doing."

And then we have the end. A wicked daughter, a more wicked mother, a wicked oath, a more wicked keeping of the oath. "Give me John Baptist's head in a charger. And the king was sorry; nevertheless for his oath's sake, he commanded it to be given her." For his oath's sake! Commit murder because he had called GOD to witness that he would! If anything could add to the sin, it is Herod's excuse. Here is a birthday kept indeed! The king was sorry. Yes; and it was a sorrow that did not lead to repentance: it was a sorrow of which the full bitterness could never be known till Herod entered into another world.

So in the depth of the night they beheaded John in prison. The night went on: but John Baptist was where there is no more night. The feast went on: but John Baptist sat down at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. The music went on: but John Baptist was joining in the New Song, the Song of Moses and the Lamb.

The way of transgressors is hard. Not long after, Herod had a war with his brother on account of this very Herodias; he was beaten, he lost his kingdom, and he was sent into banishment. He and Herodias, turned into each other's curses, died almost at the same time, hateful and hating one another. And Salome, the daughter of Herodias, was killed by a more fearful judgment. She was walking on the ice, when it broke; and as she fell through, her head was cut from her body by its sharp edge. She had asked for John Baptist's head at a moment's notice; and GOD took her head without giving her a moment for repentance.

CHRIST, then, was the cause of John Baptist's birth: CHRIST was also the cause of his death. He taught of righteousness: he suffered for righteousness. He went before CHRIST into heaven, as he had come before CHRIST to earth.

And therefore let us end by asking GOD that, "after his example, we may constantly speak the truth, boldly rebuke vice, and patiently suffer for the truth's sake;" through JESUS CHRIST our LORD, to Whom, with the FATHER and the HOLY GHOST, be all honour and glory for ever. Amen.