128 APOSTOLIC GENEROSITY IN ENCOURAGING GOODNESS.

This will be called bigotry and stubbornness and they who are wise in their own conceit will insist on your giving a reason for every thing. Well, then, let your reason be given, not in words, but in a holy life. Humbly and meekly, but with all Christian boldness, let us strive to obey the Bible, the Church, and the Prayer-Book; and so to put the enemies of truth to shame ; and, by the whole course of our lives, to exhort those who are partakers with us of the Gospel, that "with purpose of heart they cleave unto the LORD" for ever.

SERMON CLXXXI.

SELF-DENYING LOYALTY TO CHRIST.

FOR ST. JOHN BAPTIST'S DAY.

ST. JOHN iii. 30.

"HE must increase, but I must decrease."

No doubt, St. John the Baptist is in a particular sense an example for the Clergy, more than for other Christians. As he was sent to prepare the way for our LORD's first coming, so they are sent to prepare the way for His second. They, as he, are to go before CHRIST, in the spirit and power of Elias, to make ready a people prepared for HIM.

Many parts, therefore, of his character and conduct, are a direct pattern for those only, who were sent as he was; they do not so immediately concern others, who have no such trust.

As, for example, his "boldly rebuking vice," which is mentioned in the Collect for the day as one remarkable part of his character, and which he practised both towards the Scribes and Pharisees, when he called them a generation of vipers; and in warning Herod of the consequences, if he took his brother's wife to be his own. In this St. John was a pattern, first and chiefly, for the Ministers of CHRIST: for it is they who have a direct commission from HIM to call people to account for their sins, and to judge them, for a while, in His stead. But he is also a pattern for all who are in any way trusted with the government of others, as kings, masters, elders, friends who can advise. Those whose station calls on them to do good by reproving, must try to do it

as St. John did, faithfully, discreetly, and boldly: still, as I said, it is the calling of CHRIST'S Ministers especially. And the same may be said of all other parts of the Baptist's example. He set a copy in the first place for Priests. But in that sense in which all Christians are Priests, appointed to offer up themselves, their souls and bodies, for a living sacrifice to GOD ALMIGHTY, and to prepare, each in his station, the way of CHRIST: in that sense the Baptist's example was meant for all, and ought to be followed by all. Observe how he in his calling made ready His SAVIOUR'S way, and let us in our several callings endeavour to make ready our Judge's way.

And above all, let us try to enter into the spirit of that deep and affectionate loyalty, if I may call it so, to our LORD, which is where to be seen in the holy Baptist's character. I mean every his not thinking of himself, but of his MASTER; giving up every thing to His glory; rejoicing, as he went on, to find that JESUS CHRIST every day was showing HIMSELF more and more glorious above him, and throwing him quite, as people say, into the shade. This is the feeling which St. John expresses in the text, on complaint having been made to him by some of his own disciples, Rabbi, HE that was with thee beyond Jordan, to Whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come unto HIM." They said it in the way of complaint, thinking it hard that their master should be surpassed, and thought less of, in consequence of the rising of this new Prophet, of Whom as yet they knew hardly any thing. Upon this, CHRIST's faithful servant and forerunner took occasion to utter, in express words, that which in reality all his ministry had been bearing witness of, that he had no power, no glory, no holiness of his own; he was but a servant, ministering, for a time, to One Who was unspeakably, immeasurably greater than himself. "A man," a mere man such as I am, he tells them, "can receive nothing, except it be given him from above." I am such an one, and I must not go beyond my commission. "Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said I am not the CHRIST, but am sent before HIM." He takes up his disciples' word which they had just used, saying, "HE to Whom thou barest witness." And he says, If I bare witness to HIM then, do not expect me to contradict that witness now. On the contrary, I tell you, that in the great work of God, which is

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about to begin, the setting up of the kingdom of Heaven, there is the same kind of difference between HIм and me, as in a marriage between the bridegroom and the bridegroom's friend : "He that hath the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy, therefore, is fulfilled." Every day," St. John seems to tell them, "I have more and more of the same kind of satisfaction, which a true disinterested friend of any man has in his friend's happy marriage. Every day I rejoice more and more in feeling that I am nothing, and that He is all; that He must increase, but I must decrease."

This is what I mean by St. John's loyal feeling; His deep and constant devotion of himself to our LORD; the deeper and more constant, as he had, in the eye of the world and the flesh, to lose something by our LORD's being honoured. His "burning and shining light" was to be, in comparison, put out and to disappear, like a star, or rather like a lamp, when the sun arises. And he is glad and thankful to have it so: like Jonathan, who truly rejoiced in seeing David by degrees mounting up to the kingdom, which, according to earthly ways of thinking, Jonathan might have looked for himself.

This loyal and self-devoted feeling, St. John here expresses in words; but his whole life and conduct before had expressed it, to a considerate mind, quite as clearly. Even before His birth, it was provided that he should give signification of such a devout mind. When Elizabeth, being with child of him, was visited by the Blessed Virgin, just after the Conception of our LORD, this great miracle happened; that " as soon as the voice of Mary's salutation sounded in Elizabeth's ears, the babe leaped in her womb for joy." This token he gave of the HOLY GHOST, with which he was filled, even from his mother's womb, that even then, before his birth, he did homage, and showed forth devotion to our SAVIOUR. It was a type and ensample of what he should be, what all faithful Christians should be, as long as they live in the world : they should sacrifice and devote themselves entirely to the glory and honour of HIм who came to die for them.

Accordingly, when St. John's time came to preach and to baptize, all his doctrine ran upon this; that neither his preaching nor his baptism was any thing at all in itself, but only to prepare

the way for the perfect Gospel, the Spiritual Baptism, which JESUS CHRIST should set up afterwards. "The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand:" it is not come, it is only near. 'I am not the CHRIST, but am sent before HIM." "I baptize you with water, but HE shall baptize you with the HOLY GHOST." HE is "mightier than I." "His shoes' latchet I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose." "HE shall baptize you with the HOLY GHOST and with fire."

It may seem again suitable to this dutiful temper of mind, that St. John, when the people asked him what they should do, referred them always to the plainest and simplest duties, the very thing, as it were, which came next in each man's way; saying to the common sort, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise." Again, to the publicans, "Exact no more than that which is appointed you ;" and to the soldiers, Do violence to no man." In every instance, the advice which he gives was as plain and simple as could be, not at all leading them to think of him, nor of any particular wisdom or goodness that was in him, but only to glorify GOD in their stations by sincere obedience.

So again, the Baptist never shrank from showing people the severe side of the truth. "The wrath to come," ," "the unquenchable fire," the axe laid to the root of the trees :"-these are the things of which he continually kept putting people in mind: but these are not the subjects on which he would have delighted to dwell, had he desired to please and attract his hearers, or to obtain personal influence and authority with them.

But in this respect, as in all others, the Forerunner of CHRIST was like His Apostles after HIм: he preached not himself, but CHRIST JESUS the LORD.

It would seem to knowing, as he had

One who was so minded would of course be greatly astonished, not to say shocked, at our LORD's coming to be baptized of him; and we know how St. John shrank from it. "I have need to be baptized of THEE, and comest THOU to me?" him quite a turning of things upside down: done from the beginning, that CHRIST was to increase, and he to decrease. He might not indeed yet positively know, that this was the Son of God; yet he might know enough to make him, in some measure, doubt and muse, Who and how great He might