Part 18 (2/2)
From the evidence cited two things are apparent:
1. The Bible is not such a book as a man _would_ write if he _could_.
2. The Bible is not such a book as a man _could_ write if he _would_.
By these conclusions, therefore, the Bible is shown to be _not of man_.
As the book is thus shown to be not of man--either by inclination or ability; and as from the beginning to the end its object is to glorify the unseen G.o.d in the revelation of his incarnate Son, then this book _is of G.o.d_; and being the utterance of his mind and will, is his Word; so that the statement of the apostle concerning it is justified. It is to be received as he says: ”Not as the word of man, but as it is in truth, THE WORD OF G.o.d.”
To him who so approaches it--who puts his shoes from off his feet as on holy ground, and with the silence of expectant faith listens and looks, it will disclose itself, speak to him, and so lay hold of the inner recesses of the heart that he shall know he has been face to face with G.o.d, has had glimpses of the delectable mountains and the city foursquare that lies beyond; from henceforth he shall walk, not as one in a vain show or in the mixing of darkness and light, but where the night s.h.i.+neth as the day; where the road is no longer paved with the stumbling stones of doubt, nor the signboards filled with a guess, but where the way leadeth on and up--s.h.i.+ning more and more bright unto the perfect day.
Take up this book, O friend. Do not read it with a hurried glance.
Let thine eyes rest a while upon some single word, and if thou art patient, it will bud and blossom and bloom and grow unto thee as a tree of life; and the leaves shall be as medicine for the healing of thy hurt. Take it into thy mouth and learn a lesson from the meadow kine who chew the tender gra.s.ses, and turn them over, and chew them again, till they have extracted sweetness and life therefrom. Chew the words of this book over and over again (it is impossible to do so with any other book), meditate upon the words (to meditate, to reflect, are highest functions), mediate upon their meaning--upon their direct and cognate meanings; let the thoughts they suggest find full and free reaction in thy soul, and from some simple word or phrase thou shalt draw the sweetness of divine love, and more and more the consciousness that thou hast received into thine innermost being very spirit and very life.
Read it on bended knee. Take up the words and breathe on them with the warm breath of sincere desire to know their intent, and music will come forth as from the fabled horn of old--music that shall have in it all the hallelujahs and hosannas of the heavenly host.
If you will take this book to your heart, you will find it bread such as kings' ovens never baked, water more crystal than that which bursts from mountain springs, wine the like of which was never pressed from purple grapes, meat which cattle on a thousand hills never furnished, and fruit no man ever gathered in royal gardens-- the fruit of the Spirit. You will find it a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your path, a hammer for breaking the flinty rocks by the way, a fire that will burn out the stain of sin, and warm benumbed fingers for quickened service in His Name.
Give it the first place in your life. You will want to hear from it as the last thing when you go hence. The words of loved ones will be sweet in your ear as you leave these mortal sh.o.r.es (if our Lord Jesus Christ should not hasten his coming, you must go), but you will want to hear its utterance above all the tones, even of those you love, speaking the final word of hope and cheer to you.
Be very patient with it. It has great things to say to you--and you will not always be fit to hear them. You will not always--at the first--be able to understand them; but if you do not understand to -day, to-morrow, or other morrows after that, it will speak to you and you shall fully know. Perhaps it will wait till the unshed tears are in your heart, and the moan the common ear has never heard--then it will speak--and the words will fall into the sore place of the soul, as though angel lips had touched it; it will wait, perhaps, till the storm is high, and your frail craft (life's poor, frail craft) is tossed as though it would go down in the whelming waters (and the sh.o.r.e so far away), and then it will speak and say, ”Peace --be still,” and in that driven life of yours shall be a great and holy calm.
Do not attempt to cross-question it as though you hesitated to believe all it said. To accept some parts and reject others will be fatal to you. G.o.d does not reveal himself to those who doubt him. He that cometh to G.o.d must believe that he is, and that he is the rewarder of all them that diligently seek him. So must you approach this book--with reverence and submissive faith; for this book, O friend! is not the word of man, but in very truth--THE WORD OF G.o.d.
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