^ Mrs. Watts, in George Frederic Watts, ii. 244.
COLOSSIANS III. i6 523
world lasts. But that general influence is not what, in the ordinary and intelligible sense, we can call " the word of Christ." This is, manifestly, something which is to be apprehended by our intelligence, to be kept in our memory; which is to operate, through the understanding, upon the affections, and the conscience, and the will ; which is to shape the habits and rule the life.
^ Some inscriptions are written in antiquated letters, in quaint and curious characters, or even in dead and obsolete tongues. But you never paint a finger-post with Saxon letters or German characters ; you draw them broad and square, so that he who runs may read it in his most familiar alphabet. And Christ's Word is not only the path but the finger-post, inscribed so broad and clear in the world's vernacular that the wayfaring man, though a fool, need make no mistake.^
The sacred word, so fraught with use,
Is bright with beauty too, Oft startling us like blooms profuse
Upon a sudden view.
But more amazing than the bloom
Which all the trees bestuds. See, peering from the leafy gloom, A hundred thousand buds.
0, bud for ever, glorious tree,
O, ever blossom thus ; So shall thy good fruits plenteously
Hang ripening for us.^
(2) The literal word of Christ is one of the most wonderful things that ever has been in the world. All at once, up in Galilee, a silent man — for He was then known only as a man — began to speak. Not from Eoman rostrum, not in terms of Greek philo- sophy, not as a Jewish Eabbi with Targum and Cabala at hand, but simply and naturally to simple and ordinary men wherever they could be got together — in village synagogue, on the sea- shore, among the boats and nets, on the road, on the hill-sides — and as He spake, the words seemed literally to root themselves in the hearts of some of the hearers. There were many who heard and idly wondered and straightway forgot ; there were some who heard 1 J. Hamilton, TForks, vi. 24. ^ T. T. Lynch, The Rivulet, 20.
524 THE INDWELLING WORD
and hated what they heard, because it seemed to make against their own power and influence. But others caught the word like living seed, and gave it living soil within them, where it grew and soon became the power of their whole life. But so it was, amid friends, and foes, and crowds of thoughtless, indifferent people, the Speaker continued to speak ; and as He spake the word grew and multiplied and became increasingly a living spiritual force in the life of the whole nation.
^ God has given only two perfect things to this lost world. One of them is the incarnate Word, which is the Lord Jesus Christ ; the other is the written Word, which is the Holy Scrip- ture. There is a Divine element and a human element in both.i
^ Art, literature, philosophy, theology, statesmanship, science, civilization have made colossal strides forward, but Jesus stands just where He stood two thousand years ago, and the world is still at His feet. Why is it? The Gospel is an old story, the preacher's sermon is an old message, religion is an old song, and yet the heart of the race stops to listen, and ever and anon some soul, mantling with the light of Calvary's glory, rises up to con- fess that the old song has brought the new life. Christ is the same becausA Christ is the best. There is no progress beyond Him. He is all the heart longs for.^
^ We are told that Christ spoke to men as one that had authority — not an authority like that of the Scribes and Pharisees, which is given from without, but an authority which flowed naturally from the absolute conviction of the truth of His own words. Of this too we might find imperfect examples within our own experience. For when a man is possessed with a truth and feels that he has a mission to utter it, he becomes a power in the world. So Christ, having received the truth from His Father, brought it down to men. The opinions of the world, the customs of society, the traditions of Churches — they too had an authority, but it was of another sort. They did not come immediately from God ; they did not find a witness in the better mind and con- science of man — they were the words of an age and country, and might be even unmeaning or absurd in some other age or country. But the words of Christ were eternal and unchangeable ; as long as human nature lasts, while the world stands — these and these alone shall never pass away.^
^ James H. Brookes. * J. I. Vance, Royal Manhood, 243.
8 B. Jowett.
COLOSSIANS III. i6 525
Give me the Word — the Word !
Leave me, I pray, with the Word, and the Spirit alone :
Thus shall the Way, and the Truth be made known ;
Thus all the depths of my soul with the life shall be stirred.
Who but Himself could tell,
Save in dead words, such a story as this that I learn