The Expositor's Bible: The Pastoral EpistlesPlummer, Alfred
Religion
The Expositor's Bible: The Pastoral Epistles
Plummer, Alfred
Bible. Pastoral Epistles -- Criticism, interpretation, etc.
But adornment has its relations not only to those who bestow, but to
those also who receive it. It is a reflexion of the mind of the giver;
but it has also an influence on the recipient. And, first, it makes that
which is adorned more conspicuous and better known. A picture in a frame
is more likely to be looked at than one that is unframed. An ornamented
building attracts more attention than a plain one. A king in his royal
robes is more easily recognized as such than one in ordinary clothing.
Adornment, therefore, is an advertisement of merit: it makes the adorned
object more readily perceived and more widely appreciated. And,
secondly, if it is well chosen and well bestowed, it augments the merit
of that which it adorns. That which was fair before is made still fairer
by suitable ornament. The beautiful painting is still more beautiful in
a worthy frame. Noble ornament increases the dignity of a noble
structure. And a person of royal presence becomes still more regal when
royally arrayed. Adornment, therefore, is not only an advertisement of
beauty, it is also a real enhancement of it.
All these particulars hold good with regard to the adornment of the
doctrine of God. By trying to adorn it and make it more beautiful and
more attractive, we show our respect for it; we pay our tribute of
homage and admiration. We show to all the world that we think it
estimable, and worthy of attention and honour. And by so doing we make
the doctrine of God better known: we bring it under the notice of others
who might otherwise have overlooked it: we force it upon their
attention. Thus, without consciously intending to be anything of the
kind, we become evangelists: we proclaim to those among whom we live
that we have received a Gospel that satisfies us. Moreover, the doctrine
which we thus adorn becomes really more beautiful in consequence.
Teaching which nobody admires, which nobody accepts--teaching which
teaches nobody, is a poor thing. It may be true, it may have great
capabilities; but for the present it is as useless as a book in the
hands of an illiterate savage, and as valueless as treasures lying at
the bottom of the sea. Our acceptance of the doctrine of God, and our
efforts to adorn it, bring out its inherent life and develop its natural
value, and every additional person who joins us in doing this is an
augmentation of its powers. It is within our power not only to honour
and make better known, but also to enhance, the beauty of the doctrine
of God.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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