To quote Dryden's words--but in a very different sense to that intended
in "Absolom and Achitophel,"--such a one must be "Not one, but all
Mankind's epitome." The manifestation must be the Perfect Expression of
that fundamental Life which is the Root Desire in us all, and which is
therefore called "The Desire of all nations."
Here then we have reached (Haggai ii, 7) the foundation fact of Human
Personality. It is the Eternal "Will-to-live," as Schopenhauer calls it,
which works subconsciously in all creation; therefore it is the root
from which all creation springs. In the atom it becomes atomic energy,
in the plant it becomes vegetable life, in the animal it becomes animal
life, and in man it becomes personal life, and therefore, if a Perfect
Standard of the Eternal Life is to be set before us, it must be in terms
of Human Personality.
But some one will say: Why should we need such a Standard? The answer
is that since the working of the Law towards each of us is determined by
our mode of Thought, we require to be guarded against an inverted use of
the Word. "Ignorantia Legis nemini excusat" (ignorance of the Law does
not excuse you from its operation), is a scientific, as well as a
forensic maxim, for the Law of Cause and Effect can never be altered.
Our ignorance of the laws of electricity will not prevent us from being
electrocuted if we get into the circuit of some powerful voltage.
Therefore, because the Law is _Impersonal_ and knows no exceptions, and
will bring us either Life or Death according to the direction which we
give it by our Word, it is of the first importance for us to have a
Standard by which to measure the Word expressed through our own
Personality. This is why St. Paul speaks of our growing to "the measure
of the stature of the fulness of Christ," (Eph. iv, 13) and why we find
the symbol of "Measurement" so frequently employed in the Bible.
Therefore, if a great scale of measurement for our Word is to be
exhibited, it can only be by its presentation in human form.
Then if the purpose be to establish such a standard of measurement, the
scale must be expressed in units of the same denomination as that of our
own nature--you cannot divide miles by amperes--and it is because the
scale of our potential being is laid out in the same denomination as
that of the Spirit of Life itself that we can avail ourselves of the
standard of "the Word made Flesh."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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