Human language, perfect or imperfect, is the only medium through which
a revelation to man ever was or ever can be made. We do not claim
for the _medium_ that it is perfect, but the _revelation itself_ is
perfect. The imperfection of language and instability form the occasion
for new translations and revisions. Revelation, when first given to
man, was perfect and the language employed to convey it to the mind
of man answered the purpose. In the providence of God, the original
languages through which revelation was made died, and consequently
ceased to change. But, in the very nature of things, a living language
is always changing. The circumstance, however, that language is
an imperfect vehicle through which to convey divine things, is no
objection to the divine things thus conveyed to us. It maybe a reason
why our knowledge of revelation will never be perfect in this life;
but certainly no reason why revelation itself shall be considered
imperfect. It may be alleged that revelation to man is more difficult
on account of the imperfection and instability of language; but the
same difficulty lies in the way of every kind of communications to men.
The true state of the case is, that the medium of language is
sufficiently perfect and entirely adequate for all the purposes of
a revelation to mankind. The communication from God to man found in
the Bible is sufficiently clear and intelligible for all the purposes
of its original design. The man who will make an honest effort, can
understand the will of God concerning him—can discriminate between
good and evil, right and wrong, the way to hell and the way to heaven.
But the man who will not make an honest effort, would not be a
Christian if one would rise from the dead before his eyes. If he had
seen the Lord in person he would have found occasion for caviling. The
seed of the kingdom must fall into a _good_ and _honest_ heart.
It is useless to fall out with the medium through which revelation has
come to man. The best medium in existence was employed, the very one
through which we communicate man with man, and the one with which man
is more familiar than any other—the medium of _language_.