and what was in his mind. He was plainly
no talker; no orator. Like many a good English soldier, sailor, yeoman,
man of business, he had very sound instincts in him, and drew very sound
conclusions from them: but he could not put them into words. He knew
that he was right, but he could not make a speech about it. Better that,
than be--as too many are--ready to make glib speeches, which they only
half believe themselves; ready to deceive themselves with subtle
arguments and high-flown oratory, till they can give the most
satisfactory reasons for doing the most unsatisfactory and unreasonable
things. No, the good soldier was no orator: but he had sound sense under
his clumsy words. Let us listen to them once more.

"I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this
man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my
servant, Do this, and he doeth it." Surely the thought which was in his
mind is to be found in the very words which he used--Authority.
Subordination. Discipline. Obedience. He was under authority, and must
obey his superior officer. He had soldiers under him, and they must obey
him. There must be not only no mutiny, but no neglect, no arguing, no
asking why. If he said Go, a man must go; if he said Come, a man must
come; and make no words about it. Otherwise the Emperor's service would
go to ruin, through laziness, distrust, and mutinous talk. By
subordination, by discipline, by mutual trust and strict obedience, that
empire of Rome was conquering the old world; because every Roman knew his
place, and every Roman did what he was told.

But what had that to do with our Lord's power, and with the healing of
the child?

This. The honest soldier had, I think, in his mind, that subordination
was one of the most necessary things in the world; that without it the
world could not go on. Then he said to himself, "If there must be
subordination on earth, must there not be subordination in heaven?" If
he, a poor officer, could get his commands obeyed, by merely speaking the
word; then how much more could God. If Jesus was--as He said--as His
disciples said--the Lord, the God of the Jews: then He had no need to
come and see a sick man; no need to lay His hands on him; to perform
ceremonies or say prayers over him. The Laws of Nature, by which health
and sickness come, would obey His word of command without rebellion and
without delay. "Speak the word only, L