Page:The Collected Works of Theodore Parker Discourse volume 1.djvu/204

Rh because he lived a bad life, and murdered his mother. If Christianity be the Absolute, it is independent of all circumstances; eternally true, as much before its declaration as after it is brought to light and applied to life. Before its revelation it was active, but unknown; afterwards known to be active. To illustrate this point: the three angles of a triangle are equal to two right angles. This is eternally true; and applies to all triangles that were, are, or are to be conceived of. It was just as true before any one discovered and declared it, as afterwards. Its truth depends not on the fact that Thales or Stilpo demonstrates the theorem, nor on the authority of him who asserts it. Its truth exists in the very nature of things, or, to use other words, in the Ideas of God. It was just the same before creation as afterwards. Other things remaining the same, even Omnipotence cannot make these three angles to be more or less than two right angles, for Infinite power of course excludes contradictions.

Now here are two things: first, Religion as it exists in the facts of man's nature, and secondly, Religion as taught by Jesus of Nazareth. The first must be eternally true. But it follows from no premise that the second is eternally true. He may have taught Absolute Religion, or an imperfect form; he may have omitted what was essential, or have added what was national, temporal, personal. In either case Christianity is not the Absolute Religion. But if it have none of these faults, and really conforms with this ideal standard, or involves this, and if nothing therein contradicts it, then Christianity is the Absolute Religion; eternally true, before revelation, after revelation; the Law God made for Man, and wrote in his nature.

Then again if the character of Jesus was not a perfect manifestation of this perfect Religion which he taught or implied; if his application of it to life, was limited by his position, his youth, his indiscretion, fanaticism, prejudice, ignorance, selfishness, as some have contended, it does not make the Religion he taught any the less perfect in itself; if true at all it is eternally true. If Christianity be true at all, it would be just as true if Herod or Catiline had