Page:The Collected Works of Theodore Parker Discourse volume 1.djvu/290

Rh was with the New Testament. Some received more than we, others less. Such men as Justin, Ignatius, Clement of Alexandria, and Origen, refer to some other books, just as they quote the New Testament. The canon of the New Testament was less certain than the Old. Men followed usage, tradition, or good sense in this matter, and at last the present collection was fixed by authority. But by what test were its limits decided? Alas, by no certain criterion.

Let us look at things as they are. Here is a collection of ancient books, spurious and genuine, Hebrew and Greek. The one part belongs to a mode of worship, formal and obsolete; the other to a religion, actual, spiritual, still alive. The one gives us a Jehovah jealous and angry; the other a Father full of love. Each writer in both divisions proves by his imperfections that the earth did not formerly produce a different race of men. They contradict one another, and some relate what no testimony can render less than absurd; but yet all taken together, spite of their imperfections and positive faults, form such a collection of religious writings as the world never saw, so deep, so divine. Are not the Christian Gospels and the Hebrew Psalms still often the best part of the Sunday service in the church? Truly there is but one Religion for the Jew, the Gentile, and the Christian, though many theologies and ceremonies for each.

Now, unless we reject this treasure entirely, one of two things must be done: either we must pretend to believe the whole, absurdities and all; make one part just as valuable as the other, the Law of Moses as the Gospel of Jesus, David's curse as Christ's blessing,—and then we make the Bible our master, who puts Common Sense and Reason to silence, and drives Conscience and the religious Element out of the Church: or else we must accept what is true, good, and divine therein; take each part for what it is worth; gather the good together, and leave the bad to itself—and then we make the Bible our servant and helper, who assists Common Sense and Reason, stimulates