Page:The Collected Works of Theodore Parker Discourse volume 1.djvu/353

306 loves wife and child, and would die any death to save a friend, will be slow to believe in total depravity; he that sees a swarm of bees in summer, or hears the blackbird sing in his honeysuckle, will not believe God is a devil, though all the divines in the Church quote the Fathers and Scriptures to prove it. God speaks truth always; will the pulpit prevail against Him? The sands of this Theology are numbered, and its glass shaken.

This system makes God not a King but a Father and Mother, infinite in power, wisdom, and love. His love rays out in every direction, seeking to bless the all of things. The world, its overarching heavens, its ocean, its mountains, its flowers that brighten in the sunbeam; the crimson and purple that weave a lustrous veil for the face of Day, at the rising and decline of light; the living things of earth, beast, bird, fish, insect, so full of happiness that the world hums with its joy,—all these it counts but a whisper of God's goodness, though all which these babbling elements can teach. It sees the same in the Bible, for it will see itself, and walks in the shade of its own halo of glory, and so treads on rainbows where it steps.

This doctrine of God's goodness is a mighty truth, poorly apprehended as yet, though destined to a great work, and development which shall never end. Men can only see in God what is in themselves. Their conception of God cannot transcend their own ideal stature of spirit. Since goodness is not active in most men, nor love predominant, they see God as Power to be feared; at best as Wisdom to be reverenced; not as Goodness to be loved; nor can they till themselves become lovely.

The merits of this system are very great. It makes goodness the cause of all. God made the world to bless it. His love flowed forth a celestial stream that sparkles in the sky, surrounding the world. Apparent evils are but good in disguise, save only sin, and this Man brings on himself, through the imperfection of his nature, pro-