The Love of God. 135

property. And though he had become, by de-
grees, fo far refigned as to believe that every
thing was for the beft—even her death—he now
took up a ftrange and difmal fancy, that though
the Almighty was a God of goodnefs and juftice,
it was quite impoffible that He fhould ve any
beings fo finful and ungrateful as the human race.
This vain diftinétion of a morbid imagination was
the refult of that folitude, inactivity, and the con-
ftantly dwelling upon himfelf and his own trou-
bles, to which he had unfortunately given himfelf
up, and which had brought his mind into fuch an
unhealthy ftate, that he could neither reafon nor
think properly.

In this condition of feeling, having one day
wandered to a confiderable diftance from home,
he fat down on the greenfward to reft; when lo!
after he had remained there for fome little time
mufing, as ufual, he faw approaching him two
fhining creatures, who looked like fpirits or an-
gels, and as they came up to him they looked at
him very earneftly, and one faid to the other,

“© He is doubting the goodnefs of God !¥

Then Theodore fhuddered, and faid, “ I am
not! once perhaps I did, but not now : all things
happen for the beft.” Yet the Spirit repeated,
“ He is doubting the goodnefs of God!” Theo-
dore fhuddered again, and cried out “I am not!”
for he felt as if it was a heavy accufation. Where-
upon the Spirit continued, “To difbelieve the
love of God is to doubt His goodnefs.”