The root of such suffering is love. And is not God's love for His
children infinitely greater than ours? Therefore, would not His
happiness be curtailed by seeing His children in pain? We know that "He
doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men." Can He,
then, contemplate with changeless equanimity the wickedness and final
suffering of the great majority of our race? So far as I know, there is
no such idea in Scripture; and it is certainly not suggested by our own
human nature in its highest development.

Now, can it be supposed that the sin of puny man will finally impair the
happiness of God? It may for a time; but Divine Love will win; God will
be all in all. Surely it accords with our highest reason to believe that
His happiness will not finally be lessened. There is a manifest and
eternal unfitness in such a supposition. The Divine Wisdom that rules in
all worlds will surely make it impossible.

Think next of Divine Power. Now with regard to this attribute, there is
one thing to be recognized; but it is not self-evident. It is this: that
God is omnipotent in the moral realm, as in the physical. This may be
disputed. It will be freely granted that in the physical world God has
all power. But in the moral sphere, is not even divine power limited by
our free will?

Now, I do not intend to go into the metaphysics of the matter. That
would perhaps but involve us in deeper mystery. I think the question
will be clearer if we take one example. It is that of Saul of Tarsus, on
the occasion of his conversion. He was changed in a moment by omnipotent
power. So radical was the change that from being "the chief of sinners"
he became the chief of saints. Nothing short of omnipotent power could
effect such a change.