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er of the Spirit to produce external results cannot say that it does not possess that power； or possesses it only in a limited degree： the position is logically self…destructive。 What we should do therefore； is to suspend judgment and follow the light as far as we can see it； and bye…and…bye it will become clearer to us。 There are； it appears to me； occult heights in the doctrine of Christ designed by the Supreme Wisdom to counteract corresponding occult depths in the Mystery of Darkness。 I do not think it is at all necessary； or even possible； for us to scale these heights or fathom those depths； with our present infantile intelligence； but if we realize how completely the law of our being receives its fulfilment in Christ as far as we know that law； may we not well conceive that there are yet deeper phases of that law the existence of which we can only faintly surmise by intuition？ Occasionally just the fringe of the veil is lifted for some of us； but that momentary glance is enough to show us that there are powers and mysteries beyond our present conception。 But even there Law reigns supreme； and therefore taking Christ as our basis and starting…point； we start with the Law already fulfilled； whether in those things which are familiar to us or in those realms which are beyond our thought； and so we need have nc fear of evil。 Our starting…point is that of a divinely ordained security from which we may quietly grow into that higher evolution which is the fulfilment of the law of our own being。
THE STORY OF EDEN。
The whole Bible and the whole history of the world； past； present and future； are contained in embryo in the story of Eden； for they are nothing else than the continuous unfolding of certain great principles which are there allegorically stated。 That this is by no means a new notion is shown by the following quotation from Origen：〃Who is there so foolish and without common…sense as to believe that God planted trees in the Garden of Eden like a husbandman； and planted therein the tree of life perceptible to the eyes and to the senses； which gave life to the eater； and another tree which gave to the eater a knowledge of good and evil？ I believe that everybody must regard these as figures under which a recondite sense is concealed。〃 Let us； then； follow up the suggestion of this early Father of the Church； and enquire what may be the 〃recondite sense〃 concealed under this figure of the two trees。 On the face of the story there are two roots； one of Life and the other of Death； two fundamental principles bringing about diametrically opposite results。 The distinctive mark of the latter is that it is the knowledge of good and evil； that is to say； the recognition of two antagonistic principles； and so requiring a knowledge of the relations between them to enable us to continually make the needful adjustments to keep ourselves going。 Now； in appearance this is exceedingly specious。 It looks so entirely reasonable that we do not see its ultimate destructiveness； and so we are told that Eve ate the fruit because she 〃saw that the tree was pleasant to the eyes。〃 But careful consideration will show us in what the destructive nature of this principle consists。 It is based on the fallacy that good is limited by evil； and that you cannot receive any good except through eliminating the corresponding evil by realizing it and beating it back。 In this view life becomes a continual combat against every imaginable form of evil； and after we have racked our brains to devise precautions against all possible evil happenings； there remains the chance； and much more than the chance； that we have by no means exhausted the category of negative possibilities； and that others may arise which no amount of foresight on our part could have imagined。 The more we see into this position the more intolerable it becomes； because from this stand…point we can never attain any certain basis of action； and the forces of possible evil multiply as we contemplate them。 To set forth to out…wit all evil by our own knowledge of its nature is to attempt a task the hopelessness of which becomes apparent when we see it in its true light。
The mistake is in supposing that Life can be generated in ourselves by an intellectual process； but； as we have seen in the preceding lectures； Life is the primary movement of the Spirit； whether in the cosmos or in the individual。 In its proper order intellectual knowledge is exceedingly important and useful； but its place in the order of the whole is not that of the Originator。 It is not Life in itself； but is a function of life； it is an effect and not the cause。 The reason why this is so is because intellectual study is always the study of the various laws which arise from the different RELATIONS of things to one another； and it therefore presupposes that these things together with their laws are already in existence。 Consequently it does not start from the truly creative stand…point； that of creating something entirely new； creation ex nihilo as distinguished from CONSTRUCTION； or the laying…together of existing materials； which is what the word literally means。 To recognize evil as a force to be reckoned with is therefore to give up the creative stand…point altogether。 It is to quit the plane of First Cause and descend into the realm of secondary causation and lose ourselves amid the confusion of a multiplicity of relative causes and effects without grasping any unifying principle behind them。
Now the only thing that can release us from the inextricable confusion of an infinite multiplicity is the realization of an underlying unity； and at the back of all things we find the presence of one Great Affirmative principle without which nothing could have existence。 This； then； is the Root of Life； and if we credit it with being able； not only to supply the power； but also the form for its manifestation we shall see that we need not go beyond this SINGLE Power for the production of anything。 It is Spirit producing Substance out of its own essence； and the Substance taking Form in accordance with the movement of the Spirit。 What we have to realize is； not only that this is the way in which the cosmos is brought into existence； but also that； because the Spirit finds a new centre in ourselves； the same process is repeated in our own mentality； and therefore we are continually creating ex nihilo whether we know it or not。 Consequently； if we look upon evil as a force to be reckoned with； and therefore requiring to be studied； we are in effect creating it； while on the other hand if we realize that there is only ONE force to be considered； and that absolutely good； we are by the law of the creative process bringing that good into manifestation。 No doubt for this affirmative use of our creative power it is necessary that we start from the basic conception of a SINGLE originating power which is absolutely good and life…giving； but if there were a self…originating power which was destructive then no creation could ever have come into existence at all； for the positive and negative self…originating powers would cancel each other and the result would be zero。 The fact； therefore； of our own existence is a sufficient proof of the singleness and goodness of the Originating Power； and from this starting…point there is no second power to be taken into consideration； and consequently we do not have to study the evil that may arise out of existing or future circumstances； but require to keep our minds fixed only upon the good which we intend to create。 There is a very simple reason for this。 It is that every new creation necessarily carries its own law with it and by that law produces new conditions of its own。 A balloon affords a familiar illustration of my meaning。 The balloon with its freight weighs several hundredweight； yet the introduction of a new factor； the gas； brings with it a law of its own which entirely alters the conditions； and the force of gravity is so completely overcome that the whole mass rises into the air。 The Law itself is never altered； but we have previously known it only under limiting conditions。 These conditions； however； are no part of the Law itself； and a clearer realization of the Law shows us that it contains in itself the power of transcending them。 The law which every new creation carries with it is therefore not a contradiction of the old law but its specialization into a higher mode of action。
Now the ultimate Law is that of production ex nihilo by the movement of the Spirit within itself； and all subordinate laws are merely the measurements of the relations which spontaneously arise between different things when they are brought into manifestation； arid therefore； if an entirely new thing is created it must necessarily establish entirely new relations and so produce entirely new laws。 This is the reason why； if we take the action of pure unmanifested Spirit as our starting…point； we may confidently trust it to produce manifestations of law which； though perfectly new from the stand…point of our past experience； are quite as natural in their own way as any that have gone before。 It is on this account that in these addresses I lay so much stress on the fact that Spirit creates ex nihilo； that is； out of n