Part 73 (1/2)
_Genesis_ i. 25. And G.o.d made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and everything that 513:24 creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and G.o.d saw that it was good.
G.o.d's thoughts are spiritual realities
G.o.d creates all forms of reality. His thoughts are 513:27 spiritual realities. So-called mortal mind - being non- existent and consequently not within the range of im- 514:1 mortal existence - could not by simulating deific power invert the divine creation, and afterwards recreate per- 514:3 sons or things upon its own plane, since noth- ing exists beyond the range of all-inclusive infinity, in which and of which G.o.d is the 514:6 sole creator. Mind, joyous in strength, dwells in the realm of Mind. Mind's infinite ideas run and dis- port themselves. In humility they climb the heights of 514:9 holiness.
Qualities of thought
Moral courage is ”the lion of the tribe of Juda,” the king of the mental realm. Free and fearless it roams in 514:12 the forest. Undisturbed it lies in the open field, or rests in ”green pastures, ... beside the still waters.” In the figurative transmission from the 514:15 divine thought to the human, diligence, promptness, and perseverance are likened to ”the cattle upon a thousand hills.” They carry the baggage of stern resolve, and 514:18 keep pace with highest purpose. Tenderness accompa- nies all the might imparted by Spirit. The individ- uality created by G.o.d is not carnivorous, as witness the 514:21 millennial estate pictured by Isaiah: -
The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, And the leopard shall lie down with the kid; 514:24 And the calf and the young lion, and the fatling together; And a little child shall lead them.
Creatures of G.o.d useful
Understanding the control which Love held over all, 514:27 Daniel felt safe in the lions' den, and Paul proved the viper to be harmless. All of G.o.d's creatures moving in the harmony of Science, are harm- 514:30 less, useful, indestructible. A realization of this grand verity was a source of strength to the ancient worthies.
515:1 It supports Christian healing, and enables its possessor to emulate the example of Jesus. ”And G.o.d saw that 515:3 it was good.”
The serpent harmless
Patience is symbolized by the tireless worm, creeping over lofty summits, persevering in its intent. The ser- 515:6 pent of G.o.d's creating is neither subtle nor poisonous, but is a wise idea, charming in its adroitness, for Love's ideas are subject to the Mind which 515:9 forms them, - the power which changeth the serpent into a staff.
_Genesis_ i. 26. And G.o.d said, Let us make man in our 515:12 image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping 515:15 thing that creepeth upon the earth.
Elohistic plurality
The eternal Elohim includes the forever universe.
The name Elohim is in the plural, but this plurality of 515:18 Spirit does not imply more than one G.o.d, nor does it imply three persons in one. It relates to the oneness, the triunity of Life, Truth, and Love.
515:21 ”Let _them_ have dominion.” Man is the family name for all ideas, - the sons and daughters of G.o.d. All that G.o.d imparts moves in accord with Him, reflecting good- 515:24 ness and power.
Reflected likeness
Your mirrored reflection is your own image or like- ness. If you lift a weight, your reflection does this also.
515:27 If you speak, the lips of this likeness move in accord with yours. Now compare man before the mirror to his divine Principle, G.o.d. Call the mirror 515:30 divine Science, and call man the reflection. Then note 516:1 how true, according to Christian Science, is the reflection to its original. As the reflection of yourself appears in 516:3 the mirror, so you, being spiritual, are the reflection of G.o.d. The substance, Life, intelligence, Truth, and Love, which const.i.tute Deity, are reflected by His creation; 516:6 and when we subordinate the false testimony of the corporeal senses to the facts of Science, we shall see this true likeness and reflection everywhere.
Love imparts beauty
516:9 G.o.d fas.h.i.+ons all things, after His own likeness. Life is reflected in existence, Truth in truthfulness, G.o.d in goodness, which impart their own peace and 516:12 permanence. Love, redolent with unselfish- ness, bathes all in beauty and light. The gra.s.s beneath our feet silently exclaims, ”The meek shall inherit the 516:15 earth.” The modest arbutus sends her sweet breath to heaven. The great rock gives shadow and shelter. The sunlight glints from the church-dome, glances into the 516:18 prison-cell, glides into the sick-chamber, brightens the flower, beautifies the landscape, blesses the earth. Man, made in His likeness, possesses and reflects G.o.d's domin- 516:21 ion over all the earth. Man and woman as coexistent and eternal with G.o.d forever reflect, in glorified quality, the infinite Father-Mother G.o.d.
516:24 _Genesis_ i. 27. So G.o.d created man in His own image, in the image of G.o.d created He him; male and female created He them.
Ideal man and woman
516:27 To emphasize this momentous thought, it is repeated that G.o.d made man in His own image, to reflect the divine Spirit. It follows that man is a generic 516:30 term. Masculine, feminine, and neuter gen- ders are human concepts. In one of the ancient lan- 517:1 guages the word for _man_ is used also as the synonym of _mind_. This definition has been weakened by anthropo- 517:3 morphism, or a humanization of Deity. The word _an- thropomorphic_, in such a phrase as ”an anthropomorphic G.o.d,” is derived from two Greek words, signifying _man_ 517:6 and _form_, and may be defined as a mortally mental at- tempt to reduce Deity to corporeality. The life-giving quality of Mind is Spirit, not matter. The ideal man 517:9 corresponds to creation, to intelligence, and to Truth.
The ideal woman corresponds to Life and to Love. In divine Science, we have not as much authority for con- 517:12 sidering G.o.d masculine, as we have for considering Him feminine, for Love imparts the clearest idea of Deity.
Divine personality
517:15 The world believes in many persons; but if G.o.d is per- sonal, there is but one person, because there is but one G.o.d. His personality can only be reflected, 517:18 not transmitted. G.o.d has countless ideas, and they all have one Principle and parentage. The only proper symbol of G.o.d as person is Mind's infinite ideal.
517:21 What is this ideal? Who shall behold it? This ideal is G.o.d's own image, spiritual and infinite. Even eternity can never reveal the whole of G.o.d, since there is no limit 517:24 to infinitude or to its reflections.
_Genesis_ i. 28. And G.o.d blessed them, and G.o.d said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, 517:27 and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.