Man of himself is nothing. Man as he is, is only from the earth, he is earthly. There dwells in him the divine spark, which is from the Father, and which may know the Father; but, until this is awakened, man knows nothing and has no power except that which the flesh gives him. But, if the mind awakens and seeks after wisdom, then gradually does the divine spark become aroused within him. Even this divine spark is not his own, but comes from the Father, and is part of the Father. If he obeys the Divine Law, he becomes Soul Conscious, he becomes the Son of God; but he can do nothing without the Father, for he is part of the Father. Therefore, the Son of God can do nothing without the Father; and that which the Father does, in like manner, can the Son do.

20. For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.

As the carnal man loves his offspring and teaches him to do the things he himself does, so the Divine Father, who is Love Universal, also loves His offspring and teaches him to do the things He does.

As there is a natural man, so is there a Spiritual, or Soul, Man. That which is of the body belongs to the body, and does the will of the body; and that which is of the Soul belongs to the Soul, and does the will of the Soul.

21. For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.

That which the Father can do, the Son can do also; for they are as one. Only he who has become truly illuminated, is the Son of God, and can know His laws and His power.

22. For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son.

God judges no man. Man has within himself the Son of the Father; and the judge that judges, is the conscience. The conscience may sleep for a long time; but when man

learns the truth and becomes the Son, then does the purified and enlightened conscience become his judge.

The man who sleepeth is like the animal; he is earthly, and belongs to the earth. He knows nothing of the Soul and even denies the existence of the Soul. Like the animal, he has no conscience, and is not judged by the Son. But, when he realizes his birthright; when he seeks to know the Father, then, is the Son born, and with the Son is born the enlightened conscience, and the Son judges all things.

23. That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

No man can say that he has faith in the Father, and not know the Son. The man who has faith in the Father will do the will of the Father, he will seek within himself, he will use the mind that he has in order to search for the truth. When he finds the truth, he will have found the Divine Law. When he has found the Divine Law, he will live it. When he lives the Law, then will he become the Son; and, when he has found the Son, he will give honor to the Father, for he is the Son of the Father.

Faith without works is dead. Faith cannot bring man to salvation; but, if he has faith and will do the things that faith dictates, then will he come to know and to honor the Son, for the Son is within him.

He who says that he believes in the Father, and does not obey Him is a blasphemer. He who obeys the Father does not follow the will of the flesh; he does not hate, he does not cheat, nor murder, nor commit crime, nor does he harbor unkind surmises and suspicions concerning others; for these things are not characteristics of the Illumined Soul.

LESSON NINETEEN

Only those who obey the Divine Law and live according to the Law will be Immortal. Belief alone can not give eternal life.

St. John 5:24-34.

24. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

If we hear the word that gives life and accept it, then will we live according to the Divine Law.

When we do this we no longer listen to the calls of the carnal self; but we seek for the Voice of the Father that is within us. Through obedience to the Law, will we eventually come to Divine Illumination; and whoever attains Illumination will have found eternal life.

When we no longer listen to the desires of the lower self, or the fleshly nature, we cease to do those things which bring destruction. Hatred, jealousy, cheating, questionable business methods, murder under the name of justice in wars-such things as these will no longer have our consent. We will refuse to obey the commands of the unregenerate, personal self. We will do only those things which the enlightened Voice tells us are right.

This kind of a life does not make one impractical, but severely practical. Men must do their duty as men in the world. They must be active in the interests of home, community, and state. But, in these varied, practical interests and activities, they are to be prompted and guided by the Law of Justice and Good-will toward man.

25. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

"The dead" are those who live only for the carnal self.

They are those who refuse to recognize anything except that which they can see and feel. They believe in nothing except that which the eyes can behold. They are dead in the self. These shall hear the Divine Law; and, if they listen and accept and do, then shall they live.

Those are dead who deny that man has a Soul; for they recognize only the man of flesh. They are the worshippers of "the beast;" for to them there is nothing except that which the senses of the flesh can know and understand.

26. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have in himself;

27. And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.

All that which the Father has, the Son has also; for he is become part of the Father.

The Father dwells in the temple; for the temple has been purified, and made a fit dwelling place for Him. "Ye are the temples of the living God."

28. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,

29. And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

What is the resurrection? It is the new, or the third, birth. The resurrection refers to the time when the soul that has been sleeping awakens and knows that it lives.

It is a coming forth from the grave. When man lives the carnal life, the soul is as something dead; for it is covered by the dark and evil flesh, it is in the grave. If man listens to the Divine Law, he will gradually throw aside the earth and the debris that cover the divine spark; in time, the soul will become awakened, it will become conscious. In other words, the Soul has arisen; the "resurrection" has taken place; and the man has entered into life.

But those who persist in disregarding the Divine Law cannot awaken to Soul Consciousness. They refuse to free

the divine spark from the earthly, or fleshly, grave in which it is buried. At the transition called death, the body disintegrates and returns to the elements whence it came; the divine spark (unfoldment, or individualization, not having begun) is called back to the Infinite whence it came; and the man that was, returns "unto the resurrection of damnation."

He that knows not God (which is to say, he that has not lived such a life as will open up Soul Consciousness) is in the grave. He is dead to all that is real and lasting.

30. I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge:

and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent

me.

The soul has no will of its own, it must receive that which is sent unto it. The mind is the creator, and, consequently, the center of will force. If the mind wills to do wrong, the soul must receive the evil report; or, to state the same thought differently, the soul must register the wrong. The soul is sent by the Father to receive, and to judge that which it receives. It cannot refuse to receive from the mind, for the mind is the master and the creator; but the soul is obliged to render judgment according to the character of what it receives.

31. If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.

The soul cannot change anything. Its mission is not to command, but to receive.

32. There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.

33. Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. John represents the awakened mind, which always knows the truth. When the mind ceased to be satisfied with temporal, carnal, fleshly interests, it sought to free itself from fleshly entanglements and bondages. In order to give up its fleshly interests, it must give attention to the Soul, and work for its advancement. The mind, thus awakened to