Chapter XV - Genesis
Scientific offspring
540:1
marvellous demonstrations. Christ is the offspring of
marvellous demonstrations. Christ is the offspring of
Spirit, and spiritual existence shows that Spirit creates
neither a wicked nor a mortal man, lapsing into sin, sick-
ness, and death.
Cleansing upheaval
540:5
In Isaiah we read: "I make peace, and create evil. I
In Isaiah we read: "I make peace, and create evil. I
the Lord do all these things;" but the prophet referred to
divine law as stirring up the belief in evil to its
utmost, when bringing it to the surface and re-
ducing it to its common denominator, nothingness. The
muddy river-bed must be stirred in order to purify the
stream. In moral chemicalization, when the symptoms
of evil, illusion, are aggravated, we may think in our igno-
rance that the Lord hath wrought an evil; but we ought
to know that God's law uncovers so-called sin and its
effects, only that Truth may annihilate all sense of evil
and all power to sin.
Allegiance to Spirit
540:17
Science renders "unto Caesar the things which are
Science renders "unto Caesar the things which are
Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's." It
saith to the human sense of sin, sickness, and
death, "God never made you, and you are a
false sense which hath no knowledge of God." The pur-
pose of the Hebrew allegory, representing error as assum-
ing a divine character, is to teach mortals never to believe
a lie.
540:25
Genesis iv. 3, 4. Cain brought of the fruit of the ground
Genesis iv. 3, 4. Cain brought of the fruit of the ground
an offering unto the Lord [Jehovah]. And Abel, he also
brought of the firstlings of his flock, and of the fat thereof.
Spiritual and material
540:28
Cain is the type of mortal and material man, conceived
Cain is the type of mortal and material man, conceived
in sin and "shapen in iniquity;" he is not the
type of Truth and Love. Material in origin
and sense, he brings a material offering to God. Abel
541:1
takes his offering from the firstlings of the flock. A lamb
takes his offering from the firstlings of the flock. A lamb
is a more animate form of existence, and more nearly re-
sembles a mind-offering than does Cain's fruit. Jealous
of his brother's gift, Cain seeks Abel's life, instead of mak-
ing his own gift a higher tribute to the Most High.
541:6
Genesis iv. 4, 5. And the Lord [Jehovah] had respect
Genesis iv. 4, 5. And the Lord [Jehovah] had respect
unto Abel, and to his offering: but unto Cain, and to his
offering, He had not respect.
541:9
Had God more respect for the homage bestowed through
Had God more respect for the homage bestowed through
a gentle animal than for the worship expressed by Cain's
fruit? No; but the lamb was a more spiritual type of
even the human concept of Love than the herbs of the
ground could be.
541:14
Genesis iv. 8. Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and
Genesis iv. 8. Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and
slew him.
541:16
The erroneous belief that life, substance, and intelli-
The erroneous belief that life, substance, and intelli-
gence can be material ruptures the life and brotherhood
of man at the very outset.
541:19
Genesis iv. 9. And the Lord [Jehovah] said unto Cain,
Genesis iv. 9. And the Lord [Jehovah] said unto Cain,
Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am
I my brother's keeper?
Brotherhood repudiated
541:22
Here the serpentine lie invents new forms. At first it
Here the serpentine lie invents new forms. At first it
usurps divine power. It is supposed to say
in the first instance, "Ye shall be as gods."
Now it repudiates even the human duty of man towards
his brother.
541:27
Genesis iv. 10, 11. And He [Jehovah] said, . . . The
Genesis iv. 10, 11. And He [Jehovah] said, . . . The
voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto Me from the ground.
And now art thou cursed from the earth.