Esoteric V10: July 1896 - Iapsop.com

1897.] TuE EvERLASTING CoVENANT. 581
our own work as (in the same way) God rests from hie. Now,
God is the Creator .of an · things, and if we can perceive by
what laws and methode he created the world. ourselves included,
it will be diROOvered what this rest of the holy ~~&bbath is,
or, in other words,. from what works we are .to cease, iu order to
enter into.·God'R rest. There is no question that this sabbath
i11 one of l'eet from creating the world ancl all that is in it: the
only 'queKtiona, are, How is thia work of creation being curied
forward? ancl, What is num'e relation to it?
The fir~~t question is answered by the material scientist, who
has cliiiCovered·and given to the world as a scientific fact, that
everything thRt lhes and grows, from the lowest order of vegetH
ble life tA1 the highest organism of the animal world, exists
wholly hy ruP&nM of the prupagatinn of its kind,-generation.
W tl lwlieve that the acieutific wnrld hu not yet recognized thlt
all ~olid euth 1md miuet·a) eiPmentR are the asheR of the dead.
They have diRc•ovtot·ecl thi11 fatct with t-egllrd to emue of the earth
euhRtanceR, but we know it to be trne of aiJ of them. Therefore
Gucl baR creatf'd the worM by c·anKiug it t.1 generate its kind,
eaoh generation, in itR order, solidifying into earthy elements.
It then appears clear that Gocl's work has been that of creating
through and by generation, and .when he rests from hie
work, that he muRt necessarily rest ft'Om the work of generation,
whil!h has been going on in the world from the beginning to
the present time.
If God, figuratively 11peaking, should stretch forth hie hand
and stop the wheels of this wonderful self-propelling machine
of creative nntul'f\, then wonlrl 1111 ·thingl' die, and, as the angel
said to the prophet EKCh·ae (A pom·ypha. ), the earth would .. return
t-11 its old dark Rileawe." Bnt hy hie prophets God baa
shown ns that he will not t·eet from the work ."f creation until
hi!l people take hold nn hie cc1venatnt and l'est ft'OIII their own
work11, and thereby mature, accomplish, bring: tA• an ultimate,
his purpoAe in the creation of the world and of man upon it.
In Gt>n. 1. 26 thi11 purpose is announced to be that of making
man in his imagt>. after hie likeness, and of giving them the do­
. minion over the earth and all that is in it. ThPn God ceases the
work of creation because he gives that work into the hands of
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