christian science-第34节

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escape　the　penalty　due　for　sin。　　The　Scriptures　say；　that　if　we　deny
Christ；　〃He　also　will　deny　us。〃

The　divine　Love　corrects　and　governs　man。　　Men　may　pardon；　but　this
divine　Principle　alone　reforms　the　sinner。　　God　is　not　separate　from　the
wisdom　He　bestows。　　The　talents　He　gives　we　must　improve。　　Calling　on　Him
to　forgive　our　work；　badly　done　or　left　undone；　implies　the　vain
supposition　that　we　have　nothing　to　do　but　to　ask　pardon；　and　that
afterwards　we　shall　be　free　to　repeat　the　offence。

To　cause　suffering；　as　the　result　of　sin；　is　the　means　of　destroying　sin。
Every　supposed　pleasure　in　sin　will　furnish　more　than　its　equivalent　of
pain；　until　belief　in　material　life　and　sin　is　destroyed。　　To　reach
heaven；　the　harmony　of　Being；　we　must　understand　the　divine　Principle　of
Being。

〃God　is　Love。〃　　More　than　this　we　cannot　ask；　higher　we　cannot　look；
farther　we　cannot　go。　　To　suppose　that　God　forgives　or　punishes　sin；
according　as　His　mercy　is　sought　or　unsought；　is　to　misunderstand　Love
and　make　prayer　the　safety…valve　for　wrong…doing。

Jesus　uncovered　and　rebuked　sin　before　He　cast　it　out。　　Of　a　sick　woman
He　said　that　Satan　had　bound　her；　and　to　Peter　He　said；　〃Thou　art　an
offense　unto　me。〃　　He　came　teaching　and　showing　men　how　to　destroy　sin；
sickness；　and　death。　　He　said　of　the　fruitless　tree；　〃It　is　hewn　down。〃

It　is　believed　by　many　that　a　certain　magistrate；　who　lived　in　the　time
of　Jesus；　left　this　record：　〃His　rebuke　is　fearful。〃　　The　strong　language
of　our　Master　confirms　this　description。

The　only　civil　sentence　which　He　had　for　error　was；　〃Get　thee　behind　Me；
Satan。〃　　Still　stronger　evidence　that　Jesus'　reproof　was　pointed　and
pungent　is　in　His　own　wordsshowing　the　necessity　for　such　forcible
utterance；　when　He　cast　out　devils　and　healed　the　sick　and　sinful。　　The
relinquishment　of　error　deprives　material　sense　of　its　false　claims。

Audible　prayer　is　impressive；　it　gives　momentary　solemnity　and　elevation
to　thought；　but　does　it　produce　any　lasting　benefit？　　Looking　deeply　into
these　things；　we　find　that　〃a　zeal　。　　。　　。　　not　according　to　knowledge；〃
gives　occasion　for　reaction　unfavorable　to　spiritual　growth；　sober
resolve；　and　wholesome　perception　of　God's　requirements。　　The　motives　for
verbal　prayer　may　embrace　too　much　love　of　applause　to　induce　or
encourage　Christian　sentiment。

Physical　sensation；　not　Soul；　produces　material　ecstasy；　and　emotions。
If　spiritual　sense　always　guided　men　at　such　times；　there　would　grow　out
of　those　ecstatic　moments　a　higher　experience　and　a　better　life；　with
more　devout　self…abnegation；　and　purity。　　A　self…satisfied　ventilation　of
fervent　sentiments　never　makes　a　Christian。　　God　is　not　influenced　by
man。　　The　〃divine　ear〃　is　not　an　auditoria！　　nerve。　　It　is　the　all…
hearing　and　all…knowing　Mind；　to　whom　each　want　of　man　is　always　known；
and　by　whom　it　will　be　supplied。

The　danger　from　audible　prayer　is；　that　it　may　lead　us　into　temptation。
By　it　we　may　become　involuntary　hypocrites；　uttering　desires　which　are
not　real；　and　consoling　ourselves　in　the　midst　of　sin；　with　the
recollection　that　we　have　prayed　over　it　or　mean　to　ask　forgiveness　at
some　later　day。　　Hypocrisy　is　fatal　to　religion。

A　wordy　prayer　may　afford　a　quiet　sense　of　self…justification；　though　it
makes　the　sinner　a　hypocrite。　　We　never　need　despair　of　an　honest　heart；
but　there　is　little　hope　for　those　who　only　come　spasmodically　face　to
face　with　their　wickedness；　and　then　seek　to　hide　it。　　Their　prayers　are
indexes　which　do　not　correspond　with　their　character。　　They　hold　secret
fellowship　with　sin；　and　such　externals　are　spoken　of　by　Jesus　as　〃like
unto　whited　sepulchres　。　　。　　。　　full　of　all　uncleanness。〃

If　a　man；　though　apparently　fervent　and　prayerful；　is　impure；　and
therefore　insincere；　what　must　be　the　comment　upon　him？　　If　he　had
reached　the　loftiness　of　his　prayer；　there　would　be　no　occasion　for　such
comment。　　If　we　feel　the　aspiration；　humility；　gratitude；　and　love　which
our　words　expressthis　God　accepts；　and　it　is　wise　not　to　try　to　deceive
our。　　selves　or　others；　for　〃there　is　nothing　covered　that　shall　not　be
revealed。〃　　Professions　and　audible　prayers　are　like　charity　in　one
respect　they　〃cover　a　multitude　of　sins。〃　　Praying　for　humility；　with
whatever　fervency　of　expression；　does　not　always　mean　a　desire　for　it。
If　we　turn　away　from　the　poor；　we　are　not　ready　to　receive　the　reward　of
Him　who　blesses　the　poor。　　We　confess　to　having　a　very　wicked　heart；　and
ask　that　it　may　be　laid　bare　before　us；　but　do　we　not　already　know　more
of　this　heart　than　we　are　willing　to　have　our　neighbor　see？

We　ought　to　examine　ourselves；　and　learn　what　is　the　affection　and
purpose　of　the　heart；　for　this　alone　can　show　us　what　we　honestly　are。
If　a　friend　informs　us　of　a　fault；　do　we　listen　to　the　rebuke　patiently；
and　credit　what　is　said？　　Do　we　not　rather　give　thanks　that　we　are　〃not
as　other　men？〃　During　many　years　the　author　has　been　most　grateful　for
merited　rebuke。　　The　sting　lies　in　unmerited　censurein　the　falsehood
which　does　no　one　any　good。

The　test　of　all　prayer　lies　in　the　answer　to　these　questions：　Do　we　love
our　neighbor　better　because　of　this　asking？　　Do　we　pursue　the　old
selfishness；　satisfied　with　having　prayed　for　something　better；　though　we
give　no　evidence　of　the　sincerity　of　our　requests　by　living　consistently
with　our　prayer？　　If　selfishness　has　given　place　to　kindness；　we　shall
regard　our　neighbor　unselfishly；　and　bless　them　that　curse　us；　but　we
shall　never　meet　this　great　duty　by　simply　asking　that　it　may　be　done。
There　is　a　cross　to　be　taken　up；　before　we　can　enjoy　the　fruition　of　our
hope　and　faith。

Dost　thou　〃love　the　Lord　thy　God　with　all　thy　heart；　and　with　all　thy
soul；　and　with　all　thy　mind？〃　This　command　includes　mucheven　the
surrender　of　all　merely　material　sensation；　affection；　and　worship。　　This
is　the　E1　Dorado　of　Christianity。　　It　involves　the　Science　of　Life；　and
recognizes　only　the　divine　control　of　Spirit；　wherein　Soul　is　our　master；
and　material　sense　and　human　will　have　no　place。

Are　you　willing　to　leave　all　for　Christ；　for　Truth；　and　so　be　counted
among　sinners？　　No！　　Do　you　really　desire　to　attain　this　point？　　No！
Then　why　make　long　prayers　about　it；　and　ask　to　be　Christians；　since　you
care　not　to　tread　in　the　footsteps　of　our　dear　Master？　　If　unwilling　to
follow　His　example；　wherefore　pray　with　the　lips　that　you　may　be
partakers　of　His　nature？　　Consistent　prayer　is　the　desire　to　do　right。
Prayer　means　that　we　desire　to；　and　will；　walk　in　the　light　so　far　as　we
receive　it；　even　though　with　bleeding　footsteps；　and　waiting　patiently　on
the　Lord；　will　leave　our　real　desires　to　be　rewarded　by　Him。

The　world　must　grow　to　the　spiritual　understanding　of　prayer。　　If　good
enough　to　profit　by　Jesus'　cup　of　earthly　sorrows；　God　will　sustain　us
under　these　sorrows。　　Until　we　are　thus　divinely　qualified；　and　willing
to　drink　His　cup；　millions　of　vain　repetitions　will　never　pour　into
prayer　the　unction　of　Spirit；　in　demonstration　of　power；　and　〃with　signs
following。〃　　Christian　Science　reveals　a　necessity　for　overcoming　the
world；　the　flesh　and　evil；　and　thus　destroying　all　error。

Seeking　is　not　sufficient。　　It　is　striving　which　enables　us　to　enter。
Spiritual　attainments　open　the　door　to　a　higher　understanding　of　the
divine　Life。

One　of　the　forms　of　worship　in　Thibet　is　to　carry　a　praying…machine
through　the　streets；　and　stop　at　the　doors　to　earn　a　penny　by　grinding
out　a　prayer；　whereas　civilization　pays　for　clerical　prayers；　in　lofty
edifices。　　Is　the　difference　very　great；　after　all？

Experience　teaches　us　that　we　do　not　always　receive　the　blessings　we　ask
for　in　prayer。

There　is　some　misapprehension　of　the　source　and　means　of　all　goodness　and
blessedness；　or　we　should　certainly　receive　what　we　ask　for。　　The
Scriptures　say：　〃Ye　ask；　and　receive　not；　because　ye　ask　amiss；　that　ye
may　consume　it　upon　your　lusts。〃　　What　we　desire　and　ask　for　it　is　not
always　best　for　us　to　receive。　　In　this　case　infinite　Love　will　not　grant
the　request。　　Do　you　ask　Wisdom　to　be　merciful　and　not　punish　sin？　　Then
〃ye　ask　amiss。〃　　Without　punishment；　sin　would　multiply。　　Jesus'　prayer；
〃forgive　us　our　debts；〃　specified　also　the　terms　of　forgiveness。　　When
forgiving　the　adulterous　woman　He　said；　〃Go；　and　sin　no　more。〃

A　magistrate　sometimes　remits　the　penalty；　but　this　may　be　no　moral
benefit　to　the　criminal；　and　at　best；　it　only　saves　him　from　one　form　of
punishment。　　The　moral　law；　which　has　the　right　to　acquit　or　condemn；
always　demands　restitution；　before　mortals　can　〃go　up　higher。〃　　Broken
law　brings　penalty；　in　order　to　compel　this　progress。

Mere　legal　pardon　（and　there　is　no　other；　for　divine　Principle　never
pardons　our　sins　or　mistakes　till　they　are　corrected）　leaves　the　offender
free　to　repeat　the　offense；　if；　indeed；　he　has　not　already　suffered
sufficiently　from　vice　to　make　him　turn　from　it　with　loathing。　　Truth
bestows　no　pardon　upon　error；　but　wipes　it　out　in　the　most　effectual
manner。　　Jesus　suffered　for　our　sins；　not　to　annul　the　divine　sentence
against　an　individual's　sin；　but　to　show　that　sin　must　bring　inevitable
suffering。

Petitions