Page:Miscellaneous Writings.djvu/235

Rh attaches to sin due penalties as its antidotes and remedies.

Who art thou, vain mortal, that usurpest the prerogative of divine wisdom, and wouldst teach God not to punish sin? that wouldst shut the mouth of His prophets, and cry, “Peace, peace; when there is no peace,” — yea, that healest the wounds of my people slightly?

The Principle of divine Science being Love, the divine rule of this Principle demonstrates Love, and proves that human belief fulfils the law of belief, and dies of its own physics. Metaphysics also demonstrates this Principle of cure when sin is self-destroyed. Short-sighted physics admits the so-called pains of matter that destroy its more dangerous pleasures.

Insomnia compels mortals to learn that neither oblivion nor dreams can recuperate the life of man, whose Life is God, for God neither slumbers nor sleeps. The loss of gustatory enjoyment and the ills of indigestion tend to rebuke appetite and destroy the peace of a false sense. False pleasure will be, is, chastened; it has no right to be at peace. To suffer for having “other gods before me,” is divinely wise. Evil passions die in their own flames, but are punished before extinguished. Peace has no foothold on the false basis that evil should be concealed and that life and happiness should still attend it. Joy is self-sustained; goodness and blessedness are one: suffering is self-inflicted, and good is the master of evil.

To this scientific logic and the logic of events, egotism and false charity say, “ ‘Not so, Lord;’ it is wise to cover iniquity and punish it not, then shall mortals have peace.” Divine Love, as unconscious as incapable of