Page:The astral world, higher occult powers; (IA astralworldhighe00tiff).pdf/211

 of institutions, as means of government, have respect to the concentration and direction of force.

But as the selfish man can be governed only by an appeal to his selfish nature, and that must be addressed through the motives of hope and fear, these institutions of government, addressing man's hopes and fears, are indispensable for the well-being of society, and can never be dispensed with until man is elevated to a higher plane, and made the subject of a higher government. In other words, this kind of government must never be taken from man, but man must be elevated above, and thus be taken from the government. There have been two opposite errors respecting this kind of government: one declaring it to be ordained by God, and therefore to be observed and obeyed as an exponent of the Divine will and character; the other holding that all governments of force and blood are contrary to Divine appointment—both of which doctrines are true when viewed in a proper direction, and false when viewed in the opposite one.

In the first place, it is according to Divine appointment that man, as well as every other finite being, shall be governed according to the law of the plane in which he exists and acts; because every thing existing in a finite and relational sphere must become the subject of some law, or it could perform no mission in respect to itself or any other existence. Without law it could not be saved from utter destruction. And being the subject of law, it must be the law of the plane in which it exists and acts; hence whatever may be the law of that plane, it is one of Divine appointment.