Page:The Parable of Creation.djvu/144

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140
The Parable of Creation.

multiply, and its love of good will become wonderfully fruitful in spiritual works. In the beginnings of regeneration the mind's understandings of the truths concerning God, heaven, and eternal life, are feeble indeed and few. In its outcomes they multiply and grow strong beyond any thing that lower states can conceive of. In the beginnings of regeneration, the spiritual love is but feebly fruitful. In its outcomes, its fruit of good works and of ability to accomplish them has developed beyond all calculation. It is not the man, as a physical being, who is commanded to be fruitful and multiply, but it is the spiritual manhood of the mind. It is also commanded to "replenish the earth." To replenish is to fill again. The earth still typifies the mind. In the course of regeneration, the latter has cast out its false opinions and ignoble loves. It is to be replenished with spiritual ideas and heavenly loves. The command also goes forth to man to "subdue" the earth. This means that the new manhood is to subdue all its lower principles and desires, and to bring all portions of the mind into due subjection to its high behests.

And now man is commanded to have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. The regenerated understanding and will, the intel-