*The terms "Initiate" and "Arcane Master," as well as many other similar terms used in arcane literature, refer to an individual who has so lived in harmony with the Divine Law that he has become conscious of the Soul within himself. This exalted state of being is now called Illumination, but over the centuries various other names have been used to describe it and allied states, such as Soul Consciousness, Cosmic Consciousness, Philosophical Initiation and Mastership. While there are subtle differences between these various stages of development, they all indicate a specific degree of spiritual attainment from Illumination onward.

Perhaps no other phrase is used as much in the books of the Fraternitas Rosæ Crucis as the Divine Law. Every student is admonished not only to learn more of the Divine Law, but also to live in harmony with it. This may be well and good for those who are familiar with this Law, but what of those who have just encountered our Fraternity and its teachings? How are they to come to understand what we mean when we refer to the Divine Law? Just what is this Law, and how do we know if we are living in harmony with it?

There is nothing particularly mysterious about the Divine Law. It is a Law that each of us encounters a thousand times a day, though, of course, most individuals do not understand it as such. It is simply the Universal Operating Law of Creation. Each great spiritual teacher of mankind has taught its basic principles and adapted them to the people he was sent to instruct. While each of these interpretations may seem to vary since they were conceived for a specific time and group of people, the underlying Law does not, and cannot, change, because it is the only Law that allows the present state of Creation to exist. There is nothing arbitrary about the Divine Law, since all existence, as we know it, is completely dependent upon its absolute perfection of operation. The degree of this perfection was intimated by the Nazarene when he stated, "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered."- Matthew 10:29-30. If we substitute "the Divine Law" for "your Father" this statement is in full harmony with all that has been taught in the "Mysteries" since man became man. What the Nazarene was attempting to teach his disciples (and anyone else who had "ears to hear") was the omnipresence and omnipotence of the Divine Law; that this Law was first instituted by the Creator as a vital and essential part of Creation; that it and it alone was complete and exact enough to bring Order out of Chaos. This same inference (that of the Father being a synonym for the Divine Law He set into motion) is given in the statement, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."-Matthew 5:48. What the Nazarene is really saying to his listeners is, "Learn to function in harmony with the Divine Law which, by its very nature, must be perfect or the world as you know it would immediately return to Chaos."

The Divine Law was, and is, not an arbitrary Law. It was not just God's idea of how a Creation should be run. Rather, it was the only Law and set of rules and regulations that has allowed for the Universe as we know it. Take away the Divine Law, and you immediately return Creation to Chaos and consideration of man to only a vague memory.

This last point is of utmost importance to all men and women who live on this small planet. For centuries we have been taught of a vengeful God who is ever ready to punish those who do not obey His will. With such a negative concept, it is not difficult to see why so many individuals have left the church and embraced the religion of science. If the truth is to be admitted, more of the Divine Law is probably to be found today in the teachings of science (particularly the science of business) than in most churches or synagogues.

God does not punish. No, like the Nazarene, He weeps to see the suffering of those who, out of ignorance or desire, attempt to defy the Divine Law and thereby bring upon themselves the reaction of this exact Law. Notice we say "attempt to defy the Divine Law." No one, not even God Himself, can defy or circumvent the Divine Law. The most that can be accomplished is an attempt to do so. This was the point of the Nazarene in his dissertation with his disciples regarding the sparrow and the hairs of their head. He was attempting to convince them that if the death of a single sparrow is under the functioning "eye" of the Divine Law, how much more so would it be the governing Law for every action of man?

If you desire to construct anything, from an umbrella to a Universe, you have to take into consideration the various ways in which this can be accomplished. Certain factors have to be taken into consideration. As much as you might desire it otherwise, you would not be smart to make your umbrella out of a water-soluble substance. So the Creator discovered that in making His Universe out of Chaos (undefined matter) He too needed to follow certain criteria, or His orderly Creation would quickly revert to Chaos once again. This set of principles which God found to be essential to establish His Universe and to prevent it from immediately returning to Chaos is what we now call the Divine Law. This Law is not arbitrary. It is simply the only functioning mechanism that is sufficiently balanced and powerful to sustain matter in its various organized forms to produce the Universe we now know and love. As such, it should be obvious that the Divine Law can show no partiality. It is, and must remain, completely neutral. It is for this reason that the Bible informs us: "God is no respecter of persons."-Acts 10:34. Here again, if we substitute "the Divine Law" for "God" we discover the original meaning of this verse.

The Divine Law is not a capricious edict of the Creator. It is simply the only functioning mechanism under which our Universe can exist. When the various spiritual texts of each authentic religion admonished mankind to "obey" the will of God, they used language they felt the common people could understand and apply, but which, in fact, is not the full truth as we know it today. What they would have said if the people had ears to hear was: "Learn to understand the Divine Law, and live in harmony with it. Since this is the basic Law of your existence, any attempt to defy it will always create an undesirable reaction for you."

It has been our experience that many fine, dedicated and moral human beings can no longer accept the admonition to "obey" God without further explanation. They are so sufficiently independent that they desire to obey only their own conscience and not be forced or coerced to obey just because they are told to do so by either church or state. We personally applaud these individuals and count ourselves among their cadre.

Most religious teachings as they have been handed down to us were not meant for such independently thinking individuals. They were designed instead for those who are not so much interested in the order of things in Creation, but who rather are looking for a simple pattern of belief to bring some solace and peace to an otherwise difficult existence.

Today we find the world divided into two general camps: (1) Those who are satisfied with the religious teachings of punishment and retribution doled out by a "loving" God if one does not "obey" His commands as dictated by the church and (2) those whose reasoning mind and rational conscience directs them to reject such church teachings as without scientific foundation. Admittedly, many of this latter group give "lip service" to the popular religions, much in the same way that the intelligentsia of Greece and Rome did to the mythology of their day; but by their actions one can readily discern their real feelings and beliefs.

Just as the philosophy of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle transcended the popular mythology of their day, so do the teachings of the Fraternitas Rosæ Crucis concerning the Divine Law, the Great Work and Soul Illumination transcend the religious mythologies of today. These three concepts are not for those who are satisfied with the status quo. They are concepts for those who are willing to think for themselves; who desire to know the Laws of their being and furthermore are not only willing, but eager to learn to live in harmony with them, knowing that this effort alone is able to bring them all that is good and productive in existence. They soon learn that it is not a "chore" to live in harmony with these three great principles, but rather that such a life rapidly becomes an "obsession," or, as one of our Fraternal brothers called it in his book by the same name, a Magnificent Obsession.

The Divine Law is nothing more or less than the functioning mechanism of our existence. It manifests in every conceivable manner, since there is nothing in all of life, human and otherwise, that can function in any way without interfacing with this Law. If our actions are in harmony with its principles, we prosper and gain all that is good and useful in life. If, on the other hand, we attempt to work counter to the principles of this functioning mechanism, we will suffer the consequences of our ignorance or defiance. Neither man nor God can set aside the reaction of this mechanism.

Let us take for an example the well-known law of gravity. This, like all else we can envision or discover, is a functioning part of the Divine Law. If we stand on a high cliff and contemplate whether we can fly if we jumped off, we are using the free will given us as men and women to make our own decisions. We trust that the little knowledge we already have of the Divine Law will tell us that we will not be able to fly if we jump (unless we have developed some mechanism that will allow us to do so under the principles of the Divine Law) and that it would not be a good thing to do. So, if we decide not to test our ability to fly, we have harmonized with the Divine Law. Now, that was easy, wasn't it? If on the other hand we jump and are smashed on the rocks below, we still learn something of the working of the Divine Law, but our use of this new understanding is short-lived. Happily, most of the learning experiences we go through to gain greater comprehension of the Divine Law are not quite so final as this example, and we will have an opportunity to put our newly discovered knowledge to use in future endeavors.

In the example given you will notice one thing that distinguishes man from all other entities that function under the Divine Law. He has a reasoning mind that allows him to decide, first, what is the Law and, second, whether he wants to follow the Law. Man is not required by instinct (like the animals) or by external forces (like the stars and planets) to follow the Divine Law. He has a choice, and thus introduces into Creation the factor of drama. Will he or will he not follow the Divine Law? Once he learns to do so, he will, as promised, become like the gods, knowing good and evil. If he does not or, rather, will not, then he will of his own efforts and free will bring about his complete annihilation from all existence. This is the final result of his attempt to defy the Divine Law. This final result is not a form of punishment from a vengeful God or even the condemnation of church prelates, but only the natural and expected reaction under the Divine Law of his own willful destructive actions.

This is the great secret of all action and reaction in our world. No one sits in judgment on our actions; no one punishes us because we break some arbitrary rules set up by a jealous and vengeful God long ago. We create reactions only from the actions we take of our own free will. If these actions are in harmony with the functioning mechanism of our existence (the Divine Law), the reactions will be what we call good. If our actions are not in harmony with this functioning mechanism, they will be what we call bad or unpleasant. We leave it up you to evaluate our world today and to determine if you believe the majority live in harmony with the Divine Law or not. However, regardless of what others do, you may learn to live in harmony with the Divine Law and then, even though all else around you is in ruin and decay, you still reap the reaction of the thoughts, desires and actions that you alone have created. This is one of the most reassuring facets of the Divine Law.

One of the most important principles of the Divine Law is its absolute reliance on balance and equal exchange. It is this principle that allowed the Creator to make Order out of Chaos. For this reason we have the assurance that "Order is Heaven's first Law," and such order can only be obtained and, equally importantly, maintained by the reliance on balance and equal exchange.

Biblically this principle was stated in several ways. The Nazarene assured his followers, "and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again."-Matthew 7:2. Saint Paul put it slightly different when he assured his listeners:

"But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden.... Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."

- Galatians 6:4-8.

We find that both the Master from Galilee and Saint Paul taught the Law of balance and compensation in different words, so that the Law would be adapted to those to whom they spoke, but in both instances the message was the same: "There is an exact balance to the Divine Law. You will be treated by the Law in exact proportion to the way you treat the Law and thereby others. Whatever actions you take will create an equal reaction that will, in time, return to you with interest, be that good or ill."

While we do not find the scientific nature of this reaction explained in Scripture (the people were not yet that far advanced), it is easily explained today. Under the Divine Law all must remain in balance, or the entire system will return to Chaos; there is no middle ground. To maintain this essential exact order, the Divine Law must be self-maintaining. That is, the action of the Law must be such that any movement in any direction must at the same time be compensated for by a reactive motion in the opposite direction. The knowledge of this fact of the Divine Law allowed both the Nazarene and Saint Paul to make the positive statements of the Law they did. They had no fear of contradiction, since they were both well versed in the functioning of the Divine Law. This same acquaintance with the Law allowed the Nazarene to assure his disciples that the "hairs of their head were numbered." He did not mean to indicate that God went around counting the hairs of people's heads, but rather that the Divine Law was so inclusive in its monitoring of Creation that no detail, no matter how minuscule, could be overlooked by it in its efforts to maintain order and prevent a return to Chaos.

At the beginning of Creation God set the Divine Law into motion as the only possible way of maintaining order in the Universe. He well knew that not even He could alter this Law once it was set into motion without destroying His entire Creation. This Law, this Divine Law, is self- perpetuating and self-maintaining. It does not, cannot, show favorites; to do so would be to destroy the balance of the Law and this, as discussed, would instantly destroy the Law itself and with it all of God's Creation.

God does not, and would not, attempt to circumvent the Divine Law; the rest of Nature (animal, vegetable and mineral) cannot circumvent the Divine Law; only men and women, possessing both a mind and free will, have the ability or desire to attempt to circumvent the Divine Law. This fact being comprehended and accepted, it is easy to understand some very important concepts about human existence.

If we assume that evil, sin, wrongdoing, misfortune, catastrophe, call it what you will, is the result of attempted defiance of the Divine Law (for such it is) and that God would not (and the rest of existence cannot) attempt to defy His own Divine Law for reasons already given, we find the only culprits left are we, the men and women of this Earth. As a radio star of the 1940s (yes, we go back that far) used to say, "What a revolting development this is." There is simply no way to avoid the rather unpleasant conclusion about our world, that is, that we, not God, other humans, or fate, are responsible for the adverse reactions that come to us; that we as the human race have been the creators of all the evil and other despicable reactions we find in our world. Furthermore, if they are to be corrected and changed, it is we and we alone who must do the correcting and changing, because the balanced reactive nature of the Divine Law will allow for no other corrective measures.

Equal exchange has to be one of the obvious principles of a just and orderly Law, and the Divine Law is, must be, just that. For whatever we receive in this life we must be willing, even eager, to make full and just compensation. This is essential to maintain the necessary balance required by the Divine Law. As we become more and more acquainted with the Divine Law, we come to understand that all so-called "sin" is nothing more or less than an attempt to steal that which we do not deserve, because under the Divine Law we have not yet paid the price. That is, we were not willing to make the proper compensation to the Divine Law so as to allow it to preserve its required balance. Since the Divine Law cannot become unbalanced, whenever we attempt to take that which we have not earned, the Law must take from us that which we have earned previously to compensate it for the loss. This is a hard concept to accept at first, but it is the only way the Divine Law can maintain the required Universal Order.

Since there is always a certain amount of interest to be extracted by the Divine Law so that its "books" are balanced in regard to the time interval between the attempted "stealing" and the "payback," there is always a steady loss to all those who insist on "stealing" from the Law. Some may take exception to our use of the word "stealing" and yet there is none better, for that is exactly what transpires. When you attempt to take that which you have not yet earned, you must, under the reaction of the Law, attempt to take from someone who has earned it, since all that is belongs to someone or something, and you cannot legitimately attempt to take it from him unless you give him just compensation in return. To do otherwise is to set into motion an adverse (to you) reaction of the Divine Law.

Perhaps the perfect example of this principle of the Divine Law is to be found in the exercise of the sexual nature of man. The Divine Law, or God if you will, since one is not conceivable without the other, arranged the sexual nature of men and women to provide all good things for them and the world we know as Earth. They, if we may use that term to refer to God and His Law, carefully designed things so that this sexual function, like everything else in life, provided both privileges and responsibilities. The privileges, of course, being the undeniable pleasure of the sexual embrace; the responsibilities, on the part of the husband, being the care and protection of his wife and family, and on the part of the wife, the trials and dangers of bearing children as well as the required dedication to raising them. Under these circumstances, we should not be surprised to discover that one of man's (woman's?) first efforts to circumvent the Divine Law (in Genesis, 3:7, Moses indicates by their new sense of nakedness that it was the first) was an attempt to enjoy the pleasures of sexual congress without accepting the natural consequences of such acts. Moses details this "original sin" (that is, man's first attempt to circumvent the Divine Law) in his story of Adam, Eve and the serpent. While we were not there and so cannot verify the Mosaic concept of the "Original Sin" as an eye witness, we find it difficult to conceive of a more plausible way of introducing "sin" (the attempt to circumvent the Divine Law) into the world. So until someone comes up with a more logical and compelling concept, we'll stick with Moses.

Adam and Eve were, of course, only the beginning of mankind's desire to transgress the Divine Law by attempting to "steal" sexual pleasure while refusing to accept the responsibilities for their actions. In fact, there are many wiser than we are who have stated that such desires and their resultant actions are the root of nearly all the "sin," disease and suffering in the world today. Most certainly, it does seem that there is little effort on the part of most humans to undo the "curse" brought to them by father Adam. Instead, it appears that most men are attempting to show God and the Divine Law that father Adam was a piker compared with what they can do to build a sexual indebtedness to the Divine Law. This is the same debt that forced Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden, the same debt that brought about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the same debt that produced the downfall of Greece and Rome and now the same debt that is decimating the world's population via the AIDS epidemic. It was, and is, man's greatest obstacle to finding true health and happiness on this planet. If our world today cannot find a way to reverse this trend, we too are destined to go the way of these degenerate civilizations of the past.

The Divine Law is not only the Law of balance and equal compensation; it is also the Law of force and power. It is the Law of all positive and negative energy. It is the Law of Yin and Yang; male and female; day and night; Summer and Winter; growth and death and, then, rebirth once again. Thus it is the Law of motion and action, for motion is life and there can be no life without motion and there can be no motion without such opposites.

Our Creator set into motion a great law to give all His children the best of everything. This Divine Law assures us that if we are willing to do our part we can always count on it to do its part. It shows no favorites; it treats rich and poor alike. It has neither color nor gender bias. Its basic principle is simple:

"Whatever you give to me, I will give back to you in kind. If you bring me love, I will return to you love in abundance. If you bring me hate, it is hate that you shall receive until it is overflowing. You make the choice. I only reflect your choice-with interest."

Every Avatar that has come to mankind has taught this part of the Divine Law and yet, even today, how few want to hear this message. It would seem that the majority of mankind want to be treated as special. They want a special dispensation for them and theirs. This is not possible under the Divine Law. That is, in the ultimate this is not possible. Men may feel they have found ways to circumvent the Divine Law but they only delude themselves. The very nature of our existence is the Law. We initiate the action of the Divine Law ourselves. While we may be able to elude the reaction to our actions for a time, the Law will have its day, and it will exact high interest from the moment we thought we were getting away with something.

The Divine Law is the functioning Law of Creation. It is not a capricious creation of God or man, but is instead the only functioning mechanism that can hold the Creative material of Chaos together to form the Universe as we know it. Man is unique in that he has the ability to work in harmony with the Divine Law or attempt to circumvent it. However, man cannot circumvent the Law; he can only attempt to do so and such attempts always bring reactions that are in direct proportion to the extent of the attempted circumventions. The Law is utterly impartial. It returns whatever is sent forth on its "waters." Send all things good and positive and they shall return to you in abundance; send those things that hurt and destroy and these too will be returned by the Divine Law with equal enthusiasm and largess.

The Divine Law is with us to stay. We can either learn to work in harmony with it and prosper in every possible way, or we can live a life that is at odds with the Law in almost everything we do and reap the husks and noxious weeds of existence. The choice is ours. The greatest gift we have from our Creator is the ability to make this choice. 

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