The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus Christ, by Levi H. Dowling, [1920], at sacred-texts.com

Chapter 107

A Pharisee demands of Jesus signs of his messiahship. Jesus rebukes him, because he does not recognise the signs that are being continually given. Jesus exhorts the people to receive the light that they may become the light.

1. A Pharisee elated with himself stood forth among the multitudes and said to Jesus,
2. Sir, we would have you demonstrate. If you are truly Christ who was to come, then you can surely do what black magicians cannot do.
3. Lo, they can talk, and hold the multitudes with words of power; and they can heal the sick and drive the demons out of those obsessed;
4. They can control the storms; and fire and earth and air will hear and answer when they speak.
5. Now, if you will ascend and from that tower fly across the sea, we will believe that you are sent from God.
6. And Jesus said, No black magician ever lived a holy life; you have a demonstration of the Christ-life every day.
7. But lo, you evil and adulterous scribes and Pharisees, you cannot see a spirit sign, because your spirit eyes are full of carnal self.
8. You seek a sign to please your curiosity. You walk the very lowest planes of carnal life and cry, Phenomena! show us a sign and then we will believe.
9. I was not sent to earth to buy up faith as men buy fish and fruit and rubbish in the streets.
10. Men seem to think it quite a favour done to me when they confess their faith in me and in the holy Christ.
11. What does it matter unto me as man if you believe or disbelieve?
12. Faith is not something you can buy with coin; it is not something you can sell for gold.
13. Once Mart, a beggar, followed me and cried, Give me a silver piece; then I will believe in you.
14. And you are like this beggar man; you offer to exchange your faith for signs.
15. But I will give to all the world one sign as surety that the Christ abides with me.
16. You all have read the parable of Jonah and the fish, wherein it is recorded that the prophet spent three days and nights within the stomach of the mighty fish, and then came forth.
17. The son of man will spend three days and nights within the heart of earth and then come forth again, and men will see and know.
18. Behold, the light may be so bright that men cannot see anything.
19. The Spirit light has shown so brightly over Galilee that you who hear me now are blind.
20. You may have read the words of prophet Azrael; he said, The light shall shine out brightly in the darkness of the night, and men shall comprehend it not.
21. That time has come; the light shines forth; you see it not.
22. The Queen of Sheba sat in darkest night and still she yearned for light.
23. She came to hear the words of wisdom from the lips of Solomon, and she believed;
24. And she became a living torch, and when she reached her home, lo, all Arabia was filled with light.
25. A greater far than Solomon is here; the Christ is here; the Day Star had risen, and you reject the light.
26. And you remember Nineveh, the wicked city of Assyria, which God had marked to be destroyed by shock and flame unless the people turned and walked in ways of right.
27. And Jonah raised his voice and said, In forty days shall Nineveh be razed, and her wealth shall be destroyed.
28. The people heard and they believed; and they reformed and turned to ways of right, and lo, their city was not razed; was not destroyed.
29. You men of Galilee, I tell you that Arabia and Nineveh will testify against you in the judgment day.
30. Behold, for every one to whom I speak has in him all the fires of God; but they are lying dead.
31. The will is bridled by the flesh desires, and it brings not the ethers of the fires to vibrate into light.
32. Look, therefore, to your soul and note, Is not the light within you dark as night?
33. There is no breath but Holy Breath that e'er can fan your fires of life into a living flame and make them light.
34. And Holy Breath can raise the ethers of the fires to light in none but hearts of purity and love.
35. Hear, then, you men of Galilee, Make pure the heart, admit the Holy Breath, and then your bodies will be full of light.
36. And like a city on a hill, your light will shine afar, and thus your light may light the way for other men.