COURSE OF DEVELOPMENT ON THE EARTH. 157 



the faults of one which we have forgotten ; but 

 no needless suffering is permitted in the Universe, 

 and in such cases, we should suffer the needful 

 discipline without its being aggravated by the 

 additional suffering of knowing that we had 

 wilfully brought it upon ourselves. 



Finally, I will add that those who look through 

 the teachings of Jesus in the Gospels, will find 

 many passages which appear to imply a succes- 

 sion of existences, in some of which (Matt. xix. 

 29, etc.), there is a distinction drawn between a 

 future life " in this present time," as opposed to 

 that in "the world to come." The latter is 

 plainly Nirvana, which is not surprising * when 

 we consider the great similarity between Chris- 

 tianity and Buddhism ; and the former implies 

 a state of existence similar to the present. It 

 is quite possible that the text, " All who take 

 up the sword must perish by the sword," which 

 is not always literally true in one life, was in- 

 tended to imply a succession of existences. 



*In an article in "Human Nature" for June, 1876, I have gone 

 further into the various objections to the doctrine of successive 

 existences, and the passages bearing upon it in the Gospels, than I 

 have thought necessary here. 



