ETERNAL LIFE

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Paradise Lost

Object 6, Thomas Set

Raphael Warns Adam and Eve

Time is the illusion, Eternity is the real. Time comes to us as particles, Eternity as a whole. Time is scattered, Eternity is indivisible.

Time is nourished by Eternity which has no hunger because it is complete. 

If one believes that God created man in his own image, one recognizes in oneself a spiritual nature. One's body is a material gift for one's spirit to use in the material world. Body and spirit become one during the mortal life. 

Perhaps it is easier for a young person to think of him/herself as a body because he or she has not encountered difficulties in life that called on resources beyond those of a physical body. If a person is challenged by loss or sadness, by personal deficiencies, or by threatening destructive forces, he or she may be compelled to look beyond the physical to the intangible mental, spiritual and emotional resources within.

Such experiences may provide the first glimmer to a person that he or she lives in the eternal world as well as in the natural world. The natural life has a beginning and an ending but the spark of eternity is not extinguished with mortal death.

Gospel of Thomas

Verse 29 

Jesus said, "If the flesh came into being because of spirit, that is a marvel,
but if spirit came into being because of the body, that is a marvel of marvels.
Yet I marvel at how this great wealth has come to dwell in this poverty." 

Songs of Innocence and of Experience, Plate 52, (E 30)

"To Tirzah                                     
Whate'er is Born of Mortal Birth,
Must be consumed with the Earth
To rise from Generation free;
Then what have I to do with thee?

The Sexes sprung from Shame & Pride
Blow'd in the morn: in evening died
But Mercy changd Death into Sleep;
The Sexes rose to work & weep.

Thou Mother of my Mortal part.
With cruelty didst mould my Heart. 
And with false self-decieving tears,
Didst bind my Nostrils Eyes & Ears.

Didst close my Tongue in senseless clay
And me to Mortal Life betray:
The Death of Jesus set me free, 
Then what have I to do with thee?

[text on illustration: It is Raised a Spiritual Body]"

Jerusalem, Plate 1, (E 144)

"There is a Void, outside of Existence, which if enterd into
Englobes itself & becomes a Womb, such was Albions Couch
A pleasant Shadow of Repose calld Albions lovely Land

His Sublime & Pathos become Two Rocks fixd in the Earth
His Reason his Spectrous Power, covers them above                
Jerusalem his Emanation is a Stone laying beneath
O [Albion behold Pitying] behold the Vision of Albion 

Half Friendship is the bitterest Enmity said Los
As he enterd the Door of Death for Albions sake Inspired
The long sufferings of God are not for ever there is a Judgment 

Every Thing has its Vermin O Spectre of the Sleeping Dead!"

Vision of Last Judgment, (E 555) 

"This world of Imagination is the World of Eternity it is the Divine bosom into which we shall all go after

the death of the Vegetated body This World of Imagination is Infinite & Eternal whereas the world of Generation or Vegetation is Finite & Temporal There Exist in that Eternal World the Permanent Realities of Every Thing which we see are reflected in this Vegetable Glass of Nature   All Things are comprehended in their Eternal Forms in the Divine body of the Saviour the True Vine of Eternity  The Human Imagination who appeard to Me as Coming to Judgment. among his Saints & throwing off the Temporal that the Eternal might be Establishd. around him were seen the Images of Existences according to a certain order suited to my Imaginative Eye"

Milton, Plate 41 [48] (E 143) 

"we Contraries O Milton, Thou & I            
O Immortal! how were we led to War the Wars of Death
Is this the Void Outside of Existence, which if enterd into
Plate 42 [49]                
Becomes a Womb? & is this the Death Couch of Albion
Thou goest to Eternal Death & all must go with thee

So saying, the Virgin divided Six-fold & with a shriek
Dolorous that ran thro all Creation a Double Six-fold Wonder!
Away from Ololon she divided & fled into the depths              
Of Miltons Shadow as a Dove upon the stormy Sea.

Then as a Moony Ark Ololon descended to Felphams Vale
In clouds of blood, in streams of gore, with dreadful thunderings
Into the Fires of Intellect that rejoic'd in Felphams Vale
Around the Starry Eight: with one accord the Starry Eight became 
One Man Jesus the Saviour. wonderful!"