TIME& ETERNITY

First published September 2020

British Museum 

Illustrations to Young's Night Thoughts

 

Time and space are among the mind forged manacles which bind and limit us. There is a material dimension and a spiritual dimension. The matrix of the Material World is time and space. The matrix of the Spiritual World is eternity and infinity. Man being both material and spiritual has the possibility of living in both worlds. But if we confine our mental processing to sensation and rational thought, we lose the ability to pass through the portal to the infinite, eternal world of intuition and imagination.

Thanks to Blake, the image I have of Eternity is that it is not bound by sequential processing. Past, present and future are flexible. The whole can be experienced either simultaneously or distinctly. Whenever in our ordinary temporal life, we have the experience of being caught up in a moment of clarity of vision, or a realization of the connection of all things, the barrier between Time and Eternity has been breached.    

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" 

Vision of Last Judgment, (E 565) 
"The Last Judgment is an Overwhelming of Bad Art & Science. 
Mental Things are alone Real what is Calld Corporeal Nobody Knows
of its Dwelling Place it is in Fallacy & its Existence an
Imposture  Where is the Existence Out of Mind or Thought Where is
it but in the Mind of a Fool.  Some People flatter themselves
that there will be No Last Judgment & that Bad Art will be
adopted & mixed with Good Art That Error or Experiment will make
a Part of Truth & they Boast that it is its Foundation these
People flatter themselves     I will not Flatter them    Error is
Created    Truth is Eternal    Error or Creation will be Burned Up &
then & not till then Truth or Eternity will appear It is Burnt up
the Moment Men cease to behold it I assert for My self that I do
not behold the Outward Creation & that to me it is hindrance &
not Action it is as the Dirt upon my feet No part of Me."