VIII TIME AND ETERNITY

p. 157

p. 158

181 (II. 153)
ETERNITY

What is Eternity? It is not That, not This, Not Now, not Aught, not Naught—I know not what it is.

182 (II. 65)
ETERNITY IS NOT MEASURED

Eternity knows naught of hour and day and year. Alas, I have not found the centre of its sphere!

183 (II. 183)
IN THE CENTRE EVERYTHING IS SEEN

Stand at the centre-point—instantly shall appear All that befell or now befalls, in Heaven and here.

184 (I. 47)
TIME IS ETERNITY

Eternity is one with Time, Time with Eternity, and hence Indifference between them lie, Thyself dost make the difference.

p. 159

185 (I. 189)
MAN MAKETH TIME

'Tis thou thyself that makest Time. And like a clock thy senses run: Do thou but quiet their unrest— The clock is stopped and Time is gone.

186 (V. 23)
TIME IS NOT FAST

"Time flieth fast" we say, but who Hath seen the fleeting of Time's wings? Time standeth moveless in a view That visioneth the Whole of Things.

187 (V. 148)
IN ETERNITY ALL HAPPENETH TOGETHER

There, in Eternity, events Together strike a single chime: There is no After, no Before, As here, as in the realm of Time.

188 (IV. 200)
HOW TO SHORTEN TIME

Man, if thou findest Time on earth drag on too slow. Turn unto God—live in the Everlasting Now.

p. 160

189 (V. 127)
THE SOUL IS ABOVE TIME

The Soul, which is eternal Spirit, Standeth above Time's sovranty: Already in this present world She liveth in Eternity.

190 (V. 111)
OUT OF GOD, LIVING IS BEING DEAD

Livest thou not in God, O Man, —And let this be well credited— Though thou dost live a thousand years, A thousand years thou art dead.

191 (II. 168)
ONE IS AS OLD AS THE OTHER

A Child who on this earth but one short hour appears, Already he hath lived Methuselah's long years.

192 (III. 180)
GOD KNOWETH NOT HIS BEGINNING

How long hath God been God? Be silent, ask not this! So long, God knoweth not Himself how long it is.

p. 161

193 (IV. 165)
GOD STILL CREATES THE WORLD

God still creates the World. Strange doth this thing appear? God knoweth neither Then nor Now, as men know here.

194 (III. 90)
THOU MUST BLOSSOM NOW

O blossom, blossom, frozen soul! May is abroad before thy door. If thou dost blossom not to-day Then art thou dead for evermore.

195 (I. 185)
PLACE IS WITHIN THEE

Nowise dost thou inhabit Place,  Place doth inhabit thee. Cast Place away!—then now and here  Standeth Eternity.

196 (III. 112)
THE HEART IS IMMEASURABLE

A Heart that finds its full contcnt in Time and Place In truth knows not its own Immeasurableness.

p. 162

197 (I. 187)
THE BREADTH OF THE SOUL

Heaven is too little for me, Earth a narrow cell: Where shall I find a space wherein my Soul can dwell?

198 (I. 188)
TIME AND ETERNITY

From Time into Eternity Thou tellest me to get me hence! Between Eternity and Time Is there then any difference?

199 (IV. 90)
VIRTUE

"Virtue its own Reward"—so runs the argument: If the Reward be here, in time, then I dissent.

200 (IV. 180)
THE DAY AND DAWN OF SOULS

Here in this present time God dawns in souls, but soon, When they have put their splendour on, He'll be their noon.

p. 163

201 (V. 67)
HOW FAR THE WAY TO HEAVEN

Think not the journey overlong if thou wouldst fare To Heaven—take but one short stride and thou art there.

202 (I. 30)
THERE IS NO DEATH

I disbelieve in Death. Hourly I die—what then? To new and better Life hourly I rise again.

203 (I. 34)
DEATH DEIFIETH THEE

When thou art dead and all thy life Is taken up by God in His, Then shalt thou rightly, nor till then, Rank with the all-high Deities.

204 (IV. 81)
DEATH

Death doth not trouble me. 'Tis through that door I come Unto the place which long hath been my spirit's home.

p. 164

205 (IV. 77)
SPIRITUAL DYING

Die ere thou diest—dying, then thou diest not: Die not—perchance then, dying, thou shalt die and rot.

206 (I. 29)
ETERNAL DEATH

The Death which no new Life within itself doth bear, Of all deaths 'tis that death which most my soul doth fear.

207 (IV. 103)
LIFE AND DEATH

No richer death than that which Life engendereth, No noble Life than that which springeth out of death.

208 (I. 190)
SAMENESS

I know not what to do! All things are one to me: Place, Unplace, Day, Night, Joy, Pain, Time, Eternity.