CLOTHING ADAM & EVE

 Wikipedia Commons

The Angel of the Divine Presence Clothing Adam and Eve with Coats of Skins 

1803 

Blake read the Bible as a vehicle for the purpose of conveying spiritual truth. He created poetry and images for the same purpose. Above is an image for expanding our perception of the relationship of Eden to Generation, Innocence to Experience, the Spiritual Body to the Natural body. The mind can be trained to see not with the eye but thru the eye.

First we see a benevolent old man leading a young man and a young woman through a gate. From the title of the picture we realize that the old man is an Angel and the young couple are Adam and Eve. The Gate provides a passageway between states of existence: from perfect union with the Divine into a state of consciousness in which the Human is distinct from the Divine. The Angel provides Adam and Eve with coats of skins which were unnecessary in Eden - their spiritual bodies in Eden were unconcealed and unprotected. The skins are physical bodies which are mercifully supplied to mediate between the spiritual and physical reality.

Humanity is sent through the gate leading from Eden but he is not deprived of the Spiritual Body which was his in Eden. As a mercy this portion remains his true being, which though buried is alive. In the Physical Body humanity would experience both Evil and Good that he might learn to know the difference and choose the path to the wholeness of the Divine.

Genesis 3
[17] And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
[18] Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
[19] In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
[20] And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.
[21] Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
[22] And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
[23] Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.

Isaiah 63
[8] For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Saviour.
[9] In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.

Vision of Last Judgment (E 563) 
"Many suppose that before  the
Creation All was Solitude & Chaos    This is the most pernicious
Idea that can enter the Mind as it takes away all sublimity from
the Bible & Limits All Existence to Creation & to Chaos   To the
Time & Space fixed by the Corporeal Vegetative Eye & leaves the
Man who entertains such an Idea the habitation of Unbelieving
Demons     Eternity Exists and All things in Eternity Independent of
Creation which was an act of Mercy"   

Letters, To Butts, (E 724)
"you are so kind as to Enquire for I never
obtrude such things on others unless questiond & then I never
disguise the truth--But if we fear to do the dictates of our
Angels & tremble at the Tasks set before us. if we refuse to do
Spiritual Acts. because of Natural Fears or Natural Desires!  Who
can describe the dismal torments of such a state!--I too well
remember the Threats I heard!--If you who are organized by Divine
Providence for Spiritual communion.  Refuse & bury your Talent in
the Earth even tho you should want Natural Bread. Sorrow &
Desperation
pursues you thro life! & after death shame & confusion of face to
eternity--Every one in Eternity will leave you aghast at the Man
who was crownd with glory & honour by his brethren & betrayd
their cause to their enemies."

Everlasting Gospel, (E 521)
"To be Good only is to be
A Devil or else a Pharisee              
Thou Angel of the Presence Divine
That didst create this Body of Mine   
Wherefore has thou writ these Laws
And Created Hells dark jaws
My Presence I will take from thee
A Cold Leper thou shalt be"

Songs and Ballads, (E 491)
Auguries of Innocence, 
"It is right it should be so 
Man was made for Joy & Woe
And when this we rightly know
Thro the World we safely go
Joy & Woe are woven fine
A Clothing for the soul divine" 

Four Zoas, Night VIII, Page 104, (E 378)
"Los said to Enitbarmon Pitying I saw
Pitying the Lamb of God Descended thro Jerusalems gates
To put off Mystery time after time & as a Man
Is born on Earth so was he born of Fair Jerusalem
In mysterys woven mantle & in the Robes of Luvah 

He stood in fair Jerusalem to awake up into Eden
The fallen Man but first to Give his vegetated body    
To be cut off & separated that the Spiritual body may be Reveald

Annotations to Berkley, (E 663)
 "They also considerd God as abstracted or distinct from the
Imaginative World but Jesus as also Abraham & David considerd God
as a Man in the Spiritual or Imaginative Vision
     Jesus considerd Imagination to be the Real Man & says I will
not leave you Orphanned and I will manifest myself to you   he
says also the Spiritual Body or Angel as little Children always
behold the Face of the Heavenly Father"  

Annotations to Berkley, (E 664)
"The Natural Body is an Obstruction to the Soul or Spiritual
Body"  

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

Paradise Lost
John Milton

[Eve to Adam]

"Wearied I fell asleep: but now lead on;
In mee is no delay; with thee to goe, [ 615 ]
Is to stay here; without thee here to stay,
Is to go hence unwilling; thou to mee
Art all things under Heav'n, all places thou,
Who for my wilful crime art banisht hence.
This further consolation yet secure [ 620 ]
I carry hence; though all by mee is lost,
Such favour I unworthie am voutsaft, 
By Mee the Promis'd Seed shall all restore.
So spake our Mother Eve, and Adam heard
Well pleas'd, but answer'd not; for now too nigh 
...
The World was all before them, where to choose
Thir place of rest, and Providence thir guide:
They hand in hand with wandring steps and slow,
Through Eden took thir solitarie way.

THE END"