The Confessions of Jacob Boehme
And in both of them, in the earth and in thy flesh, the Light of the clear Deity is hidden, and it breaks through and gathers to itself a body for each after its kind.
As the mother is, so also is the child : man's child is the soul which is born in the astral moving from the flesh ; and the earth's child is the grass, the herbs, the trees, silver, gold, and all mineral ores.
p. 45
Out of the earth sprang grass, herbs and trees ; and in the earth silver, gold, and all manner of ore came to be. In the deep above the earth sprang the wonderful forming of power and virtue.
I now invite all lovers of the holy and highly to be esteemed arts of philosophy and theology before this mirror wherein I lay open the root and ground of these matters.
I use not their tables, formulas, or schemes, rules and ways, for I have not learned from them. I have another teacher, which is the living fountain of nature.
What could I, simple layman, teach or write of their high art if it was not given to me by the Spirit of nature, in whom I live and am ? Should I oppose the Spirit that he should not open where and in whom he pleases ?
O thou child of man, open the eyes ofp. 46 thy spirit, for I will show thee here the right and real proper gate of God.
Behold ! that is the true, one, only God out of whom thou art created and in whom thou livest ; and when thou beholdest the deep and the stars and the earth, then thou beholdest thy God. In that same thou livest and hast thy being ; and that same God rules thee also, and from that same God thou hast thy senses. Thou art a creature from him and in him ; else thou wouldst never have been.
Now perhaps thou wilt say that I write in a heathenish manner. Hearken and behold ! Observe the distinct understanding how all this is so ; for I write not heathenishly, but in the love of wisdom ; neither am I a heathen, but I have the true knowledge of the one only great God who is All.
When thou beholdest the deep, the stars, the elements and the earth, then thou comprehendest not with thine eyes thep. 47 bright and clear Deity, though indeed he is there and in them ; but thou seest and comprehendest, with thine eyes, first death and then the wrath of God.
But if thou liftest up thy thoughts and dost consider where God is, then thou shalt comprehend the astral moving, where love and wrath move one against another. And when by faith thou drawest near to God who rules in holiness in this dominion, then thou layest hold on him in his holy Heart.
When this is done, then thou art as
God is, who himself is heaven, earth, stars
and the elements.
CHAPTER VI
WHERE will you seek for God? Seek him in your soul that is proceeded out of the eternal nature, the living fountain of forces wherein the divine working stands.
O that I had but the pen of a man, and were able therewith to write down the spirit of knowledge ! I can but stammer of great mysteries like a child that is beginning to speak ; so very little can the earthly tongue express of that which the spirit comprehends. Yet I will venture to try whether I may incline some to seek the pearl of true knowledge, and myself labour in the works of God in my paradisical garden of roses ; for the longing of the eternal nature-mother drives me on to writep. 48p. 49 and to exercise myself in this my knowledge.
No money, nor goods, nor art, nor power can bring you to the eternal rest of the eternal paradise, but only the knowledge in which you may steep your soul. That is the pearl which no thief can steal away ; seek after it and you will find the noble treasure.
Our skill and understanding are so cramped and narrowed that we have no more any knowledge of paradise at all. And except we be born anew, the veil of Moses lies continually before our eyes, and we suppose that was paradise whereof he said : God placed Adam in the garden of Eden which he had planted, that he might till it.
And in both of them, in the earth and in your flesh, the Light of the clear Deity is hidden, and it breaks through and gathers to itself a body for each after its kind.
As the mother is, so also is the child : man's child is the soul which is born in the astral moving from the flesh ; and the earth's child is the grass, the herbs, the trees, silver, gold, and all mineral ores.
p. 45
Out of the earth sprang grass, herbs and trees ; and in the earth silver, gold, and all manner of ore came to be. In the deep above the earth sprang the wonderful forming of power and virtue.
I now invite all lovers of the holy and highly to be esteemed arts of philosophy and theology before this mirror wherein I lay open the root and ground of these matters.
I use not their tables, formulas, or schemes, rules and ways, for I have not learned from them. I have another teacher, which is the living fountain of nature.
What could I, simple layman, teach or write of their high art if it was not given to me by the Spirit of nature, in whom I live and am ? Should I oppose the Spirit that he should not open where and in whom he pleases ?
O you child of man, open the eyes ofp. 46 your spirit, for I will show you here the right and real proper gate of God.
Behold ! that is the true, one, only God out of whom you are created and in whom you livest ; and when you behold the deep and the stars and the earth, then you behold your God. In that same you livest and have your being ; and that same God rules you also, and from that same God you have your senses. You are a creature from him and in him ; else you would never have been.
Now perhaps you will say that I write in a heathenish manner. Hearken and behold ! Observe the distinct understanding how all this is so ; for I write not heathenishly, but in the love of wisdom ; neither am I a heathen, but I have the true knowledge of the one only great God who is All.
When you behold the deep, the stars, the elements and the earth, then you comprehendest not with your eyes thep. 47 bright and clear Deity, though indeed he is there and in them ; but you seest and comprehendest, with your eyes, first death and then the wrath of God.
But if you liftest up your thoughts and do consider where God is, then you shall comprehend the astral moving, where love and wrath move one against another. And when by faith you drawest near to God who rules in holiness in this dominion, then you layest hold on him in his holy Heart.
When this is done, then you are as
God is, who himself is heaven, earth, stars
and the elements.
CHAPTER VI
WHERE will you seek for God? Seek him in your soul that is proceeded out of the eternal nature, the living fountain of forces wherein the divine working stands.
O that I had but the pen of a man, and were able therewith to write down the spirit of knowledge ! I can but stammer of great mysteries like a child that is beginning to speak ; so very little can the earthly tongue express of that which the spirit comprehends. Yet I will venture to try whether I may incline some to seek the pearl of true knowledge, and myself labour in the works of God in my paradisical garden of roses ; for the longing of the eternal nature-mother drives me on to writep. 48p. 49 and to exercise myself in this my knowledge.
No money, nor goods, nor art, nor power can bring you to the eternal rest of the eternal paradise, but only the knowledge in which you may steep your soul. That is the pearl which no thief can steal away ; seek after it and you will find the noble treasure.
Our skill and understanding are so cramped and narrowed that we have no more any knowledge of paradise at all. And except we be born anew, the veil of Moses lies continually before our eyes, and we suppose that was paradise whereof he said : God placed Adam in the garden of Eden which he had planted, that he might till it.
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