The Confessions of Jacob Boehme

there ; the bridegroom embraces his beloved bride, the hallelujah of paradise sounds. Oh ! must not the earthly body needs tremble and shake at it? Yet though it knows not what it is, all its members rejoice. What beauteous knowledge does the Virgin of the Divine Wisdom bring with her ! She makes learned indeed ; and though one were dumb, yet the soul is crowned in God's works of wonder, and must speak of his wonder ; there is nothing in the soul but longing to do so ; the Devil must begone, he is quite weary and faint.

Thus the seed of paradise is sown. But observe it well ; it is not instantly become a tree. How many storms must the soul undergo and endure ! How often is it overwhelmed by sins ! For all in this world is against it, it is as it were left alone and forsaken ; even the children of God themselves assault it ; and the Devil does plague the poor soul, trying to lead

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it astray, either with flattery that it may flatter itself, or else with the burden of sins in the conscience. He never ceases, and thou must always strive against him ; for so the tree of paradise grows, as corn does in the tempestuous winds. If it grows high and comes to blossom, then thou wilt enjoy the fruit ; and thou wilt understand better what this pen has written and what moved me to write. For I was a long time in this condition, many storms went over my head. Therefore this shall be for a lasting memorial and continual remembrance to me.

Now, says Reason, I see no more in thee, nor in any such as thou art, than in other poor sinners ; thine must needs be but a hypocritical pretence ; besides, says Reason, I also have been in such a way, and yet remain in wickedness still and do that which I would not do ; I am still moved to anger, covetousness and malice. What is the matter that a man does notp. 72 perform what he purposes, but that he does even what himself reproves in others, and that which he knows is not right ?

Here the tree of paradise is not discerned. Behold, my beloved Reason, this tree is not sown into the outward man, he is not worthy of it, he belongs to the earth ; and the poor soul is often brought into sins to which it does not consent, the body being drawn into that which the soul rejects. Now when this is so, it is not the soul that works it. The soul says, This is not right, nor well ; but the body says, We must have it that we may live and have enough. So it is, one time after another. And a true Christian knows not himself ; how then should he be known by others ? Also the Devil can hide him sufficiently that he may not be known ; that is his masterpiece, when he can bring a true Christian into wickedness, to fall into sins, while this is not discerned by him, but he reproves thep. 73 sins of others yet is sinning, outwardly, himself.

I do not say that sin in the old man is no hurt ; though indeed it cannot sway the new man yet it scandalizes him. We must with the new man live to God and serve him, though it is not possible to be perfect in this world ; we must continually go on and hold out : the new man is in a field where the ground is cold, bitter, sour and void of life.

CHAPTER IX