The Confessions of Jacob Boehme

Now therefore I set before you the ground of the heavens, the stars and elements, that you may see what is heavenly and what is earthly, what is transitory and mortal, and what is eternal and enduring. To which end I have now purposed to myself to write ; not to boast of my high knowledge but out of love in Christ, as a servant and minister of Christ.

For the Lord hath both the willing andp. 79 the doing in his hands ; I am able to do nothing; also my earthly reason understandeth nothing : I am yielded into our Mother's bosom and do as the Mother showeth me ; I know not from anybody else, I am not born with knowledge from the wisdom of this world, neither do I understand it ; but what is bestowed upon me that I bestow again. I have no other purpose herein, neither do I know to what end I must write these high things : what the Spirit showeth me, that I set down.

Thus I labour in my vineyard, in which the Master of the house hath put me ; hoping also to eat of the pleasant sweet grapes, which indeed I have very often received out of the paradise of God. I will so speak as for the use of many, and yet I think I write it but for myself : the fiery driving will have it so as if I did speak of and for many ; and yet I know nothing of this while I write.

Therefore if it shall happen to be read,

So CONFESSIONS OF JACOB BOEHME

let none account it for a work of the outward reason ; for it hath proceeded from the inward hidden man, according to which this hand hath written it without respect of any person.

I exhort the reader that he will enter into himself and behold himself in the inward man ; then I shall be welcome to him. This I speak seriously and faithfully.

When we consider ourselves aright in this knowledge we see clearly that we have been locked up and led as it were blindfold. The wise of this world have shut and barred us up in their art and reason, so that we are made to see with their eyes. And this spirit which hath so long led us captive may well be called Antichrist ; I find no other name in the light of nature, which I can call it by, but Antichrist in Babel.

CHAPTER X

THE law of God and also the way to life is written in our hearts ; it lies in no man's supposing, nor in any historical opinion, but in a good will and well doing. The will leadeth us to God or to the Devil ; it availeth not that thou hast the name of a Christian, salvation doth not consist therein. A heathen and a Turk is as near to God as thou who art under the name of Christ ; if thou bringest forth a false ungodly will in thy deeds, thou art as much without God as a heathen that hath no desire nor will to him. And if a Turk seeketh God with earnestness, though he walketh in blindness, yet he is of the company of those that are children without understanding, and he reacheth to God

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with the children which do not yet know what they speak ; for this lies not in the knowing but in the will.

We are all blind concerning God ; but we put our earnest will into him and into goodness, and so desire him ; then we receive him into our will, so that we are born in him in our will.

Dost thou boast of thy calling, that thou art a Christian ? Indeed let thy conversation be accordingly, or else thou art but a heathen in the will and in the deed. He that knoweth his Master's will and doeth it not must receive many stripes.

Dost thou not know what Christ said concerning the two sons? When the father says to one of them, Go and do such a thing, and he said he would ; and the other said, No ; the first went away and did it not, but the other, that said No, went away and did it, and so did the will of his father ; the one that was under the name of obedience did it not.

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And we are all such, one and another ; we bear the name of Christ and are called Christians and are within his covenant : we have said, Yes, we will do it ; but they that do it not are unprofitable servants and live without the will of the Father.