The Confessions of Jacob Boehme

So we may now say with good ground that God himself hath withstood his anger, and with the centre of his Heart, whichp. 106 filleth eternity, has again opened himself, taken away the power of death, and broke the sting of the fierce wrath, inasmuch as love has opened itself and quenched the power of the fire.

In our imagination we become impregnated of his opened Word and of the power of the heavenly and divine substantiality, which indeed is not strange to us though it seems strange to our earthliness.

The Word has opened itself everywhere, in every man's light of life ; and there is wanting only this, that the soul-spirit give itself up thereto. In that soul-spirit God is born.

CHAPTER XIII

OUTWARD reason saith, How may a man in this world see into God, into another world, and declare what God is ? That cannot be : it must needs be a fancy wherewith the man amuses and deceives himself.

Thus far such reason comes : it cannot search further that it might rest ; and if I staid in that same art, then would I also say the same ; for he who sees nothing says nothing is there ; what he sees, that he knows, and further he knows of nothing but that which is before his eyes.

I would have the scorner and wholly earthly man asked whether the heaven is blind, as also hell and God himself.

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Or whether there is any seeing in the divine world ; whether also the Spirit of God sees both in the love-light world and in the fierce wrath in the angerworld.

Does he say there is a seeing therein ? as indeed is very true : then he should look to it that he himself does not often see with the Devil's eyes in his purposed malice.

If he would drive the Devil out, then he would see his great folly which the Devil has prompted him to. Yet he is so blinded that he knows not that he sees with the Devil's eyes.

In like manner the holy man sees with
God's eyes ; what God purposes, that the
Spirit of God in the new birth sees out of
the right human eyes of the image of
God. It is to the wise a seeing and also
a doing.

In the way through the death of Christ the new man sees into the angelical world ;

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it is to him much easier and clearer to apprehend than the earthly world ; it is done naturally, not with fancying but with seeing eyes, with eyes of that spirit which goes forth out of the soul's fire.

That spirit sees into heaven ; it beholds
God and eternity. It is the noble image
according to the similitude of God.

Out of such seeing has this pen written, not from other masters, nor out of conjecture whether it be true or no.

Though now indeed a creature is but a piece and not a total consummation, so that we see only in part, yet what is written here is to be searched into, and is fundamental.

The Wisdom of God suffers not itself to be written, for it is endless, without number and comprehension ; we know only in part.

And though indeed we know much more, yet the earthly tongue cannot exalt itself and declare it : it speaks only words no CONFESSIONS OF JACOB BOEHME of this world and not words of the inward world, though the mind retains them in the hidden man.

Therefore one always understands otherwise than another, according as each is endued with the Wisdom ; and so also he apprehends and explains it.

Everyone will not understand my writings according to my meaning and sense ; indeed there may not be one who does so ; but everyone will understand according to his gifts, for his benefit ; one more than another, according as the Spirit has its property in him.

For the Spirit of God is often subject to the spirits of men, if they will that which is good or well ; and it furthers what man wills, that his good work be not hindered, but that everywhere, above all, God's willing and desire be done.

What is there now that is strange to us or in us, that we cannot see God ? This world and the Devil are the cause that we

CONFESSIONS OF JACOB BOEHME in

see not with God's eyes, else there is no hindrance.