The Confessions of Jacob Boehme

When any man findeth in himself, pressed home upon his mind and conscience, a hunger or desire to repent, and yet feeleth no true sorrow in himself for his sins which he hath committed, but only an hunger or desire of such sorrow ; so that the poor captive soul continually sighs, fears, and must needs acknowledge itself guilty of sins before the judgement of God ; such an one, I say, can take no better course than this, namely, to wrap up his senses, mind and reason together, and make to himself instantly, as soon as ever he perceiveth in himself the desire to repent, a mighty strong purpose and resolution that he will that very hour, nay, that minute, immediately enter into repentance, and go forth from his wicked way, not at all regarding the power and respect of the world. Yea, and if it should be required, that he will forsake and disesteem all things for true repentance sake ; and never depart from that resolution again though he

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should be made the fool and scorn of all the world for it ; that with the full bent and strength of his mind he will go forth from the glory and pleasure of the world, and patiently enter into the passion and death of Christ, and set all his hope and confidence upon the life to come ; that even now in righteousness and truth he will enter into the vineyard of Christ and therein do the will of God ; that in the Spirit and will of Christ he will begin and finish all his actions in this world ; and for the sake of Christ's word and promise, which holds forth to us a heavenly reward, willingly take up and bear every adversity and cross, so that he may be admitted into the communion and fellowship of the children of Christ.

He must firmly imagine to himself, wholly wrapping up his soul in this persuasion, that in such his purpose he shall obtain the love of God in Christ Jesus, and that God will give unto him thatp. 132 noble pledge, the Holy Ghost, for an earnest ; that in the humanity of Christ he himself shall be born again, and that the Spirit of Christ will renew his mind with love and power and strengthen his weak faith. Also that in his divine hunger Ke shall receive the flesh and blood of Christ for food and drink in the desire of his soul, which hungereth and thirsteth after it as its proper nutriment ; and with the thirst of the soul drink the water of eternal life out of the pure fountain of Jesus Christ.

He must also wholly and firmly imagine to himself and set before him the great love of God. He must persuade himself that God in Christ will much more readily hear him and receive him to grace than he come ; that God in the love of Christ, in the most dear and precious name Jesus, cannot will any evil ; and that there is no angry countenance at all in this Name, but only the highest and deepest lovep. 133 and faithfulness, the greatest sweetness of God.

In this consideration he must firmly imagine to himself that this very hour and instant God is really present within and without him. He must know and believe that in his inward man he standeth really before God on whom his soul hath turned its back ; and he must, with the eyes of his mind cast down in fear and deepest humility, begin to confess his sins and unworthiness before the face of God in some such manner as the following :

O thou great unsearchable God, Lord of all things ; thou who in Christ Jesus, of thy great love towards us, hath manifested thyself in our humanity : I, poor, unworthy, sinful wretch, come before thy presence, though I am not worthy to lift up mine eyes unto thee, acknowledging and confessing that I am guilty of breaking off from thy great love and the grace which thou hast freely bestowed upon us.

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