The Confessions of Jacob Boehme
My soul knoweth not itself because of the mire of sin ; but accounteth itself a strange child before thee, not worthy to desire thy grace.
O God in Christ Jesus, thou who for poor sinners' sake didst become man to help them, to thee I complain. The Devil hath poisoned me so that I know not my Saviour ; I am become a wild branch on thy tree. In myself I am become a fool ; I am naked and bare, my shame stands before mine eyes, I cannot hide it ; thy judgement waiteth for me. What shall I say before thee, who art the Judge of all the world ?
O merciful God, it is owing to thy love and longsuffering that I lie not already in hell. I lie before thee as a dying man whose life is passing from his lips, as a spark of life going out ; kindle it, O Lord, and lift up the breath of my soul before thee.
p. 135
A man must bring a serious mind to this work. If ever he would obtain the divine love, and union with the noble Wisdom of God, he must make an earnest vow in his purpose and mind.
Beloved Reader, out of love to thee I will not conceal from thee what is made known to me. If thou lovest the vanity of the flesh still, and art not in an earnest purpose on the way to the new birth, intending to become a new man, then leave the above-written words in that prayer unspoken ; else they will turn to a judgement of God in thee. Thou must not take the holy names in vain ; they belong to the thirsty soul. But if thy soul be indeed athirst it shall find by experience what words they are.
Beloved Soul; Christ was tempted in the wilderness, and, if thou wilt put on him, thou must go through his whole progress even from his incarnation to his ascension. Though thou art not ablep. 136 nor required to do that which he hath done, yet thou must enter wholly into his process and therein die continually from corruption. For the Virgin, the Holy Wisdom, expouseth not herself to the soul except the soul, through the death of Christ, spring up as a new plant, standing in heaven.
Therefore take heed what thou doest : when thou hast made thy promise keep it ; then Wisdom will crown thee more readily than thou wouldst be crowned. But thou must be sure, when the Tempter cometh to thee with the pleasure and glory of the world, that thy mind reject it. The free will of thy soul must stand the brunt as a warrior and champion. If the Devil cannot prevail against thy soul with vanity, then he cometh against it with its unworthiness and its catalogue of sins. There thou must fight hard, for in this conflict it goeth so terribly with many a poor sinner that outward reasonp. 137 thinketh him to be distracted, or possessed by an evil spirit. In this kind of combat heaven and hell are fighting one against the other. Yet a soldier who hath been in the wars can tell how to fight, and can teach another that may be in the like condition.
I have set down here for the help of the reader a very earnest prayer in temptation, that he may know what to do if the same should befall him :
My soul knows not itself because of the mire of sin ; but accounts itself a strange child before you, not worthy to desire your grace.
O God in Christ Jesus, you who for poor sinners' sake did become man to help them, to you I complain. The Devil has poisoned me so that I know not my Saviour ; I am become a wild branch on your tree. In myself I am become a fool ; I am naked and bare, my shame stands before mine eyes, I cannot hide it ; your judgement waits for me. What shall I say before you, who art the Judge of all the world ?
O merciful God, it is owing to your love and longsuffering that I lie not already in hell. I lie before you as a dying man whose life is passing from his lips, as a spark of life going out ; kindle it, O Lord, and lift up the breath of my soul before you.
p. 135
A man must bring a serious mind to this work. If ever he would obtain the divine love, and union with the noble Wisdom of God, he must make an earnest vow in his purpose and mind.
Beloved Reader, out of love to you I will not conceal from you what is made known to me. If you lovest the vanity of the flesh still, and art not in an earnest purpose on the way to the new birth, intending to become a new man, then leave the above-written words in that prayer unspoken ; else they will turn to a judgement of God in you. You must not take the holy names in vain ; they belong to the thirsty soul. But if your soul be indeed athirst it shall find by experience what words they are.
Beloved Soul; Christ was tempted in the wilderness, and, if you will put on him, you must go through his whole progress even from his incarnation to his ascension. Though you are not ablep. 136 nor required to do that which he has done, yet you must enter wholly into his process and therein die continually from corruption. For the Virgin, the Holy Wisdom, expouses not herself to the soul except the soul, through the death of Christ, spring up as a new plant, standing in heaven.
Therefore take heed what you do : when you have made your promise keep it ; then Wisdom will crown you more readily than you would be crowned. But you must be sure, when the Tempter comes to you with the pleasure and glory of the world, that your mind reject it. The free will of your soul must stand the brunt as a warrior and champion. If the Devil cannot prevail against your soul with vanity, then he comes against it with its unworthiness and its catalogue of sins. There you must fight hard, for in this conflict it goes so terribly with many a poor sinner that outward reasonp. 137 thinks him to be distracted, or possessed by an evil spirit. In this kind of combat heaven and hell are fighting one against the other. Yet a soldier who has been in the wars can tell how to fight, and can teach another that may be in the like condition.
I have set down here for the help of the reader a very earnest prayer in temptation, that he may know what to do if the same should befall him :
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