The Confessions of Jacob Boehme
what of another nature from the spirit of this world, of which it maketh a lookingglass wherein it begins to speculate with its outward imagination. Thus it goeth out from the Spirit of God and is often bemired in the dirt of the world, if the Virgin of Divine Wisdom doth not call it back again to repent and return to its first love. Then, if the soul washeth itself anew in the water of eternal life, through earnest repentance, it becometh renewed again in the love-fire of God's meekness and in the Holy Spirit, as a new child ; and beginneth again to drink of that water and recovereth at length its life in God.
There is no temperament in which the Devil's will and suggestions may be more clearly discovered, if the soul be once enlightened, than in the melancholy, as the tempted, who have resolutely and successfully stormed his stronghold, very well know.
O how subtilly and maliciously doth the
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Devil spread his nets for such a soul, as a fowler for the birds ! Oftentimes he terrifieth it in its prayers, especially in the night, when it is dark, injecting his suggestions into it and filling it with fearful apprehensions that the wrath of God is ready to seize and destroy it. Thus he maketh a show as if he had power over the soul of the man, and it was his property, whereas he hath not power to touch a hair of his head. Unless the soul itself despaireth, and by that means giveth itself up to him, he dareth not spiritually and really to seize or even touch it.
He hath more than one temptation for the melancholy soul. For, if he cannot persuade it absolutely to despair and so to give itself up to him that way, he bringeth it, when over-burthened with fears and sad apprehensions about its present state and future doom, and impatient under the weight thereof, to thoughts and designs of self-murder, He dareth not destroy ap. 145 man ; the man himself must do that. For the soul hath freedom. If it resisteth the Devil and will not do as he counselleth, then, however he may tempt, yet hath he not power to touch even the outward and sinful body.
The trouble of mind here spoken of is rather a subject of God's pity than of wrath. He will not break the bruised reed, nor extinguish the smoking flax. Our Lord Jesus Christ, in his blessed call and promise, saith, Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, so shall ye find rest unto your souls.
This yoke of Christ is no other than the
Cross of nature and providence. This is the yoke which a man is required to take up and carry after Christ with patience, and with full submission thereto. Then the affliction, whatever it be, is so far from 10 i46 CONFESSIONS OF JACOB BOEHME hurting the soul that it doeth it much good. For while it standeth in the house of sorrow it is not in the house of sin, or in the pride, pomp, and pleasure of the world. God holdeth it with tribulation, as with a father's restraint, from the sinful pleasure of this world.
The troubled soul is apt to perplex and torment itself because it cannot open by its desire the spring of divine joy in the heart. It sigheth, lamenteth, and feareth that God will have nothing to do with it, because it cannot feel the comfort of his visible presence.
what of another nature from the spirit of this world, of which it makes a lookingglass wherein it begins to speculate with its outward imagination. Thus it goes out from the Spirit of God and is often bemired in the dirt of the world, if the Virgin of Divine Wisdom does not call it back again to repent and return to its first love. Then, if the soul washes itself anew in the water of eternal life, through earnest repentance, it becomes renewed again in the love-fire of God's meekness and in the Holy Spirit, as a new child ; and beginns again to drink of that water and recovers at length its life in God.
There is no temperament in which the Devil's will and suggestions may be more clearly discovered, if the soul be once enlightened, than in the melancholy, as the tempted, who have resolutely and successfully stormed his stronghold, very well know.
O how subtilly and maliciously does the
p. 144
Devil spread his nets for such a soul, as a fowler for the birds ! Oftentimes he terrifies it in its prayers, especially in the night, when it is dark, injecting his suggestions into it and filling it with fearful apprehensions that the wrath of God is ready to seize and destroy it. Thus he makes a show as if he had power over the soul of the man, and it was his property, whereas he has not power to touch a hair of his head. Unless the soul itself despairs, and by that means gives itself up to him, he dars not spiritually and really to seize or even touch it.
He has more than one temptation for the melancholy soul. For, if he cannot persuade it absolutely to despair and so to give itself up to him that way, he brings it, when over-burthened with fears and sad apprehensions about its present state and future doom, and impatient under the weight thereof, to thoughts and designs of self-murder, He dars not destroy ap. 145 man ; the man himself must do that. For the soul has freedom. If it resists the Devil and will not do as he counsells, then, however he may tempt, yet has he not power to touch even the outward and sinful body.
The trouble of mind here spoken of is rather a subject of God's pity than of wrath. He will not break the bruised reed, nor extinguish the smoking flax. Our Lord Jesus Christ, in his blessed call and promise, says, Come unto me, all you that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, so shall you find rest unto your souls.
This yoke of Christ is no other than the
Cross of nature and providence. This is the yoke which a man is required to take up and carry after Christ with patience, and with full submission thereto. Then the affliction, whatever it be, is so far from 10 i46 CONFESSIONS OF JACOB BOEHME hurting the soul that it does it much good. For while it stands in the house of sorrow it is not in the house of sin, or in the pride, pomp, and pleasure of the world. God holds it with tribulation, as with a father's restraint, from the sinful pleasure of this world.
The troubled soul is apt to perplex and torment itself because it cannot open by its desire the spring of divine joy in the heart. It sighs, laments, and fears that God will have nothing to do with it, because it cannot feel the comfort of his visible presence.
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