Jacob Boehme — the works in English

Mysterium Magnum, Part Two

Open to allJacob Boehme (1575–1624)83 of 1052 segments carry a modern register · 351 pp1 passage withheld
page 200

11. And although they told them, that if they would be circumcised, and be one people with them, they would give them their sister, yet they were furious in killing and slaying; to signify that this is a figure of future Christendom, which would arise out of this stock. As we see that it so comes to pass before our eyes, that men strive about the gadding separated opinions, and kill and murder one another for them; and yet this is but for the opinion's sake of false whoredom, which the titulary Christendom has taken up, wherein they trim themselves in hypocrisy and whoredom, and look not how their sister might he helped, who is gone astray in a strange opinion. But they take their swords, and would slay the new opinion, and snatch their sister, who is with child with another opinion, forcibly again with her bastard out of Hamor's house, and slay Hamor and Shechem and all their males.

12. And though they would unite themselves with them, as with the true Christian ground, viz. with the chief Articles of Christian doctrine, yet it avails not; they will, against all faith and promise, slay and kill, and keep their opinions, which they have contrived in their ease and pampered jollity, with their fat bellies and heathenish festivals. As it is seen at this day in the contentions and opinions.

13. Men of self-love have introduced their Christianity into a fleshly kingdom, and finely trimmed it with laws, ceremonies and opinions, and have covered it with Christ's purple mantle, and yet live in mere spiritual whoredom under it, with a hypocritical show. But their hearts constantly beget this lustful Dinah, which runs abroad from the simplicity and humility of Christ, and plays the whore with the idols of fleshly lust, viz. with pride and covetousness, merely with their own honour and reputation, and a voluptuous life; quite contrary to the true Christian ground.

14. But seeing the spirit of Christ dwells yet always in his Christendom, he often stirs up men which do thus acknowledge and see the sleep and whoredom of the titulary Christendom in their Sodomitical life, and turn away from them, and search in the Scriptures, and also in the light of nature, whether this their fleshly ground can subsist in the presence of God; and when they see that it is false, then they fall upon some other ground, and reprove the whoredom of the titulary Christendom.

15. And when the hypocrites in their voluptuous glory hear and see these things, that thereby they are blemished and defiled, and that their God Mausim is made manifest; then they cry, O, there's a heretic, he deflowers our sister Dinah, viz. our opinion, and makes the Church a whore. And though some should offer to give a good account of his ground and opinion, and reconcile and marry himself with the true Christian ground, and marry with their sister Dinah, viz. to espouse the first true virgin Christian ground, and to be of one and the same heart and will with them in the Christian ground, all this avails not; they snatch their sister, viz. the name of a Christian from them, and had rather keep the deflowered damsel with her bastard by them, whose shame the truth has discovered; than they may see how to help their sister's shame, that she may attain the wedlock with Christ.

page 200

11. And although they told them, that if they would be circumcised, and be one people with them, they would give them their sister, yet they were furious in killing and slaying; to signify that this is a figure of future Christendom, which would arise out of this stock. As we see that it so comes to pass before our eyes, that men strive about the gadding separated opinions, and kill and murder one another for them; and yet this is but for the opinion's sake of false whoredom, which the titulary Christendom has taken up, wherein they trim themselves in hypocrisy and whoredom, and look not how their sister might he helped, who is gone astray in a strange opinion. But they take their swords, and would slay the new opinion, and snatch their sister, who is with child with another opinion, forcibly again with her bastard out of Hamor's house, and slay Hamor and Shechem and all their males.

12. And though they would unite themselves with them, as with the true Christian ground, viz. with the chief Articles of Christian doctrine, yet it avails not; they will, against all faith and promise, slay and kill, and keep their opinions, which they have contrived in their ease and pampered jollity, with their fat bellies and heathenish festivals. As it is seen at this day in the contentions and opinions.

13. Men of self-love have introduced their Christianity into a fleshly kingdom, and finely trimmed it with laws, ceremonies and opinions, and have covered it with Christ's purple mantle, and yet live in mere spiritual whoredom under it, with a hypocritical show. But their hearts constantly beget this lustful Dinah, which runs abroad from the simplicity and humility of Christ, and plays the whore with the idols of fleshly lust, viz. with pride and covetousness, merely with their own honour and reputation, and a voluptuous life; quite contrary to the true Christian ground.

14. But seeing the spirit of Christ dwells yet always in his Christendom, he often stirs up men which do thus acknowledge and see the sleep and whoredom of the titulary Christendom in their Sodomitical life, and turn away from them, and search in the Scriptures, and also in the light of nature, whether this their fleshly ground can subsist in the presence of God; and when they see that it is false, then they fall upon some other ground, and reprove the whoredom of the titulary Christendom.

15. And when the hypocrites in their voluptuous glory hear and see these things, that thereby they are blemished and defiled, and that their God Mausim is made manifest; then they cry, O, there's a heretic, he deflowers our sister Dinah, viz. our opinion, and makes the Church a whore. And though some should offer to give a good account of his ground and opinion, and reconcile and marry himself with the true Christian ground, and marry with their sister Dinah, viz. to espouse the first true virgin Christian ground, and to be of one and the same heart and will with them in the Christian ground, all this avails not; they snatch their sister, viz. the name of a Christian from them, and had rather keep the deflowered damsel with her bastard by them, whose shame the truth has discovered; than they may see how to help their sister's shame, that she may attain the wedlock with Christ.

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