As Jacob grew up and completed his elementary schooling, his father, not finding him sufficiently strong for agricultural work, apprenticed him to a Shoemaker at Qoeiditz , where after he had worked for some time another singular incident occurred tc? him. We are told that his Master having temporarily left him in charge of the shop, a man, who was a stranger to Jacob , entered, and desired to purchase a pair of shoes. Jacob , not venturing to sell anything in his Master’s absence, declined to serve him ; but the Stranger becoming importunate about it, Jacob offered thtm to him at such a price as would certainly save him harmless from his Master’s blame, and would probably deter the Stranger from purchasing. The Stranger, however, paid the price demanded and took the shoes ; and having left the shop, he called to the lad, “Jacob, come outside,” or, as some of his Biographers more dramatically render it, “ J acob , J acob , come forth !” which the lad did, so soon as he had recovered from his astonishment, when the Stranger thus addressed him : “Jacob, thou art as yet but little, but the time will come when thou shalt be great and become another man, and the world shall marvel at thee. Therefore, be pious, fear God, and reverence His Word ; especially read the Bible diligently where thou hast comfort and instruction, for thou must endure much misery and poverty, and suffer persecution. But be courageous and persevere, for God loves and is gracious unto thee.” The Stranger then pressed his hand, gave him a kind look, and departed — with the shoes.
It is questionable whether these incidents were not visionary with, rather than of actual occurrence to, JACOB BOEHME ; but the result of them was that his thoughts assumed a deeply religious form — far deeper than that of the mere “ Lutherarir^ Faith” in which he had been brought up — which so operated 8 upon him in the years to come that his Spirit was able to penetrate into the innermost mysteries of Nature : to foresee and foretell what is now known as Electricity, with its immense possibilities ; and also to divine the three great Principles or first Laws of Nature — attraction, equal resistance producing orbicular
Prefatory ^Memoir . y
movement, resulting in gravitation : which Principles, Sir Isaac NEWTON, who was a diligent though unavowed Student of Boehme's works, by reducing to a Mathematical Form, established that grand Theory of the Universe — the Solar System : which THOMAS CARLYLE described as the most perfect approach to a Theory that has ever been propounded.* ■> ’
Meanwhile, however, Jacob continued his shoemaking occupation, although we are told that at times he worked alm'ost unconsciously for days together, when his thoughts were in devout contemplation. At other times he did not hesitate to rebuke any loose conversation to which the other workmen might yield indulgence, which so irritated his Master that he discharged him from his service, and Jacob was obliged to set out as a travelling journeyman. In the year 1594 he returned to Qoerlits, vOiaere he became a Master shoemaker, and married Catherine, daughter of John Hunshman, a Butcher of Qoerlitz.
About six years after marriage, Jacob's first Illumination occurred — the result, as he says, of strenuously clinging by Faith to.the Promise of the Spirit to those who seek it — in the following manner :
As Jacob grew up and completed his elementary schooling, his father, not finding him sufficiently strong for agricultural work, apprenticed him to a Shoemaker at Qoeiditz , where after he had worked for some time another singular incident occurred tc? him. We are told that his Master having temporarily left him in charge of the shop, a man, who was a stranger to Jacob , entered, and desired to purchase a pair of shoes. Jacob , not venturing to sell anything in his Master’s absence, declined to serve him ; but the Stranger becoming importunate about it, Jacob offered thtm to him at such a price as would certainly save him harmless from his Master’s blame, and would probably deter the Stranger from purchasing. The Stranger, however, paid the price demanded and took the shoes ; and having left the shop, he called to the lad, “Jacob, come outside,” or, as some of his Biographers more dramatically render it, “ J acob , J acob , come forth !” which the lad did, so soon as he had recovered from his astonishment, when the Stranger thus addressed him : “Jacob, you are as yet but little, but the time will come when you shall be great and become another man, and the world shall marvel at you. Therefore, be pious, fear God, and reverence His Word ; especially read the Bible diligently where you have comfort and instruction, for you must endure much misery and poverty, and suffer persecution. But be courageous and persevere, for God loves and is gracious unto you.” The Stranger then pressed his hand, gave him a kind look, and departed — with the shoes.
It is questionable whether these incidents were not visionary with, rather than of actual occurrence to, JACOB BOEHME ; but the result of them was that his thoughts assumed a deeply religious form — far deeper than that of the mere “ Lutherarir^ Faith” in which he had been brought up — which so operated 8 upon him in the years to come that his Spirit was able to penetrate into the innermost mysteries of Nature : to foresee and foretell what is now known as Electricity, with its immense possibilities ; and also to divine the three great Principles or first Laws of Nature — attraction, equal resistance producing orbicular
Prefatory ^Memoir . y
movement, resulting in gravitation : which Principles, Sir Isaac NEWTON, who was a diligent though unavowed Student of Boehme's works, by reducing to a Mathematical Form, established that grand Theory of the Universe — the Solar System : which THOMAS CARLYLE described as the most perfect approach to a Theory that has ever been propounded.* ■> ’
Meanwhile, however, Jacob continued his shoemaking occupation, although we are told that at times he worked alm'ost unconsciously for days together, when his thoughts were in devout contemplation. At other times he did not hesitate to rebuke any loose conversation to which the other workmen might yield indulgence, which so irritated his Master that he discharged him from his service, and Jacob was obliged to set out as a travelling journeyman. In the year 1594 he returned to Qoerlits, vOiaere he became a Master shoemaker, and married Catherine, daughter of John Hunshman, a Butcher of Qoerlitz.
About six years after marriage, Jacob's first Illumination occurred — the result, as he says, of strenuously clinging by Faith to.the Promise of the Spirit to those who seek it — in the following manner :
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