Chapter XVI
Historical English translation published 1912, complete 16 chapters
Jacob Boehme
37. Thus also man perishes among the evil company in evil vain ways: God offers him his grace that he should repent; but evil company and the devil lead him in wicked ways, till he be even too hard captivated in the anger; and then it goes very hardly with him; he indeed was called, but he is evil; God chuses only children: Seeing he is evil, the choice passes over him; but if he again reforms and amends, the eternal choice [or election] does again receive him.
38. Thus says the Scripture, “Many are called;” but when the choice in Christ’s suffering and death comes upon them, then they are not capable of the same, by reason of the self-ful evil will which they had before embraced, and so they are not the elected, but evil children; and here it is then rightly said, “We have piped unto you, but you have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented unto us:[305] O Jerusalem, how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and thou wouldest not: “It is not said, “thou couldest not,” but “ thou wouldest not;” and while they remain in the iniquity of sin, they also cannot: God will not cast his pearl before swine; but to the children which draw near to him he gives the pearl and his bread.
39. Therefore whoever blames God, despises his mercy, which he has introduced into the humanity, and brings the judgement headlong upon his body and soul.
40. Thus I have truly warned the reader, and set before his eyes what the Lord of all beings has given me: He may behold himself in this looking-glass both within and without, and find what and who he is: Every reader shall find his profit therein, be he either good or evil: It is a very clear gate of the mystery of all beings. With glosses and self-wit none shall apprehend it in its own ground; but it may well embrace the real seeker, and create him much profit and joy, and even be helpful to him in all natural things, provided he applies himself right, and seeks it in the fear of God, seeing it is now a time of seeking; for a lily blossoms upon the mountains and valleys in all the ends of the earth: He that seeketh findeth. Amen.
HALLELUJAH
THE END
Footnotes
Source notes
[1] Cor. ii. 10.
[2] Luke ix. 23.
[3] 1 Cor. iii. 13.
[4] Mirror
[5] Being of all beings.
[6] Or, formed itself; or originally put forth itself.
[7] proceeds from the mouth.
[8] Or conception.
[9] His look, or physiognomy.
[10] Vegetables
[11] Made sick.
[12] Or sting.
[13] Contraction, or constringency.
[14] Love and anger, father and son.
[15] Thought or sparkle of the will.
[16] Or voices.
[17] Or God.
[18] Nature
[19] World
[20] Or sting of instigation.
[21] Raiser, enkindler, or inflamer.
[22] Or out of itself.
[23] Mysterium
[24] Similitude, likeness, or signature.
[25] Palpable
[26] Or apprehends, or conceives.
[27] Or stands.
[28] Or to the nature of the pregnatrix.
[29] Stars
[30] Or substance.
[31] Boiling
[32] Or separates itself in itself.
[33] Report, clash.