A
briefe
Relation
of
the
Life
and
Conversation
of
JACOB
BOEHMEN
,
afterwards
by
learned
men
called
TEUTONICUS
.
IACOB
BOEHMEN
was
borne
in
the
yeare
1575.
at
old
Seidenberg
,
about
two
miles
distant
from
Gorlitz
,
a
City
lying
in
Upper
Lusatia
,
which
is
commended
in
the
Writings
of
learned
men
:
His
parents
were
Jacob
his
father
,
and
Ursula
his
mother
,
both
poore
country
people
.
In
his
youth
he
kept
cattell
,
and
afterwards
by
the
counsell
of
his
friends
was
sent
to
Schoole
,
where
he
gate
to
learne
to
write
and
reade
together
with
the
feare
of
God
,
and
after
that
was
put
to
the
Trade
of
a
Shoo-maker
;
wherein
when
he
became
a
Master
(
Anno
1594.
)
he
married
a
mayd
,
one
Catharine
,
the
daughter
of
one
John
Kunshman
of
Gorlitz
,
a
Butcher
,
with
whom
he
lived
peaceably
and
well
thirty
yeares
,
and
had
by
her
foure
sonnes
,
who
also
learned
handicrafts
.
This
man
,
being
from
his
youth
up
addicted
to
the
feare
of
God
,
and
being
a
willing
hearer
of
Sermons
,
was
at
length
stirred
up
by
that
Speech
and
Promise
of
our
Saviours
(
Luke
11.
vers
.
13.
Your
heavenly
Father
will
give
the
Holy
Spirit
to
them
that
aske
him
for
it
)
likewise
through
the
differences
and
controversies
in
Religion
(
in
which
he
knew
not
how
to
satisfie
himselfe
)
was
so
moved
,
that
he
in
the
simplicity
of
spirit
,
ardently
and
uncessantly
asked
,
sought
and
knocked
,
that
he
might
know
the
Truth
;
whereby
according
to
the
Divine
Drawing
and
Will
,
hee
was
in
spirit
rapt
into
the
Holy
Saboath
;
where
he
remained
seven
whole
daye
by
his
own
confession
in
highest
Ioy
.
Afterwards
,
when
he
came
to
himselfe
,
and
had
layd
aside
the
folly
of
youth
,
he
was
driven
by
Divine
Zeale
to
reprehend
very
earnestly
impudent
Scandalous
and
Blasphemous
Speeches
,
and
withdrew
himselfe
from
all
unseemly
actions
with
earnestnesse
,
for
the
Love
of
vertue
,
by
which
practice
and
life
,
seeing
it
was
cleane
contrary
to
the
way
and
course
of
the
world
,
he
became
only
their
scorne
and
derision
;
in
the
meane
time
he
maintained
himselfe
with
the
labour
of
his
hands
,
in
the
sweat
of
his
browes
,
till
the
beginning
of
the
Sixt
Seculum
namely
the
year
1600
,
when
he
was
a
second
time
possessed
with
a
Divine
Light
and
by
a
sudden
sight
of
a
Pewter
Vessell
he
was
brought
to
the
inward
ground
or
Centrum
of
the
hidden
Nature
.
But
he
yet
somewhat
mistrusting
,
went
out
into
an
open
field
,
and
there
beheld
the
Wonder-workes
of
the
Creator
in
the
Signatures
of
all
created
things
,
very
cleerly
and
manifestly
laid
open
:
whereupon
he
was
taken
with
exceeding
Ioy
,
yet
held
his
peace
in
silence
,
praised
God
,
and
in
the
meane
time
contented
himselfe
therewith
.
But
according
to
Gods
holy
counsell
,
who
manageth
his
work
in
secret
,
after
ten
yeares
,
viz.
Anno
1610.
through
the
Overshadowing
of
the
Holy
Spirit
,
he
was
a
third
time
touched
by
God
and
renewed
.
Whereupon
,
when
hee
became
so
enlightned
,
lest
so
great
grace
bestowed
upon
him
,
should
slip
out
of
his
memory
,
or
he
resist
his
God
,
he
wrote
privately
and
secretly
for
himselfe
,
by
small
meanes
,
and
no
bookes
at
all
but
only
the
Holy
Scriptures
;
These
Workes
following
,
viz.
-
1.
Anno
1612.
He
wrote
the
first
Book
called
Aurors
,
the
Rising
of
the
Sun
,
which
book
(
he
being
accused
for
being
the
Author
thereof
)
was
by
the
Magistrate
at
Gorlitz
at
Court
committed
to
custody
:
with
command
to
him
that
he
should
henceforth
(
being
an
Idiot
or
simple
man
)
refraine
such
writing
of
bookes
,
that
did
not
belong
to
his
profession
and
condition
.
Whereupon
he
refrained
seven
yeares
,
but
afterwards
being
stirred
up
againe
by
the
motion
of
the
Holy
Spirit
of
God
,
and
also
being
incouraged
thereunto
by
the
entreaty
and
desires
of
some
people
that
feared
God
,
he
betooke
himselfe
to
his
pen
againe
,
and
proceeded
in
writing
and
perfected
,
with
good
leisure
and
deliberation
,
the
rest
which
follow
,
viz.
-
2.
Anno
1619.
The
second
Book
.
Of
the
Three
Principles
,
together
with
an
appendix
of
the
Threefold
life
of
Man
.
-
3.
Anno
1620.
A
Booke
of
the
Three-fold
life
of
Man
.
-
4.
An
Answer
to
the
40
Questions
of
the
Soule
,
propounded
by
Doctor
Balthasar
Walterus
,
wherein
,
the
first
chapter
comprehendeth
a
Treatise
of
the
Turned
Eye
or
Philosophique
Globe
,
withall
an
addition
concerning
the
Soule
,
the
Image
of
the
Soule
,
and
the
Turba
or
destroyeresse
of
the
Image
.
-
5.
Three
Books
.
The
first
,
of
the
Incarnation
of
Jesus
Christ
.
The
second
of
the
Suffering
,
Death
,
and
Resurrection
of
Christ
.
The
third
of
the
Tree
of
Faith
.
-
6.
A
Booke
of
Six
Points
.
-
7.
A
Booke
of
the
Heavenly
and
Earthly
Mysterium
.
-
8.
A
Booke
of
the
Last
Times
to
P.
K.
-
9.
Anno
1621.
A
Booke
De
Signatura
Rerum
,
or
the
Sgnature
of
all
things
.
-
10.
A
Consolatory
Booke
of
the
foure
Complexions
.
-
11.
An
Apology
to
Balthasar
Tilken
in
two
parts
.
-
12.
A
Consideration
upon
Esaias
Steefells
Booke
.
-
13.
Anno.
1622
A
Booke
of
true
Repnetance
.
-
14.
A
Booke
of
true
Resignation
.
-
15.
A
Booke
of
Regeneration
.
-
16.
A
short
Compendium
of
Repentance
.
-
17.
Anno
1623.
A
Booke
of
the
Predestination
and
Election
of
God
.
-
18.
The
Mysterium
Magnum
upon
Genesis
.
-
19.
Anno
1624.
A
Table
of
the
Principles
or
a
Key
of
his
writings
to
G.
F.
and
I.
H.
-
20.
A
little
Booke
of
the
Supersensuall
Life
.
-
(
21
)
A
little
Booke
of
Divine
Contemplation
.
-
22.
A
Book
of
the
Two
Testaments
of
Christ
,
viz.
Baptisme
and
the
Supper
of
the
Lord
.
-
23.
A
Dialogue
betweene
the
enlightned
and
the
unenlightned
Soule
.
-
24.
An
Apology
upon
the
Booke
of
true
Repentance
,
dericted
against
a
Pasquill
of
the
principall
Minister
of
Gorlitz
called
Gregory
Rickter
.
-
(
25
)
A
Booke
of
177.
Theosophick
Questions
.
-
26.
An
Epitome
of
the
Mysterium
Magnum
.
-
(
27.
)
The
Holy
Weeks
,
or
the
Prayer-Booke
.
-
28.
A
Table
of
the
Divine
Manifestation
,
or
an
Exposition
of
the
Threefold
World
to
I.
S
,
V.
S
.
and
A.
V.
F.
In
these
two
that
follow
,
the
date
of
the
yeare
is
not
set
downe
.
-
29.
A
Booke
of
the
Errours
of
the
Sects
of
Ezechiel
Meths
to
A.
P.
A.
or
an
Apology
to
Esaias
Steefell
.
-
30.
A
Booke
of
The
last
Judgement
.
Further
.
-
31.
Certaine
Letters
to
divers
Persons
,
written
at
divers
times
with
certaine
Key's
for
some
bidden
words
.
-
The
Bookes
which
the
Author
finished
not
,
are
marked
with
this
signe
(
)
Herewith
he
hath
left
so
noble
and
pretious
a
Treasure
and
Talent
for
the
setting
forth
of
Gods
honour
,
and
to
promote
mans
salvation
,
for
the
present
as
well
as
for
the
future
times
,
that
from
the
Apostles
Times
hitherto
higher
and
deeper
grounded
Mysteries
of
the
Deity
have
scarce
been
revealed
.
He
had
conversation
and
acquaintance
for
the
most
part
with
Godly
learned
Men
and
such
as
were
experienced
in
Nature
;
with
whom
as
also
with
some
of
the
Nobility
of
Lusatia
and
Silesia
,
he
conversed
in
all
feare
of
God
:
Although
some
common
Preachers
after
their
usuall
Custome
ceased
not
,
continually
to
vomit
out
their
venome
and
malice
against
his
writings
,
and
to
slander
him
with
all
manner
of
scandall
and
calumny
among
the
rude
and
foolish
people
:
Yet
the
Truth
liveth
still
and
hath
overcome
,
and
shall
at
last
Triumph
in
secret
.
But
he
the
blessed
Jacob
Boehmen
Teutonicus
,
at
Gorlitz
in
his
house
lying
at
the
water-side
of
Nise
;
Anno
1624.
the
eighteenth
day
of
November
,
stilo
novo
,
about
six
of
the
clock
in
the
morning
,
the
twenty-fourth
Sunday
after
Trinity
,
after
he
had
heard
an
exceeding
sweet
Musick
,
without
his
Chamber
,
and
refreshed
himselfe
with
the
Holy
use
of
the
Testament
of
Christ
at
his
Supper
,
praying
and
weeping
with
his
sonnes
and
some
good
friends
,
with
these
last
comfortable
words
Now
goe
I
hence
into
Paradise
,
gently
sighing
,
blessedly
departed
in
the
fiftyeth
yeare
of
his
age
.
After
the
funerall
Sermon
was
done
he
was
buried
in
the
Church-yard
at
Gorlitz
,
and
upon
the
Grave
was
a
woodden
Crosse
set
up
,
on
which
was
pourtrayed
a
Mysticall
three-fold
Figure
,
viz.
-
An
Eagle
with
a
Lilly-Twigge
.
-
A
Lyon
with
a
Sword
.
-
A
Lamb
with
a
Mitre
.
The
Superscription
on
the
Crosse
was
this
,
U
.
H.
I.
L.
I.
C.
I.
U
.
That
is
,
Unser
Heil
Im
Leben
Iesu
Christi
In
Uns
.
In
English
thus
:
Our
Salvation
is
In
the
Life
of
Iesus
Christ
In
Us
.
Which
was
Jacob
Boehmens
Motto
,
or
usuall
Speech
and
superscription
in
Letters
,
also
,
Borne
of
God
.
Dead
in
Christ
.
Sealed
with
the
Holy
Ghost
.
Resteth
here
Jacob
Boehmen
of
old
Seidenberg
.
(
Note
1.
the
Southerne
Eagle
which
stood
upon
an
high
Rocke
,
and
with
one
foot
trod
upon
a
Serpents
head
,
and
with
the
other
held
a
Palme
,
received
with
its
Beake
a
Lilly-Twigge
reached
out
of
the
Sun.
2.
The
Northern
Lyon
was
Crowned
and
Signed
with
a
Crosse
,
and
bore
before
it
in
its
right
foot
a
fire-flaming
Sword
,
and
in
its
left
a
fiery-Heart
,
it
stayed
the
Hough
or
hinder
part
of
its
right
foot
,
upon
a
Cube
or
Square
,
and
it
s
left
on
a
Globe
or
Ball
.
3.
A
Lamb
with
a
Mitre
walked
quietly
and
simply
between
them
both
,
in
the
meadowes
and
by
the
brooks
of
Grace
.
)
His
seale
or
Impresse
was
a
hand
out
of
heaven
with
a
Lilly-Twigge
.
In
the
memoriall
Bookes
of
Good
friends
he
used
to
write
these
Rymes
.
Weme
Zeit
is
t
wie
Ewigkeit
,
Und
Ewigkeit
wie
die
Zeit
,
Der
ist
be
freit
von
allem
streit
.
Englished
To
whom
Time
is
as
Eternity
.
And
Eternity
as
Time
,
He
is
freed
from
all
strife
.
The
Stature
of
his
outward
Body
was
almost
of
no
Personage
,
his
person
was
little
and
leane
,
with
browes
somewhat
inbowed
,
high
Temples
,
somewhat
hauknosed
;
His
Eyes
were
gray
and
somewhat
Heaven-blew
and
otherwise
as
the
Windowes
in
Solomons
Temple
,
he
had
a
thin
Beard
:
a
Smale
low
voyce
:
his
speech
was
lovely
.
He
was
modest
in
his
behaviour
,
humble
in
his
conversation
and
meeke
of
Heart
.
His
spirit
highly
enlightned
by
God
,
as
is
to
be
seene
and
discerned
,
in
the
Divine
Light
,
out
of
his
writings
.
This
that
followeth
was
taken
out
of
a
Note
of
M.
C.
touching
what
happened
at
the
End
or
departure
of
Jacob
Boehmen
.
On
Sunday
the
eighteenth
of
November
,
betimes
in
the
morning
he
called
his
sonne
Tobias
,
and
asked
if
he
also
heard
that
Excellent
Musick
,
he
said
no
,
then
he
bad
that
the
door
should
be
opened
,
that
that
musick
might
be
the
better
heard
.
Afterwards
he
asked
what
a
clock
it
was
,
being
answered
that
it
had
strucke
Two
;
he
said
it
is
not
yet
my
time
,
Three
howers
hence
is
my
time
:
In
the
meane
while
he
spake
these
words
once
.
O
thou
strong
God
of
Hoasts
deliver
mee
according
to
thy
will
.
O
thou
Crucified
Lord
Jesus
have
mercy
upon
mee
and
receive
mee
into
thy
Kingdome
.
When
it
was
neere
about
Six
of
the
clock
,
he
tooke
his
leave
of
his
wife
and
sonnes
,
blessed
them
,
and
said
moreover
,
Now
goe
I
hence
into
Paradise
;
spake
to
his
sonne
to
turne
him
about
,
and
he
sighed
deeply
,
and
so
mildly
and
quietly
departed
from
this
world
.