Preface.

This is my way, upon which I walk; it is yielded to God, and upon it I must know without my own prior knowledge. I do not set any purpose for myself beforehand as to what I will write or speak; rather, I surrender myself to God’s knowing. He may know within me whatever He wills. And upon such a way I have obtained a pearl A common mystical metaphor for the "Pearl of Great Price" or divine wisdom found within the soul., which is dearer to me than the entire outer world.

And although it happens that the children of God often clash with one another in their understanding, yet this all occurs only through the Turba Turba: a term used by Jacob Böhme to describe a state of inward disturbance, confusion, or the "uproar" of the elements and external reason that obscures divine light of outer reason, which exists in all people. And God permits such things so that man may be exercised and might kindle his spirit more vehemently with prayer and by penetrating into God. Then the Spirit of God moves in the hiddenness of humanity like a burning fire, and all things must work for the best for God’s children. original: "Act. 15: 37. sq. Rom. 8: 28." Refers to Acts 15:37 and the following verses, and Romans 8:28 ("All things work together for good to them that love God").

Concerning several persons in your neighborhood of whom you mention, who turn everything into money and run toward the supposed Zion Referring here to a physical place or a specific sectarian community they believe to be the "holy city."; I would consider it more advisable if they stayed at home, for Zion must be born within us. When they come to those places,