Memoirs of the life, death, burial, and wonderful writings, of Jacob Behmen

As long as the sectarian spirit of division has been able to find even the slightest probability, or even the possibility, of an objection based on reason and the literal word of Scripture, it has eagerly seized upon and used everything to justify its conduct in condemning and rejecting every method of divine intervention up to this point. And thus has Matthew 10:16–19 been all too sadly proven true by our modern Christian generations as well. For neither the obscurity of a Jacob Behmen original: "Jacob Behmen" — Jakob Böhme (1575–1624), a German Lutheran mystic whose writings were famous for their complex, symbolic, and often difficult-to-understand nature. nor the clarity original: "perspicuity" of Madam Bourignon original: "Madam Bourignon" — Antoinette Bourignon (1616–1680), a Flemish mystic who claimed direct revelation and called for a return to an internal, primitive Christianity. has been accepted. Though indeed it must be admitted that for those looking for an excuse to complain, there is enough reason to stumble over certain parts of the works of Böhme.

It is also most remarkable—just as it was with our Savior himself when he was personally on the earth—that although each religious group is sadly divided against the others, they are all in complete agreement and closely united in their opposition to the Internal Truth itself. This is despite the fact that this truth is, and must ultimately prove to be, the only savior for their own hearts. And why? Because, forsooth! He referring to the Spirit of Truth or Christ within does not present himself to their minds with their specific sectarian badge meaning a partisan label or specific denominational identity. Although he is the true friend of all parties in the best sense, he can belong to none of them in their worst tendencies. See Acts 7:25–28, 34–36, as an allegorical resemblance and allusion.

The translator humbly believes that long and costly experience, dating almost from his infancy, has given him some right to speak this way. He can say that from his youth, he felt and most sincerely sought after that living heart’s truth that sets one free. Therefore, in his inexperienced years, he was all too ready to believe and join various groups who beckoned to him, saying, "Look, here is Christ!" or, "Look, there is Christ!" He knows all too well what this religious party loyalty and spiritual ownership original: "spiritual propriety" — a sense of exclusive possession of the truth by a specific sect. mean, and how they fascinate original: "fascinate" — here used in the older sense of "bewitch" or "cast a spell over." the mind. But a desire ignited and inflamed by God will surely work its way through all disguised forms and out of all the labyrinths of error. Like a newborn baby, it will never rest until it finds the breasts of consolation—