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

Jacob Boehme original: "J. B." and his works, as God and Truth would have them think: And that then, by adhering to a practical and experiential original: "experimental"; in this context, referring to knowledge gained through personal spiritual experience rather than just theory use of the testimonies delivered in them, they might not only avoid every snare laid for their feet, but every day be more and more prepared for the fullest enjoyment of "the exceeding great and precious promises" of God, in the real participation of the divine nature, "having, however, first escaped the corruption which is in the world through lust" A reference to 2 Peter 1:4. More than this, God knows, he neither desires nor intends; and how could he desire or intend less? And if there are any evil effects which could in any way, or in any kind or degree, possibly result from the publication of this Life, or from the reading of the other works of this author as a consequence of it, no objector, however well-meaning, could be more grieved by them. He would be the first and last to do everything within his influence to strike a blow at their root and stifle them in their very birth.

Moreover, as he is sorry—though forced—to say, he observes an amazing eagerness among all parties to find and exploit every occasion for offense in opposition to the essential truth itself, in whomever it appears. God knows that, besides his own personal safety and happiness, this often makes him sigh and cry out to the Lord that he may never, either by word or deed, be permitted to provide even the slightest plausible occasion for causing his dearest Savior to be again stabbed and wounded by this malignant spirit through his own actions original: "through his Sides"; a metaphorical reference to the piercing of Christ’s side, suggesting that the translator's flaws might bring reproach upon Christ. May God preserve us all, who seek and profess the truth unfeignedly, from every error, either on the right hand or on the left!

Now, as to the execution of this translation itself, it may perhaps be necessary to observe the following. It is certainly the first which, since 1682, has been made in full original: "at large". The author has now been acquainted with the German language for nearly thirty-seven years. He learned it not only grammatically and by reading, but also by conversation and practice in Germany itself. He has ever since been frequently and extensively exercised in the same way, and may therefore be supposed to possess