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 [Page]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 [Page]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 Aurora, 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.
- [Page]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 hidden 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 [Page]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 Lamh with a Mitre.
The Superscription on the Crosse was this, ‘Ʋ. H. I. L. I. C. I. Ʋ.’
That is, ‘Ʋnser Heil Im Leben Iesu Christi In Ʋns.’
In English thus: ‘Our Salvation is In the Life of Iesus Christ In Ʋs.’ [Page]Which was Jacob Boehmens Motto, or usuall Speech and superscription in Letters, also,
(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 its 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.
Englished
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 [Page]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.
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.