The Life of one JACOB BOEHMEN: WHO ALTHOUGH HE WERE A Very Mean man, yet wrote the most wonderful deep knowledge in NATURAL and DIVINE things. That any hath been known to do since the APOSTLES TIMES, and yet never read them, or learned them from any other man, as may be seen in that which followeth.  
WHEREIN IS CONTAINED A perfect Catalogue of his Works.  
LONDON, Printed by L. N. for RICHARD WHITAKER, at the sign of the King's Arms in Paul's Churchyard, 1644.   

A brief Relation of the Life and Conversation of JACOB BOEHMEN, afterwards by learned men called TEUTONICUS.  
JACOB BOEHMEN was borne in the year 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 poor country people. In his youth he kept cattles, and afterwards by the counsel of his friends was sent to School, where he gate to learn to write and read together with the fear of God, and after that was put to the Trade of a Shoemaker; wherein when he became a Master (Anno 1594.) he married a maid, one Catharine, the daughter of one John Kunshman of Gorlitz, a Butcher, with whom he lived peaceably and well thirty years, and had by her four sons, who also learned handicrafts.  
This man, being from his youth up addicted to the fear of God, and being a willing hearer of Sermons, was at length stirred up by that Speech and Promise of our Saviour's (Luck 11. vers. 13. Your heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him for it) likewise through the differences and controversies in Religion (in which he knew not how to satisfy himself) 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, he was in spirit rapt into the Holy Sabbath; where he remained seven whole day by his own confession in highest joy.. Afterwards, when he came to himself, and had laid aside the folly of youth, he was driven by Divine Zeal to reprehend very earnestly impudent Scandalous and Blasphemous Speeches, and withdrew himself from all unseemly actions with earnestness, for the Love of virtue, by which practice and life, seeing it was clean contrary to the way and course of the world, he became only their scorn and derision; in the mean time he maintained himself with the labour of his hands, in the sweat of his brows, till the beginning of the sixth Seculum namely the year 1600, when he was a second time possessed with a Divine Light and by a sudden sight of a Pewter Vessel 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 clearly and manifestly laid open: whereupon he was taken with exceeding joy, yet held his peace in silence, praised God, and in the mean time contented himself therewith.  
But according to God's holy counsel, who manageth his work in secret, after ten years, viz. Anno 1610. through the Overshadowing of the Holy Spirit, he was a third time touched by God and renewed. Whereupon, when he became so enlightened, lest so great grace bestowed upon him, should slip out of his memory, or he resist his God, he wrote privately and secretly for himself, by small means, and no books at all but only the Holy Scriptures; These Works 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) refrain such writing of books, that did not belong to his profession and condition. Whereupon he refrained seven years, but afterwards being stirred up again by the motion of the Holy Spirit of God, and also being encouraged thereunto by the entreaty and desires of some people that feared God, he betook himself to his pen again, 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 Book of the  life of Man.  
4. An Answer to the 40 Questions of the Soul, propounded by Doctor Balthasar Walterus, Wherein, the first chapter comprehendeth a Treatise of the Turned Eye or Philosophique Globe, withal an addition concerning the Soul, the Image of the Soul, 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 Book of Six Points.  
7. A Book of the Heavenly and Earthly Mysterium.  
8. A Book of the Last Times to P. K.  
9 Anno 1621. A Book De Signatura Rerum, or the Sgnature of all things.  
10. A Consolatory Book of the four Complexions.  
11. An Apology to Balthasar Tilken in two parts.  
12. A Consideration upon Esaias Steefells Book.  
13. Anno. 1622 A Book of true Repnetance.  
14. A Book of true Resignation.  
15. A Book of Regeneration.  
16. A short Compendium of Repentance.  
17. Anno 1623. A Book 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 Book of the Supersensuall Life.  
(21) A little Book of Divine Contemplation.  
22. A Book of the Two Testaments of Christ, viz. Baptism and the Supper of the Lord.  
23. A Dialogue between the enlightened and the unenlightned Soul.  
24. An Apology upon the Book of true Repentance, dericted against a Pasquil of the principal Minister of Gorlitz called Gregory Rickter.  
(25) A Book of 177. Theosophick Questions.  
26. An Epitome of the Mysterium Magnum.  
(27.) The Holy Weeks, or the Prayer-book.  
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 year is not set down. 

29. A Book of the Errors of the Sects of Ezechiel Meths to A. P. A. or an Apology to Esaias Steefell.  
30. A Book of The last Judgement.    
Further. 

31. Certain Letters to divers Persons, written at divers times with certain Key's for some hidden Words. The Books which the Author finished not, are marked with this sign (_____)     
Herewith he hath left so noble and precious a Treasure and Talon for the setting forth of God's honour, and to promote man's 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 fear of God: Although some common Preachers after their usual Custom ceased not, continually to vomit out their venom and malice against his writings, and to slander him with all manner of scandal 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 waterside 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 Music, without his Chamber, and refreshed himself with the Holy use of the Testament of Christ at his Supper, praying and weeping with his sons and some good friends, with these last comfortable words Now go I hence into Paradise, gently sighing, blessedly departed in the fiftyeth year of his age.  
After the funeral Sermon was done he was buried in the Churchyard at Gorlitz, and upon the Grave was a wooden Cross set up, on which was portrayed a Mystical threefold Figure, viz.  
An Eagle with a Lilly-Twigge.  
A Lion with a Sword.  
A Lamh with a Mitre.  
The Superscription on the Cross was this, V H. I. L. I. C. I. V.  
That is, Vnser Heil In Leben jesus Christi In Vns.  
In English thus: Our Salvation is In the Life of jesus Christ In Us. Which was Jacob Boehmens' Motto, or usual 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 Southern Eagle which stood upon an high Rock, and with one foot trod upon a Serpent's head, and with the other held a Palm, received with its Beak a Lilly-Twigge reached out of the Sun.  
2. The Northern Lion was Crowned and Signed with a Cross, 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 meadows and by the brooks of Grace.)  
His seal or Impress was a hand out of heaven with a Lilly-Twigge. In the memorial Books of Good friends he used to write these Rhymes.  
Weme Zeit is't wie Ewigkeit,  
Underwit Ewigk●it wie die Zeit,  
Der ist be ●reit von allem strait.  
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 lean, with brows somewhat inbowed, high Temples, somewhat hauknosed; His Eyes were grey and somewhat Heaven-blew and otherwise as the Windows in Solomon's Temple, he had a thin Beard: a Small low voice: his speech was lovely. He was modest in his behaviour, humble in his conversation and meek of Heart. His spirit highly enlightened by God, as is to be seen 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 son Tobias, and asked if he also heard that Excellent Music, he said no, than he bade that the door should be opened, that that music might be the better heard. Afterwards he asked what a clock it was, being answered that it had struck Two; he said it is not yet my time, Three hours hence is my time: In the mean while he spoke these words once.  O thou strong God of Hosts deliver me according to thy will. O thou Crucified Lord Jesus have mercy upon me and receive me into thy Kingdom. 
When it was near about Six of the clock, he took his leave of his wife and sons, blessed them, and said moreover, Now go I hence into Paradise; spoke to his son to turn him about, and he sighed deeply, and so mildly and quietly departed from this world.   
FINIS.