Boehme 2

                                  The Key or Clavis of Jacob Boehme

THE PREFACE TO THE READER OF THESE WRITINGS
1. It is written, The natural man [1] receives not the things of the spirit,
nor the Mystery of the kingdom of God, they are foolishness unto him,
neither can he know them: therefore I admonish and exhort the
Christian lover of Mysteries, if he will study these high writings, and
read, search, and understand them, that he does not read them
outwardly only, with sharp speculation and meditation; for in so doing,
he shall remain in the outward imaginary ground only, and obtain no
more than a [2] counterfeit color of them.
[1] understands or perceives not. [2] or feigned shadow of them.
2. For a man's own reason, without the light of them. God, cannot come
into the ground [of them], it is impossible; let his wit be ever so high
and subtle, it apprehends but as it were the shadow of it in a glass.
3. For Christ says, without me you can do nothing; and he is the Light
of the World, and the Life of men.

4. Now if any one would search the divine ground, that is, the divine [1]
revelation, he must first consider with himself for what end he desires
to know such things; whether he desires to practice that which he
might obtain, and bestow it to the glory of God and the welfare of his
neighbor; and whether he desires to die to earthliness, and to his own
will, and to live in that which he seeks and desires, and to be one spirit
with it.
[1] or manifestation
5. If he have not a purpose, that if God should reveal himself and his
Mysteries to him, he would be one spirit and have one will with him,
and wholly resign and yield himself up to him, thatGod's spirit might do
what he pleases with him and by him, and that God might be his knowledge, will, and [1] deed, he is not yet fit for such knowledge and understanding.
[1] or working
6. For there are many that seek Mysteries annd hidden knowledge,
merely that they might be respected and highly esteemed by the world,
and for their own gain and profit; but they attain not this ground, where
the spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God: as it is
written.
7. It must be a totally resigned and yielded will, in which God himself
searches and works, and which continually pierces into God, in
yielding and resigned humility, seeking nothing but his eternal native
country, and to do his neighbor service with it; and then it may  be
attained. And he must begin with effectual repentance and
amendment, and with prayer, that his understanding might be opened
from within; for then the inward will bring itself into the outward.
8. But when he reads such writings, and yet cannot understand them,
he must not presently throw them away, and think it is impossible to
understand them; no, but he must turn his mind to God, beseeching him
for grace and understanding, and read again; and then he shall see
more and more in them, till at length he be drawn by the power of God
into the very depth itself, and so come into the supernatural and
supersensual ground, viz. into the eternal unity of God; where he shall
hear unspeakable but effectual words of God, which shall bring him
back and outward again, by the divine effluence, to the very grossest
and meanest matter of the earth, and then back and inwards to God
again;then the spirit of God searches all things with him, and by
him;and so he is rightly taught and driven by God).
9. But since the lovers desire a Clavis, or key of my writings, I am
ready and willing to pleasure them in it, and will set down a short
description of the ground of those strange words; some of which are
taken from nature and [1] sense, and some are the words of strange [2]
masters, I have tried according to sense, and found them good and fit.

 be
attained. And he must begin with effectual repentance and
amendment, and with prayer, that his understanding might be opened
from within; for then the inward will bring itself into the outward.
8. But when he reads such writings, and yet cannot understand them,
he must not presently throw them away, and think it is impossible to
understand them; no, but he must turn his mind to God, beseeching him
for grace and understanding, and read again; and then he shall see
more and more in them, till at length he be drawn by the power of God
into the very depth itself, and so come into the supernatural and
supersensual ground, viz. into the eternal unity of God; where he shall
hear unspeakable but effectual words of God, which shall bring him
back and outward again, by the divine effluence, to the very grossest
and meanest matter of the earth, and then back and inwards to God
again;then the spirit of God searches all things with him, and by
him;and so he is rightly taught and driven by God).
9. But since the lovers desire a Clavis, or key of my writings, I am
ready and willing to pleasure them in it, and will set down a short
description of the ground of those strange words; some of which are
taken from nature and [1] sense, and some are the words of strange [2]
masters, I have tried according to sense, and found them good and fit.

[1] ex sensu [2] artists or mystical authors
10. Reason will stumble, when it sees heathenish terms and words
used in the explanation of natural things, supposing we should use
none but scripture phrase (or words borrowed from the Bible); but such
words will not always ply and square themselves to the fundamental
exposition of the properties of nature, neither can a man express the
ground with them: also the wise heathen and jews have hidden the
deep ground of nature under such words, as having well understood
that the knowledge of [1] nature is not for every one, but it belongs to
those only, whom God by nature has chosen for it.
[1] naturally inclined to it
11. But none need stumble at it; for when God reveals his Mysteries to
any man, he then also brings him into a mind and faculty how to
express them, as God knows to be most necessary and profitable in
every [1] age, for the setting of the confused tongues and opinions
upon the true ground again: Men must not think that it comes by
chance, or is done by human reason.
[1] or seculum
12. The [1] revelations of divine things are opened by the inward
ground of the spiritual world, and brought12. The [1] revelations of divine things are opened by the inward
ground of the spiritual world, and brought into visible forms, just as the
Creator will manifest them.
[1] or manifestations
13. I will write but a short description of the divine [1]manifestation,
yet as much as I can comprehend in brief; and expound the strange
words for the better understanding of ourbooks; and set down here the
sum of those writings, or a modelor epitome of them, for the
consideration and help of beginners: The further exposition of [2] it is
to be found in the other books or revelation.
[1] or revelations [2] the divine manifestation or revelation


An explanation of some principal points and ex