ands of the Lutheran Clergyman of
Goerlitz, Pastor Primarius Gregorius Richter, who thenceforth became a
bitter opponent of Behmen. He assailed him in sermons, in language of
savage invective, as a heretic of the most dangerous kind, until Jacob
was summoned before the Magistrates, and forbidden to write anything in
future. He was told that as a shoemaker he must confine himself to his
own trade. But the affair, as is usually the case, had an effect the
reverse of that intended by persecutors. It made him known to various
persons more learned than himself who were interested in the subject,
and from his converse with them he learned a better style, and some
Latin technical terms, which he afterwards found useful for expressing
his thoughts.

Jacob obeyed for some years the magisterial command to write nothing,
but it was very grievous to him, and he often reflected with dismay on
the parable of the talents and how "that one talent which 'tis death to
hide" was lodged with him useless. At length he would keep silence no
more. He says himself: "I had resolved to do nothing in future, but to
be quiet before God in obedience, and to let the devil, with all his
host, sweep over me. But it was with me as when a seed is hidden in the
earth. It grows up in storm and rough weather against all reason. For in
winter time all is dead, and reason says: 'It is all over with it.' But
the precious seed within me sprouted and grew green, oblivious of all
storms, and, amid disgrace and ridicule, it has blossomed forth into a
lily."

Between the year 1619 and his death in 1624, at the age of forty-nine,
he poured forth his stored up thoughts, writing a number of Works,
including those in the present volume, which were among his very latest.
He had the more time to write because his shoemaking business had fallen
off, by reason, perhaps, of the question as to his orthodoxy, but some
friends supplied him with the necessaries of life. He was now exposed
to fresh attacks from Gregorius Richter and was forced this time to go
into exile. At this period he went to the Electoral Court at Dresden
where the Prince was curious about him, and a conference took place
between him and John Gerhard and other eminent theologians. At the close
of this Dr Gerhard said: "I would not take the whole world and help to
condemn this man." And his colleague Meissner said, "My good brother,
neither would I. Who knows what stands behind this man? How can we judge