Instruction for a person whom God would lead, through the ways of poverty, contempt, and suffering, into conformity with Jesus Christ.

The Fifty-Eighth Letter.

Instruction for a person whom God would lead, through the ways of poverty, contempt, and suffering, into conformity with Jesus Christ.

As He was, so are we also in this world.

In Jesus, our Lord, beloved sister!

Should it estrange or grieve us, when it goes with us in this world as it went with our Head — who was not only Himself made perfect through suffering, but also, by this very way of many tribulations, leads His children into glory? Is it not rather an honor, a true happiness and blessedness, yea, a fulfillment of our prayers, when we become conformed to the King of glory, not only inwardly but also outwardly, in poverty, contempt, and manifold suffering? O how sweetly does this bitterness taste to that spirit to whom God is savory, and who seeks no more nourishment in this vanity!

Since, then, beloved sister, it pleases the eternal Wisdom to lead you into conformity with Jesus in this threefold way at once — namely, through poverty, contempt, and suffering — I have felt bound to hand you, at your request, this little [word] as well-meant counsel and instruction, whereby you might, both outwardly and inwardly, in these straitened circumstances, in some measure order yourself through the assistance of grace.

#### I. Regarding the members of the household — outwardly.

Counsel, help, and comfort them in their perplexities, whether through yourself or through others, so far as God imparts wisdom, ability, and grace; and what you cannot help or alter, let that go untroubled, as it goes, believing that God does not require this of you either. In particular, forget not, now and then, to remind them to look to God's hand and purpose, and to apply all things to the salvation of their souls.

#### Regarding the same — inwardly.

Guard yourself, so far as God gives grace, that the reasonable pity you have for them and their condition may not press too deep into the ground, lest you be thereby too greatly moved, disquieted, cast down, darkened, and thus the body too be made yet more unfit and weak thereby.

See things not in a human way, but in God and in His will, who governs all things, and who also — what is spoiled by one's own fault — nevertheless makes it good again, and turns it to the best of His poor creatures. Offer up, in this faith, the sufferings of your own [people] to the mercy of the Lord, praying that it may be blessed to them thereunto!

#### II. Regarding yourself — outwardly.

Because your bodily constitution is at present so weak and sensitive, and I also do not see that your continual presence there in the house can help toward anything, therefore I should not find it unserviceable if you, so long as the present unrest lasts, could retire somewhere for a while, whenever God might bring an occasion for it, until afterward one might come to know God's will more nearly. Your parents will perhaps have nothing against your going aside for so long, for the sake of your health. Should the parents be quite against it, then it were a matter to be considered.

#### Regarding yourself — inwardly.

Go, through grace, at this time more than ever before, with the most inward inclination of the will, into the mind of Jesus — that is, into the esteem and the free love of poverty, of contempt, and of suffering; therein seek especially now to exercise yourself. When these dear companions of our Saviour announce themselves to you, to visit you — ah! then go to meet them with a joyful countenance, and embrace them right heartily. I mean to say: as often as the present or other vexatious circumstances befall you; as often as you must think on them, speak of them, or occupy yourself with them — so often seek to slip away, unperceived, from all the unrest, vexation, and sorrow of the outward man, and to regard and esteem these things in the light of faith, even as Jesus Himself regarded and esteemed them, and as they also are in truth: namely, as fair, wholesome, and lovely; and as such seek also to receive them with the most willing affection of heart, whatever nature and reason may think and feel about it.

Finally, seek, through the divine drawing of grace, sometimes to forget all vexations, and yourself together with them, in order to enter into the joy of the Lord. Ah, God! what, and how many, sin-miseries, toil, wretchedness, and distress does the Lord not behold in His poor, strayed creatures at this moment in all the world! Nevertheless He lives, in this very moment, untouched by all of it, in the still eternity — even glorious, even blessed, even content, even worthy of love and adoration from eternity to eternity; yea, He is also really loved, adored, and glorified in the highest by all angels and blessed ones in the very moment when so many miseries are found within us and without us. Ah! should then this blessedness of our God not touch and take our heart more than the temporal sufferings and miseries of the creatures? What matters the creature, when the Creator remains what He is? At the least, let the little spark of His love, which He has imparted to us, avail so much upon our spirit that we, now and then, forget and heed not the creature, and how it fares, and sink, lose, and spread ourselves out in the unchangeable blessedness of our God. He has, to this end, also given us a spirit which, through the grace of Jesus, has again an open door to enter into eternity, and to have communion with Him, the most blessed Spirit, unto His full contentment — that we, in the midst of the anxieties of this world, might have peace in Him.

May the Lord grant us this! that, though our body be crucified and our soul afflicted, yet our spirit may abide ever joyful and still in our God, until in a little while we come thither where no suffering shall touch us any more forever! This, written with my very weak head, may the Lord let be blessed to you and to me; for since our sicknesses are nearly one and the same, the same medicine too may serve us. Remember me, as also does not forget you

Your weak fellow-brother.

German

Der achtundfünfzigste Brief.

Unterricht für eine Person, die GOtt durch die Wege der Armuth, Verachtung und Leiden in die Gleichförmigkeit mit JEsu Christo einführen wollte.

Wie Er war, also sind auch wir in dieser Welt. In JEsu, unserm HErrn, geliebte Schwester!

— Opening lines of the original German. The complete transcription of all 605 letters appears in the forthcoming Encounter Press critical edition; Brief 1 is shown in full as a sample.

German text: public domain (1773–75 first edition / 1845 Gesammelte Schriften).