Of the manifold noise at initial awakenings, and how God in His time knows how to separate everything.

The Sixty-Sixth Letter.

Of the manifold noise at initial awakenings, and how God in His time knows how to separate everything.

In the grace of the Lord, beloved brother!

Your kind letter, by the dear Brothers M. and G. — to whom I mean to entrust this one too — I have lately received well, and in the dear brother's testimonies I find full concord of mind.

Certainly one cannot, without holy fear and grief, always look upon the manifold ways, workings, and noise of awakened people; and yet not everything, and not in all cases, is to be indiscreetly rejected and discouraged, since for many a one a support and guidance still seems needful, given the pitiable incapacity of the outward-turned and restless mind to perceive and to decide the inward drawings and workings of grace. If only one would not always remain in a circle, but press fine and straight to the goal, and to this end — the essential sanctification in the inner communion with Christ — order and temper all else wisely, so that one did not always stay far off, and squander the noble, weak powers of grace on useless things.

Whatsoever, and in so far as anything, leads the seeking mind straight to the dying-off of the creature, of the sensual and self-life; whatsoever, and in so far as anything, nourishes, strengthens, and gathers the heart, and instils the love and high esteem of the present Majesty of Love — that is indeed all worthy of all acceptance, however slight and outward a thing may otherwise be in itself. Would one but learn to know the tree by its fruits, one could soon decide whether, and how far, this or that working and commotion in spiritual things is furthering or hindering to the kingdom of Christ.

An unenlightened, unpractised eye scarcely ever believes how great is the incapacity of a child of Adam for essential intercourse and communion with his God and Origin; and how deeply and long-sufferingly this eternal Good must let itself down to us and lead us as by leading-strings, so that all that is mixed may fall away more and more, and we become to Him right near and fit for Him. He overlooks a thousand follies, leads the sincere mind through, and knows how to separate everything in His time. When we have in part experienced this in ourselves, then we shall deal discreetly with others, and look to the good intent and ground, and gladly point them to the goal.

It happens not without divine ordinance, direction, and co-operation, that now in this land, now in that, in this age and stock, a noise of awakening, like a stormwind, arises, rushes for a while, and stirs many to the good. It is true, indeed, that in the greatest part — both of the instruments and of the awakened — much that is human, sectarian, and impure often mixes in; yet the long-suffering Love lets itself down and blesses the well-meant, feeble work. In short: a net is cast, and a multitude enclosed. After some time it grows still by little and little, and seems to decline. Many, who without thorough change came only so, along with the press, turn back again; the upright see ever more clearly the feebleness of the former activity; the net tears, and each one goes his way. Will not then Wisdom thereby give the upright room, and lure them to a deeper attending and inward-turning, to hear her gentle voice in the ground — which amid the former turmoil could not so well be perceived?

Thus does the divine Wisdom order and separate all things finely in their time, in general, and so also in particular. What once awakened, gave savour, and furthered, will sometimes afterward no longer do its former effect; nay, the inclination and the power for it are often, to one's wonder, withdrawn, as the powers of grace sink themselves deeper, and will no longer be perceived in the sensual part, but in the still ground and sanctuary, and there find room. And then is surely come, in the soul, the time of the true Separatism, when one may no longer take life, or enter, into any outward and self-made working or noise, but in the most inward humility and detachment must let the Lord work within oneself, and out of pure grace await what one cannot give oneself: because, once for all, nothing wholly justifies nor quiets but what God Himself works and bestows, unmixed, in the ground of the soul — where, to us poor sinners, the eternal love of God stands quite near and open in the gracious name Jesus-Immanuel; there we sink ourselves down, and live by His free grace. To Him be glory for ever!

German

Der sechsundsechzigste Brief.

Von dem mannigfaltigen Geräusch bei anfänglichen Erweckungen, und wie GOtt zu seiner Zeit alles zu scheiden weiß.

In der Gnade des HErrn geliebter Bruder!

Dessen Angenehmes durch die l. Br. M. und G., denen auch dieses mitzugeben gedenke, habe jüngstens wohl erhalten, und finde mit des lieben Bruders Zeugnissen alle Einstimmung des Gemüths.

— 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).