On manifold temptations, and the necessity of the inward turning to God.

The Hundred and Twelfth Letter.

On manifold temptations, and the necessity of the inward turning to God.

Beloved friend!

Just now I receive your little letter: the time will scarcely allow me to answer anything upon it.

You write of manifold inner and outer temptations; but because you report nothing particular, I can answer only in general: namely, that our corruptions, too, are manifold, and must be uncovered and taken away from us precisely in and through manifold temptations, trials, and sufferings. Only mark this: when some temptation meets us, from within or from without, whether it be not precisely thereby that a certain corruption in us is touched; and that sometimes causes poor nature such distress and unrest that one comes thereby to think little of the glorious profit, according to God's purpose. Here belongs the saying of James 1:2, 3, and 4. But otherwise we are also often ourselves to blame that we fall into dangerous temptations — namely, when we do not take enough heed of our senses, thoughts, and heart, and are not faithful in the exercise of prayer, according to the grace God bestows; as the Savior warns: "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation."

From lack of this watchfulness you fall, through the day, into all manner of over-hasty acts and faults, and take much into your heart that does not belong there; from that comes disturbance; from disturbance, fretfulness, darkness, and so forth. It is then no wonder that you, especially of an evening, are quite unfit to turn yourself to God: yet it must not on that account be left undone; rather you must turn yourself, with humble trust, to God with your heart, in the utmost forgetting of all images — whether it be aloud, and then still in the heart, or whether it happen inwardly alone, as you best can.

Even though you should not be able to become still, yet this exercise pleases God, and is never without profit; only mark this: that we can never turn ourselves thoroughly to God, unless our inmost will at the same time turn away — thoroughly, but gently — from everything that it has taken up outside of God. Do be more careful through the day, and remember, now and again, the present God: but only have patience and constancy, even if it will not so soon succeed with you! It is wretched enough that you plume yourself on something when something good stirs in you; meanwhile, do not much regard these foolish notions, so as to leave undone, on their account, something good! You have miseries enough, and God chastisements enough, to tame this vain disposition. These and all the other corruptions of which you write are at once weakened, and at last destroyed, through the one exercise of heartfelt remembrance, and of the inward turning to God in the heart, in forgetfulness of all else: let that, accordingly, be your foremost and constant occupation the day through! But do not, without very weighty cause, fail to set yourself apart at an appointed time for this exercise, which I recognize as especially needful for you. Therefore I say it once more: for Jesus' sake, be not negligent or inconstant herein! God Himself will give grace to all — which is the wish of

Your affectionate friend and brother.

Mülheim, 19 March 1731.

German

Der hundertundzwölfte Brief.

Von mancherlei Anfechtungen, und der Nothwendigkeit der inneren Zukehr zu GOtt.

Geliebte Freundin!

So eben bekomme dein Brieflein: Die Zeit wird kaum zulassen, etwas darauf zu antworten. Du schreibst von mancherlei inneren und äußeren Anfechtungen; weil du aber nichts sonderliches meldest, so kann auch nur insgemein darauf antworten: Wie daß nämlich unsere Verdorbenheiten auch mancherlei sind, die uns eben in- und durch mancherlei Anfechtungen …

— 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).