On God's keeping in the handling of the things of this world, and in intercourse with bodily relatives.

The Twenty-fifth Letter.

On God's keeping in the handling of the things of this world, and in intercourse with bodily relatives.

N. N.

Both your little letters I received in due time with pleasure. I can say that I accompanied the dear sister with my heart to N. N., and, without setting myself to it, was often there with you unnoticed; for the journey was of concern to me. And now I thank the Lord heartily that He kept you amid the strange dealings, and gave what He gave, and now too has so kindly led you home again.

Truly, my dear sister, if you could but see, with the impression of it, God's protecting grace and motherly love toward you — shown in this too — as it seems to me it hovers before my eyes, you would be moved unbelievably thereby to lift up, praise, and embrace this love in your spirit, and to give yourself over to it anew, wholly, with childlike trust. At all times, but especially in the handling of the things of this world and in dealings with bodily relatives, the evil spirits lie right in wait to draw us, mediately or immediately, into their element, and to disturb and harm us by slipping in natural, sensual, rational notions and stirrings. We timid children would be quite thrown into alarm if we saw the diligence of these our enemies: but this alarm would harm us, and therefore the Lord does not let us weak children see it.

We are only to retire, as children, with a quiet, sweet trust in the spirit into His lap, and to look upon our Friend, and not upon the foes; then the fantastical prince of this world has nothing in us; the Lord then covers us over secretly close to Himself, and His nearness and faithfulness bring it about that all the cunning and power of the enemy rebound in shame. When a child of the heart has its God near in such a case, oh! then it may well sing in spirit the second Psalm in the face of its adversaries. Now then, dear sister, let us acknowledge and praise the high safeguard, and hold it before our eyes as children!

For the rest, I cannot express, dear sister, with what disregard, indifference, and detachment a soul called to the inward life must look upon, handle, and possess the things of this world, without letting itself be possessed by any thing. Is it not the truth, dear sister, and does not the Lord call to you in spirit, without any reminder from me: I am the Lord thy God, thou shalt have no other gods before me? Does the Lord not let us feel, so lovingly and faithfully, that He alone is fully enough? He wills that our heart should rejoice, delight, and keep itself occupied not in this or that, but in Him alone; He draws all our inner inclinations to Himself sweetly, yet mightily; and this is so utterly fitting and blessing-bringing that, if only we seek to remain in it, we truly desire it no otherwise, but count ourselves happy to be found worthy to sell all for this precious pearl.

So much as I am writing here, I could scarcely have managed in eight days, so little time is left me now. Oh! if only we serve and please God. My weakness of the eyes I must now forget as best I can. I greet you once more, dear sister! and assure you of my unshaken love and concern for your progress and delight in the spirit.

German

Der 25te Brief.

Von der Bewahrung GOttes bei Behandelung der Dingen dieser Welt, und beim Umgang mit leiblichen Verwandten.

N. N. Eure beide Brieflein habe seiner Zeit mit Vergnügen erhalten. Ich kann sagen, ich habe die liebe Schwester mit meinem Herzen nach N. N. begleitet, und, ohne daß mir's vornahm, war ich öfters unvermerkt da bei euch; dann die Reise war mir wichtig.

— 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).