How one is to behave in temptations, and to shun the occasions with earnestness.

The Fortieth Letter.

How one is to behave in temptations, and to shun the occasions with earnestness.

Dearly beloved sister!

Although my head is uncommonly weak, still I must greet you heartily, and call out to you: Be of good courage! for the Lord is with you (Deut. 31:6, 8). Complaint-letters are dear to me too, if only they are not despair-letters. When the Saviour had been baptized and consecrated to His office, the tempter came near. The enemy must grow truly anxious that he assails you so: he shall, after all, have nothing in you to eternity, for you belong to the Lord; but keep away from his borders too — I mean, shun without scruple all such occasions. Your frailty may well excuse you from taking on such duties of love, now and in such circumstances. If no excusing helps, then I would rather say it straight out: that I would most gladly have you avoid such company. Perhaps you have not, in the past, declared yourself boldly enough, so that the hope [of your going] is on that account not yet quite extinguished; and if that were so, then Providence might perhaps bring it about, once more, that you should have to cut everything off with greater courage.

Only fear nothing. If you saw the power that surrounds you, you would not rate any creature, or any hostile assault, so high. Through fear you make yourself weak, and put yourself right out of order; the enemy marks that, and therefore seeks to unsettle you. But do not heed even this, and bear such agitation and turmoil in the head and in the sensory part, without deliberately looking after it, or wishing to drive it away. A single glance toward the Lord — that you would stay true to Him, and bear everything out of love for Him — is enough. Stillness and trust are our strength; to that the mind must steer, even in the greatest storms. The Lord is near; He sees our ground, even when the trials have flooded all the senses and thoughts. But since you know at what point you are weak, I say it once more: shun with earnestness all occasions, until Providence arranges it another way; and make yourself ever more at home with the One who possesses all lovelinesses, perfectly and eternally, in Himself. You know His name, and know a little how greatly He loves you: He is mighty enough to protect a heart that is given over to Him for His own. Amen! I do not forget you, and Jesus still less.

Your weak brother in Him.

Mülheim, 24 October 1743.

German

Der vierzigste Brief.

Wie man sich in Versuchungen zu betragen, und die Gelegenheiten mit Ernst zu meiden habe.

Herzlich geliebte Schwester!

Obgleich der Kopf ungemein schwach ist, so muß ich dich doch herzlich grüßen, und dir zurufen: Sey getrost! denn der HErr ist mit dir.

— 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).