Of the writer's suffering; of the promise in suffering, and that we thereby become like to Jesus, since He imparts to us His mind, His power, yea all good.
The Hundred-and-thirty-second Letter.
Of the writer's suffering; of the promise in suffering, and that we thereby become like to Jesus, since He imparts to us His mind, His power, yea all good.
N. N.
Both your pleasant of the 23rd and that of Brother E. of the 27th of January I have in its time well received, but have been able to answer only in the spirit, which also I have not omitted.
Since Brother N. was here, it has stormed mightily upon my outer hut; and although I am still not fit for writing, yet it seemed to me it would not be right, if I did not communicate my circumstances to you.
On the 18th of January I was taken with an unusual attack, which set me quite out of condition, and laid me, because a considerable fever was with it, into bed. It was a very keenly felt flux upon the head. About twelve times in a minute came such painful stabs into the brain, as if an arrow had been shot in: this held eight days, yet I had only the first and second day a strong fever with it. By degrees the stabs came also not so constantly, but five to six times in a minute. The following days I knew not so much of it in the morning, but it came only in the afternoon and evening. Now, God be praised! I know nothing more of such pains, although I still have the flux in the head! and also tooth-pains; it is nevertheless tolerable.
You see thus that we also in outer suffering have some resemblance, and are good brothers: Although I can now think that your complaints are greater, yet I can for the sake of the likeness have so much more compassion with you. Now, it is nevertheless a beautiful promise, that to those who love God and belong to Him, all, yea all, must work together for good. It all only goes over the outer part, or over the old and one's own life, and makes us like to Jesus. We have nothing to do but to unite ourselves with Him and His unlimited good-pleasure, as God gives grace thereto, and to look upon the small and great sufferings in Him. Should I not drink the cup that my Father has given me? After this manner then our suffering is no merely natural nor evil thing, but a fellowship of the sufferings that are in Christ, who however also with the suffering communicates His mind and His power, that we under, and through the sufferings become small, pure and glorious, although we cannot always so see it. It is true, we can give ourselves neither at the time of sufferings nor at other times any good composure of mind; we must not even try such; but letting ourselves go, sink ourselves into our so inwardly near God, or let go, in childlike simplicity and trust. The more weakness and misery is perceived in us, the more are we obligated thereto. Why do we seek it so long in us? Why are we anxious? What do we anguish ourselves? In our so inmost-near Saviour it is all and only to be found; yea to be found, not just to be sought. We seek sometimes out of misunderstanding something good that we unknowingly already have. Jesus and all good must not so much be sought as only found. When we will seek and make something, then we go into our own; we should only believe, find, have, love Jesus, and in Him all good, quite near, and let Him alone be all in us. The Lord teach and give us the thing!
So, as you, dear brother, express your mind, in your sufferings and in the experience of your own, as it mixes itself, it pleases me well. Hold out only in God's name under His hand. Plague yourself not with future difficulties. The way is called indeed narrow, and it falls hard upon one's own life to stand off from its right; only, when the Lord reveals Himself, then the hard becomes easy, and the narrow wide. O Jesus! O Love! dost thou then not deserve our whole heart? And is it too much, a couple of days to help thee bear thy cross?
Greet your dear father from me very heartily. It rejoices me that he so well composes himself, and will gladly do his best, to make ready for the journey: I ask earnestly that Jesus let his days be right blessed, and that He with His grace work along. ——
I greet and embrace you, dear brother, and remain through grace.
Mülheim, the 5th of February, 1750.
German
Der hundertundzweiunddreißigste Brief.
Von des Schreibers Leiden; von der Verheißung beim Leiden, und daß wir dadurch JEsu ähnlich werden, da Er uns seinen Sinn, seine Kraft, ja alles Gute mittheilet.
N. N. Sowohl dein Angenehmes vom 23ten als das von Bruder E. vom 27ten Jan. habe seiner Zeit wohl erhalten, aber nur im Geist können beantworten, welches auch nicht unterlassen habe.
— 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).
Translator’s notes
What this letter is. Of the writer's suffering — to Abraham Evertsen of Barmen, Mülheim, the 5th of February, 1750. Of the promise in suffering, and that we thereby become like to Jesus, since He imparts His mind, His power, yea all good. Names shortened (N. N.); Brother E. is Johann Engelbert.
Both your pleasant of the 23rd. He has received Abraham's of the 23rd and Johann Engelbert's of the 27th of January, and has been able to answer only in the spirit. Since Brother N. was here, it has stormed mightily upon his outer hut. He is still not fit for writing, yet it seemed not right not to communicate his circumstances.
An unusual attack, the 18th of January. A flux upon the head; stabs into the brain about twelve times a minute, as if an arrow had been shot in; a strong fever the first two days. This held eight days; by degrees the stabs came five to six times a minute, then only in the afternoon and evening. Now, God be praised, those pains are gone, though the flux and tooth-pains remain; it is nevertheless tolerable.
A beautiful promise. They have some resemblance in outer suffering and are good brothers. To those who love God and belong to Him, all must work together for good. It goes only over the outer part, the old and one's own life, and makes us like to Jesus. Unite with Him and His unlimited good-pleasure; look upon small and great sufferings in Him. Should I not drink the cup that my Father has given me? So then our suffering is no merely natural nor evil thing, but a fellowship of the sufferings that are in Christ, who with the suffering communicates His mind and His power. We cannot give ourselves a good composure; we must not even try; let ourselves go, and sink into our so inwardly near God. The more weakness and misery is perceived, the more we are obligated thereto. In our inmost-near Saviour it is all and only to be found — not so much sought as found. When we will seek and make, we go into our own. Let Him alone be all in us.
Hold out under His hand. Abraham's expressed mind in his sufferings pleases him. Do not plague yourself with future difficulties. The way is called indeed narrow; only, when the Lord reveals Himself, the hard becomes easy. O Jesus, O Love: dost thou then not deserve our whole heart? Is it too much, a couple of days to help thee bear thy cross? Greet the dear father (Peter). He will gladly make ready for the journey. Mülheim, the 5th of February, 1750.
A few words and echoes.
- outer hut. äußere Hütte — the bodily tent the storm has been beating on since Brother N. was there; the pains are of the outer part, not the spirit. (2 Corinthians 5:1.)
- unusual attack. ungewöhnlichen Zufall — the flux of the 18th of January: stabs into the brain as if an arrow had been shot in, fever two days, eight days of it, now gone down to flux and tooth-pains, "nevertheless tolerable."
- all must work together for good. The "beautiful promise" to those who love God: the sufferings go only over the old and one's own life, and make them like to Jesus. (Romans 8:28.)
- Should I not drink the cup that my Father has given me? The letter's set-off word: once the suffering is looked upon in Him, it is no merely natural nor evil thing. (John 18:11.)
- fellowship of the sufferings that are in Christ. Not a private misery: with the suffering He communicates His mind and His power, that they become small, pure, and glorious. (Philippians 3:10.)
- not so much sought as found. In the inmost-near Saviour it is already there; they cannot give themselves a good composure, and must not even try — when they will seek and make something, they "go into our own."
- Hold out only… under His hand. The counsel to Abraham in his own sufferings: do not plague yourself with future difficulties.
- the way is called indeed narrow. It falls hard upon one's own life to stand off from its right; only, when the Lord reveals Himself, the hard becomes easy and the narrow wide. (Matthew 7:14.)
- O Jesus! O Love! The cry that closes the teaching: is it too much, a couple of days to help Him bear His cross?
- make ready for the journey. The dear father composing himself and doing his best to prepare — Tersteegen asks that Jesus let his days be right blessed.
trans. Jarred Fenlason · gerhardtersteegen.com/letters/bdii-thiii-132 · all rights reservedEnglish translation © Jarred Fenlason · All rights reserved · gerhardtersteegen.com.