Distinction of the life of the senses and of the life in the senses. Concern for some awakened souls.
The Hundred-and-forty-fourth Letter.
Distinction of the life of the senses and of the life in the senses. Concern for some awakened souls.
My brother!
How often I have also written you and the dear brother A. a little love-letter in the spirit; yet daily so much has come in the way, that it has not been able to happen with the pen hitherto. Now I must at least let it be seen that I yet live and love, and I am certain with God that this latter will hold out longer than the former.
Your little letters have at all times been welcome to me; for although I myself am in misery, yet my fellow-called always so lie upon me, and some as upon the heart; which I there count to these latter, I will not say. In your last of the 27th of October I hope you will have written yourself wrong, when you will complain that you live so much in the senses, etc. It shall perhaps mean, that your senses live: But that you should live in the senses I cannot so wholly believe; for that is, gladly to seek one's pleasure, one's life and enjoyment in the senses, in sensible objects and affections, which were evil, and would stand against the life of the spirit. But the life, the movements, and affections of the senses, and to feel the wandering of the senses with burden, that is a life of the senses; not however our life in the senses, though it has been ours, alas. We have lighted this lamp, and can no more quench it; but since we pour no more oil into it, it may in God's name, and to our shame, burn and stink, until it is extinguished. At times one thinks the lamp is going out; suddenly it recovers itself with greater shine, as when it got new life, but then it is also soon done. The life in your senses, I hope, will also be only such death-convulsions. Meanwhile it is uncommonly more pleasant, when either the first earnest, or the former love-feelings stun and overcome the life of the senses. When the sun shines, then one sees not the lamp; also not, when one fumigates strongly; yet the lamp burns again so soon as the vapour or the sun is gone. Or also, it is more pleasant, when the drawing to inward-turning hides the soul into the secret of the face of God, where one lives removed and shot-free before all assaults of the enemies and also of the senses. But if the one as well as the other is refused, and one finds oneself as driven out into misery in the senses'-kingdom; one can also after one- and another-time's attempt not help oneself, then one must suffer so peaceably, longsuffering and sweet-confidingly as is possible, and wait upon the help of the Lord: And whoso thus holds out before God shall not be put to shame, but the spirit, which is ever unperceived inclined into its origin through faith, will by and by be parted from the senses and all the rest, and united with Christ, who is our true life. The inward-turning, the life in the spirit, the union with God we must, as you know, more let be worked in us, after the manner of God, than will ourselves work such, after our manner. Meanwhile we must through prayer present our heart to the Lord for His workshop.
For the tidings of the state of the dear fellow-called there I am heartily thankful. Greet all and each as opportunity serves from me: I forget them not in my poor prayer. That the Lord gives the dear friend N. sufferings and a willing heart to the suffering, is a proof that Jesus loves her; let her only love Him again, and let all her doing and suffering be offered to love. Greet your N. and N. also heartily; they might well unceasingly worship and love Him who has loved them freely, and will gladly love yet more. I might weep for joy when I hear that our N. is making herself nicely up again. I remember a time when I was right anxious she might remain in the sleep. Jesus, our great High Priest and Overseer, bless and keep also His little flock in that region, that none may remain behind! Amen Jesus! ——
I greet very heartily and am, etc.
Mülheim, the 5th of November, 1750.
German
Der hundertvierundvierzigste Brief.
Unterscheid des Lebens der Sinnen und des Lebens in den Sinnen. Angelegenheit wegen einiger erweckten Seelen.
Mein Bruder!
Wie oft ich auch dir und dem lieben Bruder A. ein Liebes-Brieflein im Geist geschrieben; so ist doch täglich so viel in den Weg gekommen, daß es mit der Feder bisher nicht geschehen mögen.
— 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. A November letter of the 5th, 1750, from Mülheim to Johann Engelbert Evertsen of Barmen. Distinction of the life of the senses and of the life in the senses. Concern for some awakened souls. The print is strongly shortened from the autograph; the dash-pair after Amen Jesus cuts the named greetings.
The lamp. How often a little love-letter in the spirit, to him and to brother A.; the pen has not been able. He yet lives and loves; the love will hold out longer. The little letters welcome; he himself in misery, yet the fellow-called lie upon him. The last of the 27th of October: in the senses is a slip — the senses live; to live in the senses is to seek pleasure there. The lamp is lighted and cannot be quenched; no more oil, let it burn and stink in God's name until it goes out. Death-convulsions of the senses. When the sun shines one does not see the lamp. If inward-turning and the hiding in God's face are refused, one is driven out into misery in the senses'-kingdom: suffer peaceably, wait upon the Lord; whoso holds out before God shall not be put to shame.
The flock there. Thankful for the tidings. Greet all. The dear friend N. is given sufferings and a willing heart: Jesus loves her. Greet N. and N. Our N. is making herself up again; he was anxious she might remain in the sleep. Jesus bless His little flock in that region. Amen Jesus. The rest cut. Mülheim, the 5th of November, 1750.
A few words and echoes.
- life of the senses / life in the senses. The distinction the letter turns on: to feel the senses living with burden is one thing; to seek one's pleasure in them is another.
- the lamp. Lighted once and no more to be quenched; no more oil poured in, so it may burn and stink in God's name until it goes out.
- death-convulsions. Todes-Convulsionen — what he hopes the life in the brother's senses now is: a last flare, not a new lighting.
- when the sun shines, then one sees not the lamp. The first earnest, or the former love-feelings, stun the senses; the lamp burns again so soon as vapour or sun is gone.
- shot-free. schußfrei — hidden into the secret of the face of God, removed from the assaults of enemies and of the senses.
- senses'-kingdom. Where one finds oneself driven out into misery when both the sun and the hiding are refused: then suffer peaceably and wait upon the Lord.
- shall not be put to shame. Whoso thus holds out before God — Psalm 25:3, and the waiting of Psalm 130.
- His workshop. The heart presented to the Lord through prayer: more letting the inward-turning be worked in us, after God's manner, than working it ourselves.
- His little flock in that region. The close blessing: Jesus the great High Priest and Overseer keep them, that none remain behind.
trans. Jarred Fenlason · gerhardtersteegen.com/letters/bdii-thiii-144 · all rights reservedEnglish translation © Jarred Fenlason · All rights reserved · gerhardtersteegen.com.