Letters · Zweiter Band · Theil IV (1775)

Admonition unto rest of mind and stillness.

Bd II · Th IV · Brief 20 · Der zwanzigste Brief

Addressee — To Maria von der Leyen, Krefeld. Salutation "Herzlich geliebte Schwester!" — Rule B (herzlich geliebte → "dearly beloved sister"). Body ihr / euch / euer / eurem / euren (the sister, polite Ihr) → you/your. Standalone Euer on the close → Your. No God-apostrophe.
Date — Mülheim, 2 December 1756.
Provenance — Translated from the public-domain 1775 first edition (Theil IV, pp. 52–54), in normalized GS 1845 house orthography, collated against the 1798/99 second edition (Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin). All rendered words come from public-domain prints.

The Twentieth Letter.

Admonition unto rest of mind and stillness.

Dearly beloved sister!

Your yesterday's I have received aright. It was indeed agreeable to me that God gave you an honest mind and will, to will to become a child in obedience and in simplicity, which is the straight way to the rest of the souls. But it seemed to me you were troubled and restless in an unnecessary way; therefore I would well call out to you what the angel there called to the women at the grave: Fear not, for you seek Jesus. Souls that seek Jesus can let it come upon Him in quiet, and must only let themselves be dealt with as the little children. And though our sins should fall in upon us, which you and none of us can deny, so shall our heart say out of that hymn: Yea, you children! we are sinners: yet Jesus receives sinners, etc. Had He looked upon our sins, He would not have called us, nor have brought us hitherto.

But perhaps you also suspect as if my heart did not stand in hearty love toward you? Now, Jesus knows that, and you know it well better too: And that I have given you a couple of times some admonitions is just a proof that I hold myself assured of you, that you do not take it amiss of me. All is only, that you may become ever more pleasing to God. Therefore be only not restless, but let your heart be stilled before God, and be of good courage upon the pure grace which has appeared unto you in Jesus. It will yet with God become all good and glorious. But you must not will to help yourself by violent straining and restless behavior, but wait in the most possible yieldedness and stillness upon the help of the Lord. With my inclined prayer I will also earnestly seek to take you up, as also the remaining children.

I see also with sorrow from your agreeable that you are sick, and so weak in the head; therefore I entreat you urgently that you yet immediately be bled, — — Be then only quiet and of good courage in God, to whom we are yielded. Jesus be with your spirit! In Him I greet you heartily, as from myself, so also from the children here, and remain by grace

Your Mülheim, weak fellow-brother. the 2nd of December, 1756.

P.S. Greet your worthy husband and the remaining acquaintances there likewise heartily from me.

❦

German

Der zwanzigste Brief.

Ermahnung zur Gemüths-Ruhe und Stille.

Herzlich geliebte Schwester!

Euer Gestriges habe richtig erhalten. Es war mir zwar angenehm, daß euch GOtt einen redlichen Sinn und Willen gab, ein Kind im Gehorsam und in der Einfalt zu wollen werden, welches der gerade Weg zur Ruhe der Seelen ist.

— 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 December letter of the 2nd, 1756, from Mülheim to Maria von der Leyen at Krefeld. Yesterday's came aright. God gave her an honest mind, to will to become a child in obedience and simplicity — the straight way to the rest of the souls. She was troubled and restless without need; he would call out to her what the angel called to the women at the grave: Fear not, for you seek Jesus. Souls that seek Him can leave it to Him in quiet, as little children. The hymn: we are sinners, yet Jesus receives sinners. Had He looked upon our sins, He would not have called us, nor brought us hitherto. Do not suspect his heart. The admonitions are a proof of trust. Be not restless; let the heart be stilled; be of good courage upon the pure grace which has appeared in Jesus. Wait in yieldedness and stillness upon the help of the Lord. She is sick and weak in the head: be bled at once. Be then quiet and of good courage in God. Jesus be with your spirit. Mülheim, the 2nd of December, 1756. P.S. Greet your worthy husband and the acquaintances there.

Yesterday's, and the rest of the souls. Yesterday's received aright. God gave an honest mind and will, to will to become a child in obedience and in simplicity — the straight way to the rest of the souls. It seemed to him she was troubled and restless in an unnecessary way. He would call out what the angel called to the women at the grave: Fear not, for you seek Jesus. Souls that seek Jesus can let it come upon Him in quiet, and must let themselves be dealt with as the little children. Though sins fall in, which none can deny, the heart shall say out of that hymn: Yea, you children! we are sinners: yet Jesus receives sinners. Had He looked upon our sins, He would not have called us, nor brought us hitherto.

Not restless; wait upon the help of the Lord. Perhaps she suspects his heart does not stand in hearty love. Jesus knows; she knows it better too. The admonitions given a couple of times are a proof that he holds himself assured of her, that she does not take it amiss. All is only, that she may become ever more pleasing to God. Be only not restless; let the heart be stilled before God; be of good courage upon the pure grace which has appeared in Jesus. It will yet with God become all good and glorious. Not by violent straining and restless behavior, but in the most possible yieldedness and stillness wait upon the help of the Lord. With his inclined prayer he will earnestly seek to take her up, as also the remaining children. He sees with sorrow from her agreeable that she is sick, and so weak in the head; he entreats that she immediately be bled. Be then only quiet and of good courage in God, to whom they are yielded. Jesus be with her spirit. He greets her heartily, from himself and from the children here, and remains by grace. Mülheim, the 2nd of December, 1756. P.S. Greet the worthy husband and the remaining acquaintances there.

A few words and echoes.

your yesterday's. received aright.
an honest mind and will. to will to become a child in obedience and in simplicity.
the rest of the souls. the straight way. (Matt. 11:29)
troubled and restless without need. he would call out to you.
Fear not, for you seek Jesus. the angel to the women at the grave. (Matt. 28:5)
let it come upon Him in quiet. as the little children.
Jesus receives sinners. the hymn; we are sinners, etc.
He would not have called us. nor have brought us hitherto. (1 Sam. 7:12; 2 Sam. 7:18)
do not suspect my heart. the admonitions are a proof of trust.
be only not restless. let your heart be stilled before God.
of good courage upon the pure grace. which has appeared in Jesus. (Tit. 2:11)
wait in yieldedness and stillness. upon the help of the Lord. (Isa. 30:15)
sick, and so weak in the head. be bled at once.
Be then only quiet and of good courage in God. to whom we are yielded.
Jesus be with your spirit. (2 Tim. 4:22)
Your / Mülheim, weak fellow-brother. the 2nd of December, 1756.
P.S. your worthy husband. and the remaining acquaintances there.

Cite this letter

Gerhard Tersteegen, Geistliche und erbauliche Briefe, Zweiter Band, IV. Theil, Brief 20 (Solingen, 1773–75); trans. Jarred Fenlason, https://gerhardtersteegen.com/letters/bdii-thiv-020.html.

← Bd II · Th IV · Brief 19 Bd II · Th IV · Brief 21 →