Brotherly admonition- and chastisement-writing.

What this letter is. A March letter of the 28th, 1758, from Mülheim to Maria von der Leyen at Krefeld. He greets her heartily, but her letters are still in the old tone; sister N.'s letters refresh him otherwise. She leads a plagued life, and could have it well if she would follow the counsel given a hundred times. Deny not only the world but yourselves; accept cross and suffering from the divine hand; if she will not love self-denial, the cross, and prayer, her misery is not to be lifted. The miserable first-principle: when it goes per hazard according to her mind, she thanks God and thinks wonders — it is nothing but nature. She must go through the wholesome disturbance. Mülheim, the 28th of March, 1758.

The old tone, and the counsel a hundred times. He receives letters enough from her, but does not find in them what he seeks; they are so in the old tone. The letters of the dear sister N. refresh him otherwise, and he finds much union therewith. It hurts him so heartily that she leads such a plagued life, and yet could have it right well, when she would only follow the counsel given a hundred times. If she will have it well, and find the rest of her soul, then must she deny not only the world, but also herself — desire, lusts, drives, self-love and own will, in all things and at all times; and rejoice heartily when Providence gives opportunity thereto. All that is unpleasant, adverse, all hardship, cross and suffering, come it as it will, she must accept from the divine hand with respect and willingness, not as something evil, but as what is right wholesome; and rejoice to suffer a little out of love to Him who has suffered so great things for her. Through the love and exercise of self-denial and of suffering she will get ever more capacity and ease in the true (and not fantastic) communion with God in the heart, which as the highest Good and rest-point in the soul can alone and eternally quiet and content us.

Queen and empress, and the wholesome disturbance. Be queen and empress; have all creatures and all goods and plaisirs at your service — if you will not love self-denial, the cross and prayer, then is your misery and unrest not to be lifted. Her way seems to run straight contrary: the miserable first-principle, that when she has it according to her mind, and it goes per hazard once as she would gladly, then she thanks God and thinks wonders how fair it stands with her soul; whereas it is nothing but nature. Should she but bow in a little thing; another contradicts her fancies; a little complaint comes upon her; this one or that, a friend, or God Himself in His providence, does not make it as it is right to her — then she laments over need and suffering, even wishes for death, only not to suffer and deny herself. Come to yourselves yet, dear sister: can that please God? Can you come in this way to the rest of your soul? She hears and reads such things so unwillingly, and imagines she would be disturbed thereby — and really she must go through this wholesome disturbance, or she cannot come to rest. Mülheim, the 28th of March, 1758.

A few words and echoes.

• brotherly admonition and chastisement. Ermahnung- und Bestrafungs-Schreiben — not a comfort-letter this time: he writes to chide the old tone.
• the old tone. letters enough, but he does not find in them what he seeks.
• sister N. her letters refresh him otherwise, and he finds much union therewith.
• a plagued life. she could have it right well, if she would follow the counsel given a hundred times.
• deny not only the world but yourselves. desire, lusts, drives, self-love, and the own will. (Matt. 16:24)
• the rest of your soul. find it, and the cross is the way. (Matt. 11:29)
• queen and empress. have all creatures and plaisirs at your service — if you will not love self-denial, the cross, and prayer, then is your misery not to be lifted.
• the miserable first-principle. when it goes per hazard according to your mind, then you thank God and think wonders; it is nothing but nature.
• you lament over need and suffering. even wish death, only not to suffer and deny yourselves.
• this wholesome disturbance. you must go through it, or you cannot come to rest.
• Your / Mülheim, weak fellow-brother. the 28th of March, 1758.