Even in misery and distress to learn to praise God.
The Thirty-third Letter.
Even in misery and distress to learn to praise God.
Beloved sister in Jesus!
In the power of this name Jesus my soul greets and blesses you.
Your agreeable little letter I have well received. Praised be God, the good, the great, the God of our heart who alone contents, that He has loved us, and has brought us hitherto! So shall our soul say, when He humbles us and makes us sorrowful; both is needful for us unto the full-preparation. In God, the unchangeably-Good and Blessed, is our blessedness, not in our states nor in our pleasure thereover. Soon all passes by, and we shall in the eternal beholding and enjoying sing: Praise the Lord, my soul!
Now must the saints who are so miserable and distressed surely learn to strike up this song also. (See the Song of the three men in the fire, v. 87.) God has loved us as we were, to make us as we should be: to Him are we given; Him shall we let provide; He will surely make it well.
The alternations of feeling are useful to us, that we may become right will-less and dependent on grace; and the experiences of our corruption and inability unto the good are not less wholesome, that we may hang nowhere in ourselves, but ever smaller and more naked sink into our sweet Saviour, and in Him remain, in whom all good is to be found overflowing and in the purest. Bear then, dear sister, your little cross after the Saviour with all possible equanimity; for the Lord is with us.
In Him I greet you, once more with a sick head, but with a bound heart, also N. and where it fits. Let us love God, and give ourselves thereto. I remain through grace
Your Mülheim, obliged weak the 23rd of July, 1758. brother.
German
Der dreiunddreißigste Brief.
Auch im Elend und Betrübniß GOtt zu lernen loben.
Herzliebe Schwester in JEsu!
In der Kraft dieses Namens JEsus grüßet und segnet dich meine Seele. Dein angenehmes Brieflein habe wohl erhalten.
— 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 July letter of the 23rd, 1758, from Mülheim to Anna Maria Rittershaus at Barmen-Gemarke. Her agreeable little letter he has well received. Praised be God that He has loved us and brought us hitherto; so shall the soul say when He humbles and distresses — both is needful unto the full-preparation. Blessedness is in the unchangeably-Good, not in our states or our pleasure thereover. Soon all passes by, and we shall sing Praise the Lord, my soul! The saints who are so miserable and distressed must surely learn to strike up this song also. God loved us as we were, to make us as we should be. The alternations of feeling, and the experience of our corruption, are wholesome, that we sink smaller and more naked into the sweet Saviour. Bear then the little cross after Him; he greets her once more with a sick head, but with a bound heart. Mülheim, the 23rd of July, 1758.
Hitherto, and the song in misery. He has well received her little letter. Praised be God, the good, the great, the God of our heart who alone contents, that He has loved us and brought us hitherto. So shall our soul say, when He humbles us and makes us sorrowful; both is needful unto the full-preparation. In God, the unchangeably-Good and Blessed, is our blessedness — not in our states, nor in our pleasure thereover. Soon all passes by, and we shall in the eternal beholding and enjoying sing: Praise the Lord, my soul! Now must the saints who are so miserable and distressed surely learn to strike up this song also (see the Song of the three men in the fire, v. 87). God has loved us as we were, to make us as we should be: to Him are we given; Him shall we let provide; He will surely make it well.
The little cross, and a sick head. The alternations of feeling are useful, that we may become right will-less and dependent on grace; the experiences of our corruption and inability unto the good are not less wholesome, that we hang nowhere in ourselves, but sink ever smaller and more naked into our sweet Saviour, and in Him remain, in whom all good is overflowing and in the purest. Bear then, dear sister, your little cross after the Saviour with all possible equanimity; for the Lord is with us. He greets her in Him, once more with a sick head, but with a bound heart, also N., and where it fits. Let us love God, and give ourselves thereto. Mülheim, the 23rd of July, 1758.
A few words and echoes.
- even in misery and distress. Elend und Betrübniß — not persons, but the abstract misery in which the soul is still to learn praise.
- brought us hitherto. God has loved us, and has brought us this far. (2 Sam. 7:18)
- when He humbles us and makes us sorrowful. both is needful unto the full-preparation.
- not in our states nor in our pleasure thereover. blessedness is in the unchangeably-Good and Blessed.
- Praise the Lord, my soul! the song we shall sing in the eternal beholding. (Ps. 103:1)
- the saints who are so miserable and distressed. must surely learn to strike up this song also. (Song of the three men in the fire, v. 87)
- as we were, to make us as we should be. to Him are we given; Him shall we let provide. (1 Pet. 5:7)
- will-less and dependent on grace. the alternations of feeling are useful for that.
- smaller and more naked. sink into our sweet Saviour, in whom all good is overflowing.
- your little cross. bear it after the Saviour with all possible equanimity. (Matt. 16:24)
- for the Lord is with us. (Ps. 46:7, 11)
- Your / Mülheim, obliged weak brother. the 23rd of July, 1758.
trans. Jarred Fenlason · gerhardtersteegen.com/letters/bdii-thiv-033 · all rights reservedEnglish translation © Jarred Fenlason · All rights reserved · gerhardtersteegen.com.