God's love toward us is exceedingly great; at times He withdraws such, in order to humble us.

The Fifty-second Letter.

God's love toward us is exceedingly great; at times He withdraws such, in order to humble us.

In Jesus, dearly beloved sister!

Your little greeting-letter of the 18th of August has been heartily pleasant to me, not only because I saw therein your hand, but also your sisterly heart, which you reach forth to me both, in order as hand in hand, and with One heart, to walk daily more nearly before our God. Amen! So be it! So may the Lord seal and work it in our inward parts! And in this childlike trust I also reach forth to you my brotherly hand from the heart.

It is God who Himself lays this mind in us, and only remaining childlike with and in Him, He Himself also leads us into the truth of this mind. (John 16:13.) Love will have us exactly and wholly for the Beloved; but love also makes that this exactness does not constrain, but inwardly enlarges and delights. Love is answered with love. God does not let Himself be overcome in loving. A small denial, a little cross taken up for His love's sake, is often answered by our sweet God with great tenderness of love, to make us courage, ever more to venture for Him. O the graciousness and condescension!

That we however may not become childish instead of childlike, and imagine we already were or did something great, He lets us another time well right experience what we ourselves are and are able; and yet His sweet goodness does not thrust us away because of our weaknesses; rather it lifts the weeping children up again, when they have fallen, that they may not go further on their own legs, but ascribe their strength and greatness to the mother's arm alone.

Yes, dear sister! littleness and purity will always dwell together; and where these dwell, there dwells God and all blessedness. Lord Jesus! you have laid hold of us, hold us further fast, and do you lead us unwise children according to your, not according to our, counsel; until you find us fit to be received into your glory. Amen Jesus!

That it has still been so tolerable with your weakness, I learn with pleasure. Of my and the circumstances here the dear brother N. will already communicate to you the needful. Greet your dear mother heartily from me. Greet the dear sister N. also especially from me; may her deadly but with God undergone sickness redound to her unto the right renewal and deepening in the life of grace! I then also greet you, my dear sister, with a brotherly heart, and offer you up earnestly to our good God: Remember me also! for I have need of it. I remain through grace

Your Mülheim, obliged weak the 14th of October, 1760. fellow-brother.

German

Der zweiundfünfzigste Brief.

GOttes Liebe gegen uns ist übergroß, zuweilen entziehet Er solche um uns zu demüthigen.

In JEsu herzlich geliebte Schwester!

Dein Gruß-Brieflein vom 18ten Aug. ist mir herzlich angenehm gewesen, nicht allein darum, weil ich darin deine Hand, sondern auch dein schwesterliches Herz sahe, so du mir beide darreichest, um wie Hand an Hand, und mit Einem Herzen täglich genauer vor unserem GOtt zu wandlen.

— 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).