Letters · Zweiter Band · Theil IV (1775)

Whoever seeks nothing but Jesus, of him He lets Himself be found everywhere. Instruction concerning openheartedness in speaking and silence.

Bd II · Th IV · Brief 60 · Der sechzigste Brief

Addressee — To Anna Maria Rittershaus. Salutation "Herzlich geliebte Schwester in JEsu!" — Rule B (herzlich geliebte → "dearly beloved sister"), with in JEsu at the end: "Dearly beloved sister in Jesus!". Body du / dir / dich / dein / deine / deiner / deinem (the sister) → you/your. Standalone Dein on the close → Your. verbundener → obliged. No God-apostrophe.
Date — Mülheim, 23 May 1762.
Provenance — Translated from the public-domain 1775 first edition (Theil IV, pp. 148–150), 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 Sixtieth Letter.

Whoever seeks nothing but Jesus, of him He lets Himself be found everywhere. Instruction concerning openheartedness in speaking and silence.

Dearly beloved sister in Jesus!

Your beloved of the 20th of this was right agreeable to me. Also in D. God lets Himself be found, when one only seeks Him; when one only remains in Him; when one only lets oneself be found of Him. I see nothing but Jesus in the whole city of Paris, says our dear Bernieres; for he loved nothing but Jesus; this One was dearer and greater to him than that great city. My sister Mary has in the city D. also otherwise nothing to love, and otherwise nothing to see, but Jesus. How does it look there on the Electoral castle? In the otherwise famous gallery? How many and which regiments lie there in garrison? Will they soon break up? I know it not, says Mary; thereof have I nothing to report to you; I love only Jesus; I see only Jesus in D. Of the Same and of my frame toward Him have I reported to you only. It is presently very wide, quiet and well with me, that I cannot so describe it, etc.

Now, well then! so it goes well. So continue in D. So do it also, when you should come to N. again. Love nothing but Jesus; then also at home the restless housekeeping (since the divine Providence still holds you bound therein) will not be able to take from you the rest of your inward. Martha and Mary will already agree, so long as Jesus is with them.

Your fear of letting yourself out too far in speaking or writing, when it is well with you inwardly, has good ground. See hereof in the Little Flower-garden N. 18. how it was with me therein. Only, when God's goodness has given us someone, there one may and must say simply (that is without enlargement nor diminution) how it is with one; when one can do it otherwise, and indeed in the intention that it may be proved.

Your present composure of mind, peace and trust are good, and nothing to be feared therein: Only remain therein inwardly, and let it serve you to future strengthening. God is not yea and nay; but yesterday and today and the very same unto eternity; remains the sense of your mind also only the very same, namely to will to love, see and follow nothing but God, then you can also remain in peace and trust, granted that the sun should also once again be covered with a cloud.

I greet you with a brotherly heart. Jesus with your spirit! Remain

Your Mülheim, obliged weak the 23rd of May, 1762. brother.

❦

German

Der sechzigste Brief.

Wer nichts als JEsum suchet, von dem läßt Er sich überall finden. Unterricht wegen Offenherzigkeit im Reden und Schweigen.

Herzlich geliebte Schwester in JEsu!

Dein Geliebtes vom 20ten dieses war mir recht angenehm. Auch in D. läßt sich GOtt finden, wann man nur ihn suchet; wann man nur in ihm bleibet; wann man sich nur von ihm finden lässet.

— 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 May letter of the 23rd, 1762, from Mülheim to Anna Maria Rittershaus. Her beloved of the 20th of this was right agreeable to him. Also in D. God lets Himself be found, if one only seeks Him. He sees nothing but Jesus in the whole city of Paris, says dear Bernieres; for he loved nothing but Jesus. So his sister Mary has in the city D. otherwise nothing to love or see but Jesus. How it looks on the Electoral castle, in the gallery, which regiments lie in garrison — she knows it not; she loves only Jesus. Now, well then: so continue in D.; so do it also when she should come to N. again. Love nothing but Jesus; then the restless housekeeping will not be able to take from her the rest of her inward. Martha and Mary will already agree, so long as Jesus is with them. Her fear of letting herself out too far in speaking or writing, when it is well with her inwardly, has good ground; see the Little Flower-garden N. 18. Only, when God's goodness has given us someone, one may and must say simply how it is with one. Her present composure of mind, peace and trust are good: remain therein; God is not yea and nay, but yesterday and today and the very same unto eternity. Mülheim, the 23rd of May, 1762.

Nothing but Jesus, in D. and at home. Also in D. God lets Himself be found, when one only seeks Him, remains in Him, lets oneself be found of Him. I see nothing but Jesus in the whole city of Paris, says our dear Bernieres; for he loved nothing but Jesus; this One was dearer and greater to him than that great city. My sister Mary has in the city D. also otherwise nothing to love, and otherwise nothing to see, but Jesus. How it looks on the Electoral castle, in the otherwise famous gallery, how many and which regiments lie there in garrison, whether they will soon break up — I know it not, says Mary; thereof have I nothing to report; I love only Jesus; I see only Jesus in D. Of the Same and of my frame toward Him have I reported only. It is presently very wide, quiet and well with me, that I cannot so describe it. Now, well then: so continue in D. So do it also, when you should come to N. again. Love nothing but Jesus; then also at home the restless housekeeping will not be able to take from you the rest of your inward. Martha and Mary will already agree, so long as Jesus is with them.

Openheartedness; God is not yea and nay. Your fear of letting yourself out too far in speaking or writing, when it is well with you inwardly, has good ground. See hereof in the Little Flower-garden N. 18. how it was with me therein. Only, when God's goodness has given us someone, there one may and must say simply — without enlargement nor diminution — how it is with one, when one can do it otherwise, and indeed in the intention that it may be proved. Your present composure of mind, peace and trust are good, and nothing to be feared therein. Only remain therein inwardly, and let it serve you to future strengthening. God is not yea and nay; but yesterday and today and the very same unto eternity. Remains the sense of your mind also only the very same, namely to will to love, see and follow nothing but God, then you can also remain in peace and trust, granted that the sun should also once again be covered with a cloud. I greet you with a brotherly heart. Jesus with your spirit. Mülheim, the 23rd of May, 1762.

A few words and echoes.

your beloved of the 20th of this. was right agreeable to me.
also in D. God lets Himself be found. when one only seeks Him; remains in Him; lets oneself be found of Him.
I see nothing but Jesus in the whole city of Paris. says our dear Bernieres; for he loved nothing but Jesus.
this One was dearer and greater to him. than that great city.
my sister Mary has in the city D. otherwise nothing to love or see but Jesus.
how does it look on the Electoral castle? in the gallery; which regiments in garrison; will they soon break up?
I know it not, says Mary. I love only Jesus; I see only Jesus in D.
of the Same and of my frame toward Him. have I reported to you only.
very wide, quiet and well. that I cannot so describe it.
so continue in D. so do it also when you should come to N. again.
love nothing but Jesus. then the restless housekeeping will not take from you the rest of your inward.
Martha and Mary will already agree. so long as Jesus is with them. (Luke 10:38–42)
your fear of letting yourself out too far. in speaking or writing, when it is well with you inwardly, has good ground.
see the Little Flower-garden N. 18. how it was with me therein.
say simply how it is with one. without enlargement nor diminution; that it may be proved.
your present composure of mind, peace and trust are good. nothing to be feared therein; remain therein inwardly.
God is not yea and nay. but yesterday and today and the very same unto eternity. (2 Cor. 1:19; Heb. 13:8)
the sense of your mind the very same. to will to love, see and follow nothing but God.
then you can also remain in peace and trust. granted that the sun should also once again be covered with a cloud.
I greet you with a brotherly heart. Jesus with your spirit.
Your / Mülheim, obliged weak brother. the 23rd of May, 1762.

Cite this letter

Gerhard Tersteegen, Geistliche und erbauliche Briefe, Zweiter Band, IV. Theil, Brief 60 (Solingen, 1773–75); trans. Jarred Fenlason, https://gerhardtersteegen.com/letters/bdii-thiv-060.html.

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