Encouragement to a more spiritual detached love.

What this letter is. A June letter of the 13th, 1765, from Mülheim to Peter Engelbert Leckebusch at Barmen. From the brother's writing of the 1st of this he sees with grief the poor temptation-state, also against him. If the words he had then had said, with a view to the excessive sadness at the mother's missing, were brought over or taken up as jest- or mock-speeches, then injustice is done him. He had meant the misery of merely-natural sensual attachment, and the high necessity to make oneself loose from perishable comfort, so as to turn the whole love-power to the immortal Good alone — just as in the 74th little saying of the Little Flower-Garden. Compassion with the great weakness, yet not a rotting but a rock-firm support: if the missing of an old worn-out mother already does so much, what then in marriage? Called to fellowship with God in the Spirit; let God take something beloved that stands in the way. Nature would gladly be pitied; then venture ourselves, follow the Cross-honor-King naked; our evening is already here. Mülheim, the 13th of June, 1765.

Jest-speeches, and what was meant. From your writing of the 1st of this I see with grief your poor temptation-state, also against me. When my words, which I then had said to you, with a view to your excessive sadness, because of the missing of your mother, have been brought over or taken up as jest- or mock-speeches, then injustice is done me. I wanted to give you, as well as him through whom I had it said, in right, well-considered earnestness to consider the misery and the damage of all merely-natural sensual attachment, and the high necessity to make oneself loose from all perishable comfort in due time, in order to be able to turn the inward and whole love-power to the highest and immortal Good alone; just as I had set it many years ago in the 74th little saying of the Little Flower-Garden. I had then, and still have, compassion with your so great weakness, would yet so gladly not point you upon a rotting, but a rock-firm support. If the missing of an old wholly worn-out, natural mother already does you so much, what would it then yield, when you should now live in marriage? How would you not through care, desire, sensuality, heart's-attachment, let yourself be fettered and carried away? We may, yea we must love one another; this refreshment the Lord grants us on the pilgrim-way; it is a prelude of the paradisal delight: since we are not yet paradisal, we do not keep measure, and take as property what we should only have in us for God, and offer up again to Him of good courage.

Let God take what stands in the way. You know well, dear brother, your weak sensuality, yea your strong sensuality, how your love and inclination can go so immoderately upon an object. You feel yourself also called to the alone remaining-quieting fellowship with God in the Spirit, which God also rightly will have your whole heart. To this precious calling, and to this divine requirement of your whole, you have also given your mind's-consent; so you must now also let God do, when He takes from you something beloved that stands in the way of His love-requirement, so that your beloved may become so much the more complete. God has notwithstanding compassion with our weak sensitivity; I also have truly a brotherly compassion with you. But this I always fear, that you have too much compassion with yourself, that is with your nature and sensuality, but too little with your spirit and inward man. It often goes with our nature as with the children, who would gladly be pitied. Should we then not once bravely and manfully venture ourselves, and as true pilgrims renounce all, in order to follow our Cross-honor-King naked to the fatherland of eternity? Our evening is already here. Let us then at least at the going-down of the sun of this life still take some lively steps in the blessed pilgrim-way. The Lord is with us. Come, children! let us go, the evening comes on. Mülheim, the 13th of June, 1765.

A few words and echoes.

• from your writing of the 1st of this. I see with grief your poor temptation-state, also against me.
• jest- or mock-speeches. when my words, which I then had said to you, with a view to your excessive sadness at the mother's missing, have been brought over or taken up so; then injustice is done me.
• merely-natural sensual attachment. the misery and the damage of it; the high necessity to make oneself loose from all perishable comfort in due time.
• the inward and whole love-power. to be able to turn it to the highest and immortal Good alone.
• the 74th little saying of the Little Flower-Garden. just as I had set it many years ago: let nothing in, it only brings pain.
• not a rotting, but a rock-firm support. compassion with your so great weakness, yet so gladly not point you upon the decaying.
• if the missing of an old worn-out mother already does you so much. what would it then yield, when you should now live in marriage?
• heart's-attachment. through care, desire, sensuality; how would you not let yourself be fettered and carried away?
• we may, yea we must love one another. rejoice and delight ourselves one in the other; this refreshment the Lord grants us on the pilgrim-way.
• a prelude of the paradisal delight. since we are not yet paradisal, we do not keep measure.
• offer it up again to Him of good courage. what we should only have in us for God, not take as property.
• how your love and inclination can go so immoderately upon an object. your weak sensuality, yea your strong sensuality.
• fellowship with God in the Spirit. which God also rightly will have your whole heart. (2 Corinthians 13:14)
• this precious calling. and this divine requirement of your whole; you have also given your mind's-consent. (Hebrews 3:1)
• when He takes from you something beloved. that stands somewhat in the way of His love-requirement; so that your beloved may become so much the more complete.
• too much compassion with yourself. that is, with your nature and sensuality, but too little with your spirit and inward man.
• as with the children, who would gladly be pitied. should we then not once bravely and manfully venture ourselves.
• follow our Cross-honor-King naked. to the fatherland of eternity; what is it to us? what will we seek here and hold fast?
• our evening is already here. let us then at least at the going-down of the sun of this life still take some lively steps in the blessed pilgrim-way.
• Come, children! let us go, the evening comes on. the Lord is with us. I greet you, as also N. and N., from the heart.
• Your / Mülheim, obliged weak fellow-brother. the 13th of June, 1765.