Encouragement to self-surrender to God in inner and outer sufferings.

What this letter is. A February letter of the 21st, 1766, from Mülheim to Johann Engelbert Evertsen in Barmen. As he wanted to get the paper for writing, he first opened the hymn-book and found At last shall the glad year. It stands of the spring, and yet it seems to want to become winter again. Hope strengthens and does not deceive; it yet goes toward spring and summer. The temporal tribulation of the world's children is like the early autumn-cold; that of the devout is like the March-cold, into which one settles oneself in good hope. His sympathy with the brother is so great and brotherly as it can be; the bareness of the mind's state and the weakness of the nerves make a magnifying-glass. God makes all good; have courage in Him only. Men have their intentions; the Lord holds the bit. Commit your way to the Lord; He will bring it to pass. Once for all he does not forget the brother and his present circumstances. Mülheim, the 21st of February, 1766.

Spring and winter. As he wanted to get the paper for writing, he first opened the hymn-book and found At last shall the glad year. There it stands of the spring, and yet it seems to want to become winter again. So it goes naturally; so it often goes spiritually. Now, let it seem so or otherwise; hope strengthens and does not deceive; it yet goes toward spring and summer. The temporal tribulation of the world's children is like the early autumn-cold and storm — what a winter will that become! The temporal tribulation of the devout is like the March-cold and storm, into which one settles oneself, in the good hope that it will soon become better, yea that it is more useful than if the buds and blossom run out so early. The matter is at bottom so: He knows the right hours of joy: He knows well.

The Lord holds the bit. His sympathy with the brother is so great and brotherly as it can be. The bareness of the mind's state, and the weakness of the nerves, make besides as it were a magnifying-glass, that everything appears intolerable. O! God makes all good, have courage in Him only: He, our help, is yet inwardly-near; the All-sufficient is sufficient for all. Men have their intentions; our God (without whose gracious will no little hair falls from our head) has in the very same matter His holy intentions. Men follow their impulses; but the Lord holds the bit in His hand. May He first quiet the mind through a strengthening look of His gracious presence; the rest will already follow in its time. Commit your way, your body, your soul to the Lord, He will bring it to pass. You have pressure and suffering, your dearest brother also; all according to the wisest dispensation of our Head. Once for all he does not forget the brother and his present circumstances; he takes him with brotherly offering-up to our faithful God. Mülheim, the 21st of February, 1766.

A few words and echoes.

• While I wanted to get the paper for writing. I first opened the hymn-book.
• At last shall the glad year, &c. There it stands of the spring. (Gottfried Arnold, Von der Hoffnung Zions, st. 1)
• yet it seems to want to become winter again. so it goes naturally; so it often goes spiritually.
• hope strengthens and does not deceive. it yet goes toward spring and summer.
• The temporal tribulation of the world's children. like the early autumn-cold and storm. (2 Cor. 4:17)
• What a winter will that become! The temporal tribulation of the devout is like the March-cold.
• into which one settles oneself. in the good hope that it will soon become better.
• He knows the right hours of joy. He knows well. (Georg Neumark, Wer nur den lieben Gott läßt walten, st. 4)
• My sympathy with you is meanwhile so great and brotherly. as it can be.
• The bareness of your mind's state. and the weakness of the nerves make a magnifying-glass.
• O! God makes all good. have courage in Him only.
• He, our help, is yet inwardly-near. the All-sufficient is sufficient to you for all.
• Men have their intentions. our God has in the very same matter His holy intentions.
• no little hair falls from our head. without whose gracious will. (Matt. 10:29–30)
• Men follow their impulses. but the Lord holds the bit in His hand.
• May He first quiet your mind. through a strengthening look of His gracious presence.
• Commit your way, your body, your soul to the Lord. He will bring it to pass. (Ps. 37:5)
• You have pressure and suffering. your dearest brother also.
• the wisest dispensation of our Head. who communicates to each member what is its own.
• Once for all, I do not forget you. and your present circumstances.
• I take you with brotherly offering-up. to our faithful God.
• Wholly Yours in Him. Mülheim, the 21st of February, 1766.