how we are to look upon all the ways of God in faith. Invitation to Jesus.

The Hundred and Thirteenth Letter.

how we are to look upon all the ways of God in faith. Invitation to Jesus.

In our sweet Savior, dearly beloved sister!

At and after receiving your last I have not yet been in a condition to write again. —— Now however I am indeed since yesterday afternoon, God be praised! somewhat more cheerful, so that again I can attend to a little; but how far that will go, and how long that will last? is known to the Lord alone. We are indeed the Lord's with body and soul, in life and in death, in time and in eternity: Therefore we have nothing to do with ourselves, but should only, like the children in the cradle, with sweet good-pleasure look upon all the ways and works of our God, and love, thank and adore Him greatly therefor, that He makes it just so and not otherwise. What nature and reason would yet have to say thereto, we do not heed. When we are on the height of the mountain, we shall see and say; and now we will believe it and say: The ways of the Lord are sheer goodness and truth. Ps. 25:10.

That the journey to N. also, although on the one hand with hardship, yet on the other side with refreshment and pleasure has been accomplished, I see with participation in this pleasure, and with hearty wish of a lasting fruit. Now then again straight to Jesus, whither all call and draw us who know Him. As the Bethlehemite shepherds had heard the angels from heaven, then it was: Let us now go even unto Bethlehem! And they came with haste, and found. Yes, yes, dearest sister! let us go, leaving ourselves and all, that we may truly find Jesus, the whole, the inward, the eternally-abiding pleasure of our souls, in the manger of our heart, and may find ourselves in Him! This we call to one another in the spirit, and the eternal Word, which is so inwardly-near to us, calls just this to us; if we only keep still to the same. Come then, dear sister, and find this treasure, so you have eternally enough, and will be able to look upon all the rest with very indifferent eyes. Nothing will so delight me, as when I shall see you before my departure in this disposition. I greet you very heartily, together with your husband and the other dear fellow-called ones with you. Offer me up to the Lord when He moves thereto. I remain through grace

Your faithfully-obliged weak fellow-brother.

German

Der hundertunddreizehnte Brief.

wie wir alle Wege GOttes im Glauben ansehen sollen. Einladung zu JEsu.

In unserem süßen Heylande herzlich geliebte Schwester!

Bey und nach Empfang E. E. letzteren bin noch nicht im Stand gewesen, wieder zu schreiben. — — Nun aber bin zwar seit gestern Nachmittag, GOtt Lob! etwas munterer, so daß wieder was Weniges kan abwarten; wie weit aber das gehen, und wie lang das währen wird?

— 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).