Of songs of lamentation and songs of praise. In what wise one must quietly suffer and love all the will of God.

The Hundred and Twentieth Letter.

Of songs of lamentation and songs of praise. In what wise one must quietly suffer and love all the will of God.

N. N.

Your little letters have been agreeable to me every time: For, although the dear sister's letters are at times only songs of lamentation; so I think, such belong also with to the Bible; and when such are well sung (that is, in good accord with God's will, without noticeable dissonance), then the Laudes (that is, the songs of praise) begin. Now, I know, you will feel a little rebuke in that which I say here figuratively. It does no harm, only begin, with me, although somewhat stammeringly, to strike up the Laudes: Hitherto has the Lord helped! Not unto us, not unto us, but unto His name be the glory! Our songs of praise sound so the most charming, when they are finely sung in a minor key; when we remember that we have been no such heroes in suffering.

You ask in your letter: When shall I yet once quietly suffer, and love all the will of God? This question pleased me, in that I see therefrom how the mind steered itself ever more into the track, to regard everything that meets you as God's will, and as a matter that you must love; and lo, so it goes well. Only, upon One matter you will not think, that namely also the suffering of nature, of the sensuousness, and, in a word, the suffering of the own life belongs with to the will of God, and thus also to that which you must love so far.

You will say: The suffering that arises out of a resistance cannot yet please God. The resistance God also will not, but well the sufferings; that the resistance may be broken; and so it must also be.

And; when shall I then once quietly suffer? Ans. When the resistance sinks, and the own life dies. Let nature die! Let Jesus only live!

One thing more! I still remain therein, that you must seek to come beforehand not only to the known person, but to all with whom you have to deal, with love and friendliness; and that hereby you will also best overcome the aversion in others: But, on the one part, patience also belongs in the combat of love; on the other part, you must not so much eye, to accomplish something by your behavior with others; but rather, that you may only please the dearest Savior thereby, so you always succeed, and can remain quiet.

To the much-beloved brother H. in M. I ask you to report my heart-brotherly greeting, and sympathy in his sufferings. The childlike surrender to God, in the sweet name of Jesus, I wish us and this dear brother for the thorough cure of all our sicknesses. — —

I greet you very heartily, and offer you urgently up to the dearest Shepherd of our souls.

German

Der hundertundzwanzigste Brief.

Von Klagliedern und Lob-Liedern. Auf was Weise man allen Willen GOttes stille leiden und lieben müsse.

N. N. Eure Brieflein sind mir jedesmal angenehm gewesen: Denn, obgleich der lieben Schwester Briefe bisweilen nur Klaglieder sind; so denk ich, solche gehören auch mit zur Bibel; und wann solche wohl (d. i. in gutem Accord mit GOttes Willen, ohne merkliche Dissonanz) abgesungen sind …

— 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).