How to conduct oneself at visits and all outward occurrences, also as to the inward, in order to be wholly for God.

The Hundred and Thirty-first Letter.

How to conduct oneself at visits and all outward occurrences, also as to the inward, in order to be wholly for God.

N. N.

That it turns sour unto you in the present giving and receiving of visits, I can well think; that must so be the antidote in such things. Seek only as much as possible to keep your inward in peace, also where it goes against your mind. Yea, also in all other occurrences keep yourselves, and let yourselves be kept in the childlike withdrawnness, and in peace, without letting yourselves be troubled, whether it go so or otherwise. O! how so indifferent are all things, when God only is pleased; and He is pleased, when we only are pleased with Him, and with all the appointments of His providence. My sweet art stands therein, that it go as it goes. You have sometimes something good or indifferent before you, but are disturbed when it comes otherwise; that is not childlike. — —

In regard of your doing and leaving, build and trust yet so much not upon feeling; it deceives all too easily. If in little things the design is simple, and the will yielded, then may we do what comes before us; it would then have to be a strong reserve in such things as can be left. And so also in the visiting of your spiritual friends nothing is to be concluded therefrom, whether you have found yourselves quiet or unquiet; for that can have all manner of causes. If only your design and your will are so, as I have said above, then you can be content.

In regard of your inward is even this to be said. Give and yield unto Jesus your body and soul, your heart and will, your time and eternity: Say it unto Him, and let Him see it in your heart, that you desire nothing but only Him and His pleasure, without design upon your weal or woe, light or darkness. Direct all your heart's thoughts, love-inclinations and mind's designs only upon Him, turning in unto Him out of all creature and sensuality. Let all your miseries be swallowed up in the sea of His love. Hold still unto Him; rejoice in Him, and forget yourselves, me and all creatures, that your inward may be wholly for God, and may truly find Him!

German

Der hundertundeinunddreißigste Brief.

Wie sich bei Visiten und allen äußern Vorfällen auch in Ansehung des Inwendigen zu verhalten, um ganz für GOtt zu seyn.

N. N. Daß es euch bei dem jetzigen Visiten-Geben und Empfangen sauer wird, kan ich gar wohl denken; das muß so das Gegengift bei solchen Dingen seyn.

— 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).