Tuesday, May 13, 2014

May 1738 Peter Bohler prays for JW

Wed. 10. Mr. Stonehouse, Vicar of Islington, was convinced of ‘the truth as it is in Jesus’. From this time till Saturday 13, I was sorrowful and very heavy, being neither able to read nor meditate, nor sing, nor pray, nor do anything. Yet I was a little refreshed by Peter Böhler’s letter, which I insert in his own words.
Charissime et suavissime Frater,
Intentissimo amore te diligo, multum tui recordans in itinere meo, optando et precando ut quam primum viscera misericordiae crucifixi Iesu Christi, tui gratia iam ante 6000 annos commota, menti tuae appareant: ut gustare et tunc videre possis, quam vehementer te Filius Dei amaverit et hucusque amet, et ut sic confidere possis in eo omni tempore, vitamque eius in te et in carne tua sentire. Cave tibi a peccato incredulitatis, et si nondum vicisti illud, fac ut proximo die illud vincas, per sanguinem Iesu Christi. Ne differ, quaeso, credere tuum in Iesum Christum; sed potius promissionum eius quae pertinent ad miserandos peccatores, coram facie eius benigna sic mentionem fac, ut non aliter possit quam praestare tibi, quod multis aliis praestitit. O quam multus, quam magnus, quam ineffabilis, quam inexhaustus, est illius amor! Ille certe iamiam paratus est ad auxilium, et nihil potest illum offendere nisi incredulitas nostra. Crede igitur. Fratrem tuum Carolum et Hall, nomine meo saluta multum; et admonete vos invicem ad credendum, et tunc ambulandum coram facie Domini akribw'v et ad pugnandum contra diabolum et mundum nomimw'v,et ad crucifigendum et conculcandum peccatum omne sub pedibus nostris, quantum nobis datum est per gratiam secundi Adami, cuius vita excedit mortem prioris Adami, et cuius gratia antecellit corruptionem et damnationem prioris Adami.
Dominus tibi benedicat. Permane in fide, amore, doctrina communione sanctorum, et breviter, in omni quod habemus in novo foedere. Ego sum et maneo
In Agris Southamptonianis,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Tuus indignus frater,
Die 8vo Maii, 1738                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Petrus Böhler

(I love you greatly, and think much of you in my journey, wishing and praying that the tender mercies of Jesus Christ the crucified, whose bowels were moved toward you more than six thousand years ago, may be manifested to your soul: that you may taste, and then see, how exceedingly the Son of God has loved you, and loves you still, and that so you may continually trust in him, and feel his life in yourself. Beware of the sin of unbelief; and if you have not conquered it yet, see that you conquer it this very day, through the blood of Jesus Christ. Delay not, I beseech you, to believe in your Jesus Christ; but so put him in mind of his promises to poor sinners that he may not be able to refrain from doing for you what he hath done for so many others. O how great, how inexpressible, how unexhausted is his love! Surely he is now ready to help; and nothing can offend him but our unbelief. . . .
The Lord bless you! Abide in faith, love, teaching, the communion of saints, and briefly, in all which we have in the New Testament. I am
Your unworthy brother
Peter (Böhler)