5988. About Moravians
For a few days I was with Moravians who were not in the place below to the right where they had been earlier, but a little forward on the same level; and there was a certain leader, who was believed to be Zinzendorf, to the left at some distance. When a statement was made about what the truths of the Church are, they unanimously praised them, doing so as if they affirmed them. It was perceived, however, that they did not affirm them but were at that very moment obstinately and stubbornly settled in their own contrary doctrine. The leader did this even more, so that one could believe that he had done this from affection for spiritual truth; however, he remained in his own doctrine. They said that they acted in this way in the world in order to attract others to themselves, and when they have formed a relationship with them in this way, they divulge their secrets, but cautiously in the degree they appear to accept them.
[2] This secret was made known: they entirely deny the Lord's Divine nature and make His Human nature more vile than the human of another, and also believe that He was not conceived from Jehovah God but was illegitimate, that He did not rise again with the body but was taken away by the disciples or others, that the transfiguration was an illusion brought on by certain spirits. And they deny, pervert, and profane many more things like this about the Lord recorded in the Word, thus also the Word of the New Testament at the same time. They do not care about the Word of the Old Testament, for them it is as if it were not the Word. They were compelled to make these wicked mysteries of theirs public in order for me to know their nature. On this account it was said to them that they are devils and worse than those who are in the hells, where all deny the Lord but not in such a wicked way, acknowledging and profaning. Therefore those who have confirmed themselves in such wicked dogmas are worse than those who are in the hells; and they were told that their lot cannot be different.
[3] As regards their having said that they loved the Lord because He was accepted by God the Father as the Son on account of the passion of the cross: they were told that such love brings about no conjunction whatsoever; it does so merely with some of the simple in the lowest heaven who do not know their secrets but only feel that they love the Lord from what comes out of their mouth, and that these in a short time are separated and drawn away from them. It was added that the love that joins a person to the Lord is doing His commandments, as He Himself teaches, and not this kind of love, because this love is not joined with such wicked falsities as are in them and makes the life of their spirit.
5988. THE MORAVIANS.
For a couple of days I was with the Moravians, who are not in the place below, at the right, where they were formerly, but a little in front on the same level; and there was a certain leader, who seemed to be Zinzendorf, at some distance to the left. When it was stated what the truths of the Church are, they applauded with one mouth, and this as if they endorsed them. It was perceived, however, that they did not at all endorse them but were, even at the time, obstinately and stubbornly in their own doctrine contrary thereto. Still more did the leader thus applaud, in order that it might be believed that he had done so from the affection of spiritual truth, but yet he remained in his own doctrine. They stated that they behaved thus, in the world, in order to attract others to them; and that when they conjoined themselves with them in that way, they disclose, but very cautiously, as many of their secret tenets as they appear to receive. This secret tenet of theirs has been threshed out, namely, that they utterly deny the Lord's Divine, and make His Human meaner than the human of another man; also, that He was not conceived of Jehovah God, but was a bastard; that He did not rise again with the body, but it was stolen away by the disciples or others; that, when He was transfigured, it was a vision induced by certain spirits; and many such things, that are recorded of the Lord in the Word, they deny, pervert and profane; - thus, the Word of the New Testament, also, at the same time. The Word of the Old Testament they do not attend to, as if for them it were not the Word. These abominable, secrets they were compelled to divulge, in order that I might know of what quality they are. On account of these things, they were told that they are devils, and worse than the infernals, all of whom deny the Lord, but not in so execrable a manner, by acknowledging and profaning; that, therefore, those who have confirmed themselves in such accursed and execrable tenets are worse than those who are in the hells, and that their lot cannot be a different one.
As regards their stating that they loved the Lord because He was accepted by God the Father as His Son, on account of the passion of the cross, they were told that such love is not in the least effective of conjunction, save with certain of the simple-minded in the lowest heaven, who do not know their secret beliefs, but only perceive from their mouth that they love the Lord; also that they must shortly be separated and plucked away from them. It was added that the love to the Lord which conjoins, is the doing of His commandments, as Himself teaches, and not such love [as theirs], since there is no conjunction with such execrable deeds as are in them, and constitute the life of their spirit;
5988. De Moravianis
Fui per diem et alterum cum Moravianis, qui non in priori loco infra ad dextrum, sed paulo antrorsum in simili plano, et quidam antesignanus, qui credebatur Zinzendorf, ad sinistrum ad aliquam distantiam, illi, cum dicebatur quid vera Ecclesiae, uno ore laudabant et hoc quasi cum affirmatione, sed perceptum quod prorsus nihil affirmarent, sed quod obstinate et duriter etiam tunc essent in sua doctrina contra illa; hoc adhuc plus faciebat antesignanus, sic ut credi posset, quod hoc fecisset ex affectione veri spirituali, sed usque mansit in sua doctrina, dictum ab iis quod ita fecerint in mundo, ut allicerent alios ad se, et cum se conjunxerunt cum illis eo modo, quod tantum propalent, sed caute, ex arcanis suis, quantum apparent recipere.
[2] Detectum est hoc arcanum, quod prorsus negent Divinum Domini, ac faciant Humanum suum vilius quam humanum alterius, tum quod non ex Jehovah Deo conceptus sit, sed quod fuerit spurius, quod non resurrexerit cum corpore, sed quod ablatus a discipulis aut aliis, quod cum transformatus fuerit illusio inducta a quibusdam spiritibus, et plura talia quae de Domino memorantur in Verbo, negant, pervertunt, et prophanant, sic etiam Verbum Novi Testamenti simul, Verbum Veteris Testamenti non curant sicut non Verbum pro illis, haec eorum nefanda arcana coacti sunt vulgare, ut scirem quales sunt, quare illis dictum est quod diaboli sint, et pejores infernalibus, ubi omnes negant Dominum, sed non tam nefando modo, agnoscendo et prophanando, quare illos, qui se confirmaverunt in dogmatibus tam nefandis pejores illis qui in infernis sunt, et quod sors eorum non posset alia esse.
[3] Quod dixerint se amavisse Dominum, quia receptus a Deo Patre pro Filio, propter passionem crucis, dictum est illis quod talis amor prorsus nihil conjungat, solum cum aliquibus simplicibus in ultimo coelo, qui non sciunt arcana illorum, sed solum percipiunt ex ore eorum quod ament Dominum, et quod brevi ab illis separentur et avellantur, additum quod amor in Dominum conjungens sit facere praecepta Ipsius, prot Ipse docet, et non talis amor, quia non conjungitur cum tam nefandis falsis, quae in illis et faciunt vitam spiritus eorum.