6043. About Zinzendorf and the Moravians 1
I spoke with him. He was brought back into the state of life when he journeyed into provinces and taught, on which account he now also goes about to societies and preaches. But he said that he is received nowhere and is forbidden to go to his followers. He confessed himself an Arian, [saying] that the Lord was the adoptive son of God. He could scarcely be brought to say Ԍord" and "to be born in order to be adopted," although it is proven by the fact that He was born from God. This he now denies, but believes that He is the adoptive [son of God]. Good works he is not only averse to but abominates. He preaches God the Father, but because many presented themselves and said they were God, he refrains from looking for Him. On this account, as he has said, he does not know where to turn. He considered the Word of the Old Testament worthless, cared little for the Evangelists, only the Epistles of Paul.
[2] He was brought to [some of his] followers a long time after they had died in the world, and he saw that they do not know any truth and are in a state nearing misery, simply hoping and waiting, often between hope and fear. They have hope from their conviction in the world that they are more truly alive than others. When they wish to accept truths, false beliefs which cannot be dispelled stand in the way. They know that the physical feeling they boasted of in the world came from spirits of the same sect who were with them. They are ingenious and clever at falsifying the Word, and they twist it from its meaning [to suit] the mental grasp of everyone. This happens in a gathering, at a meeting. The fact that they are Arians is among their secrets that must not be disclosed. When they say they are more truly alive than others, it is asked, "Where are their true beliefs and where are their good works through which and from which they have life?" They say, "In faith." Then it is asked, "What of truth is there in their faith and what of good?"
[3] It is customary for them to say in their sermons, ԙou believe that you are nearing heaven, and so far as you believe you are nearing heaven, so far you are moving away from it," and in so saying they do not disclose what this involves, but the [listeners] understand this to mean that they acknowledge the Divine of the Lord to be equal to the Divine of the Father and that they do good works. Those who make their secrets public and those of their sect who deny these, they wish to kill, and if they have done so, they excuse it because it is for the sake of the truth. On account of their hatred and perhaps because of their intentions, Zinzendorf distances himself somewhat from them. On account of their false beliefs and on account of their not doing good works, they close themselves entirely to heaven. All things they call truths are false; they do not wish to believe that faith performs good works, but believe that all good works are produced through their faith. They say that the Lord must be loved on account of the passion of the cross but not worshiped, that the holy supper is only a remembrance of the passion, and that they partake in it out of obedience. They live alone among themselves because they did so in the world; and when they are convinced by others that they have false beliefs and [are told] what is true, they do not believe, saying that they do not wish to be convinced.
Footnotes:
1. A Protestant denomination, also called Herrnhuter. They believe that the Scriptures are the only rule of faith and practice, and in general have stood for a simple and unworldly form of Christianity; Zinzendorf became a substantial leader of this movement in 1722.
6043. ZINZENDORF AND THE MORAVIANS.
I spoke with him. He was reduced to the state of his life when he journeyed into foreign regions and taught; and, therefore, he now also goes about to societies, and preaches; but he said that he is not received anywhere. He is also forbidden to come near his followers. He confesses himself an Arian, [saying] that the Lord is the adopted Son of God. He can hardly be brought to say that the Lord was born in order to be adopted, although this is proved by the fact that He was born of God. This he now denies, but says He is adopted. Good works, he is not merely averse to, but even detests. He preaches God the Father; but, inasmuch as many presented themselves and declared that they were God the Father, he refrains from looking to Him; wherefore, as he said, he knows not which way to turn. He reviles the Word of the Old Testament. He cared little for the Evangelists; only for Paul's Epistles. He was brought to some of his followers who had died in the world some time previously, and saw that they do not know anything of truth, and are in an almost miserable state, merely in hope and expectation, often between hope and fear. Their hope is owing to their persuasion, in the world, that they, more than any others, are the living. When they wish to receive truths, falsities which cannot be shaken off block the way. They know that the sensation of which they boasted in the world, was from spirits of the same sect who were with them. They are ingenious and clever at falsifying the Word, and, to the apprehension of all, twist it from its meaning - which occurs when they assemble together in their meetings. That they are Arians, is one of those arcana of their's which must not be revealed. When they say that they, more than others, are the living, it is asked where the truths are, and where the goods, through which and from which their life is. They say, In faith. Then it is asked what of truth there is in their faith, and what of good. It is customary for them to say in their preachings, Believe that you approach heaven, and so far as you believe you approach, so far do you recede; and thus they do not reveal what it is, but they mean that they acknowledge the Lord's Divine equally with the Father's Divine, and that they do good works. Those who divulge their esoteric doctrines and deny their sect, they want to kill; and, if they do so, they excuse it because it is for the sake of the truth; and, by reason of that hatred of their's, and perhaps on account of [his] intentions, Zinzendorf withdrew himself somewhat from them. On account of their falsities and non-goods, they wholly close heaven against themselves. All that they call truths are falsities. They are not willing to admit that faith operates goods, but rather that all things they do are good through their faith. They say that the Lord ought to be loved on account of the passion of the cross, but ought not to be worshipped; that the Holy Supper is merely a memorial of His passion, and that they attend it out of obedience. They live together, apart from others, since they did so in the world; and, when they are shown by others that they are in falsities, and what things are true, they go away saying they do not want to be convinced.
6043. De Zinzendorfio et Moravianis
Loquutus cum illo, reductus est in statum vitae cum profectus in regiones et docuit, quare nunc quoque circumvadit ad societates et praedicat, sed dixit quod nullibi recipiatur, et prohibitum est ad asseclas suos venire: confitetur se Arianum, quod Dominus sit adoptivus Filius Dei, aegre potest eo deduci ut dicat Dominum et esse natum ut adoptaretur, tametsi convincitur ex eo, quod ex Deo natus sit, hoc nunc negat, sed quod sit adoptivus. Bona opera non modo aversatur sed etiam abominatur; Deum Patrem praedicat, sed quia obtulerunt se plures et dixerunt se Deum patrem esse, desistit a videndo illum, quare, ut dixit, non scit quorsum se vertat, Verbum Veteris Testamenti vilipendit, Evangelistas parum curavit, solum epistolas Pauli. Deductus ad asseclas ante multum tempus mortuos in mundo, et vidit illos quod non aliquid veri sciant, et quod sint in statu paene misero, in spe et in exspectatione solum, saepe inter spem et metum, spes illis est ex persuasione illorum in mundo, quod illi vivi sint prae reliquis. Dum volunt recipere vera, obstant falsa, quae non discuti possunt. Sciunt illi, quod sensatio, ex qua gloriati sunt in mundo, fuerit ex spiritibus qui ab eadem secta, qui apud illos. Callidi et solertes ad falsificandum Verbum sunt, et ad captum omnium detorquent illud a suo sensu, quod fit in coetu, coeundo. Quod Ariani sint, hoc inter arcana eorum est, quod non revelandum. Cum dicunt quod vivi sint prae aliis, quaeritur ubinam sunt vera et ubi bona, per quae et a quibus vita, dicunt in fide, tunc dicitur quid veri in fide illorum, et quid boni? Solenne est in praedicationibus eorum, quod dicant, "credis quod appropinquas ad coelum, et quantum credis appropinquare tantum abscedis," et sic non revelant quid hoc, sed intelligunt, quod agnoscant Divinum Domini aequale Divino Patris, et quod bona opera faciant. Illos, qui arcana illorum propalant, et ab illorum secta negant, volunt occidere, et si facerent excusant quia est propter veritatem; et propter id odium illorum et forte ob intentiones, Zinzendorf liquantum se removit ab illis. Propter falsa et propter non bona claudunt sibi prorsus coelum, omnia quae vocant vera sunt falsa, non volunt quod fides operetur bona, sed quod sint bona omnia per suam fidem. Dicunt quod Dominus sit amandus propter passionem crucis, sed non colendus: quod sacra coena sit modo recordatio passionis, et quod illam obeant ex obedientia, soli inter se vivunt, quia ita in mundo, et dum ab aliis convincuntur quod in falsis sint, et quid vera, discredunt, dicentes quod non velint convinci.