The Last Judgment (Posthumous) · 17 of 18

The Moravians (III)

358.[294] THE MORAVIANS. They said that they were the remains of the Apostolic Church, and therefore they call each other brothers. Therefore some from their society who were below the earth, were sent to those who had been converted in the time of Paul and the Apostles and were of the church.

359.[295] First they came to the church which was with the Collossian nations, and they spoke with them at first as if they were of such a church, but they were questioned concerning the Lord; they said that they pray to the Father for the sake of the Son, and that they do not go to the Son. They answered that they go to the Lord, because He said that He is the way, the truth and the life; and that no one cometh to the Father except through Him: then that one must have faith in Him, and that they cannot go to the Father immediately, thus it is that they ascend above what is permitted. They were questioned about charity. They said that they have charity among themselves, and therefore they call each other brethren; but they said that this is friendship and not charity, and they asked whether they do not know that charity is to do good, and that this is primary, and that they should call good brother, and truth companion. But when they said that to do good effects nothing for salvation, thus charity effects nothing, but faith alone, and that faith is that the Lord was sent by the Father that He might take away the damnation of the law by the passion of the cross, it was seen that they are no longer under any law, then being indignant they drove them away, calling them fanatics and not Apostolical.

360.[296] They who were of the Thessalonian church said the same of them. But these only inspected them from above and they recognized similar things with them, and being indignant they turned themselves away, as from those who are to be altogether guarded against.

361.[297] Afterwards they came to a certain Apostolic church, which was in Galilee not far from Tyre. There they did the same, asserting that they were in a like doctrine with them. But they were questioned concerning the Word, they said that they had the Epistles of Paul, in which is their doctrine itself, and that he spoke from the Holy Spirit. They were asked what they believe concerning the Gospels, they answered that the Lord there spoke from Himself. They were asked whether He spoke from the Father, thus from the Divine or from the Holy Spirit. They said that He spoke from Himself. They asked how; [they replied] simply as a man, and that He did not speak from the Father nor from the Divine, because He wished them to have faith in Him, and wished to be equal to the Father. They asked whether He was conceived from the Father; they said that they would think of this as they wished, they did not dare to say that [they thought] as the Jews did, nor did they dare to say that they hold in low estimation what He spoke. They were questioned about the Old Testament, whether it is holy, they said that the Jews regard it as holy because [it was given] through them; but that they do not regard it as holy, and that it is evil to believe that it is holy by itself. They were asked whether they know that there are many things therein concerning the Coming of the Lord; they said that it is about the Coming of the Messiah, and that by the Messiah is meant God the Father and not the Lord, denying that the Father was in the Lord, according to His Word. When passages were quoted therefrom concerning the Lord, they turned themselves away and said that they understand it differently from them. In a word they reject the Word of the Old Testament as not holy, and as having nothing there concerning the Lord. Some things which they answered, because they hurt the ears, I pass by. Afterward they heard concerning their faith, and they said that it does not at all agree with their faith and that it is nothing, and being indignant that they had said they were of their church, they commanded them to depart, and otherwise they would drive them away, because they see that they are not Christians at all, calling them antichrists.

362.[298] Zinzendorf heard all those things which they spoke with this and the former Apostolic church, and he grieved, saying, “I know not whence such things have come to pass since I was in the world;” and seeing that there was nothing for them but hell, he grieved. [301] They said they would not turn to them, because they would thus disturb them, and misfortunes would happen to them.

363.[299] They said they take something from the Gospels, the prophecies and the histories of the Old Testament in their preaching; chiefly things which confirm their dogmas; something also on account of the rest of Christians, lest they should give offense, and that they may allure to their side.

364.[300] It was asked whence they could become such in the world, when yet they pray to the Father, and are religious. Answer was made them, because they deny the Divine of the Lord. And they were instructed that there is a general efflux from hell against the Divine of the Lord, against charity towards the neighbor, and against the holiness of the Word, and that they may know from this whence they have the confirmations against those three things.

365.[302] Some hundreds of them came out and went to a society where charity reigns, and they were in the persuasion that they were living and those who were in charity were dead. From that persuasion the angels of the society of charity appeared before their eyes as blackish, and they themselves in some degree exteriorly as angels. Their persuasion has this in it, that as they draw near they appear to themselves from their persuasion as if they were living, and the rest before their eyes as if half dead. When they perceive this, they pray to the Lord that the newcomers be removed from them, therefore those over them are commanded to go away; but as they depart and are at a distance, they appear monstrous, so that they are scarcely men, and that monstrous appearance increases even until their entrance under the earth, which was a cavern; and when they come thither the monstrosity remains and appears before their eyes and the eyes of their brethren; and afterwards for a long time they are punished many times, nor do they approach anymore to other societies and by persuasion induce others to such things, and thus allure them to their insane dogma, and believe that they are living; and those who are in charity are unwilling to be continually with them. The punishment continues until they affirm that they will no longer do thus; for their greatest desire is to allure and lead over to their side by various cunning ways and arts; they are deceivers.

366.[358] FAITH. The Lord from eternity, who is Jehovah, came into the world that He might effect the Last Judgment and at the same time glorify His Human, and without this no mortal could have been saved; and they are saved who believe in Him and do good from Him. This is the faith of the New Jerusalem.

367.[359] As far as faith is separated from the goods of charity it differs from that faith. Let him explore it who is able. Faith separate supposes: (1) That God the Father and God the Son are two, both from eternity. (2) It supposes that God the Son came into the world from the will of God the Father that He might make satisfaction for the human race, otherwise from the Divine justice, which they also call vindictive, it would have perished in eternal death. (3) It supposes that satisfaction was made by the Lord’s fulfilling the law and by the passion of the cross. (4) It supposes that the mercy of God the Father was on account of those things of the Son. (5) It supposes imputation, the ascription of His merit to them who are in that faith, and who from it pray to the Father to have mercy for the Son’s sake. (6) It supposes the justification of those who thus pray from trust and confidence. (7) It supposes the operation of the Holy Spirit with them. (8) It supposes the remission of all sins with them and thus salvation. (9) It supposes that then they will have an endeavor to do good, which deeply hidden operates, but not manifestly, and moves the will of man. Others, whom they believe to be less learned, suppose a manifest operation. (10) But most of those who confirm themselves in that faith, suppose that no one can do good from himself which is good, unless it is meritorious, thence that no good work saves, but faith alone; they say nothing about evil and about good of life, nor do they think of it. Some suppose that the influx of faith is instantaneous, and also that it is given in the last hour of death, and that their salvation is by faith alone howsoever they have lived. [Marginal Note:] [360] They suppose there is something of temptation, and that liberation is by that faith.

368.[361] In a summary, that God the Father sent the Son to make satisfaction for the human race, and that they who believe in Him are saved from His merit.

369.[362] They divide into parties concerning instantaneous salvation by faith and vindictive justice.

370.[363] Their books are full of these things, but they write confirmations of these subjects only.

371.[364] Faith places the understanding under obedience to this faith, and he does not understand what the truth of faith is.