6099. COCCEIUS AND VOETIUS. I spoke with Cocceius, who was with me for several days; and I said many things to him about repentance - both from the exhortation before the Holy Supper, and also from the Decalog and from the Creed of Athanasius, - to the effect that man ought to shun evils as sins; and he was convinced, for he could not deny it. But, still, he insisted that this is not a matter of doctrine, and that his doctrine was the very doctrine of the Church. I spoke to him out of the Word; but he said that he saw those things in the Word, but that they relate to faith. On being examined as to doctrine, it was stated by him and by his followers, that he preached the mysteries of faith more constantly and more deeply than others; that [he went] beyond justification to interior effort, saying, that the operation of the Holy Spirit works through faith received as far as the will, but that, on arriving at the will, it elevated itself so as not to touch any part of the will of man, and took its exit on the left, above the will, and thus purified man of his evils. Besides other mysteries which he fashioned, he made out the human will, in his idea, to be as it were a plane of filth, above which the Divine influx operated, and from which it elevated itself so as not to touch any part of it, for thus man would mix himself up with the Divine operation. In this way, he excluded all man's externals, saying, that these were then pure, from the internal influx, and that their evil was dispersed, and they were consequently, nothing else than good, and things similar to the internals appeared in the sight of God. To the question whether or not man should perform repentance, he said that this is the reply: it is no harm if it be done for the sake of the public good, but if for the sake of salvation it is damnable. I spoke to him about that faith; but he said it is the true faith; but, yet, in his idea, he was unwilling to think of the Lord, but about the Father only, [believing] that the whole of salvation depends on Him, and nothing of it on the Lord. When I said that He had taught that He has all power in heaven and on earth, and that He is one with the Father, he was silent, being unwilling to say anything. In like manner, when I said that God and man, in the Lord, according to the faith of Athanasius, is one Person, he said he had not heard this before, therefore that he had not read [that Creed]. He says that he has an idea solely of the Father, and none respecting the Lord's Divine. Thus he, himself, had denied; but, still, he had not disclosed the fact to others. He was an out and out Socinian at heart. It was proved to him, by many statements from the Word respecting the Lord, that the Father and He are one, and that He is the Jehovah of the Prophets; but he replied, that he abides in his own theology, and does not wish to see those declarations there. He was transferred to a certain society in heaven and, when he opened his mysteries, it was shown him that the thing he set forth was absurd, yea ridiculous, and was mere phantasy. It seems as though he is becoming profane. He has also conjoined himself with a woman who is profane. His followers, most of whom were priests, who not only imbibed his principles, but also taught them, were collected together and were scattered abroad. Those more learned than the rest, are prelates; and the most learned, therefore, and most renowned in his country, is Cocceius. But, on investigation being made whether any of the laity and of the councilors knew anything about his theology, they said that they knew nothing at all, save that he and his followers were more learned and scholarly than others. The priests and professors are divided into Cocceians and Voetians. Voetius lived 100 years before, and Cocceius 110. I spoke with Cocceius himself. He said, that, at first, he was among his priests from Holland, and, as is customary, lived quite well, but that he was afterwards taken away to a little stone chamber. It was a house, or hut, of one apartment, with windows in it. He sits alone, having no servant, or wife, and prepares papers, which are taken by others. He said that, round about, there is nothing but gravel, and pebbles, and stones heaped up, with scanty grass interspersed; and that he has some communication with certain ones of a like character in the world of spirits, and also some with the Moravians. He said that he acknowledged the Divine Trinity, but that, when he thought upon the Father, the rest, to him, were not anything. He also still writes something in his solitude, but frequently exclaims, I will demonstrate this, I know this, I will demonstrate this. I asked whether he was able to demonstrate it. He said that he knows, or from his idea perceives, that the thing is so. I inquired whether there were not many in his desert. He said there was an immense number, and that their huts were scattered and very little frequented. This desert is towards the front, at the right hand side, or in front of the desert of those who are in faith alone. Sometimes he goes away further and to a greater distance, somewhat into another desert, where dwell such of the Christians as had indeed read the Word, but did not know its doctrine; and, inasmuch as they rejected the goods of charity, or good works, like those who have not any religion, very many of them are in that desert of the Cocceiaus. None of them have any religion; for religion is of life and thence of faith, and not of faith separate, which is no religion. - I asked them again about their religiosity. They stated that the Divine operation is towards the plane of the will, but that it raises itself therefrom, and hence those things which are of man's will do not appear in the sight of God; also, that they are dissipated when man dies, and that their faith effects this. They said that man has evils, but they are not sins in the sight of God, but evils against their fellows and the commonwealth. I told them that they were well aware, from their exhortation before the Holy Supper, that a man ought to examine himself, to see and confess his sins, and refrain from them, and that he who does not do so, profanes the Holy Supper; also, that they have no remission of sins in any other way, and they knew that, without remission of sins, there is no Salvation. To this they answered nothing, save that they did not think about this when they read out that exhortation. I said, also, that the Old Testament, and the New also, teach nothing else than love, good-will, works, deeds, doing, thus life; and I asked whether it is possible for men to be Christians, when they do away with the whole Word by the doctrine of their faith. They said that they saw such things in the Word, but said to themselves that they are embraced in their faith. I spoke with some of the Voetians who said that their belief is that the Divine operation goes as far as the will, and touches it; that still, however, it does not so excite man's will that it does anything of itself, but that, nevertheless, a secret inclination to do good is experienced, and everything that proceeds from that, unawares to the man, is of God; but what is from man's will, he knowing of it, is not of God, thus not good. That influx, and inclination therefrom, they call an impulse of good. They also say that everything that is done in secret is from man, and does not appear to God and hence they do not think of evil regarded as sin, but only of evil against their fellows and the commonwealth. I asked the Voetians why they wish the Sabbath to be kept holy. They said that they desire external observances, which are liked by the multitude, in order to catch the favor, or confidence, of the people; from this there is the appearance that they are zealous for doing good: the simpler ones said, because the doing of good is commanded in the Word. Most of the laity said that they know nothing at all about this theology of theirs: when any ask whether good is to be done, they say it is to be done, and they then understand that it is not for the sake of salvation. Some, when they inquire into their mysteries, and hear them, say these things are mystical, - nothing else. Some of the Cocceian priests who had confirmed themselves in that doctrine, were examined as to whether they had any religion; and it was found that they had nothing whatever of religion, and that they were entirely destitute of every truth. There was a Dutch town, situated below, at the right hand side, respecting which I knew but little as to the character of the inhabitants, since there was not any communication opened. But I afterwards heard, that they have indeed lived together as good citizens, but have thought little about God in their life. They merely attended church, supposing that all Divine worship consists in that; but, as in the world, they liked priests who had a reputation for scholarship: these were the Cocceians. And the former ones, by means of insinuations into their rulers, brought it about that priests who were not scholars [should be appointed]: these were the ones who preached that evils were to he shunned as sins against God. Thus there remained Cocceian priests, who said, indeed, that good ought to be done, but not for the sake of salvation - they carefully guarded against thinking that; and said that there was not any sin, provided they held the received faith. When priests were appointed who were not scholarly, as they were called, then, from the sphere of the Cocceians and of those who favored them, and from others there who were led astray by them, a change of their state was produced; and then the former ruler, who was good, resigned his office, and another, a slothful and simple man [succeeded], who was such that he did nothing, but merely presided; and then the gates were opened, and it was allowed to anyone to enter the town who wished. Hence, their state became such that they no longer thought upon anything relating to the Church, but lived licentiously. Wherefore, that whole town sank down to a very great depth, together with the inhabitants and houses, and reached a situation deeper down. Of these, also, those of that nation who were above, complained that their minds became disquieted, because such lower ones were in that place, and formed [their] foundation. I spoke a little with the Cocceians, to the effect that it was their belief that it was allowed to man to do whatever he pleases, and that their evils are not seen by God, provided they hold the received faith; also, in their houses, and to certain ones around, they said that there is not any sin, and that they can do whatever they please if only they hold their faith. They preached, in like manner as in England, in a mystical style, fearing lest the multitude should penetrate into their mysteries. They said it was because the multitude understands only external things, but not, internals; and declared that, if they were to preach their mysteries openly, they would be deprived of the priestly office by the people, and a riot might ensue. The Divine operation by faith, as far as to the will, of which man knows nothing, the Cocceian's call charity, and what proceeds from the will, a destroyer of charity. I spoke with some of the laity regarding the Cocceian religiosity. I said, What is the need of those mysteries? they are empty and likewise false, since they flow from an impure and evil fount. Is it not the same thing as though a workman, or a speaker, should want to have knowledge of all the mysteries in the body, of the muscles, the operation of the trachea, larynx, glottis, tongue, lips, in order to be able to speak well, or to be able to work well; and thus, to work and speak from anatomical science? Is it not enough that he learn to speak well and elegantly, and to work well? this is what he should study. In like manner with knowledge of the Divine operation and influx, is it not sufficient that a man know evils, shun them, and live as a Christian? Does not the Lord effect these things by most secret methods, just as the soul by secret methods operates that the hands perform their work aright, and that a speaker speak aright? Can an anatomist work better, or can the dancer dance better, from anatomy? [I also said] that the Cocceians are Machiavellists.