HISTORY OF THE MORAVIANS, From their first Settlement at HERRNHAAG in the County of Budingen, With a View chiefly to their Political Intrigues. COLLECTED From the Public Acts of BUDINGEN, and from The whole intended to give the World fome Knowledge Tranflated from the GERMA N. LONDON. Printed for J. ROBINSON in Ludgate-freet; M. Cook at the Royal-Exchange; M. KEITH in Grace-Church 1754. PREFACE. THE HE Letters of Emigration published in February 1750, by the illuftrious Houfe of Budingen against the Moravians, fettled in that Country, made different Impreffions on the Minds of the Readers, according as they were differently affected, from their different Perfuafions or Prejudices. Thefe Letters were scarce iffued out on Feb. 18, when as early as March, 4, O. S. the fame Year, there appeared as London fome Remarks upon them, which were afterwards fubjoined to a Moravian Treatife, intitled, A hearty Addrefs to the Children of God, put forth at Leipfick in the Year 1751. By virtue of which the Advocate and Claffes of the Moravians would bear the World in hand, that they were a Body of People not well known in Budingen, that the apologetick Declaration was drawn up from unfair and partial Reprefentations, and not from authentick Accounts, and was befides charged with an additional Load of groundless Accufations. And there were inferted into a Counter-declaration, published on the Charge laid to the Score of the Moravian Brotherhood, feveral Exceptions to, and pretended Confutations of, the Reafons, contained in the apologetick Declaration, yet without once naming it. From feveral refpectable Quarters it was given out, that fome of the most confiderable Courts of Germany had declared the whole of the Tranfactions in Budingen to be no other than a Series of oppreffive Measures entred into against a Set of innocent People. But amidst all thofe Clamours, thofe of Budingen continued in that Calm of Mind, which is ever. the infeparable Attendant on a good Conscience. It was imagined, imagined, that the gentle Way, which was in general taken with the Moravians in the Territory of Budingen, required no particular Defence: That Truth is never at a lofs to defend itself.with thofe, who do not wilfully shut their Eyes against it. And in general, that the illuftrious. House of Budingen had no need, on its own Account, to justify its Proceedings in a public Manner, and to add to the Number of Books, that are already extant, which any private Concern would never put the Author upon. But, first, the World cannot be unacquainted with the groundless Allertions, induftriously propagated by the Moravians: That the Council of Budingen was underband concerned in thofe Interviews, or Difcourfes, intitled, The Mystery of Iniquity disclosed in which, however, none of them had any Share, directly or indirectly; and that by fuch Management the Council fought to have some specious Grounds to cloak the Proceedings in Budingen. ; Secondly, fome Perfons of high Rank and Character have expreffed their Defire, as have alfo feveral of my Friends and Well-wishers, of having a full Account, not so much of the apologetic Declaration, as rather of the whole of the Conduct of the Moravians, the quondam Inhabitants of Budingen, and what of their Principles and Inftitutions was come to the Knowledge of the World. Count Zinzendorf, in a Letter written in 1744, to a late Counsellor of Budingen, has explained himself as to the Cafe of the Moravians. "To fupprefs the Affair is none of my Advice. My "Method is to gain upon the World by fair and up• right Dealing, by which I may hope to get my Con"duct justified in the Hearts of Mankind.” As thefe were the very Motives that prevailed with me to lay thefe Occurrences before the Public: And as, befides, I deem it to be my Duty to give the World the Alarm upon any approach of Danger, and to expose, in |