knew the Depth of the Community's Politics, there being nothing to be writ from the Community but what is in its Commendation.* Thus I was deprived of all Opportunity of acquainting them with any of my Uneafineffes at the Practices of the Community; and indeed, at that Time, my Eyes were not opened fo as to perceive that fuch a Prohibition was a Snare, a Tyranny repugnant to God's written Precept; for God who looketh not to the Perfon of a Man, and whofe Righteousness is as the Mountains, and his Judgments as the great Deep, will judge the Earth in Righteoufnefs, and all the Nations in Truth, Pf. xcvi, ver. 13. he has not difpenfed his chofen People from writing and making known their good and bad Things, for their own Amendment and as an Example to their Defcendents, but Lies and falfe Reports, and blandifhing Words of Delufion are an Abomination to him; criminal in themfeves, and the Engines of evil Purposes, exalting their Inventions above the Spirit of Truth.

After hearing fo many groundless Panegyrics, and not a few of myfelf, fuch as thofe which Spangenberg was pleased to spread here, what a powerful Witnefs I was in Germany, having been vifited.

feveral Perfons of Rank, Counts and Princes, whofe Hearts were fo affected with my Difcourfes that they left me with Tears. That I was honoured with the Vifits of fuch Perfons I do not

*It is not only forbid to write any thing of the Ways and Doings of the Community, but all Letters were privately read to the Brethren, and fuppreffed or forwarded according as the Contents pleafed; they make no Confcience of it, tho' opening of Letters be ftrictly forbid by Law.

+ The Author who was a Baptift, wore a long Beard, and living as a Solitary in the Garden-Lodge, many Perfons of Rank went to see him, from the fame Curiofity which used to draw them to take a View of the Community in general.

deny,

deny, but that I talked fo movingly to them is what I know nothing of, nor was it any religious Motive but mere Curiofity which brought them, viz. to fee a Pensylvanian Hermit who they heard lived in the Garden-Lodge; befides, their Stay was generally too fhort for me to fay a Word to their Hearts. Such Reports among these People are like the Sands of the Sea for Number. But how to reconcile Spangenberg's and Jofeph Muller's Accounts of me? the latter fays I was under a perpetual Confufion of Mind from my being at New York till it broke out, when I deferted from them; but they are both equally wide of the Truth. So far I acknowledge, that during my stay in Germany I went through much trouble of Mind, with innumerable Sighs and Tears; but from whence did this arife? from beholding their Errors and wicked Ways, with fome Sense of my own Failings. Bleffed are they who mourn, fays the dear Saviour, for they fhall be comforted; and I can truly fay, blefs the Lord O my Soul; for God and his Word was what alone comforted and fupported me amidst the Disorders and Revilings of a Life totally repugnant to an Imitation of Christ, and this no Perfon under a culpable Confufion can affirm. Such Impurity and Deceit abounding among these People, fuch Stories being forged to draw the World into a high Opinion of them, I cannot bring myself to think these to be Signs that the Saviour is fetting up his Kingdom by fuch Inftruments, as he would not al low the Devils fo much as to say that he was the Holy One, Mark i. 24, 25. As little fuppofable is it to me, that the Saviour co-operates with thefe Folks for impofing upon others with mellifluous Speeches to make a total Surrender of themfelves Souls and Body, deny their own Will that it may be E 2 moulded

moulded by fuch a Set who make a Jeft of Selfdenial and Indifference to the prefent World, and of the Imitation of the holy Life of Christ.

Neither can I imagine that it is the Saviour's Will, that a Man fhall part with his Substance to others, for them to fquander away in Senfuality and Parade; Inftances of which I have both feen and heard to a moft exorbitant Degree.

Far be it from me to think it the Will of God that a Man fhall diveft himself of, renounce and throw away as filthy Rags what he has received from the immediate Grace and rich Bounty of his Saviour, and creep naked and deftitute at the Feet of the Community to receive their Bleffing, becaufe without this he cannot be made fit to be employed in the Community.

But it is my firm Belief and Perfuafion that to require any fuch Thing of Perfons called by Grace, is little better than Satan's. bidding Christ fall down and worship him. This is the Bafilisk's Egg, whoever eats of it, fuffers an Extinction of the Life of Grace in the Soul; and when trod upon, out comes a fierce Viper, Ifa. lix. 5. This laft I have experienced, and bleffed be God who preferved me.

I have often canvaffed in myself with deep Lamentation, for what Reafons it pleased the Lord that I fhould pafs through fuch a dangerous School; but when my Unbelief and Ficklenefs prefented themfelves to me, and my Remifsnefs in following the gracious Call of my Saviour to truft him in every thing which concerned the Redemption of my Soul; and not having done as I ought, and giving Way to Self Will rather than close with the Spirit of Grace which called me out of pure Mercy, I concluded that the long fuffering all-wife Saviour, who never does any thing without fufficient Reafon, left me to run on

in

in my Imaginations; firft as a juft Punishment of my Perverseness; Secondly, that I might experi ence the Depths of Satan, how he makes Ufe of Men to feduce each other by fpecious Words and attractive Appearances; Thirdly, that I might learn to speak my Mind with a loyal Confidence and never disguise Truth; Fourthly, that I might acknowledge his tender Care of me, and how he delivers me out of many Dangers without any Gratitude from me; Fifthly, to fhew me that both in Time and Eternity I have Caufe to praise him alone for all Things.

+

This I have writ in my fixty-third Year, when I hope I have outlived the Ductility of Childhood, never more to be decoyed by carnal Notions and Artifices of evil Men, nor be toffed about with every Wind of Doctrine with which they lie in wait to feduce well-meaning Souls. I have now effectually experienced that nothing but a divine Power can preserve us ftedfaft in the Faith in thefe Times fo full of Dangers. It be hoved me to add concerning their voluptuous Life, particularly of those in the upper Classes, who though many of them were poor mean Folks, now figure in fine Cloaths, powdered Wigs, Watches, and Rings on their Fingers, like the worldly Men of Fashion, and conform themfelves to the World; that one Motive of this gay Appearance is to allure the wealthy, fhewing them by their Behaviour, that they have found out a Carpet-Road to Salvation, which no Chriftians hitherto could hit upon; and this is no lame Contrivance, for the rich are not without a Defire of being faved, but to deny their State and the Pride of Life, was the Rub; now this is got over, here's a new Way which turns off from every Difcouragement and Hardship, a Way of Glitter, Eafe and

Feftivity;

Feftivity, a Way fuited to a Refpect of Perfons, in order to make an Advantage. But were I to relate the whole, it would carry me too far.

The Premises, I think, were fufficient Grounds for my faying, That it was the wickedeft Set that has appeared fince the Apoftle's Time, which Jofeph Muller took fuch Offence at, and reported to those who fent him from Time to Time to fift me, for which he was the fitteft Perfon, being my Superintendant.

By this Time the Community were fufficiently known to me; their fine Mantle of Chrift's Sufferings was too fhort to hide their Deformities. Inftead of the Lamb, I difcovered the Dragon opening its Mouth againft God and his Tabernacle (the Hearts of Believers) and those who dwell in Heaven.

I had no fooner given the Child its right Name, than all the Brethren were ordered not to come unto me, upon which Excommunication I recommended myself to the God of my Life, and refolved to depart, and writ the following Letter to the Count's Son-in-law.

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Dear Brother John,

Herrnhaag, May 12, 1747.

heartily with you well in the Lord, and as

is no talking with you Face to Face, I will declare to you the Reasons why I could not come "into the Community's Doctrine and Practice; "Ifaiab fays, that They who in Religion choose their

osen Ways make their Soul an Abomination, and further calls it a vain Worship where the Com

The Prophets and Apoftles, David, the primitive Chrifans and Martyrs, are all moft scandaloufly reviled by this conceited Se&t. "mandments