"thou haft introduced fuch fuperftitious cuftoms among

" them *?"

But this is not all: I have another queftion to propose to your Lordship. Pray, my Lord, did any of the Apostles or leaders of the primitive churches, ever ufurp an authority, not only over people's confciences, but their properties alfo ? Or draw in the members of their refpective congregations to difpofe of whole patrimonies at once, or to be bound for thousands of pounds more than they well knew they were worth? And yet your Lordship knows this has been done again and again, in order to ferve the purposes of the brethren for several years last paft; and that too, at, or very near the time, when, in order to procure an act in their favour to go abroad, (which now appears to be rather a scheme to fettle at home) they boafted to an English parliament, how immenfely rich they were t.

Your

* A like fcene to this was exhibited by the fingle brethren, in a room of their houfe at Hatton Garden. One of them, who helped to furnishi it, gave me the following account. The floor was covered with fand and mofs, and in the middle of it, was paved a star of different coloured pebbles, upon that was placed a gilded dove, which spouted water out of its mouth into a veffel prepared for its reception, which was curiously decked with artificial leaves and flags; the room was hung with mofs and fhells; the Count, his fon, and fon-in-law, in honour of whom all this was done, with Mrs. Hannah Nitschman, and Mr. Peter Boehler, and fome other labourers, were prefent. Thefe were feated under an alcove, fupported by columns made of pafteboard, and over their heads was painted an oval, ín imitation of marble, containing the cyphers of Count Zinzendorff's family. Upon a fide-table, was a little altar covered with shells, and on each fide of the altar was a bloody heart, out of, or near which proceeded flames. The room was illuminated with wax tapers, and muficians placed in an adjacent apartment, while the company performed their devotions, and regaled themselves with sweet-meats, coffee, tea, and wine. After this the labourers departed, and the single brethren were admitted in. I am told, that most, if not all of these leading perfons were prefent alfo at the celebration of Mrs. Hannah Nitfchman's birth-day.

M. Rimius, aulic counsellor to the late King of Prussia, in a treatife he lately published, I think makes it plainly appear, that the agents for the Moravian affairs, have misinformed the parliament in feveral refpects, and upon the whole, treated that auguft body little better than the Gibeonitish ambaffadors once treated Joshua, the captain of the

LORD'S

Your Lordship cannot but be fenfible, that at this prefent time you ftand indebted to fundry perfons to the value of forty thousand pounds fterling; and unless fome of your brethren had agreed to stay fix years for about twenty thousand pounds, due to them; (though after the expiration of that term, as they have no fecurity, in all probability they will be just where they are now) and if the other creditors alfo, upon

LORD's hoft. To this I refer the reader. It is written with great candour, and contains fuch incontestable proofs of the many dangerous principles and practices of the leading brethren, that muft, I think, conftrain all that read it to fay, "My foul, come not thou into their secret, "and to their affembly, mine honour be not thou united.”

İ suppose it was a confciousness of this, that induced Mr. Coffart, one of the Count's chief agents, to fuggeft to Mr. Linde fome time before its publication, that it would be as good as three hundred pounds in his way, if Mr. Rimius's book could be fuppreffed. This looks bad; but I think it was still worse in another of the brethren roundly to affirm, in order to quiet fome who were diffatisfied by reading this book, "that "the author of the above-mentioned treatife, was one that perfonated "Mr. Rimius, and that the whole was lies." Now they cannot but know, that this gentleman refides in Oxenden-freet, and addreffed his book to his Grace the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, by permiffion, and that he proves almost every word he fays, from the brethren's own writings. The above-mentioned brother was pleafed to add, "that the real "M. Rimius was a friend, and therefore would not write against them." I answer, that I verily believe he therefore wrote, as GOD knows I do, because he is a friend; or to use his own words, "from a ftri&t regard "to truth, justice, and the public good." And I think, if instead of adding fin to fin, by continuing ftill to mifguide, enflave, and put out the eyes of many of God's dear children, who, I am perfuaded, know, no more of their fecret myfteries and intended purposes, than those who never heard of them at all, it would fhew a much better fpirit in the leading brethren, either publicly to refute, or ingenuously confefs, and amend the things laid to their charge. This is what Gon and, the world may justly require at their hands, and without this, I cannot fee how they can expect any future bleffing from above; fince the wifeft of men hath told us, "He that covereth his fins fhall not profper, but whofo confeffeth and forfaketh them shall have mercy." Grant us all this mercy, heavenly Father, for thy dear Son's fake!

As I am not perfonally acquainted with Mr. Rimius, I take this oppor-· tunity of informing him, that it is the defire of many, the Latin appendices may be tranflated into English, and the whole printed in a finall edition, in order to make it more extenfively ufful.

VOL. IV.

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confideration

confideration of fome bonds given, and mortgages made for principal and intereft, had not agreed to ftay four years, for, twenty one thousand pounds more, many of the English brethren, who, out of I know not what kind of infatuation, have not only given their all, but have been bound for thoufands more than they are able to pay, muft either have immediately become bankrupts, and thereby the creditors perhaps, not have had a fhilling in the pound, or have been obliged to fhut up their fhops, go to prifon, or be turned out into the wide world, to the utter ruin of themselves and families.

The diftrefs and anguish of mind that hundreds have been involved in upon this very account, is, I believe, unspeakable t. And the bare reflection upon it, whilft I am writing, makes my heart almost to bleed within me. Who, who, but

The buildings in Yorkshire, Bedfordshire, &c. Befides this, there are fome thousands due to others upon bond, and many thousands to a particular gentleman, for which the Count has mortgaged one of the German settlements; I think it is Marienburg.

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Since my writing this, I have been told of a very fingular expedient made use of by Mr. Peter Boehler, one of the brethren's bishops, in order to strengthen the faith, and to raise the drooping spirits of Mr. William Bell, who hath been unhappily drawn in (with several others) to be one of their agents. It was this: It being Mr. Bell's birth-day, he was fent for from his house in Nevil's-alley, Fetter-lane; but for a while, having had fome words with Mr. Boehler, he refused to come; at length he complied, and was introduced into a hall, in the fame alley, where was placed an artificial mountain, which, upon finging a particular verse, was made to fall down, and then behind it was difcovered an illumination, reprefenting JESUS CHRIST and Mr. Bell, fitting very near, or embracing each other; and out of the clouds was alfo reprefented plenty of money falling round Mr. Bell and the Saviour. This story appeared to me fo incredible at the first hearing, that, though I could not doubt the veracity of the relator, yet fearing he might be misinformed, I fent for him again, and he affured me, that Mr. Bell told this story himself fome time ago in company, and a perfon of good reputation of that company related it to an acquaintance of mine. May. GOD grant him and all others who have been undefignedly concerned, a more sure and stable prop for their faith, even his own word, in which he caufes his people to truft! then, and not till then, even upon the greatest emergency, they may without any fanciful representations, boldly fay, "Who art "thou, O great mountain? before the LORD JESUS, our all conquer"ing Zerubbabel, thou shalt become a plain."

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themselves,

themfelves, my Lord, can tell the late perplexity of their minds, who have been already arrefted, or obliged to break off their respective partnerships? Or what words can exprefs the great concern, which Mr. Freeman and Mr. Thomas Grace must have been neceffarily under, when they found that bills had been drawn in their name, unknown to them, to the value of forty-eight thousand pounds? And how pitiable, my Lord, muft the prefent circumftances of young Mr. Rhodes be, who, to ftop a little of the above-mentioned gap, was prevailed on, (your Lordfhip knows by whom;) about eighteen months ago, to fell his eftate of above four hundred pounds a year, and went or was fent off very lately, as I am affured, to France, (leaving a deftitute mother behind him) and only with twenty-five pounds, for the payment of which he left his watch, bureau, horfe and faddle? +

These are but a few inftances, my Lord, amongst many, indeed too too many, that might be given. The brethren's agents, and those concerned with them, can beft tell what horrid equivocations, untruths and low artifices have been used, to procure money, at high intereft, wherever it was to be had, in order to keep up the brethren's credit; and in that poor lame manner, it hath been kept up for a confiderable

* This Mr. Grace told me himself in public company; he and Mr. Freeman do live in Throgmorton-freet:

+ The cafe of this Mr. Rhodes is very fingular. He was of mean birth and occupation, but upon the unexpected falling of many lives, became fuddenly poffeffed of an estate of above four hundred pounds a year; and to ferve the brethren, after many importunities, he was induced to difpose of it. Mr. Lee the banker purchased it, and Meffrs. Freeman and Grace received fix thousand pounds of the money towards what was due to them: befides this, Mr. Rhodes was bound for many thousands more. This made him very uneafy, and fearing the confequence, he one after noon, about ten weeks ago, stole an interview with two fingle brethren, änd beseeched them, for CHRIST's fake, to let him have twenty-five pounds, for the payment of which he left them his watch, bureau, horfe and faddle. He then took his leave, faying, in all probability he should never fee them any more; and having nothing to fpare to leave behind for his poor mother, (who I hear is fince dead) was content to fend her a few parting lines: fince he has been gone, the horfe, watch, bureau and faddle were fold for twenty-feven pounds three fhillings; so that the young man has the balance in bank. GOD grant, that this may prove the laft perfon that may be imposed on in this way I

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time.

time. Was the whole fcene to be opened, I believe every one would be of opinion, that such an ecclefiaftical project, never was heard of before, in any part of his Majesty's dominions.

*

Of this, my Lord, the Royal-Exchange hath long fince rung; and if the fame part hath been acted abroad, how many families must have been ruined there, and how many more may be yet ruined, in order to fill up the prefent English chafm; and confequently, what loads of guilt muft needs lie at the door of somebody? Surely, the LORD of all Lords, whofe eyes are like a flame of fire, and who requires truth in the inward parts, will one day or other vifit for these things, by bringing to light the hidden things of darkness, and thereby making manifeft the counfels of the heart.

I need not inform your Lordship, that Babels are generally fuffered to be built pretty high, before GoD comes down to confound the language of the builders. If knaves are ernployed (as commonly they are) GOD's honour is concerned to difcover them. And if any of his own children are undefignedly drawn in, (which is frequently the cafe) he, who hath promifed not to fuffer them to be tempted above what they are able to bear, will in mercy, fome way or other, rebuke the tempter, and make a way for them to escape. It is true, this, in public concerns, may fometimes expose them to a little worldly contempt, and for a while they may feemingly be crushed under the rubbish of the fallen fabric, but even this fhall work together for their good; and happy will it be for them, if after all, they at length learn this important lesson, "That it is dangerous, upon any pretence what"foever, to go from the written word, or give up their

confciences to the guidance of any man, or body of men "under heaven." This, your Lordship well knows, is what weak and unstable fouls are too apt to do; and artful and defigning men, who are fond of power, efpecially if naturally they are of an ambitious turn of mind, easily catch at the pleafing bait. But honefty, my Lord, will be found

*It appears too plain from Mr. Rimius that this hath been the cafe. And no wonder, fince he quotes this affertion of the Count's from his own writings, "The economists of the fociety may fay to a young "man, either give us all thou haft, or get thee gone."

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