ALTHO' I don't question at all, but there is great Reason to bless God for a glorious and wonderful Work of his Power and Grace in the Edification of his Chil­dren, and the Conviction and Conversion of Num­bers in New-England, in the neighbouring Govern­ments and several other Parts, within a few Years past; and believe that the Lord hath favoured me, tho' most unworthy, with several others of his Servants, in granting special Assistance and Success; the Glory of all which be given to JEHOVAH, to whom alone it belongs:

Yet after frequent Meditation and Desires that I might be enabled to apprehend Things justly, and, I hope I may say, mature Consideration; I am now fully convinced and persuaded, that several Appendages to this glorious Work are no essential Parts thereof, but of a different and con­trary Nature and Tendency; which Appendages I have been in the Time of the Work very in­dustrious in and instrumental of promoting, by a misguided Zeal: being further much influen­ced in the Affair by the false Spirit; which, un­observed [Page 4] by me, did (as I have been brought to see since) prompt me to unjust Apprehensions and Misconduct in several Articles; which have been great Blemishes to the Work of God, very grievous to some of God's Children, no less en­snaring and corrupting to others of them, a sad Means of many Persons questioning the Work of God, concluding and appearing against it, and of the hardening of Multitudes in their Sins, and an awful Occasion of the Enemies blasphe­ming the right Ways of the Lord; and withal very offensive to that God, before whom I would lie in the Dust, prostrate in deep Humility and Repentance on this Account, imploring Pardon for the Mediator's Sake, and thankfully accepting the Tokens thereof.

The Articles, which I especially refer to, and would in the most public Manner retract, and warn others against, are these which follow, viz.

I. The Method I us'd for a considerable Time, with Respect to some, yea many Ministers in several Parts, in openly exposing such as I fear'd or thought unconverted, in public Prayer or other­wise: herein making my private Judgment, (in which also I much suspect I was mistaken in se­veral Instances, and I believe also that my Judg­ment concerning several, was formed rashly and upon very slender Grounds.) I say making my [Page 5] private Judgment, the Ground of public Actions or Conduct; offending, as I apprehend (altho' in the Time of it ignorantly) against the ninth Com­mandment, and such other Passages of Scripture, as are similar; yea, I may say, offending against the Laws both of Justice and Charity: Which Laws were further broken,

II. By my advising and urging to such Separa­tions from those Ministers, whom I treated as above, as I believe may justly be called rash, un­warrantable, and of sad and awful Tendency and Consequence. And here I would ask the For­giveness of those Ministers, whom I have in­jured in both these Articles.

III. I confess I have been much led astray by following Impulses or Impressions as a Rule of Conduct, whether they came with or without a Text of Scripture; and my neglecting also duly to observe the Analogy of Scripture: I am per­suaded this was a great Means of corrupting my Experiences and carrying me off from the Word of God, and a great Handle, which the false Spirit has made use of with Respect to a Num­ber, and me especially.

IV. I believe further that I have done much Hurt to Religion by encouraging private Persons to a ministerial and authoritative Kind or Method of exhorting; which is particularly observable in many such being much puft up and falling into [Page 6] the Snare of the Devil, while many others are thus directly prejudic'd against the Work.

V. I have Reason to be deeply humbled that I have not been duly careful to endeavour to re­move or prevent Prejudice, (where I now be­lieve I might then have done it consistently with Duty) which appear'd remarkable in the Me­thod. I practis'd, of singing with others in the Streets in Societies frequently.

I would also penitently confess and bewail my great Stiffness in retaining these aforesaid Errors a great while, and Unwillingness to examine in­to them with any Jealousy of their being Errors, notwithstanding the friendly Counsels and Cau­tions of real Friends, especially in the Ministry.

Here may properly be added a Paragraph or two, taken out of a Letter from me to Mr. Barber at Georgia; a true Copy of which I gave Consent should be publish'd lately at Philadelphia: ‘— I would add to what Brother T— hath written on the awful Affair of Books and Cloaths at New-London, which affords Grounds of deep and lasting Humiliation; I was to my Shame be it spoken, the Ringleader in that horrid Action; I was, my dear Brother, under the powerful Influence of the false Spirit almost one whole Day together, and Part [Page 7] of several Days. The Lord shewed me after­wards that the Spirit I was then acted by was in it's Operations void of true inward Peace, laying the greatest Stress on Externals, neglec­ting the Heart, full of Impatience, Pride and Arrogance; altho' I thought in the Time of it, that 'twas the Spirit of God in an high Degree; awful indeed! my Body especially my Leg much disorder'd at the same Time, ^* which Satan and my evil Heart might make some Handle of.—’

And now may the holy wise and good God, be pleas'd to guard and secure me against such Errors for the future, and stop the Progress of those, whether Ministers or People, who have been corrupted by my Words or Example in any of the above mention'd Particulars; and if it be his holy Will, bless this public Recantation to this Purpose. And Oh! may he grant withal, that such as by Reason of the aforesaid Errors and Misconduct have entertained unhappy Prejudices against Christianity in general, or the late glorious Work of God in particular, may by this Account learn to distinguish the Appendage from the Sub­stance or Essence, that which is vile and odious [Page 8] from that which is precious, glorious and divine, and thus be entirely and happily freed from all those Prejudices refer'd to, and this in infinite Mercy through Jesus Christ: and to these Re­quests may all God's Children, whether Ministers or others say, Amen.

P. S. In as much as a Number, who have fal­len in with and promoted the aforesaid Errors and Misconduct, and are not alter'd in their Minds, may be prejudic'd against this Recantation, by a Supposition or Belief, that I came into it by Reason of Desertion or Dulness and Deadness in Religion: It seems needful therefore to signify, what I hope I may say without boasting, and what I am able thro' pure rich Grace to speak with Truth and Freedom; that for some Months in the Time of my coming to the abovesaid Conclusions and Retractations, and since I have come through Grace to them; I have been fa­voured a great Part of the Time, with a sweet Calm and Serenity of Soul and Rest in God, and sometimes with special and remarkable Refresh­ments of Soul, and these more free from corrupt Mixtures than formerly: Glory to God alone.