It fo happened sometimes, that one of the brethren began to pray without having the gift of prayer (as they call it), and then he often stuck faft, like fome of the young orators at Coach-maker's Hall, &c. Prayermeetings were held in fuch high esteem amongst them that they afferted, more were "born again," and more "made free from all the remains of fin," or in other words of their own, "made perfect as God is perfect," in these kinds of meeting, than at public preaching, &c. Thus, as Pomfret fays,

"The spirits heated will strange things produce."

But it is impoffible for you, my friend, to form any juft idea of these affemblies, except you had been present at them: one wheedles and coaxes the Divine Being, in his addreffes; another is amorous and luscious; and a third fo rude and commanding, he will even tell the Deity that he must be a liar if he does not grant all they afk. In this manner will they work up one another's imaginations until they may actually be faid to be in a state of intoxication, and whilft in this intoxicated

state,

ftate, it often happens that fome of them recollect a text of scripture, fuch as, "thy fins are forgiven thee," or "go and fin no more,” &c. and then they declare themselves to be born again, or to be fanctified, &c.

They have another kind of private meeting after the public preaching on Sunday evenings, in which the preacher meets all the members of the fociety, who stay behind after the general congregation is difmiffed. To this fociety the preacher gave fuch advice as he deemed better fuited to a godly few than to a promifcuous multitude of " outward-court worshippers."

Their Love-feaft is also a private meeting of as many members of the community as please to attend; and they generally come from all parts, within feveral miles of the place where love-feasts are held.

When all are met they alternately fing and pray; and fuch amongst them as think that their experience (as they call it) is remark

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able,

At fuch feafons as this I have heard many of them declare they had just received the pardon of all their fins while Brother fucha-one was in prayer; another would then get up and affert that he was just at that inftant made perfectly free from fin.

At these times the Spirit is fuppofed to be very powerfully at work amongst them; and fuch an unison of fighing and groaning fucceeds, that you would think they had all loft their fenfes. In this frantic ftate, many apply to themselves fuch texts of scripture as happen to come into their heads.

In the Love-feaft they have buns to eat, which are mutually broken between each brother

brother and fifter, and they have also water to drink, which they hand from one to another. These meetings begin about seven o'clock, and last until nine or ten.

In London, Bristol, and other large places, they have some private meetings, unknown to the community at large. These meetings consist of all married men at one time, young and unmarried men at another time: the married women by themselves, and the fingle women by themselves; and to each of thefe claffes Mr. Welley went, and gave fuch advice or exhortations as he thought suitable to their situation in life, feldom failing to fpeak much in praise of celibacy, to the Maids and Bachelors under his paftoral care. I will in my next give you an account of their watch-nights, clafs-meetings, bands, and other particulars.

I am,

Dear Friend,

Yours.

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LETTER

LETTER X.

Here Gamaliel fage

"Trains up his babes of grace, inftructed well

To close the twinkling eye; expand the palms,

To expofe the whites, and with the fightless balls

"To glare upon the crowd: to rife, to fink

"The docile voice; now murm'ring foft and flow,
"With inward accent calm, and then again,

"In foaming floods of rapt'rous eloquence

"Let loose the storm, and thunder, thro' the nofe
"The threatened vengeance."

DEAR FRIEND,

SOMERVILLE

THE

HE Watch-night begins

about feven o'clock. They fing hymns, pray, preach, fing, and pray again; then exhort, fing and pray alternately, until twelve o'clock. The hymns which they fing on thofe nights, are wrote for fuch occafions, and abound with gloomy ideas, which are increased by the time of night; and it must be remarked, that the major part of those

who