went to hear an old Scotchman, and he affured his congregation, that they would be damn'd, and double damn'd, and treble 'damn'd, and damn'd for ever, if they died 'without what he called faith. "Conj'rers like, on fire and brimstone dwell, SOAME JENYNS. This marvellous doctrine and noisy rant and enthusiasm foon worked on my paffions, and made me believe myself to be really in the damnable condition that they reprefented; and in this miferable ftate I continued for about a month, being all that time unable to work myself up to the proper key. At last, by finging and repeating enthufiaftic amorous hymns, and ignorantly applying particular texts of fcripture, I got my imagination to the proper pitch, and thus was I born again in an instant, became a very great favourite of heaven, "And with my new invented patent eyes, PETER PINDER. I had angels to attend all my steps, and was as familiar with the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, as any old woman in Mr. Wefley's connection; which, by the bye, is faying a great deal. I am, Dear Sir, Yours. LETTER LETTER VII. "No fleep, no peace, no rest Upon their fouls and eyes "Hell and eternal horror lies, "Unusual shapes and images, "Dark pictures and resemblances "Of things to come, and of the worlds below, "No fleep, but waking now was fifter unto death," Br. SPRAT, DEAR FRIEND, It is perhaps worth remark T ing, that what the methodists call conviction of fin, being awakened, &c. is often a most dreadful ftate,. and has the very fame effect on fuch as have lived a very innocent life as it has upon the most notorious offenders; this conviction (as they call it) is brought about by the preachers heaping all the curfes in the Bible on the heads of the moft virtuous as well as moft vicious; for, fay they, he who keepeth keepeth the whole law and offendeth but in one point, is as much in a state of damna tion, as he that hath broken every one of the commandments, committed robbery, or murder, &c. fo that they pour out every awful denunciation found in the Bible, and many not found there, against all who have not the methodistical faith: this they call fhaking the people over the mouth of hell, and they in reality believe. "That cruel God, who form'd us in his wrath, "And is more happy, the more curs'd we are. "In vain all nature fmiles, but man alone, "He's form'd more perfect and was made to groan." Young Officer's Trifles, Thus are many who before poffeffed "confciences void of offence towards God and mankind" tricked out of their peace of mind, by the ignorant application of texts of fcripture. Their fears being once fo dreadfully alarmed, they often become infupportable to themselves and all around them ; many many in this state have put a period to their exiftence, others run mad, &c. "Oh! would mankind but make great truths their guide, "And force the helm from prejudice and pride; "Were once these maxims fix'd, that God's our friend, "Virtue our good, and happiness our end ; "How foon must reafon o'er the world prevail, Soame Jenyns's Epistle to Hon. P. York. If the above terror of confcience was only to take place in knaves and rascals, there would be no reafon for blaming the methodifts on that head; "the wretch deferves the hell he feels." A terrible inftance of this kind happened near London-bridge about two years fince: a perfon in a lucrative branch of bufinefs had put unbounded confidence in his head fhopman, and well rewarded him for his fuppofed faithfulness. One morning, this man not coming down ftairs fo foon as ufual, the fervant maid went up to call him, and found him hanging up to the bed-post; she had the presence of mind to cut him down, but he being nearly dead, |