use so long as she could, by turning to such chapters as were read, and to such texts as were handled, or such quotations as were cited, wherein if she at any time failed, either by grief of body, or infirmity of mind, or meditation, or by failing of sight (which seemed sometimes so to be, by the rubbing of her eyes with her hand) then a woman sitting by was ready always in that behalf to help her, especially at the instance of the preachers, who, directing their speeches many times to her by name, would call upon her to turn to the place alleged, and so would stay till she had found it.

In the meanwhile, namely, after her coming into the chamber, until it was full eight of the clock (for so long we stayed expecting the coming of an ancient, humble-hearted preacher, whose presence we much longed for) [marg. M. Skelton], one of the preachers made motion to spend a little time till all were come in reading some parts and portions of the word of God, by meditation, whereof each one privately might make such observations, and raise up such thoughts, as, whereby, we might be the better fitted to the work following. And so having first prayed, he did to this end read the 4th and 5th chapters of James, and after them he read the 51st Psalm throughout, which done, to help us, he pointed to some principal or especial points therein that seemed to him most meet to be observed for the present purpose, and so again concluded with prayer agreeable. This being finished, the hour of eight was come, and the company was such as gave us comfort and encouragement to begin.

Then the first [marg. M. Lewes] preacher did set hand on the work, and preparing himself to it, framed his speech for the addressing of us to the more dutiful and religious carriage of ourselves in the action, humbling us by prayer, confessing our sins, our weakness, and unworthiness, begging pardon, craving gracious assistance, and an happy issue of our enterprise, for Christ Jesus his sake, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

The prayer being finished, he took for his text Psalm 50, 15-" Call upon me in the day of trouble, so will I deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me." Wherein the parts observed were, 1. a precept to call, 2. the party on whom, 3. the time when, 4. the promise of deliverance, 5. a duty thereupon to be yielded.

For the first, we are not only allowed or exhorted to call if we list, but commanded to do it, as a part of God's worship. For the second, he noted in the party to be called upon, wisdom in seeing all things, willingness to hear, and power to help, and in the first point of his wisdom, he urged his all-seeing eye: and pressing the same point upon the parents and on the poor maid by name, to rip up the secrets of their hearts touching their lives forespent the poor soul, the daughter, began to weep, yet moderating herself, she endured all his speech, even to the end of his forenoon sermon, whereof let it suffice to have reported thus much: saving that he further added this, that God did see our wants, before we ask, he prepares our hearts to beg, and then bends his ear to hear. His sermon being done, he ended with an effectual and suitable prayer to the purpose, having spent in prayers and preaching some hour and half. And truly touching the

man, (and so of the rest: I speak not to claw; I write in the fear of God, to gain glory to his Majesty, and not praise to men, to whom belongs nothing but shame ;) I knew him long before, but I knew him not so, having never heard him before. And here I appeal to his heart, and so to the hearts of the others that succeeded in prayers and preaching, whether they did not that day find in themselves an extraordinary presence, and supply of God his gracious and powerful spirit in them, in the performance of these most holy and reverent actions.

After this action of preaching and prayer ended, the poor creature (being pale and wan coloured) was asked by her mother and others, how it fared with her? She acknowledged she felt pain in her body, and wept and prayed God to be merciful unto her, and to help her, and said withal, that she could and would endure further proceeding in the begun exercise, and so sat awhile rubbing hard, or stroking down with her hand, her left side and flank.

Then succeeded the second [marg. M. Evans] preacher, who should have begun the exercise himself if he had come in time, but he came a little after the action was entered into by the first preacher. This man did happily second the first, and that presently without intermission, beginning with a most sweet, mild (according to his disposition), long, earnest, and powerful prayer, which done, he took for his text Matthew the 11, 28-" Come unto me all ye that are weary and laden, and I will ease you." Which being read, he observed in it, first, an allurement to come; secondly, the party to whom; thirdly, the parties that should come; and lastly, a promise of ease: of all these parts, I could report somewhat, but (as I said) I must apply to be brief, only this (as I remember) he pressed most (at least it made most impression in me) the third part, viz. of the parties that should come, namely, such as in time of their wantonness could not or would not intend it, but being pressed with afflictions (purposely sent) are ready to come to the hand that gave the wound, whose drift also was herein, to get occasion to make show of his skill and good will to heal. Further, he noted, that there be a great many that are laden with sin, but not wearied with the burden thereof; so ending again with prayer, containing points agreeable to his text, and fitting the present occasion, he made an end of that his task. Then himself in the mildness of his charitably disposed mind, asked the maid how she did; and perceiving her to wax pale coloured, weeping, and answering faintly, he made motion that there might be a little pause, that every one that list, might walk down awhile and refresh themselves; divers went, but more remained behind, and amongst them, myself, who came of purpose to mark (as precisely as possibly I could) all the actions and circumstances of that day's work. In this meantime, I observed her, sitting, weeping bitterly, wringing her hands extremely, complaining of unaccustomed pain, yea, casting out words of fear that God would not hear us in calling on him for her so wretched a creature. This circumstance I do the more willingly retain and insist upon to meet with a project of the opposite doctor of physic, who layeth it down for a ground, that many are cured of strange diseases (even of the mother) with a very bare

conceipt or apprehension that prayer and fasting shall do them good. For this poor creature (as hereby you see) was so far from having embraced any such strong imagination, that she uttered words of doubt, distrust, yea, of dreadful despair. But to return; I will observe this withal, that all this pause was not above the space of less than a quarter of an hour.

Here it is fit that this also should not be omitted, namely, that she felt pains this day before the accustomed hour. For now they came about nine of the clock, which was four or five hours before the usual time of her fits, which were wont to keep their returns as due as the tide. And again, when the vehemency of the fit began to seize upon her this day (which was also her fit day, being every second day), it began somewhat after the ordinary time, which was wont to be before two of the clock in the afternoon. And again, the said vehemency of the fit when this day it was come, it kept not the like course as usually before it had done. For first, in formner fits, blindness invaded her, (and so also was it this day when the fit came after two of the clock;) and this blindness was accompanied with a pale dead colour of face and eyes closed, (yet so as you might perceive the white of them to be turned up.) Secondly followed dumbness (which also was so now), but herein they differed, that the former blindness and dumbness having once seized on her, she never came to have freedom of speech till the whole fit was ended (which was about eleven a clock at night) but now, they gave place by turns.) Thirdly succeeded an heaving or swelling in the belly, breast, and throat. Fourthly (on this day) followed the wagging of her chap, which stirred much up and down, not with over hasty motions, but with some leisure. Fifthly, deadness of the left side, with inflexible stiffness of leg, arm, hand, and fingers: these were also now: but they made not the like just returns and stays, neither did they follow each other in their ordinary kind of sequence, so that as one [marg. Rob. Midnal] in his notes setteth down, there was no coherence of this day's affliction with her former fits or passions. And thus much (as it were by the way) of the disparility of this day's vexation, from the perturbations, or torments which beforetimes she had sustained.

Hitherto she had sitten upon the settle by the bedside, where, at her first coming, she had taken her place; but now, she was advised to remove her seat, and to sit about the midst of the chamber, in a low wicker chair, with her face towards the fire, and her left side towards the preacher. Then the foresaid ancient preacher called for a new supply of a third man [marg. M. Bridger], who in much modesty began to pray, and having fruitfully finished the same, he read a large text, namely, Daniel the 9. from verse the first to the end of Daniel's prayer verse 19. Where pointing to points going before, and running over that which he had read, he delivered very good and pertinent observations, which the very context of the chapter doth plainly offer, and a man exercised in the scriptures may raise in his own meditations, if he shall advisedly and with reverence read over the same, and therefore (as also because I will be brief) I pass it over. Thus ending again with a comfortable prayer agreeable to his humbled VOL. XIV.-Nov. 1838.

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spirit, (in which his prayer he remembered, amongst other things, the power of David's sling in overthrowing Goliah, who defied the host of Israel:) he ceased for that time.

By this time (as I remember), it was past twelve of the clock: and now divers of the company called on the preachers still to be doing, and not to give the Lord any rest until he had heard us, much less to give Satan any rest to harbour where he did: and in this behalf one of them (I know not who) could put us in remembrance, that, When Moses held up his hands, Israel prevailed; but when he held them down, Amalek prevailed, Exodus, 17, 12. Hereupon there was a little straining of courtesy whose turn should be next, either to pray or to preach. Then a fourth [marg. M. Barber] preacher succeeded in prayer, who besides the especial points of the other prayers fitting the present occasion (as namely, that it would please God to cast a muzzle (that was his word) upon the jaws of that ramping Lion, that goeth about seeking to devour, where he also complained, that amongst all the miseries that poor men are plunged into by means of sin, they should be subject to such a judgment as this was, yet he raised comfort in that there was a victorious Lion of the tribe of Judah, stronger than he &c.) I say, besides the ordinary points of the prayers, he complained, that we might not (but in fear of men) meet together to perform such duties, and such means as God hath sanctified, and the church heretofore practised in such cases, for relief and recovery of poor creatures distressed in this kind. And so much of his prayer."

(To be continued.)

VOLTAIRE. - No. II.

IT was just as the death of Louis XIV. removed the last restraint which stayed the flood of profligacy, that Voltaire commenced his career as a writer. The time was exceedingly favourable for the appearance of a young author. Of the ornaments of the Augustan age of French literature, scarcely any now remained. The public, already becoming every day less fastidious, were willing to accept the most feeble attempts to please. Voltaire was accordingly well received; yet his first pieces can scarcely be said to have afforded much promise of his future eminence. His early tragedies were but feeble imitations of the compositions of his predecessors. And the "Henriade," of which he had sketched the plan in the Bastille, when first published in an imperfect form, did not greatly increase his reputation. He had not yet avowed-most probably he did not yet entertain-that hostility to revealed religion with which his name afterwards became identified, and which was the awful talisman of his influence and his fame. His early works contained some free opinions, but they were expressed in the cautious and moderate tone which had hitherto been observed by the most sceptical of his countrymen.

There was in France as yet no school of infidelity. The national

levity and relaxation of morals had, indeed, engendered a spirit strongly opposed to Christianity, but it had not assumed the form of systematic unbelief. Louis XIV., in his public conduct, never neglected the decencies, which became the eldest son of the church. During his lifetime, the government was too powerful to be opposed with impunity; and the boldest and most profligate among the men of letters, admonished by the consequences of some few acts of indiscretion, were fain to express themselves with respect when they spoke of the national religion. After the commencement of the regency, prudential motives no longer restrained the free expression of opinion; but the force of habit operated for a time in the place of the ancient barriers, and no one ventured to make a direct attack on the gospel.

It was not France which gave its ultimate direction to the character of Voltaire. At home, he might have remained merely a licentious and witty man of letters; he became an open infidel in England. An intrigue, which brought down upon him the resentment of a person of high rank, led to his being again consigned to the Bastille, and eventually to his being banished from France. He chose England as the place of his exile, influenced probably by the acquaintance which he had contracted with Lord Bolingbroke. He arrived in this country in 1726; and a residence of two years had no small influence on his future conduct.

The moral and political condition of England, during the seventeenth century, had tended to give a form and substance to the loose and general notions of unbelief, which had been floating through society, in various parts of Europe, ever since the revival of the study of the ancient literature. Elsewhere, the civil and ecclesiastical rulers had succeeded in imposing silence on adventurous inquirers; but the principles of civil and religious liberty, which had so early taken deep root in England, had tolerated and encouraged the spirit of speculation. The peculiar circumstances of our church and state had alike fostered independence of thought and action. The excesses which had been committed in the name of religion had tended to bring contempt upon the cause of Christianity, and had afforded a ready pretence for such as were willing to remain in a state of thoughtlessness or indifference. Towards the latter part of the seventeenth century, the brilliant discoveries of our countrymen in the various branches of science, and their proficiency in almost every department of learning, had communicated a powerful impulse to the public mind. The Latitudinarian divines had begun to popularize the Christian theology, and inculcate their low views of revealed truth. Men were weary of the controversies which had now been the most prominent objects of attention ever since the Reformation. Literature was, from time to time, more cultivated by persons who did not belong to the learned professions, or whose early education had not been conducted upon scholastic principles. Old opinions could not satisfy a restless age; an appetite for novelty had been excited; and from witnessing revolutions in science and philosophy, and great changes in government and manners, men came to require change and progress in morals and religion. The speculations of Lord