balls should think that there is anything to prevent sober magistrates from quietly talking over turnpike business, or anything that may come coram nobis in session. It is really in his view, what it is nominally, an assembly; and there is truth and good sense in his observations on the benefit of having some place of friendly meeting for the parties who do meet there. Whether the same room in which their full-dressed (or, at most, half-dressed) daughters and granddaughters are dancing themselves into settlements or consumptions, and the space between eleven at night and six in the morning at Christmas, constitute the best place and time for such a meeting, may be doubted. It seems a pity that some way of meeting, involving fewer objectionable circumstances, cannot be hit upon. But so far as regards the discussion of the question respecting such assemblies as they now exist, it seems that dancing has very little to do with the matter, and all argument for them in that point of view which some would have deduced from scripture is entirely swept away by the simple fact, that the Jewish men and women no more thought of dancing together than they now do of sitting together in the synagogue. If the gentlemen were to hold their assembly on one day, and the ladies on another, I suspect that both would be very thinly attended. I wonder whether the consideration of this point would throw any light on the subject; but we have been already led a long dance, which I did not expect when I began talking of Clericus Juvenis' letter, only you have such a way of digressing. I meant, as I told you, to have talked of sacred music, and I hope we shall soon find an opportunity to do so, for I must confess it is a subject which I do not clearly understand. PURITAN EXORCISM. - No. II. (Continued from p. 498.) THEN he that preached the first sermon [marg. M. Lewes], at eight of the clock in the morning, returned to his text, taken out of Ps. 1. 15 (as before is said); but first he prayed effectually for graces necessary for himself, for the afflicted party, and for the behoof of us all there. present, yea, and for all the servants of God wheresoever; that done, he repeated not much of that which in the morning he delivered, but proceeded to handle the rest, and especially (as me thought) he bent his force to that point-namely, of the time when we should call upon God, and that was the needful time of trouble. This he handled after this manner-many are the troubles of the righteous, but sent of God, that we might call more earnestly, and so by him being delivered from them all, he might receive thanks of all, and for all favours. Here he noted also, that the wicked had their share in troubles, but the troubles of the one and of the other do greatly differ. For the one proceed from a judge, the other from a father; the one are light and momentary, the other durable, and the beginnings of greater woe; the one to correct, to purge, and refine, the other to confound, to make more obstinate and inexcusable; thus with prayer he also ended, as with prayer he began. Now was it (as I remember, and others in their notes observe) past two of the clock, until which time the maiden having remained in reasonable good peace and ease, I asked one what he thought of the matter, who answered that his hope was, we should have a calm still, nothing but fair weather; and that Satan would steal away like a micher; whereunto I replied nothing, as one that could have been glad it might be so, but I doubted it, considering that his malice, who heretofore had raged in her, would not be so gentle as to be gone without a parting blow; but especially calling to mind the manner of his departing in those days when the power of doing miracles was given to the sons of men (which now is ceased)—namely, that he used to rent, and tear, and leave for dead; and I imagined that his malice was rather grown greater towards the end of his kingdom, and so it fell out; for, even a little after that time, the poor soul began to be senseless of one side, to be blinded, dead coloured, and eye turned up, to be stiff in the left leg and arm, &c., (but these were not in such manner as in former times, both for their sequence and continuance, as I told you a little before,) at what time the good old preacher [marg. M. Evans] (even without entreaty) fell to prayer; and having continued therein a good while, the mother who felt the leg, and another who held the hand, acknowledged that natural limberness and motion began to come again (the preacher still continuing in his prayer), and anon the poor creature began to gasp, and to strive to speak, and within a while she spake somewhat, but what I could not then perceive, it was so softly uttered, and I, being further off, saw many laying their ears to her head to hear; but anon her speech began to be louder and louder, so that I did very well hear a great deal more than I can remember; yet that which I do remember I will faithfully report, referring myself again to my brethren herein to be holpen with their additions. The first word that she delivered when she began to labour to utter anything that was like unto speech was, 'almost, almost;' the accent being upon the syllable' all.' But first, before I begin to set down her prayer, let me observe a circumstance or two. There did drops of tears steal down the cheeks of many oftentimes in the time of the sermons and prayers before mentioned, both from women and men, yea, the preachers themselves ; but now, at the prayer of the damsel herself, they did abound. The preacher continued awhile praying as he began, and ceased not, although the maid's words were now waxen loud (for belike he thought she would presently have ceased), but she continuing, this was thought to be confused, and therefore he ceased, and gave us leave to hearken to her, which we were very willing and glad for to do; he (or another) saying further, Let her alone, you shall see she will do it herself, she will procure her own deliverance.' I will come to report her prayer by and by, but first one thing more. I heard a gracious young gentleman [marg. Mr. Oliver], (I knew him not, I had no acquaintance with him, they say, he is one of the inns of court,) who having first heard her low voice, and discerning what she said, he hasted from her with blubbering cheeks, his tongue being scarce able to be the messenger of his heart, surcharged with joy, but at last out he brake with the matter thus, I thank God I conceive good hope of happy deliverance; I have seen her often heretofore in her fearful fits, but I never saw or heard that being once entered into a first fit, she ever recovered free liberty of speech again till the last fit was ended (which also was usually the most terrible), but remained both blind and dumb till then, which lasted commonly from before two of the clock in the afternoon until eleven or twelve at night.' Well, her prayer goes on, and we give joyful attendance and silence unto the same, saving that many an hearty amen was yielded to many points of her prayer, which lasted about half an hour, she sitting all this while in her said chair, and leaning backward, her face ruddy-coloured and directed upward, her eyelids a little opened, her hands both at once (but not joined together) continually lifted up and presently falling down at the end of every period or perfect petition, she laboured so in it, and that with tears, that a little froth wrought out at the corners of her lips, and so she continued until (I think) partly weariness of her weak body caused her to cease, so she rested; but, as the event shewed, she was then growing to a sharper fit; which being perceived, then there was one who very unwillingly was drawn to pray. But before I speak of his prayer, I will discharge my promise concerning the report of hers; wherein I know I shall fail in remembrance of many points, as also for the time when, and in which of her prayers, each request was made, (for she used four prayers, as you shall hear afterwards;) but that which I will set down shall be such as I can safely bear testimony unto, both for the matter, and I think not much missing the words. And herein I will be the more plentiful, because in reporting her next succeeding prayers, I will peradventure refer to this (as containing many points which she afterwards did iterate), and so ease myself of labour in writing, and the reader in perusing. 'O Lord, I beseech thee, look upon me, thy poor handmaid, with the eyes of mercy; have mercy upon me for Jesus Christ his sake; be merciful unto me, and pardon all my sins; let them not stand up as a wall to stop and hinder thy favours from me, but wash them all away in the death and bloodshed of Jesus Christ, thine only true and dear Son. I have been a vile wretch and sinful creature, but deal not with me as I have deserved; remember thine own promise, that at what time soever a sinner doth repent him of his sins from the bottom of his heart, thou wilt put out all his wickedness out of thy remembrance. O Lord, I repent me of all my sins; I believe, help my unbelief; grant comfort, Lord, comfort; thou that art the God of all comfort and consolation; add strength, Lord, to my strength, [marg., her words were so ;] rebuke Satan, and help me. O Lord, in mercy behold me, and grant me deliverances. O Lord, deliverance; and that even now, O Lord, if it be thy blessed will. Nevertheless not my will, but thy will be done; give me patience, O Lord, and strength to bear, and lay on no more than I shall be able to bear, and confirm my hope to be delivered when thon shalt see it good; give me grace to say, as VOL. XIV.-Dec. 1838. 5 D Job said, Though thou kill me, yet will I put my trust in thee. And to say, with thy servant David, If thou have no pleasure in me, behold here I am, do with me as pleaseth thee. Yet, O Lord, though thou shouldst let Satan kill my body, let him have no power on my soul, let the same be precious before thee; nevertheless grant (if it be thy will) that I may one day rejoice with thy servant David, and say, It is happy for me that I was in trouble. And, O Lord, be merciful unto her by whose means this trouble was brought upon me; I forgive her with all my heart, even for all that hath been done unto me from the beginning; and I pray thee, O Lord, to forgive her, to give her grace to see her sin, and to repent, and to believe, that so she may be saved. Satan was herein thy rod (O Lord) upon me, and she but the instrument; and as for the rod, when thou hast done with it, it shall be cast into the fire. But the instrument that hath been (by that serpent) abused, O Lord, have mercy upon her, and forgive her all her sins, even as I forgive her with all my heart. Thou knowest Lord that that which hath been done against her hath not been done of malice, or desire of revenge on my part, but that the truth might be known, and so thou to have the glory, and that I might be delivered from the slander of men; hear me, O Lord, from heaven, and grant me these requests for Jesus Christ's sake, in whose name I further call upon thee, as he hath taught me, saying, Our Father, which art in heaven,' &c., throughout to the end. After the Lord's prayer she added some other few short petitions, and so made an end; and let this suffice for report of the chief contents of her first prayer, which lasted about the space of half an hour. For, striving to proceed, she fell into another fit. And then immediately there was calling, both by the preachers and people, for a new man to the helm, and then was drawn forth one [marg. Swan] (being greatly urged thereunto) to pray; he yielded to that only, for indeed he meant not to be employed at all, but only to join in prayer with the rest of the company, and to be partaker with them of the word there taught and applied (as appeared by his keeping himself aloof), but being (as is said) urged by the preachers and company, he began his prayer with a meditation out of the speech of Jacob (Gen. xxviii. 16, 17), Surely God is in this place, and I was not aware how fearful is this place, &c.; applying the same thus, that this fear came upon us because, the place being holy by the presence of God, we were unholy in the inclinations of our hearts continually, and so he pleaded for mercy by the mediation of him who, in the days of his humiliation being taught obedience by the things he suffered, did send up mighty cries, and was heard in the things he feared, and therefore, he being a faithful High Priest, and touched with our infirmities, could tell how to have mercy and help, Heb. iv. 15, and v. 7, &c.; and in process of his prayer, he began a little to alter the tune of the former doleful ditties, and began to thank God for mercies presently vouchsafed upon the preachers in their sermons and prayers; yea, and upon the poor maid, whose tongue being by his goodness let loose, had so spoken as before you heard; and therefore he began to be bolder, and to encroach upon further favour, saying, we would take this at God's hand as an earnest-penny of further help; and therefore prayed God to make perfect the good work which he had most graciously begun, that with comfort we might depart in the end, every man to his home. But behold this proved but a triumph before victory, for even then the maid was entered again into another fit, and the battle seemed to be more fearfully renewed. He therefore rising from the cushion at the table, another succeeded-namely [marg. M. Skelton], he that read unto us the ivth and vth of James in the morning; the sum of whose prayer was-First, a confession of our unworthiness to appear before the God of heaven to obtain mercy; secondly, an acknowledgment of the justice of God in punishing the world with bodily and spiritual chastisements, and therewithal confessed that God for sins (even since our meeting) might justly withdraw his helping hand; thirdly, he prayed for pardon, for favour and grace, to us, to the distressed, present or elsewhere, in hearing our prayers and the prayers of others, and that not for our humiliation sake (for that was sinful as it came from us), but for Christ his sake, to the glory of his own name, the profit and comfort of us all there assembled, and the afflicted party, and to the stopping of all mouths opened against the truth of God; and lastly, for the comfort of all distressed souls, who hearing of God his goodness to his children, should see that it is not in vain to go unto him in trouble, and to cast our cares upon him. Then was the old [M. Evans] preacher again called upon to fight, who, buckling on his harness, began to cry for help, not because (he said) trouble was at hand, but because he saw it present and pressing upon us, and so proceeded with fervent vehemency as the heat of the battle increased. But now (alas) his free meditations were interrupted, being forced to cast his eyes oftentimes on the poor maid diversly distressed, as also being troubled with the confused outcries of the company; but still he continued, though now by snatches (as it were), and with imperfect periods. Yet see God his good mercy, who did not let this heaviness to lie long upon us, for behold even herewithal the maid began again to gasp and strive for recovery, which caused the old man to say, let every one of us help her in our private prayers, seeing a set order cannot be observed. But in the time of his prayer, though she were deaf (as we thought), yea, dumb and blind, yet she turned her body from him with all violence, and gaping, as if she could not abide him. So after awhile she spake, and the first word she uttered was (as before) with a weak, hollow, and (as it were) hoarse voice (yet reasonable loud), Once more, once more (making her accent upon the word once), and so immediately proceeded to her second prayer; the matter and words whereof were (as I bear away) for the most part like the former, but some things were added, (both in this second prayer, and in also the third and the fourth following,) whereof I will call to mind some points as well as I can. This second prayer also was continued so long as the first, her voice waxing stronger, and she sitting still in the same chair, with the same position of body, countenance of face, and gesture of hands. O Lord, thou hast begun to be gracious unto me, thou hast done more for me than I looked for, I beseech thee, O Lord, perfect the |