VI. 1. By the blessing of God upon their endeavours to help one another, many found the pearl of great price. Being justified by faith, they had _peace with_ God, _through our_ Lord Jesus Christ. These felt a more tender affection than before, to those who were partakers of like precious faith: and hence arose such a confidence in each other, that they poured out their souls into each other’s bosom. Indeed they had great need so to do: for the war was not over, as they had supposed. But they had still to wrestle both with flesh and blood, and with principalities and powers: so that temptations were on every side: and often temptations of such a kind, as they knew not how to speak in a class: in which persons of every sort, young and old, men and women, met together.
2. These therefore wanted some means of closer union: they wanted to pour out their hearts without reserve, particularly with regard to the sin which did still _easily beset_ them, and the temptations which were most apt to prevail over them. And they were the more desirous of this, when they observed it was the express advice of an inspired writer, _Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed_.
3. In compliance with their desire, I divided them into smaller companies; putting the married or single men, and married or single women together. The chief rules of these _bands_, (_i. e._ little companies: so that old _English_ word signifies) run thus:
In order to _confess our faults one to another_, and pray one for another that we may be healed, we intend,
“1. To meet once a week, at the least;
2. To come punctually at the hour appointed;
3. To begin with singing or prayer;
4. To speak each of us in order, freely and plainly, the true state of our soul, with the faults we have committed in thought word or deed, and the temptations we have felt, since our last meeting:
5. To desire some person among us (thence called a _Leader_) to speak _his_ own state first, and then to ask the rest in order, as many and as searching questions as may be, concerning their state, sins and temptations.”
4. That their design in meeting might be the more effectually answered, I desired all the men-_bands_ to meet me together every _Wednesday_ evening, and the women on _Sunday_; that they might receive such particular instructions and ♦exhortations, as from time to time might appear to be most needful for them: that such prayers might be offered up to God, as their necessities should require: and praise returned to the Giver of every good gift, for whatever mercies they had received.
♦ delete “such” per Errata
5. In order to increase in them a grateful sense of all his mercies, I desired that one evening in a quarter, all the men in band; on a second, all the woman would meet; and on a third, both men and women together; that we might together _eat bread_ (as the antient Christians did) _with gladness and singleness of heart_. At these _Love-feasts_ (so we termed them, retaining the name, as well as the thing, which was in use from the beginning) our food is only a little plain cake and water. But we seldom return from them, without being fed not only with the _meat which perisheth_, but with _that which endureth to everlasting life_.
6. Great and many are the advantages which have ever since flowed, from this closer union of the believers with each other. They prayed for one another, that they might be healed of the faults they had confessed: and it was so. The chains were broken: the bands were burst in sunder, and sin had no more dominion over them. Many were delivered from the temptations, out of which till then they found no way to escape. They were built up in our most holy faith. They rejoiced in the Lord more abundantly. They were strengthened in love, and more effectually provoked to abound in every good work.
7. But it was soon objected to the _bands_ (as to the _classes_ before) “These were not at first. There is no scripture for them. These are men’s works, man’s building, man’s invention.” I reply, as before, these are also prudential helps, grounded on reason and experience, in order to apply the general rules given in scripture according to particular circumstances.