The Certainty of the Worlds of Spirits and Immortality of the Soul, Treatise · Chapter 10
CHAP. X. Other Strange Providences observable.
I Have, in other Treatises, named some Instances of such Success of Prayer, as hath not been unprofitable to me: I will here mention some of them, and add some more.
Only I will premise this Caution to the Reader. 1. That it is no certain sign of the Innocency or Sanctity of the Person delivered, that it was done by a wonderful manner upon Prayer. Nay, it is not unusual, for the Guilt of some great Sin, to bring the Suffering, from which by Prayer they are delivered; and God may hear others, for the deliverance of such Sinners.
2. Nor is it any certain sign of the Sanctity of those whose Prayers are so heard, (though it be a very encouraging Mercy to them,) any more than Prophesying, and Casting out Devils, and doing wonderful Works in the Name of Christ, Mat. 7. was a Proof that the Agents were not rejected Workers of Iniquity. It is the Honour of God, and the Regard which he hath to the Faith and Prayers of the Distressed, or others, and of the Souls that he would convince; which these, and such like Instances do declare.
3. And I will omit many Instances of Persons recovered from the Jaws of Death, just at the Hour while we have been praying for them; for, though this be much to me, it will not be so to the Unbeliever, who will say, that it was not from that Cause, but would have been if you had not prayed. And I must confess that I have prayed for the Life of many a dear Friend, whom God hath not recovered, but taken away.
4. Nor will I mention any one Instance of the Success of my own Prayers, or any others, when I joined with them; but only of some plain, poor, humble, Godly Persons, who used that sort of fervent Prayer which some deride. For I am a very unworthy Person my self, in comparison of many of those poor, humble, blameless Persons, whom I then had the Oversight of.
I. In general, I may say, that I have divers times, after long disabling Weakness and Pain, been enabled within a Day or two to come to Church again, and go on in my Work, when my poor Neighbours have spent a Day in Fasting and Prayer for me.
II. When at Milborne in Darbyshire I was given up for dead, by bleeding about an hundred and twenty Ounces at the Nose, after other Weaknesses and Bleedings many Years, my Father and Mother-in-Law dwelling in Shrewsbury, the Report came to them there that I was dead. My Mother-in-Law was, by the Governor, and other Friends, exhorted to bear it patiently. She presently retired to secret Prayer; where she professeth, that a Trembling and Concussion of her Body surprizing her, she felt that which constrained her to say what she did when she came forth, (to her Friends,) viz. [He is not dead, but shall live for farther Service.] And hereupon they sent a Messenger from Shrewsbury to see; who found me alive,] and brought them the Tidings. This was in February, 1646. My Mother-in-Law is yet living, about Ninety two Years of Age; the Daughter of Sir Thomas Hunkes. Two of her Brothers, Sir Foulke Hunkes, and Sir Henry Hunkes, were known Soldiers for the King; the one Governor of Shrewsbury, and the other of Banbury-Castle a while. She is one that hath spent a great part of her Life in secret Prayer, with great Neglect of the Flesh and World, and longing to die, and be with Christ, which she hath not yet obtained, but will ere long. (Since the Writing of this, dead, at Ninety six, in full Understanding, and great Holiness.)
III. After long Pain and Weakness, reading a Latin Book of one Gerhard, a Foreign Physician, I found in him, that his own Father had been cured of some of my Distempers (as I then thought) by daily swallowing a Bullet of purest Gold: I got one of the weight of a Twenty-Shilling-piece, and swallowed it, but it remained in me; and hearing of a Gentleman within twelve Miles of me, that lately did the like, and it never pass'd from him, but he quickly died, made me take Clysters and Purges, but none of them stirred it. My poor praying Neighbours (not then fearing the Canon, which strictly forbiddeth it) set apart a Day, to fast and pray for my Deliverance; and that Morning it came away, after many Weeks abode, (three or four;) and they spent the rest of the Day in Thanksgiving.
IV. In my Weakness, being under Physick with Dr. Wright, then living in Shrewsbury, there suddenly rose upon one of the Tonsils of my Throat a round Tumour, seeming to me as hard as a Bone, and about as big as a great Pease, or small Button, half out of the Flesh, and half in. I feared lest it would prove a Cancer; but the Doctor told me, he did not think so, but what it was he knew not; but persuaded (having first tried dissolving and dissipating Means in vain) to quiet it only with Gargarisms of hot Milk: It increased but little, but no Means altered it, till (as I remember) about a quarter of a Year after, my Conscience reproved me, that having had so many great Mercies upon Prayer, I never gave God the Honour or Thanks of publick mentioning them, for fear of seeming to seek some Glory to my self; being the next Morning to preach my Lecture, I obeyed my Conscience, and mentioned them in the Words since printed and published in the Second Part of my Saints Everlasting Rest, being then upon the proof of the Truth of the Scriptures: I had before constantly felt it, (and too oft looked at in the Glass.) As soon as I had preached and spoken those Words, I felt no more of it. As I came out of the Pulpit, I put my Finger in my Mouth to feel it, but could feel nothing: I hasted home to the Glass, and saw that there was neither Vola, vel Vestigium, vel Cicatrix; no Cavity, Tumour, Discolouring, nor any sign where-ever it was; and I am sure I neither spit it out, nor swallowed it; and to the last Hour it seemed as hard as a Bone.
V. Richard Cooke, a Mercer in Kniver, was long a Man of a pious, unblameable Life, and one of the chief of good old Mr. Iohn Cross (since Minister here in Friday-street) his Congregation: When I came to Kederminster, he removed thither, and took a House the next Door to me; which proved old, dangerous, and so ill a Bargain, as cast him into melancholy Doubts that he did not well to leave his Habitation. His Father before him had long lived, and at last died in Distraction. Taking too much hot Waters, to comfort him in his Sadness, Nature, Trouble, and those together, prevailed to his utter Distraction. He so continued, from 1642. to 1646. The best Means, by such as were most noted for curing that Disease, were used, and all in vain. My Neighbours of Kederminster resolved not easily to give over Fasting and Praying with and for him, till he was recovered: Divers Days all seemed in vain, but at last he amended, and hath been recovered (without any other Remedy) now from 1646, to this present time, 1678, though not altogether of so perfect strength of Brain as before, yet of competent Understanding. About a Year or two ago I saw him in London, and I hear he is yet alive and well, 1678.
VI. Thomas Giles, the Son of Mr. Giles of Astley, one of the then Committee in Worcestershire, was sent to be an Apprentice in Worcester. After a Fever, (as they told me,) he fell into a violent Epilepsie: After much Physick in Worcester, and opening his Head, and all in vain, his Mother took him home to her in Kederminster; where, being a Widow, she came to sojourn, purposely for the Company of Godly People there. Mr. Iackson, the Physician of the Town, (my dear and faithful Friend, now, 1678. a Physician in Shrewsbury,) and I consulting, we used in vain what Means we could. His Fits were sometimes twice or thrice a Day: We were fain to put a Key into his Mouth, lest he should bite off his Tongue. At last, the foresaid praying Persons resolved to try the old Remedy of Fasting and Praying, till he was recovered. The first Day they found no Success: As I remember, it was the second Day, while they were together, praying, he was suddenly cured; and as his Mother and they that dwelt with him, told me, had never one Fit since. Hereupon his Mother bound him Apprentice to Mr. Iohn Allen, an honest Apothecary in Kederminster, whom he served seven Years, and is now an Apothecary in Stafford; since dead; Mr. Allen, the Physician, and almost all that prayed for him, being yet alive. I was present at none of all these Days my self. If you ask me, Why? 1. My Weakness, and my publick Work much hindred me. 2. I was worse than they, and had not their Faith, and Fervency, and Patience; and because we have no absolute Promise of such Deliverances, I was afraid, lest if we fasted and prayed so long as they resolved to do, it would have turned to some Reproach or Discouragement if we did not prevail. 3. But I have joyned with them more than once, when we have, to our great Encouragement, prevailed. But those Instances I promised to pretermit.
In summ, I verily believe that I have been kept alive these forty Years, but notably these thirty eight, by the Prayers of many better than my self, prevailing with God, through the Intercession of our great Mediator.
VII. I will add one sad Story, leaving all to the Readers Judgment, to warn the best to avoid Temptation, and to tell them that Satan hath his wiles by Mens Sin, to blast the Glory and Comfort of Deliverances.
In Bewdley, a Sanguine strong Maid, fell into strange Histerical Fits: It began by Stoppage of the Menstrua, I gave her Castory and Rad. Ostrutii, and Sem. Dauci on Fo…estus Commendation, and she began to be better: But I being driven out of the Country by War, and Mr. Robert Morton (Dr.Mortons Father) their Pastor and Phy…itian driven after me to Coventry, she was left without help, and grew worse than …ver: Till at last I think by a furor uteri…us ex corruptione Seminis, she seemed possest by a Devil: In her Fits, many could not hold her, she would be cast off her Bed, and upon it again, by a force far above her strength, as the Beholders Judged: They shewed Needles and Pins, and Cords brought to her, none knew how, to kill her self: A Papist coming to Cure her their way, she told them of his coming far off, and laught at his Holy Water. In her fits she would Swear, Curse, and Rage against any that were Religious, and Hugg those that were Vicious, and be merry with them: Thus she continued from 1642. till 1646. or 1647. When I returned home, I went to see her, and Prayed once by her, and came to her no more. At last my praying Neighbours encouraged by their Success, for others resolved to joyn with some of Bewdley, to Fast and Pray by her, till she was recovered: While they were Praying, she was usually in violent Rage, and after thankt them; after many days. in the midst of the Day, while Mr. Tho. Ware of Kederminster was Praying, she fell on the Floor like a Block, and having lain so a while, cryed out, He is gone, He is gone; The Black Dog is gone: And she never had a Fit after.
But coming to our Lecture, two Miles, she was as uncomfortabl… …s ever; cryi… to me, Oh, You know not … … I ignorantly told her, what …om…ort … Deliverance might give her: But she continued her Self-Accusing. But hear the worst.
She being poor many good People in Charity look'd to her in her Fits: But, above all, one young Man, as far from being suspected of any Hypocrisie, Errour, or Vice, as any in Bewdeley, was more with her than the rest: And s…eing her, in her Fits, toss her naked Body about, she being strong and comely, his Lust was provoked, which he exercised on her; but praeterjiciendo semen; which easing her for the time, enticed him the more to do it oft, as an Act of (Wicked) Compassion; which did but more Enrage her Disease: When frequency had hardened him, at last after her Deliverance, it was made known: And O the Advantage that Satan got by it! The sadness of those that Prayed for her: So that we durst not name it as an Answer of …rayer, lest the mention should serve to a Reproach. For my part, I think that a Real possession was added to the …, in punishment of their Sin. He M…rryed her, and professed deep R…pe…ce; but I advised them for all that, … to receive him to Church Communion.
I have read and heard of sev… Persons that have …d notices by …ciation, when …y … die: I … …ve here but one Instance, of an excellent young Man, Mr. Tyro; but I must confess, that one of his Acquaintance affirmed to me, that having been formerly of a Jocund Merry Temper, he became so very serious in Religion, and so fervent a Preacher in Vngar, and so Zealous for his own and other Mens Salvation, that he thought Melancholy might deceive his Imagination, as to the Voice he was confident he heard. I lay no great stress on the Instance; but he professed the contrary himself; and Mr. Brand extols him, and Colonel Rich and his Lady, (well known by Mr. Strong's Books which she published, taking them in short Characters, then called the Lady Elizabeth Carre) did both believe him; as you may see by the two following Letters. And Mr. Lewis in the foregoing Letters, and Mr. Davis telling me how common the forwarnings of Death, are in their Countrey, maketh it the easier to me to believe the words of so good and sober a Man as Mr. Tyro.
Colonel Rich of Stondon-Hall in Essex his Letter in relation to Mr. Tyro; together, with his Ladies relating to the same person.
SIR,
OUR Neighbour, Mr. Hatt, informing your desire to know from my self and Wife, the Relation of a Providence more than ordinary, with which Mr. Tyro was exercised before he came a Sick-Resident under my Roof, I must therefore refer you to the Account, which my Wife herewith gives you, the Truth whereof I am fully satisfied, which was from Mr. Tyro's own Mouth to her only, when I was at London, the Narrative of which, she gave me at large the same Night I returned Home, though I was confirmed in my Belief of it by some Discourse I had with him afterwards, during his Sickness, before which he and I perused several of your Tractates made publick, with a joynt-pleasing Approbation; especially, that which is intituled, The dying Thoughts; also another, viz. The Crucifying the World by the Cross of Christ; we having a mutual satisfaction in each others Converse; his Natural Parts, Gifts and Grace together, with his Holy Life, constrained my desire and endeavours to accommodate him to his last Breath, for I found him a true Disciple of Christ our Lord and Master, in whom I would also be found,
SIR, Your affectionate Servant, Nath. Rich. Stondon-Hall near Ungar in Essex, May 16. 1691.
The Lady Rich's Letter.
SIR,
IN Obedience to your desire by Mr. Hatt, to have it under my Hand, what he told you of Mr. Tyro, who was sent by Mr. Brand at Bishops Hall near London, to Preach at Vngar in Essex; and to prevent mistakes, I think fit, in order to your Satisfaction, to give you this Account of him; and therein take occasion to let you know, how great an Honour and Esteem he had for you. Sir, I believe, had you known him, you would have rank'd him among those Worthies that you have help'd to Heaven, for he followed you as you follow Christ. About seven Weeks before his Death, when there was hope of recovery, he told me, he had something to tell me, that he had not imparted to any Body, and expressed it thus, When I was one Evening returning to my Lodging, then at Vngar, from this House, being then in a good degree of Health, and in a serious frame, meditating by the way, I heard a voice say, You shall die, and not pass your five and thirtieth Year of Age, which Voice astonished me greatly, and looking round about me, seeing no body, put me into great Consternation and Sweat all over me, such as I never felt (though I dare not compare it to drops of Blood) yet I cannot express how dreadful it was. You know, Madam, my Principles, and that I am no Enthusiast▪ and how cautious I am as to Revelations But I am sure this was no Melancholy Fancy, but an auricular Voice. After I had a little recovered my self; I begg'd of God to discover to me, if this were from him, or a Delusion from Satan, but still the Impression remained, though I sought God by Prayer most part of that Night; and you may remember, in my next Visit, I told you, I should die shortly, but I did not tell you of the Voice I heard. And then he added, This is my five and thirtieth Year of Age; in Iuly next I shall be so old. And many other Expressions he added, which is too much for a Letter; but he died in Ianuary 1690. I cannot omit, Sir, to let you know, how much he desired the happiness of a personal Converse with you; though he did write to you formerly, when he was under great trouble of Conscience, and you were pleased to write to him again, though his Name was unknown to you, and God made you instrumental to his Relief and Comfort: He told me, whenever he heard you preach, there was such a Presence of God accompanied your Ministry, that he felt both Fear, and Trembling, and Joy possess him at once. He reading some Book of yours, daily, whilst he was in my House, especially your Dying Thoughts, which on his Death-Bed, he sent, as the best token of his Love, to his Schoolmaster at Hackney, Mr. Odely, and shed many Tears upon it, calling it, The sweet and dear Companion of his Life, charging the Messenger to bid his Master read it, and prepare to follow him shortly.
I beg your Pardon for this long trouble, I could do no less than express this Kindness to the Dead, who yet speaks out your great Worth to me, desiring your Prayers, that his loss to so dark a Corner as ours is, may be Sanctified: And that your Life may be prolong'd in time, and you may have a full Reward in Eternity, is the Prayer of▪
SIR, Your obliged and affectionate Servant, Eliz. Rich. Stondon-Hall near Ungar in Essex, May 13, 1691.
But it is not my Business to mention all things that are strange and unusual, but such as prove the Operations of Spirits. Lycosthenes de Prodigiis vel Mirabilibus, will tell you in Folio of Wonders.
The Falling or Raining of a Grain at Bridge…orth, like a dried Rye-Corn, in a thin, whitish Husk, about 1639. And of a Grain at Shrewsbury, almost like a small Parsnip-Seed, about three or four Years ago, seem strange. But Exhalations might raise them from Sea or Land, though the Marvel lieth in the strangeness of the Grains, neither of them being such as are here known by any that I shewed them to. I had the last from Dr. Iackson, a Physician in Shrewsbury, (my dear Friend, now with Christ,) who told me that it fell there in many places, especially about St. Mary's Church. The former (coming to live at Bridgenorth, 1640.) I had of Mr. Madstard the Minister, and old Mrs. Grey of Envile, a Godly Woman; who assured me that much of it sell in the Church-yard, and on the Leads of the Steeple. I kept both long.
The former I once before mentioned; whence the Author of the Second Part of The Mischiefs of Separation, seconding Dr. Sti…ingsteet's First Part, (samed commonly to be Mr. Long of Exeter, a Member of the Convocation,) took occasion to feign me to say, that it rained Maenna at Bridgenorth when I came thither.] Men and Books of such Veracity are they, that poor England and the Christian World suffers by; and, I fear, is yet like to suffer more by, while Demons are so powerful.
There are many things that Ignorance causeth Multitudes to take for Prodigies. I have had many discreet Friends that have been affrighted with the Noise called a Death-Watch, whereas I have since, near threescore Years ago, oft found by trial, that it is a Noise made upon Paper, by a little, nimble, running Worm, just like a Louse, but whiter and quicker: And it is most usually behind a Paper pasted to a Wall, especially to Wainscot; and is rarely, if ever heard, but in the Heat of Summer.
But who can deny it to be a Prodigy, which is recorded by Melch. Adamus, of a great and good Man, who had a ClockWatch that had layen in a Chest many Years unused; and when he lay dying, at Eleven a-Clock, of it self, in that Chest, it struck Eleven, in the hearing of many.
Because many have spoken and written of a Thorn at Glastenbury in Sommersetshire, that flowreth just on Christmass-Day, I thought it a thing worthy my best Enquiries: And lest Men proceed to think that there is more in it than there is, I annex these following Letters, from credible Persons that were well known in that Country:
Mr. William Thomas's Letter concerning the Glaston-Thorn: Together with two other Enclosed Letters to the same purpose.
SIR,
UNderstanding by my Son, your Desire to enquire about Glaston. Thorn, I did immediately (being not able to travel my self in such a Season) send to such as I thought might best inform me; whose Information you have in the two inclosed Letters; the one from the Minister of Glaston, the other from Mr. Che…wind, Pastor at Wells; both of them understanding and Godly Men. I was not satisfied with Mr. Winney's Letter, because he wrote not of the Graff taken from this Thorn, now growing, (when the old Thorn is gone.) Something it seems there was in the nature of the Plant, for that Graff shoots forth much sooner than any other Thorn, and about that time, though i… do not the Feat in blossoming just on the Day, but after it; which may be because the Soil is not so suitable to it, as that was to the other.— I should have thought this had been all the Wonder, viz. the natural, rare and rath Blossoming of that Thorn, got perhaps from Foreign Parts,) made (by Fame) to cry Christmass; but that the Information in the first Letter (and Testimony) is so punctual, that it seems to evince more. But (howsoever) that which we call Christmass-Day is not to gain its Estimation from such a Providence, but from Scripture, from Reason, at least, from a due Demonstration that that was (indeed) the Day of Christ's Birth; which (perhaps) nothing will prove, unless it be the Thorn. I speak not against the Custom of the Church, in remembring the Birth of Christ, though I conceive Christ's own Day is better for it than any other; I mean, the Lord's Day; unto which, when Men's Days be added, the Lord's Day, and the Lord of that Day, suffer by their justling with it. A Subordination will not serve, but it ariseth to a Coordination and Competition; yea, a Prelation.
But that I speak of is, the Nobilitating of an uncertain Day, upon insufficient Evidence.— If I should say, the Thorn might so blossom (by Providence) as a just Hardening of the wilfully superstitious, (a great part of whose Religion it is, to put a Crown upon Christmass-Day, caring little for Christ,) or as a Trial of the truly Consciencious, to see whether they will build their Religion upon a famous Thorn, and be so tamed by it, as to close with the Superstition and Profaneness of that time.— I say, if I should speak thus, it might be thought a Paradox, (and yet I remember your Lights in Wales, which shew (I think) what God: gives the Devil leave to do.) I shall content my self therefore with sending you the Relation, and leave you and others (better able than my self) to consider of it.— Only this I may say, that such a Providential Rarity is too low a thing to put a Divinity upon that Day: And yet, to make it a Divine Testimony is (I think) the meaning of those that are willing to make the most of it; I do not say, the best of it.
Sir, I am much engaged to you, for your great Pains with my Son; having lately received from him your good Answers to his Assembly-Queries, with his Replies: For Reason is restless; and it is the Misery of those who set it up too high, that it can so far (I do not say so well, f…r …is all naugh… as far as Scripture and it j…rr) thist for it self; and they are apt to think they are sound, if they be not silenced, when E…our in Practice hath much to s…y for it self, and Errour in Opinion mu… …ore.
Having betaken himself to Dr. Hammond, I did not command him thence, thinking (he being a learned Man) he might get something from him, especially in the matter of Original Sin; about which, the Doctor hath given him good Animadversions, (though something in them hath not so good an Aspect,) and he answers them also; and so there is no End, till God humble the Heart. 'Tis one Symptom of the Hereditary Disease of Original Sin, that that Sin is no more acknowledged, and lamented.
God that raiseth such Alterations in Nations, and hath done so strange things of late, can alter our Relations, and make them contrary to themselves, that they may be conformable to him: And upon that Ground alone I can build, that To God all things are possible.
With all loving and thankful Respects,
I Rest, Your obliged Friend and Brother, Will. Thomas. Obley, Feb. 29. 1659.
Mr. John Chetwind's enclosed Letter.
Reverend and much Honoured Sir,
IN answer to your Letter, these are to inform you, That the old Thorn in the times of the War, was rooted up, and is utterly gone; and as for Mr. Gallop's Graff, I have enquired of a Gentleman, that was his Patient, and lived divers Years in Mr. Gallop's House, and observed the Budding and blossoming of it, who informed me, that it doth shoot forth and Bud and Blossom near about that time, but not upon the day but in some space after it, much rather than other Thorns usually do. This is all the Account I can give you of it. I have no more to add, but mine and my Wife's kindest Respects to your self and good Wife, and that I am
Your most respectful Friend, John Chetwind. Wells, Feb. 25. 1659.
Mr. Winney's Inclos'd Letter concerning the Glaston-Thorn.
Worthy Sir,
REal Love and Thanks prescribed, &c. These are to acquaint you, that I Received a Letter from you, wherein Mr. Thomas's Request to you, is, that the exactest and most punctual Account, of the usual Story of the Blossoming of Glastonbury Thorn on Christmas-day, might be found out; I have upon your Request searched more of it, than ever I thought to trouble my self to do, and have conversed with the most Ancient that I knew, and was directed to, and think those that are Credible, they offer to aver it upon Oath, what they tell me: Thus one Ancient Man tells me, that he hath gone on the Eve to it, and he hath found it like another dead Thorn, without any Blossom, or likelihood to have a sudden forwardness to it, only some Evidence of the Appearance of the breaking out the Buds, and but an Appearance perceivable, and he hath gone on Christmas-day, and found the Blossoms as though it was the midst of May, and gathered them, and sent them many Miles, and had good Rewards; this the Man will depose upon his Oath. At the same time this Man was at my House, there came occasionally, an ancient Woman, a Neighbour, whose Testimony I believe fit to be received, who earnestly affirmed this, that in the time of Queen Ann, she lived with one Sir Tho. Hughes, in Wells, a Justice of Peace, who purposely sent his men (two of them) to know the Truth, that he might satisfie any that might make enquiry, and on the Eve, towards Night, they found it as another Thorn, only the breaking out of the beginning of Buds, and staying in Glastonbury all Night, to observe, as near as might be, the time when they began to sprout forth into a perfect Blossom, they have gone again toward the turn of the Night, and have found the perfect Blossom about two or three of the Clock, so that at Morning they have returned to their Master with them, which she told me, she saw when they brought it home: And another Man tells me the same Story as the first, only with this variation, His Father (and Godfather living at Bath went the Eve's Eve, and found nothing but Buds, and on Christmas-day in the Morning found the Blossoms, and his Father sent them to Bath to his Godfather, because he went thither home to keep his Christmas And a Woman at the same time told me something much like the Second, that she hath gone the Eve, late at Night, and wit… a Lanthorn and Candle with her Company stayed four Hours, to see, if it might be, the manner of the sprouting out of it; and in that space saw that it Blossomed, the Green-boughs, the length of half the Forefinger to the middle Joint; what Mr. Gallop's Graft of this old Tree doth, I shall leave you to him to be certified. Both our Loves to your self and good Wife. Mr. Stuks and his Wife, desiring one Favour in the Close, that you would be pleased to take pains, to begin our Lecture the next Tuesday. I have not had but one Assistant I think, this seven or eight Weeks: I shall be absent my self; I intend, if please God, to be at Bristol Fair, where I have some Business, and pray send the word of it, that I may be assured,
I rest, Yours, In all Bonds of Love, Sam. Winney. Glaston, Ian. 21. 16….
I have oft wonder'd at the commonly believed Gift of the Kings of England and France, to heal the Struma: All my doubt hath still been of the Matter of Fact, whether it be such a real Gift of Healing, or not: For if it be, I will not be so bold as to ask God a Reason of it: Or why he giveth it to these Kings, rather than to others: Nor will I dishonour his Gift, as if it were not his, because I know not his Reason; no more than Christ did the Miracle done at the Pool in Ierusalem, upon the Angel's moving the Water; or, with Naaman, say, Are not Abanah and Pharphar as good Water as Jordan? I have long enquired of all the Physicians, and others, that I could, of the Reality of the Success; whether it be not the Gold, the Change of Air, or the Conceit: And I never heard so much, as to put me past all doubt. But many credible Physicians say, as Mr. Wiseman (a Chirurgeon that had much Opportunity of knowing) doth in his Book of Chirurgery, [That though all are not cured, yet more are cured by it, than by all the Physicians in England.]
I know, the true Original of it also, and its Occasion is much in the dark; but I leave this to other Men's Enquiry: Only I say, if the Matter of Fact prove certain, there can be no great doubt, but it proveth the Governing Agency of Invisible, Intellectual Powers.
If it be miraculous, it seemeth to be entailed on the Kingdoms of England and France, rather than to be any Approbation of the Religion or Piety of the Kings; because if any have this Gift, Kings of contraery Religions have it; and the worst, as well as the best; and Usurpers, as well as Rightful Kings. And I hear of no other that pretend to it, but the kings of England and France: And will the King of France take it for his Glory, to heal a few Persons of a Sore, and to kill many thousand Innocents by the Sword, and burn their Cities?