Concerning Gods Judgments, Part 2 – Part 3
SIR,
Being requeſted by Mr. Illingworth to give you an account of what I am able to ſay concerning John Duncalf, I apprehend the beſt way is by a bare and brief Narrative of that diſcourſe that paſſed between us whilſt I was with him; if there is any thing worth your cognizance, you may make uſe of it as you pleaſe.
Our Diſcourſe was as followeth.
May 1ſt. 1677.
Queſt. SPeaking to him of the deplorableneſs of his Condition, and that ſure there was a more than ordinary hand of Gods Providence in it ariſing from ſome evil actor actions of his.
Anſw. Anſwered yes, 'twas for his ſins.
Queſt. When I told him that ſin was generally the procuring Cauſe of every mans ſufferings; but under ſuch remarkable and dreadful ſufferings as theſe were, there is uſually one or more ſpecial ſins to be inquired after, as the neareſt procuring Cauſe or Cauſes.
Anſw. He anſwered yes; ſo it was in his caſe. He ſtole a Bible from a Woman, and being charged with it, denied it with this fearful wiſh, [That his Hands might rot off if he ſtole it.]
Queſt. Then I asked him, whether his hands began to blacken, or change Colour, or tingle, &c. preſently after the imprecation, or that fearful wiſh of his?
Anſw. Anſwer'd no; but his Conſcience tingled ſadly.
Queſt. John, how long was it e're your hands began to rot, or had any ſigns of putrefaction upon them after the Curſe?
Anſw. About a fortnight.
Queſt. Have you made your peace with God for ſo great an offence?
Anſw. [Being a man not apt to ſpeak, and ignorant withal] made little anſwer, only ſhaked his head.
Queſt. Have you asked the Woman forgiveneſs, and to your power endeavoured to make ſatisfaction; or if the Bible were in your hands, to make Reſtitution?
Anſw. Yes, he did ſend for her, and ſhe came accordingly, and prayed God forgive him, for ſhe did.
Queſt. John, canſt pray? I have not found in thee any motions or inclinations thereunto ſince I came.
Shakes his head again, and nothing he ſaid.
Queſt. John, doſt thou know how at ſo great a diſtance as ſin hath made thee, to go to the Father?
Anſw. Yes, by Jeſus Chriſt, whiſpering it ſoftly, yet ſo as I might hear him.
Queſt. Then fearing he did not underſtand what Chriſt hath done for the World, I very briefly opened to him the Tenor and Conditions of the Covenant of Grace, and ſo how he muſt expect Mercy at the hands of God.
Anſw. Then (ſo far as I could gueſs) he began ſomewhat to relent, for the Tears trickled down his cheeks, and many Symptoms of conviction and ſorrow ſeemed to be upon him; ſaying theſe words, or to this purpoſe: For Gods ſake, Sir, pray for me.
Queſt. John, I am glad to ſee ſome, though the leaſt tokens of penitence in thee — The Lord enlarge thine heart, and make thy Conſcience tender — I am willing, John, to pray for thee, and ſo I perceive is this whole company: But it would be great ſatisfaction to us, if you would acquaint us, what we ſhould more particularly deſire of God on your account.
Anſw. Good Sir, that my ſins may be pardoned, as loſs of Time, neglect of Duty, and the ſervice of God.
Queſt. Is not Sabbath-breaking one?
Anſw. O yes, yes!
Queſt. Have you any thing elſe to ſay?
Anſw. No. Then let us pray. —
Ending with the Lords Prayer, he repeated the Petitions after me, ſaying Amen, with ſomewhat an elevated voice; being obſerved to weep ſeveral times whilſt we continued prayer.
After which I parted with him, making me to promiſe him the continuation of my Prayers.
About a fortnight after he ſends a Meſſenger to me to tell me he deſired my company again; at which time I made it my buſineſs not ſo much to ask him Queſtions, as to inform him of thoſe Truths that as I thought had a neceſſary conducency to our eternal peace. [Spending ſome hours with him that day, as I could bear the noyſom ſtench that then came from him.] Before I came away that time, which was the laſt time that I ſaw him; his Keeper told me, that a Popiſh Prieſt had been with him ſome few days before, earneſtly endeavouring to proſelyte him to their Religion; uſing this Argument: That if he would turn Roman Catholick, I will pawn my Soul to thy Soul thou ſhalt be ſaved. But all he could obtain of the poor man, was only this, that he would conſider of it. Then asking John Duncalf, whether this was true? He anſwered, Yes. Praying with him, I took my final leave and farewell. This is all (worthy Sir) that I know concerning him. I can only add that I am
Your moſt humble Servant, JONATH. NEWEY. Kinfare, Aug. 17. 1677.
WE whoſe Names are hereunto ſubſcribed, living in the Neighbourhood of Kings-Swinford, where John Duncalf the ſubject of the preceding Narrative, whilſt Gods hand was ſo ſeverely upon him, for the moſt part reſided; and having moſt of us viſited him and diſcourſed him in that condition, and the reſt of us received frequent Informations of the Paſſages herein mentioned from a multitude of credible Witneſſes; do (in order to the rendring ſo uſeful a Relation more creditable ſo far as we are known) atteſt, that we judge it to be very exactly and impartially penned in all the particulars: and eſpecially, in thoſe Paſſages of it which contain the frequent ſerious acknowledgements of the mentioned John Duncalf, (That he did imprecate that Judgment upon himſelf which is here expreſſed, and upon the occaſion here related) which he made not only in the hearing of the Author, but alſo of moſt of us: as alſo, in the ſubſtance of thoſe that relate the rotting off of his Hands and Legs before his death, in the manner herein mentioned. And this atteſtation we make with no other deſign, but that God may have the glory, and the world the benefit of ſo Exemplary a Providence. For which end we as heartily accompany this Narrative with our prayers, as with our hands.
Simon Ford, D. D.
Tho. Wilsby.
Amb. Sparry.
John Raynolds.
Samuel Mountfort.
Edward Paget.
End of the text · Simon Ford, Concerning Gods Judgments (1678)