Изображения страниц
PDF
EPUB

$080808806080002

An Extract from Mr. BAXTER's Certainty of the WORLD of SPIRITS: fully evinced by unquestionable Hiftories of Apparitions, Witchcrafts, &c.

[Continued from page 269.]

'N the town of Beckington, in Somer fetfhire, lived Mary Hill,

[ocr errors]

a maid of about eighteen years of age, who having lived very much in the neglect of her duty to God, was some time before Michaelmas was twelve month, taken very ill, and being feized with violent fits, began to vomit up about two hundred crooked pins. This drew a numerous concourse of people to fee her: to whom, when in her fits, the conflantly affirmed, that the faw against the wall of the. room, wherein the lay, an old woman named Elizabeth Carrier.

About a fortnight after, fhe began to vomit up nails, pieces of nails, pieces of brass, handles of spoons, and so continued to do for the space of fix months and upwards: and in her fits, the faid there appeared to her an old woman, named Margery Coombes, and one Ann Moore; who alfo by a warrant from two Juftices of the Peace, were apprehended and brought to the Seffions held at Brewton. The perfons bound over to give evidence, were Sufanna Belton, and Ann Holland, who upon their oaths depofed, that they hooked out of the navel of the faid Mary Hill, as fhe lay in a dead fit, crooked pins, fmall nails, and fmall pieces of brafs, which were produced in Court before the Judge, and from him handed to the Jury to look upon them. Whereupon Mr. Francis Jelle, and Mr. Chriftopher Brewer declared, that they had feen the faid Mary Hill vomit up, at feveral times, crooked pins, nails, and pieces of brafs, which they alfo produced in open Court: and to the end, they might be afcertained it was no

impofture,

impofture, they declared, they had fearched her mouth with. their fingers before fhe vomited.

Upon which the Court thought fit to call for me, who am the Minister of the parish, to teftify the knowledge of the matter, which I did to this effect: that I had feen her at feveral times, after having given her a little fmall beer, vomit up crooked pins, nails, and pieces of brafs. That to prevent the fuppofition of a cheat, I had caufed her to be brought to a window, and having looked into her mouth, I fearched it with my finger, as I did the beer before fhe drank it. This I did, that I might not be wanting in circumftantial anfwers, to what my Lord and the Court might propose.

I well remember, a Gentleman on a Saturday came to my houfe (incognito) to know of me the truth of the country report about this maid, having feen fome of the nails, &c. that fhe had vomited up. I told him it was very true, and if he would stay in town till the morning, he might fee it himself, for his own fatisfaction. This he did, and early in the morning, was called to fee her. But because beer was not given her when she wanted it, she lay in a very deplorable condition, till paft two in the afternoon; when with much difficulty, fhe brought up a piece of brafs, which the said Gentleman took away with him. Though before the faid piece of brass came up, he told me he was fatisfied of the truth of the thing, because it was impoffible for any mortal. to counterfeit her miferable condition. She fometimes lying in a dead fit, with her tongue fwelled out of her head, and then reviving, fhe would fall to vomiting, but nothing came up till about two o'clock in the afternoon. Nay, fo curious was he to anticipate any cheat, that he fearched her mouth himself, gave her the beer, held her up in his hand, and likewife the bafon, into which fhe vomited, and continued with her all this time, without eating and drinking, which was about eight hours, that he might be an eye-witness of the uth of it. Nay, farther, he found the maid living only with

a bro

a brother, and three poor fifters, all young perfons, and very honeft, and the maid kept at the charge of the parish, were fufficient teftimonies they were uncapable of making a cheat of it. The Gentleman I now mentioned, was (as I afterward learnt) 'Squire Player, of Caftle-Cary.

After the affizes, fhe was turned home, but she grew worse than ever, by vomiting of nails, pieces of glafs, &c. So that one day, the being taken defperate ill, I was fent for to pray with her, and compaffionating the deplorableness of her condition, I at laft refolved to take her into my own house, where in a fhort time, the vomiting ceafed; though for fome fpace her distorting fits followed her. But, bleffed be God, she is now, and has been for a confiderable time in very good health, and fit for fervice.

April 4, 1691.

MAY HILL, Minifter of Beckington, in the County of Somerset.

[blocks in formation]

IR John Mafon, Privy-Counsellor to King Henry the

SIR

Eighth, on his death-bed, delivered himself to those about him to this purpose: "I have feen five Princes, and have been Privy-Counsellor to four. I have seen the moft remarkable things in foreign parts, and been prefent at most flate-tranfactions for thirty years together, and have learned this, after fo many years experience, that Serioufness is the greatest wisdom, and a good Confcience the beft eftate: and was I to live my time over again, I would change the Court for a Cloyster: my Privy-Counsellor's bustles, for a quiet Retirement and the whole life I have lived in the Palace, for one hour's enjoyment of God in the Chapel: all things else forfake me, beside my God, my Duty, and my Prayer.”

LETTERS.

LE T TTER

LETTER CCC.

S.

[From Mifs M. Dale, to the Rev. Mr. Wesley.]

Rev. Sir,

How

June 18, 1765.

OW reviving is the thought, that I need not fin, nor doubt any more! O that I may be faithful to his allfufficient grace. At prefent, all my defires are unto him, and to the remembrance of his Name, and I can truft for the future. Chrift is mine, and I am fatisfied with my portion. I want nothing befide, but more of what he delights to bestow: to drink deeper into His fpirit, who was meek and lowly of heart. My thoughts indeed wander after things infignificant and trifling, and interrupt thoughts that would be profitable. · I want power to check them immediately. O that every thought was brought into obedience to Chrift! Surely he who fpared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, fhall with him freely give us all things. I cannot doubt his willingness. O who would not love fuch a Saviour as thee!

I find continually free access to the throne of grace. O God, how good art thou to me who am so unworthy of the leaft of thy mercies! I often wonder why he bestows his love on me! I am always happy in him, but not equally fo; yet for this month or fix weeks I have experienced more equality, excepting for a day or two.

May our good God bless you, dear Sir, which is the prayer of your affectionate Daughter,

MARGARET DALE.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

LETTER

I

[blocks in formation]

[From the Rev. Mr. Colley, to the Rev. Mr. Wesley.] Rev. and dear Sir, London, July 20, 1765.

Have had the opportunity of hearing of your welfare time after time, particularly by a letter to Mr. Franks, wherein you declare, "Your eye grows not dim, nor is your natural force abated." I praife God for this: and hope he will ftrengthen you to continue with us for years. Though indeed death might be more defirable for your own fake, yet for the Church's, we must desire your life. I wish you good luck in the name of the Lord: that he may give you abundance of peace in your own foul, and to fee your labour ftill fuccessful, and your children walking in the Truth.

For these eigh

It is a time of release at prefent for me. teen months, it has been a season of the bittereft inward trials, with very little intermiffion. What will be the event, God knows. Only this I know, "He does not willingly affli&t;" and therefore when the end is answered, he will remove them. However it is not a little thing for a man to feel himself, and to know that he has a desperately wicked heart. I have been various times upon the very borders of leaping into hell, through the enmity I have felt against God. But I am yet in the land of the living, and at prefent, my fpirit rejoices in God my Saviour.

I think we have no great reafon to complain in London. Our Congregations, both at Spitalfields and Weft-Street, are increafing. Many backfliders are healed. Thofe who have been at a low ebb, are much quickened, and in general all is very peaceable: only two or three are difturbed in their minds about the imputation of Chrift's righteousness, having ftrenuously infifted upon it (though not in public) in the bad fenfe. Meffrs. Jones, Olivers, and others, have been with them, but nothing was done; only they prevailed upon them to read John Goodwin's Treatife on that fubject.

I should

« ПредыдущаяПродолжить »