Hodges who heard the fervice performed, declared in the morning, that if God had not heard these Prayers, he muft inevitably have died immediately; and that he could raise a man up by such religious means, when all the arts of men failed.

Secondly, Mrs. Roddington of Afber, in Warwickshire, was under a long and great illness fome time, about thirty years ago. She was a member of the general Baptist Church, profeffing the Baptifm of the Adult by immerfion, meeting in Weft-Orchard in Coventry, and fent for Mr. John Eld, who was then a Prefbyter in the fame Church, (but afterwards ordained a Bishop.) He went to vifit her: She defired to have the anointing with Oil administered to her, in the name of the Lord. Which he, after being satisfied that she had competent qualifications, adminiftered; and it was attended with fo good effects, that she, who before was not able to help herfelf in fcarce any degree, raised herself up in a few minutes, and in a few hours dreffed herself, walked about the room, and went into the other parts of the house, to the admiration of all her family and acquaintance.

Thirdly, Circumftance was relating to Stephen Matthews of Killingworth, who was a member of the fame Church in Weft-Orchard; he was under great affliction about the time above mentioned, which feized his body, and lay very heavy upon him, for fix or feven years; until he, for a confiderable time, became like a fkeleton, and could not get out of bed. He fent for Mr. Eld, and for Mr. Samuel Welton, who was a Prefbyter in the fame congregation, and after he, in their apprehenfions, declared a true repentance for all his paft fins, and a great defire of living up to the rectitude of the Gofpel, defired to be anointed with Oil, according to St. James, chap. v.

&r. they administered it to him, after all other means he made use of had no effect; and he was, in a very little time, raised up to be able to go to Coventry, which is four miles, which he frequently did afterwards, and to labour for his fupport.

Fourthly, The late Mr. Samuel Paxton, of Northampton, was fome years ago very ill for a long time; he was anointed with oil by the late Mr. William Stanger, who was a bishop or meffenger in that neighbourhood, and was immediately reftored to health. At another time, which was a little before his death, when he was in his last illness, and did not expect to recover, he had it again administered for the good of his foul, and received greater peace of mind, and more perfect affurance of a future happiness. I have also been informed by men of undeniable credit, that the late Mr. Thomas Garrett, who lived in Spratton, in Northamptonshire, and preceded Mr. William Stranger, in the office of a bishop, often administered the anointing with oil, as well as many other bifhops or prefbyters of the general baptift perfuafion, both in this and thofe counties, in, and fince his time, with great fuccefs. Some people were immediately raised up from fickness to health; others reftored gradually; many had greater reafon to believe they had obtained the forgiveness of their fins, were raifed up in their fouls, and had better affurance of eternal life.

From the whole Mr. Goode obferves two Things:

First, Though many of our people have believed this inftitutión to be a great duty ftill to be practifed in the Chriftian church, on those that are qualified and defire it: Nevertheless they have alfo made a wide difference between this appointment and the Papifts facramental doctrine

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doctrine of extreme unction: Which doctrine they have always protested against, because they have not believed that this anointing will infuse grace; but will only be beneficial, as it is performed and received by a strong faith in God and our Lord Jefus Chrift; through a true repentance, and fincere defires of univerfal obedience and holiness, &c. for the raifing people up from fickness to health, after all outward means fail, if the ultimate line of life is not near expired; and in being inftrumental by, and through thefe qualifications, to obtain great benefits for their souls.

Secondly, I have not heard that it hath been administered to any but fuch as have been, or are in communion with fome of our churches; and in fome measure judged to have been competently qualified, according to the apostle James's directions, &c.

Bofton, Lincolnshire, July 1, 1747.

A tranfcript from the life of Mr. Handford Knollys, written by himself, in the year 1679, continued by Mr. William Kiffin.

He being imprisoned for his religion, added, Soon after I was fet at liberty, at the Seffions in the Old Baily, God made me his prifoner, by a fharp and painful diftemper in my bowels, called the griping of the guts; and he brought me near to my grave. But in time of my greatest extremity, God remembered mercy, and restored my life from death. No tongue can exprefs my pains; yet God gave me much patience; wherein I poffeis'd my foul.-Two learned, well practifed, and judicious doctors of phyfic had daily vifited me, and confulted my cure feveral days together, and I was fully perfuaded that they did what pof

fibly they could to affect a cure, and knew alfo that God did not fucceed their honeft and faithful endeavours with his bleffing; although God had given a fignal and fingular teftimony of his special bleffing by each of them, unto others of their pa tients, at least fixteen at the fame time, I refolved to take no more phyfic; but would apply that holy ordinance of God, appointed by Jefus Chrift, the great Phyfician of value, James v. 14, 15. and I got Mr. Kiffin and Mr.Vavafor Powel, who prayed over me, and anointed me with Oil, in the name of the Lord, and the Lord did hear Prayer, and heal me.

Tranfcribed April 22, 1748, by me John Goode..

P. S. The above was wrote either in the year 1670 or 1671.

Mr. Knollys died, September 19, 1691.

N. B. Mr. Goode informs me farther, that Mr. Charles Doe wrote a Book, in which there is an account of the cures by anointing with Oil, which we have not yet been able to recover. He also wrote a small book about Baptism.

N. B. I have been very lately informed, that King William was prevailed upon once to touch for the king's evil; praying God to heal the patient, and grant him more wisdom at the fame time, which implied he had no great Faith in the Operation. Yet was the patient cured notwithstanding.

Our Meffenger, Mr. Goode, in a letter to me, dated at Boston, April 22, 1749, writes thus:

I believe I can give fome further accounts of fome who received much benefit by the ordinance of anointing with oil.

Mr.

Mr. John Lee of Spratton in Northamptonshire, was under a very great illness for a confiderable time; fo that he was thought to be dangerous. He refused to make ufe of any phyficians; but fent for Mr. William Stanger, our Meffenger, who anointed him with oil in the Name of the Lord, in the presence of one of our minifters, who gave me this account, and he foon recovered, and lived fome years after. The fame Mr. Lee, who was a prefbyter of the church, profeffing the baptism of the adult by immerfion, meeting at Spratton, and in other places, anointed an aged woman of that congregation; at which fervices I joined in prayer: She was fo very weak that I did not think the would recover, but contrary to my expectations, was raised up to perfect health, and furvived Mr. Lee. The first of these services was performed before 1740, and the other a little after that year.

I have also been informed by the late Mr. Lee, that the late Mr. William Stanger, jointly with himself, anointed the late Mr. William Paxton of Northampton, after they had jointly kept a day in fafting and prayer upon this account, when he was dangerously ill, and after he had laid afide the use of phyficians; and he was raised up to a perfect ftate of health.

I have also been affured, that Mr. Hooke, late of Lincoln, a meffenger, fome time between the years 1722 and 1727, anointed the late Mr. Leonard Ifaac, who lived at Cunby in this county [of Lincoln, when he was dangerously ill, and he recovered. This account I received from his widow.

I have been a spectator of many when they came under this Ordinance, and I believe they generally recovered.

I fhall now add a Letter to the fame purpose from Mr. Bond, a baptift minister, of the Devizes in Wiltshire.