From this many times fprings boldness to attempt what is too hard for us; which is properly called Rafhness.

Hence alfo arife Scorn and Difdain toward those whom we think beneath us.

But the terms Scorn and Difdain are fometimes ufed in a good fenfe; as when a man of virtue, difdains and fcorns. a base practice.

[To be continued.]

A NARRATIVE of the Cure of SUSANNAH ARCH.

Sufannah Arch, do folemnly declare, in the fear of God, that my diftemper began about four years ago, with an extraordinary itching and fcurf on my head, and afterwards it fpread over my body. This continued about three years before I advised with any Physician to know what it was; and then my husband died; whofe death was attended with many aggravating circumftances, occafioning much forrow and grief: all which conduced to increase my diftemper. Under my great distress of body and mind I was lamenting myself, faying, What a poor diftreffed widow! a poor afflicted widow! Then the Lord was pleased to give me in that Scripture, Romans viii. 32, He that spared not his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how shall he not with him freely give us all things? This I took as a bond from the Lord, wherein he was graciously pleased to bind himself to fupply all my neceffities. Immediately after my husband's burial, being left in a poor and defolate condition, that Scripture caine to my mind, Job i. 21, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked fhall I return again. The Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken away, and blessed be the Name of the Lord. After these troubles, my diftemper much increased: then I advised with Mr. Forty, an Apothecary, who told me my dif

temper

temper was a Leprofy. I asked him whether it was curable: he told me it was not curable. Then I was advifed by his wife to go to one Mrs. Griffin, who was noted for curing fcald heads, who perfuaded me to go to the Hospital, but I found a great reluctancy thereto, having a persuasion from the time Mr. Forty told me it was incurable, that Jefus Chrift would cure it. Neverthelefs confidering that paffage of the woman that had the bloody issue, that though she spent all on phyficians, yet this did not hinder her being cured by Christ when fhe came to him; I concluded my going to the hofpital might not hinder Chrift's curing me: thereupon I was fatisfied to go; and when I prefented myself to the Physician and Surgeons, they told me it was a Leprofy, and asked me what I defired of them? I told them I defired to be an outpatient, on which they prescribed me fome medicines, but I had no faith in them, so I took but one dofe, and threw the reft away, looking to a higher hand for my cure. However, I went a fecond time, and then they who gave out the medicines, feeing my distemper, told me, it was in vain to spend my time in attending any further on them, for it was a Leprofy, and could not be cured. Not long after this, I was fent by a friend of mine, on her own account, to Dr. Bourne, and I took that opportunity to fhew him my distemper: and when he saw it, he lift up his hands, faying, Good Lord have mercy upon thee! It is a Leprofy. He likewife told me, there might be something given to curb it (but not to cure it) if I had wherewithal to defray the charge. I told him I was a poor widow, and fo concerned myfelf no more with him. I went away from him full of comfort, having this persuasion that Jefus Chrift would be iny Physician.

After this, I was fent by the fame friend to Dr. Clarke, who knowing me, fympathized with me, faying, Alas, poor woman, it is a Leprofy! I afked him whether it could be cured: he told me, fomething might be given to check it, but not to cure it; and that if I would go to Mr. Hume's, the VOL. V. Apothecary,

Q q

Apothecary, he would give directions to him, and he would do what he could for me. But having no hopes of cure from any human means, I concerned myfelf no further about it.

After this, another friend and neighbour being fick, defired me to go to Dr. Nicholls for her; and after I had difcourfed with him concerning my friend, I asked him what he thought of my dilemper? He faid, Alas! poor woman, how came you by this? I asked him what the diftemper was. And he likewife told me, as the others had done, that it was a Leprofy, and incurable.

Yet all along my faith was fixed on the Lord Jefus Chrift: it was on him I was refolved to rely, who in the days of his flesh cured all difeafes and fickneffes among the people; and I was confident that he had the fame power now he was glarified, as he had in the days of his humiliation.

Upon the last day of May, 1694, at night, when I was afleep in my bed, I was pleading with God in those words of the Pfalmift, I will cry unto God moft high, unto him that performeth all things for me, Pfal. Ivii. 2. And I thought I faw a man flanding by me, and laying his hand on me, faying, I will: be thou clean. I anfwered, Lord, if thou fayeft the word, it is done. To which I received this reply, All things are poffible to him that believeth. I anfwered, Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief. To which it was anfwered, He that believes, is whole every whit, (the hand being all the while upon my hand) thereupon I awaked, and perceived it was a dream, From that time (tho' I grew worfe and worfe) I was ftrongly perfuaded I fhould be made whole.

And whereas I had been afflicted with a phthyfical-complaint for many years, wherewith I was laid up every winter; in November laft it pleafed the Lord to remove that diffemper without any human means. And this was to me a token that God would likewife cure me of my Leprofy. Soon after this, hearing people talk of a miraculous cure of one that was lame, I afked one that fat by me concerning it. She

told

told me, a maid that had been lame feventeen years was miraculously cured. I told her, I was waiting at the pool, believing that I fhould be made whole. From that time my heart was drawn out to wrefle more earneftly with God, crying out, Lord! why not I? why not I, a poor Leper?

In December my diflemper growing worfe and worfe, both on my head and body, I met with fome inward ftrugglings, but was helped to fay, in the words of Job, I know, O Lord, that thou canst do every thing.

On the 26th of December, I went to bed at night as bad as ever I was; and in the night had grievous temptations from the Adverfary, who told me I had no faith; and that if I had faith I might be healed: but I perceived this was to beat me off from my confidence in God. Then I was helped to look back to former experience, and remembered that about thirty years ago, when I was under great distress about the ftate of my foul, I was enabled to caft it on the Lord Jefus Chrift. And from that confideration many times fince, when I have been in great diftrefs, with respect to my outward condition, I have been enabled to caft my bodily concerns upon him. I cried out, Lord, I have caft my foul and body upon thee, and now I am refolved to caft all my difeafes upon thee. Then I pleaded with God, faying, Lord, if I have true faith; if I have an intereft in Chrift, take away this diftemper before I die. I then lay quiet, with a compofed mind till morning. Next day I found a marvellous alteration, being much better, and more cheerful, which was difcerned by a friend of mine, who faid, fhe perceived I was much

better.

Then I faid,

The next night, as I was in bed, I put my hand to my head, first on one fide, and then on the other, and felt fkin on both fides of it, which at firft was fuprifing to me. Lord Jefu! haft thou begun? thou wilt carry When I arofe in the morning, and took off my head clothes, I found the fcurf was gone from off my head, there only remaining

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it on.

a little

a little fcurf like a cap on the crown of my head, which was eafily taken off with a comb: and then appeared firm skin all over my head. At the fame time my diflemper, which was fpread over my whole body from head to foot, even to my very toes, was taken away. And whereas I had neither fkin nor hair on my head before, my hair is now grown to the admiration of them that behold it. And to this day, through the Lord's goodness, I remain free both from the Leprofy and Phthyfic.

Jan. 16, 1694-5.

SUSANNAH ARCH.

SOME of us whofe names are fubfcribed, have had certain knowledge of Susannah Arch's Diflempers, and also of her Cure: and we are all fully fatisfied in the truth of what is contained in this Narrative.

The Certificate of Charles Nicholls, Doctor of Phyfic.

ON the 29th of September laft, Sufannah Arch coming to me on the behalf of another woman, defired me to tell her what her own diflemper was? I gave it, as my opinion, that it was a Leprofy, and could not perfectly be cured, but fomething might be given to check it, or keep it under. Further. more, I coming this day into Southwark, faw this woman was cured of her faid diftemper; and I do verily believe it was done by the immediate Hand of God, as the effect of her Faith. I must say, that I fland in admiration in beholding this woman cured. In witnefs of all which I fet my hand this 18th day of January, 1694-5.

CHARLES NICHOLLS

The