A Short and Plain NARRATIVE Of MATTHEW COKER, Touching Some Mistakes and Mis-recitals in a Pamphlet of this day, entitled Certain Passages of every days Intelligence, &c.  
In reference to His Gift of Healing; Which is herein clearly evidenced, in several remarkable Instances.  Acts 13. 41. 
Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which you shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.  
LONDON, Printed by JAMES COTTREL.  
1654.   

A short and plain narrative.  
Men and Brethen,  
WHereas as it was in the time of the Prophet David, and of all other the Prophets of the high God, so now it is, that both Prophet and Priest, as well as King, abide the rage of Antichristian fury, when and as oft as the Lord Jesus by them sits( himself) upon his holy hill of Sion: And forasmuch as this present Age, with, and in whom the Spirit of Antichrist, which is that Spirit, & no other, which denies our Lord Jesus to be come in the flesh, doth highly abound, and is not wanting neither of assistance from the Jewish rabbis, nor the Papistical Seminaries( & not those catholics called jesuits) to strike at the better part of the Gospel by the one; and of the holy Commandments in the Law, by the other; for carrying the which designs the better on, there is not wanting more then one false Prophet to oppose a true one, as soon as God raiseth him up: And forasmuch as by the first Introduction of the matter of the said book, it is thus for some dark reasons( not yet clearly manifested) set forth, in these phrases: A new Prophet is risen very lately: it is said he was once of Grayes inn; he hath a book in the Press, wherein he takes upon him to foretell things to come; but for a subsistence at present, he takes upon him the cure of desperate diseases in men, women, and children ▪ if you have a mind to hear further of him, you may inquire about Goodmans close: I am therefore pressed in Spirit to let you see the vanity, as well as falsehood of such phrases: whereas had I not been thus irritated, and my cause also, as it is good in itself, so in the declaration thereof of high use to the glory of God, and of his Church, and I hope all men living, I should yet have been silent, for fear I should appear a seeker of mine own ends, or an endeavourer to make myself thought to be more then what I know I am.  
But having this just occasion, I shall( by taking occasion to answer these speeches) take liberty to speak more fully of the whole matter, so far as every one of the Church of God, and of my dear Country ▪ men,( who I doubt not but will hear any man in his just defence) ought to know.  
Be it therefore known unto you all, that the person there hinted at under the name of a Prophet, is( I am sure for good reasons) meant myself; forasmuch as not many dayes since I did lodge at Goodmans Close, and did within a mile or two of that place show forth the gift of healing which God gave me, even in the High-way, as well as in Alms-houses and other places. But touching such a book in the Press, I know of none, nor have I wrote any other then that of the ninth of January last, which if rendered in English, hath its Title, The right Judgement with the Faith of Matthew Coker: which being a work I am able to maintain and justify, I did publish, though it contains matter of prophesy; and sent some of the first to be left with a Gentleman, to be distributed, as I best remember, for the Lord Protector( I am sure) one; and some of the rest to be given the French Ministers then attending( as I heard) with some embassy; and the rest to other Persons of Honor residing in this Nation: but to any out of the Nation I sent none. And what is therein contained, I am ready( if required thereunto) faithfully to translate into English, with every occasion and circumstance moving me thereunto, both before and at the writing; as also what God hath since shown by a miraculous confirmation of the same: One part of which confirmation I shall onely relate,( concealing the other till required or forced ▪ to the declaring thereof;) which is the gift of Healing, and perhaps also of Miracles: which lest I should err in the terms I give them, I shall with the greatest humility onely declare some of the chief things which were done, and that in those parts near Goodmans Close; they being more lately( concealing others done several months since) and I shall leave them to your several judgements to give them the most proper lawful terms that you please; and of me to judge as you list, who care not how I am judged by mans judgement.  
About this day seven-night, I walking in the fields beyond Goodmans Close; upon my return home met a Leper in my way, as I remember one Henry fleming, who looked earnestly on me, and cried with a loud voice, implying thereby, and by his words therewith uttered, a most certain expectation that he had to receive somewhat remarkable from me: but I passing by him, he cried the more earnestly on me, telling me in what affliction he had been, and how lame for many yeers. Whereupon, I being moved with compassion towards him, and intending him that blessing I had from God to bestow on him; but with all jealous of healing him before I thoroughly examined him of his condition, lest after recovery he should( as some have done) after a cure fall from confessing the same, as it truly ought to be for Gods glory, with a return of thanks: I examined him before several persons touching his condition. He satisfied us that his Father was a Leper and lame, and that he was and had been lame about three yeers, not able to go without Crutches; besides, weak even in every part of his body, and having a sore in his thigh. We found clearly that he was not able to stand off from a Wall or Leaning-place without help; and his posture was much bowed. Then I came to him, and with my hands straightened his body; and laying my hand on his back, and also on his knee and leg, he was presently able to stand upright, and go a step or two without Crutches, upon my saying to him, Stand up and Walk. After that, I applied an Ivie-leaf to his sore, and he bound it up; and then he walked somewhat better, saying, he hoped to run by to morrow: but I said, Nay sooner then you think for: and a few hours after, he was able to run: and since, I have found him to walk as well as any one. A few days after, in my walk, I went unto an Hospital not far thence, and cured several men: one had a limb he wanted that exercise of thirty yeers, which from my laying hands on he presently had. Another had legs benumbed towards the feet, and was well restored; as also a hand with the fingers grasped inward, and long time useless and dead,( or withered, as perhaps it may be the more proper term) and he found life and quickness entering into them more and more, as my hand continued on them; and at last, he had the full, quiter, and perfect use of them. Another a pain in his stomach; which also on my touch he was cured of. These all rejoiced, and gave glory to God.  
There were two more also present, which being hard of belief, could not find the goodness of God so effectually: yet the power of God was seen even on them both; more especially on one; who being sent for by the rest, and coming with Crutches,( as many yeers he could not without,) I said to him, Lay aside thy Crutches, and walk: which he did, and walked without them many steps: but not believing, he did it with the more fear and astonishment.  
Several also there are who have had a restorement of defects in their sight, & otherwise, I could mention. Those I particularly have here mentioned to have healed, perhaps I likewise relieved: but neither from them, nor any other, did I take any thing, nor ever will I, lest the gift freely received, should not be freely given.  
And for my subsistence at present, whatever the News-monger or News-maker saith, I live upon my own.  
And whereas he saith I take upon me the cure of desperate diseases in men, women, and Children; I know not what he means by a desperate disease, unless in a case where a womans child had been bewitched and struck dumb about a week, I cast out the evil spirit, and the child was restored.  
But all these things have I done by the Finger of God: which any Christian may easily judge, it being beyond the work of Satan to give the least of such good gifts.  
Thus I have made a short and plain Relation, to prevent mistakes.  
Friday the 17 of March 1653. Matthew Coker of Lincolnes inn.  
FINIS.