A true Discription of the wonderfull and wholesome Wells at
Hornehausen in
Germanie in the Bishopricke of
Halberstadt.
Collected out of severall Letters from
Hornehausen, Stettin, Hanburg, Bremen and other adjacent parts.
Of the 12. of
Iuly and 18. of
August. 1646.
THe village wherein these wonderfull and wholesome Wells are, is called
Hornhausen half a mile distant from
Ashersleben and two miles from the City of
Halberstadt, standing in a bottome or valley, betweene two little Hills, one towards the East, and the other towards the West, consisting at this present not of above fifty Boores or tenants, whereas in former times there were at least a hundred and fifty of them.
The Ministers name is
Friderick Seligman; who was borne at
Brunswigg. There are now six Wells in the
[Page 2] said Village, whereof but three are used. The first as being the head spring on the fifth day of
March. 1646. and was discovered by a youth comming from schoole who accidentally fell into it with one of his legs. He that first of all dranke of it was one, that had beene troubled with an Ague for a long time, and in a very short time after he had drunke of it, he recovered. The second spring on
Midsummerday the 24. of
Iune. And the third and fourth few dayes after. The fifth and sixth on the even of our Ladyes Visitation, but especially the sixth, during the time of publicke devotion. The first is as large, as a round table the second and third halfe as large but they yeeld all three such a quantitie and aboundance of water, that it is a wonderfull sight to all that have bin there. There is a distance of forty paces or thereabouts betweene each of these Wells. Concerning their vertues, effects and operations, it is certaine, that they are most miraculous, and answerable to the reportes that have bin noised both within the Empire, and dispersed beyond Seas, It is most true, that one Girle of
Mansfeld, which was dumbe and deafe from her youth did recover, so that she was beard of many, when she said after with good sense and understanding this passage of the Scripture,
The Blood of Iesus Christ doth cleanse us from all our sins. Likewise a certaine Man, who was blind, and used to begge before the Gates at
Leipzig, hath beene seene of some within few dayes, testiying that he could see with one of his eyes all things, and full as well as any Man that is sharpesighted. In summ, such wonderfull Cures happen every day, As the weekely thanksgivings after the Sermon, doe give a sufficient testimony of them.
Not long agoe, as wee are certainly informed, there hath been publick thanks-giving for the recovery of a hundred and twenty seven persons at once, whereof there were thirty seven that had the Falling sicknesse. And a woman with a crooked back, which shee had twenty yeares. And last moneth there was another publick thankes-giving said for fourescore persons, which were all cured of very strange Diseases and Infirmities.
Besides, the three principall Wells are not of one taste, notwithstanding they are of one colour; The first is counted for the sweetest, and for this reason, it cannot be transported farre over land; The other is very salt, having sixe or eight Springs, with a sandy ground, not above a yard distant from a brooke; The third is of a middle taste between the first and second. The water of the second is especially good, and excellent for any outward hurts and sores. There are many that have been restored to their former sight (as the publick thanksgivings for them doth testifie) which had lost their sights quite by the small pox; And we received but just now Letters from the Schoolemaster there that informe us that already six hundred sicke bodies, of severall diseases, were recovered by drinking of the said Wells for the space of eight or nine dayes. Certainly those that have been there present relate, that Gods wonderfull workes, might, power, mercy and goodnesse is evidently to be seene there, in these infirme and diseased Creatures, which by the drinking of this precious Water, were made whole, especially that were afflicted with these sicknesses following. As with the Gout, Feavers, Agues, Deafnesse, French pox, Crook-backs,
[Page 4] Wormes, Blindnesse, Dumbnesse, Cholicke, Swollen legges, lamenesse in shoulders, hands and feet▪ Scurffed and scabby heads, all sorts of old festered hurts, Biles and sores, Pluresie, sore eyes, Dropsie, dis-joynted limmes, and strained Sinewes and veines, ill stomacke, Palpitation or beating of the heart, Apoplexi, Palsie, bitings of Dogs, broken armes or legs, Shooting in the head and eares, Short and dim sight, Tooth-ach, Convulsions, Bruises and falls, Fistulaes & running sores, Melancholick thoughts, Leprosie, defects in the Liver and Lights; Coughs, Headach, bloody Flux or issue, Ruptures, Wennes, Carnosities, Impostumes in the Kidneys, Cancers, Guidinesse, with many other Diseases and infirmities, which would bee too long to specifie.
Moreover, there are at this present above five thousand persons come there, of all sorts, ranke and condition from all parts of
Germanie, as
Nuenberg, Auspurg, Munchen, Hanburg, Bremen, Stetin, &c. with a world of Coaches and Wagons; so that Travellers sometimes find difficultie to be furnished with Horses. His Highnesse the Prince Elector of
Brandenburg, with his Mother and Aunt, Her Majesty the Queene of
Sweden, are gone thither; And wee are informed that Generall
Torstenson, (who by reason of his indisposition in his body, was constrained to resigne his Command to
Wrangel) went thither in a Litter, and came away on horse-back fully recovered.
Besides, we are of late informed, that by Gods infinite power and mercy those three principall Wells are multiplied and dispersed into fifteene all at a distance of fourty paces one from another. They write also, that
[Page 5] the Physitians have distilled the same Water, and found pure gold thereby. It is to be feared, that if men should not be satisfied with the grace and mercy of God, that God shall withdraw his blessing, and turne it into a judgement. And for the obtaining of Gods blessing, at set houres in the morning, at eight of the clocke, and in the evening at 3, prayers are duly and constantly performed in the presence of so many thousand persons who altogether fall downe upon their knees, praying with the Minister after this manner following.
The Prayer which is usually said at the Fountaine of Hornhausen.
ALmighty God, mercifull Father, wee thy weake, diseased, infirme and miserable children doe appeare here with sad, afflicted, and distressed countenances before thy most holy throne of Grace, bowing the knees of our hearts, acknowledging and lamenting our manifold enormous sinnes and transgressions, wherewith we have sinned against thee, O most righteous God, provoked thy wrath, which is like the burning and consuming fire, and drawne upon our selves, all sorts of judgements and plagues; so that thou hast not onely visited us with the Sword Persecution, Dearth and other punishments, but also hast chastened▪ handled and afflicted our bodyes with severall Diseases, Sores and Infirmities, and thereby hast fulfilled, wherewith thou hast threatned us in thy Word long agoe; that whosoever sinneth against his Creatour, shall fall into the hands of the Physitian. Now, Lord, mee must confesse, that wee have not onely justly deserved all these, but yet farre greater and heavier judgements; yea withall that thou also in the middest of thy wrath and indignation dost shew mercy, for if thou wouldest have dealt with us after our deserts, thou mightest have totally consumed and destroyed us in our sins, without giving us any respight for our repentance; whereas thou hast bin pleased not onely to prolong our dayes, that we might repent of our sinful & wicked course of life, but also as a loving Father, to chastise and humble us with thy Fatherly rod of diseases and infirmities, like as a temporall Father doth chastise his sonnes, that thereby
[Page 7] wee might be induced and seaed up to repentance: For our great calamitie and misery doth compell us to draw nigh unto thee; Wherefore we come and call upon thee, O Lord, in our distresses, and in our offlictions wee lift up our voyce, and powre out our supplications before thee: Pardon us, O Lord, pardon us our sinnes; Have mercy upon us, and blot out all our transgressions; and forgive our secret sinnes for the love of thy Deare Sonne Jesus Christ. And because our weaknesses and infirmities are not hidden before thy eyes; yea, thy beloved Sonne, our Lord and Saviour hath assumed upon himselfe, and borne our weaknesses and infirmities, to the end that hee might shew mercy and helpe to those that were afflicted; Wee beseech Thee therefore, O mercifull Father, have mercy and compassion on our misery. Take to heart our manifold afflictions, infirmities and diseases. O Lord Jesus Christ, true God; that knowest our distresse and miserie; ease us of our heavy burthen, which thou hast borne thy selfe And whereas thou as being the true Physician of soules, removest and curest not onely the sicknesse of soules, fo
[...]giveest sinnes, and cleansest and washest our filth and pollution in the wholsome Fountaine of the blood and grace of Iesus Christ, but also thou onely canst heale the infirmities of our bodyes, to which effect thou hast infused thy wonderfull vertues, and heavenly oparations into the Elements, Minerals, Herbes, Flowers, and other Plants, wherewith thou removest all sorts of sicknesses, as thou hast healed by the meanes of a lump of figgs, the venemous and mortall boyle of King
Hezekiah; Wee therefore beseech Thee, O heavenly Father, to magnifie thy mercy also in us; by granting us thy grace, that according to thy Fatherly and good pleasure, since thou knowest alone what is for our best, this wholsome Fountaine, which thou hast opened and discovered unto us poore and unworthy sinners, out of thy meere grace, may powre unto us a powerfull and gracious helpe and remedy for the recovery of our health. Lord, thou art Hee, that hast life and death, health and sicknesse in thy hands, that killest, and makest alive againe, and bringest men alone to the grave and destruction, and sayest remaine the children of men; Wherefore it is nothing to thee to helpe us here thy unworthy creatures. And as thou prolongd'st the life of King
Hezekiah, even when hee was at deaths doore. As thou restoredst the sight to him that was borne
[Page 8] blind with clay made of spittle, and sendest him to wash himselfe in the Poole of
Siloam; As thou healedst
Peters Mother in law lying sick of a Feaver by touching onely her hand: As thou helpedst the Woman that was troubled with the bloudy issue, by touching the Seame of thy garment: Yea, as thou hast miraculously restored health and strength to many others: So it may please thee, to sanctifie and blesse by thy infinite bounty and mercifulnesse the vse of this Water unto us, that if it be thy holy will our Infirmities and diseases may thereby be healed and removed. As the water of
Jordan served for the healing of
Naamans Leprosie, and conduced to the recovery of his health; So be pleased, O good Lord to grant the same wholsome vertue and power to this Water. Many such, blind, lame, and other infirme bodies were gathered together at the Poole of
Bethesda, which waited on till the water was moved by the Angell, that then they might descend into it and bee healed. O Lord, looke likewise in thy mercy upon this infirme and weake multitude of people, waiting for thy helpe and blessing. O that it may please thee, to move also this water through thy Divine power, that it may likewise have the same vertue and operation with us, to the restoring of our health. Thou commandest us, Lord in thy Word, that if any man be sicke or infirme, hee shall call upon thee, and then thou wilt heare him, according to his faith, and give thy blessing to the meanes and remedies he shall apply. Now, behold, O Lord, wee are here prostrate in thy fight, with our faithfull prayers and supplications, not relying upon our righteousnesse, and holinesse but trusting to thy great mercy, that thou wilt heare us, according to thy promise: Yea Lord, thou dost testifie thy selfe, that hee that aske
[...]h, shall receive; he that seeketh shall find; and to him that knocketh shall be opened: Wherefore wee beseech thee, for our health, grant us the same by thy grace: Wee seeke thee, as our Physitian, be gratious and propitious unto us; Wee knocke with our unanimous prayer, and fervent supplications, at the doore of thy heavenly throne, till they penetrate through the cloudes. O Lord, open thy doore of grace, and heare us from Heaven, whether we lift up our eyes and hands. Let our faces not be confounded, for if thou shouldst reject us, who would receive us? if thou shouldest abandon and forsake us, who would helpe us? Yet, if thou hast decreed in thy eternall
[Page 9] and unchangeable decree and will, that these infirmities and weaknesses shall lie longer upon us; Thy will be done, O Lord, and give us patience, that wee may not murmur against it, nor envy others, that are healed, but submit our selves with all obedience to thy good pleasure, and having our confidence and trust put in thy mercy and grace, may say with
Job; O Lord, although thou shouldest kill us, yet wee will put our trust in thee; Wee are sure thou wilt not lay a heavyer burthen upon our shoulders, then wee shall be able to beare, but that thou wilt assist and relieve us in the middest of our calamities with thy holy and blessed Spirit, which may comfort us in our afflictions, refresh us in adversities, remove our paines and torments, and deliver us out of all distresse and miserie. Moreover, O most mercifull Father, since thou hast been pleased to shew thy selfe thus glorious and wonderfull through thy infinite goodnesse and grace in this place towards us unworthy and miserable sinners, by giving and discovering unto us such a precious and powerfull remedy for the recovery of our health, whereby already great wonders have beene wrought, so that wee are not able to expresse our thankefulnesse unto thee in all eternitie. Wee beseech thee therefore from the bottome of our hearts, that thou wouldest not withdraw from us these heavenly gifts and blessings, if we should not thankefully acknowledge them, from which in mercy thou wilt be pleased to preserve us, but vouchsafe that this Fountaine of grace may flow and gush out more and more, without drying up or diminishing. O Lord grant this Fountaine may yeeld water in abundance, with a constant and durable vertue, that thereby our miserable and weake bodies may receive comfort and helpe, and thy name be exalted and magnified throughout all Nations. Wee beseech thee, O Almighty God and Father, to heare this our prayer, through Iesus Christ thy Deare Sonne, to whom with thee and the holy Ghost, be ascribed all honour and glory, for ever and ever, Amen.