Of The Destruction Of Some Tyrants Of This Last Persecution.

Behold, thus God the Lord annihilates the designs of the ungodly who assail his holy mountain, and brings to naught all those that hate his truth and are inimical thereto.

“In the year 1554, it also occurred that three of our brethren were at Wisbuy in Gotland, for the purpose of earning a livelihood there. A preacher of that city, whose name was Laurentius, who was led by the spirit of his Father [the devil], cried after them on the street, and reviled them as much as he could, saying that they should not practice their religion there, though it should cost him all that was inside of his coat, namely, body and soul. A few days afterwards he came to converse with one of these brethren, another preacher also being present, who was somewhat more reasonable in disposition. He reviled, and carried on dreadfully; but the great Lord smote him in the presence of them both, so that he was suddenly deprived of his speech, and within twenty-one hours (alas!) was numbered with the dead. O terrible punishment and judgment of God!

“A case almost similar occurred the same year at Wismar, where they had accepted a crier, named Doctor Smeedesteed, who said that he would rather have a hat full of our blood, than a hat full of our gold. He persuaded the magistrates (who gladly have and want to hear such pillow makers) to proclaim just before cold winter, to the poor children, to clear the place before St. Martin’s day; or they should be put where they should not like to be. Smeedesteed was very joyous that he had accomplished the fulfillment of his heart’s desire; but to his sore judgment; for that very day the almighty, great Lord laid the hand of his wrath upon him, and within six or seven days took him away by an awful and severe sickness. Yet the hardened, blind and stupid world did not perceive it.

“A. D. 1555, it occurred again in that city, that there was a preacher, named Vincentius (who still lives there), who never grew tired of his ungodly reviling and severe reproaching. On the day they call the Lord’s Ascension day, he read from the Scriptures (Mark 16:16): ‘He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved,’ and said he should reproach and revile us, as long as his mouth was open. Instantly the strong power of God closed it, and bound his tongue, and he fell down in the pulpit, and was carried out by some of those present, as one punished of God, and taken into his house a dumb man. Behold, thus he can punish those who would touch and injure the apple of his eye.

“If I were to relate all the incidents which in my time befell the enemies of the saints, it would require a separate volume.” Thus far from Menno Simons.

It is appropriate to add here, what happened to the said godfearing Menno Simons himself. A traitor sold him for a certain amount of money, binding himself to deliver him into the hands of the tyrants, 1039 or he would lose his own head in stead; in which, however, to his own injury he did not succeed, though he put forth his utmost diligence to accomplish it. He repaired to their meeting, and diligently spied out a place where they assembled; but Menno in a miraculous manner escaped his hands.

It occurred also, that the traitor and the officer, who had gone out to seek and apprehend Menno, unexpectedly met him in a small boat on a canal. The traitor kept silence, till Menno had passed on a piece, and then jumped on shore, to escape with less peril. Then the traitor said: “See there, the bird has escaped us.” The officer called him a villain, and upbraided him for not speaking in time. The traitor replied: “I could not speak, for my tongue was held.” This was taken so amiss by the lords, that they severely punished the traitor, for a rigorous and instructive example to all bloodthirsty traitors.

Thus there can, by these and similar examples mentioned in divers places in this book, as also in both Testaments, in murderous Cain, Pharaoh, Jezebel, Antiochus, Herod, and many similar ones, be manifestly seen and perceived the avenging hand of the almighty God, and how grievously they offend against the God of heaven and earth, who here afflict, persecute and kill his people; and what intolerable punishment they have to expect at the coming of Christ from heaven; of which this temporal punishment is but a beginning and foretaste, seeing the Son of God, in the day when he will arise to avenge Zion, will regard all that has been inflicted upon his own, as though the apple of his own eye had been touched. Then shall all persecutors be sorry with too late repentance, and groan for anguish of spirit, who here condemned and killed the just, who did not resist them. Wis. 5:3; James 5:6.