A Mirror both for Saints and Sinners, Treatise · Chapter 22
CHAP. XXII. Examples of Blasphemy, Blasphemers, and Gods judgements on them.
IT's a great sinne, Mat. 15. 19. Lev. 18. 2. Psal. 44. 16. Tit. 2. 5. Rev. 13. 1, 3, 16. & 16. 11, 21. Lev. 24. 16. Rom. 2. 24. Act. 26. 11. 1 Tim. 6. 1. 2 Pet. 2. 2, 12. Act. 13. 45. & 18. 6. Mat. 12 31. Luk. 12. 10. 1 John 5. 16. 2 Tim. 2. 3. Rev. 2. 9. Luk 22. 65.
To Blaspheme men, forbidden, Tit. 3. 2. 1 Pet. 4. 4. Jam. 2. 7. 1 Cor. 4. 13.
Who they be that Blaspheme. See Bernards Thesaurus.
It ought to be carefully avoided, Col. 3. 8. 2 Sam. 12. 14. Psal. 74. 10, 18. 1 Tim. 1. 20.
Scriptural examples: Satan, Gen. 3. 4, 5. the Egyptians, Lev. 24. 11. Sennacherib, and Rabshakeh, 2 King. 19. 6. Esa. 37. 6. Edomites, Ezek. 35. 12. Israelites, Ezek. 20. 27. Esa. 52. 5. & 65. 7. Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 3. 15. Anti. Epiphanes, Dan 7. 25. some Jews, Mal. 2. 17. & 3. 18, 19. Act. 13. 45. Scribes, and Pharisees, Mat. 27. 39, 69. & 12. 31. John 8. 48. & 7. 20. & 8. 48. Luke 22. 65. Paul, 1 Tim. 1. 13. Hymeneus, and Alexander, 1 Tim. 1. 20. the whore of Rome, Rev. 17. 3. the Beast, Rev. 13. 1, 5.
Unrepentant under plagues, Rev. 16. 9. 11. 21. Falsly charged on Naboth, 1 King. 21. 10, 13. and on Christ, Mat. 9. 3. & 26. 65. Mark. 14. 64. John 10. 33. Mark. 2. 7. Luke 5. 21. and on Stephen, Acts 6. 11, 13.
Other examples. Justinian made a Law that blasphemers should be severely punished by Judges, and Magistrates. Cod. l. 3. tit. 43.
King Lewis of France caused a Noble man to have his lips slit with an hot iron for blaspheming the Name of God. Fr. Chron.
Sennacherib for his Blasphemies had an Angel sent that in one night slew one hundred eighty five thousand of his men: and himself was shortly after slain by his own sons, 2 King. 19.
In Julian the Apostates time, one Julian Governour of the East, to please the Emperour overthrew the Christian Churches, and pissed against the communion table, and struck Euzojus on the eare for reproving him for it: But shortly after the Lord sent upon him a grievous disease, his intrails rotting within him, so that he voided his excrements at his mouth, dying in much misery.
Another of his officers called Felix seeing the holy vessels which belonged to the Church, said in scorne: See what precious vessels Maries Sonne is here served withal: but shortly after he was taken with a vomitting of blood, night, and day out of his blasphemous mouth till he died. Theod.
Libanius the Sophist about the same time at Antioch demanded of a godly, and learned Schoolmaster, what the Carpenters son did, and how he imploied himself? He is (quoth the other) making a Coffin for such a blasphemer as thou art, to carry thee to the grave: Libanius jested at this answer, but within a few dayes he died suddenly, and was so buried. Theat. Hist.
Michael a blasphemous Rabbin, as he was banquetting with his companions, fell to blaspheming Christ, and his mother Mary, boasting that he had gotten the victory over the Christians God: but as he went down the stairs out of the roome, he fell down and brake his neck. Fincelius.
One Dennis Benefield, a girle of twelve years of age going to school amongst other girles, they fell to reasoning of God what he was: One said he was a good old Father: but this Dennis said blasphemously that he was an old doting fool: the next day as she went between London and Hackney she was suddenly stricken dead: one side of her being all black, and was buried at Hackney. Act. & Mon.
Olympius an Arian Bishop being at a Bath in Carthage, reproached, and blasphemed the sacred Trinity; whereupon he was suddenly smitten with three flashes of lightning which burned him to death. Pau. Diaconus.
Agoland a King of the Moores having long promised to be baptized, came at length very gallantly attended to the Court of Charemaine King of France to performe his promise: where seeing many Lazers and poor people expecting the Kings almes, he asked. What they were? answer being made, that they were the messengers, and servants of God: he speedily posted away, protesting desperately, that he would not serve that God who could keep his servants no better.
Simon Churnay a Master of Paris, Anno Christi 1201. having most subtilly and acutely disputed about the Trinity, some of his familiar friends perswaded him to put it in writing, that so the memorial of such excellent things might not be lost; whereupon he proudly brake forth into this blasphemous speech: O Jesule, Jesule: O little Jesus, little Jesus, how much have I confirmed & advanced thy law in this question! but if I list to deal crosly, I know how with stronger reasons, and arguments to weaken and disprove the same. Which was no sooner spoken but he was stricken dumb, & not only so, but he became an Ideot, and ridiculously foolish, and was made a common hissing, and mocking stock to all that saw him. Mat. Paris.
Frederick the second, Emperour of Germany used to say that there were three notable impostors which seduced the world more then any other, viz. Moses, Christ, and Mahomet. Lipsius.
Alphonsus the tenth King of Spaine used to say, that if he had been with God at the first making of the world, it had been framed farre better, and more regularly, Lipsius.
About the year 1511. there were some godly Christians here in England convented before the Bishop, where they were charged for that in the night-time they used to read in a great book of Heresie (meaning the Bible) certain chapters of the Evangelists in English cantaining in them divers erroneous, and damnable opinions and conclusions of Heresie. See my English Martyrology. p. 60.
Mr Hauks being convented before Bishop Bonner for refusing to have his childe baptized, the Bishop asked him the reason of it? He answered, because he durst not admit of their use of oile, spittle, cream, salt, &c. whereupon one Darbishire, the Bishops kinsman, said to him in a blasphemous manner: You are too curious, you will have nothing but your little pretty Gods Book. Eodem. p. 141.
Master Denley, Martyr, as he was burning at Uxbridge, in the middest of the flames sung a Psalme; whereupon Doctor Story commanded one to hurle a faggot at him, which hitting him on the face made it to bleed, so that Master Denley gave over singing; then said Story: Truly thou hast marred a good old song. Eodem. p. 148.
Julian at Constantinople offered sacrifice to the goddesse Fortune, whereupon Maris Bishop of Chalcedon rebuked him sharply, calling him an impious person, an Apostate, an Atheist, &c. The Emperour on the contrary called the Bishop Blinde fool, blasphemously adding. Thy God of Galilee will not restore thy sight to thee again: Maris replied, I thank my God for making me blinde, that I might not behold so ungracious a face as thine is. See my General Martyrology. p. 84.
In the late Persecution in Bohemia a Popish Captain going into one of the Churches, took a cup from the Communion table, being full of wine, and drank to his horse, who having pledged him, he blasphemously said: Now my horse is one of the communicants in both kindes. Eodem. p. 152.
At the same time when divers godly Nobles, and Citizens were carrying to prison in Prague, the Papists insultingly cried after them: Why do you not now sing, The Lord reigneth? Eodem p. 169.
When any of the protestants desired to be convinced by Scripture: they answered with scoffs, and jeers, saying, That the Scripture was impersect, obscure, ambiguous, and the fountaine of Heresie, the sanctuary of Hereticks, which lay-men had nothing to do with: They called the Bible, Witlia, which in the Bohemian language signifies Vomit, &c. Eodem. p. 189.
A godly man called Nicolas, being apprehended in the Lowcountreys for Religion, as he was going to dinner, craved a blessing, whereupon a Popish Captaine that was present, swearing grievously, said: Let us see thou lewd Heretick, if thy God can deliver thee out of my hand. Eodem. p. 257.
At Angiers in France the Papists burnt many Bibles, and meeting with one faire gilt one, they hung it on an halbard, carried it in procession, saying: Behold, truth is hanged, the truth of the Huguenotes, the truth of all the devils: Behold, the mighty God: behold, the everlasting God will speak: and when they came to the Bridge they threw it into the River, crying louder, Behold, the truth of all the devills is drowned. Eodem. p. 302.
About the same time at Volougnes the mercilesse Papists took a godly Minister, slew him, stripped his body naked, dragged it up and down, and at last brought it to the chamber where he used to preach to his people, saying, Now pray to thy God, and preach if thou canst. Eodem. p. 304.
At the same time one Monsieur Monluc having defeated a party of the Protestants, took many prisoners, most of which he hanged, especially the Ministers: And amongst the prisoners finding a Captaine called La-moth, he gave him divers stabbes with his dagger, and then thrust him thorow with his rapier, saying, Villaine, thou shalt die in despite of God: Yet he proved a liar, for the man afterwards was miraculously cured of his wounds. Eodem. p. 305.
At Orleance as they murthered the Protestants, they cried out: Where is now your God? what is become of all your Prayers, and Psalmes now? Let your God that you called upon, save you if he can. Others sang in scorne, Judge, and revenge my cause, O Lord: Others, Have mercy on us, Lord, &c. Eodem. p. 316.
See many more in my General Martyr. In my English Martyr▪ and in my books of Lives.
Of whom is Hymeneus, and Alexander, whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme
1 Tim 1. 20.