A Mirror both for Saints and Sinners, Treatise · Chapter 26
CHAP. XXVI. Examples of Gods judgements upon Cursers.
IN France a man of good parts, and well instructed in Religion, yet in his passion cursing, and bidding the devil take one of his children, the childe was immediately possessed with an evil spirit: from which, though by the fervent and continual prayers of the Church, he was at length released, yet ere he had fully recovered his health, he died. Beza.
Anno 15…7. at Forchenum in the Bishoprick of Bamburg, a Priest preaching about the Sacrament, used these, and such like blasphemous speeches: O Paul, Paul, if thy Doctrine touching the receiving of the Sacrament in both kindes be true, and if it be a wicked thing to receive it otherwise, then let the devil take me: and if the Popes Doctrine concerning this point be false, then am I the devils bondslave, neither do I fear to pawn my soul upon it: Presently the devil came indeed in the shape of a tall man, black, and terrible, with a fearful noise, and roaring winde, took away the old Priest, that he was never after heard of. Fincelius.
In Helvetia, Anno 1556. a certaine man that earned his living by making cleane foule linnen, in his drunkennesse used horrible cursings, wishing that the devil might break his neck if he ever went to his old occupation again, yet the next day when he was sober, he went into the field again about it: where the devil attended him in the likenesse of a big swarthy man, asking him, if he remembred his wish, and withal struck him over the shoulders, so that his feet, and hands presently dried, yet the Lord gave not the devil power to do him so much hurt as he wisht to himself. Fincelius.
Henry Earle of Schwartburg used commonly to wish that he might be drowned in a Privy. if such, and such things were not so, and according to his wish, so it befell him at Saint Peters Monastery in Erfor…s Anno 1148.
Luther on 1 Cor. 15. reports of one in Germany of a most wicked life, who at almost every word he spake, the devil was at one end. Now it happened on a time as he was passing over a bridge, he fell down, and as he was falling, cried out, Hoist up with an hundred devils: which was no sooner spoken, but the devil whom he called on so oft, was at his elbow to strangle, and carry him away with him.
Another story he relates of a Popish Priest, once a Professour of the truth, but now an Apostate, who thundered out many bitter curses against Luther at a place called Ruthnerwald, and amongst other passages, wished, if Luthers doctrine were true, that a thunderbolt might strike him to death. Now three dayes after there arose a mighty tempest with thunder, and lightning, whereat the cursing Priest being affrighted, having a guilty conscience within him, ran hastily to the Church: and there fell to his prayers before the Altar, but Gods vengeance pursued him, and by a flash of lightning he was struck dead: and though they recovered life in him again, yet as they carried him home, in the Church-yard another flash of lightning, burnt him from the head to the foot as black as a shoe, whereby he immediately died.
Anno Christi 1551. there lived in a City of Savoy, a man who was a monstrous swearer, and curser, and though he was often admonished, and blamed for it, yet would by no meanes mend his manners: At length a great plague happening in the City, he withdrew himself with his wife, and a kinswoman into a Garden which he had: where being again admonished to give over his wickednesse, he hardened his heart more, swearing, blaspheming God, and giving himself to the devil, and immediately the devil snatched him up suddenly, his wife and kinswoman looking on, and carried him quite away. The Magistrates advertised hereof, went to the place, and examined the two women, who justified the truth of it.
At Oundle in Northampton-shire there was one William Hacket, who used in his earnest talke thus to curse himself: If it be not true, let God send a visible confusion upon me: which wish of his came to passe: for falling into abominable errours, he called himselfe Christ, and Judge of the world, for which he was hanged in the thirty third year of Queen Elizabeth in Cheapside.
At Oster in the Dutchy of Magala…ole, a wicked woman used in her cursings to give her selfe body and soul to the devil, and being reproved for it, she still contined the same, till (being at a wedding-feast) the devil came in person, and carried her up into the aire with most horrible out-cries, and roarings, and in that sort carried her round about the towne, that the inhabitants were ready to die with fear: and by and by tore her in foure peeces, leaving her foure quarters in four several high-wayes, and then brought her bowels to the marriage-feast, and threw them upon the table before the Major of the town, saying, Behold, these dishes of meat belong to thee, whom the like destruction waiteth for, if thou doest not amend thy wicked life.
At Wittenberg, before Martin Luther and others; a woman whose daughter was possessed with a spirit, confessed that, being angry she bid the devil take her, and that she had no sooner spoken the word, but she was possessed after a strange sort.
In a towne in Misnia, Sep. 11. Anno 1552. a cholerick father seeing his sonne slack about his businesse, wished that he might never stirre from that place: which he had no sooner spoken, but his son stuck fast indeed, nor could by any meanes possible be removed, no not so much as to fit, or bend his body, till by the prayers of the faithful, his paines were mitigated, though not remitted: three yeares he continued so standing with a post at his back for his ease, and four years sitting, at the end whereof he died, nothing weakned in his understanding but professing the faith, and not doubting of his salvation through Jesus Christ: when at any time he was asked how he did? his answer usualy was, that he was fastened of God, and that it was not in man to release him.
At Noeburg in Germany a woman in her anger cursed her sonne, wishing that she might never see him return alive: and the same day the young man bathing himselfe in water, was drowned, so that (as she wished) it befel her.
This is the curse which goeth forth over the face of the whole world, I will bring it forth, saith the Lord, and it shall enter into the house of the thiefe, and into the house of him that sweareth falsly by my Name, and it shall remaine in the middest of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof, and with the stones thereof,
Zach. 5. 3, 4.