Concerning this avenging hand of God, which he very signally exercised upon blood-thirsty tyrants and persecutors of his people, you may also read in an epistle of Menno Simon’s, S. G. folio 133,[348] which the latter wrote in his time to Martin Mikron, and which partly related to the aforementioned Menno himself. It reads as follows:
[348] English Edition 2d part page 419.
“It is now about eighteen or nineteen years since that a very eminent and distinguished man, who was highly esteemed by the world, but whose name and country I will not mention, wickedly advised, how they should extirpate me and the pious. He had scarcely finished his words and wicked thought, when the avenging hand of the Most High touched him. He dropped at the table, and thus in a moment ended his impenitent, blood-thirsty, wicked, ungodly life in a most dreadful manner, O terrible judgment?” This happened about the year 1539.
“About the same time it happened to another man, who thought that he would so set his trap for me, that I could not escape, that he, in like manner, at the same meal he was eating, while speaking the words, was suddenly pierced by an arrow from the Lord’s quiver, being smitten with a severe disease, and thus had to give an account before the almighty, avenging God, and was buried within eight days from the time he had spoken these words.
“Still another, who was to become an officer to the Emperor in a certain place, fancied that he should exterminate this people, if there was any virtue in the imperial authority. He came to the place where he was to be located and serve in his capacity; and four or five days thereafter, the bell was tolled and the requiem sung over him.
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.