Page:Wonderful progidies (sic) of judgment and mercy.pdf/8

8 oath, to the great terror of all that beheld him; and herein did the divine juſtice remarkably appear, in that his own hand, which had written thoſe blaſphemies, was made an inſtrument to puniſh that head and brain, which had ſo wickedly deviſed them.—Beard's Theatre.

III. In the year 1527, a young Italian, eſteemed a man very brave, and valiant in arms, was to fight with another young man, who (becauſe he was melancholy, and ſpake very little) was called Forchebene; they went together with a great company to the place appointed, which was without the port of St. Gall; whither being come, a friend to the former went to him, and ſaid, God give you the victory: the proud young man adding blaſphemy to his temerity, anſwered, How ſhall he chuſe but give it to me: they came to uſe their weapons, and after many blows given and taken both by the one and other: Forchebene being come as the miniſter and inſtrument of God, gave him a ſudden thurſt in the mouth, with ſuch force, that having fastened his tongue to the pole of his neck (where the ſword went through above the length of a ſpan) he made him immediately fall down dead, the ſword remaining in his mouth, to the end that the tongue which had fo grievouſly offended, might even in this world endure puniſhment for ſo horrible a ſin.—''L. Remy's confid. c. 59.''

IV. Another of our own nation is not to be overpaſſed, who for Atheiſm may be compared to the former, and for God's ſevere judgment upon him, may give place to none: it was a gentleman in Berkſhire, whoſe name I forbear to mention; this man had a great eſtate, but was an open ſcoffer, and contemner of all religion; a profeſt Atheiſt,