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God this Morfel of Bread I am now about to eat, may choak me. As he wished, fo was theEvent; that very Morfel choaked him before he ftirred from the Place: Heaven thereby bearing Witness against him that he swore falfly, and was actually guilty of the Murder of that Prince, in order to make Way for the Advancement of his own Family to the Throne.

Yet more remarkable is the following Example, as it is handed down to us by Ecclefiaftical History: A certain Bishop of Jerufalem, named Narciffus, a Prelate famous for his exemplary Virtue and fingular Piety, having made himself many Enemies by his Boldness in ftanding up for the Truth, and fharply reproving Vice, without any Refpect of Perions, fome of them fuborned three profligate Wretches to accufe him of Incontinency. Accordingly, thefe abandoned Mifcreants did fo; and in order to gain the more Credit to their Teftimony, which obtained very little Belief, they feverally backed it with the following rafh Imprecations, If I Speak not the Truth, said the first, I pray God I may perifh by Fire. If what I fay is falfe, cried the fecond, God grant I may be destroyed by fome filthy and grievous Difeafe. And, If I accufe him wrongfully, adds the other, Heaven fend I may lofe my Sight, and become blind.

Grieved to the Soul at fuch an Afperfion, the good Bishop, though confcious of his own Innocence, nay, though it was hardly believed by any one, refigned his Bifhoprick, and lived retired, that he might not give Occafion for Scandal, and cause the Enemies of God to blafpheme. But his forfworn Accufers did not escape unpunished; that God whom they had called to witness to a Lie, having faid Amen to all their wicked Wishes. Accordingly, the House of the firft was fet on Fire, no one knew how, and both he and his Family were

burnt

burnt therein to Ashes; the fecond languished and wafted away with an uncommon and loathfome Difeafe; and the third, feeing the woful End of his Companions and Accomplices in Iniquity, being ftruck with Remorse, confessed the whole villanous Combination, thereby vindicating the worthy Prelate, and never ceafed lamenting his Crime, till by continual weeping, he had loft his Sight: Being in this more happy than his Affociates, that, having Time allowed him for Repentance, his Punishment might probably end with his Life,

The next Example we fhall cite, fhall be of a common Swearer, which is not less remarkable than the foregoing. Two young Gentlemen, being walking together in a Field, there arose on a fudden fuch a violent Tempeft, accompanied with a Whirlwind, that it ftruck a Terror into all that faw it, and every one ftrove to run as faft as he could to fhelter. But these young Men being too far from any, though they made what Hafte they poffibly could from it, were overtaken thereby; whereupon, fearing it would take them off the Ground, and dafh them again fomewhat that might end their Days, they fell flat upon their Faces; and the Whirlwind whisking round them for fome Time, paffed on, and left them.

One of them then arofe, but fo altered, and in fuch an Agony, that he could fcarce ftand, upon which fome People, who were at a little Distance, under a Hedge came to his Affiftance; and having recovered him a little, they went on to his Companion, who was ftill lying on his Face, and had ne ver ftirred. But, judge their Surprize, when they not only found him abfolutely dead, but that all his Bones were crushed in Pieces, fo that his Legs, Arms, and Thighs, might be turned with Eafe which Way they would; and what was yet more aftonishing than all the reft, his Tongue was pulled

out

by the Roors, and carried quite away, fo that it could never afterwards be found, though fought for with the utmoft Care. This unhappy young Man, upon Enquiry into his Character, was found to be an outragious Swearer, Curfer, and Blafphemer; no wonder therefore, the Tongue, which had fo grievoufly offended, fhould fhare in the Punishment.

Of a piece with this, are the two following Examples of common Swearers; the first of which is of a young Cornish Gentleman, monftrou fly addicted to this wicked Practice; who being in Company with divers others, and amongst the reft a reverend Clergyman, began to curfe and blafpheme dreadfully as they were travelling along the Road. Hereupon the Minifter mildly reproved him, telling him, he would one Day be called to anfwer for it. Enraged thereat, the Gentleman bids him take no Thought for him, but prepare for his own WindingSheet. Well, faid the Minifter, calmly, I would adwife you, however, to amend, for Death gives no Warning; and as foon comes the Lamb's Skin to the Market, as the old Sheep's. Whereupon the other, fwearing by the Wounds of God, cried, Care not thou for me; and the Minister finding him incorrigible, faid no

more.

The other, however, perfifted in his old Courfe, and grew worse and worfe, till they came to a Bridge that was laid over the Mouth of a River, juft at its Entrance into the Sea, where this fwearing Profigate, whofe Measure of Iniquity was almost full, unfortunately fpurred his Horfe forward with fuch Fury, that the mettlefome Beaft, being enraged, reared up, and leaped clear over the Side of the Bridge with his Rider, who, to increase the Terror of all that heard it, cried out as he was falling, Horfe and Man and all to the Devil. Now, what a dreadful and fhocking Inftance is here of the Divine Vengeance? What an evident and undeniable Proof

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Proof, that the Threatenings of the Lord are equally true with his Promifes, and that he certainly will not hold him guiltlefs who profanes his holy Name, by taking it in vain!

Nor is the following Example lefs fhocking, if not rather more fo, on Account of the Condition of the unhappy Wretch who was guilty thereof, which was a great Aggravation of his Sin; inafmuch as he not only grievously offended his great Creator, but feemed to fet him at open Defiance. This unfortunate and graceless Creature, who lived in Lincolnhire, ufed to make it his common Practice, to wear by God's precious Blood; and though often reproved by Acquaintance and Relations, would not take any Warning. At length, being afflicted with a grievous Sickness, fo that there were fmall Hopes of his Life, his Friends redoubled their Admontions, earneftly intreating him to confider his State, and make his Peace with Heaven, whilft it was yet Time, by. a fincere Repentance.

But all good Counfel was loft upon him, and wholly difregarded; for, fo hardened was he in this Sin, that hearing the Bell toll for him (which was a Cuftom formerly when the Perfon was dying, and not after he was dead, as is the Practice now) tho' he was in the very Pangs of Death, he ftarted up, and, to the Horror of all prefent, fwore, by the Wounds of that God, before whefe dreadful Tribunal he was just about to appear, the Bell tolled for him; but he, meaning the Almighty, should not have him yet. But, to fhew him, whom he had fet at Defiance, no fooner had he uttered this horrid Blafphemy, than Heaven ftopped his impious Mouth, and prevented his ever speaking more; for the Blood immediately iffued from his Eyes, Nofe, Mouth, Ears, Wrifts, Knees, Heels, Toes, and, in fhort, from every Part of his Body. Thus was he made a vifible Example of the Divine Juftice and Power, to the Terror of

the

the whole Country, and ended a wicked Life by miferable and terrible Death.

The three next Inftances of the dreadful Confequences of tranfgreffing the Third Commandment, are of another Nature, but we think not lefs remarkable; because the Punishment did not immediately fall upon those who were guilty of this Sin, but upon their innocent Children. The first is of a Woman, who being of a very paffionate Temper," afed frequently, in her Anger, bitterly to curse one of her Sons. One Time, above the reft, being tranfported with Rage beyond Measure, and giving Way thereto, after many other grievous Execrations, to crown the whole fhe wickedly wifhed, that all the Devils in Hell would fetch him out of her Prefence. The poor Boy, greatly terrified at fuch abominable Expreffions, in order to get out of his Mother's Way till her Fury was over, went into a little Court-yard behind the House, tho' it was Ten at Night, and very dark. But he had not been there long, before he felt himself fnatched up into the Air, and was carried away with incredible Swiftnefs, fo that no Bird could have flown fo faft He was then let fall amongst a great Number of Bushes and Briars, and drawn through the thickest of them, infomuch that, not only his Cloaths were grievously torn, but his Face and Body alfo; whereupon the poor Creature began to call out upon Heaven for Relief, which was immediately fent him; for his cruel Tormentors, who to him appeared like Men of a large Stature, and terrible Countenance, but who were indeed infernal Spirits, carrying him back through the Air, put him in at a little Window belonging to one of the Chambers of his Father's Houfe, and there left him. Accordingly, in this Room he was afterwards found by the Family, after long Search, and much Sorrow; though in a deplorable Condition, and almost distracted with Fear: Heaven havig pe mitted the evil Spirits thus far to torment

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