Persecutors Supernaturally Stricken With Fear
By W. A. S.
In the dark days of papal supremacy, opposers of God’s truth thought they were triumphing over the witnesses whom they put to the torture and the stake. But in the sacred record it is written that the victims were the victors. Of these martyrs of God it was said: “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” Rev. 12: 11. Even amid the fiery trial they knew that the living God was with them to deliver their souls from all evil and keep the confidence unshaken. And sometimes, it is evident, this presence of the Lord was so manifest even to wicked men and persecutors that they were stricken with fear. One such incident is recorded by Foxe, in his “Acts and Monuments.” Arnold Moniere, of Bourdeau, had been condemned to death for Protestant8heresy in 1556. France was seeking to sweep back the wave of reform. Another man, John de Cazes, was in Bourdeau, a believer in the Word of God. Hearing of Moniere’s fate, he determined, like Onesiphorus, Paul’s friend in Rome, to search him out and bring him the comfort of Christian fellowship. He was warned of his danger, but persevered, and immediately his visit to the condemned Protestant led to his own arrest and condemnation. The two men were drawn on hurdles to the place of burning. The persecutors had it all their own way; for there was no force of sentiment in the place to restrain persecution of Protestants. Yet the authorities were fearful. Foxe says:— Moreover, albeit there was no such cause (they being two simple poor men), yet the magistrates commanded (upon what occasion I know not) all the gates of the city to be shut, and guarded with keepers.
The martyrs earnestly exhorted the people gathered round the stake, bearing witness to the truth of God. To drown their voices, the trumpeters sounded constantly until the men were dead. Then above the noise and tumult, and amid all the display of the power of arms, the still, small voice of God was heard in guilty hearts and consciences. They had killed the witnesses, but the angels of the living God were there. The old martyrologist continues:— And further, to note the work of God that followed when these two mild and martyred saints were almost consumed in the fire to ashes, suddenly, without matter or cause, such a fear fell upon them at the execution that the justices and the people, notwithstanding that they had the gates locked for them, and were defended with all manner of weapons about them, knowing not wherefore, took them to their legs, in such haste fleeing away that they overran one another. The prior of St. Anthony’s fell down, so that a great number went over him. The judge Pontacke on his mule, with his red robe, fleeing as the others did, was overthrown with the press in the street called Potentin in such sort that he was fain to be carried to Pichon’s house, a widow, and there cried within, “Hide me; save my life; I am dead! I see even the like matter as at the last commotion! My friends! hide my mule, that no man see her nor know her.”
Briefly, such was the fear which came upon them that every man shut up his house. After the fear was past, every man asked what the matter was, but none could tell, neither could the enemies of God’s truth perceive who was He that put them so to flight and fear, without any semblance of any adversary about them.—“Acts and Monuments,” Vol. IV, page 425. Well we know that the angels of the Lord were encamped round about these servants of God who sealed their testimony with their lives. Perhaps, as a forewarning of coming judgment, the Lord gave the persecutors just a sensing of the presence of the angelic hosts that could so easily have smitten the city with instant judgment. The Syrians about Samaria once fled in terror at “the noise of a great host” that God caused them to hear. See 2 Kings 7: 6, 7. David and his men rejoiced at the sound of the marching hosts of God, which was the signal that the victory would be won. “And it shall be, when thou shalt hear a sound of going [“marching,” R. V.] in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt go out to battle: for God is gone forth before thee to smite the host of the Philistines.” 1 Chron. 14: 15. It is good to know that the forces of the living God have been abroad through all the great controversy between good and evil in the earth. And they are still with us—more for us than all that are against us. W. A. S.