that end That in the day of this last Age might be made known by me as his last Trumpet to Nations and Peoples and Tongues of the whole Earth the last Will of God By which his Divine Majesty Wills and Commands that Kings Princes Counts and all Potentates of the Eastern and the Western of the Northern and the Southern Lands do unto the Roman Pope as unto the Babylonish Whore That all Idolaters Hereticks Atheists and false Christians adhering to her perish And that to the Turks Tartars Jews and other Nations inhabiting under the Sun Light shine forth For these ungodly long since fore-ordain'd to this damnation as who turn the Grace of our god into wantonness and deny the alone Heir God and our Lord Jesus Christ Jud. v. 4. are even they who have segregated themselves from God and his Holy Law sensual not having the Spirit v. 19. All whom God destinates to destruction by the force and right of his Law and by the force of the secular Power into whose heart he hath given and in these last dayes doth give and will give to conceive hatred against the Whore and make her deserted and naked and eat her flesh but burn her her self with Fire Revellations 17. 16 17. For to save others with fear and snatch them as it were out of the flames and to hate the Cassock Cap and Hood spotted with the touching and defilement of the flesh with which the Guardians of the Whore being indued do with a ridiculous haughtiness and opinion of sanctity besot themselves and others stalking up and down shaven like fools girt with Cords like Hangmen and with naked Feet and Thighs like Whores designing to be seen of men and to be extolled with praises Wo unto them for they have gone into the way of Cain and running greedily after the error of Balaam for reward feed themselves Clouds without Water unfruitful Trees wandring Stars to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever Jude v. 11 12 13. The Wisdom of God hath also by me lamented over the Political consusions of Kings and Princes of Lords and Subjects by denouncing his Will That there be made a Renovation of good Order after the Rule of his Law in Church and State By prescribing what manner of Persons Kings ought to be and others placed in Power And what the Ministers of the Church and Pastors of Souls with their Revenues on both hands and what Schools and all Orders universally And how in every Nation under Heaven a Monument is to be erected to oblige themselves and their Posterity after them to serve the one God The Mouth of the Lord hath spoken concerning this to me and by me unto all in the year 1651. March 26. Determining the Inscription of the Pillars in these words Our God Jehovah is one God in Essence but three in Persons Whom alone we will serve for ever through all our Generations Amen therefore So be it That it may be fulfilled what was foretold Zeph. chap. 3. v. 9. That it should come to pass that a pure Language be restored to the people that they may all call upon the Name of the Lord to serve him with one shoulder And as in Rev. 15. v. 4. That all Nations come and worship before God because his judgments are manifest That all under Heaven may profess the Doctrine of Faith delivered by Moses and the Prophets Christ and his Apostles and to the Faithful their successors to these very last times of the World in which the Wisdom of God by me also cries and sounds as with a Trumpet by declaring his Will That errors of all kinds cease But the Verity of the Words and Life of the Lord Jesus to shine forth after the ruine of Mystical Babylin and the going forth of the People of God therefrom as it is written in the Revelations which who so reads let him understand being certain that no Prophesie of Scripture is of any private Interpretation For that the Prophesies came not of old time by the will of Man but holy Men of God spake and do speak as they were or are moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1. 20 21. Know therefore know all Nations and Tongues of the universal World high and low rich and poor learned and simple in whom soever the fear of God and the use of sound reason is That the Speeches written by me and often watered with tears now with sear now with joy have not been nor are my Speeches proceeding forth from my will or Wit and my Judgement which is plain and simple in me and too dull for such and so great things as these but from the mouth of God the Creator God the Redeemer and God the Sanctifier and represented unto me intelligibly and to my mind and memory as a man perceptibly To which I give and do give wholly give belief by many now and various Experiments undoubtedly made certain and secure that the Holy and Blessed Trinity will own them for theirs and in very deed and fact demonstrate their verity Not then or so when and how I or thou whosoever thou art will or will'st but then when the time and hour of the Judgement determined by the Will of his Majesty shall come Because it is necessary that that remain true once pronounced A thousand years are with the Lord as one day and one day as a thousand years I therefore every way weighing and pondering the matter I denounce to every one contradicting me in these things and condemning them for something not yet approved by the event Behold I denounce That I cite him to day and will cite to morrow and so long as I or thou be alive and in the point of mine and thy death and in the day of that last tremendous Judgement in the illustrioous coming of our Lord Jesus Christ I cite him I say into the presence of the Clarity of the most High and most True God with whom is no acceptation of persons who alone is Judge of Quick and Dead judging not according to the sight of the Eyes nor reproving according to the hearing of the Ears but judging the Poor in righteousuess and reproving for the Meek of the Earth in equity Isa 11. 4. And I cite him into the presence of Seraphims and Cherubims and the whole coelestial Hierarchy I cite him into the presence of the Patriarks Moses and the Prophets and Apostles I cite him into the presence of the boly Doctors or Teachers of the Church Cyprian Ambrose Augustine Bernard c. And of the Martyrs Wickliff Hus Jerome c. And into the presence of the holy Reformers Luther Melancthon Calvin and their Successors faithful Lights of the Church c. Full of hope and confidence towards God and the Father of the Lord Jesus that if any one of you O men whosoever he be shall condemn me the least of all the Servants of Jesus Christ with this my Work perform'd dutifully yet laboriously to his
with Farel was bannished but sued to return again which he would not except they would oblige themselves solemnly to his Form of Discipline which upon better Consideration they condescended to An. 1541. And so he returns and his Discipline becoms established The Tithes converted to the use of the State for Pensions for Ministers c. Afterwards comes Beza and not only recommends it as convenient but imposes it as necessary and of divine right therein going farther and higher then Calvin And so by these two chiefly it spreads it self over all France occasioning afterwards those grievous and lamentable Commotions and Troubles before mentioned there as it had done likewise by Luther in Germany Which are not to be attributed to Religion but the Lusts of men For whence come Wars and Fightings Amulation Strife c. are they not from your Lusts For the greater safety of their State and preservation of their Religion they joyn'd themselves in a constant and perpetual League with the Canton of Bern. An. 1528. communicating to each other the freedom of their several Cities and by that means reckon'd in some sort of Commonwealth of the Switzers from the very beginning An. 1589. The Duke of Savoy besieg'd it But they were assisted by neighbouring Princes and States c. so that he could do no good upon them Another time the Pope French King Spaniard and Savoyard had designs upon it But the Emperor then offered assistance Yea sometimes the Duke of Savoy has assisted them against others rather than they should fall into any other hands then his own An. 1602. The Duke of Savoy attempts Geneva by arms The Duke has of later years often threatned and made preparation against them but without effect The King of France never throughly enough favouring his design or else quite against it c. And so flourishes in Arts and Trade more then Religion which as almost through all France is become meerly formal for which God is at this day purging and fanning them in France or else quite rooting them out they have retain'd only the first form of Doctrine and Godliness but not the power thereof peremtorily and stifly rest in the first Reformation and would never hearken of further progress as the manner is of most Churches that settle upon their old Lees once Is it not seen even in New-England it self as well as c. from the very self same spirit that drolls in the unlucky witty Hudibras thinking strange that Reformation should be alwayes doing and never done As if Religion were intended For nothing else but to be mended From hence no doubt was it and a firm perswasion of the Divine Right of Beza's Government as if they had already attained to the perfect form that the French Synod at Carrenton made a publick decree against the Independency of Churches c. An. 1644. whereas that form only is to be imbrac'd and preferr'd which upon all emerging curcumstances conduces most to the present Power of Religion and Godliness For that is Reformation and not Form or Forms though never so pure otherwise for that very thing makes them Impure Except what is plainly manifest out of Scripture and to abide for ever But we intend a short History not Dispute c. Of the Commonwealth of Venice The terrible noise of the Huns for the Conquest of Italy and their expedition under Attila their King occasioned many Noble and Principal Families with their several retinues to betake themselves to these small Islands and inaccessible Marshes of the Adriatick Sea where they build for the time only several habitations An. 421. and finding themselves safe and impregnable began to build Towns and Cities or Corporations An. 452. Till in the end Aquileja and the neighbouring Cities being destroyed by Aquila and these Barbarians An. 456 they then fled from all parts like Exiles hither with a purpose and resolution to settle and so by the destruction of Aquileja takes such increase that it assumed the just form of a Commonwealth For whom soever the Hunnes Goths and Lombards the Nations that harass'd Italy drove from the Continent they presently betake themselves to Venice now begun to be so called from the name of their Nation as to an Haven of security They had first yearly Tribunes according to the number of Islands into which their City was divided for two hundred years then succeeded Dukes An. 697. but soon after changed into yearly Masters of the Militia which lasted but Six years and returns to Dukes again whose power at first was greater but afterwards restrained to be meerly Titular Under this form it thriv'd exceedingly and became exempted from all Jurisdiction either to the East or West Empire upon the division of Italy made by Charles the great betwixt himself the Popes and the Eastern Emperor and left wholly as a free State acknowledging no superior For Pepin King of France Father of Charles had invaded them with a puissant Army but was beat They then extend their Empire far and near by Sea and Land through Dalmatia An. 990. and become freed from all Tribute to the Constantinopolitan Emperor of the East from whom at length they obtained it and Croatia in full right Afterwards Corfu and Chius Islands And from that time called themselves Lords of all the Adriatick Sea and that right confirmed by the Pope An. 1177. for defending the Church stoutly against the Emperor And from that time marry the Sea yearly with a Ring It got its greatest increase about An. 1204. by the chief Islands of the Mediterranean Sea Candy and divers other Places And then spread it's Empire through the Continent of Italy under pretext of freeing the Cities from Tyrants and upon the distresses of their Neighbours for their assistance c. An. 1207. The Genoese a State grown powerful by Sea contend with them for Soveraignty of the Mediterranean by seven several Wars in order vanquished their fleet and brought them on their knees in so much that the Senate sent them a blank Charter and bid them write what conditions they pleased And had utterly lost all if the Enemy could have used his fortune with moderation But the Genoese Admiral grown proud of his advantage and insolent with this great success would have the City wholly at his disposal which made the City desperate and venturing last Stakes beat them pursue them Home and utterly crushed them for ever after For after many various successes and events of War on both sides they got An. 1381. the better of them absolutely made them quiet never daring afterwards to contend in War but apply themselvs wholly to Gain and Merchandize Which misfortunes were occasioned principally by their own divisions and endless factions at Home as shall be touched on afterwards Being now Lords Paramount at Sea they increase amain by Land as even now hinted through the factions and divisions of their Neighbouring States whereby one piece or other is still added either Sold or Morgaged or
went down and the Popedom up And then cozens the world with his year of Jubilee reduced to every fifth and the fine trick of Indulgences to please the people and drive a gainful trade to the Popes He gave away the Canaries also to King Lewis And fifty thousand persons had accesse to his presence in one day and dismissed again About 1352. The Emperor to gain Pope Innocent the 6 th's favour grants him in a manner all his Authority in Germany and three years after is crowned at Rome by the hand of the Popes Legate himself residing still at Avignon promising not to stay one day longer at Rome now the Pope was absent then after his Coronation About 1380. Clement the 7 th is set up anti-Pope by a company of French Cardinals against Urbane the 6 th for being against returning to Avignon The French and Spaniard side with Clement the Italians English Dutch c. with Urbane Rome is miserably plundered by Clement and his party One Popes Bulls roared against the others And all Christendom divided This schisme lasted neer fifty years An. 1404. Innocent the 7 th demands the Moyety of Ecclesiastick Revenues but is stoutly deny'd both in France and England About 1417. Upon the appearance of Wicklif Hus Jerom of Prague Savanarola c. in the world and their followers it is decreed in Council That a Council was above the Pope And 1431. The Council of Basil summon the Pope and put forth a bold Sanction called therefore the Pragmatical Sanction against him and depose him About 1464. Paul the 2 d. sells all for mony Reduces the Jubilee to every twentyfifth year to get the more to maintain Sumtuous and Pompous Habits for himself and Cardinals and Diamonds Saphirs Emeralds Jaspers Pearls and all precious Stones for his Mitre c. An. 1492. The Pope gives the East and West Indies to the Spaniard and the Portugal and divides the whole new world at least betwixt them as the first discovers and not long before gave the title of Catholick King to Spain for the conquest of the Infidel Moors in Spain An. 1503. Julius the 2 d. A Martial Pope passing over the Bridge of Tyber brandish'd his Sword and threw his Keys into the River saying That if Peters Keys would not serve his turn Pauls Sword should And yet they have done more in the world by the Keys then ever by the Sword He excommunicated the King of France who regarded it not but printed Money with this Inscription I will destroy Babylon He was in the end deposed likewise by a Council in France like as the Council of Basil had done before to one of his predecessors as was hinted An. 1512. Leo the 10 th an Atheist hug'd and bless'd himself as it were to think What great Riches that fable of Christ had got them And yet not enough for his turn and to supply his vile and enormous extravagancies Wherefore he goes about to raise summes of mony by common open and notorious sale of Indulgences and Pardons in Germany They were ous they are still By the fulness of power which he that raigns above hath given to me whom alone he hath set over all Nations and Kingdoms to pull up and pluck down to destroy c. The Devil began to rage now to see his Kingdom go down so We depose Elizabeth from the right of her Kingdoms and we absolve all her Subjects from all manner of Oaths of Allegience which they have sworn unto her He doth all he can likewise by Treasons Murthers and Poysons against her and all Princes inclinable or but favourable to the Reformation His instructions by his Legate to the Emperor was Neither Faith nor Oaths to be kept with Hereticks c. An. 1572. Gregory the 3 d. celebrated the horrible Massacre of Paris with publick Triumph at Rome and sung the Te Deum c. therefore For they had hopes to have quite rooted out the Protestants After 1580. Sixtus the 5 th excommunicates Henry the 3 d. of France for killing the Guises and making use of the Protestants on his side Commends the Murthering of him in a set speech amidst his Cardinals Blesses the Banner of Spain against England in the famous expedition in eighty eight to ill purpose For his Benediction proved a Curse Quarrelled afterwards with Spain for Naples c. About 1590. Gregory the 4 th exhausted the Treasury of the Church in the Wars of France against Henry the 4 th and the Hugonots Cursed that is Excommunicated that King for an Heretick and Apostate from the Church and sent his Nephew General to the French Wars against the Protestants An. 1592. Clement the 8 th never lets the said King to enjoy quietly his Kingdom 'till he brought him to turn Catholick again to be settled therein But yet lost his life notwithstanding by the Jesuits practises for not being good enough to them and too good to the Protestants still For because he was not turned such a zealous Papist as to be absolved from his excommunication by the Pope but that one of his own Bishops served his turn well enough therefore he must pass for a Tyrant and be stab'd And yet to absolve him after he was dead when be sure he could do no more harm nor ever turn again for turning Catholick in his life Two Embassadors must be sent to Rome to be whipt by the Pope in his stead who at the end of every verse of the eleventh Psalm gently strikes with his Rod the prostrated Suppliants He excommunicated-likewise the Duke of Ferrara and added his Dukedom to St. Peters Patrimony as a good parcel of Land And would not grant the title of King to the great Duke of Moscovy for inclining to the Greeke Church more then theirs And lastly endeavoured before hand to prevent King James succession to the Crown of England hoping to reduce it again to the Church as they had done before Queen Mary An. 1595. Leo the 11 th had this Luciferian Motto over his triumphal Pageant Worthy is the Lion his name by virtne of the Lamb to take the Book and open the Seals thereof They cannot leave their Pride and Blasphemy 'till they are quite whipt out of Gods Temple where they sit as Gods Nay yet more His successor Paul the 5 th had such inscriptions as these given him To Paul the 5 th Vice-God Most Invincible Monarch of the Christian Commonwealth and most Zealous Conservator of Papal Omnipotency And caused this Plate to be marked with this Inscription Cousecrated to the Eternity of the Burgesian Family But higher was that upon the Gates of Tolentum in Italy To Paul the third the most high and mighty God on Earth though one should have thought that the Reformation then begun in the World out of policy should have taught them more Modesty For the Devil when ill at ease a Monk would be c. Surely Lucifer that fell from Heaven asspiring to be above God as the Pope all
Law to a strange Voice that my mouth should arrogantly speak in the name of God the words of him that is not God and my hands should write my own Imaginations Let the Lord give me for a Curse and Execration in the midst of my People making my tongue to rot in my Mouth and my hand to gangrene and perish in my Body And I Behold even I to these words of God so pronounced by the Command of God say Amen! Amen! Numb 5. v. 21 22. On the contrary if my heart be clear from the wickedness which my Accuser seeks to make me guilty of let the Lord arise for the fury of mine Enemies Let the Lord judge me according to my Righteousness and according to mine integrity let him pronounce for me the just searcher of hearts and the reins And if the words which I have hitherto spoke and writ have not been my words but in truth the words of God which he has testified to be as fire Jer. 23. 29. so God cause them to be as Fire and the People adversary to God as Wood which it may consume Jer. 5. 14. But if I have hitherto kept my self clear from the crime of adulterate words of God let God cause all these Curses to be of no effect or hurt and all my labours undergone by the command of God for the Nations of the Earth to be so much the more fruitful to multiply the seed of God upon the Earth As 't is promised Numb 5. 28. Amen! Amen! Amen! The Answer of the Ministers V. D. with the Elders of the Church of Puchow and Ledna to their Superintendent viz. Comenius FIlial obedience with desire of the divine protection in such times of so sad calamities every where c. Beloved Father in Christ your Letters dated to us joyntly and signed with the subscriptions of the Reverend Fathers I. B. and N. G. and D. V. were delivered to us by the hand of our beloved Brother S. I. safely arriving here the 8 th of July Whereby understanding your pleasures Reverend Fathers we have done what you required of us according to the instruction given Of the process of which whole Action behold we inform you sincerely and with a pure conscience in such sort as the things were transacted 1. First I the Pastor of the People of Puchow presently the same day that I received yours calling together the Elders of my Church and my fellow Labourer unsealed in their presence your letters that concern'd us jointly and perceiving the contents I wrote the next day early to the Brethren of Ledna and informed them that our fellow Brother sent to us was come and had brought singular commands to us all and entreated them to come unto us which they did the same 9 th of July at evening Where I delivered into Drabricious's hands those that concerned him and invited him to lodge with me all night and the rest should understand what the business was to morrow 2. The next day after publick prayers in the Holy Congregation we entered into mine the Pastor's House Where after a general salutation of Drabricius which could not be done conveniently in the Temple I said that we had an hard business before us and therefore need again begin with Invocation of mercy from God to obtain the Grace of the Holy Spirit When Drabricius said Do you pray here I will go aside into my Chamber and perform my prayers also And so went out 3. We therefore first singing that Psalm Come Holy Ghost c. we all prostrated our selves on our knees and powred forth our Groans to the Lord in a prayer appointed for this very purpose 4. After prayer we sate together in Assembly and the Pastor of the place giving thanks that they had appeared at his desire informed them what was to be done Then the Common Epistle to all was read Next the Oath prescribed for Drabricius at the horrour of which almost all of us stood astonished and terrified And Fr. Samuel gave his Instructions to be read 5. After some deliberation had upon these things Drabricius was called and being asked by the Pastor of the place whether he would hear the Letters from the Reverend Superintendents dated to this Assembly and understand the contents He assented adding I was not ignorant for some weeks what was about to be done concerning me For the Lord shew'd it to me If I had known before I would have took you along with me to see I reply'd let that alone in its own place Let us come to the business 6. First therefore was read unto him the common Epistle Then the form of the Oath but before this was read I did admonish and beseech him that he would weigh all things seriously For therein were terrible things and the matter here in agitation concerned the Salvation of his Soul And lastly the instructions given to Sam. Jun. To all which when he thereupon answered nothing He was again asked Whether he was willing to be dealt with according to these prescripts here He answered directly Yes I will 7. Whereupon the third Question was proposed Whether therefore he did account and would have accounted all his Revelations for truly Divine And whether he did yet assert all those things to be spoken to him and written of him by the Command of the Omnipotent God Jehova who is not only Merciful but is Just also without any additions He answered I do assert so Yea and I take it upon my Soul that nothing has been added by me and that nothing has been spoken by me for any lucre sake or in favour or hatred of any person 8. Proceeding further we asked Whether he would confirm it by such an Oath as was prescribed And again we exhorted him not to act precipitantly but to deliberate yea and to take time for deliberation that we would indulge him therein He answered There 's no need of deliberation And rising up and lifting up both his hands to Heaven He thus speak I take upon my soul whatever there is contained in these Revelations written by me has not at all been devised by me nor any thing of mine own added but only those very things which the Lord the Doinator has commanded to be written And I firmly believe the Holy Blessed Trinity will own all these for his as for those which are commanded to be written by the Eternal Wisdom it self 9. Entring forth therefore unto the Table and taking the form of the Oath into his hand he pronounced in order clearly distinctly all things omitting nothing rather here and there superadding some things for more vehement asseveration sakes with so great zeal that all we present seeing and hearing these things stood astonished Some of us also trembled and wept But in the very midst of the Oath he looked forth out of the Window which was open towards Heaven crying out Do you not see friends do you not see But we asked not what he saw which in conference with
Fr. Sam. J. three days after he said he saw the Angels present with him When he was come to the last words about his Adversary there he wept having pronounced all things concerning himself with great boldness and courage 10. Having ended the Oath he sat down and laying his face upon the Table he put that Paper out of which he had recited the Oath after thrice kissing it under his face And then All of us being astonished and silent suddenly with drew himself away and sung the hundred twenty third Psalm To thee have I lift up mine eyes who dwellest in the Heavens As the eyes of servants look unto the hands of their masters so our eyes look up unto the Lord our God till he have mercy on us Lord be merciful to us Lord be merciful to us for we are exceedingly filled with shame Our soul is exceedingly laden with scoffings and reproaches and with the contempt of the proud which when we all sung together and it was ended He falling upon his knees and we with him poured forth most fervent Prayers unto God that God would deliver his Name from Reproach c. All which things to be performed after this manner all we under-written do testifie both on our Consciences and with our hands At Puchow July 16 th 1663. Paul Laurine P. T. Pastor of the Church of Puchow of the Helvet Confession Ezechiel Alfeus Paul Vetterin his advarsary Nicholas Pilsin Paul Horatschek Luke Cales of the Church of Lednick Pastor Tobias Jeffon Preacher of Gods Word Wenceslaus Godfry Bielsky de Karissow A Noble man Samuel Junius Hence therefore all should acquiesce without further a-do and leave all both him and his adversary to the divine judgement and determination Yet Vetterin his Adversary though present himself and amazed thereat seemed to give glory to God and by his hand given promised silence and subscribed the Testimony given together with the others yet not satisfied and relapsing into new thoughts has writ his dissatisfaction not only to his Adjunct Comenius but has been also more bitter and violent against Drabricius then ever for several reasons here omited And caused the new Pastor Laurin also to waver and suspect evil of him and to invocate God for judgement against Drabricius c. who at last answered in a writing called his Confession which he was commanded by God should be put as a close to the new edition of his Revelations where you have it also After these things so transacted Paul Laurine the new Pastor of the Exiles and now become a new Adversary of Drabricius a young healthful and lusty man was taken ill the Physicians said of an Hectick which in vain they laboured to cure and dyed soon after Veterinus still living c. There is added also the Judgement of two Godly English Divines with divers forcible Arguments for the divine Authority of these Revelations too long for this preface To the Objection of things not coming to pass accordingly c. Comenius amongst many other things at large replyes thus 1. That what ever is denounced of God and is not done to day may be done to morrow as with Nineveh c. 2. That which is not fulfilled acording to the Letter in our sence is fulfilled according to the Spirit in Gods sense and meaning as of the eternal Kingdom fothwith of the Messiah the Son of David 3. What is not done the condition being altered was yet to be done the condition not altered As Nineveh if it had persisted without Repentance c. see Jer. 18. 6 0. Add hereto that 't is certain the divine Prophecies were neither heretofore fulfilled in the letter nor are at this day Whence so many wild ravings of phrenzy as it were of the Jews about the letter c. That Prophetick predictions are conditional That there is possibility of fulfilling most still That where there is not such a possibility it may be then thought that the Prophet has ventured to add something of his own according to his own sense and apprehensions For Prophets are subject to Error Passions Affections c. which the spirit of Prophecy does not always take away And that in such a case the precious is to be separated from the vile as God commands Jer. 15. 19. That all Prophecy is a Riddle and obscure And therein God is a God that hideth himself Isaiah 45. 15. c. with many other things more at large From all things therefore thus objected we are to leave the Judgement and Execution to God who in due time will manifest the truth or the falsehood hereof c. Besides Comenius some years before namely in 1658. finding all things go contrary rather to his Prophecyes wrote severely to him and with great rebukes c. who thus replyed lamenting I received yours full of Zeal full of Lamentations full of Interrogations to which you require me a worm contemn'd of men condemned half put to death to answer Which after I had read over and weighed I had resolved to answer with silence to commend the matter to God the searcher of hearts yet crying aloud Come expostulate with me But the Lord suffer'd me not to hold my peace c. But as for me I must say with Jeremy Wo unto me my Mother that thou borest me whom all do curse I besprinkle these with tears with Jeremy saying In truth the Lord hath commanded me to write these things Yet behold the word of the Lord is made unto me for a reproach c. Is it not the voice of God which saith The Lord doth not any thing unless he revealeth his secret to his Servants And by Joel he promises that it should come to pass in the last times That their young men should see Visions and their old men dream dreams And why as yet ye illuminated men I beseech you do you expect the last times But because the Lord hath said unto me also Jan. 14. 1651. a man of polluted lips That I should be his last Trumphet Behold I behold with full confidence and assurance in the sight of God Angels and men do boldly speak that they are the words of God which I have wrote And except it were so I know that though I deceived men yet I could not deceive God nor my own conscience but should undoubtedly procure confusion and destruction to my self But behold as I live or dye that I have written what I have heard from the Mouth of God let men take it as they please To God be praise that now the world shall no longer be ignorant of those things which the Lord would have denounced and declared by me unto it Let who so will dispute against those things but not against me For the Lord hath said unto me his worm Thou art not of thus much to defend thy self much less me my words I will defend my self when I shall fulfil my words The Sons of men understand not the hight of my Councels as
Name of the living God tell me She I live you see And goes on to wash again Comenius again For Gods sake what is the matter may we believe our own Eyes She I live And your hand and foot whole and perfect Perfectly said she But what has been done She I was now with my Lord but am commanded to return to injoy his goodness in the Land of the Living Ask no more now to morrow I will note down the whole business So they sat down to supper and she with them very chearful and well But eat nothing Many Friends and Neighbours came in c. Afterwards she sung Psalms c. and next day wrote down all for a close of her Revelations which you have afterwards Of the whole Comenius sayes this is certain that it seemed a true and real death in our eyes and that she could not in a moment be restored to life health and full strength without the special and immediate Power of God intervening All other Divines also after various and different apprehensions of the thing yet were all at length inclined to think it a true Miracle c. And not long after there was a strict and solemn examination of her Visions and all these things in an Assembly of Divines where they could not consent to give their Judgment absolutly But only decreed silence to avoid all offence and scandal to the Church till God and time should discover further c. Also some years after another assembly met when events seemed not answerable to predictions where yet they could not condemn the thing but commit it yet unto God She lived after this fifteen years married twelve had two Sons and three Daughters one Son and one Daughter yet alive The brief Series of the remarkable Vicissitudes of her life added to her Funeral Sermon was this Christina Poniatovia was born of Noble Parents at Lescina in Prussia An. 1610. And with the same Parents suffering Persecution in their Country for the Gospel came into Bohemia An. 1615. Whence being again driven away with them by the storm of Persecutions and going into Moravia she was commited to some Noble Matrons to be bred up in Services and the exercises of virtue and at length the last time removed with others into Banishment She lost her Mother An. 1626. her Father 1628. She began to be admitted to that extraordary and miraculous work of God An. 1627. which ceased in the recalling of her dead in the Eyes of men into life An. 1626. at Lesna in Poland where three years after by the will of God and her Tutors she was married c. She underwent several examinations first of her Father a solid Divine and most violent opposer of Neoterick Revelations who endeavoured both by Letters dehortations obtestations and severe threatnings to stop her till by all her answers and his own Eyes he apprehended the error to be in himself and gave glory to God The next was of Divines Politicians Physitians inquiring most curiously into all things but could find nothing but the Finger of God c. Then by the Pastors and Elders of the Church at the hour of her death as before And the worst of all was of the Devil both at the beginning and afterwards several times undergoing horrible temptations c. Besides all the Divine Tryals and Testimonies c. Very remarkable also was the Devils Mock-Games that he played about this time by raising other false extasies in some Whereof Comenius mentions two First of a Virgin undergoing Extasies in a Village which Christina's Father passed through with a throng of people about her An. 1628. Speaking wonderful things in her Fits foretelling Persecutions of the Church exhorting to repentance and perswading to constancy in the Faith c. Hereby it was thought that God had raised up others in like manner to confirm the same things But after strict inquiry all appeared to be nothing but a few frivolous Dreams of one sick or at least slight Mockings of Satan But more cunningly the Devil plaid his part at Geneva the same year whereby the Learned there were for a time prejudiced against these Revelations when as before both Diodat Vedelius and others by letters approved them But the Devil at last smelt of Hell and the truth of these thereby more appeared The story in short this The Son of a Senator twelve years old was seized with a Disease by and by began to speak unusual things at length asserts that he was that very Spirit which had shewn Lions Men and other wonderful Visions that should certainly come to pass to Christina a Virgin of Poland c. which things at first though they seemed to hang together well enough and further confirmed the Divines so that they wrote letters thereof Yet when by degrees he at length swarved unto frivolous matters and at last things manifestly absurd in the presence of two Divines one of them said I see the finger of Satan c. Which mockages continuing for some dayes made all suspected So that after solemn prayers and fasting of the Senate Pastors and the Church during which the unclean Juglar began strange postures and to be troublesome c. amongst other things saying They will not beleive that I am a good Angel sent of God But I will prove it by a Miracle And snatching some way or other a Knife thrust it into his Breast and drew it out again unhurt and fell upon the ground crying Behold a Miracle At last the unclean spirit seeing he must be gone out wreath divers wayes the youths body belching out of his mouth Blasphemous and obscene words till he was forced to give place to the prayers of the Church and the Power of God But the youth was conscious of nothing c. More cunning yet was that to invalidate Drabricius's Visions of a Souldier in 1659. who falling sick got leave to return home and languishing away seemed to dye and was ready to be buried but when the Neighbors came to his burial they felt his Breast to be something warm and defer'd it till the Morrow and then the next day for eight dayes no other sign of life appearing But he the Night before Burtal rises up declares that he had special Commands to Prince Ragotzi under whom he had served requires admission into his Castle two miles off Is admitted the Chancellor and Master of the Hall and others present relates his Commands from God That the Prince take Arms Couragiously against the Turk that God would raise up the Emperor of Mosco to help him who should come and besiege Constantinople with an huge Army At the same time that the Prince go against Buda the Metropolis of Hungary at Whitsontide to take it Rehearsing these things on his bended knees he arose praysing God that he had granted him to fulfil his Commands These things could not but seem contrary to Drabricius's The Prince it should seem believed him for he acted according to these things
false prophets and fainers of dreams may be put to death and iniquity be taken away from the midst of the people Deut. 13. And because the Eclesiasticks are ordinarily inclined to slay the Prophets behold we solemnly appeal from all Universities and Consistories to your tribunal O Kings and secular Powers Like Jeremiah from the Priests to the Princes and to the King himself and Paul the Apostle from the Council of the Priests to the Political Judges Felix Festus Agrippa and lastly to Caesar himself We beseech you undertake 1st the Patronage of this Book Permitting none to rage against it till plenary examination and delusion of the cause For what have these papers offended in receiving these Lamentations Mournings and Woes especially denouncing no sad things to the people of God But to Sodom Egypt Babylon the World Hell and the Devils afflicting the people of God Nor perswade any Nation or any Man any Rebellion against their Kings but all Loyalty that all things may return from all manner of confusions into all manner of order and peace Lastly because This Book is one of them by which God Convocates the Kings of the Earth from the four Corners of the World to reverence him it is your part therefore O Kings not to hinder but promote this Trumpet of God if you would be Ministers of his Kingdom Next The publishers themselves of this Book commend themselves to your Patronage O Gods Protectors of the Earth That you permit no unjust violence against them As the Princes and the King himself did not against Jeremiah and Baruch nor the Tribune of the Band and Felix Governor of Judea against Paul For it would be most unjust by force to act any thing against him who appealing to Justice sets himself before the Judgement As the Jewish Priests with their flatterers did against the Lord himself and against Paul c. 3. We commend to you O Powers of the Earth the very cause it self pleaded in these Books to be throughly examined for in the name of one more powerful these Oracles do come fulminating your People your Priests and your Selves with your Princes and citing all the inhabitants of the Modern World to a certain supreme invisible yet terrible Tribunal For if the words which these Books denounce be truly the words of God it is more Glorious then any thing yet in the Church since the Apostles time If Satanical Impostures they are more terrible and fearful ones then ever any have yet been If figments of humane craft nothing like hath ever yet come forth in any Nation by any humane wit But whether this or that or the other It is a matter most worthy of the care of Kings that at length what it is may appear whereunto serious Judgement is needful not neglect not contempt not fury Hasten O Kings to know and examine what matter of things these are before all the Plagues here denounced be powred forth upon your Kingdoms Deliver these things to wise men and fearing God and of publick spirits seriously to be weighed If you hear humane counsels why not also these which many wayes may appear to come by men indeed yet not from men If any one say Dare you broach and vend these things for Prophesies undoutedly Divine I will answer with Philip to Nathaniel Come and see For the offices and marks of true Prophets are here to declare to the people of God fallen into abominations their sins To denounce wrath and punishment to the impenitent and again Mercy and Grace to the penitent this and not another thing for the main scope and end you shall see is done here Only be sure to see that you make your selves certain which you may from the adjoyned history 1st That there have been really and indeed persons in this our Age who have written these things greater then any human wit 2ly And that they were simple Idiots not able to fain such things Act. 4. 13. 3ly And Godly fearing God not willing to deceive 4ly Incompassed with a cloud of Witnesses that there could be no place for Impostures 5ly Lastly that many Godly and solid Divines not in one Nation only do give testimony that greater wisedom shines forth in these things then that they can be attributed to men and that the whole work is more sanctions and holy then that it can be attributed to Satan Yet lest we may seem to obtrude any private Authority on the Publick we earnestly intreat a publick and solemn examination of these things under your Auspicions beginnings O Kings And that as soon as may be while witnesses are alive who can give it on their Faith that they have seen the fingers writing viz. Things flowing forth or droping from the pen of the Seers not what they themselves would but what by themselves for the most part not understood some certain invisible dictatour instilled into them which also their own hand writing viz. The originals themselves kept in a certain place further testifie The last thing we desire of you O most serene Princes is that if these be Counsels divine you would seriously purpose and resolve to obey and execute the divine Will saying All that the Lord hath said we will do Why may not these things be thus recommended c. seeing no man brings them forth of his own daring but they are offered in the name of God who is the God of all and takes care of all It is the Law of Arms and custom of the Nations that Trumpeters pass freely amongst the most deadly enemies even ready to give Battel bringing the command of their Principals Why may not he therefore be safe between the safeguards of your Majesty O Christian Kings who is your Interpreter from the King of Kings But they who would perswade you that this Book is hurtful stirring up to War and Arms betray their folly malice and impiety Because it does not make but after the manner of all the Prophets forewarn denounce and threaten Wars and Desolations without Repentence and Amendment And because none has ever drawn his Sword for the sake of this Book when yet all people draw their Swords one against another who is so blind yet and besotted as not to see his Arm stretched forth out of whose mouth are denounced these things beforehand Was Rome unwise in permitting it to be cry'd through all the City Hannibal s before the Gates Cease Mortals to be mad and quite out of your wits The voice of God and Angels forewarning you from destruction sound even in these Books The World is full of the Judgements of God The present commotion of the World and so many unlooked for Mutations do not signifie nothing Lest therefore the Christian people be still so grosly ignorant as they are of the terrible Judgements of God now in the world viz. of their Causes Manner End and Issue do ye who preside over the people in the place of God command that among other helps ministred from
Saint John which hath distracted so many Commentators differing among themselves Therefore this Book is a new Commentary upon the old Revelations of St. John not a Humane but Divine The former Edition was exposed to light with doubting and trembling and for censure only This freely and confidently not now so much to judge whether these things be Divine as to execute them as Divine for warning to the World Now therefore we lift up our voice as a Trumpet That they may hear who had not heard and they may believe who had not believ'd and may see with their eyes and handle with their hands who had not as yet foresaw by Faith That God is in the midst of humane affairs and does sometimes speak to men doing nothing but he reveals his secrets to his servants the Prophets There is need now of no vails no secret muttering Now all must needs hear both far and near even to the utmost ends of the Earth Be admonished therefore O all ye into whose hands this Book shall come that ye do not read it without St. John's Revelations and without divers reflexion to those things which are now a doing in the World And then the very blind cannot but see that it is God that here speaks not man And that it is God who stirs up the Nations of the World one against another not this or that man predicting such things or not one another themselves And that it is God who comes to chastize the Christians in his Indignation not the Turks and the Tartars And lastly that God himself is about to reform his Church not the King of France or any other Cry unto God O Christian People Shew pitty O God! Prevent blindness prevent stupidity We are thy People Permit not that all Visions be unto us as a sealed Book which cannot be read Do as thou hast promised that the day is coming in which the Deaf shall hear the Word of the Book and the eyes of the Blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness In thy Light beholding light And whosoever thou art that readest these things say with blind Bartimeus Lord that I may see Take this Book into your hands O Christians of all parties and know that these things here offered are like to those Ancient ones the burden of Babylon the burden of Moab the burden of Damascus the burden of Egypt Whoever art wise despise not to be forewarned and lay aside vain wrath against these things If these threatnings came from man they might be contemned or the Plot counterplotted But if from the terrible God who cannot be resisted take heed But whether it be himself that speaks here he will undoubtedly know whoever reading all these things together with the premised Informations and the conjoyned History thereof attentively with the fear of God and comparing all things with the events to which they dispose themselves shall purpose not to strive with the Fates and the President of the Fates If any one be resolved the contrary namely to think Antient and new Prophecies an antiquated thing no longer to be heeded and the World now to be governed either by Fortune or Chance or humane Counsels only let him go on to stop his ears shut his eyes and harden his heart past all remedy And lastly he gives a large sober and judicious Apology for the whole Book and Publication Let them favourably hear me All who fear God As for me if for fear of men I do not what God and Conscience command I expose my self to his wrath into whose hands it is intolerable to fall If new hatreds calumnies persecutions attend me for this new Edition let the will of God be done I commit my self into his hands either to protect me or to deliver me up into their hands who seek my soul I am full of dayes beyond Davids age of man and full of the miseries of life so that it is pleasure to say It suffices Lord take away my soul Away let us not be wise above God! And While he commands to speak let us speak whether any one will hear us or not Wo unto the soul if seeing the sword for fear of men he blow not the Trumpet I come unto thee O Queen of Churches the Roman do not I beseech ye suspect this Trumpet of God through any private grudge towards you to sound as it were a charge either to stir up peoples hatred towards you or warrs against you for it does not sound to war but a retreat Men Catholicks and all that fear God hear Let any one of you reade this Prophetick Volumn a thousand times he shall find it hath no other scope than what hath in past Ages been expressed by the mouth of David and all the holy Prophets namely that God will not alwayes endure our Babylonish confusions and mutual Cain-like hatreds and slaughters but sometime totally make an end thereof in the last dayes c. Isa 2. Mich. 4. Zech. 9. and a thousand other places aswell in the antient Prophets and Apocalyptical writings of the Apostles as in these revealed in our ages I protest therefore before God and his Angels and Heaven and Earth that this Book is not published with an intent to injure any one and that it is not to be taken for a scandalous Libel but an Historical Book and Monitory to all Christians without difference That all may desist from mutual hatreds persecutions slaughters butcherings c. They are not dehortations Humane but of God himself immoveably founded in the antient Oracles reiterated only upon new occasions The sum of which is that all things must be reformed among Christians or all must perish Mother of the Churches throughout the West Why dost thou rage so against thy Sons admonishing and exhorting thee to repentance and amendment When this Book was quite ready and nothing of this Apology thought on some Friends yet solliciting its suppression my Conscience did then dictate that it was better to obey God rather then Men and I cryed unto the Lord But he taught me to take unto me this Buckler and to lay open my heart before the eyes of Men as it is known in the sight of the Heart-knower But I now ceasing here to speak unto you O Christian People Invocate thee who art God for witness that I have done what thou hast commanded and nothing else Nor for any other end then that thy last Will might become known to them to whom thou hast commanded it should Nor have prefaced these things on any other hopes then that men rational Creatures might learn to discern and judge of things Perform O God! what thou hast promised Shew that thou hast spoken these things and we compelled to write And if any one would hurt us be thou a Wall of Fire unto us as thou wast to Eliah as Dabricius speaks Rev. 416. Give into the Hearts of Kings to do what thou hast commanded by giving these things to Arbitrators to weigh
person beheld lately again appeared unto him and repeating the same words disappeared That the next day following after Prayers in the Temple and Sermon heard returning into the Suburbs the self same person returned accompanying him and reiterating what he had before said vanished That after this going to Langenovia he remained a whole week with his Mother lame of his feet and molested with many disquietments of mind But that when after he was returning back again to his business to the City that person met him in his Fathers Field recalling those former things to his memory That thence betaking himself homewards and lodging at Sagan as he went to Church in the morning the same Man met him again in the street in the same feature yet not in mourning habit now but of a Jacynth colour That he therefore after Sermon went to the chief Pastor of the Church M. Meisner and related the Matter as it had hapned and desired advice Who gave him this That continuing fervent prayers to God he would for a little while longer suppress this thing in silence and as much as he could shake those things out of his mind mindful of that They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them Yet adding that he would not be wanting to his duty to exhort men to Repentance and that that Vision if it came from God as Author would return again That Christopher therefore obtaining this answer went away and going his way home makes his Kinsman whom he had turn'd a little out of the way in his Journey to see and when at home his Wife also conscious to the whole matter Being yet admonished on all hands to hold his peace lest the fame thereof being carried to the Magistrates or the Ministers he might run some danger And from that time that he never made any one acquainted with it yet perpetually disquieted in his own Conscience till on the 14 th of April 1619. The same person cloathed in Jacynth habit appeared unto him again At which sight he was now not only not afrighted but filled through and through with a certain intimate and unwonted joy But being asked after first saluting of him whether he had taken care of the things he had commanded him and when not knowing what to answer he stood mute That that man with eyes lifted up to Heaven said Not unto us not unto us O Lord but unto thy Name give Glory And turning to Christopher said on But why did you neglect to perform that Or has not thy God deserved a greater thing than this at thy hands Who hath Created Redeemed Sanctified and Regenerated thee to the hope of eternal Life Behold thy God hath delivered up his Son to death for thy sake and dost thou refuse to lend him thy Tongue and to yeeld thy self an Instrument of his Work I declare plainly unto thee except thou shalt do this thing that thou shalt not have quiet in thine heart Nor this only but thy Name also shall be blotted out of the Book of Life Why dost thou fear men that are lighter then the Leaves of the Trees making a noise Who indeed shall pass this three-fold Judgment and Censure upon these things Some shall threaten thee others shall wonder most shall slight But thou take heed thou regard none of these things Then the Spirit began to inform him That the face of the present times was partly joyful partly sorrowful Joyful for that they were times of Grace in which the Light of the Divine Word hath shined in such clear brightness unto men sorrowful for that men would not see this Light but keept their hearts darkned with Errors and infidelity That these things were more at large explained by the Spirit but that all things were not retained in his memory At length that the Spirit said Unless men shall go about seriously and in good earnest to amend themselves That God was about to punish them grievously with Sword Famine and Pestilence And reaching forth his right hand to Christopher warned him further to put off all fear That no hurt should besal him and lastly added thereto I will hasten my Word to accomplish it And that these things said he disappeared But that he was left there alone amazed at first then casting his eyes round about on all parts he saw on one side a white company of them that sung and tryumphed but on the other a black company of them that wailed and howled and that being astonished with the Vision he returned home In the Year 1620. August 1. As he was again going to Gorlitz the same Person that had so often before appeared now also unto him while he bent his course from Newhammer to Schonberg at nine a clock in the Morning inquiring of him Whether he had dispatched his Commands I have said he but got nothing but mocks for my pains He went on admonishing That without regarding those things he would boldly do the business For that he had more things to make known unto him not onely concerning men of inferior rank but the King of Bohemia himself c. November 25. After several wonderful Visions Then the Spirit crying unto him by name injoyn'd him to relate all those things he had seen c. to the Senate Commanding him also to take a Journey to the King with other Messages c. All which things accordingly Christopher rehearsed on the 30 th of November in open Court at Sprottavia the whole Council of the Senate the Kings Judge and the Pastors of the Church present December the first Being delivered by the Magistrates to the Pastors of Sprottavia he suffered a severe examination That as he would be safe of his Salvation he would plainly declare whence he had these things or whether or no he did not feign them or being feign'd by some one else he did not spread them in the name of Visions They inculcated to him That he would consider well how great things they were he undertook what an horrible crime he would incur if there were deceit under-hand To how great danger he exposed his Conscience how he would stir up the Wrath of God and men against him and involve Wife Children and many others with himself into great mischief He having heard all things with a chearful mind and nothing afraid Answered That he took upon him all the Curses And wisht all those things might happen if he ever spake any thing besides those which he saw and heard and received in command That no such things ever hapned to him so much as in a dream much less was feigned by himself a man ignorant of all things Nor that any of those things were received or heard from any man But that all those things were so represented to him by Visions But whether the Spirit was a good or evil one he could not discern and therefore asked counsel and information whether any thing here was contrary to the express Word of God or no But yet
that himself judged him a good Spirit December the 5th Commanded by the Spirit he went to Breslaw to the King And on the 10th being by means of the Lord Wilpret Governor of the Kings Treasury through the Dukedom of Glocovia admitted unto Audience of the King viz. Frederick in the presence of three Princes he declared all those things which were commanded him c. In the Year 1621. On the 9 th of January going to Sagan a little Youth as it were of six or seven years old appeared unto him yet not in that form of countenance nor the same sound of voice as the former Spirit had and wearing a three coloured habit White Skie and Flame-colour This Spirit he conjured by the living God who he was And on bended knees adored Jesus the Son of God That seeing he was that Saviour who hath bruised the head of the Serpent and came into the World to destroy the works of the Devil that through his Mercy and Merit he would vouchsafe him this Grace That if this Vision was any Spectre or Ghost or any Inchantment of Satan that he might be delivered from it That he would grant him to know it and would make his Conscience quiet Having poured out this Prayer unto Christ on a sudden he felt in his heart so great solace and joy that he could not express in words But the Youth calling him by name spake to him in these words I do not draw thee away from God but draw thee unto God as hath been before signified unto thee And in the first place I shew unto thee Christ and his Merit in which alone only consists Salvation Remember therefore Christ crucified But that thou desirest to be made more certain who I am Know that I am sent from God one of the seven Angels standing before the Face of God c. March 20. He went a Journey accompanied with a Friend but his Angel appearing unto him led him out of his way into the Field and asked him If he had done his Errand to the King Who said He had but few gave heed That he did expose himself to laughter The Angel comforts him That he would not regard though none at all believed And as the Prophet Elisha answered the unbelieving Captain of Samaria Thou shalt see but shalt not injoy So it shall be with them that will not believe They shall see but receive no benefit c. And after several Visions and Discourses the Angel also informed him what he should answer Mockers If any one say unto thee How darest thou utter such things too high for thee nor ever likely to come to pass Answer thou Our Conversation is in Heaven from whence we expect our Saviour Jesus Christ They will say How thou a mortal man art not afraid to speak of Heavenly Things Say thou I am indeed mortal but I believe Christ will reform this mortal body and fashion it like his glorious Body They will urge That thy Predictions are against reason Thou shalt answer That God hath made all things subject to himself nor is his hand shortned that he cannot save nor is any thing at length impossible to him Then the Angel inlarged this Discourse with an excellent Passion Sermon c. Innumerable Instances of this kind might be collected out of his Prophesies but these may suffice onely one thing must not be omitted to be left to the prudent Readers consideration And it is this In one of his Prophesies the Burning of a great City is given as a Character of the time for fulfilling of these things The words run thus But what the great Lion said he was forbidden to reveal For it was said unto him Let that day pass away first wherein a certain great City shall be burnt down with the flame of Fire For then shall be fulfilled what the Lion hath spoken These words seal thou up but i' th mean while keep them to thy self The Speech or Sermon of the great Lion was uttered twice first in a Lions secondly in a Humane shape in the year 1623. And which he was commanded to seal up 'till when he was delivered out of Prison in the year 1628. and then he had liberty to declare it c. Note The Burning of a great City is given as a Character and Mark of the accomplishment of these things Which the Northern Deluge which presently followed pouring it self over all Germany made us understand of the famour City of Magdeburg In the Year one thousand six hundred thirty one But because there was then a return back of things and a greater City afterwards more terribly laid waste namely Constantinople wherein in the year 1660. July 24 25 26. above 70000 Houses were consumed the eighth part of the City and that the worser scarce remaining It is to be considered Whether this Character do not square to this rather Certainly weighing well the words of the great Lion in the Prophesies and considering the course of Modern Affairs it will appear that things are greatly changed by the approach of the Oriental Locusts For presently in the Year following 1661. the Turks possessed Waradin the Key of Hungary and Poland and thence marching onward subdued Transylvania Walachia and Moldavia now knocking at the Gates of Hungary and what hereafter may be done God knows These Divine Predictions deservedly teach us not to sleep certainly but to attend to the Judgments of God Comenius Annotat. But what and if the Great London the most considerable City in the World for the Protestant Interest and the most envyed by the Papistical and whose Burning was so remarkable and in the most Ominous Year too in all the Worlds account 1666. and not without suspicion of their finger in the Fire and which by most serious Christians is judged a notorious Omen to the great City Babylon the Mother of Harlots to be burnt with Fire should be here meant Certainly it deserves some consideration at least and not to be wholly slighted and passed over not so much as taking the least notice thereof at all An Account of Christina's raising from the Dead as it were and return to Life writ with her own hand and sealed up on the Monday following that being on the Saturday and which she annexed for a close to her Revelations IN the year 1627. December 30. when being afflicted with an heavy disease I wished for death it was said unto me from the Lord That yet was not the time but that I should remain in this Mortality till the Term come which he himself had put But when I besought that that Term also might be shewn unto me to prepare my self so much the more vigilently for death He answered There shall be yet a year added to thy life in which I will use thee for my works He added But dost thou not desire to supervive when Jehovah shall put on strength and his glorious Majesty And when he shall destroy his Enemies And when the mighty shall be
scattered by him and so those things come to pass which have been foretold thee I answered thereunto Lord thou knowest that thy Eternal Delights are sweeter to me then all those things which thou revealest unto me But he rebuked my impatience dehorting me from weariness so he went away from me Now all the following year 1628 He made no mention of my life or death except in the last Vision Moreover that I was to undergoe also one disease Then in 1629. January the 9 th It was declared unto me by an Angel that I should be visited from the Lord in a Dream with a Disease by name the Apoplexy which also came the same day in the evening I therefore because the year was now gone the Visions had now ceased believed that the very time was now approaching which the Lord had spoke concerning And that I should not now escape this Disease I therefore prepared my self in mind and conscience and my desire was to be dissolved and to be with Christ Which hope certain antecedent signs also did strengthen As were certain knocking 's or beatings under my Bed and under the next Table four several evenings many that visited me being present and hearing so iterated that each day the number was less by one stroak At length on the 26 th of January it sounded one and afterwards five which having heard I believed as also the rest That one only day of my life was now remaining and an end to be to morrow evening at five a clock Therefore watching all that night and praying and meditating on eternal life and this blessed departure I decreed to pass hence But hearing by night a certain voice as it were of a man three times Come come come Unusual Joy being shed abroad through my Soul I slept a little But Saturday morning at break of day when more vehement pains oppressed me I could not but interpret that Voice to have been a Divine Call I bad farewel therefore to my beloved Friends visiting me all that day And I was alwayes worse and worse till evening approaching my Sight Hearing Memory Speech and at length my Spirit failed me And I felt my self to go forth with my Spirit and to be carried into Heaven where surrounded with a great shining I saw an huge company cloathed in White And the Lord stepping forth took me in his imbrace saying The Lord hath done whatsoever he would in Heaven and in Earth For the Majesty of his Power is exalted and there is no counsel of his Will nor does it admit any For who hath known the mind of the Lord and who hath been his Counsellor Return therefore unto the place from whence thou art come forth and the breath of the most High shall vivify thee Arise walk farewel to thy Disease and behold the goodness of Jehovah in the Land of the Living exulting in his virtue For the dead shall not praise Jehovah nor admire his Works when they go down into the place of Silence but the living the living shall bless thee from this time and for ever God Jehovah dwells on high and hath exalted his Right Hand over all Nations And does wonderful things as it pleases him at all times He is the God of the living who also draws forth out of death and who gives life even for ever Therefore sadded with these things I begged that he would signifie unto me How many the dayes of my life should be But he said Thy times are in the hand of the Lord. He has measured thy years and hid thy term from thee Live therefore and injoy the goodness of God upon the Earth amongst his Saints But sanctifie thy years to God thy Creator and live righteously But thy reward and thy portion shall not wither away nor perish but thou shalt find it and shalt rejoyce concerning it and in it unto eternity That also which the most High does with thee accept gratefully and go not contrary to thy Creator by thy impatience Go thy wayes now and return for it is Jehovah who doth good to thee and hath a care of thee Therefore offer unto him the sacrifice of praise and render thy Vows to the most High giving thanks also unto him that he works the Work of Salvation in thee and will still work even until he shall blessedly finish it unto the praise of his Grace but unto thy Honour I wish use thee no more unto my works neither will I come unto thee Now therefore glorifie God in thy Body and Spirit which he hath given thee Acquiesce now in Heart and Conscience and give honour to God who doth all these things to the praise of his glorious Grace My Peace be with thee After he had said these things I falling down worshipped him And together also returned into life Sad indeed yet restored that very moment to full vigor and health and strength To this great God be Honour Praise and Empire unto Ages of Ages for ever Amen Come we next to Drabricius's Dedication of all to Christ which he was commanded to prefix before his Prophesies together with his last Protestation and Prayer c. To the most Serene most Invincible King of Kings and Lord of Lords JESUS CHRIST the Eternal and only begotten Son of God and the Virgin Mary who is the Alpha and Omega the first Born from the Dead whose Name is Wonderful Counsellor the Mighty God the Everlasting Father who hath loved us and given us good hope through Grace To whom only is due all Kingdom Power and Empire unto all everlasting Ages Amen! Hallelujah ALL Nations of the Earth hear All Inhabitants of the World attend Small and Great Rich and Poor I Nicholas Drabricius by Countrey a Strasnian by Nation a Moravian by the destinate Counsel of God chosen and called to the Ministry of the Church of God and to Preach the Gospel of Christ and lawfully ordained in the year 1616. But then afterwards in the year 1628 with many other Godly Persons keeping Faith to God to Conscience and to the Church driven into Exile by Ferdinand the 2 d Roman Emperor for the Verity of the same Gospel and for the Testimony of Jesus Christ So that leaving my Countrey and the Inheritance of my Parents and plundred moreover by the Spanish Souldery onely my Wife and Children escaping and wandring in exile unto the Land of Hungary in the territories of the most Illustrious Lord the Lord George Ragotzi Prince of Transylvania the first of this Name I took up my Seat under the Castle of the Town Ledvitz And there with many other Families of pious fellow-exiles amidst extream miseries and sorrows of poverty yet humbly and patiently I served my Christ for fifteen years But here in the year I say 1643. Jan. 23. it pleased God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ by virtue of the Holy Spirit of God according to the chosen good-pleasure of his Counsel to admit me his little Worm so far and to
the Bowe 's of the Mercy of God That they take heed to themselves thereof as being guileful false drawing their Rise from Satan the Father of Lyes of which Father of Lyes Christ saith That he came and took the words of God out of the hearts of men lest they should believe and be saved Luke 8. 12. But let all know that the Lord is my God who vouchsafeth to speak to me unworthy and that I and my Adjunct who in my stead declares the Words of God in the Latin Tongue to the Nations of the Earth and lastly the Promoters of the Work added unto us from Heaven seek no other things God lives and our Soul lives in God than the Honour and Glory of God first The Honour I say of the Omniscience and Veracity of God who as he hath promised the Beast being cast down and the Babylonish VVhore burnt and Satan bound to renew to himself his Church on the face of the whole Earth So he is about to do it now in our days That all the Kingdoms of the VVorld may become our Lords and his Christs Rev. 11. 15. and Chap. 17 18 19 20. Next we sought also by the Command and Charge of the Lord our God our Neighbours good both of Christians especially before others and also of the yet Infidels Turks and whatsoever Pagans that they may be converted from Idols and other Abominations to the Living God and his holy and pure Worship Of which things what the Wisdom of God in the year 1653. Nov. 8. spake to me may be read in these Revelations For all these are destitute of the true and saving Faith of God given to the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles and other Saints Instead of the Law of God the Turks having their Alcoran the Jews their Talmud but many Christians the Pope and other Leaders of Errors Thirdly We sought also with a dutiful faithful and simple and sincere mind to execute the Commands of God without all respect to men by testifying to all whether it please all or displease some and whether they will hear or forbear believe or not believe That God never will'd nor yet wills the Death of a Sinner but that all converted from Impiety Errors and Iniquities do Judgement and Justice Giving to Caesar the things that are Caesars and to God the things that are Gods Therefore the Wisdom of God Commanded me to speak unto the House of Austria with her Supporters the Spaniard and Pope Him as a broken Reed This as a Fire-brand burnt and to others That the Lord of Heaven and Earth was about to do unto the House of Austria as he did unto the House of Ahab and to his Counsellors and Prophets as Elias did unto the Baalites whom in the sight of all the People he slew with the Sword As it was said unto me in the year 1644. April 12. Therefore I Nicholas Drabricius a Witness of the Veracity of God a Witness I say unto my Self and unto others the Godly that the Lord does not any thing but he reveals his Secret to his Servants the Prophets Amos 3. 8. The Lion therefore roaring who is not affraid And the Lord commanding who prophesies not v. 9. Our Predecessor John Hus about to glorifie God and his Truth by his Death said to his Persecutors An hundred years being rowled about ye shall answer to God and to me I his Follower say the same thing to my Persecutors and cite you Gods and mine Accusers to the Tribunal of Jesus Christ that you there answer for your Blasphemies who in me unworthy blaspheme God and his Spirit As if now he had not promised in the lâ—st days To pour out his Spirit upon all Flesh that your Sons and Daughters may prophesie and your old men dream dreams and your young men see Visions Joel 2. 28. Like as is done even to me an old man now almost fourscore years old by the undeserved grace of God And before me to Christopher Ketter and to Christina Poniatovia whom also I as many other godly persons account for a Servant and an Handmaid of the Lord and acknowledge the like things to have been declared unto them as unto me of the Plagues of God a coming upon Christendom from the East as they now begin to come from the same merciful God always fore-warning the World I Drabricius was not that I may speak with Amos contending with his Detractors a Prophet or a Prophets Son Amos 7. 14. But the Lord commanded me to write the Word heard out of his Mouth And I wrot for the most part by night in the dark on a Stone Table or even with Chalk lying by my Bed side in a Chest Performing my duty laboriously 26 years to my Lord neither changing any thing but just as the Lord and my God vouchsafed to speak concerning Christians and no Christians Kings and Kingdoms Lords and Subjects Priests and People Especially concerning Idolatry and Images even of our Saviour crucified hanging stretch'd through the Temples Streets and High-ways expos'd to Winds Rains and the making of Nests for Birds for a scandal and laughing-stock to Infidels Jews Turks Tartars who in the year 1663. making an Irruption into Moravia stood amazed at this amazement of Christians And because Gods will is according to the words made known unto me poor miserable man that they be converted to that Faith given to the Saints he will therefore certainly take away those scandals and the Authors of scandals men gone into the way of Cain feeding themselves fat Clouds without Water carried about by the Wind Trees wither'd unfruitful twice dead Waves of the Sea foaming forth Confusion and wandring Stars to whom is reserved the Tempest of Darkness for ever Jud. 11 12 13. complaining Murmurers walking after their own lusts whose mouth speaketh Pride and Arrogancy vers 16. Mockers 18. Sensual not having the Spirit 19. Of whose number is Paul Veterine wholly burning with hatred against me without all fear of God and shame of men tearing and bespattering me with malicious Writings not seeking after the glory of God or the saving Good of his Neighbours but that he may bring the Speeches of God into suspicion and reproach wholly after the Example of the worst amongst the Pharisees who said of Christ He hath a Devil and is mad why do you hear him Joh. 10. 19. Although the more Moderate said These are not the words of one that hath a Devil v. 2. As even now many moderate men even in remote Countreys say concerning the Words of the Lord pronounced by me But I with the Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 1. 23. call God for a Record upon my Soul believing with my whole heart and confessing with my mouth that I also am a little Sheep of Christ for whom he the good Shepherd laid down his life Joh. 10. 11. That I have neither spoken nor written any thing but what the Lord and my God commanded me to write with mine hand all the time of so
5th of July in the year of Christ 1664. which is of my Age the 76th of my Ministry the 48th of my Exile the 36th of the beginning of Revelations made unto me from the Lord the 26th A PRAYER Written by Command of the Lord and my God in the year 1653. April 18. and in the year 1664. June 30. commanded to be put for a close of my Revelations O Eternal God! Holy Father Incomprehensible in VVisdom Judgment Counsel Grace and Justice Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier Father Son and holy Spirit Thou Holy One of Israel who from the beginning hast founded the Earth and the Heaven of Heavens are the work of thy Hands VVho sittest on the Throne of inestable Glory in the midst of thy innumerable Hosts Cherubims and Seraphims and Men triumphing through Martyrdoms ministring to Thee day and night and singing Holy Holy Holy Jehovah Zebaoth Behold amongst them me also praising thee O God! Acknowledging thee to be the Lord with all the Earth worshipping Thee the Father everlasting For that Thou hast form'd me a frail mass or lump of Clay for a small Vessel of thy grace and hast call'd me forth by my own proper Name out of my Mothers womb and hast written my Name in the Lambs Book of Life And in these last days of the World in a Nation which hath known thy Name and heard the Voice of thy Trumpet going forth from thy Throne hast set me upon the Walls of thy Jerusalem thy beloved Church for a Witness and Watchman and for a Voice of one crying to the Nations That openly in the sight of all Nations I might declare the Day of Vengeance to the Worshippers of Idols and to all false Worships of those to do not rightly acknowledge Thee the Tri-Une God who livest eternally And again The Day of Grace to the Nations of the Earth to acknowledge in the true Light interior and exterior Thee the living God and thy pure and chaste Worship Such as the Angels perform unto thee in Heaven and thou wouldst have perform'd to thee without Idolatrous Errors on Earth out of a pure Heart and good Conscience and Faith unfeigned in Body Soul and Spirit unanimously and humbly in simplicity of Heart Behold me thy pitiful little VVorm and most inconsiderable Dust Refuse or Off-scouring at the Threshold of thy House thy beloved Church and of that small Portion which thou hast gathered to thy self under the Name of the Brethren of Bohemia Behold me in the days of its cruel Persecution and sad Exile in another Land the Hungarian burdened and hanging down my Head with the very Disease of Old Age I did hear thy voice of thee the living God speaking unto me I know not how but speaking I know what For intelligibly I did perceive thy Voices and clearly apprehended the sence yea and moreover I my self did speak unto thee the Invisible I did ask Questions and make Answers All things with the unconfused and undisturbed Powers and Forces of my Mind And my eyes saw the whole World in thy hand as a little Globe and I heard thee explaining those Mysteries how thy hand contains all things And those other things which would never have come into my mind nor were suggested by any of Mortals I did receive from thee alone my God! with fear day and night and did imprint them in my Memory or also through theâ— commanding in Tables and Papers But thy face I a man of poluted lips never saw save onely thy hand pierced through with a Nail once extended towards me and put under my left Arm-pit when thou swaredst That thou wouldst neither leave thy Cause nor me thy Servant And thou hast kept faith O faithful One In the sight of mine Enemies Domestick and Forreign And that in sleep I beheld thee my beloved Saviour in thy diffrent Age and Habit with Joy and Tears acknowledging mine indignity and with covered face throwing my self down at thy feet and kissing them and perceiving the Taste of Eternal Life with Sweetnesses unutterable by me For thou madest me to see even the Joys of the Elect in Heaven as also the Torments of the Damned in Hell and what things in the world also in respect both of Church and State should be hereafter till even thy illustrious Return to Judgement Which things I faithfully without any fraud in simplicity of heart with groans to thee whether thou hadst commanded by night or by day did refer and put down into writings Adding nothing of my own and respecting nothing of my own nor any other thing besides thy Glory And bearing many Prejudices Reproaches Cavils Twenty six whole Years and Ten Months and Three Days Till now in this Year 1664. an end being put unto thy work thou my Lord and my God hast commanded to close and shut up all these things with this Prayer Hear therefore O Heavens and perceive with your ears O Earth Behold I conclude dutifully I conclude with weeping Falling down at thy feet Lord Jesus Kissing thy Wounds and Marks and pouring out my Soul before thee I ask humbly I ask confidently First that thou wouldst leave thy Holy Spirit for a Guide Counsellor and Comforter unto me even until Death and through him wouldst pour out a plentiful shower of Benediction upon all thy Speeches which thy mouth hath brought forth in these last days of the World by me thy sorry Servant which I receiving from thy mouth have sealed up by thy Command and by a Man whom thou hast adjoyned to me for an help have made known first indeed to the Hungarian Nation then afterwards to other Nations also Grant O holy God! That all to whom the sound of thy Trumpet shall reach may acknowledge that they have come forth from thee that thou mayest be glorified in all Nations of the Earth All which sanctifie O God! in thy Truth to acknowledge thy word through all Nations and Tongues and thy Self to be the Truth the Way and the Life Cause O God! That Kings Princes Subjects and Doctors or Teachers of the Gospel with their Hearers and Parents with Children may be one in thee and the truth of thy Word and may know thee the One onely God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent by whom all things were made and without whom nothing was made in the Unity of the holy Spirit God undivided in Power Wisdom Goodness Majesty and Glory blessed for ever I ask O God! I ask That all the Islands of the Sea may now wax silent before thee that all the Ends of the Earth may be afraid and fly to thee May assume new strength may be carried with Wings as Eagles and may run and not be weary with us to thee the Fountain of Salvation who speakest Righteousness and art sufficient to save nor art delighted with the death of a Sinner O Shepherd of Men Convey over but even now in the last days all Nations under thy Pastoral Rod that they may be brought into the Bond