totally dissipated not can strike terror into us seeing we know that the Soul of Man is not extinguished it is not withal convenient 24. To believe the error of Transmigration It is convenient to know in the time of life to do good and evil each oâ— the Souls of men after death go to the judgment of God where they have a determinate 25. Place of their reward One place is above and haâ—â— all felicity namely which is called the Court or Palace oâ— Heaven That is the place of remunerating the good The second place is beneath and hath 26. All bitterness namely which is called the Prison of the Earth the place of punishing bad men For the Lord is most highly equal or just There is nothing of good which he doth not reward there is nothing of evil which he doth not punish Nevertheless in the present Age 27. There are some which do ill and are rich honour'd without trouble and joyful There are who do well and are poor contemn'd and oppres'd with calamity It is certain God waits till the death of that man and 28. After receives the Soul of the good Man and takes it up into the Court of Heaven to inhabit perpetual felicity and receives the Soul of the bad man and sends it into the Prison of the Earth to receive punishment without end If we grant that there are not 29. Rewards and punishments of Paradise and Hell to remunerate the men of this Age or present life who do good or evil How are the good not deceived then And how much better a lot and portion do the evil injoy And how can God be said most highly just 30. Some one will say That reward of good and evil is it not also in the present Age or life How goes the matter It is answered let us suppose those that receive the remuneration of good and evil 31. Altogether to wait even till after death On that very account men will be ignorant of the remuneration which is after death And how will it be proved to them that the Lord is above the Heavens Therefore frequently those who violate justice 32. Fall into calamities dangers and troubles that they may amend their past wickednesses beware of future Those who are obedient to Reason receive a blessing descending upon them to answer their good deeds past and stir them up to future 33. But if any well-doer be in want in dishonour full of labours and calamities perhaps it therefore happens because that amidst their good works they have something of evil Therefore God with these things 34. Chastises him at present but after death introduces him into the place of perfect felicity to injoy perpetual felicity If any do ill and yet are rich honour'd and happy according to the Age or present life 35. This therefore happens Because amids their doings ill they have some good mixt Therefore God remunerates them with these present felicities But after death tumbles them down headlong into the obscure Prison that perpetually they may receive all bitternesses 36. The men of this Age if they desire to avoid descending into Hell to undergoe all torments and to ascend into Heaven to injoy all felicity Three things are altogether necessary First 37. It is necessary to know the Lord of Paradise namely God For men of this Age to inhabit in one anothers house it is first necessary to know the Lord of the house then they may enter and stay 38. How much less any one ignorant of the Lord of Heaven can he ascend and enter into the place of universal felicity Secondly It is necessary to know the way to Heaven namely the Law of God 39. Men of this Age ignorant of the way thither whither they are a going by that very means cannot come there And any one ignorant of the way into Heaven how can he possibly come there 40. Thirdly It is altogether necessary to go on through the way which they now know Because a man although he knows the way which he desires to go yet if he sit idling at home and go not forth to make progress by no means will he ever be able to come to his journeys end 41. In like manner he who desires to ascend into Paradise the place of all felicity it is altogether necessary that he do the works of the Divine Holy Law Some one will say 42. God is the Lord of Heaven Earth Men and Things and his Doctrine is withall the way to Paradise Now I have clearly heard and understood this Now I desire to follow this Doctrine of the Holy God How 43. Therefore shall I be able to do it It is answered He who desires to follow the Holy Law ought to have two aims The first aim consists in this That he worship God with a perfect heart because he is of Heaven 44. Earth Men and Things the Universal Lord and created all things that he might nourish us The second consists in providing for a mans own Soul to avoid descending 45. Into Hell to receive all bitternesses and obtain ascent into Heaven to enjoy all felicities He who desires to obtain this three things are necessary The first of them is to keep the Commandments of God 46. The second is He ought to blieve the things of God The third is He ought to receive Sacred Baptism and to wash his past sins The Ten Commandments 1. To Honour and Worship God above all things 2. Not to name the Holy Name of God to utter a vain Oath 3. To observe Holy Dayes 4. To obey and honour Father and Mother 5. Not to kill men 6. Thou shalt not work Fornication 7. Thou shalt not Steal 8. Thou shalt not bear Witness rashly 9. Thou shalt not covet another mans Wife 10. Thou shalt not covet another mans Riches Matters The Ten Commandments summarily taken are reduced to two only To love God above all things and to love men as ones self This is that which of old God from Heaven taught and commanded that they should be honour'd and kept through all Ages The obedient to them ascend into Paradise and receive felicity Those that walk contrary descend into Hell where they suffer torments The above written Articles are only a Compendium If any one desire to have an absolute knowledge of the Divine Law it is necessary that he studiously apply himself to the study of the Holy Books treating of the true Law of God and go to the Temple of Christians to hear the Masters of the Law come out of the West Discoursing Disputing and Unfolding Then they shall be able to understand without doubting and this thing cannot be fully done in few words This we have translated as was requisite verbatim according to the property of the China Speech rather then the English From this Doctrine of the True and One God rightly expounded they proceed to expound the holy Trinity of the One God then to the incarnation of the Son of God the
Authority committed to them of God out of the hands of the Antichristian usurper c. To call a General Council in order to a Universal Peace and Unanimity in Christendom and to agree for God and Religion for the publick good both of Church and State For that God will put it into their hearts to fulfil his Will and agree or make one Mind and Will and no longer give their Kingdoms to the Beast But that the Words of God shall be fulfilled To destroy Babylon and all her Abominations and Idols c. and to rule the World peacefully under the Banner of Christ and universally reform it out of all its horrible confusions and disorders according to the Will that is the Word of God c. And all Ecclesiasticks Angels of the Churches Pastors Bishops and Priests to perform the Ministry of their high Calling and the Service of God and the Church to restore the Primitive Reformation and do their first Works and repent and no longer neglect the Catholick Church of God through the whole World for worldly Dominion Honours Riches and Interests Nor to hinder Universal Reformation by wrangling and contesting for Opinions Ceremonies Revenues Prerogatives and Priviledges and such like vanities but rather to promote Catholick Charity and Indulgence and practise Christian Humility Self-Denyal and all the excellent virtues of the best Religion in the World which they are Chieftains of and to Sacrifice all their dearest concerns for the Salvation of Men And not mind their own things but the things of Jesus Christ c. And all Christians to endeavour and begin Reformation generally in their several places For that now is the time of Gods reforming the World more then ever That towards the end thereof it may be as from the beginning viz. one God and one Worship of God in Spirit and in Truth without Idols and false Godds and false Worships That all may inhabit peaceably the Earth without Wars Fightings Hatreds Contentions Envyings Strifes and without Sects and Parties lest his Wrath break forth upon them to the utmost and there be no Remedy for the Present Generation All which things to be sure are no other then was the drist of all the Prophets and extraordinary Messengers of God to Men of old when that all ordinary Persons Kings Princes Priests or People were become so corrupt and exorbitant that there were none that did his duty rightly but all desperately transgressed the Law of their God and provoked his Wrath without measure For what else was their Burthens but sad Lamentations for the Peoples sins and wickedness Exhortations to Repentance and amendment And denunciations of Grace upon Repentance and of Wrath upon Impenitence c. And what else are these likewise as to their main Scope and Intent The Sum and Substance of them in General now follows The Sum of all these Prophesies in the General is the same with all the Antient Prophets and indeed an Explication of them concerning the State of the Church in the last dayes And that our present Age is the last time of the World wherein shall be fully and finally accomplished all Scripture Prophesies I. Babylon the Great the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth typified by the old to fall and its Builders to be dispersed Gen. 11. Jerem. 50. and 55. Revel 18. II. The Stone cut out of the Mountain without Hands to destroy the great Image of Iron and Clay and increase into a great Mountain filling the whole Earth Dan. 2. III. The very Relicks of all Nimrodian Tyranies and Oppressions to be abolished quite and the Kingdoms given to the Saints of the most high Dan. 7. IV. Both the Beasts in the Revelations The greater with seven Heads blaspheming God and making War against the Saints and the lesser with two Horns counterfeiting a Lamb yet speaking like a Dragon now to be slain Rev. 13. V. The great Harvest and Vintage of the whole Earth at hand Rev. 14. VI. All the Vials of Gods Wrath a pouring forth upon the Earth Rev. 16. VII Till the great Beast that carries the Whore with seven Heads and ten Horns be destroyed and the Whore her self forsaken by her ten Horns viz. Kings her once defenders and lovers be burnt with fire Rev. 17. VIII The Lamb to be Victor over all Enemies Satan bound in the bottomless Pit for a thousand years The Church to be quiet Rev. 20. IX And then the Marriage of the Lamb to be solemnized under the whole Heavens Rev. 19. X. And the Church to appear in its Splendour and Glory such as the Prophets have heretofore described of old Isa 60. Rev. 21. And indeed these Books of the three Prophets are a very Revelation of the Revelation of St. John to end and decide all further contentious Comments thereabouts They being a new Comment upon that old Revelation not Humane but Divine explaining what is that Babylonish Beast making War with the Saints and the great Whore the Mother of Harlots c. riding upon the Beast and who are those Kings commanded from God to execute the Judgement upon Both. And that those destroyers of Babylon are now Born now Chosen and Called And that this whole affair is now in doing And now shortly to be Sealed and concluded by a full and compleat effect in the sight of Heaven and Earth And that we are now under the sixth Seal sixth Trumpet sixth Vial. That is That upon our times happens the great Earthquake shaking the whole frame of Heaven both of Church and State c. and the day of his great Wrath come And the day of the sixth Trumpet when the Angels bound at the great River Euphrates shall be loosed and come and kill the third part of men with Fire and Smoak and Brimstome although the rest that escape repent not And the sixth Vial poured forth upon the great River Euphrates to prepare a way for the Kings of the East to root out Babylon the unclean Spirits of Frogs mustering up heaps of Armies against them in vain to the Battel of the great Day of the Lord God Omnipotent Which Day shall come as a Thief on a sudden and unlook'd for That so the seventh Seal being opened Silence may be in the Heaven of the Church And that the seventh Trumpet sounding the Mystery of God foretold by his Servants the Prophets may be finished Namely That all the Kingdoms of the World may become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christs c. And that the seventh Vial being poured forth there may be Voices and Thunders and Lightnings and Earthquakes such as have not been since men have been upon the Earth whereby the Cities of the Nations may fall and great Babylon it self c. More expresly and particularly I. That the World is become as corrupt now as it was in the dayes of Noah before the Flood and in Egypt Babylon and Jerusalem when she rebelled against God especially the Christian Nations By name Germany
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
were the two first Fathers who were order'd to learn the China Charecter and Language and sent thither Who at last entred into the City Canto but fain to return twice disappointed of their design till in the end they make a new attempt furnished with all curiosities together with a solemn Embassy in form to the Vice-Roy of Canto and so were received with all possible demonstration of respect as before hath been related of Riccius c. In process of time many were Converted and Baptized among whom were some Mandarines and Calao 〈…〉 chief Governors and Officers of the Kingdom But the Priests and Priestlings stir up Persecution against them make them odious and abominable and Teachers of new Godds imprison torment and banish them But at length through the favour of great persons they obtain'd freedom and peace and the Christian Religion the more spread But by the way Had the same measure been meted to the Jesuites there by Heathens as they mete to fellow Christians here or as we say had they serv'd them in the same sauce they might have had indeed a few Martyrs and Confessors perhaps but never Evangelists and Preachers or Apostles of the Chinois unless at Stake only We shall not go about here to give the History of the manner of their proceeding in conversion of those Infidels and Idolaters but only present you with their Compendium or Catechism of the Divine Law in the China Tongue as we promised at the beginning together with the Letters of their Queen and chief Minister of State to the Pope and their Answers c. A Compendium of the Divine Law 1. Perhaps some one may ask what God is 'T is answered God is no other thing then the Creator of all things as also the great Governor and Lord of all things who made the Heavens who made the Earth who made Spirits who made Men. 2. The Heavens Earth Men and all things before were nothing and afterwards were Therefore before the Heavens Earth Men and all things there was some Lord necessarily before to create them 3. Because all things cannot be made of themselves all have that from out of which they are made or a Maker of them as Towers Palaces and Houses cannot be made of themselves but must necessarily be the work of some Artificer 4. Therefore the Heavens Earth Men and Creatures how can they be created of themselves There is therefore an Author of these things whom we name God If men do name an Age Puencu and make others like themselves and a first Grand-father Parent 5. Then these also were after the Heavens and the Earth were All had a Father and a Mother from whom they were procreated And of these to make a Creator of Heaven and Earth of Men and of Things is a great Error 6. Some will say The Heavens Earth Men and Things seeing they depend on God in their Creation I am bold to ask This God of whom does he depend in his Creation 7. 'T is answer'd God is the first Root and Principle of Things If he had dependence in his Creation for that very thing he would not be God 8. For things either have a beginning and end as Herbs Trees Fowls and creeping things or they have a beginning and no end as Heaven Earth Angels Devils and the Intellective souls of Men God only is without beginning and end and can give a beginning and end to all things 9. If there was not God there would not be other created things As for Example Of one Tree the Flowers Fruits Boughs Leaves and Body are all generated out of the Root If there be not the Root for that very thing the rest will not be But 10. Coming to the Root of the Tree by no means is there another Root out of which to be sprung or proceed God seeing he is the Root and Foundation of all things out of what other thing can himself proceed 11. God when he first created all things in the beginning he divided the Heavens from the Earth created all species or kinds of things Afterwards he created Male and Female the Male was call'd Adam 12. The Woman was call'd Eve For these two had not Father and Mother and are the first Parents of all People All else as Fo Ki not excepting those whom they make Immortal All have 13. A Father and a Mother of whom they are born and they could not avoid it but that sooner or later they should be corrupted and die God seeing he is the true Lord of Heaven Earth Men and Things c. together withal created all things 14. That they should be for mens use Consequently it altogether behoves us Men to love and worship God By not loving and worshipping great sin is thereupon committed For example A couple of Parents produce a Son 15. They nourish cloath educate him If the Son know not to honour Father and Mother certainly he is called disobedient and most grievously sins How much more 16. Seeing God is the chief Parent of Men does it not behove us to love and reverence him since it is now declar'd what God the Lord of all things is It is easie to explain the the things of this Age or World that is of Mankind 17. This same Man hath naturally two parts Soul and Body His Body although it be corrupted and die his Soul cannot he extinguished even to eternity For in this Age or time of the World Souls have three differences 18. The lowest Order is call'd the Vegetative Soul namely the Soul of Herbs and Trees This Soul helps Herbs and Trees to live and grow Herbs and Boughs or Wood cut down wither and perish 19. Their Soul follows and is extinguished The middle Order is called the Sensitive Soul to wit the Soul of Fowls creeping things and Beasts 20. This Soul gives faculty or Power to Fowls creeping things and Beasts of living and growing and makes withal that they hear and see through their ears and eyes and tast and smell through their Pallates and Nostrils through the rest of their Members that they feel pain and pleasure but yet they cannot discourse and reason and when they die even their Soul also is extinguished 21. The highest Order is call'd the Intellective Soul to wit the Soul of Man This withal contains the faculty of the two Souls the Vegetative and the Sensitive Therefore it can give a faculty to men of living and growing together also of feeling and sense 22. Moreover it gives him a faculty of discerning all reason to discern all things by His body although it die yet his Soul is perpetually conserv'd nor is extinguished Therefore the Men of this Age only fear dead men and do not fear dead Animals That arises from the natural discourse or reason of man that he can animadvert and think after the death of men Moreover the Soul of man not dead 23. Remains and therefore can fear But the Soul of creeping things and Beasts is
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
not the other of Drabricius And Drabricius himself also believed this to be a Prodigy from God himself by a Vision concerning this thing Wherein yet God asserted no more than this 1. That his words by Dribricius were also true if the Prince would have followed them 2. That Counsellours that follow the figments of their own heart seduce themselves and know not how to counsel neither themselves nor their Masters 3. And that those that do so shall be destroyed Whence it may be well thought that this was a Satanical Mockery both the Sickness Death Resurrection and Prophesie seing nothing fell out accordingly but rather the ruine of the Prince who was seduced like Ahab by Zedekiah and his companions God giving them up to believe a lye who will not believe the Truth And therefore this is to be reckoned of the same nature with the former Extasies mentioned of the Geneva Boy opposed by Satan to the Exstasies of Christina As for the Evidence of Events Whatsoever concerned her own person alwayes came to pass But for those things which concerned the World or the Church although they may seem contrary yet because there seems to be a disposing of Providence towards the accomplishment of the main we may say with St. Austin says Comenius when many things are fulfilled He is preverse who contemns a Prophet Divine Prophesies said a great man alwayes smell of their Author to whom a thousand years are but as one day and one day a thousand years And about the events of Prophesies there are three cautions 1. of Chrysostom That all Prophesies are not fulfilled to Sense and the Letter c. and he instances out of Scripture Thus Jacob who received so many Blessings from his Father scarce injoyed one c. 2. Of Grotius that for some things not fulfilled are not to be called in question those things that are clearly fulfilled As the Jews bring many things obscure or that receive a divers signification concerning the Messiah for which those that are manifest ought not to be denyed 3. Of God To believe in Hope against Hope and not pass rash judgement through unbelief on Divine predictions though they never appear to our apprehension c. for Gods thoughts are not as our thoughts c. Again all things were not evidently fulfilled to appearance to the Ancient Prophets Therefore deriders said Where is the Word of the Lord let it come c. Jer. 17. 15. But God does not want causes to defer his promises or threatnings or to change them and has been pleased to render reasons Jona 4. Jer. 18. Psal 89. 1 Sam. 2. 30. Besides we understand not as his Works so neither his Words till performed and that not alwayes Ezek. 2. 5. John 16. The Beginning of a thing is taken with God for the thing it self God measures dayes and hours not as we That which is not fulfilled to day may be to morrow As Ninive after fourty years though not fourty dayes Gods Mercy is so great that he seems to appear false rather then not merciful If lastly events do'nt answer blame man as some way faulty Thus Comenius And Drabricius himself in several Visions is advertiz'd to the same sense and purpose c. But these things have been hinted once and again before But Behold the Atheistical age who think God reveals nothing now unto men All humble and sober observance of extraordinary Signs Dreams Extasies prophetick Inspirations Angelical Apparitions Prodigies in the Heavens c. As Comets New Stars Suns unusual Tempests Sights of Armies fighting in the Air Sounds of Drums and Trumpets c. passes for foolish superstition or fancy And all is attributed either only to natural causes or chance or vain imagination and nothing to God Which God grievously complains of Amos 4. 6 7 8 9 10 11 12. This is the last security of the World that Faith will not be found on Earth c. And as in the dayes of Noah when all were so secure so it shall be in the last dayes all things shall be full of Prodigies in Heaven and Earth of Bloud Fire and Smoke of Dreams Visions and Prophesies Joel 2. 28. c. Matth. 24. And things speak as much so many various Prodigies in our age in Heaven Earth Sea and several Creatures were never in any Age before even in Germany alone within this half Century so many have been noted and recorded of this kind as never the like And of England the same c. Surely God means hereby to have men warned of greater and more wondrous works of his providence shortly to follow Nor were ever more Prophets and divinely inspired then in this Age at least since the Apostacy of the Church For there were and are Men and Women Old and Young Noble and Ignoble Learned and Unlearned Clergy and Secular who have had true prophetick Dreams Illuminations Raptures Angelical Apparitions and speakings with God who have spoken and written unusual things of the enkindled Wrath of God of approaching Judgements and the Universal change of Things Especially in Bohemia and Germany where the terrible Persecutions of the Church were foretold to begin Of whom sixteen that had Visions and Revelations and also printed Comenius reckons up And it is not unknown that of late and now there are Prophetick spirits in Holland and England c. But of all these the most Eminent are these three Cotterus Christina and Drabricius There were also between Christina and Cotterus two other Prophets foretelling the imminent Judgement upon Babylon and of the wrath of God kindled against the World and of the Plagues a coming The one a plain Country man to whom at his work in the Field an Augel of the Lord appeared An. 1625. The other a Taylor who from 1625. to 1628. had a certain voice sounding round about him revealing things to come and commanding him to write them And at length an Angel in a visible form appeared unto him to take his farewel with these words Because thou so much desirest to see me although I am by nature invisible c. And thus I hope we have not been too tedious to clear our Readers way from prejudice which we could not do with more brevity so as we ought And that they will think so long a preface altogether necessary and no wayes impertinent If at last there should prove nothing in all these things certainly the divine Providence seems to play with poor Mortals and the story deserves to be recorded We will conclude with Comenius caution concerning Christina Not to pass rash Judgement or over-hasty Execution This is the property of all Prophesies that they first fulfil'd before they are understood And if it shall happen that the events prove otherwise yet these things will be profitable and serviceable to Posterity I pray and tall to witness Let it suffice our Church once to have dared what no university or Consistory before us hath attempted to pass a Condemnatory Sentence against
beseeching you all by the adorable name of God to suffer your selves to be perswaded that nothing under Heaven greater can at this time be undertaken and performed by you then this very question to be determined Is it the Voice of God that sounds here or no c. Seeing O Kings Princes Common-wealths your duties are here set before your eyes with wholesome Counsels for the publick safty be you intreated in the name of God and by your own and the Worlds salvation this thing in the first place to take these very Books into your protection and command them to be exposed openly through all the Book-sellers Shops of your Kingdoms and Provinces as freely as any other Books whatever of good note Instilling into the Christian People the fear of God reverence of Kings and amendment of life As freely I say as other Books of this nature as the Book of the three men and three spritual Virgins Hermis Pastoris Ugutine the Monk Fryar Robert and Hildegard Elizabeth and Mathilda published by Jacob Faber at Paris 1513. who all had Revelations and Visions like these c. Hear O Kings Princes Common-wealths and every Power among Christian People this Book which is offered to you stirs you up against no man but exhorts you all in the name of God to do your duty in stopping the confusions brought in by Satan and restoring the order instituted from God As yet promising Benediction if you yet admit counsel or denouncing the last Wrath Plagues and Destruction if you yet harden your selves Let the fear of the Lord therefore be with you and deligently put in execution all things It is your glory O Kings to be nursing Fathers c. and also it is your Duty to restrain any Church that degenerating into Babylon exercises fierceness cruelty and if the Spouse of Christ putting on a whorish dress waxes wanton to hate the Whore and make her desolate and naked and to eat her flesh and burn her with Fire God putting it into your hearts to do his pleasure And no longer to give your Kingdoms to the Beast till the Word of God be finished Rev. 17. But behold in our times the words of all the Prophesies old and new are consummated which the universal commotion of Nations which you see and the universal change of things which you shall shorrly see do witness Ho! therefore take again unto you your power and leave not your Scepters any longer in a strange and wrong hand I have commanded you O Kings and Princes that you your selves Govern For you have even your name from me Gods on the Earth not from an Angel or any creature saies the Word of God to Drabricius c. But what must you do when you take unto you your power O Kings That very thing which the King of Kings whose Ministers you are at this time requires of you TO REFORM THE WORLD AND ALL THINGS IN IT THROUGH ALL NATIONS For he who has long since by the mouths of his most holy Prophets said that he would make all things new on you O Kings as his Vicegerents he confers this Honor that this glorious Renovation be begun by your happy undertaking and be done by your Co-working and Authority through the whole world And then shall be the peaceable state of the World and of the Church in the Kingdom of the Messiah promised in Paradise in the destroying of the Devils Kingdom And which all the Patriarcks looked for and the Prophets prefigured in types and the Apostles prophesied of and the Prophets and Prophesies of God ever since have declared And which is so often reiterated in these Books that Peace shall return to the Earth before the end of the World with the divine benediction poured forth upon all Drabricius Rev. 107. Peace such as never was the like from the beginning of things Rev. 149. when all Wayes all Paths all the Trumphets all Books all Voices and Languages of all People and Nations shall agree in one angle of PEACE and in one common CHARITY Rev. 384. when the spiritual Jerusalem shall be built anew so beautifully that the very times of Solomon may not be compared to these Cotterus 18. When the Messias shall plant new Hevens and new Earth viz. new Churches and a new State wherein dwells Righteousness Which manner of things seeing they cannot but be an exultation to true Christians and that this Book declares them suffer it as well ye O Roman Chatholicks Princes as others whosoever love the coming of our Lord Jesus suffer it to live and to be taken for a publick Testimony of Gods being yet God doing nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the Prophets And for a publick looking or perspective-glass rationally to view all things which are here doing in the Ages of the world And for the last protestation and bearing witness of God that it will not be his fault if a new deluge come upon the impenitent world And then lastly for a Publick Alarum or Sermon-Bell to Universal repontance and for the last Trumphet after whose sound great Voices shall be made in the Heaven of the Church The Kingdoms of the World are become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ who now shall Raign throughout all Ages forever Rather do this O Kings and Powers for the Honour of Christ now taking unto him the Kingdoms of the World under the whole Heavens Learn who is the King of Kings against whom the Heathen rage in vain and the People imagin a vain thing c. To whom the Nations are given for an inheritance and the ends of the Earth for his possession who shall rule them with a Rod of Iron and shall break them as a Potters vessel Understand now therefore O ye Kings be instructed ye Judges of the Earth serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce before him with trembling learn discipline lest his wrath at length be kindled ye perish in the way understand the mystery of these times why the Nations are troubled and distrubed and the Kingdoms declining why the whole Earth is moved at the Voice of God Namely that these are the works of the Lord and set as Prodigies and Signs upon the Earth to take away War even unto the end of the Earth To snap the bow in sunder to break the Weapons in peieces and burn the sheilds with Fire Therefore cease O ye Kings from War see that the Lord is God that God will be exalted in the Nations that he will be exalted in the Earth c. O therefore Christian Kings take heed any longer to stand against the Prince of Peace Christ with your furious Arms disturbing and laying wast his Kingdom w ch Kingdom you your selves are as also the Universal Christian People committed to you Or it shall come to pass that he will find some one to send upon you even from the utmost East to devour your Armies if you will not know the thoughts of the Lord
refined as Gold and Silver and the Church offer again pure Sacrifice to God as in former dayes and the years of old After these a solemn Mission or sending this work by command from God to the most eminent Heads of the Christian World in particular First To Leopold Emperour of the Romans which begins thus Most Invincible and Victorious Emperour This Book which is sent unto thy Majesty is written by the command of God and published by the command of God and sent to the heads of the World by the command of God That all may understand what is the last will of God in the last Age c. These things could not be concealed from your Majesty of all others because among the chiefest heads of the World God hath set you in the chiefest place and also because these Thunderbolts strike against you amongst the first and against your most Serene House Yet Grace is here offer'd to you See therefore what you do most August Caesar and that you may see either read these things your self or if too long for Imperial affairs deliver them to be read to your Counsellors Civil and Ecclesiastick till the matter appear Let it pity you for your self and for your House O caesar that you may break off your sins and the sins of your House by Righteousness As yet they whom your Father and Grandfather have afflicted and persecuted pray for you and your house crying Father forgive them they know not what they do The King of France is commanded here to remedy the confusions of Christendom yet if you O first of Kings will cooperate to reduce all the deadly factions of Christian people into Unity of Love and Faith you will do an acceptable service to God and all Christianity Next To Alexander VII the Roman Pope or who ever next succeeds him Highest Priest of the Roman-Catholick Church Among other Prerogatives of the High Priest of the old Law were 1. To consult God in doubtful matters 2. To be supreme Judges in all Church-matters with other chief Priests adjoyned for ease of so great a burden 3. To restrain false Prophets If therefore you with your Colledge of Cardinals by divne right obtain the highest place in the Church the same prerogatives by divine right are due also to you God was forced at length to send them Prophets extraordinary to warn Princes Priests and People of their duty They accounted them for false Prophets Mock'd and Kill'd them Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem Thou who killest the Prophets c. God in this present Book makes complaints in the Ears of Angels and men against your prophanesses And threatens his utmost Judgments They are offered here to be read to the World by command from God Do not I beseech you suspect these to be devised fictions of Man against you or published out of a corrupt affection and desire to rejoyce at your destruction They seek to deceive you who seek to instill such suspicions We the publishers of these things in the presence of the omniscient God protest with Mordecai that we for the Salvation of the Church are ready to kiss even the soals of your feet O Roman Pope Let it pity you for your selves that you may hasten to prevent the wrath of the Omnipotent Let it pity you for your Church lest leaving it in Babylonish abominations you deliver it up to be scattered at length by the Thunderbolts of God Let it pity you for so many Christian People by your obstinacy slid into so many Schisms and Heresies that they may be reduced to the Unity of the Faith Let it pity you for so many people out of the Pale of the Church to whom a door of entrance is shut through the confusions of Christians O Pope awaken O Pope rouze up out of the sleep of drunkenness and surfitting wherewith your Flatterers have made you drunk and intoxicated you calling you Christs Vicar and Infallible c. If there be none on Earth that dare speak true things unto you behold monatory Voices from Heaven Read this Book and take care to have it read by yours Your Predecessours did not despise the gift of Prophesie in the Church as some now do but proved all things to hold fast that which was good Therefore the Revelations of Hildegard Bridget Catharine c. were judged to be without fraud and admitted as worthy to be Canonical Let the same thing be done to these new ones Let them be submitted to a lawful examination that it may appear what is needfal to be done And it will appear that these last Revelations are as truly divine And that Gods will is that the Kings resume their Scepters and Rule and not the successors of the Apostles To spiritual men only spiritual things should belong For that all confusion hath increased in the World by submitting the secular power to the spiritual And that all things may be reduced into a beautiful order that it is the will of God that a Councel be called by the Authority of Kings That is that the Christian People of all parties be congregated and there all controversies be heard censured weighed decided and terminated so that by comman Jubilees of Heaven and Earth may be sung Glory to God on High on Earth Peace good will towards all men O Modern Roman Popes oppose not your selves as your predecessors have hitherto done never daring to submit their cause to a General Council Do you dare why should you not If your power over the whole Church and all Bishops and over all Kings too be of God O Roman Pope why do you rage so against all your Modern Monitors whether Doctors or Teachers and Professors of the Truth or whether Bishops Pastors or whole intire Churches or whether Kings Princes and Commonwealths or whether New Prophets c. Nor are the Modern the only or the first This thousand years there have been the same complaints and lamentations not only privately but by publick cryes both by voice and writings And God hath all along admonished you by extraordinary Prophets of your own and from among your selves Some ye have killed some ye have persecuted the rest you would not hear or understand or regard As Johannes de Rupescissâ and others whom you imprisoned Mancinellus whose hands and tongue you cut off Hus Savanarola and others whom you burnt Although even some also you had canoniz'd and their Prophecies and externally honour'd for Saints who will witness against you O Alexander the seventh to you I appeal by name and most humbly pray you to admit these words or speeches As God lives and your soul lives I seek nothing in this Book or this new Edition thereof but that the Christian People with all their Prelates may prevent the last Wrath of God They are serious things and concern the Christian Peoples safety or destruction By the tremendous Name of God I pray do not set them at nought Peter could erre why not Peter's successor Peter could be
and Italy II. That the Roman Pope is the chief cause of all the confusions in the World as who having by force and fraud seized on the Government of the whole Church hath transformed the Spiritual Kingdom of Christ which is not of this World into an earthly Kingdom and with earthly Arms and Counsels seeking to propagate it fills all things with frauds and violence as the true Antichrist the Great and Babylonish Whore drunk with the Blood of the Saints III. That the Beast that carries the Whore is the Roman Empire and particularly in some latter Ages the House of Austria the spoyer or layer waste of the purer Church IV. That God will no longer endure these confusions and persecutions of the Church and tyranny of Consciences but will again destroy the World of the ungodly with a deluge of Blood And therefore that these things draw nigh V. And to that end That he will shake Heaven and Earth that is stir up all the Nations of the whole World against one another to bring on unheard of confusions of things by most furious Wars through all parts of the Earth VI. The issue of which Wars to be the destruction of the Pope with his Kingdom and the overturning of his principal Supporter the House of Austria VII And that by the Nations provoked by their Tyranny flocking as it were thereto from the four Quarters of the World VIII Yet the principal People to be the Northern and the Eastern IX By name the Swedes with their King the Prince Palatine of the Rhine and the House of Ragotzi were commanded to be called forth X. But if these would not That then the Turks the Tartars and the Moscovites were about to be called by God Also the French with others from the West to execute the Judgements of God in Germany Italy Spain XI And to come with unheard-of swiftness in one Year Month Day Hour to the astonishment of the whole World XII And the Turks and Tartars after execution done to return with the Light of the Gospel for a Reward XIII And Universal Reformation to follow and change of Things for the better through all Nations of the World XIV The Laws and form of which Reformation are here also prescribed Namely Idols totally to perish and the most pure Spiritual Worship of God who is a Spirit every where to reflourish with unity of Faith and Order XV. And then indeed to be the peaceful illuminate Religious State of the World and of the Church under the whole Heavens Universal illumination of the Gentiles the Earth to be filled with the Knowledge and Righteousness of the Lord And the Kingdoms of the World to become the Kingdom of the Lord and of his Christ Universal Liberty without tyranny and slavery of Body and Soul Universal Unanimity without Wars Quarrels Dissentions Divisions Schisms Sects and Factions In one word Universal Righteousness Peace and Love even 'till the time when Satan shall again break loose and trouble things But Christ by the last and final Fire shall destroy the wicked and ungodly with the World it self And the Universal Judgment of Quick and Dead being finished shall begin Eternity it self These are the main Things and Matters which even all the three Kotter Christina and Drabricius especially do prophesie and treat of And withal we are taught here I. That Christ the Saviour of the World is in no wise partial But that in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh Righteousness is accepted of him II. And for that reason in vain do men cry Here is Christ or there he is For that he is every where and would be sought found acknowledged lov'd and worshipped every where envying none the participation of Salvation III. That our violent Disputes about the Articles of Faith how wise soever they seem to us are but foolishness with God IV. But that hatreds for differences in Faith and seekings to Lord it over one another are a meer abomination V. That to sit in the Chair of Moses or of Christ or of Peter without the verity of the Doctrine and Life of Moses Christ and Peter is a vain thing As also to boast of the Reformed Religion in Doctrine and Ceremonies without a Reformed Life VI. That now Christ will tolerate no more none for Pauls for Apollo's for Cephas's But only his Disciples Friends and Brethren of what Party soever saluting one another mutually as fellow-Disciples fellow-Brethren fellow-Servants VII And that all Nations are about to be called to this Fraternity of Christ and Communion of Saints And that God will have all things reformed after his own Mind and good Pleasure VIII And that till this be nothing but concitations and commotions of all the Nations one against another and breaking one another to pieces c. And so now we come at length to the Prophesies themselves in particular having given you first this general sum and comprehension of them by Comenius that so you may have some kind of view and apprehension of their peculiar Nature Manner and particular Circumstances The chief whereof and their chief Passages we shall onely cull out as abundantly sufficient for the design of this Table And here Kotter's first offer themselves to us Kotter Citizen and Tanner of Sprottavia Born in the Year 1585. Prophesied from the Year 1616 to 1624. Dyed in the Year 1647. Of his Age 62. The sum of whose Prophesies in general was to denounce War Famine and Pestilence which he was commanded to prophesie of in the year 1616. when all things were in profound peace yet throughout Europe Then the Wars in Bohemia beginning and he stirred up by a new apparition of Angels with new commands to depose these things before the Magistrates after three years former silence to prophesie ruine to the Empire and Popedom And the last Universal Plagues to be executed by the Oriental Monarch with a deluge of Nations c. Commotions of Kingdoms one against another c. And lastly happy and glorious times after the fall of Babylon c. till the last Judgment c. But to the Visions themselves But here we were unhappily prevented by the severe Inspection over the Press In so much that waiting almost a Year for an opportunity after all this had been printed we could by no means find any And therefore are forced to break off here abruptly and imperfectly and so to let it come abroad unfinished into the World Which we hope the Courteous Reader will pardon and accept candidly of this as it is till some better opportunity be found to publish the Prophesies by themselves apart And for the mean while you have already here the sum and substance of them in the general which may suffice in part upon such an occasion especially for this General Table without a further taste of them in particular We can but therefore onely add the general Sum of the other Two's Prophesies likewise in particular viz. as follows Christina Poniatovia of
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
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
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
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
upbraiding me with the wounds that were given me wholly innocent in the year 1635. by a drunken Fellow Martin Stuniak furiously meeting me on the High-way For which things this man having suffered Judgement of the Equestrian Order of the County of Trencinia ought to have lost his Life but that at the Intercession of the Lords the Judges I freely granted him his Life and permitted him to remain quiet with a Pecuniary Mulct Whosoever therefore thou art that shalt read these and the like slanders of this Calumniator especially where he derides the Threatnings of God made by me unto him also as vain I beseech you suffer not your selves to be carried away for the sake of a Fool who saith in his heart There is no God Psa 14. 1. for to taunt at the slow Judgments of God Which is not mine Admonition it is the Apostles That we must not judge before the time till the Lord come who will inlighten the hidden things of Darkness 1 Cor. 4. 5. For he saith who testifieth these things Behold I come quickly Amen! Come Lord Jesus Rev. 22. 20. Come now also and shew the Verity of thy Speeches pronounc'd heretofore by John but lately by Kotter Christina and Me thy unworthy Vessels That the Church on Earth may now make Responsals in singing to the Angels in Heaven Babylon is fallen is fallen Although not according to our times and the terms of days and years which our foolish Reason is wont to fix unto thy Work O God! but according to thine own measuring with whom one day is equivalent to a thousand years 2 Pet. 3. 8. For the Lord is not slack concerning his Promises as some men do count slackness and among those my blasphemous Slanderer But is long-suffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance v. 9. The impatience of the Bethulians did tempt or try to prescribe unto God Bounds of their Deliverance But they are greatly checkt of Judith because God receives not counsel from men Chap. 7. and 8. And what was there could seem more equal in the eyes of men than that Moses as being faithful in all the House of God and through so great Labours of forty years with hardship passed through should introduce his People into that desired Land of Promise Yet the Lord for one onely mistake denied him although he earnestly prayed committing this Charge unto another And he must acquiesce For who may say unto him Why doest thou thus What did Jonas's Murmurs that God had forgiven to the Ninivites the destruction denounc'd by his preaching Prophet avail Contend therefore thou also Veterine or whosoever is like thee with God that he does not fulfill all things promis'd or denounc'd by Threatnings But does he not fulfil Does not so many Commotions of the Nations and initial Desolations every where testifie VVould to God the words of God may not be fulfilled on thee and those like unto thee VVo unto you who are wise in your own Eyes and prudent in your own sights Isa 5. 21. Contend therefore not with me but with the Lord who hath commanded me to write these things that are written But I am not better than Jeremiah the Prophet unto whom proud men cast in his teeth as thou Veterine lately to me Thou speakest a Lye The Lord our God hath not sent thee Jer. 43. 2. VVhen yet I may even as confidently as Jeremiah say of a truth The Lord hath sent me to speak and write all these words Jer. 26. 15. But my God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ hath not left me without Consolations against you so often promising me protection against you and a demonstration of the Verity of his words in the very work or deed it self And the Destruction of Unbelievers and those that devise evil things against me And behold How faithful is God! He hath preserv'd me hitherto and preserves me in the midst of my Enemies But my Detractors where now are they Sapor Effron Felinus and others As every one fill'd up the measure of his virulency so he was snatched away hence Nor let others expect any other thing even intire Nations according to those words of the Lord Out of my Mouth hath proceeded this which I have declared to thee decreed in my Eternal Counsel concerning those things which I will have done in the last days of the World When I will with punishments refrain the Blasphemies of the Nations wherewith they injure me and my Name The Earth shall tremble and they that dwell therein For the burning of my Zeal hath fallen like the Sun upon those who will not know me Rev. 211. And elsewhere Whoever speakes unto you otherwise than I by my faithful and true Witnesses let him be Anathema Rev. 250. Again Let my Contemners expect no other thing than Plagues for Plagues and Contempt for Contempt For with me there is not another Way nor to me another Door beside Obedience Faith Love and Patience with fear of my Judgements Rev. 257. All which things I would to God my Detractors would read Perhaps they would return to themselves acknowledging the Truth and Severity of God in has Threatnings Concluding this my Speech I Nicholas Drabricius will say with Job O that my Petition might come from the God of my Salvation That God would grant me the thing that I expect That he would break me in Pieces when he begins if falseness be in my mouth Job 6. 8 9. VVhy therefore have ye detracted from the Speeches of Truth seeing there is none among you who can reprove me v. 25. Seeing 't is God alone who revealeth deep things out of darkness and bringeth out to light the shadows of Death who multiplieth the Nations and destroyeth them and when they are overthrown restores them intirely again C. 12. 22 23. Last of all I the abovesaid confess That the Speeches which I have written but my Adjunct publish'd are not the Speeches of an Angel otherwise always present with me and carrying my Prayers to the Throne of God Much less mine a sinful man's but are the Speeches of my very Lord Jesus Christ himself who is the Alpha and Omega the Beginning and the End of all things proceeded from his Holy Spirit who is the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding and the Spirit of Counsel and Strength and of the fear of the Lord Who hath form'd me also from the Womb for his Servant to bring back Jacob again to him and that Israel may be gathered unto him and I was glorified in the eyes of the Lord and my God is become my strength Isa 49. 5. who said also unto me In an acceptable time will I hear thee and in a day of Salvation will I help thee v. 8. To whom alone the Omnipotent VVise God as it was in the beginning so for ever world without end Be Honour and Power and Glory Amen! Amen! Hallelujah Hallelujah I have ended by the help of God the