many years and to this very day seeking to please not men but God For I can with Paul a chosen Vessel to bear the Name of Christ before the Gentiles and Kings and the Children of Israel Act. 9. 15 confidently say that I have the same Spirit of Faith So that I dare say I believed and therefore have I spoken what I have spoken and written what I have written 2 Cor. 4. 13. And first indeed to my beloved Adjunct John Comenius then residing in Hungary afterwards departing by command of the Lord into Holland that he would make all these things known to Christian Peoples in the Tongue known to the Europaeans the Latin But for the Turkish Nation that he would take care to have the Sacred Books of both Testaments adorn'd in their Tongue at the Cost and Charges which the Princess the Mother of the Ragotzi 's ought to furnish him with But She esteeming more the Dirt of the Earth Gold than the Words of God although often admonished did none of those things and which is more was the cause why her Sons also did nothing about those things And therefore God took away Mother with Father and Sons and the Vncle Ladislaus one onely Granchild Francis being left To what end He himself onely knows But that they object That the Crown of Hungary was promis'd to them It is true But the Condition often iterated That they would purge this Land from Idolatry deliberating and consulting upon this matter with the Eastern and Northern But what did it profit to be admonish'd When neither They nor the King of Swede would do any of those things they drew themselves by their disobedience headlong into destruction as the World now sees Therefore I Drabricius publickly profess That I believe with my whole heart that Divine Promise made by Haggai I am with you faith the Lord Chap. 1. 13. and iterated by our Lord Christ himself Behold I am with you always even unto the end of the World Mat. 28 27. And again pronounced by Haggai Chap. 2. v. 22 23. I will shake the Heavens and the Earth and I will overthrow the Thrones of Kingdoms and I will break in pieces the strength of the Nations c. And to Christ declaring the distress and pressure of Nations Luk. 21. 25. And that I expect yea now see with mine Eyes how the Lord overthrows the Chariots and the Riders that every one may fall by the Sword of his Brother Hag. 2. 23. And that by it the glory of God may be revealed That all Flesh in like manner may see that the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken Isa 40. 5. by us Two also to you O Nations That the will of God is That the Beast counterfeiting a Lamb but speaking like a Dragon together with the false Prophet that wrought Miracles before him seducing those who had received the Mark of the Beast be both apprehended and cast alive into the Lake of Fire burning with Brimstone Rev. 19. 20. But the Beast being destroyed and the Whore drunk with the bloud of the Saints and the bloud of the Martyrs of Jesus burnt with fire Chap. 17. 16. That the Kings of the Earth who have committed Fornication and lived deliciously with her bewail her and lament for her standing afar off for fear of her Torments and saying Alas alas That great City Babylon that mighty City For in one hour is thy Judgment come Rev. 18. 9 10. But at the length Babylon being overturn'd that all Nations of the Earth run together into the Unity of the Faith and Acknowledgement of the Son of God unto a perfect Man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Eph. 4. 13. I Drabricius dare I dare with the Apostle Paul say That I in my Writings have not sought my own things as appears others do Phil. 2. 21. but the things which are Jesus Christs doing nothing through strife or vain glory but in humility v. 3. For I have learnt out of the VVord of my God That God resists the Proud but gives grace to the Humble 1 Pet. 5. 5. and puts down the Mighty from their Seats and scatters the Proud in the Imagination of their Hearts and exalts the Humble Luk 1. 51. And because with the Apostle I believe with my Heart and confess with my Mouth That Prophecy never comes by the will of Man but holy men of God to be inspir'd by the holy Spirit and to speak 2 Pet. 1. 21. Therefore I hope also that it will be given unto me from the Lord and my God to overcome the malicious Enemies of God and mine 1 Joh. 2. 3. Because the VVorld passes away and the Lusts thereof but he who doth the will of God abideth for ever v. 17. Therefore into whose-soever Hands or Eyes of those known or unknown to me in any Nation mine and my beloved Adjuncts Labour shall come I beg and pray and in the Name of God with Adjuration intreat Grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby you are seal'd up unto the day of Redemption Eph. 4. 30. Being solicitous to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace v. 3. That we all may be one Body and one Spirit as we are call'd into one hope of our Calling v. 4. For there is one Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in us all v. 5 6. who believe that we are Called and Chosen Rom. 8. 33. And that our names are written in the Lambs Book of Life who was slain from the beginning of the World Rev. 13. 8. If any have Ears to hear let him hear v. 9. Let him hear I say and weigh well who is that Lord of the holy Prophets who is wont to send his Angel to shew unto has Servants the things which must shortly be done Chap. 22. 6. He himself namely who is the Alpha and Omega the Beginning and the End who Is and who Was and who is To Come Chap. 1. 8. That Omnipotent Prince of the Kings of the Earth who hath lov'd us and washed us from our sins in his own Bloud and hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father to whom be Glory and Empire for ever and ever Amen! v. 5 6. Take heed also All I beseech you of that Pharisaical haughtiness to disdain others and say I thank God I am not as other men or as this Publican Luk. 18. 11. For God resists the Proud but gives grace unto the Humble Jam. 4 6. Detract not from one another Brethren For he that detracts from his Brother detracts from the Law v. 11. As that light Soul Veterine does to me his Brother and which is more the Servant of Christ and Minister of the Gospel and Pastor of Souls whom the Apostle reckons worthy of Double Honour 1 Tim. 5. by by word of Mouth and Pen lyingly spreading concerning me whatsoever he can unto my contempt even also
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
Servant Drabricius some ten years since therfore will your Majesty also vouchsafe a peculiar Audience to his Messengers sent not with naked words but with testimonies gaining credit and with most ample instructions unto you Read O King or deliver these things to be read by your wise men You Great Lewis King of France does the great Lord by name invite yea call hither to his Glorious work of renewing the World Take counsel with your Collegues the Christian Kings of Europe to Convocate a Council of the Christian World to settle Truth and Peace and Righteousness therein That Angels may again sing Glory to God on High on Earth Peace Good will towards men If you will follow most Christian King with other Christian Kings the conduct of the Counsel of this Book undoubtedly all the World will shortly become Christian and the Times Peaceful Religious Inlightened and Happier than Solomons according as God did of old promise and does now remind us of that they are approaching Prepare for Christ a quiet Kingdom in the Earth removing his proud Rival Rejoyce that the like things are commanded and promised to you as once to Cyrus To be the Shepherd of the Lord that is a keeper of his Flock the Church the whole Church not any part only thereof as the Greek or the Latin or the French or the English or German-Churches c. For whoever calls on the Name of Christ are the People of Christ and the Sheep of his Flock fulfilling all his will saying to Jerusalem Thou shalt be built c. Isa 44. 28. and 45. 1 2 3 4. Cyrus the King when after the Conquest of Babylon he read the Prophecy of Isaiah presented to him by the Jews as Josephus witnesses and saw his name expressed believed God and presently freed the People of God from captivity O second Cyrus revived will not you imitate c. It is the work of the Devil and of Antichrist to destroy and take away the Liberty of Humane Nature which is the top of the Image of God in Man Whoever therefore shall be the Instrument of this Glorious Restitution of things shall be more than Cyrus more than Alexander more than Augustus more than Constantine or Charles the Great Arise therefore against all Antichrists i. e. Oppressors of Liberties thou King of France King of Liberties for so the word signifies And succour the Christian Nations where-ever groaning under any Corporal or Spiritual yoke Make to cease unchristian Wars and destroyings of one another by Rapines Fires Slaughters c. But especially free the Christian People from the Slaughterhouse of Consciences which they call the Inquisition and execute by Swords Halters Burnings alive Prisons Banishments and other kind of Tortures Let this most abominable Abomination be cast out of the Christian World as the manifest work of Satan by his Antichrists which he began by the impious Kill-Brother Cain and continued by Pharao's Saul's Ahab's Jezebel's Antiochus's Caiphas's Nero's Julians c. but has brought to the height only among us these one or two Ages last past Christ practised or commanded no force but only to teach the Nations and shake off the dust of their feet c. There 's no necessity for Force and Violence because Religion cannot be forced nor compelled They are plainly unteachable who do not observe that those former Persecutors gain'd nothing so but at length to ruine themselves Christ lives conquers reigns with his but Tyrants perish one after another with theirs Therefore take away that foolishness as Lactantius calls it from the Christian People most Christian King Take away that violent Tyranny of Consciences and Bodies from the Catholick People King of Liberties Most Serene of Kings God and the Christian People expect nothing but to answer your Name and what the Names and Titles given you by the Providence of God sound forth Lewis Deodat XIV most Christian King of France Lewis Refuge of the People Deodat Given of God XIV Most Christian King Christ's Vicegerent not Antichrists Of France i. e. Of Liberty The Devil and malicious and evil-minded men O King will stand in your way which two things you and all that love you for God's sake ought to fear For the Devil loth to have his Babylonish Kingdoms disturb'd will undoubtedly withstand you And malignant men seek your ruine as they did of your Heroick Ancestors c. But wise men fear more lest you your own self raise Impediments to your self and to your Victories O King by harkning to evil Counsellours and Instruments rather than to God But and if you refuse God will find out another to plead his Cause We do not stir you up against the Church greatest King but for it Nor against the Roman Church but for it also to restore it to its primitive Apostolick state from which it is deeply fallen God threatens here to send the barbarous Nations to reform us if none else will lend an helping hand Be intreated therefore by your own Salvation and of your most ample Kingdom and the whole Worlds not to let pass into the empty Air these Voices both Humane and Divine The Holy Spirit write in your Heart if not in Golden yet in flaming Letters that twice-made Protestation to negligent Eli High-Priest and disobedient Saul Those that honour me I will honour But those that contemn me shall be contemned of me In the Information to the Readers But are these things certain or are they not fables contriv'd and composed by the Art of some ingenious and witty to deceive T is answered It might be doubted at the first and was every-where doubted as the History of these things will shew But now there is no time for doubting seeing these things are confirmed both by abundant witnesses and confirm'd by divine signs and miracles as the same History will shew and now publickly appears And lastly where the truth of the Predictions are in apparent view and the very event does seal their divine authority Machiavillian Politicians Atheists imagining the World to be ruled by Humane Counsels have laughed at these as Phanatick things But behold God shews himself to be the Rector of the World These things being powerfully fulfilled which he hath commanded to be fore-denounced in his Name If any shall say therefore This Book is the Trumpet to Wars It must be answered 'T is so indeed but the Book of the Wars of the Lord as the Revelation of St. John and the Book of all the Prophets yea and the Book of the Gospel it self perhaps according to that of Christ Do you think that I came to send Peace on Earth c. For this Book describes 1. The Wars of God Jehovah against Idols As Ezek. 30. 13. 2. The Wars of the Lamb against the Beast already heretofore sounded Rev. 1714. 3. The Wars of the holy Spirit of God against all erroneous and unclean spirits in the Earth Zach. 13. 2. I say That here is the Revelation of the Revelation of
are in the place of God on Earth both Governors of States and Churches too humbly to plead this Cause before them Now if they be of Man or the Devil none ought to fear them but contemn them And therefore none should be offended that they are thus brought to light and into English For we intend them here only as a most wonderful History of the present Age not to be passed over without taking notice of For be they true be they false they will be found exceeding useful to the Age and to Posterity The Sum and Substance of the chiefest Prophesies of Kotterus Christina and Drabricius three late German Prophets OR A Summary View of some most Solemn Divine Visions and Revelations Had in these our Dayes By Kotterus a Selesian from the year 1616 to 1624. By Christina a Bohemian Virgin in the years 1627 1628 1629. By Drabricius a Moravian from the year 1638 to 1668. For the use of this Age. Wherein I. Lamentable Complaints are made of the extream Corruption of the Christian People II. And the terrible Plagues of God denounced against the Impenitent III. And how God will raze out the Babylon of false Christians Jews Turks Pagans and all Nations under Heaven and set up a new truly Catholick Church to shine forth most gloriously with the Light of the Gifts of God and what its future State is now to be even to the end of the World ALL Prophesies before they have their effects are Riddles and Ambiguities to men But when the time comes and that happens which was prophesied then the Prophesie has a clear exposition Irenaeus Book 4. ch 43. Certainly it must needs be confessed That these things are once to be or have already been or God to be accused of a lie For there is so great felicity promised to Christians in the Divine Oracles and such perfect knowledge of God and obedience and such universal Peace as neither is nor ever has been in the World c. Castellio to our King Edward the Fourth I confess that I also was in that Opinion that there were no Revelations of Divine Authority since Christ and his Apostles and so also I taught But after that I read these things more accurately I use to say That greater wisdom shines forth in them then that men can be their Authors much less those from whom they proceed And that they seem to be things of a better Nature and so constantly continned such for many years then that they can be attributed to the Devil Testimony of a great Divine Prophets are seldom or never believed Another Divine Witness Jeremiah the Prophet and all the Prophets of old Jerem. Chap. 36. And the Word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah saying Write in a Book all the Words against Judah and Israel and against all Nations If perchance they will hear and return Therefore Jeremiah call'd Baruch to write from his Mouth all the Words of the Lord. And commanded him to go into the Temple and to read them before the People Who did so Which thing being known the Princes assembled in the House of the King and sent to Baruch to come unto them with that Volumn and said unto him Sit and read these things in our Ears And he read who when they had heard were astonished saying every one to his next Neighbour We ought to tell all these words to the King But they said unto Baruch Go and hide thy self thou and Jeremiah And they went in unto the King Who when he had read three or four Leaves he cut it with his Pen-knife and cast it into the fire Neither were they afraid neither the King nor his Servants but commanded to apprehend them But the Lord hid them And the Word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah saying Take another Volumn and write in it all the former words and thou shalt say unto the King Thou hast burnt the Book Therefore I will punish and bring all the evil I have pronounced And Baruch wrote from his Mouth all the former words And there were added besides uuto them many like words The Lord said unto me Write these things and hasten to divulge many hundred Copies through all parts of the World For this is my Will that all Nations of the Earth read those things which I have spoke unto thee Drab Rev. 55. Now for these Prophesies we shall first give you the scope and sum of them beforehand in general and then come to the Revelations and Visions themselves in particular The utmost scope of all these Revelations is according to the manner of the Ancient Prophets 1. To shew unto Christians the manifold sins and aberrations wherewith they have provoked and do provoke God and sad Lamentations thereupon 2. To discover the Causes of the present Plagues and Judgments wherewith God breaks in pieces the World and the Causes why Gods Wrath waxes hot so against Christendom and to excite and forewarn men to attend seriously to the terrible threatnings of Wrath and comfortable promises of Grace 3. To shew the way of escaping the Wrath and preventing the last destruction and of obtaining the Grace 1. By general and universal Humiliation Repentance Reformation and Amendment 2. By universal mutual Love Charity and peaceableness one with another of all Parties Sects and Religions That all Names of distinction be laid aside and factious contendings about Opinions cease and that one common Faith and Love prevail among Christians of all sorts to preserve the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace And that all wicked unchristian-Christian Wars and Fightings and such cruel devourings of one another not becoming that Name whether for Religion or worldly Interests be laid aside And 3. by offering and communicating the same common Mercy and Benefit that is the Light and Blessing of the Gospel and thereby Universal Peace Truth Righteousness and Salvation to the Nations of the Earth For that now God would have all the World reformed and blessed with all true Felicities and Universal Salvation both Temporal and Eternal In a word the Kingdom of God come and the State of the Divine and Holy Life tryumph and be exalted over the Animal Sensual Beastial and Devilish 4. And lastly That otherwise Christendom shall feel the Power of Gods Anger and of his wonderful Judgments and the Vials of his Wrath be poured out c. For that Christians ought first to reform and begin this Universal Restitution Else that God will find others but destroy them by one another or by letting in the Barbarous Nations the Turks and Tartars c. in upon them That the time of destroying and overturning is at hand This and such like is their general scope And more particularly to stir up Princes Priests and People all to their particular Duties Kings to execute the call of their high Function To do the Will and Work of God on Earth i. e. To reform both Church and State and to take unto them their Scepters and
neither also th Angels until they are fulfilled I will finish what I have begun Let who so will be scandalized as he will Let this be for thy comfort that what thou hast wrote thou hast heard of me not from any one of men that are like unto thy self Be confident therefore with me my beloved Friend that it will come to pass that accusers will grow mute when the hour of God comes For the Word of the Lord will be an heavy burden to deriders But for us let us more fear God who has power to kill Body and Soul then mortal men who can do nothing but what God permits them That of yours God forgive us the hasty Edition of the Book I thus change Praise be unto God who has vouchsafed us to free our Consciences in not hiding from the Sons of Men those things which the Mouth of God hath spoken Hereunto Comenius again from the increased taunts of divers and filled with greater bitterness retorted If you Friend are so certain of Gods speaking to you that you are willing to seal it with your death your certainty will serve for your self but not those whom the contrariety of events renders uncertain And we see continual examples of such as have embraced errors for truth have been willing to lay down their lives for them as for the very most truth being perswaded nothing else in the sight of God then that they had believed taught and wrought things most true And yet therefore did not Error cease to be Error You give firm belief to those words spoke to you Thou art that my last Trumpet I but this perpetually remains a question whose voice that may be c. Do you bid us put our hope in God There is no where where I can fix the Anchor of my Hope but in him who knows the simplicity of my heart that I have feigned nothing here nor have added any thing to nor taken from nor changed those things which were brought in the name of God In the thing it self if there be found error the goodness of God will overlook the fault of humane frailty committed by no manner of fraud or design And this should be taken as a sudden confusion in the sight and presence of God instead of a chastisment more cautiously to lead our life But if yet at length it shall appear to have been the work of God even this my fluctuation must necessarily serve for the greater glory of God and the comfort or instruction of the Godly Although I as Moses should suffer for it in this life God only forbid that others or even all our Church should necessarily suffer ignominy and persecution for us Whereas you exhort to praise God that notice of these things are given to the Sons of men I know it is written that also the fury of men must at length praise God and to that end the wisedom of God is illustrated by the foolishness of men Yet the question remains what we are to do in the mean while Some Friends here perswade Silence Others to give glory to God and forsake Drabricius from whom alone almost these scandals do come Answer what you think and that presently I will expect your answer with uncessant sighs and breathings to God And indeed most open heartedly as at the Tribunal of God whither I cite you to appear Deal I say candidly with me but even now at length I adjure you by that tremendous Name the salvation of your Soul by not concealing that some of those things which are so manifestly false have been additaments of your own conjecture This if you shall do the scandals in great part will cease Because we are admonished that humane devisings are fallacious I know no more efficacious remedy and it shall be that God will judge you according to the Integrity of your heart and being propitious to us all bruise Satan under our feet although in our own shame and confusion May only the glory of Gods Truth stand unshaken and none of the Godly be made sad by us or for us much less the whole Church I again and again conjure you by God and your own Soul deal sincerely with me in this matter now at length The Holy good Spirit rule you Farewel To so many obtestations of his Drabricius returned his contestations more sharply upbraiding the pusillanimity of his Faith And wrote down advise and counsel what he should do not in his own words but of the very Oracle it self Revelat. 460. afterwards And at length also a Preface wherein referring all things written by him to God alone required them to be printed and made known to all Nations of the Earth as the last will of God Thereby taking all our fears upon himself wholly The Preface or Appeal to Gods Tribunal goes before the Revelations And therefore seeing so great learned and Godly a man as Comenius after so long deliberation and consultation with others has thought it his duty to publish and dedicate them to all the world let none think amiss that they are thus summarily hinted in English which very great use may be made of however they prove true or false And the more to confirm Comenius herein was that Drabricius was not alone but two other Prophets of God had gone before all testifying the same things for the main substance and scope thereof The first was Cotterus a German the second Christina a Polonian Gentlewoman All whom briefly thus Comenius compares together 1. In respect of their end for which they were raised viz. One and the same To stir up the Godly to attend to the works of God which he has now in hand in purging his Church with the fire of Persecutions and soon after in reforming it gloriously and inlarging it through all the residue of the Nations of the World 2. In respect of time Cotterus Visions began before the beginning of the Pcrsecution in Germany An. 1616. and ended in their heat 1624. Christina's in the middle about the time of Imprisonments Apostasies and begun dispersion of the Church An. 1628 1629. Drabricius's after their dispersion about the time of deliverance drawing on and with it from 1638 to 1664. and some continuations since to 1668. For an Argument that God never forsakes his 3. If you compare them in respect of Age. The first was of full Age or mans estate the second young the third old For a Testimony that t is indifferent with God to use the Wit Tongue Hand whether of Young perfect Age or Old 4. If in respect of Sex The first and the third Men the middlemost a Virgin to confirm that of Joel 2. 28. 5. If in respect of Condition The first was a Tradesman or Artizan to be banished afterwards for the Word of God The second a noble Virgin on both Parents side born in Banishment and to suffer new Banishment The third a Minister of God's Word setled in Banishment and to be recalled out of Banishment
these things Let it suffice I say and serve for a caution I if it shall please the Lord to call me hence will seal it with my Death that I have forwarned that the Church no more offend in this kind And that not one or two or three usurp power to determine of such matters which regard the judgement to the whole Church and so of Posterity it self also Yea and if any one dare commit this Book to the fire such a one as he I cite to the Tribunal of Christ there to give an account of his inordinate passion and affection I wrote these things with mine owne hand so dictating an Heart full of the fear of God J. A. Comenius And yet further before we end this long preface which so mainly concerns the validity of all that follows and is for an Apology Those that do not must know that our Authour Comenius is the only surviving Superintendent or Bishop of the Bohemian Church now in Exile fourty years and over A man of universal knowledge and learning of a large and delusive spirit and of a sincere and single heart as all Christendom can bear witness of A true Virtuoso of all Divine and Humane Science and Experiance A man given to no fancies and whimsies nor self-ends and designs But of vast and universal Aims and desires for the universal good of Mankind the World and the Church and one that hath sore travalled for the promoting of universal Knowledge Literature Art Sience and Virtue both Humane and Divine as appears by the Janua Linguarum and his other labours and more particularly his late Treatise for the spreading of Light Knowledg universally dedicated to the Royal Society of Englands Virtuoso's And lastly one that most severely rebuked Drabricius for still persisting in his wild Fancies and Dreams as he then thought till he was at length convinced of the Finger of God therein as appears by the concertation he had with him as follows Drabricius in his Visions had promised him an Associate called his Adjunct to help carry on this work of God in the World which was this Comenius And indeed who so sit And first he was commanded by the Lord to inform Comenius of his first Visions and to send them to him which accordingly he did about An. 1644. And this was all that ever Comenius had to do concerning them till 1650. when after that the General Peace of Munster seemed to defeat all their hopes and expectations Comenius was by Providence unexpectedly brought into those Parts again about Affairs of the Church There Drabricius was urgent with him to go to the Prince He replyed What do you hear my Brother Are not you awake yet out of your Dreams Condemning as well as others all of Vanity Because they did not reach the prophetick gravity of Stile like Cotterus's and Christina's and the events seemed to answer much less You first offer'd the Crown to the Father and now deluded of that Hope you would go to the Son In the name of God see what you do and desist to delude your self and others The man shed Tears and lifting up his Eyes and Hands I could twice wash my self with my Tears sayes he As much as has already been powred forth of them that God would spare me miserable man But I cannot obtain Have you then Visions yet said Comenius It is a bove a year said he that I have had none yet I know that there is not an end of them How do you know The Lord told me sayes he and commanded that they should be sealed and kept for your coming and delivered to you For that you should come into this Land Behold Here I deliver them and besought him to read them Do not you faigne this I pray said Comenius He calls God to witness Comenius asked when did you hear that concerning my coming hither Three years since said he presently after the Princes death when through impatience of these mockeries I would have burnt those But the Lord forbad you will find it there written Comenius upon Meditation Prayer and Conference with Friends found his mind changed So many causes offering themselves for taking a Journey to the Prince which before he had not observed And calling his Brethren to pray together he did accordingly c. And so afterwards the Visions returned to Drabricius again more solemn then before and ever since to this time In which at diveres times Comenius was commanded from the Lord to write them to translate them into the Latin Tongue to divulge them speedily through all publick places and streets of the World to translate the Bible into the Turkish Language to communicate them to Kings and Princes and all Orders of men and being backward and wavering was still commanded pressed and threatned to go on to write and publish them and to invocate and to cry aloud upon all Nations of the Earth in order to the accomplishment and execution of these things c. All which this Adjunct of the Lords Prophet not daring to tergiversate or be disobedient to Gods call has done as well as he could or is about to do and durst not but do Accordingly therefore this excellent Man begins with the dedication and consecration of the whole to Christ Jesus himself and an appeal to him The Eternal Word Wisdom and Truth c. Hear us King of Glory now crying unto thee for thy Glory sake and thou who art our Sun shew us clearly to all under the Sun as the clear Sun doth all things visible at noon day what there is in these leaves whether it be thy Light and Truth or the frauds of thy black Enemy Amen! Amen! Amen! O Light of the World we appeal in exposing this thy Cause to the publick view of men against the Prince of Darkness we appeal from the Darkness to the Light from the prejudice of fools to the judgement of the wise from the rashness of the prophane to the reverence of the Godly from the ill informed to the better informed finally from every humane Tribunal to thy Tribunal it self Thou King of Kings in whose hands are the hearts of King as Rivers of Water to turn them which way thou wilt give unto all that shall go about to judge of these things a teachable heart like Solomons to judge rightly of things and to discern between good and evil He that reads let him understand The next Dedication is to all Kings and Powers all Crowned Heads and Vice-Gods of the Christian World c. If any thing yet remain to be done seriously about these things this one thing is it By an accurate and solemn Inquisition to examine whether these things be truly so or no or whether humane figments only cover'd with the Cloak of divine Revelations and that then if any fraud be detected the false witnesses to be punished according to the Laws of God and man We fly therefore to your Tribunal O Kings for such a scruting
nor understand his counsel Therefore Kings begin to know from his Oracles old and new founding in this very Book also that the Lord be not inraged against you and you perish in the way But how First By puting an end among your selves and all Christian People to WARS because now is the time for the King of Peace to Raign c. O Christian Kings Princes Common-wealths be Ministers of this Peacemaking King and cease to be a reproach to Christ For God will scatter the Nations that delight in War 2dly All mutual PERSECUTIONS for Religion are presently to be laid aside also which God never commanded but Satan began by Cain and by Ahab and Jezabel and the Babylonians and Antiochus and Caiphas with their bloudy Hypocrites and continued by Nero and other Pagans But among Christians only the impious Arrians dispairing to defend the depravity of their Opinion by Scripture first attempted to usurp against the most manifest Doctrine and practice of Christ and the Apostles and the holy Doctors and Martyrs of the Church who had rather be killed and devoured like Sheep then kill and devour like Wolves Thirdly Not to permit him neither who usurping primacy in the Church and supposing it to be defended by him with Sword and Fire hath now for some Ages raged do not suffer him to continue his rage and cruelty but that he also laying aside his Savageness may become a Lamb of Christs flock or an innocent Lyon Be mindful of that wise saying of Steven King of Poland that God hath reserved three things to himself 1. Creation out of nothing 2. Foreknowledge of things future 3. Domination or Lordship over Consciences Which the Roman Pope hath attempted to usurp and without either any Divine command or humane leave hath dared to build himself a Kingdom over all Kingdoms of the World and to maintain it by Sword and Flame And to lord it over the Consciences of all men even of his Brethren the Bishops and that which is more of Kings themselves who represent the divine Majesty on Earth Which what is it else but to climb into Gods Throne which if ye O Kings the Vicegerents of Divine Majesty on Earth continually tolerate God protests that he will no longer tole ate And to that end begins his Judgements against him and you and the world 4thly That what the season of the present Broils and Troubles of the world require of you O Kings that every one of you most solemnly proclaim to all your People universally publick Prayers Fastings and amendment of life and thereby true and general repentance after the example of the King of Nineveh Because this is the time of which Christ sayes that there shall be great Tribulation such as hath not been from the begining of the World nor ever shall be O ye Sons in high places now God arises to judge the Earth and to take his inheritance in all Nations 5thly If upon universal repentance God spare you a most solemn reformation and amendment of things is to be thought of Inquire into the Books of the Lord old and new hear your St. Bridgets most excellent counsel when St. Bernard inquired the counsel of God from her He that sat upon the Throne opening his mouth said Hear all my enemies living in the World because I speak not to my Friends who follow my will hear all Clergy men Arch Bishops Bishops and all inferior orders of the Church hear all Religious and Regulars of what soever order hear Kings and Princes and Judges of the Earth and all Ministirs and Subjects Hear Women Queens and Princesses and all Ladies Mistresses and Servants and all of what soever order and degree great and small that inhabit the world these words which I even I who have created you now speak unto you c. After complaining of all their sins impieties and vices Therefore I swear by my Deity that if you dye in the state wherein you are you shall never see my face nor escape my punishments c. Therefore return ye unto me with humiliations and I will receive you graciously as Sons c. And therefore for such an universal and serious return because serious and solemn thoughts once at length are to be entred upon counsel is given you even in these Books O Kings of convocating an UNIVERSAL COUNCIL out of all Christian People Holily to conspire together in a common universal repentance and universal serious deprecating and amendment of so great exorbitances now among us c. and to return all from curiosities and niceties about Articles and Questions of Faith which hath distracted us and from the many by-paths of error which we are run into and from earthly desires and lusts which have led us away into mutual strifes and Wars unto the simplicity and puriry of the Christian Faith and Life That all Christian Dissensions Strifes Hatreds Wars Devourings and Destroyings may be changed into Concord Peace Love Safety and Felicity and to this the only way is a COUNCIL truly universal truly free truly congregated in the Holy Ghost Arise O Christian Kings help things every where grown desperate the Patronage of this Book belongs to Kings because it comes in the name of the King of Kings and is printed with priviledge of the King of Kings and committed to the favor of all the Kings of the Earth every where to spread and divulge it and contains nothing hurtful to any but profitable and most useful to all If you hear not these divine counsels O Christians the Lord will send more Plagues Intestine Wars Famine Plague Savage Beasts i. e. Men worse then Beasts so that Christians shall be more savage and rage one against another more inhumanly then Turks and Barbarians because the condemnation of the great Whore is at hand Not for our selves O Kings and Princes do we the Publishers of this Book require your protection thereof but for your selves and the Christian People lest you perish from the fury of all the divine premointions It is comfort and protection enough to us from God who can boldly say with Hildegardis I have both spoke and writ these things not according to the invention of my own heart or of any man but as I have seen heard and perceived them in the Heavenly places or visions through the secret mysteries of God Therefore hear ye who preside in the place of God on Earth undertake so to manage this cause of God against Satan or of Satan against God for so different persons interpret differently that it may be ended and none may err concerning these things This lyes upon you upon a double right 1st because you are Kings 2dly Because you are the Churches nursing Fathers c. Therefore constitute forthwith a Judgement O ye who judge the Earth wherein may be decided whether our God that hath pity towards us all in common speakes here things profitable to his Reaple or some Devil instil things hurtful If the latter that the
false prophets and fainers of dreams may be put to death and iniquity be taken away from the midst of the people Deut. 13. And because the Eclesiasticks are ordinarily inclined to slay the Prophets behold we solemnly appeal from all Universities and Consistories to your tribunal O Kings and secular Powers Like Jeremiah from the Priests to the Princes and to the King himself and Paul the Apostle from the Council of the Priests to the Political Judges Felix Festus Agrippa and lastly to Caesar himself We beseech you undertake 1st the Patronage of this Book Permitting none to rage against it till plenary examination and delusion of the cause For what have these papers offended in receiving these Lamentations Mournings and Woes especially denouncing no sad things to the people of God But to Sodom Egypt Babylon the World Hell and the Devils afflicting the people of God Nor perswade any Nation or any Man any Rebellion against their Kings but all Loyalty that all things may return from all manner of confusions into all manner of order and peace Lastly because This Book is one of them by which God Convocates the Kings of the Earth from the four Corners of the World to reverence him it is your part therefore O Kings not to hinder but promote this Trumpet of God if you would be Ministers of his Kingdom Next The publishers themselves of this Book commend themselves to your Patronage O Gods Protectors of the Earth That you permit no unjust violence against them As the Princes and the King himself did not against Jeremiah and Baruch nor the Tribune of the Band and Felix Governor of Judea against Paul For it would be most unjust by force to act any thing against him who appealing to Justice sets himself before the Judgement As the Jewish Priests with their flatterers did against the Lord himself and against Paul c. 3. We commend to you O Powers of the Earth the very cause it self pleaded in these Books to be throughly examined for in the name of one more powerful these Oracles do come fulminating your People your Priests and your Selves with your Princes and citing all the inhabitants of the Modern World to a certain supreme invisible yet terrible Tribunal For if the words which these Books denounce be truly the words of God it is more Glorious then any thing yet in the Church since the Apostles time If Satanical Impostures they are more terrible and fearful ones then ever any have yet been If figments of humane craft nothing like hath ever yet come forth in any Nation by any humane wit But whether this or that or the other It is a matter most worthy of the care of Kings that at length what it is may appear whereunto serious Judgement is needful not neglect not contempt not fury Hasten O Kings to know and examine what matter of things these are before all the Plagues here denounced be powred forth upon your Kingdoms Deliver these things to wise men and fearing God and of publick spirits seriously to be weighed If you hear humane counsels why not also these which many wayes may appear to come by men indeed yet not from men If any one say Dare you broach and vend these things for Prophesies undoutedly Divine I will answer with Philip to Nathaniel Come and see For the offices and marks of true Prophets are here to declare to the people of God fallen into abominations their sins To denounce wrath and punishment to the impenitent and again Mercy and Grace to the penitent this and not another thing for the main scope and end you shall see is done here Only be sure to see that you make your selves certain which you may from the adjoyned history 1st That there have been really and indeed persons in this our Age who have written these things greater then any human wit 2ly And that they were simple Idiots not able to fain such things Act. 4. 13. 3ly And Godly fearing God not willing to deceive 4ly Incompassed with a cloud of Witnesses that there could be no place for Impostures 5ly Lastly that many Godly and solid Divines not in one Nation only do give testimony that greater wisedom shines forth in these things then that they can be attributed to men and that the whole work is more sanctions and holy then that it can be attributed to Satan Yet lest we may seem to obtrude any private Authority on the Publick we earnestly intreat a publick and solemn examination of these things under your Auspicions beginnings O Kings And that as soon as may be while witnesses are alive who can give it on their Faith that they have seen the fingers writing viz. Things flowing forth or droping from the pen of the Seers not what they themselves would but what by themselves for the most part not understood some certain invisible dictatour instilled into them which also their own hand writing viz. The originals themselves kept in a certain place further testifie The last thing we desire of you O most serene Princes is that if these be Counsels divine you would seriously purpose and resolve to obey and execute the divine Will saying All that the Lord hath said we will do Why may not these things be thus recommended c. seeing no man brings them forth of his own daring but they are offered in the name of God who is the God of all and takes care of all It is the Law of Arms and custom of the Nations that Trumpeters pass freely amongst the most deadly enemies even ready to give Battel bringing the command of their Principals Why may not he therefore be safe between the safeguards of your Majesty O Christian Kings who is your Interpreter from the King of Kings But they who would perswade you that this Book is hurtful stirring up to War and Arms betray their folly malice and impiety Because it does not make but after the manner of all the Prophets forewarn denounce and threaten Wars and Desolations without Repentence and Amendment And because none has ever drawn his Sword for the sake of this Book when yet all people draw their Swords one against another who is so blind yet and besotted as not to see his Arm stretched forth out of whose mouth are denounced these things beforehand Was Rome unwise in permitting it to be cry'd through all the City Hannibal s before the Gates Cease Mortals to be mad and quite out of your wits The voice of God and Angels forewarning you from destruction sound even in these Books The World is full of the Judgements of God The present commotion of the World and so many unlooked for Mutations do not signifie nothing Lest therefore the Christian people be still so grosly ignorant as they are of the terrible Judgements of God now in the world viz. of their Causes Manner End and Issue do ye who preside over the people in the place of God command that among other helps ministred from
the divine Power that these Books also be publickly extant and exposed to be sold bought read and throughly considered and examined being certain that it will be for the great use of Gods People your Honour and the Glory of God Yea and read them your selves and delay not to offer them to your Counsellours to be read and judged Here is a thousand times a greater business then a Neighbouring War or Peace It 's worthy of all your Juncto's to consult of Let not O Kings the King of Kings seem to be so slighted by you or his Messengers pretending at least in his Name c. Believe it most Serene Princes nothing like to this Book has the World had since the Apostles times The next is to all the Angels of the Churches Bishops Pastors Doctors all Divines and Theologers and all Eclesiasticks where all prejudices of the Wise and Learned and Religious against these matters are clearly removed c. It hath pleased God in some Ages past to inspire before-hand Men and Women with a prophetick spirit as in the Book called the Burden of the Church and in the Catalogue of the Witnesses of the Truth and in Fabricius's Tryal of Visions are cited and in our age to stir up others and in greater numbers through Germany Amongst whom seeing these three write what they are commanded of that stupendous mutation of things in the World now at hand and the Glorious Kingdom of Christ Now now to begin And that indeed these are not fained as may appear plainly from the adjoyned History What hinders but that all these things also be known of you O Presidents of the Churches It is no burden to you to read humane commetaries upon the Scripture Why do you neglect to know these that as truly as God lives are not Humane Lay aside or at least suspend for a time the cushion of carnal security Rather read again attentively both the divine Book of the Prophets and Apostles and also these new repetitions of the same things and then if all things appear not a thousand fold clearer to you then through your false spectacles then let it be free for you to take them up again Unhappy interpreters of the Scripture who expresly deny what God expresly affirms in the Scripture that the Lord does nothing but he reveals his secrets to his Servants the Prophets From whom therefore doth the contrary assertion that God does all things without our privity come Expunge that out of your Bibles or say God is not that Antient mankind-loving God who takes pleasure to communicate his secrets to men I beseech you O Theologers be not more infidels to the world and works of God then Machiavil suspected of some of Atheisme as before quoted Take heed in the name of God Theologers to blind and hearden men while you would seem to make them see The Apostles have not said to the people of the new Law Admit no more Prophesie but he hath said Quench not the Spirâ—t dispise not Prophesie try all things c. O ye that are appointed Watchmen upon the Walls of Jerusalem examin the state of your Churches Whether they be truly called out of the world or rather relapsed into the world and become the verymost world indeed If the whole matter were seriously looked into perhaps you would see what heretofore so many holy men have seen viz. Among Modern Christians almost nothing of Christ besides the name is found for as much as 1st The humility of Christ is turned into haughtiness from the highest head of the Church to the lowest 2dly The Heavenly Kingdom of Christ into all things that are Earthly 3dly The Gentleness of Christ degenerated into fury and mad perversness of butchering one another that we are not now a tame flock of Tigers Lyons Wolves Serpents But a flock of Sheep turned into Wolves Bears Dragons Vipers greedy of nothing but to hurt one another in all the holy Mountains of God 4thly Lastly if it be true what a holy man said Christ reigns in internals Antichrist in externals we are all now become Antichrists Because none almost worship God in Spirit and Truth All living in the flesh seek to deceive God with a little paint and external daub of piety Again and again see what you do O Theologers lest if you will not admit these Preachers God send you more terrible Preachers Prodigies in Heaven and Earth and Blood and Fire and streams of Smoak and Fears and Pits and Snares and that like People like Priest c. If indeed they are Humane or Satanical you need not fear but contemn them but if truly from God wo unto you Guides of the people who in obedience of your ordinary vocation most scornfully contemn these extraordinary things that you account them neither worthy to be seen or heard orexamined O Consecrated Heads to God! Be not like the Preists and Prophets of Jerusalem drunken with Error not knowing the Seer and ignorant of the Judgement Behold here Seers Behold an obscure question Whether at this day there be Seers or no. Examin both it and them But Judge not according to outward appearance but Judge Righteous Judgement sayes Christ And what need you be troubled at them they are but the things foretold in the Scripture Of Tribulations to the wicked world and Rest and Peace to the Church c. Which if you cannot bear with in these Books expunge them out of the volumns of your Bibles But if you can and ought to bear them there bear them also here That old and new may accord together If you scruple because they were unlearned and Ideots Gamaliel's counsel in full Council of the Pharisees is moderate Abstain from these men and let them alone for if this counsel or word be of men it shall be brought to nought but if it be of God you cannot withstand it lest perhaps ye be found fightâ—â—s against God O Modern Councils Synods Consistories Universities suffer the same words Desist to prohibit this Book For no Human wit can refute nor no human force or power oppose this work of innovating the world nor no humane goodness able to wish better things to mankind If any dislikes this Counsel and will try his strength in overthrowing this work let him also attempt to stop the dayly Rise and Set of the Sun or the Flux and Reflux of the Sea or the Winds from blowing hither and thither But thou to thine own self O man art nor able to stop breathing in and out And how wilt thou go about to restrain the Eternal Spirits breathings and inspirations Cease ye Sparks to contend with the Flame ye Rivers with the Ocean ye shall not prevail Cease to befool men by attributing to Man or to Satan what cannot be attributed neither to Man nor to Satan viz. to speak with the voice of God and to seal his words with omnipotent virtue to effect them by shaking to wit the Earth and the Sea and the
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
admonished of his error by Collegues Why not also Peters successors Peter did not bear disdainfully his admonition yea sharp rebuke nor let Peters Successor Therefore Alexander highest Priest suffer something to be said I will deal plainly with you in the name of co-Brothers all the Bishops of the world and in the name of the whole Christian People whether these three Prophets of ours were truly sent of God and commanded to speak what they spake It is not enough to deny but come to examine Whilst therefore sad things are here denounced against you O Roman Pope in these Books do not I beseech you suspect any company of men have here conspired against you Whether in jest and sport as your Pasquin and Morphory at Rome or in earnest Examine before you contemn Thou O Roman Pope yet be entreated If you are resolved to imitate Ahab the slayer of the Prophets yet at least imitate his prudence and policy i. e. Be not more cruel towards these three Prophets speaking to you and the word by the command of God then Ahab towards his three Elias Anonymus and Micheas 1 Kings ch 18. and 20 22. Elias required all I srael to be gathered together to see whether God was God or Baal Ahab consented was himself a spectator You have sought us O Roman Prelates whom you thought disturbers of your affairs through all Nations and Kingdoms by your Persecutions and Inquisitions But they behold ready of their own accord by command of God set themselves before you to try whether God be God or Baal And that all the Christian People be congregated into Council to this spectacle Stand to this therefore Admit a just request Gather a Convention together Behold the event All your Counsellors with your false prophets promise happy Omens to you as they did to Ahab But behold here some Michea's who have heard another thing Are they not to be heard also Josaphat perswades Nor let him who is not more obdurate then Ahab refuse The event will shew whence these things come And it is just that all People be called as Witnesses It ought to appear plainly by the publick testimony of the world if there be any true God and true Prophet of the true God or no. We send these words as Micheas's to all people that they may be heard of all O Alexander Pope humble thy self in Sackcloath and Ashes and command all in your great Nineveh so to do If yet perchance at last God may return and pardon lest ye perish Pope Alexander from the beginning of the World the Light of the divine Word hath never so clearly shone nor so many Prodigies broak forth in Heaven and Earth nor so many extraordinary Revelations and Prophesies Nor so many and so universal Commotions of the Nations and Destructions and Calamities following them and to follow Wo unto you if you lead the World to despise all these things Be moved at the sight of this Book O Pope be but in deed what you are in name The Head of the Church Successor of the Apostles Vicar of Christ and all will be well and safe Lay down the Arms of the World Put on the Arms of the Church of the Apostles of Christ You shall as certainly overcome as they overcame Pope Alexander 7th wise Pope command St. Hildegards Vision to be shown you And you will see nothing is said against you here but what hath been said by your own Saints and Prophets before And for that reason never harden your self against so great obtestations of God both old and new Although you burn these Books or reject them amongst the prohibited Books or take no notice of them yet they will have their effect for which they are sent Whosoever of you O Cardinals Bishops Prelats Fathers of the society have access to the Pope perswade him not to be too hasty to condemn this Book that perswades only such things as an Heretick or Phanatick Book Let him rather read or those that are sincere amongst you give it him to read c. We read your Books of all kinds even your Revelations from God Why not you also these things which ours the same God for we have no other hath vouchsafed to reveal to us And perswade him that he may say to himself and you Let us search our wayes and turn unto the Lord. To whom for a final determination Whether this be his Word or anothers we must necessarily appeal on both sides as Elias and Micheas did But Ahab and the People stood still If you persist and refuse to follow the Examples of Christ and his Apostles what will follow Nothing else will remain then either to oppose new Counsel more crafty than former or new and greater force But either or both alike in vain As Caiphas the High-Priest of the Jews did use both in vain In whose footsteps if it please you still to insist Do what he did Convocate Cardinals Patriarchs Archbishops Bishops Abbats Doctors and propound to them How no means hitherto used avail any thing And that now moreover a new danger is arisen from new Revelations published if they be admitted for Divine which deliver the power of Judging and Reforming the Church unto Kings Reformation that unseen Reformation heretofore attempted by Paedants only or certain Monks Waldus Wickliff Hus Luther c. or a few Princes and Kings and not united among themselves yet made you grievous work for some Ages But what shall we now do if Kings themselves unite with their Counsels and Forces and set upon the work We must therefore look about us quickly and take new Counsels yea we must whet the Arms of both Swords and call Fire and Water and Halters and Gibbets and Daggers and Potions c. to help c. and ends with that which is the sum of all these Revelations if he hath not leisure to read them at large either to repent or to perish It is necessary either a Total Reformation or a Total Destruction one of the two In the third place To all most Serene Kings High Princes and Famous Common-wealths The God of Gods the Lord hath spoken Behold O Kings of Europe God calls you by the loud cryes of this Book and will put it into your hearts to do his will Come and behold what manner of and how great things are here offered to you in the name of the God of Gods At the very first sight whereof will you not fear some fraud and cheat of Man or the Devil It ought verily to be feared and not you be deceived in so great concerns Take heed therefore of being deceived O Majesties These things come not from any of Mortals but from the very Immortal President of the World Himself And lastly To the King of France who is here designed to be Emperor of Christendom Most Christian King Lewis XIV Emperor of the French The Heavenly Majesty hath vouchsafed a peculiar speech unto you by name in a Revelation to his
Saint John which hath distracted so many Commentators differing among themselves Therefore this Book is a new Commentary upon the old Revelations of St. John not a Humane but Divine The former Edition was exposed to light with doubting and trembling and for censure only This freely and confidently not now so much to judge whether these things be Divine as to execute them as Divine for warning to the World Now therefore we lift up our voice as a Trumpet That they may hear who had not heard and they may believe who had not believ'd and may see with their eyes and handle with their hands who had not as yet foresaw by Faith That God is in the midst of humane affairs and does sometimes speak to men doing nothing but he reveals his secrets to his servants the Prophets There is need now of no vails no secret muttering Now all must needs hear both far and near even to the utmost ends of the Earth Be admonished therefore O all ye into whose hands this Book shall come that ye do not read it without St. John's Revelations and without divers reflexion to those things which are now a doing in the World And then the very blind cannot but see that it is God that here speaks not man And that it is God who stirs up the Nations of the World one against another not this or that man predicting such things or not one another themselves And that it is God who comes to chastize the Christians in his Indignation not the Turks and the Tartars And lastly that God himself is about to reform his Church not the King of France or any other Cry unto God O Christian People Shew pitty O God! Prevent blindness prevent stupidity We are thy People Permit not that all Visions be unto us as a sealed Book which cannot be read Do as thou hast promised that the day is coming in which the Deaf shall hear the Word of the Book and the eyes of the Blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness In thy Light beholding light And whosoever thou art that readest these things say with blind Bartimeus Lord that I may see Take this Book into your hands O Christians of all parties and know that these things here offered are like to those Ancient ones the burden of Babylon the burden of Moab the burden of Damascus the burden of Egypt Whoever art wise despise not to be forewarned and lay aside vain wrath against these things If these threatnings came from man they might be contemned or the Plot counterplotted But if from the terrible God who cannot be resisted take heed But whether it be himself that speaks here he will undoubtedly know whoever reading all these things together with the premised Informations and the conjoyned History thereof attentively with the fear of God and comparing all things with the events to which they dispose themselves shall purpose not to strive with the Fates and the President of the Fates If any one be resolved the contrary namely to think Antient and new Prophecies an antiquated thing no longer to be heeded and the World now to be governed either by Fortune or Chance or humane Counsels only let him go on to stop his ears shut his eyes and harden his heart past all remedy And lastly he gives a large sober and judicious Apology for the whole Book and Publication Let them favourably hear me All who fear God As for me if for fear of men I do not what God and Conscience command I expose my self to his wrath into whose hands it is intolerable to fall If new hatreds calumnies persecutions attend me for this new Edition let the will of God be done I commit my self into his hands either to protect me or to deliver me up into their hands who seek my soul I am full of dayes beyond Davids age of man and full of the miseries of life so that it is pleasure to say It suffices Lord take away my soul Away let us not be wise above God! And While he commands to speak let us speak whether any one will hear us or not Wo unto the soul if seeing the sword for fear of men he blow not the Trumpet I come unto thee O Queen of Churches the Roman do not I beseech ye suspect this Trumpet of God through any private grudge towards you to sound as it were a charge either to stir up peoples hatred towards you or warrs against you for it does not sound to war but a retreat Men Catholicks and all that fear God hear Let any one of you reade this Prophetick Volumn a thousand times he shall find it hath no other scope than what hath in past Ages been expressed by the mouth of David and all the holy Prophets namely that God will not alwayes endure our Babylonish confusions and mutual Cain-like hatreds and slaughters but sometime totally make an end thereof in the last dayes c. Isa 2. Mich. 4. Zech. 9. and a thousand other places aswell in the antient Prophets and Apocalyptical writings of the Apostles as in these revealed in our ages I protest therefore before God and his Angels and Heaven and Earth that this Book is not published with an intent to injure any one and that it is not to be taken for a scandalous Libel but an Historical Book and Monitory to all Christians without difference That all may desist from mutual hatreds persecutions slaughters butcherings c. They are not dehortations Humane but of God himself immoveably founded in the antient Oracles reiterated only upon new occasions The sum of which is that all things must be reformed among Christians or all must perish Mother of the Churches throughout the West Why dost thou rage so against thy Sons admonishing and exhorting thee to repentance and amendment When this Book was quite ready and nothing of this Apology thought on some Friends yet solliciting its suppression my Conscience did then dictate that it was better to obey God rather then Men and I cryed unto the Lord But he taught me to take unto me this Buckler and to lay open my heart before the eyes of Men as it is known in the sight of the Heart-knower But I now ceasing here to speak unto you O Christian People Invocate thee who art God for witness that I have done what thou hast commanded and nothing else Nor for any other end then that thy last Will might become known to them to whom thou hast commanded it should Nor have prefaced these things on any other hopes then that men rational Creatures might learn to discern and judge of things Perform O God! what thou hast promised Shew that thou hast spoken these things and we compelled to write And if any one would hurt us be thou a Wall of Fire unto us as thou wast to Eliah as Dabricius speaks Rev. 416. Give into the Hearts of Kings to do what thou hast commanded by giving these things to Arbitrators to weigh
holy Name yet that I and these my Words and Speeches shall not be condemned of my God nor of his Angels present with me always as my Witnesses nor of my own Conscience than which after God and his holy sacred Word and Faith given to me towards it I have nothing dearer in this Life Bending my Knees before God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ That he would not desert the Work begun in us but would keep mee and thee whoever art implanted into the Root Christ blameless and make me and thee through Death not to come into Judgement but to pass into Life where the Sun shall not fall upon us nor any heat but where the Lord shall wipe away all Tears from our Eyes c. So to me and thee who readest these things be propitious the Dominator of Heaven Earth and Sea God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost Blessed unto Ages of Ages for ever Amen! Nic. Drabricius Str. M. P. P. Of the last Protestation of Drabricius which he call'd a Confession with a Prayer adjoyned wherein he resigns all his concerns to God and bids farewell to all the World VEterinus not contented with what had passed in his Examination although equally present with others and astonished he seem'd to give glory to God and by giving his hand promised silence and with others subscribed his Testimony to the whole Business as it was acted Yet relapsing into other thoughts not onely wrote to Drabricius's Adjunct that he could not yet acquiesce but went on to molest Drabricius falling upon him more sharply than ever pretending the causes of his unquietness 1. That they had not satisfied him concerning so many things yet to be fulfilled which that he should believe to have proceeded from the mouth of the Omuiscient he could by no means be perswaded to 2. That he saw what causes Drabricius had of forswearing himself namely Self-love and Covetousness that he might not deprive himself of the Opinion which he now saw rais'd of him and of the Benefits begun to be now offer'd to him for his Prophecies and adding also blasphemy against the Dictator of Oracles calling him That vain and lying Fellow and other foul things By which also he rendred the new Pastor Laurinus wavering anew and suspecting ill and to invoke also the Judgement of God upon Drabricius as his Epistle testifies Both of them was admonish'd of modesty Veterinus especially not of me onely the Adjunct but also of others that were nearer unto them Divines and Statesmen That he would not disturb the affairs so compos'd but rather would perform promised silence and would by our example expect the Judgement of God and pray that God would not defer it But all in vain For he senta violent Writing to Drabricius importunately urging that he would answer him And when Drabricius out of the fervour of zeal trampled it under foot others being present adding Thus saith Jehovah So will I tread upon the Enemies that blaspheme my Name and cast it into the fire Veterinus not only sent back the same Writing to Drabricius but also sent it abroad unto divers stirring up all against the false Prophet Drabricius therefore at length answered by Writing which calling his Confession he sent by Command of the Oracle in a Revelation that it should be affixed to the new Edition of his Revelations in stead of a Close which therefore his Adjunct accordingly did A Confession Made unto the Glory of God and to fore-arm from Error all who shall read the Revelations made unto me from God of whatsoever State and Order Dignity or Vocation they shall be upon the face of the Earth in the Year 1664 June 30. I Nicholas Drabricius a Strasnian Exile of Christ by this my Writing confess That certain Observations of Paul Veterine Inhabitant of Puchow directly tending to the abuse of the Divine Name and the Voice through me made to the Nations of the Earth Eastern and Western and Northern and Southern have come to my hands By which I stirr'd up unto zeal purposed to snatch up the Sacred Book and on whatsoever place I should light to take that for a foundation of my Answer I open'd therefore and beyond hope presently are offer'd to my Eyes those last words of David 2 Sam. 23. 2. The Spirit of the Lord hath spoken by me and his Word by my Tongue Which admiring I opened again and fell upon those words of Samuel 1 Sam. 7. 2 c. If ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts then put away the strange Gods Baalim and Astaroth from among you but in the Papacy Idols and Images of He and She Saints and prepare your hearts unto the Lord to serve him only c. And I will pray for you unto the Lord and he pray'd and the Lord heard him and the Lord thundred with agreat Thunder upon the Philistines and discomfited them and they were smitten before the Children of Israel And Samuel builtan Altar unto the Lord c. When furthermore I turned over three leaves there came in sight the 14 vers of Chap. 12. of the same Book If ye will fear the Lord and serve him and hear his voice and not disdain the mouth of the Lord ye shall continue and v. 20 21. Fear not but serve the Lord with all your heart follow not after vain things Idols which will not profit you because they are vain At length I opened anew and found Chap. 1. of the Book of Wisdom where it is said That Wisdom enters not into a malitious Soul And although the Spirit of Wisdom be a kind and loving Spirit yet it acquits not a Blasphemer of his Lips because God is Witness of his Reins and a true Searcher of his Heart and Hearer of his Tongue Therefore he that speaketh unrighteous things cannot be hid nor escape Judgement for the correction of his Iniquities and the Mouth that belieth slayeth the Soul It slayeth indeed I which in my time also mine Eyes have seen how many by the blasphemous speech of their mouth and by the Writings of their hands have procured destruction to themselves being made a Spectacle to Angels and Pious Men in whom is no guile Such as by the goodness of God there are many every where Men great and illuminated Divines and Statesmen through Hungary Holland and England found Who how sincerely and reverently they receive the Words of God by me pronounced have testified it by their Writings after that God had given it into their hearts to see and know and understand the hand of God to have done this and the Holy One of Israel to have spoken by me Isa 41. 20. now in the last days of the World A'so concerning Gog and Magog Ezek. 39. Rev. 20. That they are about to be rooted out with all Errors of depraved Doctrine Wherefore I Nicholas Drabricius forewarn all who have read the forementioned VVritings of Paul Veterine and beseech them by
Eternal Word After to the Sacraments by him appointed for the remedy of Sin and so of all the other Articles of Faith from first to last and when they are well tinctured with these they then innitiate them to a more perfect course of the Christian Life And this is the manner how they propound the Christian Mysteries to the Gentiles and Idolaters beginning first with the principal Articles of the One and True God and the reward of the just and unjust c. as in this Catechism Besides this they published innumerable excellent Spiritual Books and Books of Practical Divinity and Moral Philosophy to which the Chineses are much devoted and endeavour'd to add to all rare specimens of an innocent spiritual and divine Life if we may believe their own Testimony which I confess Protestants in this end of the World have little reason to do For the Ignatians of Europe for the generality of them are more excellent at Fire Works then any thing else here and the works of the Devil then to work the Works of God But it 's like they were better there being likewise at the beginning of their Order more Spiritual and Religious then ever since the World hath found them especially England And yet we have a taste of their true Spirit in their obstructions of the Hollanders Embassy there Their first great Disciple was Paul the great Colao or Governor of the Chineses and propagator of Christianity among them Riccius put forth many admirable Books in the China Language viz. several Mathematical Books of Euclid Clavius c. Universal Geography and History of the World with Globes Maps c. Natural Philosophy the Art of Dialling Books of Astrolabes and Astronomick Instruments of Musick Musical Instruments and Organs Moral Philosophy about Friendship moderating the Passions and to live according to the dictates of right Reason and the rule of a good and happy life For the Chinois were much given to moral Philosophy and the study of virtue and happiness And Ten Paradoxes Moral and Spiritual a Book famous through all China and in great esteem and admiration among them and illustrated with Comments and high Encomiums by the most excellent of all their learn'd Leo and Paul young Convert Colao's But that which wrought unexpressible compunction of heart in them for their ill past life as they say not only among the common people but the greatest and most learned of their Monarchy viz. the Mandarins and Colao's and Eunuchs of the Kings Pallace was the Catechism of Bellarmine translated by the said Riccius The fame of which Book spread so that they were fain to print it a new several times whereby the Christian Light and Knowledge shone into every corner of the Land With several other Books for the use of others that should come thither out of Europe The next famous was Trigautius Procurator of the China expedition who return'd from China 1612. and return'd thither again with all manner of Rarities and wrote several Books for the use chiefly of the Europeans Next Father Rho Professor of Mathematicks in the Jesuites Colledge at Milan who in a short time spoke and wrote their Language like any Native and wrote several Books for the use of young Converts and with Father Schall mentioned in the first part laboured in Mathematicks for the benefit of the Chinois Who both by common and joynt study put forth above an hundred Books and especially in emendation of their Calender he was founder of a Church in the Kingdom of Sciamsi Vagnonius followed who found in the Province of Chianceu only after his return thither again from Banishment 8000 Christians and of those the chief Learned and Mandarines and afterwards died in Chianceu Anno 1640. and wrote many Books Divers others also wrote innumerable Books for the Europeanâ— help so that there were Books written by them in the China Language by the Year 1636. to the number of 340. The Mandarines and Colao's also wrote Comments on their Books c. Also when their Converts began to be too numerous for the present Fathers they began an Institution of Chatechists from amongst them to initiate persons into the Christian Mysteries These Catechists were persons much and long vers'd in the Mysteries of Religion and the Christian Law and of a very divine Life better then themselves 't is like by far and such as were inflamed with servour of the Apostolick Spirit and Zeal for the Conversion of others and they were not easily admitted unto this Office but after long experience first had of them c. Their work was to go up and down the streets and on all occasions by word and example to bring the rude and ignorant to the knowledge of the True God And as they have opportunity to sprinkle Infants and Children with Holy Water to communicate Spiritual Books to those that lack'd to resolve Doubts and Questions c. And at a certain time of the day when the Gentiles flock to their Churches out of curiosity to wait there and to explain the first Principles and Elements of the Christian Faith which were wrote or engraven in fair and large Tables and Characters hung up and down upon the Walls and by their splendid Altars to any that were desirous or curious and to shew the vanity of the false Godds And moreover to invite them home for farther instruction And by these means they got many Proselytes daily They are obliged also every day to give an account to the Fathers that are Superiors in those places what they have done that day The number of Christians in Pekin was about fourscore thousand about 1655. And though this be short of the Apostolick way of Preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles yet they seem herein to out-do the Protestants and in industry labours and zeal and more abundant then they to propagate the Faith Look here you Zealous Protestants look with shame From hated Jesuites learn to spread Christs Name And Heathens form their Idols to reclaim Things proving thus prosperous they likewise had procured the Royal Patent for Power and Liberty to divulge the Gospel through all the Empire by the favour of the Grandees of the Court and Kingdom But the irruption of the Tartars about 1647. interrupted all Which hapned by reason of the Civil Wars of the Chinois among themselves which invited the Tartars to take the opportunity to break into China through the Portal of their great Wall once more as they had done formerly before in the Year 1256. which they held for above 200 years during nine Kings reigns but were at last beat and kept out again by the Chinois till this last sudden and violent return But now they over-ran it like a flood and subjected all China to their Empire the King of China was reduced to such streights that finding no way to escape from his own rebelling Subjects and so great a Monarch forsaken of all rather desirous to die then live to see worse ended his
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