corruption of manners which make the whole Creation of Church and State groan for ease and deliverance from such heavy burdens all these things I say seem to forspeak or intimate some dreadful matter drawing neer Methinks one may hear as the sounding of the Hoofs of Horses at hand and that all things will not continue still as to this day for ever The sixth day or thousandth year of the world is drawing on towards Evening and the Sabbath of the world to begin c. The number of the Beast 666. almost reckoned If we expect the number of years from the Birth and Death of Christ Behold 1666 is the number of this Age. 〈◊〉 the number of a man some more curious and witty parhaps then wise and prudent would have spelt it out of the last Popes Name Office or Title thus ALeXanDer EpIsCopVs RoMae which is 1666. or out of all his Names only viz. Christian Name Sirnam and added Name thus FabIVs ChIsIVs ALeXanDer which makes 666. the number of a Mans name Then some have added thereto VII viz. Alexander VII which makes 666. or 1666. and VII over which VII if you add to the VII of Alexanders name make XIV and shews the XIV chapter of the Revelations where first is shewn Babylon is fallen is fallen And they have observed it as ominous also in the present King of France's Name LVDoVICVs XIV Behold 666 and XIV over And because these are past parhaps the same francyful wits may rove still upon the XIV over c. And so there will be no end of such imaginations c. And therefore we pass by all such witty conceits as to unworthy of so great a Mystery more solid is that of a Prophet amongst our selves reckoning 1666 from the death of Christ whereby he got the Victory over all his Enemies rather then from his Birth though the foundation was laid there Further of the year 1670. I know not why Philip Nicholai wrote That if it did not bring the end of the world yet it should bring some wonderful and unexpected alteration of things But we pass over these and such like things c. and come to Revelations truly divine or which to be sure are most strange if not true Judge nothing before the time But first by the way we will entertain our Reader with the proud Sultans defiance of Christendom who first in disdain of the Emperor and all Christian Princes had struck off eight hundered Prisoners Heads before the Emperors Embassador himself Though indeed notwithstanding a fickle Peace has since been patch'd up and his power bent only against the Venetians c. The Great Turkes Letter of Defiance to the Emperor upon his last Incursion into Hungary with an Army of 250000. men besides his Tartarian Hirelings after the year 1660. Mahomet Son of the Emperor Son of God thrice Heavenly and thrice known by the renowned Emperor of the Turks King of Greece Macedonia and Moldavia King in Samaria and Hungaria King of Great and Lesser Egypt King of all the inhabitans of the Earth and the earthly Paradise Gaurdian of the Sepulchre of thy God Lord of the Tree of Life Lord of all the Emperors of the World from the east even to the west King of all Kings grand Persecutor of the Christians and all the wicked the Joy of the flourishing Tree the Chieftain and Gaurdian of thy Crucified God Lord of the Hope of thy Nation WE send greeting to thee Emperor Leopold if thou wilt be our Friend and submit to our Domination then we will that thy Greatness be Ample Since these times thou hast violated and shunned our freindship without having ever been offended either by War or the fighting of God Thou hast taken secret designs with other Kings and other Confederates in envy to shake of our yoak in which thou hast done imprudently This is it for which thou and thy People ought to live in fear to have no other hope but death for which cause thou hast prepared thy self But we tell thee that we will go forth and be thy Conquerour and we will pursue thee from the East even to the West and will make thee know our Majesty even to the utmost confines of the Earth thou shalt know our effects to thy great damage of which we assure thee and will have thee to expect our Greatness Thy hope shall melt away which thou hast in thy Cities and Fortresses We resolve absolutely to beat down and raze all that appeareth any thing considerable to thine Eyes And thou shouldst not expect any other thing or friendship and shouldst not put confidence in thy strong Walls for we have set up a resolution to destroy thee without remedy It pleaseth us to forrage Germany and to leave it behind us to the memory of our Bloudy Sword to the end all these things may be manifest to all It pleaseth us to establish our Religion and root out thy crucifi'd God And we fear no colours neither can there be any succour for thee that thou mayst escape our hands It pleaseth us also to condemn to the Chain thy holy Priests and to deliver to the Dogs and other Savage Beasts the dugs of thy Women Therefore thou shalt do very wisely if thou renounce thy Religion Otherwayes we do order and appoint that all be delivered to the fire This which is said may satisfie thee and thou mayst comprehend by this if thou wilt what our will is and the things concerning which we have discover'd the disposition of our suspition towards thee Then besieging Newhausal his General sends this proud Summons I that through the Grace of God and through the Miracles of our Prophet who is the Son of both Worlds and by whom there is Happiness and Glory I that am the first of the Council and General of the most mighty Emperor of the Turks that is the King of all Kings upon Earth to you Adam Forgats that are the cheif among the Nobility of Hungary do make known that through the command of my gracious Lord I am come with his forces before Newhausel to reduce it to his obedience Wherefore if you shall deliver up the place to us you shall have liberty to march out with what belongs to you from the Highest to the Lowest and to what place you please And he that will rather stay shall keep his goods and Estate But if you will not yeeld we will take it by force every man of ye from the Highest to the Lowest shall be put to the Sword If the Hungarians did but know the good intentions of the mighty Emperor they and their Childern would Bless God for them Peace be to the Obedient But to the business namely Debricius's Revelations But we must indeavour briefly first to prevent all occasion of prejudice and rash and indiscreet judgment and sensures of the impenitent unbeleiving and erring World By telling how they have been approved of as truly from God by most Godly
the greatest Dominions And this would have been a fair step to be the Head of Kingdoms as the Pope was of the Church And just such beginnings had the Pope himself over all other Bishops Secondly by Arms. For there remained two kingdoms in Spain Portugal and Navarre both which they seize on First that of Navarre and Naples c. Whence perpetuall Wars ever since with France in Catalonia c. For this Kingdom which still retains the Title and by Arms continually requires the possession And then of Portugal by Philip the 2 d about sixty years after viz. about the 1560. Thirdly by Shipping and Sea-Forces or Power at Sea specially afterwards with their Invincible Armado in 88 wherein were above thirty thousand Souldiers to joyn with as many out of the Netherlands And again afterwards with as great Preparation against the Hollanders but to as little purpose too in the year 1640 aiming at Superiority and Dominion of the Northern Seas and consequently of all the World But the Hollanders and English were grown by that time of the World too big to do any good on them 2. To Ferdinand the Catholick succeeds Philip Archduke of Austria c. before-mentioned Son to Maximilian the Emperor about 1504. 3. After whom comes Charles the 5 th An. 1516. king of Spain Archduke of Austria Duke of Milan Burgundy Brabant Earl of Catalonia Flanders Holland c. and Emperor of the Germans under whom the Monarchy of Spain grew towards its greatest height He added the Realms of Mexico and Peru the Dukedom of Milan and several Estates in the Netherlands Marched into Africa possesses Tunis and other parts thereby disposing Kingdoms there at his pleasure But was at last soon outed of the Empire as a foresaid leaving Spain and the Netherlands and other Spanish Territories too 4. His Son Philip the 2d An. 1558. under whom this Kingdom recieved its utmost increase by Portugal and the East Indies therewith and also its greatest decrease by the Netherlands For upon the death of Sebastian King of Portugal slain in Africa without Issue appeared six chief Competitors for the Crown Of all whom the Duke of Braganza had most right but the King of Spain notwithstanding all the help from France and England got it And so was the first of the West-Goths since the Moors that obtain'd the Universal Monarchy of all Spain and both the East and West-Indies besides the Belgick Provinces and other dominions in Europe in so much that they could brag that the Sun rose and set in their ground So that now the whole bulk of his swelling titles was compleated viz. King of Spain Castile Leon Arragon Navar Hierusalem Naples Sicily Sardinia Majorck and Minorck and of the Isles and Continent of the Indies and of the Main Ocean King Arch-Duke of Austria Duke of Burgundy Lorraine Brabant Lucenburg Gelderland and Milan Earl of Hapsburg Flanders Artois Henault Holland Zealand c. Marquess of the Sacred Empire Lord of Friezland Meckleburgh Ulricht c. Great Lord of Asia and of Africa 5. Which mighty Monarchy labouring with its own weight soon began to fall into peeces 1 through exhausting of its people and want of men by naval expeditions into both Indies by many and long Wars by ejecting the Moors and Jews before afterwards c. by the Spanish Inquisition and grievous Taxes and oppressions of the Countrymen and labourers 2 By wasting of its Riches and Wealth by Wars and imprudence 3 By loss of kingdoms and Provinces as well as great defeats of its Armies and Armado's As namely the loss of the Netherlands the Defeat in 88 the long Wars with the French who alwayes oppos'd this rising Monarchy on all sides which brought lastly the revolt of Portugal and Catalonia and so the loss of half their entire united Monarchy besides the new conquests in Flanders the last year by the French all which have made pretty wide gaps in those numerous swelling titles 6. But this great Kingdom was chiefly impair'd by the Revolt of the Netherlands and Portugal For this Philip in indeavouring to bring Tyrannick Government both Civil and Religious specially the last by the bloudy Inquisition and to reduce them back a gain by force to the Church of Rome from that Reformation of Religion which was now every where begun whereof he was a violent Enemy was by a great part of the Provinces confederate together rejected from being their Prince An. 1581. for seeing the Spaniards would bring in absolute domination both over Soul and Body they became desperate to the death declare him for a Tyrant and perpetual Enemy and by eighty years Wars brought the Spaniard to an open confession or conviction of his bad Politicks for Force of Religion and taught them and the World too if they will be taught this Rule That a free Nation must be governed freely For the Pride and Tyranny specially in Religion and the unmerciful Inquisition fill'd all Christian People with Hate and Terror of the Spaniards specially these most concern'd For by no more powerful argument did the Prince of Orange inflame the Netherlanders Spirits than saying That These burn men alive for Religion which set them all on fire So ill does Force upon either mens Civil or Religious Liberties conduce to establish Princes where Subjects are once sensible of them And that Religion had a chief hand in these Revolutions you must know that the main design then driven on by the Catholick Princes and Party was the defence and propagation of that Religion the Protector whereof the King of Spain vaunted to be and the extirpation of Hereticks and so to make the King of Spain Universal and absolute and truly and indeed Catholick at least by some c. In such sort that about 1560 Charles the 9 th king of France with the Queen-Mother Katherine of Medices a busie and Imperious Queen and Isabel this king of Spains Wife and the Duke of Alva make a league to joyne the Power and Policies of both Nations to root out the new increasing Hereticks The Hugonots out of France and the Protestants out of the Low-Countries and Germany and immediately ensued the Holy League in France wherein this King was a mighty stickler also and then those wars here So that he not only confederated with the Leaguists against the Hugonots but also about the year 1580 when the other would not do endeavours also upon the same account to hinder the Reformation growing in his own Dominions by bringing in the Inquisition and arbitrary Government amongst them whereby he was wholly driven out of those Provinces confederating together for their Liberty and Priviledges And indeed except mens Civil Liberties be first invaded their Religious can hardly be To recover which Countries they exhausted all their strength in vain for eighty years till they were at last forc'd to a shameful submission in the Treary of Munster 1648. therein renouncing for ever all Right c. and treat with them and
scattered by him and so those things come to pass which have been foretold thee I answered thereunto Lord thou knowest that thy Eternal Delights are sweeter to me then all those things which thou revealest unto me But he rebuked my impatience dehorting me from weariness so he went away from me Now all the following year 1628 He made no mention of my life or death except in the last Vision Moreover that I was to undergoe also one disease Then in 1629. January the 9 th It was declared unto me by an Angel that I should be visited from the Lord in a Dream with a Disease by name the Apoplexy which also came the same day in the evening I therefore because the year was now gone the Visions had now ceased believed that the very time was now approaching which the Lord had spoke concerning And that I should not now escape this Disease I therefore prepared my self in mind and conscience and my desire was to be dissolved and to be with Christ Which hope certain antecedent signs also did strengthen As were certain knocking 's or beatings under my Bed and under the next Table four several evenings many that visited me being present and hearing so iterated that each day the number was less by one stroak At length on the 26 th of January it sounded one and afterwards five which having heard I believed as also the rest That one only day of my life was now remaining and an end to be to morrow evening at five a clock Therefore watching all that night and praying and meditating on eternal life and this blessed departure I decreed to pass hence But hearing by night a certain voice as it were of a man three times Come come come Unusual Joy being shed abroad through my Soul I slept a little But Saturday morning at break of day when more vehement pains oppressed me I could not but interpret that Voice to have been a Divine Call I bad farewel therefore to my beloved Friends visiting me all that day And I was alwayes worse and worse till evening approaching my Sight Hearing Memory Speech and at length my Spirit failed me And I felt my self to go forth with my Spirit and to be carried into Heaven where surrounded with a great shining I saw an huge company cloathed in White And the Lord stepping forth took me in his imbrace saying The Lord hath done whatsoever he would in Heaven and in Earth For the Majesty of his Power is exalted and there is no counsel of his Will nor does it admit any For who hath known the mind of the Lord and who hath been his Counsellor Return therefore unto the place from whence thou art come forth and the breath of the most High shall vivify thee Arise walk farewel to thy Disease and behold the goodness of Jehovah in the Land of the Living exulting in his virtue For the dead shall not praise Jehovah nor admire his Works when they go down into the place of Silence but the living the living shall bless thee from this time and for ever God Jehovah dwells on high and hath exalted his Right Hand over all Nations And does wonderful things as it pleases him at all times He is the God of the living who also draws forth out of death and who gives life even for ever Therefore sadded with these things I begged that he would signifie unto me How many the dayes of my life should be But he said Thy times are in the hand of the Lord. He has measured thy years and hid thy term from thee Live therefore and injoy the goodness of God upon the Earth amongst his Saints But sanctifie thy years to God thy Creator and live righteously But thy reward and thy portion shall not wither away nor perish but thou shalt find it and shalt rejoyce concerning it and in it unto eternity That also which the most High does with thee accept gratefully and go not contrary to thy Creator by thy impatience Go thy wayes now and return for it is Jehovah who doth good to thee and hath a care of thee Therefore offer unto him the sacrifice of praise and render thy Vows to the most High giving thanks also unto him that he works the Work of Salvation in thee and will still work even until he shall blessedly finish it unto the praise of his Grace but unto thy Honour I wish use thee no more unto my works neither will I come unto thee Now therefore glorifie God in thy Body and Spirit which he hath given thee Acquiesce now in Heart and Conscience and give honour to God who doth all these things to the praise of his glorious Grace My Peace be with thee After he had said these things I falling down worshipped him And together also returned into life Sad indeed yet restored that very moment to full vigor and health and strength To this great God be Honour Praise and Empire unto Ages of Ages for ever Amen Come we next to Drabricius's Dedication of all to Christ which he was commanded to prefix before his Prophesies together with his last Protestation and Prayer c. To the most Serene most Invincible King of Kings and Lord of Lords JESUS CHRIST the Eternal and only begotten Son of God and the Virgin Mary who is the Alpha and Omega the first Born from the Dead whose Name is Wonderful Counsellor the Mighty God the Everlasting Father who hath loved us and given us good hope through Grace To whom only is due all Kingdom Power and Empire unto all everlasting Ages Amen! Hallelujah ALL Nations of the Earth hear All Inhabitants of the World attend Small and Great Rich and Poor I Nicholas Drabricius by Countrey a Strasnian by Nation a Moravian by the destinate Counsel of God chosen and called to the Ministry of the Church of God and to Preach the Gospel of Christ and lawfully ordained in the year 1616. But then afterwards in the year 1628 with many other Godly Persons keeping Faith to God to Conscience and to the Church driven into Exile by Ferdinand the 2 d Roman Emperor for the Verity of the same Gospel and for the Testimony of Jesus Christ So that leaving my Countrey and the Inheritance of my Parents and plundred moreover by the Spanish Souldery onely my Wife and Children escaping and wandring in exile unto the Land of Hungary in the territories of the most Illustrious Lord the Lord George Ragotzi Prince of Transylvania the first of this Name I took up my Seat under the Castle of the Town Ledvitz And there with many other Families of pious fellow-exiles amidst extream miseries and sorrows of poverty yet humbly and patiently I served my Christ for fifteen years But here in the year I say 1643. Jan. 23. it pleased God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ by virtue of the Holy Spirit of God according to the chosen good-pleasure of his Counsel to admit me his little Worm so far and to
Wars with the Turk who besieges Vienna it self 1529. The rest the Emperor is King of Between whom constant Wars Truces and Breaches and Invasions again After this time Transylvania dismembred from Hungaria About the Bohemian War great Troubles here also for Liberty of Religion which had been before granted them by the former Emperor Of Transylvania Walachia Moldavia Transylvania eastward of Upper Hungaria heretofore for long time a Province and Principality thereof and so of the Empire from which swerving constitutes a peculiar Principality distinct from the Kingdom of Hungary under the protection of the Turks about 1560. The Princes nominated and substituted by the Turk in opposition to the Emperor The Protestants choosing rather to fall under the Turk than the Emperor finding more mercy and liberty from him or rather from between both Their Princes being maintained and substituted by the Turk against the Emperor and again defended by th' Emperor and Poland from being made wholly thrall to the Turk to whom their Princes are tributary Hence Wars and Troubles with the Princes of Transylvania as well as Turk they often by War invading Caesar First Bathor makes work 1601. Next Botskay makes war about 1606. Then Bethlem Gabor a profest enemy of the House of Austria and Defender of the Protestants drives Gabriel Bathor the former Prince out of Transylvania 1620 having invaded Hungary the year before 1619 but after a great noise did effect little even at this time of the Hungarian and Bohemian Wars laying down his Hungarian Diadem 1622 and reconcil'd to the Emperor Anno 1644 Ragotzi moves into Hungary takes places and makes Peace a year or two after Since George Ragotzi the second mingling himself rashly and improvidently in the War between Sweden and Poland and beaten by the Polander 1658 and overcome by the Turks at Clausenburg Anno 1660 died of his wounds there received at Waradin Unhappy Prince seeking anothers loses his own And so the Ragotzies were overturn'd and quite outed Barkay is substituted by the Turks the same year opposed by Kemini-Janos Ragotzi's General who was chosen by the Estates The Turks take several strong places amongst the rest Waradin the Gate and Sluse as it were or Keys of Germany on this side the Danow Anno 1661 Count Serin bestirs himself against the Turks fortifies a Castle in his Island Kemini-Janos takes Barkay and kills him and his Brother The Imperialists march into Hungary and Transylvania against the Turks who subdue a great part thereof take Newstadt constitute Abaffy Prince 1662. Kemini-Janos makes work for Abaffy but betray'd by his own is kill'd Count Serin is active vexes the Turks They take Fogaras Castle and domineer throughout Take Deva and establish Abaffy Clausenburg a long time in vain besieged by Abaffy reliev'd by Imperialists Turks make a treacherous Truce in Transylvania with the Emperor 1663. Turks again invade Hungary take New-hausel and other places in Upper-Hungary Clausenburg and another Hold betray'd and sold by the Souldiers to Abaffy The French do exploits and get renown against the Turks having been sent to the Emperor's assistance Peace made 1665. Walachia bordering Southward of Transylvania and Moldavia has been a long time a Province of the Turks receive their Prince from that Court are tributary yet often cause troubles Moldavia eastward of Transylvania has also been a long time a Turkish Province They nominate their Prince are tributary yet not so fully in their Power as they would desire And so we pass to the Empire of the Turks The Foundation and Revolutions of the present Turkish Empire Osman or Ottoman rising to be Sultan in Asia minor i. e. those parts of Asia towards Europe where the Turks then had only footing being quite driven out of Persia and all their Eastern Kingdoms by the Tartars after the death of Sultan Aladine the 2d or 3d the last of the other House layes the Foundation of the present Empire and Family about the year 1300 subduing all the other inferiour Kingdoms of the Turks there in Asia minor among whom the Empire was divided after Saladines death without Heirs About 1350 they cross the Hellespont or Narrow-Sea out of Asia into Europe hiring the Genoa's Ships For what footing they had before in Gallipolis was inconsiderable by Land having subdued Nice the Imperial Seat of the Eastern i. e. Graecian Emperors in the time of Ottoman before mentioned From that time they get ground in Europe take Adrianople their first Imperial Seat in Europe and the Countries of Servia and Bulgaria In the year 1370 a great part of Thrace and Macedonia and Achaia in Greece but loose most part of their Empire in Asia by Tamerlane Emperor of the Tartars to the year 1400. But soon recover it again and reunite the whole Turkish Kingdom and inlarge it with the Conquests of Dacia and part of Sclavonia and Transylvania and the rest of Macedonia in Greece About 1420. take from the Constantinopolitan or Greek Empire all Achaia Thessaly Epirus shake the State of Hungary Uuder Mahomet the 2 d call'd the Great about 1450 this Empire rises to its height taking Constantinople it self the Imperial Seat and the whole Greek Empire making it the seat of Empire to this day He conquers two Empires the Constantinopolitan and of Trabezund a new erected Empire of the Greeks distinct from the Constantinopolitan twelve Kingdoms innumerable Provinces and two hundred Cityes and so put an end to the whole Greek Roman Empire About 1480 they drive the Venetians from Morea or Peloponnese a part of Greece on the East whereof lyes Candy over against it and part of Dalmatia and get some Countries or Kingdoms in Asia also Towards the year 1520 they subdue the Mammalucks of Egypt Grand Caire their Royal Seat also Palestine Syria Arabia bringing all under their Yoke After the year 1520 Solyman the Magnificent the most Powerful of all the Turkish Emperors and Scourge of the Christians surprises Rhodes Belgrade Buda with greatest part of Hungary and Babylon Assyria and Mesopotamia in Asia from the Persians But in vain besieges Vienna An. 1529 with three hundred thousand men and lost eighty thousand before it in a months time Never the like Siege read of This Hungarian War lasted all Solyman's time for forty years About 1567 take from the Venetians Cyprus and from the Moors Tunis then under the power of Charles the fifth King of Spain and Algiers both in Africa with their Territories after their defeat in the famous Sea-fight at Lepanto by the Christians After the year 1600 the Hollander first makes League with Achmet and the German Emperor afterwards He succeeded at nine years old the elder being kill'd by command of the Father Osman or Ottoman the 2d unsuccesfully making War upon Poland and endeavouring to remove the Seat of Empire from Constantinople to Cair in Egypt his Janizaries seditious take him and strangle him publickly 1622 and fetch Mustapha whom they had after two or three months reign imprisoned
those of the League that he was glad of the assistance of the Hugonots and to side with them But excommunicated thereupon by the Pope yet Henry the 4 th after he had broke the neck of the League yet to be setled secure in the Ringdom against this faction was by the practices of some won over to Popery though himself likewise before excommunicate by the Pope the better to be universally own'd and received as Ring who would hardly have any but a Catholick Such is the Zeal of People on all sides about Religion when it is not according to knowledge And this is to this day rooted in the generality of France which may be one reason to make the Ring carry so high an hand over the Portestants the better to please his Catholick subjects under all his Exactions and to oblige them to his designs c. and bind them by Religion in opposing the contrary than faster to himself An. 1630. The Duke of Lorrain ingaging in the Wars of Germany for the Emperor lost a great part to the Swede And the Ring of France picking a quarrel with him at the same time deprived him of the Dutchy of Barre and falling into Lorrain with a puissant Army when the Suedes were there compell'd him to put into his hands and protection his chief City Nantz and by consequence all the rest of his Estates An. 1633. and never since could be restor'd Since the general Peace with Spain 1660 he sold per force his Estates or the best part to the King of France his Nephew dissenting Nor has much left yet now makes War with the Palatine and is too hard for him hitherto Of the Dukedom of Holstein Holst in was part anciently of the great Dukedom of Saxony Lotharius Emperor and Duke of Saxony gives it to the Earl of Schumburg with the title of Earl thereof An. 1114. The King of Denmark by his Mothers side succeeds An. 1459. Inlarged with Ditmarsh by the Emperor and made a Dukedom 1474. An. 1500. Ditmarsh recovers its liberty from the Dane subdued again by the Dane an 1559. An. 1560. It was given by the King of Denmark to his Brother viz. the Title and a good part of the Country who governed it interchangably with the Ring in their several Turns An. 1580. It came under the protection of the Danes and performed homage by a perpetual League with the Danes Issue Male failing of these Dukes the Title was conferred afterwards on the then another King of Danes Brother where it continues Of late arose a controversie between the King of Denmark and the Dukes of Holstein about some places but composed in the late Swedish Danish-War For in the Peace at Rotschild between the two Kings 1658 the Dukes of Holstein are made absolute Princes exempt from all homage or subjection to the Dane But the Dane in the second transaction of that Peace it being broken before fully ended betwixt them opposed it But at last the Business was composed The King of Swede Charles Gustavus Adolphus had married the eldest Daughter of Holstein an 1654. that same year he was made Ring Of the Commonwealths and first of the United-Provinces The Tyranny of the Spanyard was the occasion of this Commonwealth as aforesaid The end of which Tyranny was to suppress the growing Reformation of Religion and by force to reduce them back to the Church of Rome To which end Philip the 2 d. transported with Catholick Zeal invades not only their Religious but Civil Liberties without which little good was to be hoped for against their Religious and by this twofold Tyranny endeavours absolute Dominion over them The Religious Tyranny was chiefly the Inquisition and more Episcopal Sees and Courts The Civil was in many respects But their cheif Prerogative was that if the Prince by violence or wrong did infringe any of the said Charters and Franchises the people after declaration thereof made might go to election of a new Prince Ring Philip was so Zealous in the Cause of the Romish Church that 't is thought that his eldest Son was put to death with his consent in the Inquisition House for seeming favourably inclined to the Low-Country-Hereticks as the Spaniards called them At length when they could no longer endure the Spanish Tyranny they begin to vindicate their Liberties and Priviledges by Arms under the Prince of Orange about 1568. which lasted eighty years till 1648. during which time it became the School of War for all great Captains and Warriours The Ring of Suede Gustavus Adolphus is said to have exercised Incognito as a common Souldier under the Prince of Orange The first Province was Holland about 1570. and others afterwards An. 1579. A Confederation is first made at Utricht of perpetual Union and League by certain Laws and Conditions against the Spanyard And An. 1581. they declare by writing directed to all People that Ppilip of Spain was fallen from the Government and take a new Oath which bound them never to return to the Spanish obedience But you must know first that after intolerable persecutions of the Lutherans in such sort that within fourty years an 100000 had been destroy'd and more the Nobility exhibited their humble petition an 1566. whereupon they were nicknam'd Beggars which Title they accounted their Honour and take the Arms of Beggars upon their Cloaths with this Symbole True to the King to the very Bag. The same year the commom people â—â—se every where in Tumult and with their Arms frequented Sermons in all places and practising force against Churches and Temples broke in pieces Statues and Images c. And so the War began And at length as has been hinted abjure all fidelity and obedience for ever solemnly to the King of Spain and resolve to die and undergo any death rather then yeeld and never to have any Peace or Reconciliation so long as he made the least pretence of Right to this Commonwealth which after eighty years they forced him solemnly to renounce and with so much Arder Zeal and Confidence that they had rather all Holland and Zealand should be sunk in the Sea under Water then again submit to the power of the Spanyard The Hugonots in France much about the same time upon Henry the 4 ths turning Catholick took another course and agreed upon Terms which have been but ever since a breaking This done according to their Rights and Priviledges they go to elect a new Prince and seeing the Spaniard too hard for them they seek the protection of strangers and had rather indure any Master then the Spanyard First the Arch-Duke the Emperors Brother Then the Duke of Anjou Brother to Henry the 3 d. Ring of France An. 1582. The Prince of Orange being stabb'd at Delph by a Monck An. 1584. they sue to Henry the 3 d. who was too busie at Home with the holy League c. to take care of strangers And therefore 1588 seek to Queen Elizabeth as distressed States and she of the same reformed
And so indulging each other the free exercise of their Religion they break not League for that matter nor ever have to this day till lately notwithstanding any Civil Wars of Religion or State that have since happened Being it seems pretty equally poiz'd and ballanced on both sides But here it will not be amiss to note that these two Zuinglius and Luther went two several waies specially in point of consubstantiation or real presence Hence the Protestants became divided in Germany into Lutherans and Zuinglians afterwards called Reformed And the Names of Ubiquitarians and Sacramentarians every where break forth as has been hinted before under Germany c. Calvin afterwards rising in the place and stead of Zuinglius at Geneva added some Tenents about Predestination Free-will Universall Grace and Perseverance in Faith which further heightened and aggravated the Differences betwixt them About these arose afterwards in Holland great contentions with the Arminians which caused the General Synod at Dort against them An. 1618. c. But to return to Germany Between these two Religions of the Protestants arose grievous discords not only Theological but Political For that many would exclude the Calvinists or Reform'd from the Peace of Religion agreed on at first by the Augustian Confession at Ausburgh and banish them out of Germany Whence those violent Tumults of Ausburg in the Assemblies or Meetings of the States against the Elector Palatine 1560. and again against the succeeding Palatine Elector 1590. and of Lipsia and Brunswick 1595. And this might be one reason perhaps of the Elector the Duke of Saxony's siding at first with the Emperour against the Palatine in the Bohemian-German Wars about the year 1619. the Palatine being head of the Calvinists or Reform'd and then also the chief of the Electoral Princes and the Duke of Saxony of the Lutherans But afterwards fearing the Emperors prevailing and greatness who had ejected the Palatine and the coming in thereupon of Gustavus Adolphus in defence of the German Princes Liberties the Elector of Saxony convocates all the Protestant Princes at Lipsia an 1630. where they concluded of a defensive League against the Emperor and Imperialists and that Liberty was to be propagated and maintained by Arms. But after the King of Swedes death c. he deserts them and by himself alone injuriously agrees with the Emperor against the Swede and the rest c. The conditions of which Peace others also accepted and agreed to as before has been intimated In the end at the conclusion of these Wars of Germany by Munster Treaty 1648. This Political differance was reconciled and they agreed and united into one common name of the Augustan Confession at first made in the beginning of the Reformation as aforesaid The Theological differance ever since both Princes and Divines at this day labour hard to compose and 't is hoped that a bridle will be put upon the Tongues and Pens of the Pastors and Professors that they do not condemn but tolerate one another mutually and friendlily dispute their controversies amongst themselves In France they have of late proceeded so far as to allow and embrace communion with them and in their Churches and Sacraments if they will which made the Friers and Jesuites write that they might as well hold communion with them and be reconciled to the Church of Rome for that the Consubstantiarians was as far from the Sacramentarians as the Transubstantiarions but sufficiently answered Yet the Swedes have this present year lately decreed and enacted by Law for all to lose their native freedom that shall bring up their children in any other Religion then the Lutheran But to return to the Switzers This concord of Religion then made between them lasted till 1654 when a new War kindled amongst them again for Religion and the Protestants cruelly Murthered and Slaughter'd For when some Families of the Canton of Switzers and other Cantons had embraced the Gospel they cruelly put them to Death This those of Zurick and Berne would not suffer After long contestation at last they come to Arms and fierce War begins betwen those of Zurick and Lucern till at last the French King interposing and England this War was composed the same year and the civil commotions for Religion begun presently ended the Duke of Savoy likewise not only then but since persecuted the Waldenses in Piedmont as there has bin hinted c. An. 1663. the Duke Palatine of Newburg by his edict commands all Protestant Lutheran or Reformed out of his Dominions The Elector of Brandenburg by way of retortion in like manner commands all Papists out of his This should have been noted there The last year upon Jealousies of the great preparations of the King of France against some Neighbouring Countries of the Empire and his thriving Greatness this Commonwealth raise an Army of fifty thousand which chiefly diverted him from his then intended designes The thirteen Cantons are Switz Uren Underwald first united 1305. Lucern added 1332. Zurich and two others 1352. Bern 1353. Friburg and another 1481. Another and Basil 1581. and the two last 1511. two hundred years from the first Seven are Papist as Switz Lucern c. four Protestant as Zurich Basil Bern c. Bern is of all the largest and most potent c. and two mixt of Both. Of Geneva The Soveraignty of this City or Commonwealth was anciently in the Earls thereof at first Imperial Officers only but at last the haereditary Princes thereof Between these and the Bishops arose Controversies for the absolute Command At last the Bishops being under the Pope Powerful in those dayes obtained of the Emperor to be sole Princes thereof free from all Taxes and not accountable to any but the Emperor But to maintain it they were fain to call in the Earl of Savoy then who takes upon him first as Protector of them only but afterwards as Lord in chief Whence his pretence to it still And in this Sate it stood till the year 1528. the Bishop being their immediate Lord under him as supream But then Religion being altered in the Canton of Bern adjoyning by Zuinglius c. Viret and Farellus indeavour it in Geneva also But the Bishop and Clergy oppossing it by Persecution Violence and Tyranny the People defend themselves and their priviledges and by force expel the Bishop and his Clergy And though the Bishop made many fair overtures yet would they never harken to any accommodation nor ever admit him again and so changed the Government of the state also disclaiming all allegiance both to Duke and Bishop and standing on their own Liberty as a free Commonwealth like their Neighbour Canton who had sped so well under theirs Calvin afterwards An 1536. confirm'd them in these beginnings made them abjure the Pope and never more to admite their Bishop And then sets up his Ecclesiastick Discipline called since Presbyterian by the Form thereof by Presbyteries and gets it ratified by the Senate An. 1637. But the next year
power they quite and clean forget the salvation of Souls sanctity of Life and the Commandements of God Propagation of Religion and charity towards men And to raise Arms to make War against christians to invent new devises for the getting of mony to profane sacred things for their own ends by fine tricks fair and specious shews and pretences to get into the affections of Princes and oblige them to them by several arts and wayes to keep the people in ignorance and obedience though with the reigning of all manner of vice to get all the chief Preferments Benefices and Revenues of the Church into their disposal and the whole Army and interest of the Clergy at their service and devotion in these corrupt wayes and for such like unworthy ends to possess the Consciences of men with an opinion of their infallibility and undoubted power not only in Heaven and Earth but also over Pur gatory and Hell viz. to bind and loose to save or damn and that for mony and filthy lucres sake And lastly to make the whole Gospel and Christian Religion a pretext only to get and increase Church Power Dominion and Riches yea and with the Goods and Treasures of the Church to enrich their kindred and base children and raise their families c. I say these and such like things and practises become their only study and work and the great business of that is of him that would be accounted the chief Shepherd and Bishop of Christian Souls c. We will instance only in some of the most notorious particulars and matters of fact as they occur in time by the usurping and incroaching Popes following from this Hildebrand founder of the Popedom as hath been shewn about the year 1073. Next about the year 1090. his successor Urban the 2 d. excommunicates the Emperor likewise and deposes the Antipope by him chosen and thereby sets all christiendom in a combustion for these two Popes Therefore in stead of Urban called Turban or disturber And then likewise by his Religionists and Clergy stirs up and inflames all christendom with a zeal for that bloody Holy War for recovery of the Holy Land from the Saracens Which War consisted of twelve expeditions and of many hundred thousands at a time for the space of above 200 years together to the ruine of so many millions of Lives with the Arms first of the Cross and afterwards of a Globe too upon their Habits signifying that Christ crucified And to be sure the Pope as his Vicar ought to be Lord of the whole World To allay the quarrels of Christian Princes at home this Cross is often preached up with wounderous Zeal So that the main Religion of the World the Rulers and People generally in those days lay mostly in outward Christianity against Infidels Turks and Pagans and inlarging of this Visible Church as out of which no Salvation c. But i' th mean while this exhausive War of Christendom every way made for the Papal Interest The Popes having thereby greater opportunities to work their own ends out of poor Christians misguided Zeal and by weakning and diverting the Princes to strengthen and settle themselves for during all this time most cruel and perpetual wars continued at home between the Popes and Emperors for Imperial and Papal power and priviledges the Pope still usurping and domineering every day more and more About 1100. Paschal the 2 d excommunicates the said Emperor Henry the 4 th also sets his only son Henry the 5 th against him to persecute him to death who by the Bishops is perswaded to perjury also against his own Father whom the Pope caus'd after he was dead to lye likewise unburied five years together He denyed the right of investiture of Bishops to the Emperor and other Imperial priviledges And then excommunicated the son now as devoutly as he had done the Father And entertained and upheld Anselme Arch-Bishop of Canterbury in rebellion against his Soveraign This Paschal also first of all leaves off closing his letters with the year of the Emperor and substitutes the year of his Popedom An. 1120. Calixtus the 2 d. made Gregory set up Antipope by the said Henry the 5 th to ride through Rome upon a Camels back with his face towards the Tail and the tail in his hand for a bridle To shew no doubt that he held up the Tail Caesar and not by the Head St. Peter c. and then thrust him shaven into a Monastery About 1150. the Papal Canons Decretals are first hatched which afterwards in process of time were brought into use and set up and prevailed in the World and the Church in opposition to the Civil and Imperial Law and chiefly to advance the Pontificiall Omnipotency as themselves phrase it And this Canon Law or Divinity not the Law of God became in time almost the only divinity and study of the Prelats and great Church men who studied little else then to gain and increase Church Power and Treasure to get all into their clutches and to keep all people in slavery and subjection to their Authority and Religion And for others there began to creep in a Scholastick Divinity and Philosiphy out of the Fathers and Aristotle together not the Scripture And this Philosiphic-divinity brought all confusion of Opinions and learned Ignorance and Error into the world And for the more piously inclined and devout a practical Divinity of Monkish Legends or pious Tales and at best but devout stories of the Sanctimonious lives of Saints c. all which still made for the Pope About 1160. Alexander the 3 d. opposses the Emperor Frederick the first and excommunicates him thundering out curses and raising War against him every where and by the French Kings favour settles himself in the Popedom The Emperor notwithstanding takes Rome and drives the Pope to Venice for protection and sends his Son with an Army after him whom they beat and took Prisoner neer Venice The good Father therefore to preserve his Son is forced to submit and to prostrate himself before the Pope openly in the great Church at Venice to kiss his feet Where setting his foot on the Emperors neck he impiously and imperiously was not asham'd to say Thou shalt tread upon the Lyon and the Adder and the Dragon shalt thou trample under foot And when the Emperor took the boldness to reply and say I do it not to you but to Peter The proud Beast goes on To Peter and to me too And from this time forth and for evermore forsooth it must be an high favour to kiss his Toes as much as other Princes hands And all this is Your most humble Servant of the Servant of God his Title once come too Beggers of all men proudest are When once they got into the chair This Pope likewise upheld Thomas a Becket against his King here in England and made the King submit to the lash for St. Thomas's death for his Holiness Sainted the Traitor and upon
Hierarchy was founded by Boniface as Universal Bishop and high Priest And from him to Hildebrand for about 400. years more Hence the Titles of Divine Celestial Majesty The Popedom Temporal was founded by Hildebrand as Universal Monarch Hence from both Innocent the 8th is stilled one above all Principalities and Powers and every name that is named in this or the other World And the Height and flourishing of both under Alexander the 3d. and Boniface the 8th who boasted that all powers were become subject to him c. to the dawning of the Reformation by Wicklif c. another four hundred years the Brightnes whereof has been ever since by degrees a consuming it And if we may guess by the Stars the last great Conjunction of the two Superior Planets in the fiery Trigon in 1663. which never happened before since Charls the Great 's time 800. years agoe they bode no good predictions for the Popedom but look as if they would burn up Alsted sayes all the dross and dregs of Rome more then the fire of London was ever like to do as they accounted of the Protestants But we must not think that Rome is only in Rome though there she sits as a Queen seing no sorrow During the first 400. years they contended for preeminence priviledges dominion and riches to maintain it and began to Lord it over and incroach upon other Churches as the best the most orthodox and most Apostolick as the chiefest and most flourishing and Imperial Church For Pope Victor about the year 192. excommunicated the Eastern Bishops for not keeping Easter the same day with him concerning which point the West or Roman Church afterwards prevailed under Constantine the Great by the Council of Nice the Eastern standing for the tradition of St. John and Philip the Western for that of St. Peter and St. Paul Afterwards they induced Constantine upon his Infant conversion as the first Christian Emperor to be good to the Church which had so suffered under the Heathen Emperors and to make it great glorious and flourishing in the world and peace setled in the Church together with Dignities Dominions and Preferments in a politick and prudential way namely to avoid Heresies Schismes and Factions of Opinions c. they began now to Lord it over one another and over Gods Heritage which they had not opportunity to do before under persecution nor sufficiently to shew the rottenness of their Religion at the heart They brought Constantine to decree Tithes to be paid of all things to all Churches At which time was heard this voice in the air now is poyson poured into the Church which refers to the pride of the Bishops and Clergy which these riches occasioned afterwards For Hormisda was so malpert upon 't about the year 500. as to excommunicate the Emperor because he stood upon 't That it was the Emperors part to command and not be subject to Bishops During the next 400. years they contended with the Eastern Bishops and Patriarchs of Constantinople for Universal Supremacy devising divers sad stories and complaints and incroached more and more upon the Emperors and civil matters of State and became as well Troublers of the Empire as of the Church For the other four hundred they contended with the Emperors themselves for Universal Monarchy or Supremacy in Church and State iuterwove Temporal Jurisdiction with Spiritual and at last withdrew themselves from all subjection to the Emperors and brought them indeed under their feet usurping and inlarging power and dominion to themselves out of others ruines c. as by the forgoing story may partly appear But this last neer 300. years they have swelled only with Titles and big words and roared a little with their cursed Bulls with short Horns And thus Pride begat Prelats Prelats Patriarchs Patriarchs Popes answerable to worldly Empire and Dignities and Popes would be Kings and Emperors and not only so but Gods too but indeed and in truth very Devils For Pope Sixtus they say gave his soul to the Devil for seven years Popedom Such a sweet proud Tyranny it is And now this long lived Popedom is come to its old age and drawing towards its end and from 666 plainly lyes a dying against which year it strove as it were for life again once more in England Ireland Holand France Poland Suitzerland Piemont c. with struglings in the world afresh are to be reckoned but as lightenings before death Unto which if it fill up the 100. current or more 't will but be answerable to such tough and lasting heart of Oak too great to be rooted up in one generation In a word four hundred years or more a rising as we may say four hundred a growing and increasing and four hundred more a flourishing in it's height and towards three hundred a decreasing So that least of all of any Kingdom can it be said of this Few though evill have the dayes of the years of the Popedom been Taking evil for wicked and mischievous or doing evil c. And so significently enough and not unworthily may his Evilness now be stilled Pope that is Ancient or old Father But There is another Reason Would you know why Their Bastards swarm as thick as Stars i' th Sky But we meddle not with the Personal Vices of his Holiness Conclusion Thus have we seen in this last and worst age of the World all Christendom all on a flame of Wars and Confusions like Wildfire every where catching from Country to Country and then taking its course round Neither has any Nation escaped scot-free from Stupendous Revolutions both Ecclesiastick and Civil We have seen within the compass of a few years above a thirty years bloudy War in Germany almost laying it desolate which divided it self into several Streams as first the Wars of Bohemia then of Denmark then of the Swedes of Saxony of the French of Hungary and of Italy too c. Above a fourscore years War in the Low-Countries with all the cruelties imaginable and at last the most mighty Monarch of Christendom outed of his own dominions by his Subjects and forc'd to acknowledg them a free State by a publick Treaty at Munster 1648. A twenty years War between the two most mighty Monarchs and Sons of the Church with the Revolt of Catalonia A threescore years Usurpation of the Kingdom of Portugal from the right Heirs brought to nought in a day and without bloud but neer a thirty years effusion of bloud and Treasure ensuing thereupon yet at last that great Monarchy forced to consent to the lopping off this so Principal a member from its body by a late Peace 1667. above a twenty years Wars of the hugeous Grand Turk against Christendom We have seen a lamentable twenty years Civil Wars in England c. The whole Subversion both of Church and State A Glorious King brought before the Tribunal of his own Rebellious Subjects and unmercifully put to death by a faction of Republicans An ancient and
6. Horrible and desperate temptations of the Devil overcome vanquish'd wonderfully by the Divine Power and Presence with her in her Visions or Extasies in more then an ordinary manner 7. Something inflicted by Gods immediate hand in a Vision to remain all the dayes of her life to humble her but she discovered not what it was 8. Her wonderful Death and indeed Resurrection as we may say All which her Tutour Comenius was an Eye witness of This last we will give you more fully and particularly for the confirmation of all The Virgin struck with an Apoplexy and forwarned by divers Signs of imminent Death On the second of Jan. 1629. at break of day desiring to rise from her Bed she beheld a Woman all in Mourning Habit with a Vail covering her face all over standing by With which sight affrighted she leapt out of Bed and her Chamber and told not till three dayes after upon occasion what she had seen Eight dayes after she was warned by an Angel of an Apoplexy to befal her speedily Which Dream having wrote down as all her former she declared to none At night rising from supper she fell down suddenly struck with a Dead Palsie on her Tongue Right Hand and Foot c. Next day at night calling for her Tutor Comenius she declared to him her approaching death by an Apoplexy She also heard strange knocking 's and as it were strikings of a Clock for several hours At last one of the company a Senatour and Magistrate of the City said I have counted the strokes now twice they are thirteen Then they all counted and found just so many six several times over Afterwards it sounded three times four and one besides By and by four times three and one again six times two and one and then two times six and one Infine the same number thirteen repeated eighteen times over and then ceased They all then began to presage her death thirteen dayes after The next day also in the presence of much company was heard a noise preceeding intimating that it was about to strike It struck then twelve nine times The next day only eleven four times And ceased till the day before her death which happened just thirteen days after accordingly A Certain Pastour coming and speaking to comfort and prepare her against approaching Death She said when he was gone to her Tutour Comenius That good old man little thinks that he must first of all the Pastors pass into the Eternal Country Being asked How she knew I was now with the Lord said she And I saw Pastors who live here coming one after another of whom he was first Comenius asked what Pastors she reckoned up several even Stadius a lusty strong and healfull man and younger then all the rest Comenius then asked concerning himself I saw not you said she and therefore I asked the Lord who answered he cannot come yet For he have some yet to reconcile It fell out accordingly The said Minister went first and one after another even Stadius himself at last in the fourtieth year of his age An. 1634. and Comenius yet lives now fourty years since who testifies all these things to be true as in the sight of God whose Testimony the world knows too well to be slighted But to return to her Several Students desiring some written remembrance from her she not only wrote her own name but also places of Scripture and with her left hand though never before as well as ever with her right And on the very day of her death she gave to her Tutour Comenius her Bohemian Psalter and wrote in the Frontispeece an excellent Valedictory Ejaculation as it yet remains to be seen Bring back Jehova our Captives like streams into a dry Land c. And underneath This I have written for a Remembrance to my Nursing and Beloved Father in Christ J. A. Comenius Christina Poniatovia The night before her death several present One knocked at the Gate They open'd and saw no body So that they were all aston shed Then presently they heard knocking 's by her Bed side two several times All present rising up amazed strokes were heard upon the Table whereat they all sat before five several times After Singing Psalmes c. She desired all to depart and leave her a light that she should pass that night waking and ordered Pen Ink and Paper to be brought her and wrote with her left hand 1. Her Will 2. An Epistle to her Lady where she resided and 3. The forementioned Valediction to her Tutour and spent the rest of her time in reading and prayer After midnight she heard knocking again and a Voice Come come come Next morning she said she waited for five a clock at night and bid farewel to all that came to visit her About three a clock the Superintendents of the Bohemian Church with some other Pastors thought good to examine her of her Faith Hope and Conscience specially in the business of her Visions Whether she did yet assert to have them truly from God whether that was certain whether she was sufficiently assured That she would confess now being about to go into the presence of the Eternal Judge what ever she was Conscious to her self of She answered as truly as God is God so truly are these Revelations his Work Which God will make your Eyes to see Being asked had she then written and sealed what she had revealed to her in good Faith and Truth She answered whatsoever I have heard and was commanded to be written is all written not one tittle omited added or altered And for the things I saw in Visions I have expressed as well as I could in my own words but with no fraud or counterfetting God knows Then she blessed them c. Her Death and Resurrection Half an hour before five she would be lifted up out of her Bed And then cryed out Lord Jesus have Mercy upon me and put an end to my pains About five she bad her last farewel to all with her left hand being not able with her right c. And after prayers of all present she fell into a fit and so quietly departed But after some time all went away save two Ladies and Comenius with the Nurses and when her feet and hands were quite grown cold and stiff like any dead person's Then those Ladies and Comenius also departed leaving the Nurses to lay her out But whilst they were yet going out of the door one of the Nurses cryes out They looking back saw her risen straight upright upon the Bed and asking for her cloaths Comenius intreats them to leave her and went down with them full of fear and trembling All leaving only their attendants to relate what was done Comenius returns goes into his Study But Behold She was now dressed and stood at the Wather-cistern washing her Hands and Face and his Wife with two other Nurses looking on Comenius stood astonished My Christina what is the matter In the
Duchnick Born in the Year 1610. Prophesied in the Years 1627 1628 and 1629. Died in the Year 1644. The Sum of her Prophesies in general thus The Persecution waxing hot against the Evangelicks in Bohemia and the Proscription or Banishment of the Pastors of the Churches with all the Nobility being now published In the Year 1627 it pleased God to raise up this Noble Virgin the Daughter of a Noble Godly learned Minister of the Divine Word but a most stiff and fierce opposer of new Revelations Many things were represented to her in Extasies As the Crown of Life for Believers The Marriage of the Lamb c. Then the Judgements of God upon the Wicked forestalling the Kingdom of Christ and their horrible punishments and the Vengeance of God to be executed by Nations called from the North and from the East By name Antichrist with his false Worships to be rooted out and his whole Kingdom burnt up with the Fire of Gods Zeal as a Nest of all Abominations Set forth further under the Fall of Babylon and all her Adherents c. All which were represented under innumerable and wonderful Visions and Revelations She was also commanded to write Epistles to the Executors of Gods Judgments and to foreshew places of Refuge for the Exiles with comfortable praedictions of their Return c. The great Battel was shewn her with the Victory of the Lamb though deferr'd for a time and the miserable oppression of the Church during that time Yet notwithstanding that Antichrist was to be cast down with his Defender For a praeludium of which She was commanded to denounce Destruction to their chief Squire or Arm-Bearer General Wallestein both by Writing and by word of Mouth in his very presence For she was sent to him with a threatning Epistle Then afterwards she was commanded to go out of Bohemia into Poland and to lead others the way into Exile Where also she had many Revelations and suffered many grievous bodily afflictions and at last a kind of Death or rather a true one and Resurrection as it were from the Dead Nicholas Drabricius a Moravian Born in the year 1588. Called to the Ministry of the Church 1616. Driven into Exile for the Gospel 1628. Called to the Work of a Prophet 1638. And continuing therein to this day The sum of whose Prophesies in general Comenius gives also briefly thus Ragotzi Prince of Transilvania and a new King of Swede to be elected out of the House of the Palatine and a little after elected are commanded to oppose themselves against all Oppressors of Liberty of Conscience But when these would not execute their commands but do their own things and that both were taken away from the midst according to so many iterated Comminations He is commanded to call upon the Monarchs of greater Nations Namely for to chastize the sins of corrupt Christianity or Christendom and to abolish Idolatry the Emperor of the Turks with the Nations of the East But to repair the State of the Christian Affairs and as long since God spake of this last time by Isaiah To build the old waste Places to raise up the Foundations of many Generations And they shall be called the Repairers of the Breach the Restorers of Paths to dwell in the King of France with the Nations of the West Then which two none are more powerful If God once put it into their hearts to perform his Will though things seem to run cross at present All which things with many others in particular were communicated to him by God under innumerable strange and wonderful Visions and Revelations continued for so many years together even to this very day Whose Books sayes one will exercise the Wits both of Learned and Unlearned so long 'till God shews what lies under by the Events themselves At length ye shall understand his Counsel At last ye shall consider it perfectly Jer. 23. 20. And yet before we conclude we have stole a few Sheets more out from among the Prophesies c. For because that they so much concern the present Argument we have hitherto been upon Namely the confirmation of the Verity and Divinity of these Prophesies which they tend mightily unto And therefore seeing we could not produce the Prophesies It was pertinent and requisice to subjoyn These to the foregoing Matters before we quite break off and conclude The first Relation of Kotter before the Senate of Angelical Revelations had by him for three years before in the year 1616. ON the 29 th of August 1619. Christopher Kotter appeared before the Senate of the City Sprottavia who were the Magistrates thereof and having crav'd and obtain'd liberty to speak thus began That he acknowledged that he stood before them to whom he was bound by the Holy Law of an Oath to speak nothing but Truth And that therefore in the present peculiar cause for which he appeared he would in good faith relate nothing else but what in very deed and in truth hapned to him and is wont still to happen He therefore declared that on June 11. 1616. it hapned that going to Gorlitz he lodged at Newhammer whence the next morning being gone on his way and past Gorlitz Wood and entred into an open plain intending for Langenovia his birth-place There approached a certain man on one side of him of a most comely feature in Mourning Apparel and black Boots whom he suspected to be some Mine-man because the Neighbourhood abounded with Iron Mines but he drew nearer and lovingly saluted Christopher inquiring Whither he was going And that returning his salutations he answered to his inquiries And that while by this means they came at length to familiar Speeches and had proceeded almost four Miles in company together on their way discoursing with one another it fell out that entring into some narrow passages of the Road this Companion addressing himself more roughly to Christopher then he had used cries out Ho! Thou man I have something to tell thee which thou must relate to the Magistrates Ecclesiasticks and Saecular Christopher amazed at these things and not knowing what should be the matter the other went on That the Wrath of God is kindled against Man-kind and it hastens to inflict punishments in fury except they repent To punish especially that pride impurity and contempt of God and of the Divine Word When he had said these things they were come to the Medow of Melchior Frank where because a Ditch was to be passed Christopher going over the little Bridg first the other behind his back vanished he knew not whither and so went on alone to Langenovia but from thence after he had tarried a night with his Mother to Gorlitz to his quondam Master in his Craft And on the 14 th of March entring the Temple heard a Sermon and that when his thoughts disturbed so from this late consternation could not be quiet for his mind sake he went even to the Chappel which they call Christs Sepulchre That there the
that himself judged him a good Spirit December the 5th Commanded by the Spirit he went to Breslaw to the King And on the 10th being by means of the Lord Wilpret Governor of the Kings Treasury through the Dukedom of Glocovia admitted unto Audience of the King viz. Frederick in the presence of three Princes he declared all those things which were commanded him c. In the Year 1621. On the 9 th of January going to Sagan a little Youth as it were of six or seven years old appeared unto him yet not in that form of countenance nor the same sound of voice as the former Spirit had and wearing a three coloured habit White Skie and Flame-colour This Spirit he conjured by the living God who he was And on bended knees adored Jesus the Son of God That seeing he was that Saviour who hath bruised the head of the Serpent and came into the World to destroy the works of the Devil that through his Mercy and Merit he would vouchsafe him this Grace That if this Vision was any Spectre or Ghost or any Inchantment of Satan that he might be delivered from it That he would grant him to know it and would make his Conscience quiet Having poured out this Prayer unto Christ on a sudden he felt in his heart so great solace and joy that he could not express in words But the Youth calling him by name spake to him in these words I do not draw thee away from God but draw thee unto God as hath been before signified unto thee And in the first place I shew unto thee Christ and his Merit in which alone only consists Salvation Remember therefore Christ crucified But that thou desirest to be made more certain who I am Know that I am sent from God one of the seven Angels standing before the Face of God c. March 20. He went a Journey accompanied with a Friend but his Angel appearing unto him led him out of his way into the Field and asked him If he had done his Errand to the King Who said He had but few gave heed That he did expose himself to laughter The Angel comforts him That he would not regard though none at all believed And as the Prophet Elisha answered the unbelieving Captain of Samaria Thou shalt see but shalt not injoy So it shall be with them that will not believe They shall see but receive no benefit c. And after several Visions and Discourses the Angel also informed him what he should answer Mockers If any one say unto thee How darest thou utter such things too high for thee nor ever likely to come to pass Answer thou Our Conversation is in Heaven from whence we expect our Saviour Jesus Christ They will say How thou a mortal man art not afraid to speak of Heavenly Things Say thou I am indeed mortal but I believe Christ will reform this mortal body and fashion it like his glorious Body They will urge That thy Predictions are against reason Thou shalt answer That God hath made all things subject to himself nor is his hand shortned that he cannot save nor is any thing at length impossible to him Then the Angel inlarged this Discourse with an excellent Passion Sermon c. Innumerable Instances of this kind might be collected out of his Prophesies but these may suffice onely one thing must not be omitted to be left to the prudent Readers consideration And it is this In one of his Prophesies the Burning of a great City is given as a Character of the time for fulfilling of these things The words run thus But what the great Lion said he was forbidden to reveal For it was said unto him Let that day pass away first wherein a certain great City shall be burnt down with the flame of Fire For then shall be fulfilled what the Lion hath spoken These words seal thou up but i' th mean while keep them to thy self The Speech or Sermon of the great Lion was uttered twice first in a Lions secondly in a Humane shape in the year 1623. And which he was commanded to seal up 'till when he was delivered out of Prison in the year 1628. and then he had liberty to declare it c. Note The Burning of a great City is given as a Character and Mark of the accomplishment of these things Which the Northern Deluge which presently followed pouring it self over all Germany made us understand of the famour City of Magdeburg In the Year one thousand six hundred thirty one But because there was then a return back of things and a greater City afterwards more terribly laid waste namely Constantinople wherein in the year 1660. July 24 25 26. above 70000 Houses were consumed the eighth part of the City and that the worser scarce remaining It is to be considered Whether this Character do not square to this rather Certainly weighing well the words of the great Lion in the Prophesies and considering the course of Modern Affairs it will appear that things are greatly changed by the approach of the Oriental Locusts For presently in the Year following 1661. the Turks possessed Waradin the Key of Hungary and Poland and thence marching onward subdued Transylvania Walachia and Moldavia now knocking at the Gates of Hungary and what hereafter may be done God knows These Divine Predictions deservedly teach us not to sleep certainly but to attend to the Judgments of God Comenius Annotat. But what and if the Great London the most considerable City in the World for the Protestant Interest and the most envyed by the Papistical and whose Burning was so remarkable and in the most Ominous Year too in all the Worlds account 1666. and not without suspicion of their finger in the Fire and which by most serious Christians is judged a notorious Omen to the great City Babylon the Mother of Harlots to be burnt with Fire should be here meant Certainly it deserves some consideration at least and not to be wholly slighted and passed over not so much as taking the least notice thereof at all An Account of Christina's raising from the Dead as it were and return to Life writ with her own hand and sealed up on the Monday following that being on the Saturday and which she annexed for a close to her Revelations IN the year 1627. December 30. when being afflicted with an heavy disease I wished for death it was said unto me from the Lord That yet was not the time but that I should remain in this Mortality till the Term come which he himself had put But when I besought that that Term also might be shewn unto me to prepare my self so much the more vigilently for death He answered There shall be yet a year added to thy life in which I will use thee for my works He added But dost thou not desire to supervive when Jehovah shall put on strength and his glorious Majesty And when he shall destroy his Enemies And when the mighty shall be
the Bowe 's of the Mercy of God That they take heed to themselves thereof as being guileful false drawing their Rise from Satan the Father of Lyes of which Father of Lyes Christ saith That he came and took the words of God out of the hearts of men lest they should believe and be saved Luke 8. 12. But let all know that the Lord is my God who vouchsafeth to speak to me unworthy and that I and my Adjunct who in my stead declares the Words of God in the Latin Tongue to the Nations of the Earth and lastly the Promoters of the Work added unto us from Heaven seek no other things God lives and our Soul lives in God than the Honour and Glory of God first The Honour I say of the Omniscience and Veracity of God who as he hath promised the Beast being cast down and the Babylonish VVhore burnt and Satan bound to renew to himself his Church on the face of the whole Earth So he is about to do it now in our days That all the Kingdoms of the VVorld may become our Lords and his Christs Rev. 11. 15. and Chap. 17 18 19 20. Next we sought also by the Command and Charge of the Lord our God our Neighbours good both of Christians especially before others and also of the yet Infidels Turks and whatsoever Pagans that they may be converted from Idols and other Abominations to the Living God and his holy and pure Worship Of which things what the Wisdom of God in the year 1653. Nov. 8. spake to me may be read in these Revelations For all these are destitute of the true and saving Faith of God given to the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles and other Saints Instead of the Law of God the Turks having their Alcoran the Jews their Talmud but many Christians the Pope and other Leaders of Errors Thirdly We sought also with a dutiful faithful and simple and sincere mind to execute the Commands of God without all respect to men by testifying to all whether it please all or displease some and whether they will hear or forbear believe or not believe That God never will'd nor yet wills the Death of a Sinner but that all converted from Impiety Errors and Iniquities do Judgement and Justice Giving to Caesar the things that are Caesars and to God the things that are Gods Therefore the Wisdom of God Commanded me to speak unto the House of Austria with her Supporters the Spaniard and Pope Him as a broken Reed This as a Fire-brand burnt and to others That the Lord of Heaven and Earth was about to do unto the House of Austria as he did unto the House of Ahab and to his Counsellors and Prophets as Elias did unto the Baalites whom in the sight of all the People he slew with the Sword As it was said unto me in the year 1644. April 12. Therefore I Nicholas Drabricius a Witness of the Veracity of God a Witness I say unto my Self and unto others the Godly that the Lord does not any thing but he reveals his Secret to his Servants the Prophets Amos 3. 8. The Lion therefore roaring who is not affraid And the Lord commanding who prophesies not v. 9. Our Predecessor John Hus about to glorifie God and his Truth by his Death said to his Persecutors An hundred years being rowled about ye shall answer to God and to me I his Follower say the same thing to my Persecutors and cite you Gods and mine Accusers to the Tribunal of Jesus Christ that you there answer for your Blasphemies who in me unworthy blaspheme God and his Spirit As if now he had not promised in the lâ—st days To pour out his Spirit upon all Flesh that your Sons and Daughters may prophesie and your old men dream dreams and your young men see Visions Joel 2. 28. Like as is done even to me an old man now almost fourscore years old by the undeserved grace of God And before me to Christopher Ketter and to Christina Poniatovia whom also I as many other godly persons account for a Servant and an Handmaid of the Lord and acknowledge the like things to have been declared unto them as unto me of the Plagues of God a coming upon Christendom from the East as they now begin to come from the same merciful God always fore-warning the World I Drabricius was not that I may speak with Amos contending with his Detractors a Prophet or a Prophets Son Amos 7. 14. But the Lord commanded me to write the Word heard out of his Mouth And I wrot for the most part by night in the dark on a Stone Table or even with Chalk lying by my Bed side in a Chest Performing my duty laboriously 26 years to my Lord neither changing any thing but just as the Lord and my God vouchsafed to speak concerning Christians and no Christians Kings and Kingdoms Lords and Subjects Priests and People Especially concerning Idolatry and Images even of our Saviour crucified hanging stretch'd through the Temples Streets and High-ways expos'd to Winds Rains and the making of Nests for Birds for a scandal and laughing-stock to Infidels Jews Turks Tartars who in the year 1663. making an Irruption into Moravia stood amazed at this amazement of Christians And because Gods will is according to the words made known unto me poor miserable man that they be converted to that Faith given to the Saints he will therefore certainly take away those scandals and the Authors of scandals men gone into the way of Cain feeding themselves fat Clouds without Water carried about by the Wind Trees wither'd unfruitful twice dead Waves of the Sea foaming forth Confusion and wandring Stars to whom is reserved the Tempest of Darkness for ever Jud. 11 12 13. complaining Murmurers walking after their own lusts whose mouth speaketh Pride and Arrogancy vers 16. Mockers 18. Sensual not having the Spirit 19. Of whose number is Paul Veterine wholly burning with hatred against me without all fear of God and shame of men tearing and bespattering me with malicious Writings not seeking after the glory of God or the saving Good of his Neighbours but that he may bring the Speeches of God into suspicion and reproach wholly after the Example of the worst amongst the Pharisees who said of Christ He hath a Devil and is mad why do you hear him Joh. 10. 19. Although the more Moderate said These are not the words of one that hath a Devil v. 2. As even now many moderate men even in remote Countreys say concerning the Words of the Lord pronounced by me But I with the Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 1. 23. call God for a Record upon my Soul believing with my whole heart and confessing with my mouth that I also am a little Sheep of Christ for whom he the good Shepherd laid down his life Joh. 10. 11. That I have neither spoken nor written any thing but what the Lord and my God commanded me to write with mine hand all the time of so