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
totally dissipated not can strike terror into us seeing we know that the Soul of Man is not extinguished it is not withal convenient 24. To believe the error of Transmigration It is convenient to know in the time of life to do good and evil each oâ— the Souls of men after death go to the judgment of God where they have a determinate 25. Place of their reward One place is above and haâ—â— all felicity namely which is called the Court or Palace oâ— Heaven That is the place of remunerating the good The second place is beneath and hath 26. All bitterness namely which is called the Prison of the Earth the place of punishing bad men For the Lord is most highly equal or just There is nothing of good which he doth not reward there is nothing of evil which he doth not punish Nevertheless in the present Age 27. There are some which do ill and are rich honour'd without trouble and joyful There are who do well and are poor contemn'd and oppres'd with calamity It is certain God waits till the death of that man and 28. After receives the Soul of the good Man and takes it up into the Court of Heaven to inhabit perpetual felicity and receives the Soul of the bad man and sends it into the Prison of the Earth to receive punishment without end If we grant that there are not 29. Rewards and punishments of Paradise and Hell to remunerate the men of this Age or present life who do good or evil How are the good not deceived then And how much better a lot and portion do the evil injoy And how can God be said most highly just 30. Some one will say That reward of good and evil is it not also in the present Age or life How goes the matter It is answered let us suppose those that receive the remuneration of good and evil 31. Altogether to wait even till after death On that very account men will be ignorant of the remuneration which is after death And how will it be proved to them that the Lord is above the Heavens Therefore frequently those who violate justice 32. Fall into calamities dangers and troubles that they may amend their past wickednesses beware of future Those who are obedient to Reason receive a blessing descending upon them to answer their good deeds past and stir them up to future 33. But if any well-doer be in want in dishonour full of labours and calamities perhaps it therefore happens because that amidst their good works they have something of evil Therefore God with these things 34. Chastises him at present but after death introduces him into the place of perfect felicity to injoy perpetual felicity If any do ill and yet are rich honour'd and happy according to the Age or present life 35. This therefore happens Because amids their doings ill they have some good mixt Therefore God remunerates them with these present felicities But after death tumbles them down headlong into the obscure Prison that perpetually they may receive all bitternesses 36. The men of this Age if they desire to avoid descending into Hell to undergoe all torments and to ascend into Heaven to injoy all felicity Three things are altogether necessary First 37. It is necessary to know the Lord of Paradise namely God For men of this Age to inhabit in one anothers house it is first necessary to know the Lord of the house then they may enter and stay 38. How much less any one ignorant of the Lord of Heaven can he ascend and enter into the place of universal felicity Secondly It is necessary to know the way to Heaven namely the Law of God 39. Men of this Age ignorant of the way thither whither they are a going by that very means cannot come there And any one ignorant of the way into Heaven how can he possibly come there 40. Thirdly It is altogether necessary to go on through the way which they now know Because a man although he knows the way which he desires to go yet if he sit idling at home and go not forth to make progress by no means will he ever be able to come to his journeys end 41. In like manner he who desires to ascend into Paradise the place of all felicity it is altogether necessary that he do the works of the Divine Holy Law Some one will say 42. God is the Lord of Heaven Earth Men and Things and his Doctrine is withall the way to Paradise Now I have clearly heard and understood this Now I desire to follow this Doctrine of the Holy God How 43. Therefore shall I be able to do it It is answered He who desires to follow the Holy Law ought to have two aims The first aim consists in this That he worship God with a perfect heart because he is of Heaven 44. Earth Men and Things the Universal Lord and created all things that he might nourish us The second consists in providing for a mans own Soul to avoid descending 45. Into Hell to receive all bitternesses and obtain ascent into Heaven to enjoy all felicities He who desires to obtain this three things are necessary The first of them is to keep the Commandments of God 46. The second is He ought to blieve the things of God The third is He ought to receive Sacred Baptism and to wash his past sins The Ten Commandments 1. To Honour and Worship God above all things 2. Not to name the Holy Name of God to utter a vain Oath 3. To observe Holy Dayes 4. To obey and honour Father and Mother 5. Not to kill men 6. Thou shalt not work Fornication 7. Thou shalt not Steal 8. Thou shalt not bear Witness rashly 9. Thou shalt not covet another mans Wife 10. Thou shalt not covet another mans Riches Matters The Ten Commandments summarily taken are reduced to two only To love God above all things and to love men as ones self This is that which of old God from Heaven taught and commanded that they should be honour'd and kept through all Ages The obedient to them ascend into Paradise and receive felicity Those that walk contrary descend into Hell where they suffer torments The above written Articles are only a Compendium If any one desire to have an absolute knowledge of the Divine Law it is necessary that he studiously apply himself to the study of the Holy Books treating of the true Law of God and go to the Temple of Christians to hear the Masters of the Law come out of the West Discoursing Disputing and Unfolding Then they shall be able to understand without doubting and this thing cannot be fully done in few words This we have translated as was requisite verbatim according to the property of the China Speech rather then the English From this Doctrine of the True and One God rightly expounded they proceed to expound the holy Trinity of the One God then to the incarnation of the Son of God the
dayes in a lamentable manner First With his own hands killing his Mother and Daughter and at length grown desperate hanged himself Amidst such great Confusions of the China Empire the Christians grown to a great multitude were betwixt hope and fear and wait with sollicitous hearts the new own'd Emperors inclination and found him in the end more favourable then they could either wish or hope for Especially upon the account of Father Schall before mentioned as a Stranger of admirable prudence and skill in the Affairs of the China Kingdom and to whom he might unbosom the secret counsels of his heart securely and as one highly recommended to him for his rare skill in the computation of Time and Astronomy and other Arts of Europe And so made him Mandarine of the first Order and one of his supream Counsellors And set him about perfecting the reformation of their Calender for the Universal benefit and advantage of the Kingdom as before hath been declared After this was the Queen and her Son Converted and Baptized by the name of Helena and Constantine of which her Supream Minister of her Court Pan Achilleus long before a Zealous Christian more then once affectionately wrote Letters thereof both to the Pope and to the General of the Jesuites Society to send more Labourers into China as followeth The Interpretation of the China Letter from the Chancellor of the China Empire Pan Achilleus a Chinois Christian to our most Holy Lord by the Fathers Andrew Xavier and Michael Boym of the Society of Jesus in the Court of the Emperor of China for the time Assistants Of the most famous Empire of China by the command of the Emperor The Universal Vice-Roy of Kingdoms and Provinces Quám tum Quám Sy c Fò Kien Commissary of the Militia by Sea and Land Duke of the little petty King Quám Sy c Treasurer of the Revenues and Sollicitor absolute and sole decider or Judge of Causes in the absence of the Emperor Chief Captain of the Imperial Guard Master of the Horse Great Chancellor Privy Secretary of the Emperor and Chamberlain Pan Achilleus Christian on bended knees and head bowed down to the Ground prostrates himself before the Throne of the Vicar of God JESUS on Earth the Universal Doctor of the Catholick Church the true Lord the most Holy Father I Achilleus weigh with my self that being by Office Keeper of the Privy Chambers of the Emperor yet led by error I also take care of the Militia Whence I have diminished that is degraded or debased my self and without light and Discipline that is Instruction have augmented the multitude of sins Long since in the Northern Court or Palace through the good Will of God I hapned upon men of the Society of Jesus who led me who was rude and ignorant in the open Path exhorting me erring and going astray to follow the Faith Wherefore being with reverence expiated in the Holy Laver I then began to understand the documents that is Fundamentals or Principles of the Holy Doctrine and its hidden Excellency and high profundity And then being immers'd in this study night and day with a faithful heart I have prosecuted it twenty years and more nor durst I grow slack in the least So I have procured the help of the King of Heaven whom I know not how I shall be able to answer I had often a mind to come unto your most Holy Throne and with veneration to satisfie my eyes with your most Holy Countenance But the matters of the Empire were so various and the Royal Affairs so perplexed as they were permitted me not to perform the desires of my intimate Bosome Wherefore I am most highly aggrieved The onely thought and grief now of me a Sinner from the bottom of my Soul is in this that the calamity of the Empire has not yet ceased Therefore on purpose I went and asked a man of the Society of Jesus Father Michael Boym that in the next Ship that went away he would return back to the great West and come suppliant to you the chief Priest the most Holy Father that before the Altar of the Saints Peter and Paul with the universal Church of the whole World with eyes lifted up to Heaven you would pray to God that he would look down upon this Imperial House with mercy help and conserve the Empire and set limits of future speedy peace and together would grant that our most wise Emperor who is the eighteenth Successor of this Royal House and the twelfth Grand-child from the first founder of the Empire and Family That himself as Lord with his Subjects may adore Jesus the Lord of the Heavens This at length will be the intire happiness of our China Empire And indeed at present the most intire most wise most clement the venerable Empress of Christian Name Helena The Queen Mother of the Emperor of Christian name Mary The Queen his legitimate Wife of Christian name Anna and the Son of the Emperor Prince and Heir by Christian Name Constantine do all with humble hearts believe and worship the Holy Doctrine together they have the words of Speech which they send to the most Holy Throne viz. of the Pope As for me rude Sinner I humbly beseech you the most Holy Father That for the hour of my departure out of this life you would vouchsafe intire remission of the punishment of sins and would send also many men of the Society into this Empire of China who by their Doctrine may convert universally the men of the Age and may advertise them with Repentance to give good heed to Worship and adore the Holy Law nor may by a vain and transient stay be sent away with the Dust of their Feet snatch'd up that is quickly So at length I hope to attain Felicity truly never to have an end With Veneration I have in small measure by these things explained the Secrets of a simple ignorant Mind I cast my self wholly to the Earth expecting a mercifull beholding of your Countenance And no more Yum Lie the fourth year in order of the Revolutions of the Annual Letters Kem Yn the tenth Moon eighth day which was in the year 1650. the first day of November Further nothing to be read The place of the Seal wherein after the China manner for they do not use to write their Names otherwise are engraven these words The Seal of the most Valiant Generalissimo of Arms universal Vice-Roy The Interpretation of the China Letter from the Empress of the China Empire the Lady Helena by name and of the Queen = Mother the Lady Anne and the Queen = Wife the Lady Mary and also of the Son of the Emperor Prince and Heir the Lord Constantine By Father Andrew Xavier and sent to our most Holy Lord c. The Speech of Helena the most Intire most Wise most Clement Venerable Empress of the most famous Empire of China before the Throne of the Vicar on Earth of God JESUS Universal Doctor of the Catholick Doctrine the Supream Lord the
and the Church in this Stile Peter the Apostle of Jesus Christ to you the most Illustrious King Pepin and to all Bishops Abbots c. I the Apostle Peter whose Adopted Sons you are admonish you that you perfectly come and defend this City c. And doubt you not but trust assuredly that I my self as if I stood before you do thus exhort you c. and that I Peter the Apostle of God will at the last day yeeld you mutual kindness and prepare you Tabernacles in the Heavens Upon this quarel of the Popes Pepin and his Son Charls destroy the Kingdom of the Lombards in Italy and give large Territories to the Church And these things made way and gave occasion and opportunity for Charles upon his great conquests to set up the German Empire of the West Franks The Pope in requital confirms Pepin in the Ringdom of France gives his Son Charls afterwards the Title of most christian King and crowns him Emperor of the Romans at Rome An. 800. From which he would pretend to be above Emperors and Kings and to be his right to Crown confirm and depose them if not dispose of their Kingdoms But Charls at length reassumes the ancient and original Imperial Dignity and Power to Govern the Church call Councils and order Papal Elections and confirm and invest them c. against all begun usurpations and incroachments of the Pope and aws Italy And keeps the Pope still Subject which Authority of the Empire was prety well upheld during the Caroline Race The Pope in the mean while under pretext of the Christian Religion and converting Infidels and the Nations increases in Wealth Power and Authority over the World Thundering out these Decrees of Holy Church Out of the Church no Salvation The Pope's the Successor of St. Peter the visible Head of the Church the Vicar of Christ on Earth His right as aforesaid to create confirm excommunicate and depose Kings and dispose Kingdoms for the cause of Religion c. That they are Hereticks that dissent from the Roman Church the only true Catholick Church or are Enemies to it c. Hereby the Consciences of the Nations Princes and People converted to an outward christianity are aw'd and fill'd with Reverence and Zeal for the Church to convert or root out Infidel Nations c. and to do any Benefices or Services for the Church As the most acceptable Service to Christ whom they began to acknowledge and Worship as their God and Saviour Hence almost all the Nations subject themselves to the Pope as Head of the Church yea and in Temporals also in a great measure nay some to hold their Kingdoms of him c. As if they could not any better way recompence Christs Vicar for the benefit of their Eternal Salvation then to submit themselvs all theirs to his dispose And this Opinion was brought about to prevail in the World that they might redeem their sins by good deeds and charitable works and services for the Church against it's enemies c. Hence Riches and Revenues of the Clergy and Hosts and swarms of clergy men Hence Churches Temples Abbies Monastries without number c. for the Redemtion of Souls Hence Expeditions Holy Wars Leagues and undertakings for the Church Hence Pardons Indulgences and devices for mony c. 'T would be endless to mention particulars c. The Pope having thus erected his Throne in the Consciences of men strongly seated there through Ignorance and blind Zeal and Devotion begins to play Rex in the World Besides there being perpetual emulation of Princes specially in Germany and Italy for Empire and Dominion c. The Pope interests himself in one part and the other for fear of excommunication or force becomes subject to him The Pope therefore now practises all wayes he can against the superiority of the Emperor and from being any wayes subject to his Authority or control and to undermine all Supremacy in Temporals presuming that all power is given to him both in Heaven and Earth in the Church and State c. 'Till in the end they come not only to let the Emperors have nothing to do in their Election Confirmation and Investiture but also to have all in a manner themselves to do in the Creation and Coronation of the Emperors Not long after the Caroline power and race declining and that partly through the Popes practises Italy is usurp'd by several Tyrants against the Emperor and almost wholly broken from it wherein the Popes have a finger and make their own advantage upon these distractions of the Empire For An. 884. Adrian the 3 d. denyes the Emperors Authority necessary to the creating Popes and about the year 900. the Empire is wholly and perfectly translated from the French or Caroline race to the Germans by Pope Agapetus's plotting And about the year 1000. as some write Gregory the fifth appoints Electors for choosing the Emperors whereby they afterwards became weakned and the Empire broken into factions and parties and the Pope thereby to have the better opportunity to work his own ends and to raise his greatness out of others ruines striving now to be uppermost not only in Church but State too and to be above even the Emperors themselves For after this time open and down right Tyranny over the Emperors begins to manifest it self First Pope John takes away all choise of Popes from the people to the Clergy only upon this plausible ground That the People are to be taught not followed Next Clement the 2 d. about 1047. set up by the Emperor against other Anti-Popes by the Authority of a Synod caused the Romans to renounce by oath the right they claimed in choosing Popes Then about 1050. Leo the 9 th invested by the Emperor is perswaded by Hildebrand to put off his pontificalibus or papal Robes in his journey from Germany to Rome to wave the Emperor and have a new election from the Roman Clergy and then made Hildebrand Cardinal who manag'd all at his pleasure After this Nicholas the 2 d. about 1060. takes away the election from the Roman Clergy bringing it about to a Colledge of Cardinals also then instituted that is of Spiritual Temporal or Lincy-woollcy Princes like himself the Supreme Emperor as it were for the greater grandure and more magnificent authority of his Almighty Holiness who was now almost got to the top of Empire Supremacy and Omnipotency For it was decreed in Council the Pope only to be chose by Cardinals whose Wounderful Worships or Eminencies might lift him up one step higher even as it were into Heaven to be God on Earth For so some thought fitting afterwards to stile forsooth his divine Majesty c. And then they order that no lay Person should confer Ecclesiaslick Investiture For what should the Church concern them But yet they themselves would invest and Crown Lay Princes For though the State had nothing to do with the Church yet the Church had to do
and learned Divines here in England as well as elsewhere and all possible wayes and means to have been used to discover any cheat or imposture which none have been able to do for this thirty years together To clear the Readers way to the things themselves we shall only give a brief account of the last most severe and rigorous examination of Drabricius in brief thus Drabricius seemed to promise from God victories and the Kingdom to Ragotzi and other things to others c. who yet was killed by the Turks in 1660. which most of all made his Prophesies suspected Those of his fraternity therefore seing all things go worse in Hungary and least they should all suffer for the fault of one they take councel together to remove from themselves all suspition of compliance or conspiracy with him The principal therefore among them was Felinus a Pastor of the Exciles at Puchow who wrote a book in latine called the Ignis Fatuus or false fire of Nicholas Drabricius Indeavouring to demonstrate all the Revelations of Drabricious either to be meer figments of his own brain or meer satanical delusions and dedicated to the Belgick Churches in Holand which yet those from whom he required it to be printed thought not advisable yet to do it but rather thought him too rash and hasty This Pastor dying according to Gods threatening by Revelations to Drabricius Veterinus another of the Seniors of the same Church not at all terrified at this event a chief instigator of Felinus undertakes the cause which the aforesaid Pastor lost his life in and by divers writings letters and epistles to divers persons bitterly renews the accusations and mightily urged the Edition of the false fire and assumed a Physician the more to help him therein So that new Dissentions Divisions Schismes Hatreds and Scandals arose and even those who were most perswaded of these Revelations began to hesitate and doubt Therefore taking counsel together they decreed to bring this cause before God in seting a part dayes of prayer and fasting the means to cast out Devils and lastly to give a Solemn Oath the onely ordained means of God to put an end to all striffe The Solemn Form of Prayer used among all both in Holand and else where we shall not insert here At this time one of the Juniors of the fraternity returned into Hungary sent by Comenius and others with these instructions 1. To inform the Brethren where ever in any place congregated of the modren state of the controversie and what we thought needfull to be done and to require a fraternal cooperation to take away scandals 2. That the state of the controversie lay in this Whether Father Nicholas Drabricius did really and in truth undergoe any divine Revelations or whether obstinately and impiously fained them Some Godly hope the first Paul Veterinus affirms the last They were to see therefore on what foundation the one and the other built And that it was decreed to commit the Judgment to God the Avenger And to bring him to an examination such as had never yet been by a most dreadful Oath which is the Divine Institution for the desiding of controversies and an extraordinary one also in such an extraordinary case And the very form thereof out of the Divine Scriptures to be offered to Drabricius which if he submit to and take that it is our duty to leave the Judgment and Vengeance to God And Veterinus if he will not rest in that to take heed least he provoke the just Vengeance of God in seeking to take the Sword of Vengance out of his hands And lastly whether Drabricius would confess and acknowledge or could remember or any wayes find out any thing of his own added or mixed therewith if he submitted to this determination With an Epistle to the Pastors and Elders of both the Churches Puchow and Ledna subscribed by I. Amos Comenius John Bitner Nicholas Gertichius Daniel Veterus Which we shall also omit and think it sufficient to set down the Oath it self only The Execration or Curse of the Oath shall be perform'd thus in these words I Nicholas Dribricius aggrieved with the suspition of some as if I did utter in the name of God words not commaned from God but rashly devised by my self and thereby draw off men from God to him that was no God which according to the Scripture is to be led into error by a spirit of Fornication and to go an whoring from God and is an Abomination worthy of death arrogantly to speak in the name of God what God has not commanded I therefore to testifie the truth in the sight of the God of truth and to free my self from that ungodly crime indeavoured to be cast upon me and my neighbours from all hurtful and pernicious error that they may not sin against the Innocent and by unbelief of the words of God harden themselves in impenitence and be a cause to others also to harden themselves Behold I take upon me all the Curses which against this kind of Iniquity God has either pronounced out of his most Holy Mouth or has demonstrated by Praesentanious examples of his just fury I therefore say boldly with David If I have done this if this Iniquity be found in my hands let the Enemy pursue my Soul and overtake it and tread down my life in the Earth and bring my Glory into the Dust And as such who Prophesie lyes in Gods name whom God sent not neither hath commanded them nor spake unto them yet for their own ends Prophesie a false Vision and Divination and a thing of nought and the deceit of their heart as God hath condemned by his decree that they shall perish by Sword and and by Famine Likewise that the foolish Prophets that follow their own spirit and have seen nothing but prophesie vanity and divine lyes that they shall not be in the assembly of his people neither shall they be written in the writing of the House of Israel neither shall they enter into the Land of Israel that the people of God may know that he is the Lord God Behold out of the Mouth of God I pronounce the same against my self that if I be such a one it may happen to me in like manner as the Righteousness of God has spoken Amen Yea and if I have offered to bring strange fire out of the forge of my own brain and not taken from the Altar of the manifest Word of the Lord into the Tabernacle of the Church and to offer before the Lord Let the just Zeal of God shew upon me the example of Nadab and Abihu that fire may go forth from the presence of the Lord and devour and burn up me in the midst of my Brethren that I may dye before the Lord and Jehovah be sanctified in those that draw neer unto him and may be glorified in the sight of all his People Amen Moreover if my heart has declined from God and the Word of his
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
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
scattered by him and so those things come to pass which have been foretold thee I answered thereunto Lord thou knowest that thy Eternal Delights are sweeter to me then all those things which thou revealest unto me But he rebuked my impatience dehorting me from weariness so he went away from me Now all the following year 1628 He made no mention of my life or death except in the last Vision Moreover that I was to undergoe also one disease Then in 1629. January the 9 th It was declared unto me by an Angel that I should be visited from the Lord in a Dream with a Disease by name the Apoplexy which also came the same day in the evening I therefore because the year was now gone the Visions had now ceased believed that the very time was now approaching which the Lord had spoke concerning And that I should not now escape this Disease I therefore prepared my self in mind and conscience and my desire was to be dissolved and to be with Christ Which hope certain antecedent signs also did strengthen As were certain knocking 's or beatings under my Bed and under the next Table four several evenings many that visited me being present and hearing so iterated that each day the number was less by one stroak At length on the 26 th of January it sounded one and afterwards five which having heard I believed as also the rest That one only day of my life was now remaining and an end to be to morrow evening at five a clock Therefore watching all that night and praying and meditating on eternal life and this blessed departure I decreed to pass hence But hearing by night a certain voice as it were of a man three times Come come come Unusual Joy being shed abroad through my Soul I slept a little But Saturday morning at break of day when more vehement pains oppressed me I could not but interpret that Voice to have been a Divine Call I bad farewel therefore to my beloved Friends visiting me all that day And I was alwayes worse and worse till evening approaching my Sight Hearing Memory Speech and at length my Spirit failed me And I felt my self to go forth with my Spirit and to be carried into Heaven where surrounded with a great shining I saw an huge company cloathed in White And the Lord stepping forth took me in his imbrace saying The Lord hath done whatsoever he would in Heaven and in Earth For the Majesty of his Power is exalted and there is no counsel of his Will nor does it admit any For who hath known the mind of the Lord and who hath been his Counsellor Return therefore unto the place from whence thou art come forth and the breath of the most High shall vivify thee Arise walk farewel to thy Disease and behold the goodness of Jehovah in the Land of the Living exulting in his virtue For the dead shall not praise Jehovah nor admire his Works when they go down into the place of Silence but the living the living shall bless thee from this time and for ever God Jehovah dwells on high and hath exalted his Right Hand over all Nations And does wonderful things as it pleases him at all times He is the God of the living who also draws forth out of death and who gives life even for ever Therefore sadded with these things I begged that he would signifie unto me How many the dayes of my life should be But he said Thy times are in the hand of the Lord. He has measured thy years and hid thy term from thee Live therefore and injoy the goodness of God upon the Earth amongst his Saints But sanctifie thy years to God thy Creator and live righteously But thy reward and thy portion shall not wither away nor perish but thou shalt find it and shalt rejoyce concerning it and in it unto eternity That also which the most High does with thee accept gratefully and go not contrary to thy Creator by thy impatience Go thy wayes now and return for it is Jehovah who doth good to thee and hath a care of thee Therefore offer unto him the sacrifice of praise and render thy Vows to the most High giving thanks also unto him that he works the Work of Salvation in thee and will still work even until he shall blessedly finish it unto the praise of his Grace but unto thy Honour I wish use thee no more unto my works neither will I come unto thee Now therefore glorifie God in thy Body and Spirit which he hath given thee Acquiesce now in Heart and Conscience and give honour to God who doth all these things to the praise of his glorious Grace My Peace be with thee After he had said these things I falling down worshipped him And together also returned into life Sad indeed yet restored that very moment to full vigor and health and strength To this great God be Honour Praise and Empire unto Ages of Ages for ever Amen Come we next to Drabricius's Dedication of all to Christ which he was commanded to prefix before his Prophesies together with his last Protestation and Prayer c. To the most Serene most Invincible King of Kings and Lord of Lords JESUS CHRIST the Eternal and only begotten Son of God and the Virgin Mary who is the Alpha and Omega the first Born from the Dead whose Name is Wonderful Counsellor the Mighty God the Everlasting Father who hath loved us and given us good hope through Grace To whom only is due all Kingdom Power and Empire unto all everlasting Ages Amen! Hallelujah ALL Nations of the Earth hear All Inhabitants of the World attend Small and Great Rich and Poor I Nicholas Drabricius by Countrey a Strasnian by Nation a Moravian by the destinate Counsel of God chosen and called to the Ministry of the Church of God and to Preach the Gospel of Christ and lawfully ordained in the year 1616. But then afterwards in the year 1628 with many other Godly Persons keeping Faith to God to Conscience and to the Church driven into Exile by Ferdinand the 2 d Roman Emperor for the Verity of the same Gospel and for the Testimony of Jesus Christ So that leaving my Countrey and the Inheritance of my Parents and plundred moreover by the Spanish Souldery onely my Wife and Children escaping and wandring in exile unto the Land of Hungary in the territories of the most Illustrious Lord the Lord George Ragotzi Prince of Transylvania the first of this Name I took up my Seat under the Castle of the Town Ledvitz And there with many other Families of pious fellow-exiles amidst extream miseries and sorrows of poverty yet humbly and patiently I served my Christ for fifteen years But here in the year I say 1643. Jan. 23. it pleased God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ by virtue of the Holy Spirit of God according to the chosen good-pleasure of his Counsel to admit me his little Worm so far and to
that end That in the day of this last Age might be made known by me as his last Trumpet to Nations and Peoples and Tongues of the whole Earth the last Will of God By which his Divine Majesty Wills and Commands that Kings Princes Counts and all Potentates of the Eastern and the Western of the Northern and the Southern Lands do unto the Roman Pope as unto the Babylonish Whore That all Idolaters Hereticks Atheists and false Christians adhering to her perish And that to the Turks Tartars Jews and other Nations inhabiting under the Sun Light shine forth For these ungodly long since fore-ordain'd to this damnation as who turn the Grace of our god into wantonness and deny the alone Heir God and our Lord Jesus Christ Jud. v. 4. are even they who have segregated themselves from God and his Holy Law sensual not having the Spirit v. 19. All whom God destinates to destruction by the force and right of his Law and by the force of the secular Power into whose heart he hath given and in these last dayes doth give and will give to conceive hatred against the Whore and make her deserted and naked and eat her flesh but burn her her self with Fire Revellations 17. 16 17. For to save others with fear and snatch them as it were out of the flames and to hate the Cassock Cap and Hood spotted with the touching and defilement of the flesh with which the Guardians of the Whore being indued do with a ridiculous haughtiness and opinion of sanctity besot themselves and others stalking up and down shaven like fools girt with Cords like Hangmen and with naked Feet and Thighs like Whores designing to be seen of men and to be extolled with praises Wo unto them for they have gone into the way of Cain and running greedily after the error of Balaam for reward feed themselves Clouds without Water unfruitful Trees wandring Stars to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever Jude v. 11 12 13. The Wisdom of God hath also by me lamented over the Political consusions of Kings and Princes of Lords and Subjects by denouncing his Will That there be made a Renovation of good Order after the Rule of his Law in Church and State By prescribing what manner of Persons Kings ought to be and others placed in Power And what the Ministers of the Church and Pastors of Souls with their Revenues on both hands and what Schools and all Orders universally And how in every Nation under Heaven a Monument is to be erected to oblige themselves and their Posterity after them to serve the one God The Mouth of the Lord hath spoken concerning this to me and by me unto all in the year 1651. March 26. Determining the Inscription of the Pillars in these words Our God Jehovah is one God in Essence but three in Persons Whom alone we will serve for ever through all our Generations Amen therefore So be it That it may be fulfilled what was foretold Zeph. chap. 3. v. 9. That it should come to pass that a pure Language be restored to the people that they may all call upon the Name of the Lord to serve him with one shoulder And as in Rev. 15. v. 4. That all Nations come and worship before God because his judgments are manifest That all under Heaven may profess the Doctrine of Faith delivered by Moses and the Prophets Christ and his Apostles and to the Faithful their successors to these very last times of the World in which the Wisdom of God by me also cries and sounds as with a Trumpet by declaring his Will That errors of all kinds cease But the Verity of the Words and Life of the Lord Jesus to shine forth after the ruine of Mystical Babylin and the going forth of the People of God therefrom as it is written in the Revelations which who so reads let him understand being certain that no Prophesie of Scripture is of any private Interpretation For that the Prophesies came not of old time by the will of Man but holy Men of God spake and do speak as they were or are moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1. 20 21. Know therefore know all Nations and Tongues of the universal World high and low rich and poor learned and simple in whom soever the fear of God and the use of sound reason is That the Speeches written by me and often watered with tears now with sear now with joy have not been nor are my Speeches proceeding forth from my will or Wit and my Judgement which is plain and simple in me and too dull for such and so great things as these but from the mouth of God the Creator God the Redeemer and God the Sanctifier and represented unto me intelligibly and to my mind and memory as a man perceptibly To which I give and do give wholly give belief by many now and various Experiments undoubtedly made certain and secure that the Holy and Blessed Trinity will own them for theirs and in very deed and fact demonstrate their verity Not then or so when and how I or thou whosoever thou art will or will'st but then when the time and hour of the Judgement determined by the Will of his Majesty shall come Because it is necessary that that remain true once pronounced A thousand years are with the Lord as one day and one day as a thousand years I therefore every way weighing and pondering the matter I denounce to every one contradicting me in these things and condemning them for something not yet approved by the event Behold I denounce That I cite him to day and will cite to morrow and so long as I or thou be alive and in the point of mine and thy death and in the day of that last tremendous Judgement in the illustrioous coming of our Lord Jesus Christ I cite him I say into the presence of the Clarity of the most High and most True God with whom is no acceptation of persons who alone is Judge of Quick and Dead judging not according to the sight of the Eyes nor reproving according to the hearing of the Ears but judging the Poor in righteousuess and reproving for the Meek of the Earth in equity Isa 11. 4. And I cite him into the presence of Seraphims and Cherubims and the whole coelestial Hierarchy I cite him into the presence of the Patriarks Moses and the Prophets and Apostles I cite him into the presence of the boly Doctors or Teachers of the Church Cyprian Ambrose Augustine Bernard c. And of the Martyrs Wickliff Hus Jerome c. And into the presence of the holy Reformers Luther Melancthon Calvin and their Successors faithful Lights of the Church c. Full of hope and confidence towards God and the Father of the Lord Jesus that if any one of you O men whosoever he be shall condemn me the least of all the Servants of Jesus Christ with this my Work perform'd dutifully yet laboriously to his