and consider But to such as are of a single heart and have a light kindled by thy Law and Prophets a light burning and shining in truth Rev. 259. Give also that very Kings and Princes with Queens and Priests and all the People may so read these things as Josias the King with his Princes the words of thy threatnings to tremble at thy Judgements and repent Drabr Rev. 325. Thou thy self O Lord work in those to whom the voice of thy Trumpet shall reach that thy Word may be as fire consuming the Abominations of Desolation Rev. 559. And whomsoever these voices of thine shall sound about that together thy Coelestial Light may shine about That there may be none so blind with Zeal nor a Saul so obstinate in his Opinion that may not fall down prostrate and cry Lord What wilt thou have me to do Seeing the Abyss of thine Anger to have opened it's Jaws to swallow up false Christians except they repent Rev. 325. But if even yet they will not permit thy Witnesses to speak but will command them to hold their peace will stop their ears it will be high time that thy self O Lord speak for thine own self Speak therefore speak by the work it self by accomplishment of the Predictions that they may understand that it is Thou who speakest and doest Bring forth thy Witnesses as thou hast promised whom the World may be full of Rev. 569. O Lord hear O Lord forgive O Lord hearken and do Defer not for thine own sake O my God! In his Appeal before his Epitome such passages as these occur O thou Adorable dwelling in the Heavens give testimony that Nothing is here offered unto men in thy Name which is feigned of men and onely covered over with thy Name That so if this Light of Revelations for so the Book is called be lighted and kindled by thee in thy Church it may be as inextinguishable as the light of the Sun and Stars in the Firmament But if otherwise and a trap be laid for thy Christian People bring to naught the fraud with the Zeal of thine own self O Lord God of Zebaoth That as every Plant which the Heavenly Father has not planted may be rooted up so every light which the Father of Lights has not kindled may be put out Yea as Nadab and Abihu offering strange fire before the Lord which was not commanded but were consumed with fire from the Lord So let the like Example be now shewn O God! That if any have dared and do dare to offer the figments of their own brain in the Name of the Light of thy Revelations they may fall down dead in thy Presence and the Presence of all thy People By thy commands these things are brought to pass Behold we again speak seeing thou commandest and drivest us with terrors The words received not from men but from thee whether they will hear or whether they will forbear Never man spake as Christ and never spake Satan as these even as God speak by his Prophets 1. Thundring against the sins of men 2. Denouncing Punishments and whence except they repent 3. Offering Grace to the Repentant Which three so holy things Satan neither will nor can counterfeit And for men they are above the wit of man especially of these men Kotterus an Artizan and most simple Ideot Christina a young Virgin by her Age uncapable of such things Drabricius an old doting Man as his Enemies traduce him Do they not then speak things more then humane Therefore being neither Humane nor Diabolical they must certainly be Divine But I cease to contend with Arguments whether these things be Divine and not Humane committing it to every mans own Conscience and circumspection and the divine Illumination For as none can convince by Arguments whether it be Day or Ninght except the Sun be risen to cause day and men open their eyes So none can better demonstrate that God speaks then God himself speaking and man attending to God and that the Voice of God be sealed also with Omnipotent Effects That the very things may speak for themselves and their Author By the light only we see the Light and things done by day c. Wilt thou know therefore O Man whether God speaks here three things are to be done 1. To Pray Lord open mine eyes that I may see whether it be thou that speakest or a Spirit of Delusion 2. To hearken to the Voice of him that speaks That is to know and examine all things in order and not be ignorant of the particulars and all circumstances 3. To look about circumspectly whether any such things be now a doing in the World or no c. If for all this any one likes not to read this Book let him do as he likes best Let him turn away his eyes stop his cars harden his heart c. And if he will add furies also let him rear the Book in pieces cut it burn it as Joakim did Jer. 36. Or fall on Gods Witnesses as on Jeremiah or Baruch or Steven c. But whosoever thou art that art wise take heed of Precipices 'T is dangerous to meddle with Prophetick Matters 'T is most safe counsel to abstain from these men Specially the Persons that undergoe and tell such Dreams Raptures Apparitions being otherwise innocent and harmless Rather say as the Pharisees of Paul We have found no evil in this man But if a Spirit have spoken unto him or an Angel let us not fight against God He wages War with God who by force seeks to oppress the Spirit of Prophesie But if by no obtestations we can obtain moderation with men I humbly throw my self prostrate with this whole Cause at thy feet Lord Jesus who art constituted Judge of quick and dead distinguish betwixt and pronounce with thy true Mouth for the Truth against a lie But there are so many frauds and cheats in the World will some say But however the Apostle bids Despise not Prophesie Try the Spirits whether they be of God or no. Try all things hold fast that which is Good We will but add lastly having gone so far already beyond our intent at the first in these Apologetick Discourses and Collections the most weighty passages out of their solemn Prayer and appeal to Christ in that publick form made for the tryal of Drabicius by the forecited dreadful Oath All for the further evidence and confirmation of the whole matter with the candid and ingenuous Reader and to give the greater authority if it may be to such a prophetick History before we pass to the Prophesies themselves We know the impudence of that Enemy who is so bold as to mix himself with thy Sons and to counterfeit an Angel of Light when he is but the Prince of Darkness and to offer himself to be a Leader and Counsellor to men when he is the worst and vilest Betrayer and so to colour over his Prophets and Apostles as to appear thy Prophets and
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
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
Law to a strange Voice that my mouth should arrogantly speak in the name of God the words of him that is not God and my hands should write my own Imaginations Let the Lord give me for a Curse and Execration in the midst of my People making my tongue to rot in my Mouth and my hand to gangrene and perish in my Body And I Behold even I to these words of God so pronounced by the Command of God say Amen! Amen! Numb 5. v. 21 22. On the contrary if my heart be clear from the wickedness which my Accuser seeks to make me guilty of let the Lord arise for the fury of mine Enemies Let the Lord judge me according to my Righteousness and according to mine integrity let him pronounce for me the just searcher of hearts and the reins And if the words which I have hitherto spoke and writ have not been my words but in truth the words of God which he has testified to be as fire Jer. 23. 29. so God cause them to be as Fire and the People adversary to God as Wood which it may consume Jer. 5. 14. But if I have hitherto kept my self clear from the crime of adulterate words of God let God cause all these Curses to be of no effect or hurt and all my labours undergone by the command of God for the Nations of the Earth to be so much the more fruitful to multiply the seed of God upon the Earth As 't is promised Numb 5. 28. Amen! Amen! Amen! The Answer of the Ministers V. D. with the Elders of the Church of Puchow and Ledna to their Superintendent viz. Comenius FIlial obedience with desire of the divine protection in such times of so sad calamities every where c. Beloved Father in Christ your Letters dated to us joyntly and signed with the subscriptions of the Reverend Fathers I. B. and N. G. and D. V. were delivered to us by the hand of our beloved Brother S. I. safely arriving here the 8 th of July Whereby understanding your pleasures Reverend Fathers we have done what you required of us according to the instruction given Of the process of which whole Action behold we inform you sincerely and with a pure conscience in such sort as the things were transacted 1. First I the Pastor of the People of Puchow presently the same day that I received yours calling together the Elders of my Church and my fellow Labourer unsealed in their presence your letters that concern'd us jointly and perceiving the contents I wrote the next day early to the Brethren of Ledna and informed them that our fellow Brother sent to us was come and had brought singular commands to us all and entreated them to come unto us which they did the same 9 th of July at evening Where I delivered into Drabricious's hands those that concerned him and invited him to lodge with me all night and the rest should understand what the business was to morrow 2. The next day after publick prayers in the Holy Congregation we entered into mine the Pastor's House Where after a general salutation of Drabricius which could not be done conveniently in the Temple I said that we had an hard business before us and therefore need again begin with Invocation of mercy from God to obtain the Grace of the Holy Spirit When Drabricius said Do you pray here I will go aside into my Chamber and perform my prayers also And so went out 3. We therefore first singing that Psalm Come Holy Ghost c. we all prostrated our selves on our knees and powred forth our Groans to the Lord in a prayer appointed for this very purpose 4. After prayer we sate together in Assembly and the Pastor of the place giving thanks that they had appeared at his desire informed them what was to be done Then the Common Epistle to all was read Next the Oath prescribed for Drabricius at the horrour of which almost all of us stood astonished and terrified And Fr. Samuel gave his Instructions to be read 5. After some deliberation had upon these things Drabricius was called and being asked by the Pastor of the place whether he would hear the Letters from the Reverend Superintendents dated to this Assembly and understand the contents He assented adding I was not ignorant for some weeks what was about to be done concerning me For the Lord shew'd it to me If I had known before I would have took you along with me to see I reply'd let that alone in its own place Let us come to the business 6. First therefore was read unto him the common Epistle Then the form of the Oath but before this was read I did admonish and beseech him that he would weigh all things seriously For therein were terrible things and the matter here in agitation concerned the Salvation of his Soul And lastly the instructions given to Sam. Jun. To all which when he thereupon answered nothing He was again asked Whether he was willing to be dealt with according to these prescripts here He answered directly Yes I will 7. Whereupon the third Question was proposed Whether therefore he did account and would have accounted all his Revelations for truly Divine And whether he did yet assert all those things to be spoken to him and written of him by the Command of the Omnipotent God Jehova who is not only Merciful but is Just also without any additions He answered I do assert so Yea and I take it upon my Soul that nothing has been added by me and that nothing has been spoken by me for any lucre sake or in favour or hatred of any person 8. Proceeding further we asked Whether he would confirm it by such an Oath as was prescribed And again we exhorted him not to act precipitantly but to deliberate yea and to take time for deliberation that we would indulge him therein He answered There 's no need of deliberation And rising up and lifting up both his hands to Heaven He thus speak I take upon my soul whatever there is contained in these Revelations written by me has not at all been devised by me nor any thing of mine own added but only those very things which the Lord the Doinator has commanded to be written And I firmly believe the Holy Blessed Trinity will own all these for his as for those which are commanded to be written by the Eternal Wisdom it self 9. Entring forth therefore unto the Table and taking the form of the Oath into his hand he pronounced in order clearly distinctly all things omitting nothing rather here and there superadding some things for more vehement asseveration sakes with so great zeal that all we present seeing and hearing these things stood astonished Some of us also trembled and wept But in the very midst of the Oath he looked forth out of the Window which was open towards Heaven crying out Do you not see friends do you not see But we asked not what he saw which in conference with
Fr. Sam. J. three days after he said he saw the Angels present with him When he was come to the last words about his Adversary there he wept having pronounced all things concerning himself with great boldness and courage 10. Having ended the Oath he sat down and laying his face upon the Table he put that Paper out of which he had recited the Oath after thrice kissing it under his face And then All of us being astonished and silent suddenly with drew himself away and sung the hundred twenty third Psalm To thee have I lift up mine eyes who dwellest in the Heavens As the eyes of servants look unto the hands of their masters so our eyes look up unto the Lord our God till he have mercy on us Lord be merciful to us Lord be merciful to us for we are exceedingly filled with shame Our soul is exceedingly laden with scoffings and reproaches and with the contempt of the proud which when we all sung together and it was ended He falling upon his knees and we with him poured forth most fervent Prayers unto God that God would deliver his Name from Reproach c. All which things to be performed after this manner all we under-written do testifie both on our Consciences and with our hands At Puchow July 16 th 1663. Paul Laurine P. T. Pastor of the Church of Puchow of the Helvet Confession Ezechiel Alfeus Paul Vetterin his advarsary Nicholas Pilsin Paul Horatschek Luke Cales of the Church of Lednick Pastor Tobias Jeffon Preacher of Gods Word Wenceslaus Godfry Bielsky de Karissow A Noble man Samuel Junius Hence therefore all should acquiesce without further a-do and leave all both him and his adversary to the divine judgement and determination Yet Vetterin his Adversary though present himself and amazed thereat seemed to give glory to God and by his hand given promised silence and subscribed the Testimony given together with the others yet not satisfied and relapsing into new thoughts has writ his dissatisfaction not only to his Adjunct Comenius but has been also more bitter and violent against Drabricius then ever for several reasons here omited And caused the new Pastor Laurin also to waver and suspect evil of him and to invocate God for judgement against Drabricius c. who at last answered in a writing called his Confession which he was commanded by God should be put as a close to the new edition of his Revelations where you have it also After these things so transacted Paul Laurine the new Pastor of the Exiles and now become a new Adversary of Drabricius a young healthful and lusty man was taken ill the Physicians said of an Hectick which in vain they laboured to cure and dyed soon after Veterinus still living c. There is added also the Judgement of two Godly English Divines with divers forcible Arguments for the divine Authority of these Revelations too long for this preface To the Objection of things not coming to pass accordingly c. Comenius amongst many other things at large replyes thus 1. That what ever is denounced of God and is not done to day may be done to morrow as with Nineveh c. 2. That which is not fulfilled acording to the Letter in our sence is fulfilled according to the Spirit in Gods sense and meaning as of the eternal Kingdom fothwith of the Messiah the Son of David 3. What is not done the condition being altered was yet to be done the condition not altered As Nineveh if it had persisted without Repentance c. see Jer. 18. 6 0. Add hereto that 't is certain the divine Prophecies were neither heretofore fulfilled in the letter nor are at this day Whence so many wild ravings of phrenzy as it were of the Jews about the letter c. That Prophetick predictions are conditional That there is possibility of fulfilling most still That where there is not such a possibility it may be then thought that the Prophet has ventured to add something of his own according to his own sense and apprehensions For Prophets are subject to Error Passions Affections c. which the spirit of Prophecy does not always take away And that in such a case the precious is to be separated from the vile as God commands Jer. 15. 19. That all Prophecy is a Riddle and obscure And therein God is a God that hideth himself Isaiah 45. 15. c. with many other things more at large From all things therefore thus objected we are to leave the Judgement and Execution to God who in due time will manifest the truth or the falsehood hereof c. Besides Comenius some years before namely in 1658. finding all things go contrary rather to his Prophecyes wrote severely to him and with great rebukes c. who thus replyed lamenting I received yours full of Zeal full of Lamentations full of Interrogations to which you require me a worm contemn'd of men condemned half put to death to answer Which after I had read over and weighed I had resolved to answer with silence to commend the matter to God the searcher of hearts yet crying aloud Come expostulate with me But the Lord suffer'd me not to hold my peace c. But as for me I must say with Jeremy Wo unto me my Mother that thou borest me whom all do curse I besprinkle these with tears with Jeremy saying In truth the Lord hath commanded me to write these things Yet behold the word of the Lord is made unto me for a reproach c. Is it not the voice of God which saith The Lord doth not any thing unless he revealeth his secret to his Servants And by Joel he promises that it should come to pass in the last times That their young men should see Visions and their old men dream dreams And why as yet ye illuminated men I beseech you do you expect the last times But because the Lord hath said unto me also Jan. 14. 1651. a man of polluted lips That I should be his last Trumphet Behold I behold with full confidence and assurance in the sight of God Angels and men do boldly speak that they are the words of God which I have wrote And except it were so I know that though I deceived men yet I could not deceive God nor my own conscience but should undoubtedly procure confusion and destruction to my self But behold as I live or dye that I have written what I have heard from the Mouth of God let men take it as they please To God be praise that now the world shall no longer be ignorant of those things which the Lord would have denounced and declared by me unto it Let who so will dispute against those things but not against me For the Lord hath said unto me his worm Thou art not of thus much to defend thy self much less me my words I will defend my self when I shall fulfil my words The Sons of men understand not the hight of my Councels as
neither also th Angels until they are fulfilled I will finish what I have begun Let who so will be scandalized as he will Let this be for thy comfort that what thou hast wrote thou hast heard of me not from any one of men that are like unto thy self Be confident therefore with me my beloved Friend that it will come to pass that accusers will grow mute when the hour of God comes For the Word of the Lord will be an heavy burden to deriders But for us let us more fear God who has power to kill Body and Soul then mortal men who can do nothing but what God permits them That of yours God forgive us the hasty Edition of the Book I thus change Praise be unto God who has vouchsafed us to free our Consciences in not hiding from the Sons of Men those things which the Mouth of God hath spoken Hereunto Comenius again from the increased taunts of divers and filled with greater bitterness retorted If you Friend are so certain of Gods speaking to you that you are willing to seal it with your death your certainty will serve for your self but not those whom the contrariety of events renders uncertain And we see continual examples of such as have embraced errors for truth have been willing to lay down their lives for them as for the very most truth being perswaded nothing else in the sight of God then that they had believed taught and wrought things most true And yet therefore did not Error cease to be Error You give firm belief to those words spoke to you Thou art that my last Trumpet I but this perpetually remains a question whose voice that may be c. Do you bid us put our hope in God There is no where where I can fix the Anchor of my Hope but in him who knows the simplicity of my heart that I have feigned nothing here nor have added any thing to nor taken from nor changed those things which were brought in the name of God In the thing it self if there be found error the goodness of God will overlook the fault of humane frailty committed by no manner of fraud or design And this should be taken as a sudden confusion in the sight and presence of God instead of a chastisment more cautiously to lead our life But if yet at length it shall appear to have been the work of God even this my fluctuation must necessarily serve for the greater glory of God and the comfort or instruction of the Godly Although I as Moses should suffer for it in this life God only forbid that others or even all our Church should necessarily suffer ignominy and persecution for us Whereas you exhort to praise God that notice of these things are given to the Sons of men I know it is written that also the fury of men must at length praise God and to that end the wisedom of God is illustrated by the foolishness of men Yet the question remains what we are to do in the mean while Some Friends here perswade Silence Others to give glory to God and forsake Drabricius from whom alone almost these scandals do come Answer what you think and that presently I will expect your answer with uncessant sighs and breathings to God And indeed most open heartedly as at the Tribunal of God whither I cite you to appear Deal I say candidly with me but even now at length I adjure you by that tremendous Name the salvation of your Soul by not concealing that some of those things which are so manifestly false have been additaments of your own conjecture This if you shall do the scandals in great part will cease Because we are admonished that humane devisings are fallacious I know no more efficacious remedy and it shall be that God will judge you according to the Integrity of your heart and being propitious to us all bruise Satan under our feet although in our own shame and confusion May only the glory of Gods Truth stand unshaken and none of the Godly be made sad by us or for us much less the whole Church I again and again conjure you by God and your own Soul deal sincerely with me in this matter now at length The Holy good Spirit rule you Farewel To so many obtestations of his Drabricius returned his contestations more sharply upbraiding the pusillanimity of his Faith And wrote down advise and counsel what he should do not in his own words but of the very Oracle it self Revelat. 460. afterwards And at length also a Preface wherein referring all things written by him to God alone required them to be printed and made known to all Nations of the Earth as the last will of God Thereby taking all our fears upon himself wholly The Preface or Appeal to Gods Tribunal goes before the Revelations And therefore seeing so great learned and Godly a man as Comenius after so long deliberation and consultation with others has thought it his duty to publish and dedicate them to all the world let none think amiss that they are thus summarily hinted in English which very great use may be made of however they prove true or false And the more to confirm Comenius herein was that Drabricius was not alone but two other Prophets of God had gone before all testifying the same things for the main substance and scope thereof The first was Cotterus a German the second Christina a Polonian Gentlewoman All whom briefly thus Comenius compares together 1. In respect of their end for which they were raised viz. One and the same To stir up the Godly to attend to the works of God which he has now in hand in purging his Church with the fire of Persecutions and soon after in reforming it gloriously and inlarging it through all the residue of the Nations of the World 2. In respect of time Cotterus Visions began before the beginning of the Pcrsecution in Germany An. 1616. and ended in their heat 1624. Christina's in the middle about the time of Imprisonments Apostasies and begun dispersion of the Church An. 1628 1629. Drabricius's after their dispersion about the time of deliverance drawing on and with it from 1638 to 1664. and some continuations since to 1668. For an Argument that God never forsakes his 3. If you compare them in respect of Age. The first was of full Age or mans estate the second young the third old For a Testimony that t is indifferent with God to use the Wit Tongue Hand whether of Young perfect Age or Old 4. If in respect of Sex The first and the third Men the middlemost a Virgin to confirm that of Joel 2. 28. 5. If in respect of Condition The first was a Tradesman or Artizan to be banished afterwards for the Word of God The second a noble Virgin on both Parents side born in Banishment and to suffer new Banishment The third a Minister of God's Word setled in Banishment and to be recalled out of Banishment
6. If in respect of their fitness hereunto Cotterus altogether an Idiot ignorant not only of writing but of all things except his Trade or-Craft and a little knowledge of Religion that are or are done in the World Christina could both read and write and had learnt the Catechistical Principles of Religion but by her age uncapable of high things Drabricius not ignorant of the Divine Scriptures as became a Minister but scarce acquainted with the Latin Tongue and wholly ignorant of Philosophy History and all Sublimer things For an Argument That this is not a work of human wit but of an higher Virtue namely of the divine influx 7. If we consider the manner of Revelation They were made to Cotterus by Angels only To Christina by Angels and the Lord himself To Drabricius only by the Lord. And indeed to Cotterus sometimes by Extasies yet for the most part by corporal Apparition of Angels to the outward senses in constant health of Body To Christina by perpetual Exstasies yet her flesh for the most part prepared thereunto and as it were mortified by antecedent pains Then also by Dreams and sometimes with her corporeal Eyes and Ears To Drabricius by Dreams and by and by by a lively Voice sounding in his Ears The two first could remember to a word before they were committed to writing what they had seen and heard if asked a thousand times not changing a very tittle But Drabricius distrusting perpetually his own memory was not able to write the things revealed without the Lord repeating and as it were dictating unto him Which we conjecture to be from hence that their impressions came by extasies their minds being wholly abstracted from sense But his senses were left in their former state like to ours c. For he had only first a Dream and then a Voice when he was awak'd out of his dream God speaks after divers manners Heb. 1. 1. 8 If we regard the form of speech the stile is every where prophetick and Divine yet in Cotterus more sublime and high in Christina more low in Drabricius more familiar 9. If we attend the Types and Figures used in Prophecy there are many in Cotterus fewer in Christina scarce any in Drabricius or else presently explained c. Cotterus declaring the morning as it were break of day rising out of the deep of night Christina clear day light Drabricius's points out the Sun now rising 10. As to their willingness to divulge these Revelations and so to obey God in them Cotterus resisted three whole years Drabricius concealed his first Revelation five years and being reiterated again and again he as often suppressed them a long time till at length the Lyon roaring they began to be afraid and were compelled to prophecy the Lord commanding 11. If we respect the Opinion of men All of them were contemned and derided by some wholly condemned by others as frantick or Impostors yet this could not stop the work 12. If we observe to whom they were sent They were all sent primarily to their own Nation Secondarily also unto others Cotterus unto the Germans Christina to the Polonians Drabricius to the Hungarians and from hence to all the Nations of the Earth which they are all commanded to call unto and declare the last Will of God unto all 13. If for what they were sent the two formost were simply Prophets foretelling things to come But the last a Prophet preaching what ought to be done exhorting to duty and urging with promises and threatnings 14. They were all commanded to conceal their Prophesies for a time or to communicate them only to the Godly that were afflicted for their consolation yet at last not to hold their peace but to speak to Kings Princes and all People universally For Cotterus was sent to the Elector Palatine King of Bohemia and was heard in the presence of the Grandees as also to the Elector of Brandenburg more then once but to the Elector of Saxony did his errand by others several times Christina could not but write Letters to the Duke of Fridland and carry them her self as also Drabricius to the Princes of Transilvania Therefore none of these things were done in a corner 15. All of them were commanded to speak and do things unusual absurd to reason perilous to their lives declaring a thing incredible to the States-men the subversion of the house of Austria and to most of Divines offensive and scandalous the destruction of the Pope before the last day yet they were commanded constantly to speak and write these things Cotterus also to go to Glogovia where he knew he should suffer bonds and prison Christina to write terrible things against the Imperial General Wallestein and carry them herself to his house Drabricius to call the Nations together against the House of Austria and Popedom c. 16. They were all severally examined by Divines Physicians Politicians and States-men and intire Universities Consistories Synods Yet they all perplexed the reasoning of all the most High Learned and Wise c. 17. The last Revelation to Cotterus which was of the tirrible execution of God's Judgement against the Babylonish Whore to Christina which was against Wallestein which had its effect were made by Visions in their sleep the last made to Drabricius when he was first commanded to put to a close had its beginning in sleep but the rest awake and his Eyes open being roused up by the clamors of the Jesuits undoubtedly to represent that although all may seem to be but a dream even to the Godly yet it shall conclude in a real work and effect that the world by seeing may see 18. The two first Prophecies ended in silence after they had been commanded once to seal them suffering no more Visions nor did see the deliverance But Drabricius after he was commanded to conclude and dye yet was again commanded to resume both Life and a double Spirit to prophesie received a promise not to see death till he had seen the Glory of God spread upon the Nations of the Earth And for further confirmation it might be shewn from Church history that the spirit of Prophecy hath alwayes been in the Church and that in several ages God hath raised Prophets and sent Visions and Revelations unto men But that it would be to large for the design of this present Table We will only name the more known and recorded as Hermes the Shepherd The Monk of Uguetine Fryer Robert Capistran Lichtenbergts Carion Theophrastus St. Hildegardis Elizabeth Mechthilda Briget Katharin Senensis c. Particularly in the time of St. Bernard about 1150. the Religious Virgin Hildegardis approved of by the same Father about the same time Elizabeth a German Virgin Abbess of Schonaugh familiar with Hildegard Fryer Robert a Frenchman about the year 1290. about the year 1370. St. Briget in Swedland And 1380. St. Katharin of Senna And 1508. Joseph Grunpeck Priest All of them for the main tending to the same thing
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
not the other of Drabricius And Drabricius himself also believed this to be a Prodigy from God himself by a Vision concerning this thing Wherein yet God asserted no more than this 1. That his words by Dribricius were also true if the Prince would have followed them 2. That Counsellours that follow the figments of their own heart seduce themselves and know not how to counsel neither themselves nor their Masters 3. And that those that do so shall be destroyed Whence it may be well thought that this was a Satanical Mockery both the Sickness Death Resurrection and Prophesie seing nothing fell out accordingly but rather the ruine of the Prince who was seduced like Ahab by Zedekiah and his companions God giving them up to believe a lye who will not believe the Truth And therefore this is to be reckoned of the same nature with the former Extasies mentioned of the Geneva Boy opposed by Satan to the Exstasies of Christina As for the Evidence of Events Whatsoever concerned her own person alwayes came to pass But for those things which concerned the World or the Church although they may seem contrary yet because there seems to be a disposing of Providence towards the accomplishment of the main we may say with St. Austin says Comenius when many things are fulfilled He is preverse who contemns a Prophet Divine Prophesies said a great man alwayes smell of their Author to whom a thousand years are but as one day and one day a thousand years And about the events of Prophesies there are three cautions 1. of Chrysostom That all Prophesies are not fulfilled to Sense and the Letter c. and he instances out of Scripture Thus Jacob who received so many Blessings from his Father scarce injoyed one c. 2. Of Grotius that for some things not fulfilled are not to be called in question those things that are clearly fulfilled As the Jews bring many things obscure or that receive a divers signification concerning the Messiah for which those that are manifest ought not to be denyed 3. Of God To believe in Hope against Hope and not pass rash judgement through unbelief on Divine predictions though they never appear to our apprehension c. for Gods thoughts are not as our thoughts c. Again all things were not evidently fulfilled to appearance to the Ancient Prophets Therefore deriders said Where is the Word of the Lord let it come c. Jer. 17. 15. But God does not want causes to defer his promises or threatnings or to change them and has been pleased to render reasons Jona 4. Jer. 18. Psal 89. 1 Sam. 2. 30. Besides we understand not as his Works so neither his Words till performed and that not alwayes Ezek. 2. 5. John 16. The Beginning of a thing is taken with God for the thing it self God measures dayes and hours not as we That which is not fulfilled to day may be to morrow As Ninive after fourty years though not fourty dayes Gods Mercy is so great that he seems to appear false rather then not merciful If lastly events do'nt answer blame man as some way faulty Thus Comenius And Drabricius himself in several Visions is advertiz'd to the same sense and purpose c. But these things have been hinted once and again before But Behold the Atheistical age who think God reveals nothing now unto men All humble and sober observance of extraordinary Signs Dreams Extasies prophetick Inspirations Angelical Apparitions Prodigies in the Heavens c. As Comets New Stars Suns unusual Tempests Sights of Armies fighting in the Air Sounds of Drums and Trumpets c. passes for foolish superstition or fancy And all is attributed either only to natural causes or chance or vain imagination and nothing to God Which God grievously complains of Amos 4. 6 7 8 9 10 11 12. This is the last security of the World that Faith will not be found on Earth c. And as in the dayes of Noah when all were so secure so it shall be in the last dayes all things shall be full of Prodigies in Heaven and Earth of Bloud Fire and Smoke of Dreams Visions and Prophesies Joel 2. 28. c. Matth. 24. And things speak as much so many various Prodigies in our age in Heaven Earth Sea and several Creatures were never in any Age before even in Germany alone within this half Century so many have been noted and recorded of this kind as never the like And of England the same c. Surely God means hereby to have men warned of greater and more wondrous works of his providence shortly to follow Nor were ever more Prophets and divinely inspired then in this Age at least since the Apostacy of the Church For there were and are Men and Women Old and Young Noble and Ignoble Learned and Unlearned Clergy and Secular who have had true prophetick Dreams Illuminations Raptures Angelical Apparitions and speakings with God who have spoken and written unusual things of the enkindled Wrath of God of approaching Judgements and the Universal change of Things Especially in Bohemia and Germany where the terrible Persecutions of the Church were foretold to begin Of whom sixteen that had Visions and Revelations and also printed Comenius reckons up And it is not unknown that of late and now there are Prophetick spirits in Holland and England c. But of all these the most Eminent are these three Cotterus Christina and Drabricius There were also between Christina and Cotterus two other Prophets foretelling the imminent Judgement upon Babylon and of the wrath of God kindled against the World and of the Plagues a coming The one a plain Country man to whom at his work in the Field an Augel of the Lord appeared An. 1625. The other a Taylor who from 1625. to 1628. had a certain voice sounding round about him revealing things to come and commanding him to write them And at length an Angel in a visible form appeared unto him to take his farewel with these words Because thou so much desirest to see me although I am by nature invisible c. And thus I hope we have not been too tedious to clear our Readers way from prejudice which we could not do with more brevity so as we ought And that they will think so long a preface altogether necessary and no wayes impertinent If at last there should prove nothing in all these things certainly the divine Providence seems to play with poor Mortals and the story deserves to be recorded We will conclude with Comenius caution concerning Christina Not to pass rash Judgement or over-hasty Execution This is the property of all Prophesies that they first fulfil'd before they are understood And if it shall happen that the events prove otherwise yet these things will be profitable and serviceable to Posterity I pray and tall to witness Let it suffice our Church once to have dared what no university or Consistory before us hath attempted to pass a Condemnatory Sentence against
Islands and breaking in peeces the Peoples one by another Behold It is the Lord who both speaks and does Let not the Protestants and the Evangelicks say they are reformed and comeout of Babylon and forsaken Antichrist Alas Alas We lack not Popes but Rome the spirit of Antichrist has notforsaken us in all things but only dispersed it self into more things How many Universities Doctors Masters Bishops Pastors we have so many Popes And every common man of the people would be a Pope and Dictatour above all Law and Discipline The Thunderbolts of God comprehended in these Books do reach all corrupt Christendom Let no party of Christians think that this Book is for them alone to destroy all others The world is full of Babylonish works therefore the whole World is Babylon And every Kingdom State City House Church and School hath its Babylon Every Faction would build a Tower to climb into the Heaven of Glory nor will cease from their own wayes and thoughts to bring them to pass Have we no Nimrods hunters of Dominion and Lordship over others and destroyers of the Christian Evangelick liberty Antichrist is not hard to be found even among the Evangelicks who for liberty in Christ began to shake off and would be now thought to have shook off the Antichristian yoak Either the Evangil is not Evangil or we are not Evangelicks But there are reformed Evangelicks Would there were not in name but in deed For the Kingdom of God is not in Word but in Power That Christians as they now are are of all which the Earth bears most perverse as who do all things against their profession believe against their Creed live against their decalogue and Law pray against their Lords prayer hope against their hope and before all other Nations to be reformed from the very foundation or to be rooted up from the very foundation may be here read Alas Alas Moses and Mahomet have theirs more dutiful then Christ For the Jews strictly observe through all sufferings their Ceremonies Christ has commanded to worship God in spirit and truth only and to love one another and no ceremonies and yet these Christians are mad for and quite regardless of the other Charity alone was commended to us not Ceremonies yet these only urged Among us perpetual fallings out all sorts of oppressions bloody Wars and mutual horrid butcherings of one another testifie that we have no charity Mahomet forbad his Wine and they abstain Christ forbad no good thing and taught only Temperance yet Christians live most intemperatly He forbad his to dispute of Faith they dispute not content with their blind faith Christ taught to do and not to say like the Pharisees yet we do nothing but scold about Faith but lead for the most part prophane lives Mahomet commanded to tolerate both Jews and Christians and they do molesting none for difference of Religion But Christ hath in vain forbid us to pluck up the Tares before the Harvest most deadlily raging against one another for Religion And so all things otherwise then he has commanded by whose name we are called O good Jesus the whole universe of Christians seems to have conspired against thee and they are first or prime in persecuting thee who have the primacy in thy Church c. But they are not fulfilled say some of the wise and learned in the particulars T is answered In Prophesies old and new the scope of God is not to satisfie humane curiosity about this or that particular thing or person But to ingenerate in mens minds Terror in the Evil Hope in the Good and Repentance and Patience in all And we are not primarily to seek what may be future as what is our duty what God requires or forbids promises or threatens and how to escape the Wrath and to obtain Grace which when men do not God blinds them so that to them Every Vision becoms a sealed Book not able to be read and the prophane find there nothing but stumbling stones of offence and darkness to blind them and to grope in That God fulfils things in his own time and way though we mistake That Instruments miscarry and God defers till the last till the very hour of desperation c. He that believes will not make hast That in promises and threatnings God intends them conditionally though spoken as it were many times absolutely Of which enough already c. O Protestants Christians Reform'd Evangelicks Because most of you are contemners of extraordinary works of God Visions and Revelations Charity compels to warn you that you do not proceed to sin against God and your own souls by a pertenacious Judgement condemning those things which you neither understand nor that you might understand ever made it your work or took any leisure for Run through all your Bibles you shall never find God complaining of mens too much credulity towards him and his words and other signs of his Anger or Grace but the contrary Shall we therefore now amongst so many Prodiges of Heaven and of Earth and the cryes of God Angels Men and almost of the very stones and whilst the Signs of Gods Wrath dart forth every where into our very faces fear to sin by too much credulity Specially when by new Revelations no new opinion is suggested only new incitements to weigh throughly the ancient words and works of God and to return into the ancient wayes of Faith and Obedience with perpetual revoking us from our negligence to the Scriptures And shall we yet go on to ascribe these things rather to Satan than give glory to God The conversion of the Jews and the Nations unto God with terrible foregoing Judgments and Plagues is the Theme of this Book And therefore no cause why any one should like to condemn this Book or prohibit it to any to be read For certainly Christians ought to rejoyce that what all have pray'd in the name of Christ this sixteen hundred years is now declar'd to be at hand Dissenters in opinion ought to rejoyce Because an end of Dissentions is declar'd and Universal Peace and Concord establishing Protestants ought to rejoyce Because God himself protests for them Catholicks ought to rejoyce Because the Pale of the Catholick Church is promised to be extended even to the ends of the Earth Zealots ought to rejoyce who have hitherto laboriously might and main persecuted those that erred in Faith and dangerously though with never so much pious Zeal endeavoured to root out the Tares out of the Lords Feild whilst Behold God himself now takes this his own work upon himself to purge his own Floor They that suffer or have suffered Persecution ought to rejoyce Because the times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord are declared Neither ought this day of the Lord coming as Fire terrifie any man Because this Fire is the Refiners Fire and Fullers Soap wherewith the Sons of Levi namely the Clergy of all parties are throughly purged that they may be
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
Saint John which hath distracted so many Commentators differing among themselves Therefore this Book is a new Commentary upon the old Revelations of St. John not a Humane but Divine The former Edition was exposed to light with doubting and trembling and for censure only This freely and confidently not now so much to judge whether these things be Divine as to execute them as Divine for warning to the World Now therefore we lift up our voice as a Trumpet That they may hear who had not heard and they may believe who had not believ'd and may see with their eyes and handle with their hands who had not as yet foresaw by Faith That God is in the midst of humane affairs and does sometimes speak to men doing nothing but he reveals his secrets to his servants the Prophets There is need now of no vails no secret muttering Now all must needs hear both far and near even to the utmost ends of the Earth Be admonished therefore O all ye into whose hands this Book shall come that ye do not read it without St. John's Revelations and without divers reflexion to those things which are now a doing in the World And then the very blind cannot but see that it is God that here speaks not man And that it is God who stirs up the Nations of the World one against another not this or that man predicting such things or not one another themselves And that it is God who comes to chastize the Christians in his Indignation not the Turks and the Tartars And lastly that God himself is about to reform his Church not the King of France or any other Cry unto God O Christian People Shew pitty O God! Prevent blindness prevent stupidity We are thy People Permit not that all Visions be unto us as a sealed Book which cannot be read Do as thou hast promised that the day is coming in which the Deaf shall hear the Word of the Book and the eyes of the Blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness In thy Light beholding light And whosoever thou art that readest these things say with blind Bartimeus Lord that I may see Take this Book into your hands O Christians of all parties and know that these things here offered are like to those Ancient ones the burden of Babylon the burden of Moab the burden of Damascus the burden of Egypt Whoever art wise despise not to be forewarned and lay aside vain wrath against these things If these threatnings came from man they might be contemned or the Plot counterplotted But if from the terrible God who cannot be resisted take heed But whether it be himself that speaks here he will undoubtedly know whoever reading all these things together with the premised Informations and the conjoyned History thereof attentively with the fear of God and comparing all things with the events to which they dispose themselves shall purpose not to strive with the Fates and the President of the Fates If any one be resolved the contrary namely to think Antient and new Prophecies an antiquated thing no longer to be heeded and the World now to be governed either by Fortune or Chance or humane Counsels only let him go on to stop his ears shut his eyes and harden his heart past all remedy And lastly he gives a large sober and judicious Apology for the whole Book and Publication Let them favourably hear me All who fear God As for me if for fear of men I do not what God and Conscience command I expose my self to his wrath into whose hands it is intolerable to fall If new hatreds calumnies persecutions attend me for this new Edition let the will of God be done I commit my self into his hands either to protect me or to deliver me up into their hands who seek my soul I am full of dayes beyond Davids age of man and full of the miseries of life so that it is pleasure to say It suffices Lord take away my soul Away let us not be wise above God! And While he commands to speak let us speak whether any one will hear us or not Wo unto the soul if seeing the sword for fear of men he blow not the Trumpet I come unto thee O Queen of Churches the Roman do not I beseech ye suspect this Trumpet of God through any private grudge towards you to sound as it were a charge either to stir up peoples hatred towards you or warrs against you for it does not sound to war but a retreat Men Catholicks and all that fear God hear Let any one of you reade this Prophetick Volumn a thousand times he shall find it hath no other scope than what hath in past Ages been expressed by the mouth of David and all the holy Prophets namely that God will not alwayes endure our Babylonish confusions and mutual Cain-like hatreds and slaughters but sometime totally make an end thereof in the last dayes c. Isa 2. Mich. 4. Zech. 9. and a thousand other places aswell in the antient Prophets and Apocalyptical writings of the Apostles as in these revealed in our ages I protest therefore before God and his Angels and Heaven and Earth that this Book is not published with an intent to injure any one and that it is not to be taken for a scandalous Libel but an Historical Book and Monitory to all Christians without difference That all may desist from mutual hatreds persecutions slaughters butcherings c. They are not dehortations Humane but of God himself immoveably founded in the antient Oracles reiterated only upon new occasions The sum of which is that all things must be reformed among Christians or all must perish Mother of the Churches throughout the West Why dost thou rage so against thy Sons admonishing and exhorting thee to repentance and amendment When this Book was quite ready and nothing of this Apology thought on some Friends yet solliciting its suppression my Conscience did then dictate that it was better to obey God rather then Men and I cryed unto the Lord But he taught me to take unto me this Buckler and to lay open my heart before the eyes of Men as it is known in the sight of the Heart-knower But I now ceasing here to speak unto you O Christian People Invocate thee who art God for witness that I have done what thou hast commanded and nothing else Nor for any other end then that thy last Will might become known to them to whom thou hast commanded it should Nor have prefaced these things on any other hopes then that men rational Creatures might learn to discern and judge of things Perform O God! what thou hast promised Shew that thou hast spoken these things and we compelled to write And if any one would hurt us be thou a Wall of Fire unto us as thou wast to Eliah as Dabricius speaks Rev. 416. Give into the Hearts of Kings to do what thou hast commanded by giving these things to Arbitrators to weigh
Apostles Yea and to boast and set off himself for thee Antichrist for Christ But we alas are too slow and heartless to apprehend his so many Impostures unless thou comest in to relieve O Helper He will confound subvert overturn all things But where shall remain thy Elogium O Son of God! that thou appearedst to destroy the works of the Devil Appear therefore O appear unto us also in the present decision and danger we now suffer from Satan sowing among us Tares of scandalous Doctrine and Life and of false prophets or else false zeal against them Ah! suffer us not to be befooled this or that or the other way for thy Holy Names sake Let the Father of Lies execute and perform the work of Seduction and lying wonders in them that perish who have not believed the Truth We thy humble Flock who have chosen to adhere to thy Word Let thy holy Spirit preserve us from the seduction of Errors Or if it please thee to try us yet let it not be as to our souls Whether as to Goods Health or Life it self as to Job Paul and the Sons and Daughters of Job thy Will be done But deliver not our Souls to his power we beseech thee to wit an Understanding and Will to befool puzzle and pervert us That we may neither receive the works of Satan for Gods as Ahab or abominate the Work of God for Satans as the Pharisees who deluded by Satan execrated Christ as Satan by it thereby blaspheming God himself Behold behold he goes on to sow the Tares of so many scandals amongst us also who suffer for thy Name Also false Prophesies as we fear or false Lights to discern whether truly Divine and from thee But thou O Lord with whom is light and who alone seest all things and alone knowest to distinguish Error from Truth Why hold hold'st thou thy peace at these things Why hold'st thou thy peace so long so many years Is now thy Zeal or Fire wanting to thy Clouds to consume those that bring strange fire into thy Presence or to shew who is thy true Prophet or not in the sight of all thy People Is there wanting a Sword to restrain Paschur the Smiter of thy Jeremiah's or a blow to strike Hananias the false Prophet dead This year thou shalt die and he did so Jer. 28. 16 17. Or captivity to lead away Amazias the Informer against thy Amos. O Lord the Dominator If any Crafts-master and Contriver of Cheats have befooled any one amongst us so as to reckon his sad trifling Songs or mournful Ditties for true Revelations Divine and to vent them to others deceiving and being deceived Succour him succour the rest of us that we may be as thy Mouth separating the precious from the vile But now if any one of us willingly and knowingly give up himself as an Instrument to Satan and in thy Name exercises impostures Lord make it manifest and set forth such a Messenger of Satan for an Example to the World Thou sparedst not the Angels that proudly sinned neither spare these who imitating Satanical pride draw away themselves and others into Precipices of destruction On the other side forsake not thy holy Jeremiahs or Michea's that are bruised with a petulant Tongue or Hand or thrust into Prison But all Paschurs their Smiters fill with fear on every side every where that their eyes may see the truth of thy Words And indeed accordingly God begins to speak for himself so that there is no need for man to speak for him more But where and how First in the very Act of Drabricius 's Oath For there was this Dilemma If I have not spoken thy Words O God! smite me in pieoes in the sight of all If thine shew that they are thine by fulfilling their truth But behold he doth not yet sinite him but suffer him to live very old and on the contrary hath smote several of his Adversaries with death according to the threatnings of God by him and particularly one of the Pastors a new one among those Exiles who became a new Adversary to him Therefore he gives testimony that they are not others words Secondly In the Events themselves much fulfilled or daily fulfilling c. Therefore what need of more words c. But to leave all to God who alwayes accomplishes his words first or last in his own time and his own way And thus we have at length brought a long-boding preamble to an end which hath exceeded indeed the bounds due to this place But being in we knew not how to give of nor forbear such material passages for the gaining greater credit to the ensuing Relations and which was almost absolutely necessary to prevent prejudice and offence against things of so strange a nature That so the Courteous Reader might the better take in good part the History what ever heed he give to the Prophesie For we divine full well that most will but look upon them as the Dreams or Ravings of two old doting Seniors now going down with their gray Hairs in sorrow to the grave But be they of God Man or the Devil they are the strangest things that ever yet appeared on the Stage of the World And for that end only we relate them here as observable History and matter of Fact and thereby if they prove true the future State of Europe And have further thought fit to represent the chief and most material Things that Comenius has recorded in behalf of their Truth and Verity or wrote by way of Apology for them Which having done we leave it to Time and Providence to discover and prove them either Verities or Delusions But however whether one or the other most Remarkable And yet one would think multitude of years should teach wisdom and make the experienced past all such dotages Comenius is aged learned sober and godly known of all men hath had above forty years knowledge and tryal of these matters as has been said before And has observed and delivered more convincing Arguments for their Divinity than any has or can against them Has had the Testimony of the most illuminated Divines of Christendom Has found none to convince or condemn them of Imposture upon fair tryal and examination which most reasonable request is all that is desired in the face of all the Christian World and ought not in justice be denyed them Till which let all men be silent before God For 't is better to suspend Judgment than pass it rashly None of these things have been done clandestinely or managed inconsiderately They stand ready for the Bar of Mans Tribunal and in the mean while appeal to God If they must needs be reproached for these things sayes Comenius and that Christian People will sin against God and their own Souls for their parts they will like Jeremy appeal to God and Men. First And above all things to God the Supream Witness Judge and Avenger of this Cause and then to those who
are in the place of God on Earth both Governors of States and Churches too humbly to plead this Cause before them Now if they be of Man or the Devil none ought to fear them but contemn them And therefore none should be offended that they are thus brought to light and into English For we intend them here only as a most wonderful History of the present Age not to be passed over without taking notice of For be they true be they false they will be found exceeding useful to the Age and to Posterity The Sum and Substance of the chiefest Prophesies of Kotterus Christina and Drabricius three late German Prophets OR A Summary View of some most Solemn Divine Visions and Revelations Had in these our Dayes By Kotterus a Selesian from the year 1616 to 1624. By Christina a Bohemian Virgin in the years 1627 1628 1629. By Drabricius a Moravian from the year 1638 to 1668. For the use of this Age. Wherein I. Lamentable Complaints are made of the extream Corruption of the Christian People II. And the terrible Plagues of God denounced against the Impenitent III. And how God will raze out the Babylon of false Christians Jews Turks Pagans and all Nations under Heaven and set up a new truly Catholick Church to shine forth most gloriously with the Light of the Gifts of God and what its future State is now to be even to the end of the World ALL Prophesies before they have their effects are Riddles and Ambiguities to men But when the time comes and that happens which was prophesied then the Prophesie has a clear exposition Irenaeus Book 4. ch 43. Certainly it must needs be confessed That these things are once to be or have already been or God to be accused of a lie For there is so great felicity promised to Christians in the Divine Oracles and such perfect knowledge of God and obedience and such universal Peace as neither is nor ever has been in the World c. Castellio to our King Edward the Fourth I confess that I also was in that Opinion that there were no Revelations of Divine Authority since Christ and his Apostles and so also I taught But after that I read these things more accurately I use to say That greater wisdom shines forth in them then that men can be their Authors much less those from whom they proceed And that they seem to be things of a better Nature and so constantly continned such for many years then that they can be attributed to the Devil Testimony of a great Divine Prophets are seldom or never believed Another Divine Witness Jeremiah the Prophet and all the Prophets of old Jerem. Chap. 36. And the Word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah saying Write in a Book all the Words against Judah and Israel and against all Nations If perchance they will hear and return Therefore Jeremiah call'd Baruch to write from his Mouth all the Words of the Lord. And commanded him to go into the Temple and to read them before the People Who did so Which thing being known the Princes assembled in the House of the King and sent to Baruch to come unto them with that Volumn and said unto him Sit and read these things in our Ears And he read who when they had heard were astonished saying every one to his next Neighbour We ought to tell all these words to the King But they said unto Baruch Go and hide thy self thou and Jeremiah And they went in unto the King Who when he had read three or four Leaves he cut it with his Pen-knife and cast it into the fire Neither were they afraid neither the King nor his Servants but commanded to apprehend them But the Lord hid them And the Word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah saying Take another Volumn and write in it all the former words and thou shalt say unto the King Thou hast burnt the Book Therefore I will punish and bring all the evil I have pronounced And Baruch wrote from his Mouth all the former words And there were added besides uuto them many like words The Lord said unto me Write these things and hasten to divulge many hundred Copies through all parts of the World For this is my Will that all Nations of the Earth read those things which I have spoke unto thee Drab Rev. 55. Now for these Prophesies we shall first give you the scope and sum of them beforehand in general and then come to the Revelations and Visions themselves in particular The utmost scope of all these Revelations is according to the manner of the Ancient Prophets 1. To shew unto Christians the manifold sins and aberrations wherewith they have provoked and do provoke God and sad Lamentations thereupon 2. To discover the Causes of the present Plagues and Judgments wherewith God breaks in pieces the World and the Causes why Gods Wrath waxes hot so against Christendom and to excite and forewarn men to attend seriously to the terrible threatnings of Wrath and comfortable promises of Grace 3. To shew the way of escaping the Wrath and preventing the last destruction and of obtaining the Grace 1. By general and universal Humiliation Repentance Reformation and Amendment 2. By universal mutual Love Charity and peaceableness one with another of all Parties Sects and Religions That all Names of distinction be laid aside and factious contendings about Opinions cease and that one common Faith and Love prevail among Christians of all sorts to preserve the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace And that all wicked unchristian-Christian Wars and Fightings and such cruel devourings of one another not becoming that Name whether for Religion or worldly Interests be laid aside And 3. by offering and communicating the same common Mercy and Benefit that is the Light and Blessing of the Gospel and thereby Universal Peace Truth Righteousness and Salvation to the Nations of the Earth For that now God would have all the World reformed and blessed with all true Felicities and Universal Salvation both Temporal and Eternal In a word the Kingdom of God come and the State of the Divine and Holy Life tryumph and be exalted over the Animal Sensual Beastial and Devilish 4. And lastly That otherwise Christendom shall feel the Power of Gods Anger and of his wonderful Judgments and the Vials of his Wrath be poured out c. For that Christians ought first to reform and begin this Universal Restitution Else that God will find others but destroy them by one another or by letting in the Barbarous Nations the Turks and Tartars c. in upon them That the time of destroying and overturning is at hand This and such like is their general scope And more particularly to stir up Princes Priests and People all to their particular Duties Kings to execute the call of their high Function To do the Will and Work of God on Earth i. e. To reform both Church and State and to take unto them their Scepters and
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
holy Name yet that I and these my Words and Speeches shall not be condemned of my God nor of his Angels present with me always as my Witnesses nor of my own Conscience than which after God and his holy sacred Word and Faith given to me towards it I have nothing dearer in this Life Bending my Knees before God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ That he would not desert the Work begun in us but would keep mee and thee whoever art implanted into the Root Christ blameless and make me and thee through Death not to come into Judgement but to pass into Life where the Sun shall not fall upon us nor any heat but where the Lord shall wipe away all Tears from our Eyes c. So to me and thee who readest these things be propitious the Dominator of Heaven Earth and Sea God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost Blessed unto Ages of Ages for ever Amen! Nic. Drabricius Str. M. P. P. Of the last Protestation of Drabricius which he call'd a Confession with a Prayer adjoyned wherein he resigns all his concerns to God and bids farewell to all the World VEterinus not contented with what had passed in his Examination although equally present with others and astonished he seem'd to give glory to God and by giving his hand promised silence and with others subscribed his Testimony to the whole Business as it was acted Yet relapsing into other thoughts not onely wrote to Drabricius's Adjunct that he could not yet acquiesce but went on to molest Drabricius falling upon him more sharply than ever pretending the causes of his unquietness 1. That they had not satisfied him concerning so many things yet to be fulfilled which that he should believe to have proceeded from the mouth of the Omuiscient he could by no means be perswaded to 2. That he saw what causes Drabricius had of forswearing himself namely Self-love and Covetousness that he might not deprive himself of the Opinion which he now saw rais'd of him and of the Benefits begun to be now offer'd to him for his Prophecies and adding also blasphemy against the Dictator of Oracles calling him That vain and lying Fellow and other foul things By which also he rendred the new Pastor Laurinus wavering anew and suspecting ill and to invoke also the Judgement of God upon Drabricius as his Epistle testifies Both of them was admonish'd of modesty Veterinus especially not of me onely the Adjunct but also of others that were nearer unto them Divines and Statesmen That he would not disturb the affairs so compos'd but rather would perform promised silence and would by our example expect the Judgement of God and pray that God would not defer it But all in vain For he senta violent Writing to Drabricius importunately urging that he would answer him And when Drabricius out of the fervour of zeal trampled it under foot others being present adding Thus saith Jehovah So will I tread upon the Enemies that blaspheme my Name and cast it into the fire Veterinus not only sent back the same Writing to Drabricius but also sent it abroad unto divers stirring up all against the false Prophet Drabricius therefore at length answered by Writing which calling his Confession he sent by Command of the Oracle in a Revelation that it should be affixed to the new Edition of his Revelations in stead of a Close which therefore his Adjunct accordingly did A Confession Made unto the Glory of God and to fore-arm from Error all who shall read the Revelations made unto me from God of whatsoever State and Order Dignity or Vocation they shall be upon the face of the Earth in the Year 1664 June 30. I Nicholas Drabricius a Strasnian Exile of Christ by this my Writing confess That certain Observations of Paul Veterine Inhabitant of Puchow directly tending to the abuse of the Divine Name and the Voice through me made to the Nations of the Earth Eastern and Western and Northern and Southern have come to my hands By which I stirr'd up unto zeal purposed to snatch up the Sacred Book and on whatsoever place I should light to take that for a foundation of my Answer I open'd therefore and beyond hope presently are offer'd to my Eyes those last words of David 2 Sam. 23. 2. The Spirit of the Lord hath spoken by me and his Word by my Tongue Which admiring I opened again and fell upon those words of Samuel 1 Sam. 7. 2 c. If ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts then put away the strange Gods Baalim and Astaroth from among you but in the Papacy Idols and Images of He and She Saints and prepare your hearts unto the Lord to serve him only c. And I will pray for you unto the Lord and he pray'd and the Lord heard him and the Lord thundred with agreat Thunder upon the Philistines and discomfited them and they were smitten before the Children of Israel And Samuel builtan Altar unto the Lord c. When furthermore I turned over three leaves there came in sight the 14 vers of Chap. 12. of the same Book If ye will fear the Lord and serve him and hear his voice and not disdain the mouth of the Lord ye shall continue and v. 20 21. Fear not but serve the Lord with all your heart follow not after vain things Idols which will not profit you because they are vain At length I opened anew and found Chap. 1. of the Book of Wisdom where it is said That Wisdom enters not into a malitious Soul And although the Spirit of Wisdom be a kind and loving Spirit yet it acquits not a Blasphemer of his Lips because God is Witness of his Reins and a true Searcher of his Heart and Hearer of his Tongue Therefore he that speaketh unrighteous things cannot be hid nor escape Judgement for the correction of his Iniquities and the Mouth that belieth slayeth the Soul It slayeth indeed I which in my time also mine Eyes have seen how many by the blasphemous speech of their mouth and by the Writings of their hands have procured destruction to themselves being made a Spectacle to Angels and Pious Men in whom is no guile Such as by the goodness of God there are many every where Men great and illuminated Divines and Statesmen through Hungary Holland and England found Who how sincerely and reverently they receive the Words of God by me pronounced have testified it by their Writings after that God had given it into their hearts to see and know and understand the hand of God to have done this and the Holy One of Israel to have spoken by me Isa 41. 20. now in the last days of the World A'so concerning Gog and Magog Ezek. 39. Rev. 20. That they are about to be rooted out with all Errors of depraved Doctrine Wherefore I Nicholas Drabricius forewarn all who have read the forementioned VVritings of Paul Veterine and beseech them by
the Bowe 's of the Mercy of God That they take heed to themselves thereof as being guileful false drawing their Rise from Satan the Father of Lyes of which Father of Lyes Christ saith That he came and took the words of God out of the hearts of men lest they should believe and be saved Luke 8. 12. But let all know that the Lord is my God who vouchsafeth to speak to me unworthy and that I and my Adjunct who in my stead declares the Words of God in the Latin Tongue to the Nations of the Earth and lastly the Promoters of the Work added unto us from Heaven seek no other things God lives and our Soul lives in God than the Honour and Glory of God first The Honour I say of the Omniscience and Veracity of God who as he hath promised the Beast being cast down and the Babylonish VVhore burnt and Satan bound to renew to himself his Church on the face of the whole Earth So he is about to do it now in our days That all the Kingdoms of the VVorld may become our Lords and his Christs Rev. 11. 15. and Chap. 17 18 19 20. Next we sought also by the Command and Charge of the Lord our God our Neighbours good both of Christians especially before others and also of the yet Infidels Turks and whatsoever Pagans that they may be converted from Idols and other Abominations to the Living God and his holy and pure Worship Of which things what the Wisdom of God in the year 1653. Nov. 8. spake to me may be read in these Revelations For all these are destitute of the true and saving Faith of God given to the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles and other Saints Instead of the Law of God the Turks having their Alcoran the Jews their Talmud but many Christians the Pope and other Leaders of Errors Thirdly We sought also with a dutiful faithful and simple and sincere mind to execute the Commands of God without all respect to men by testifying to all whether it please all or displease some and whether they will hear or forbear believe or not believe That God never will'd nor yet wills the Death of a Sinner but that all converted from Impiety Errors and Iniquities do Judgement and Justice Giving to Caesar the things that are Caesars and to God the things that are Gods Therefore the Wisdom of God Commanded me to speak unto the House of Austria with her Supporters the Spaniard and Pope Him as a broken Reed This as a Fire-brand burnt and to others That the Lord of Heaven and Earth was about to do unto the House of Austria as he did unto the House of Ahab and to his Counsellors and Prophets as Elias did unto the Baalites whom in the sight of all the People he slew with the Sword As it was said unto me in the year 1644. April 12. Therefore I Nicholas Drabricius a Witness of the Veracity of God a Witness I say unto my Self and unto others the Godly that the Lord does not any thing but he reveals his Secret to his Servants the Prophets Amos 3. 8. The Lion therefore roaring who is not affraid And the Lord commanding who prophesies not v. 9. Our Predecessor John Hus about to glorifie God and his Truth by his Death said to his Persecutors An hundred years being rowled about ye shall answer to God and to me I his Follower say the same thing to my Persecutors and cite you Gods and mine Accusers to the Tribunal of Jesus Christ that you there answer for your Blasphemies who in me unworthy blaspheme God and his Spirit As if now he had not promised in the lâ—st days To pour out his Spirit upon all Flesh that your Sons and Daughters may prophesie and your old men dream dreams and your young men see Visions Joel 2. 28. Like as is done even to me an old man now almost fourscore years old by the undeserved grace of God And before me to Christopher Ketter and to Christina Poniatovia whom also I as many other godly persons account for a Servant and an Handmaid of the Lord and acknowledge the like things to have been declared unto them as unto me of the Plagues of God a coming upon Christendom from the East as they now begin to come from the same merciful God always fore-warning the World I Drabricius was not that I may speak with Amos contending with his Detractors a Prophet or a Prophets Son Amos 7. 14. But the Lord commanded me to write the Word heard out of his Mouth And I wrot for the most part by night in the dark on a Stone Table or even with Chalk lying by my Bed side in a Chest Performing my duty laboriously 26 years to my Lord neither changing any thing but just as the Lord and my God vouchsafed to speak concerning Christians and no Christians Kings and Kingdoms Lords and Subjects Priests and People Especially concerning Idolatry and Images even of our Saviour crucified hanging stretch'd through the Temples Streets and High-ways expos'd to Winds Rains and the making of Nests for Birds for a scandal and laughing-stock to Infidels Jews Turks Tartars who in the year 1663. making an Irruption into Moravia stood amazed at this amazement of Christians And because Gods will is according to the words made known unto me poor miserable man that they be converted to that Faith given to the Saints he will therefore certainly take away those scandals and the Authors of scandals men gone into the way of Cain feeding themselves fat Clouds without Water carried about by the Wind Trees wither'd unfruitful twice dead Waves of the Sea foaming forth Confusion and wandring Stars to whom is reserved the Tempest of Darkness for ever Jud. 11 12 13. complaining Murmurers walking after their own lusts whose mouth speaketh Pride and Arrogancy vers 16. Mockers 18. Sensual not having the Spirit 19. Of whose number is Paul Veterine wholly burning with hatred against me without all fear of God and shame of men tearing and bespattering me with malicious Writings not seeking after the glory of God or the saving Good of his Neighbours but that he may bring the Speeches of God into suspicion and reproach wholly after the Example of the worst amongst the Pharisees who said of Christ He hath a Devil and is mad why do you hear him Joh. 10. 19. Although the more Moderate said These are not the words of one that hath a Devil v. 2. As even now many moderate men even in remote Countreys say concerning the Words of the Lord pronounced by me But I with the Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 1. 23. call God for a Record upon my Soul believing with my whole heart and confessing with my mouth that I also am a little Sheep of Christ for whom he the good Shepherd laid down his life Joh. 10. 11. That I have neither spoken nor written any thing but what the Lord and my God commanded me to write with mine hand all the time of so
upbraiding me with the wounds that were given me wholly innocent in the year 1635. by a drunken Fellow Martin Stuniak furiously meeting me on the High-way For which things this man having suffered Judgement of the Equestrian Order of the County of Trencinia ought to have lost his Life but that at the Intercession of the Lords the Judges I freely granted him his Life and permitted him to remain quiet with a Pecuniary Mulct Whosoever therefore thou art that shalt read these and the like slanders of this Calumniator especially where he derides the Threatnings of God made by me unto him also as vain I beseech you suffer not your selves to be carried away for the sake of a Fool who saith in his heart There is no God Psa 14. 1. for to taunt at the slow Judgments of God Which is not mine Admonition it is the Apostles That we must not judge before the time till the Lord come who will inlighten the hidden things of Darkness 1 Cor. 4. 5. For he saith who testifieth these things Behold I come quickly Amen! Come Lord Jesus Rev. 22. 20. Come now also and shew the Verity of thy Speeches pronounc'd heretofore by John but lately by Kotter Christina and Me thy unworthy Vessels That the Church on Earth may now make Responsals in singing to the Angels in Heaven Babylon is fallen is fallen Although not according to our times and the terms of days and years which our foolish Reason is wont to fix unto thy Work O God! but according to thine own measuring with whom one day is equivalent to a thousand years 2 Pet. 3. 8. For the Lord is not slack concerning his Promises as some men do count slackness and among those my blasphemous Slanderer But is long-suffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance v. 9. The impatience of the Bethulians did tempt or try to prescribe unto God Bounds of their Deliverance But they are greatly checkt of Judith because God receives not counsel from men Chap. 7. and 8. And what was there could seem more equal in the eyes of men than that Moses as being faithful in all the House of God and through so great Labours of forty years with hardship passed through should introduce his People into that desired Land of Promise Yet the Lord for one onely mistake denied him although he earnestly prayed committing this Charge unto another And he must acquiesce For who may say unto him Why doest thou thus What did Jonas's Murmurs that God had forgiven to the Ninivites the destruction denounc'd by his preaching Prophet avail Contend therefore thou also Veterine or whosoever is like thee with God that he does not fulfill all things promis'd or denounc'd by Threatnings But does he not fulfil Does not so many Commotions of the Nations and initial Desolations every where testifie VVould to God the words of God may not be fulfilled on thee and those like unto thee VVo unto you who are wise in your own Eyes and prudent in your own sights Isa 5. 21. Contend therefore not with me but with the Lord who hath commanded me to write these things that are written But I am not better than Jeremiah the Prophet unto whom proud men cast in his teeth as thou Veterine lately to me Thou speakest a Lye The Lord our God hath not sent thee Jer. 43. 2. VVhen yet I may even as confidently as Jeremiah say of a truth The Lord hath sent me to speak and write all these words Jer. 26. 15. But my God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ hath not left me without Consolations against you so often promising me protection against you and a demonstration of the Verity of his words in the very work or deed it self And the Destruction of Unbelievers and those that devise evil things against me And behold How faithful is God! He hath preserv'd me hitherto and preserves me in the midst of my Enemies But my Detractors where now are they Sapor Effron Felinus and others As every one fill'd up the measure of his virulency so he was snatched away hence Nor let others expect any other thing even intire Nations according to those words of the Lord Out of my Mouth hath proceeded this which I have declared to thee decreed in my Eternal Counsel concerning those things which I will have done in the last days of the World When I will with punishments refrain the Blasphemies of the Nations wherewith they injure me and my Name The Earth shall tremble and they that dwell therein For the burning of my Zeal hath fallen like the Sun upon those who will not know me Rev. 211. And elsewhere Whoever speakes unto you otherwise than I by my faithful and true Witnesses let him be Anathema Rev. 250. Again Let my Contemners expect no other thing than Plagues for Plagues and Contempt for Contempt For with me there is not another Way nor to me another Door beside Obedience Faith Love and Patience with fear of my Judgements Rev. 257. All which things I would to God my Detractors would read Perhaps they would return to themselves acknowledging the Truth and Severity of God in has Threatnings Concluding this my Speech I Nicholas Drabricius will say with Job O that my Petition might come from the God of my Salvation That God would grant me the thing that I expect That he would break me in Pieces when he begins if falseness be in my mouth Job 6. 8 9. VVhy therefore have ye detracted from the Speeches of Truth seeing there is none among you who can reprove me v. 25. Seeing 't is God alone who revealeth deep things out of darkness and bringeth out to light the shadows of Death who multiplieth the Nations and destroyeth them and when they are overthrown restores them intirely again C. 12. 22 23. Last of all I the abovesaid confess That the Speeches which I have written but my Adjunct publish'd are not the Speeches of an Angel otherwise always present with me and carrying my Prayers to the Throne of God Much less mine a sinful man's but are the Speeches of my very Lord Jesus Christ himself who is the Alpha and Omega the Beginning and the End of all things proceeded from his Holy Spirit who is the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding and the Spirit of Counsel and Strength and of the fear of the Lord Who hath form'd me also from the Womb for his Servant to bring back Jacob again to him and that Israel may be gathered unto him and I was glorified in the eyes of the Lord and my God is become my strength Isa 49. 5. who said also unto me In an acceptable time will I hear thee and in a day of Salvation will I help thee v. 8. To whom alone the Omnipotent VVise God as it was in the beginning so for ever world without end Be Honour and Power and Glory Amen! Amen! Hallelujah Hallelujah I have ended by the help of God the
the divine Power that these Books also be publickly extant and exposed to be sold bought read and throughly considered and examined being certain that it will be for the great use of Gods People your Honour and the Glory of God Yea and read them your selves and delay not to offer them to your Counsellours to be read and judged Here is a thousand times a greater business then a Neighbouring War or Peace It 's worthy of all your Juncto's to consult of Let not O Kings the King of Kings seem to be so slighted by you or his Messengers pretending at least in his Name c. Believe it most Serene Princes nothing like to this Book has the World had since the Apostles times The next is to all the Angels of the Churches Bishops Pastors Doctors all Divines and Theologers and all Eclesiasticks where all prejudices of the Wise and Learned and Religious against these matters are clearly removed c. It hath pleased God in some Ages past to inspire before-hand Men and Women with a prophetick spirit as in the Book called the Burden of the Church and in the Catalogue of the Witnesses of the Truth and in Fabricius's Tryal of Visions are cited and in our age to stir up others and in greater numbers through Germany Amongst whom seeing these three write what they are commanded of that stupendous mutation of things in the World now at hand and the Glorious Kingdom of Christ Now now to begin And that indeed these are not fained as may appear plainly from the adjoyned History What hinders but that all these things also be known of you O Presidents of the Churches It is no burden to you to read humane commetaries upon the Scripture Why do you neglect to know these that as truly as God lives are not Humane Lay aside or at least suspend for a time the cushion of carnal security Rather read again attentively both the divine Book of the Prophets and Apostles and also these new repetitions of the same things and then if all things appear not a thousand fold clearer to you then through your false spectacles then let it be free for you to take them up again Unhappy interpreters of the Scripture who expresly deny what God expresly affirms in the Scripture that the Lord does nothing but he reveals his secrets to his Servants the Prophets From whom therefore doth the contrary assertion that God does all things without our privity come Expunge that out of your Bibles or say God is not that Antient mankind-loving God who takes pleasure to communicate his secrets to men I beseech you O Theologers be not more infidels to the world and works of God then Machiavil suspected of some of Atheisme as before quoted Take heed in the name of God Theologers to blind and hearden men while you would seem to make them see The Apostles have not said to the people of the new Law Admit no more Prophesie but he hath said Quench not the Spirâ—t dispise not Prophesie try all things c. O ye that are appointed Watchmen upon the Walls of Jerusalem examin the state of your Churches Whether they be truly called out of the world or rather relapsed into the world and become the verymost world indeed If the whole matter were seriously looked into perhaps you would see what heretofore so many holy men have seen viz. Among Modern Christians almost nothing of Christ besides the name is found for as much as 1st The humility of Christ is turned into haughtiness from the highest head of the Church to the lowest 2dly The Heavenly Kingdom of Christ into all things that are Earthly 3dly The Gentleness of Christ degenerated into fury and mad perversness of butchering one another that we are not now a tame flock of Tigers Lyons Wolves Serpents But a flock of Sheep turned into Wolves Bears Dragons Vipers greedy of nothing but to hurt one another in all the holy Mountains of God 4thly Lastly if it be true what a holy man said Christ reigns in internals Antichrist in externals we are all now become Antichrists Because none almost worship God in Spirit and Truth All living in the flesh seek to deceive God with a little paint and external daub of piety Again and again see what you do O Theologers lest if you will not admit these Preachers God send you more terrible Preachers Prodigies in Heaven and Earth and Blood and Fire and streams of Smoak and Fears and Pits and Snares and that like People like Priest c. If indeed they are Humane or Satanical you need not fear but contemn them but if truly from God wo unto you Guides of the people who in obedience of your ordinary vocation most scornfully contemn these extraordinary things that you account them neither worthy to be seen or heard orexamined O Consecrated Heads to God! Be not like the Preists and Prophets of Jerusalem drunken with Error not knowing the Seer and ignorant of the Judgement Behold here Seers Behold an obscure question Whether at this day there be Seers or no. Examin both it and them But Judge not according to outward appearance but Judge Righteous Judgement sayes Christ And what need you be troubled at them they are but the things foretold in the Scripture Of Tribulations to the wicked world and Rest and Peace to the Church c. Which if you cannot bear with in these Books expunge them out of the volumns of your Bibles But if you can and ought to bear them there bear them also here That old and new may accord together If you scruple because they were unlearned and Ideots Gamaliel's counsel in full Council of the Pharisees is moderate Abstain from these men and let them alone for if this counsel or word be of men it shall be brought to nought but if it be of God you cannot withstand it lest perhaps ye be found fightâ—â—s against God O Modern Councils Synods Consistories Universities suffer the same words Desist to prohibit this Book For no Human wit can refute nor no human force or power oppose this work of innovating the world nor no humane goodness able to wish better things to mankind If any dislikes this Counsel and will try his strength in overthrowing this work let him also attempt to stop the dayly Rise and Set of the Sun or the Flux and Reflux of the Sea or the Winds from blowing hither and thither But thou to thine own self O man art nor able to stop breathing in and out And how wilt thou go about to restrain the Eternal Spirits breathings and inspirations Cease ye Sparks to contend with the Flame ye Rivers with the Ocean ye shall not prevail Cease to befool men by attributing to Man or to Satan what cannot be attributed neither to Man nor to Satan viz. to speak with the voice of God and to seal his words with omnipotent virtue to effect them by shaking to wit the Earth and the Sea and the
person beheld lately again appeared unto him and repeating the same words disappeared That the next day following after Prayers in the Temple and Sermon heard returning into the Suburbs the self same person returned accompanying him and reiterating what he had before said vanished That after this going to Langenovia he remained a whole week with his Mother lame of his feet and molested with many disquietments of mind But that when after he was returning back again to his business to the City that person met him in his Fathers Field recalling those former things to his memory That thence betaking himself homewards and lodging at Sagan as he went to Church in the morning the same Man met him again in the street in the same feature yet not in mourning habit now but of a Jacynth colour That he therefore after Sermon went to the chief Pastor of the Church M. Meisner and related the Matter as it had hapned and desired advice Who gave him this That continuing fervent prayers to God he would for a little while longer suppress this thing in silence and as much as he could shake those things out of his mind mindful of that They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them Yet adding that he would not be wanting to his duty to exhort men to Repentance and that that Vision if it came from God as Author would return again That Christopher therefore obtaining this answer went away and going his way home makes his Kinsman whom he had turn'd a little out of the way in his Journey to see and when at home his Wife also conscious to the whole matter Being yet admonished on all hands to hold his peace lest the fame thereof being carried to the Magistrates or the Ministers he might run some danger And from that time that he never made any one acquainted with it yet perpetually disquieted in his own Conscience till on the 14 th of April 1619. The same person cloathed in Jacynth habit appeared unto him again At which sight he was now not only not afrighted but filled through and through with a certain intimate and unwonted joy But being asked after first saluting of him whether he had taken care of the things he had commanded him and when not knowing what to answer he stood mute That that man with eyes lifted up to Heaven said Not unto us not unto us O Lord but unto thy Name give Glory And turning to Christopher said on But why did you neglect to perform that Or has not thy God deserved a greater thing than this at thy hands Who hath Created Redeemed Sanctified and Regenerated thee to the hope of eternal Life Behold thy God hath delivered up his Son to death for thy sake and dost thou refuse to lend him thy Tongue and to yeeld thy self an Instrument of his Work I declare plainly unto thee except thou shalt do this thing that thou shalt not have quiet in thine heart Nor this only but thy Name also shall be blotted out of the Book of Life Why dost thou fear men that are lighter then the Leaves of the Trees making a noise Who indeed shall pass this three-fold Judgment and Censure upon these things Some shall threaten thee others shall wonder most shall slight But thou take heed thou regard none of these things Then the Spirit began to inform him That the face of the present times was partly joyful partly sorrowful Joyful for that they were times of Grace in which the Light of the Divine Word hath shined in such clear brightness unto men sorrowful for that men would not see this Light but keept their hearts darkned with Errors and infidelity That these things were more at large explained by the Spirit but that all things were not retained in his memory At length that the Spirit said Unless men shall go about seriously and in good earnest to amend themselves That God was about to punish them grievously with Sword Famine and Pestilence And reaching forth his right hand to Christopher warned him further to put off all fear That no hurt should besal him and lastly added thereto I will hasten my Word to accomplish it And that these things said he disappeared But that he was left there alone amazed at first then casting his eyes round about on all parts he saw on one side a white company of them that sung and tryumphed but on the other a black company of them that wailed and howled and that being astonished with the Vision he returned home In the Year 1620. August 1. As he was again going to Gorlitz the same Person that had so often before appeared now also unto him while he bent his course from Newhammer to Schonberg at nine a clock in the Morning inquiring of him Whether he had dispatched his Commands I have said he but got nothing but mocks for my pains He went on admonishing That without regarding those things he would boldly do the business For that he had more things to make known unto him not onely concerning men of inferior rank but the King of Bohemia himself c. November 25. After several wonderful Visions Then the Spirit crying unto him by name injoyn'd him to relate all those things he had seen c. to the Senate Commanding him also to take a Journey to the King with other Messages c. All which things accordingly Christopher rehearsed on the 30 th of November in open Court at Sprottavia the whole Council of the Senate the Kings Judge and the Pastors of the Church present December the first Being delivered by the Magistrates to the Pastors of Sprottavia he suffered a severe examination That as he would be safe of his Salvation he would plainly declare whence he had these things or whether or no he did not feign them or being feign'd by some one else he did not spread them in the name of Visions They inculcated to him That he would consider well how great things they were he undertook what an horrible crime he would incur if there were deceit under-hand To how great danger he exposed his Conscience how he would stir up the Wrath of God and men against him and involve Wife Children and many others with himself into great mischief He having heard all things with a chearful mind and nothing afraid Answered That he took upon him all the Curses And wisht all those things might happen if he ever spake any thing besides those which he saw and heard and received in command That no such things ever hapned to him so much as in a dream much less was feigned by himself a man ignorant of all things Nor that any of those things were received or heard from any man But that all those things were so represented to him by Visions But whether the Spirit was a good or evil one he could not discern and therefore asked counsel and information whether any thing here was contrary to the express Word of God or no But yet
that himself judged him a good Spirit December the 5th Commanded by the Spirit he went to Breslaw to the King And on the 10th being by means of the Lord Wilpret Governor of the Kings Treasury through the Dukedom of Glocovia admitted unto Audience of the King viz. Frederick in the presence of three Princes he declared all those things which were commanded him c. In the Year 1621. On the 9 th of January going to Sagan a little Youth as it were of six or seven years old appeared unto him yet not in that form of countenance nor the same sound of voice as the former Spirit had and wearing a three coloured habit White Skie and Flame-colour This Spirit he conjured by the living God who he was And on bended knees adored Jesus the Son of God That seeing he was that Saviour who hath bruised the head of the Serpent and came into the World to destroy the works of the Devil that through his Mercy and Merit he would vouchsafe him this Grace That if this Vision was any Spectre or Ghost or any Inchantment of Satan that he might be delivered from it That he would grant him to know it and would make his Conscience quiet Having poured out this Prayer unto Christ on a sudden he felt in his heart so great solace and joy that he could not express in words But the Youth calling him by name spake to him in these words I do not draw thee away from God but draw thee unto God as hath been before signified unto thee And in the first place I shew unto thee Christ and his Merit in which alone only consists Salvation Remember therefore Christ crucified But that thou desirest to be made more certain who I am Know that I am sent from God one of the seven Angels standing before the Face of God c. March 20. He went a Journey accompanied with a Friend but his Angel appearing unto him led him out of his way into the Field and asked him If he had done his Errand to the King Who said He had but few gave heed That he did expose himself to laughter The Angel comforts him That he would not regard though none at all believed And as the Prophet Elisha answered the unbelieving Captain of Samaria Thou shalt see but shalt not injoy So it shall be with them that will not believe They shall see but receive no benefit c. And after several Visions and Discourses the Angel also informed him what he should answer Mockers If any one say unto thee How darest thou utter such things too high for thee nor ever likely to come to pass Answer thou Our Conversation is in Heaven from whence we expect our Saviour Jesus Christ They will say How thou a mortal man art not afraid to speak of Heavenly Things Say thou I am indeed mortal but I believe Christ will reform this mortal body and fashion it like his glorious Body They will urge That thy Predictions are against reason Thou shalt answer That God hath made all things subject to himself nor is his hand shortned that he cannot save nor is any thing at length impossible to him Then the Angel inlarged this Discourse with an excellent Passion Sermon c. Innumerable Instances of this kind might be collected out of his Prophesies but these may suffice onely one thing must not be omitted to be left to the prudent Readers consideration And it is this In one of his Prophesies the Burning of a great City is given as a Character of the time for fulfilling of these things The words run thus But what the great Lion said he was forbidden to reveal For it was said unto him Let that day pass away first wherein a certain great City shall be burnt down with the flame of Fire For then shall be fulfilled what the Lion hath spoken These words seal thou up but i' th mean while keep them to thy self The Speech or Sermon of the great Lion was uttered twice first in a Lions secondly in a Humane shape in the year 1623. And which he was commanded to seal up 'till when he was delivered out of Prison in the year 1628. and then he had liberty to declare it c. Note The Burning of a great City is given as a Character and Mark of the accomplishment of these things Which the Northern Deluge which presently followed pouring it self over all Germany made us understand of the famour City of Magdeburg In the Year one thousand six hundred thirty one But because there was then a return back of things and a greater City afterwards more terribly laid waste namely Constantinople wherein in the year 1660. July 24 25 26. above 70000 Houses were consumed the eighth part of the City and that the worser scarce remaining It is to be considered Whether this Character do not square to this rather Certainly weighing well the words of the great Lion in the Prophesies and considering the course of Modern Affairs it will appear that things are greatly changed by the approach of the Oriental Locusts For presently in the Year following 1661. the Turks possessed Waradin the Key of Hungary and Poland and thence marching onward subdued Transylvania Walachia and Moldavia now knocking at the Gates of Hungary and what hereafter may be done God knows These Divine Predictions deservedly teach us not to sleep certainly but to attend to the Judgments of God Comenius Annotat. But what and if the Great London the most considerable City in the World for the Protestant Interest and the most envyed by the Papistical and whose Burning was so remarkable and in the most Ominous Year too in all the Worlds account 1666. and not without suspicion of their finger in the Fire and which by most serious Christians is judged a notorious Omen to the great City Babylon the Mother of Harlots to be burnt with Fire should be here meant Certainly it deserves some consideration at least and not to be wholly slighted and passed over not so much as taking the least notice thereof at all An Account of Christina's raising from the Dead as it were and return to Life writ with her own hand and sealed up on the Monday following that being on the Saturday and which she annexed for a close to her Revelations IN the year 1627. December 30. when being afflicted with an heavy disease I wished for death it was said unto me from the Lord That yet was not the time but that I should remain in this Mortality till the Term come which he himself had put But when I besought that that Term also might be shewn unto me to prepare my self so much the more vigilently for death He answered There shall be yet a year added to thy life in which I will use thee for my works He added But dost thou not desire to supervive when Jehovah shall put on strength and his glorious Majesty And when he shall destroy his Enemies And when the mighty shall be