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
Name of the living God tell me She I live you see And goes on to wash again Comenius again For Gods sake what is the matter may we believe our own Eyes She I live And your hand and foot whole and perfect Perfectly said she But what has been done She I was now with my Lord but am commanded to return to injoy his goodness in the Land of the Living Ask no more now to morrow I will note down the whole business So they sat down to supper and she with them very chearful and well But eat nothing Many Friends and Neighbours came in c. Afterwards she sung Psalms c. and next day wrote down all for a close of her Revelations which you have afterwards Of the whole Comenius sayes this is certain that it seemed a true and real death in our eyes and that she could not in a moment be restored to life health and full strength without the special and immediate Power of God intervening All other Divines also after various and different apprehensions of the thing yet were all at length inclined to think it a true Miracle c. And not long after there was a strict and solemn examination of her Visions and all these things in an Assembly of Divines where they could not consent to give their Judgment absolutly But only decreed silence to avoid all offence and scandal to the Church till God and time should discover further c. Also some years after another assembly met when events seemed not answerable to predictions where yet they could not condemn the thing but commit it yet unto God She lived after this fifteen years married twelve had two Sons and three Daughters one Son and one Daughter yet alive The brief Series of the remarkable Vicissitudes of her life added to her Funeral Sermon was this Christina Poniatovia was born of Noble Parents at Lescina in Prussia An. 1610. And with the same Parents suffering Persecution in their Country for the Gospel came into Bohemia An. 1615. Whence being again driven away with them by the storm of Persecutions and going into Moravia she was commited to some Noble Matrons to be bred up in Services and the exercises of virtue and at length the last time removed with others into Banishment She lost her Mother An. 1626. her Father 1628. She began to be admitted to that extraordary and miraculous work of God An. 1627. which ceased in the recalling of her dead in the Eyes of men into life An. 1626. at Lesna in Poland where three years after by the will of God and her Tutors she was married c. She underwent several examinations first of her Father a solid Divine and most violent opposer of Neoterick Revelations who endeavoured both by Letters dehortations obtestations and severe threatnings to stop her till by all her answers and his own Eyes he apprehended the error to be in himself and gave glory to God The next was of Divines Politicians Physitians inquiring most curiously into all things but could find nothing but the Finger of God c. Then by the Pastors and Elders of the Church at the hour of her death as before And the worst of all was of the Devil both at the beginning and afterwards several times undergoing horrible temptations c. Besides all the Divine Tryals and Testimonies c. Very remarkable also was the Devils Mock-Games that he played about this time by raising other false extasies in some Whereof Comenius mentions two First of a Virgin undergoing Extasies in a Village which Christina's Father passed through with a throng of people about her An. 1628. Speaking wonderful things in her Fits foretelling Persecutions of the Church exhorting to repentance and perswading to constancy in the Faith c. Hereby it was thought that God had raised up others in like manner to confirm the same things But after strict inquiry all appeared to be nothing but a few frivolous Dreams of one sick or at least slight Mockings of Satan But more cunningly the Devil plaid his part at Geneva the same year whereby the Learned there were for a time prejudiced against these Revelations when as before both Diodat Vedelius and others by letters approved them But the Devil at last smelt of Hell and the truth of these thereby more appeared The story in short this The Son of a Senator twelve years old was seized with a Disease by and by began to speak unusual things at length asserts that he was that very Spirit which had shewn Lions Men and other wonderful Visions that should certainly come to pass to Christina a Virgin of Poland c. which things at first though they seemed to hang together well enough and further confirmed the Divines so that they wrote letters thereof Yet when by degrees he at length swarved unto frivolous matters and at last things manifestly absurd in the presence of two Divines one of them said I see the finger of Satan c. Which mockages continuing for some dayes made all suspected So that after solemn prayers and fasting of the Senate Pastors and the Church during which the unclean Juglar began strange postures and to be troublesome c. amongst other things saying They will not beleive that I am a good Angel sent of God But I will prove it by a Miracle And snatching some way or other a Knife thrust it into his Breast and drew it out again unhurt and fell upon the ground crying Behold a Miracle At last the unclean spirit seeing he must be gone out wreath divers wayes the youths body belching out of his mouth Blasphemous and obscene words till he was forced to give place to the prayers of the Church and the Power of God But the youth was conscious of nothing c. More cunning yet was that to invalidate Drabricius's Visions of a Souldier in 1659. who falling sick got leave to return home and languishing away seemed to dye and was ready to be buried but when the Neighbors came to his burial they felt his Breast to be something warm and defer'd it till the Morrow and then the next day for eight dayes no other sign of life appearing But he the Night before Burtal rises up declares that he had special Commands to Prince Ragotzi under whom he had served requires admission into his Castle two miles off Is admitted the Chancellor and Master of the Hall and others present relates his Commands from God That the Prince take Arms Couragiously against the Turk that God would raise up the Emperor of Mosco to help him who should come and besiege Constantinople with an huge Army At the same time that the Prince go against Buda the Metropolis of Hungary at Whitsontide to take it Rehearsing these things on his bended knees he arose praysing God that he had granted him to fulfil his Commands These things could not but seem contrary to Drabricius's The Prince it should seem believed him for he acted according to these things
his submission granted to him and his heirs The title of the Kings of England As if they never had it since the Conquest of right before Hence it is observed sayes the Popish writers That all Kings of England must acknowledg the Pope for their Landlord And in like manner his predecessor Hadrian the 4 th about 1555. gave Ireland to the Kings of England for a penny to be paid yearly out of every house as much as a shilling now But As long as there 's a Goose or Gander We must remember Alexander If it were but for this verse sake which ends a coppy sent to him by a Monkish Rimer little better in the Latin About 1190. Celestine Crowns the Emperor with his foot and then spurns it off again with this saying By me Kings reign He set all Princes almost together by the ears that Rome might gain with siding with one part or the other and making them friends again And this was and is a constant practise with them and a principal matter whereby they stand For if one deserts them another still upholds them for their own interest which is mingled with the Papal over all the World About 1200. Innocent the third raised the Otho's against Philip the Emperor resolving that he would uncrown him or be uncrown'd by him because chose without his liking And as soon as Otho himself was made Emperor excommunicates him too as also King John of England Peter King of Aragon and Raimund Earl of Tholoss And decreed in a Council held at Rome from thence forth the Pope to have the correction of all Christian Princes and no Emperor to be acknowledged all he had sworn obedience to him In pursuance whereof deposes the said King John and gives away his Kingdom to the French King causes him to surrender his crown to his Legate interdicts him the Kingdom for six years together and makes him stand to his mercy to have it again and upon the restoring to make it Tributary fining it at the yearly rent of 8000. Marks to be held of the Pope in fee-farme And his usurpations were so great here in England That the Nobles writ in their Letters to their Bishops To such a Bishop or such a Chapter who had rather dye then he ruined by the Romish Task-Masters Likewise the said King of Aragon Naples and Sicily c. was forced also to subject his Kingdoms as feudatory to the Church of Rome and to be held of the Pope And now also was brought up that Idol of Transubstantiation and adoration of the Host to subject the people to a more divine Reverance and external devotion and deportment towards their Holy things and mysteries which is wonderful to behold even to this very day and to make their Religion and Priests more Venerable at least this has been the efect thereof What matter of Zeal Fury and Persecution this became afterwards all storyes and ages ring of as if it had been to deny God indeed and Christ and all Religion to deny this their Idol God they had and have to this day so possessed people with such a fond Imagination God also giving them up to believe lyes and to erre concerning the Faith mistaking the Letter for the Spirit Also that devise of Auricular confession was introduced about this time which aws the people exceedingly likewise Moreover about the same time arose those deadly seuds between the Papaline Guelphs and Imperial Gibelines or if you will Elfs and Goblins so called as is thought from their terrible doings c. which destracted all Italy and contiuned for many ages after which factions were stirred up by the Pope and his Agents means and practises c. It was about the year 200. likewise that Philip King of France was excommunicated and then it was said In the year of the Reign of Christ not of Philip. Also 1204. the Sea of Constantinople and the Greek Church and Emperor became subject to the Roman for above 30. years through their projects c. And about 1220. the East as well as Westren Emperor was crowned at Rome by the Pope no longer now as a Servant you may now well think but their Lord and Superior by what has been already rehearsed For in this Popes time some thought fitting to make this Embleme There are two great lights The Sun that is the Pope and the Moon that is the Emperor Nay the high Papalists would have none to be truly Monarch and Soveraign that is absolute and Independent on any other as Supreme but the Pope as before has been intimated About 1240. the twentieths of Ecclesiastick Revenues are obtained for the Pope It came afterwards to the tenths nay the fifths and fourths too in some Kingdoms c. About 1245. Innocent the fourth excommunicates the Emperor Frederick the fourth time having been three times before by former Popes though he had been his greatest friend and deposes him the King of France in vain interceeding and sets up Anti-Cesaers because his Highness forsooth would not stope low enough to his Holiness and in the end because he would not bring him enough under got him poyson'd The four orders of the begging Fryars viz. the Dominicans Franciscans Carmelits and Augustins began to swarm under him as their great Patron and by their voluntary humility and external devotion to uphold this their exalted and triumphant Church and Religion This Pope demanded also the payment of the Twentieths before granted and afterwards of the Tenths of all Revenues and Profits of the Church adding grievous threatnings if they were not paid and by his Legate in Poland one fifth of all Afterwards he perswaded the French King to make War against Henry the 3 d. of England and to make him either yeeld to all the Pope demanded or to drive him out of his Kingdom An. 1255. The King of Lithuania being converted to Christianity is crowned by the Pope and subjects his Kingdom to him For if they would be Christians they must all acknowledge Christs Vicar or else be Infidels still for all other Christianity now was almost fled the Earth An. 1260. The Pope translates the Kingdom of Naples and Sicily which the King of Aragon had made feudatory to the Church as before c. and which the former Pope also would have sould to Henry the 3 d. of France from the right owners and bestows it on the French most bountifully And now was the Pope come to the hight of power riches and authority and to have mighty interest in the World and now all the Nations worshiped the Beast The Princes generally began to make appeals to the Roman Court and the people were devoted to the Romish Laws Customs and Religion The Pope had now the creating of Electors of the Empire almost as he listed and consequently the Emperor in a manner at his beck About 1270. Rodolph of Napsburg or Ausburgh the first of the Austrian House was affraid to go to Rome to take his Crown or to
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
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
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
many years and to this very day seeking to please not men but God For I can with Paul a chosen Vessel to bear the Name of Christ before the Gentiles and Kings and the Children of Israel Act. 9. 15 confidently say that I have the same Spirit of Faith So that I dare say I believed and therefore have I spoken what I have spoken and written what I have written 2 Cor. 4. 13. And first indeed to my beloved Adjunct John Comenius then residing in Hungary afterwards departing by command of the Lord into Holland that he would make all these things known to Christian Peoples in the Tongue known to the Europaeans the Latin But for the Turkish Nation that he would take care to have the Sacred Books of both Testaments adorn'd in their Tongue at the Cost and Charges which the Princess the Mother of the Ragotzi 's ought to furnish him with But She esteeming more the Dirt of the Earth Gold than the Words of God although often admonished did none of those things and which is more was the cause why her Sons also did nothing about those things And therefore God took away Mother with Father and Sons and the Vncle Ladislaus one onely Granchild Francis being left To what end He himself onely knows But that they object That the Crown of Hungary was promis'd to them It is true But the Condition often iterated That they would purge this Land from Idolatry deliberating and consulting upon this matter with the Eastern and Northern But what did it profit to be admonish'd When neither They nor the King of Swede would do any of those things they drew themselves by their disobedience headlong into destruction as the World now sees Therefore I Drabricius publickly profess That I believe with my whole heart that Divine Promise made by Haggai I am with you faith the Lord Chap. 1. 13. and iterated by our Lord Christ himself Behold I am with you always even unto the end of the World Mat. 28 27. And again pronounced by Haggai Chap. 2. v. 22 23. I will shake the Heavens and the Earth and I will overthrow the Thrones of Kingdoms and I will break in pieces the strength of the Nations c. And to Christ declaring the distress and pressure of Nations Luk. 21. 25. And that I expect yea now see with mine Eyes how the Lord overthrows the Chariots and the Riders that every one may fall by the Sword of his Brother Hag. 2. 23. And that by it the glory of God may be revealed That all Flesh in like manner may see that the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken Isa 40. 5. by us Two also to you O Nations That the will of God is That the Beast counterfeiting a Lamb but speaking like a Dragon together with the false Prophet that wrought Miracles before him seducing those who had received the Mark of the Beast be both apprehended and cast alive into the Lake of Fire burning with Brimstone Rev. 19. 20. But the Beast being destroyed and the Whore drunk with the bloud of the Saints and the bloud of the Martyrs of Jesus burnt with fire Chap. 17. 16. That the Kings of the Earth who have committed Fornication and lived deliciously with her bewail her and lament for her standing afar off for fear of her Torments and saying Alas alas That great City Babylon that mighty City For in one hour is thy Judgment come Rev. 18. 9 10. But at the length Babylon being overturn'd that all Nations of the Earth run together into the Unity of the Faith and Acknowledgement of the Son of God unto a perfect Man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Eph. 4. 13. I Drabricius dare I dare with the Apostle Paul say That I in my Writings have not sought my own things as appears others do Phil. 2. 21. but the things which are Jesus Christs doing nothing through strife or vain glory but in humility v. 3. For I have learnt out of the VVord of my God That God resists the Proud but gives grace to the Humble 1 Pet. 5. 5. and puts down the Mighty from their Seats and scatters the Proud in the Imagination of their Hearts and exalts the Humble Luk 1. 51. And because with the Apostle I believe with my Heart and confess with my Mouth That Prophecy never comes by the will of Man but holy men of God to be inspir'd by the holy Spirit and to speak 2 Pet. 1. 21. Therefore I hope also that it will be given unto me from the Lord and my God to overcome the malicious Enemies of God and mine 1 Joh. 2. 3. Because the VVorld passes away and the Lusts thereof but he who doth the will of God abideth for ever v. 17. Therefore into whose-soever Hands or Eyes of those known or unknown to me in any Nation mine and my beloved Adjuncts Labour shall come I beg and pray and in the Name of God with Adjuration intreat Grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby you are seal'd up unto the day of Redemption Eph. 4. 30. Being solicitous to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace v. 3. That we all may be one Body and one Spirit as we are call'd into one hope of our Calling v. 4. For there is one Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in us all v. 5 6. who believe that we are Called and Chosen Rom. 8. 33. And that our names are written in the Lambs Book of Life who was slain from the beginning of the World Rev. 13. 8. If any have Ears to hear let him hear v. 9. Let him hear I say and weigh well who is that Lord of the holy Prophets who is wont to send his Angel to shew unto has Servants the things which must shortly be done Chap. 22. 6. He himself namely who is the Alpha and Omega the Beginning and the End who Is and who Was and who is To Come Chap. 1. 8. That Omnipotent Prince of the Kings of the Earth who hath lov'd us and washed us from our sins in his own Bloud and hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father to whom be Glory and Empire for ever and ever Amen! v. 5 6. Take heed also All I beseech you of that Pharisaical haughtiness to disdain others and say I thank God I am not as other men or as this Publican Luk. 18. 11. For God resists the Proud but gives grace unto the Humble Jam. 4 6. Detract not from one another Brethren For he that detracts from his Brother detracts from the Law v. 11. As that light Soul Veterine does to me his Brother and which is more the Servant of Christ and Minister of the Gospel and Pastor of Souls whom the Apostle reckons worthy of Double Honour 1 Tim. 5. by by word of Mouth and Pen lyingly spreading concerning me whatsoever he can unto my contempt even also
Eternal Word After to the Sacraments by him appointed for the remedy of Sin and so of all the other Articles of Faith from first to last and when they are well tinctured with these they then innitiate them to a more perfect course of the Christian Life And this is the manner how they propound the Christian Mysteries to the Gentiles and Idolaters beginning first with the principal Articles of the One and True God and the reward of the just and unjust c. as in this Catechism Besides this they published innumerable excellent Spiritual Books and Books of Practical Divinity and Moral Philosophy to which the Chineses are much devoted and endeavour'd to add to all rare specimens of an innocent spiritual and divine Life if we may believe their own Testimony which I confess Protestants in this end of the World have little reason to do For the Ignatians of Europe for the generality of them are more excellent at Fire Works then any thing else here and the works of the Devil then to work the Works of God But it 's like they were better there being likewise at the beginning of their Order more Spiritual and Religious then ever since the World hath found them especially England And yet we have a taste of their true Spirit in their obstructions of the Hollanders Embassy there Their first great Disciple was Paul the great Colao or Governor of the Chineses and propagator of Christianity among them Riccius put forth many admirable Books in the China Language viz. several Mathematical Books of Euclid Clavius c. Universal Geography and History of the World with Globes Maps c. Natural Philosophy the Art of Dialling Books of Astrolabes and Astronomick Instruments of Musick Musical Instruments and Organs Moral Philosophy about Friendship moderating the Passions and to live according to the dictates of right Reason and the rule of a good and happy life For the Chinois were much given to moral Philosophy and the study of virtue and happiness And Ten Paradoxes Moral and Spiritual a Book famous through all China and in great esteem and admiration among them and illustrated with Comments and high Encomiums by the most excellent of all their learn'd Leo and Paul young Convert Colao's But that which wrought unexpressible compunction of heart in them for their ill past life as they say not only among the common people but the greatest and most learned of their Monarchy viz. the Mandarins and Colao's and Eunuchs of the Kings Pallace was the Catechism of Bellarmine translated by the said Riccius The fame of which Book spread so that they were fain to print it a new several times whereby the Christian Light and Knowledge shone into every corner of the Land With several other Books for the use of others that should come thither out of Europe The next famous was Trigautius Procurator of the China expedition who return'd from China 1612. and return'd thither again with all manner of Rarities and wrote several Books for the use chiefly of the Europeans Next Father Rho Professor of Mathematicks in the Jesuites Colledge at Milan who in a short time spoke and wrote their Language like any Native and wrote several Books for the use of young Converts and with Father Schall mentioned in the first part laboured in Mathematicks for the benefit of the Chinois Who both by common and joynt study put forth above an hundred Books and especially in emendation of their Calender he was founder of a Church in the Kingdom of Sciamsi Vagnonius followed who found in the Province of Chianceu only after his return thither again from Banishment 8000 Christians and of those the chief Learned and Mandarines and afterwards died in Chianceu Anno 1640. and wrote many Books Divers others also wrote innumerable Books for the Europeanâ— help so that there were Books written by them in the China Language by the Year 1636. to the number of 340. The Mandarines and Colao's also wrote Comments on their Books c. Also when their Converts began to be too numerous for the present Fathers they began an Institution of Chatechists from amongst them to initiate persons into the Christian Mysteries These Catechists were persons much and long vers'd in the Mysteries of Religion and the Christian Law and of a very divine Life better then themselves 't is like by far and such as were inflamed with servour of the Apostolick Spirit and Zeal for the Conversion of others and they were not easily admitted unto this Office but after long experience first had of them c. Their work was to go up and down the streets and on all occasions by word and example to bring the rude and ignorant to the knowledge of the True God And as they have opportunity to sprinkle Infants and Children with Holy Water to communicate Spiritual Books to those that lack'd to resolve Doubts and Questions c. And at a certain time of the day when the Gentiles flock to their Churches out of curiosity to wait there and to explain the first Principles and Elements of the Christian Faith which were wrote or engraven in fair and large Tables and Characters hung up and down upon the Walls and by their splendid Altars to any that were desirous or curious and to shew the vanity of the false Godds And moreover to invite them home for farther instruction And by these means they got many Proselytes daily They are obliged also every day to give an account to the Fathers that are Superiors in those places what they have done that day The number of Christians in Pekin was about fourscore thousand about 1655. And though this be short of the Apostolick way of Preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles yet they seem herein to out-do the Protestants and in industry labours and zeal and more abundant then they to propagate the Faith Look here you Zealous Protestants look with shame From hated Jesuites learn to spread Christs Name And Heathens form their Idols to reclaim Things proving thus prosperous they likewise had procured the Royal Patent for Power and Liberty to divulge the Gospel through all the Empire by the favour of the Grandees of the Court and Kingdom But the irruption of the Tartars about 1647. interrupted all Which hapned by reason of the Civil Wars of the Chinois among themselves which invited the Tartars to take the opportunity to break into China through the Portal of their great Wall once more as they had done formerly before in the Year 1256. which they held for above 200 years during nine Kings reigns but were at last beat and kept out again by the Chinois till this last sudden and violent return But now they over-ran it like a flood and subjected all China to their Empire the King of China was reduced to such streights that finding no way to escape from his own rebelling Subjects and so great a Monarch forsaken of all rather desirous to die then live to see worse ended his