scattered by him and so those things come to pass which have been foretold thee I answered thereunto Lord thou knowest that thy Eternal Delights are sweeter to me then all those things which thou revealest unto me But he rebuked my impatience dehorting me from weariness so he went away from me Now all the following year 1628 He made no mention of my life or death except in the last Vision Moreover that I was to undergoe also one disease Then in 1629. January the 9 th It was declared unto me by an Angel that I should be visited from the Lord in a Dream with a Disease by name the Apoplexy which also came the same day in the evening I therefore because the year was now gone the Visions had now ceased believed that the very time was now approaching which the Lord had spoke concerning And that I should not now escape this Disease I therefore prepared my self in mind and conscience and my desire was to be dissolved and to be with Christ Which hope certain antecedent signs also did strengthen As were certain knocking 's or beatings under my Bed and under the next Table four several evenings many that visited me being present and hearing so iterated that each day the number was less by one stroak At length on the 26 th of January it sounded one and afterwards five which having heard I believed as also the rest That one only day of my life was now remaining and an end to be to morrow evening at five a clock Therefore watching all that night and praying and meditating on eternal life and this blessed departure I decreed to pass hence But hearing by night a certain voice as it were of a man three times Come come come Unusual Joy being shed abroad through my Soul I slept a little But Saturday morning at break of day when more vehement pains oppressed me I could not but interpret that Voice to have been a Divine Call I bad farewel therefore to my beloved Friends visiting me all that day And I was alwayes worse and worse till evening approaching my Sight Hearing Memory Speech and at length my Spirit failed me And I felt my self to go forth with my Spirit and to be carried into Heaven where surrounded with a great shining I saw an huge company cloathed in White And the Lord stepping forth took me in his imbrace saying The Lord hath done whatsoever he would in Heaven and in Earth For the Majesty of his Power is exalted and there is no counsel of his Will nor does it admit any For who hath known the mind of the Lord and who hath been his Counsellor Return therefore unto the place from whence thou art come forth and the breath of the most High shall vivify thee Arise walk farewel to thy Disease and behold the goodness of Jehovah in the Land of the Living exulting in his virtue For the dead shall not praise Jehovah nor admire his Works when they go down into the place of Silence but the living the living shall bless thee from this time and for ever God Jehovah dwells on high and hath exalted his Right Hand over all Nations And does wonderful things as it pleases him at all times He is the God of the living who also draws forth out of death and who gives life even for ever Therefore sadded with these things I begged that he would signifie unto me How many the dayes of my life should be But he said Thy times are in the hand of the Lord. He has measured thy years and hid thy term from thee Live therefore and injoy the goodness of God upon the Earth amongst his Saints But sanctifie thy years to God thy Creator and live righteously But thy reward and thy portion shall not wither away nor perish but thou shalt find it and shalt rejoyce concerning it and in it unto eternity That also which the most High does with thee accept gratefully and go not contrary to thy Creator by thy impatience Go thy wayes now and return for it is Jehovah who doth good to thee and hath a care of thee Therefore offer unto him the sacrifice of praise and render thy Vows to the most High giving thanks also unto him that he works the Work of Salvation in thee and will still work even until he shall blessedly finish it unto the praise of his Grace but unto thy Honour I wish use thee no more unto my works neither will I come unto thee Now therefore glorifie God in thy Body and Spirit which he hath given thee Acquiesce now in Heart and Conscience and give honour to God who doth all these things to the praise of his glorious Grace My Peace be with thee After he had said these things I falling down worshipped him And together also returned into life Sad indeed yet restored that very moment to full vigor and health and strength To this great God be Honour Praise and Empire unto Ages of Ages for ever Amen Come we next to Drabricius's Dedication of all to Christ which he was commanded to prefix before his Prophesies together with his last Protestation and Prayer c. To the most Serene most Invincible King of Kings and Lord of Lords JESUS CHRIST the Eternal and only begotten Son of God and the Virgin Mary who is the Alpha and Omega the first Born from the Dead whose Name is Wonderful Counsellor the Mighty God the Everlasting Father who hath loved us and given us good hope through Grace To whom only is due all Kingdom Power and Empire unto all everlasting Ages Amen! Hallelujah ALL Nations of the Earth hear All Inhabitants of the World attend Small and Great Rich and Poor I Nicholas Drabricius by Countrey a Strasnian by Nation a Moravian by the destinate Counsel of God chosen and called to the Ministry of the Church of God and to Preach the Gospel of Christ and lawfully ordained in the year 1616. But then afterwards in the year 1628 with many other Godly Persons keeping Faith to God to Conscience and to the Church driven into Exile by Ferdinand the 2 d Roman Emperor for the Verity of the same Gospel and for the Testimony of Jesus Christ So that leaving my Countrey and the Inheritance of my Parents and plundred moreover by the Spanish Souldery onely my Wife and Children escaping and wandring in exile unto the Land of Hungary in the territories of the most Illustrious Lord the Lord George Ragotzi Prince of Transylvania the first of this Name I took up my Seat under the Castle of the Town Ledvitz And there with many other Families of pious fellow-exiles amidst extream miseries and sorrows of poverty yet humbly and patiently I served my Christ for fifteen years But here in the year I say 1643. Jan. 23. it pleased God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ by virtue of the Holy Spirit of God according to the chosen good-pleasure of his Counsel to admit me his little Worm so far and to
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
most excellent and useful things of Nature Art and Religion That so true Religion Learning Arts Sciences Commerce and Traffick and all things else for the Common weale of mankind may flourish and be advanced in the World that Mercy and Truth may meet together Righteousness and Peace may kiss each other on the Earth which they have so long for saken But first There are a sort of Popelings yet behind Must ride the Devil off on 's legs and break his wind CHAP. II. Of the future State and Revolution of Europe both of Church and State OUT OF The last Visions and Revelations of Drabicius the Seer concerning wonderful things shortly to come As the ruine of the House of Austria of the Pope of Spain c. by the Turks Tartars King of France c. conversion of the Turks Jews and Heathens Reformation of the World and Church by the Secular Powers The Renovation and Restitution of all things at hand New Heavens and new Earth viz. Church and State c. The Preface VVE should now finish this Table but that we think it meet to add a second Chapter of the Prophetick History of Europe not from the uncertain conjectures of Astrologians and Politicians but Revelations truly accounted Divine If it more immediately concern all to know the present State of Christendom and of this last age above all before that are past and gone and almost forgotten yet that is principally in order to what is to come And so much more it concerns us to consider what shall be hereafter then the things that have been and are And indeed this all mens minds generally are most inquisttive after yet few will have faith to believe And hence the knowledge of things to come is one part of History as well as of those that are past Wherefore I shall think it no unacceptable service to my Country men and not unbefitting this place to represent to view a summary draught also of those wonderful Visions and Revelations of Dabricius by the Godly and Learned esteemed Divine at least that few yet dare say are meer phanatick delusions or diabolical that so this Historical Table or Representation of things last past and next to come may be for more profit and advantage and of greater use to the English Reader 'T is certain all the world expects some great Catastrophe and Revolutions at hand and great have lately past in all Nations preparatory thereunto All Astrologers gaze for it All Politicians presage it all Theologers divine it And generally All People Jews Turks Christians Papists and Protestants seem to bespeak as much As if some dark intelligence were hovering up and down to abode and whisper some such matter presently to betide the world The Jews stand gazing for the Kingdom of their Messias the Turks of their Mahomet The Christians of their Christ and the Papists of their Antichrist The Planetary Conjunction and new Stars the dreadful Comets and terrifying Prodigies The remarkable predictions and prophetick Spirits yea the very false prophets too in several Countries The wonderfull providences and strange revolutions and alterations of this last Age specially those of late as the great Eclipses not many years agoe The new Star in 1572. in 1604. and lately in 1660. The fiery Trigon begun 1603. and ended with that great Conjunction of the two superior Planets Saturn and Jupiter in that fiery Trigon in 1663. never before this eight hundred years viz. at the beginning of the German Empire by Charls the Great and hoped to be the last being the seventh only of the world having never happened but six times before since the Creation And this being also the third Conjunction of those superior Planets which is every twenty years in the seventh fiery Trigon and falling in the year 1663. Rome Rome remember sixty three and three was said of that year by the Astrologers and the great congregation of all the seven Planets in the fiery signe of Sagittary also preceeding it which whether ever happened before since the beginning of the world is not known makes some not only take a Sign but a beginning of some great Mutation in Religion and Government In Religion namely the conversion of Jews Turks and all the Nations of the Gentiles In State the subversion of all Tyrannicall Rule and Domination and all manner of oppression and violence in the Earth The too late Prodigious Comets succeeding about a year after as well as those in 1652. and 1618. Saturn being in the House of Infirmity for six month before concerning which there is extent a strange Prophecy found by Capistranus above two hundred years agoe and printed above an hundred agoe at Venice and afterwards upon the Comet in 1618. appearing at Pargue in Germany in 1620. and said by the said Capistran to be one of the Sybill's twenty years before Christ concerning the ruine of the Pope and Emperor and return of the Apostolick times There is also some thing particular mentioned in Capistrans explication concerning France and others Aix la Chapelle which is forgot The Prophecy said to be of the Sybills was only in figures of a Woman with a Triple Crown embraced by a Crowned King or Emperor With a Wheel with twelve spokes denoting the Cardinals like the twelve Apostles with the Arms of France Low-Countries c. with other particulars forgotten From one Angel appeared a blazing Star darting upon the Woman and Emperor c. Capistran by a prophetick Spirit wrote an explication of every particular in short Motto's writ underneath each which he buried in a wall not daring to make it known in those times Being an enlightened Monk and was found an hundered years after and Printed as was said at Venice The Motto under the Comet is only remembered viz. Saturn in the house of Infirmity which some Astronomers say could be meant of no former Comet but this last only having examined it by their Rules Since this we have seen the sudden irruption of the French into Flanders c. and the peace soon made again at Aix la Chapel and yet indeed as good as no peace but rather a truce It were well this prophecy were better looked into to see whether any thing solid to be observed therein or any thing that may answer and concern the present affairs or the late Comet yea or no. In fine the most lamentable Wars Plagues Fires and sad calamities and heavy and grievous judgments of Gods wrath abroad in the Earth especially the astonishing Blazing Fire of London soon after in 1666. The powerful approach and threatning of the Turks and their dreadful design upon Christendom the universal unsettlement shakings of Kingdoms and Nations the high Animosities and Jealousies of Princes and States the cry of Subjects and general failing of mens hearts for fear and expectation of others and the total deluge of prophauness atheisme impenitency and unbelief with their desperate effects namely all injustice oppression wars and persecutions and universal
with those Namely taxing the abominable Corruptions of the Roman Clergy the whole Papacy and Pope himself and threatning destruction thereto besides many others more ordinarily inspired and inlightened And besides the several particular Prophets every where in each Country concerning particular Nations or Churches c. And therefore if Papists or those inclined that way shall slight these Prophesies as out of another spirit From what spirit then have their own He and she Saints Prophesied the same things Therefore they may be their own Judges in this matter And Machiavil himself was not such an Atheist and Infidel but that he acknowledged Gods usual manner of foretelling all great Revolutions I beseech you O Divines saies Comenius let not Politicians exceed you in attention to the Words and Works of God Machiavil comparing former times with present as he easily confesses He knows not the cause so he also sayes it ought to be acknowledged out of all Ancient and Modern Examples That all great Motions whatsoever that have happened either to a City or a Country have been wont to be foretold by either Guessers and Conjecturers or some Revelation or Prodigies or Signs in the Heavens And confirms it by a domestick example of Charls the 8th his coming into Italy foretold by Savanarola that excellent man and Martyr c And more particularly to confirm also Cotterus and Christina's Revelations there are further convincing Arguments as well as for those of Drabricius which would be too Heterogene to insert here fully Some of Cotterus's were seal'd in the Court three times by particular relation from his own Mouth The rest by Godly and able men worthy of credit c. And this was wonderful that he had such a Divine memory of all impressed into him that he could recite each word yea tittle in the same order he heard them although he should recite them an hundred times which must needs be from some extraordinary understanding and illumination And are all consonant to truth respect Gods Glory and full of comfort And in divers Visions he as the other two also were incouraged not to regard what men said or thought thereon at all which he urged to the Lord as his trouble and impediment as may be seen notably in divers Revelations which we will pass over with many other remarkable passages The chiefest enemy of Cotterus was one of the Emperial Tresurers of the Exchequer who swore he would not rest till he saw him and another Minister hanged He was at last taken and brought before him examined and at length committed to Prison All his writtings they could find seased on and examined At length he was brought forth to Tryal and was questioned From whom he had these Fictions that he vented under the name of Visions But he constantly asserted from no mortal Wight but from those spirits which were wont to appear to him and again disappeared Which whether they were good or evil Angels he a simple Idiot could not judge but left it to the Learned and Wise to do The Earle that seized on him inclined to dismiss him on certain conditions But the Treasurer refused and was more violent And the other Minister question'd for his life That with his most lying Pen abusing the simplicity of a phanatick man he had written Treason against the Emperor who excused that what they had done was by the command of the Senate But the Senate bailed their Pastor under the penalty of two thousand Gold Crowns to appear but Cotterus the Treasurer committed to closer prison till he was almost famished An entire volumn of his Visions was by his enemyes brought to the Earl who when he had read them would no more meddle in the business and procured that Cotterus should have counsel to defend himself The definitive Sentence was not known for the Treasurer being newly Marryed to a Noble Lady upon some occasions went a journey and in his return was suddenly taken with vehement gripings of the belly one evening in the very Suburbs of Sprottavia where he threatened to see him hanged with the Minister and possessed with I know not what fear would take nothing prescribed by the Physitians that was called But would defer it till next day that his disease might better discover it self but dyed suddenly in the night There where he had purposed to hang those Saints of God which raised a terror in all the City c. So that his Enemyes being hereby terrified durst not publish the Sentence against him but used him better in prison and with more freedom to himself and access of his Wife and Friends who urged his dismission or execution so that his adversaries being never at rest after some months deliberation brought him forth out of prison set him in the Pillory in the Market place bound him in an Iron Collor and a paper affixed on his head This is the false prophet who hath foretold those things which are not come to pass And so was sent away out of the City by the common Executinor and Banished and lived so twenty years c. Not long after the former Minister and another friend of Cotterus had likewise a mervellous deliverance by apparition of an Angel out of the City upon the Imperial Armies entrance c. Cotterus also had a Miraculous Cure and Recovery from an Epidemical Distemper which had seized on him with his Wife Daughter and another of the house so that they all lay down of it At which time his Wife also saw one of the Spirits enter the Room one evening She asked her Husband who it was who said it was one of the Spirits that were wont to appear to him The Spirit wishing health to him asked him how he did As a poor miserable man can be said he whom the Lord hath visited The Spirit then said Be of good chear God will raise thee up Cut thee three morsels of Bread Eat and take three spoonfuls of Ale the disease will leave thee He did so and was rap't into an Extasie and had Visions c. And after returning to himself was wholly well We must also pass over the innumerable wonderful things that in particular concern Christina likewise her Extasies and Visions c. As 1. how she was wonderfully restored from her grievous distempers on a sudden by a Voice in her Extasie saying I am he which kill and make alive at which as at all the rest following the Physitians were confounded 2. That being an healthful young Virgin she was suddenly deprived of the use of her feet for six weeks and not able to stand a moment and without any help suddenly restored by a Vision 3. That she was suddenly struck dumb for eight dayes and on a sudden also restored to speech 4. Suddenly struck Deaf and Dumb with a Feaver and Delirium and again suddenly recovered in her Extasie and Vision 5. Intolerable pains torments and disquietments on a sudden and in a moment delivered in an Extasie
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
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
Authority committed to them of God out of the hands of the Antichristian usurper c. To call a General Council in order to a Universal Peace and Unanimity in Christendom and to agree for God and Religion for the publick good both of Church and State For that God will put it into their hearts to fulfil his Will and agree or make one Mind and Will and no longer give their Kingdoms to the Beast But that the Words of God shall be fulfilled To destroy Babylon and all her Abominations and Idols c. and to rule the World peacefully under the Banner of Christ and universally reform it out of all its horrible confusions and disorders according to the Will that is the Word of God c. And all Ecclesiasticks Angels of the Churches Pastors Bishops and Priests to perform the Ministry of their high Calling and the Service of God and the Church to restore the Primitive Reformation and do their first Works and repent and no longer neglect the Catholick Church of God through the whole World for worldly Dominion Honours Riches and Interests Nor to hinder Universal Reformation by wrangling and contesting for Opinions Ceremonies Revenues Prerogatives and Priviledges and such like vanities but rather to promote Catholick Charity and Indulgence and practise Christian Humility Self-Denyal and all the excellent virtues of the best Religion in the World which they are Chieftains of and to Sacrifice all their dearest concerns for the Salvation of Men And not mind their own things but the things of Jesus Christ c. And all Christians to endeavour and begin Reformation generally in their several places For that now is the time of Gods reforming the World more then ever That towards the end thereof it may be as from the beginning viz. one God and one Worship of God in Spirit and in Truth without Idols and false Godds and false Worships That all may inhabit peaceably the Earth without Wars Fightings Hatreds Contentions Envyings Strifes and without Sects and Parties lest his Wrath break forth upon them to the utmost and there be no Remedy for the Present Generation All which things to be sure are no other then was the drist of all the Prophets and extraordinary Messengers of God to Men of old when that all ordinary Persons Kings Princes Priests or People were become so corrupt and exorbitant that there were none that did his duty rightly but all desperately transgressed the Law of their God and provoked his Wrath without measure For what else was their Burthens but sad Lamentations for the Peoples sins and wickedness Exhortations to Repentance and amendment And denunciations of Grace upon Repentance and of Wrath upon Impenitence c. And what else are these likewise as to their main Scope and Intent The Sum and Substance of them in General now follows The Sum of all these Prophesies in the General is the same with all the Antient Prophets and indeed an Explication of them concerning the State of the Church in the last dayes And that our present Age is the last time of the World wherein shall be fully and finally accomplished all Scripture Prophesies I. Babylon the Great the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth typified by the old to fall and its Builders to be dispersed Gen. 11. Jerem. 50. and 55. Revel 18. II. The Stone cut out of the Mountain without Hands to destroy the great Image of Iron and Clay and increase into a great Mountain filling the whole Earth Dan. 2. III. The very Relicks of all Nimrodian Tyranies and Oppressions to be abolished quite and the Kingdoms given to the Saints of the most high Dan. 7. IV. Both the Beasts in the Revelations The greater with seven Heads blaspheming God and making War against the Saints and the lesser with two Horns counterfeiting a Lamb yet speaking like a Dragon now to be slain Rev. 13. V. The great Harvest and Vintage of the whole Earth at hand Rev. 14. VI. All the Vials of Gods Wrath a pouring forth upon the Earth Rev. 16. VII Till the great Beast that carries the Whore with seven Heads and ten Horns be destroyed and the Whore her self forsaken by her ten Horns viz. Kings her once defenders and lovers be burnt with fire Rev. 17. VIII The Lamb to be Victor over all Enemies Satan bound in the bottomless Pit for a thousand years The Church to be quiet Rev. 20. IX And then the Marriage of the Lamb to be solemnized under the whole Heavens Rev. 19. X. And the Church to appear in its Splendour and Glory such as the Prophets have heretofore described of old Isa 60. Rev. 21. And indeed these Books of the three Prophets are a very Revelation of the Revelation of St. John to end and decide all further contentious Comments thereabouts They being a new Comment upon that old Revelation not Humane but Divine explaining what is that Babylonish Beast making War with the Saints and the great Whore the Mother of Harlots c. riding upon the Beast and who are those Kings commanded from God to execute the Judgement upon Both. And that those destroyers of Babylon are now Born now Chosen and Called And that this whole affair is now in doing And now shortly to be Sealed and concluded by a full and compleat effect in the sight of Heaven and Earth And that we are now under the sixth Seal sixth Trumpet sixth Vial. That is That upon our times happens the great Earthquake shaking the whole frame of Heaven both of Church and State c. and the day of his great Wrath come And the day of the sixth Trumpet when the Angels bound at the great River Euphrates shall be loosed and come and kill the third part of men with Fire and Smoak and Brimstome although the rest that escape repent not And the sixth Vial poured forth upon the great River Euphrates to prepare a way for the Kings of the East to root out Babylon the unclean Spirits of Frogs mustering up heaps of Armies against them in vain to the Battel of the great Day of the Lord God Omnipotent Which Day shall come as a Thief on a sudden and unlook'd for That so the seventh Seal being opened Silence may be in the Heaven of the Church And that the seventh Trumpet sounding the Mystery of God foretold by his Servants the Prophets may be finished Namely That all the Kingdoms of the World may become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christs c. And that the seventh Vial being poured forth there may be Voices and Thunders and Lightnings and Earthquakes such as have not been since men have been upon the Earth whereby the Cities of the Nations may fall and great Babylon it self c. More expresly and particularly I. That the World is become as corrupt now as it was in the dayes of Noah before the Flood and in Egypt Babylon and Jerusalem when she rebelled against God especially the Christian Nations By name Germany
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
were the two first Fathers who were order'd to learn the China Charecter and Language and sent thither Who at last entred into the City Canto but fain to return twice disappointed of their design till in the end they make a new attempt furnished with all curiosities together with a solemn Embassy in form to the Vice-Roy of Canto and so were received with all possible demonstration of respect as before hath been related of Riccius c. In process of time many were Converted and Baptized among whom were some Mandarines and Calao 〈…〉 chief Governors and Officers of the Kingdom But the Priests and Priestlings stir up Persecution against them make them odious and abominable and Teachers of new Godds imprison torment and banish them But at length through the favour of great persons they obtain'd freedom and peace and the Christian Religion the more spread But by the way Had the same measure been meted to the Jesuites there by Heathens as they mete to fellow Christians here or as we say had they serv'd them in the same sauce they might have had indeed a few Martyrs and Confessors perhaps but never Evangelists and Preachers or Apostles of the Chinois unless at Stake only We shall not go about here to give the History of the manner of their proceeding in conversion of those Infidels and Idolaters but only present you with their Compendium or Catechism of the Divine Law in the China Tongue as we promised at the beginning together with the Letters of their Queen and chief Minister of State to the Pope and their Answers c. A Compendium of the Divine Law 1. Perhaps some one may ask what God is 'T is answered God is no other thing then the Creator of all things as also the great Governor and Lord of all things who made the Heavens who made the Earth who made Spirits who made Men. 2. The Heavens Earth Men and all things before were nothing and afterwards were Therefore before the Heavens Earth Men and all things there was some Lord necessarily before to create them 3. Because all things cannot be made of themselves all have that from out of which they are made or a Maker of them as Towers Palaces and Houses cannot be made of themselves but must necessarily be the work of some Artificer 4. Therefore the Heavens Earth Men and Creatures how can they be created of themselves There is therefore an Author of these things whom we name God If men do name an Age Puencu and make others like themselves and a first Grand-father Parent 5. Then these also were after the Heavens and the Earth were All had a Father and a Mother from whom they were procreated And of these to make a Creator of Heaven and Earth of Men and of Things is a great Error 6. Some will say The Heavens Earth Men and Things seeing they depend on God in their Creation I am bold to ask This God of whom does he depend in his Creation 7. 'T is answer'd God is the first Root and Principle of Things If he had dependence in his Creation for that very thing he would not be God 8. For things either have a beginning and end as Herbs Trees Fowls and creeping things or they have a beginning and no end as Heaven Earth Angels Devils and the Intellective souls of Men God only is without beginning and end and can give a beginning and end to all things 9. If there was not God there would not be other created things As for Example Of one Tree the Flowers Fruits Boughs Leaves and Body are all generated out of the Root If there be not the Root for that very thing the rest will not be But 10. Coming to the Root of the Tree by no means is there another Root out of which to be sprung or proceed God seeing he is the Root and Foundation of all things out of what other thing can himself proceed 11. God when he first created all things in the beginning he divided the Heavens from the Earth created all species or kinds of things Afterwards he created Male and Female the Male was call'd Adam 12. The Woman was call'd Eve For these two had not Father and Mother and are the first Parents of all People All else as Fo Ki not excepting those whom they make Immortal All have 13. A Father and a Mother of whom they are born and they could not avoid it but that sooner or later they should be corrupted and die God seeing he is the true Lord of Heaven Earth Men and Things c. together withal created all things 14. That they should be for mens use Consequently it altogether behoves us Men to love and worship God By not loving and worshipping great sin is thereupon committed For example A couple of Parents produce a Son 15. They nourish cloath educate him If the Son know not to honour Father and Mother certainly he is called disobedient and most grievously sins How much more 16. Seeing God is the chief Parent of Men does it not behove us to love and reverence him since it is now declar'd what God the Lord of all things is It is easie to explain the the things of this Age or World that is of Mankind 17. This same Man hath naturally two parts Soul and Body His Body although it be corrupted and die his Soul cannot he extinguished even to eternity For in this Age or time of the World Souls have three differences 18. The lowest Order is call'd the Vegetative Soul namely the Soul of Herbs and Trees This Soul helps Herbs and Trees to live and grow Herbs and Boughs or Wood cut down wither and perish 19. Their Soul follows and is extinguished The middle Order is called the Sensitive Soul to wit the Soul of Fowls creeping things and Beasts 20. This Soul gives faculty or Power to Fowls creeping things and Beasts of living and growing and makes withal that they hear and see through their ears and eyes and tast and smell through their Pallates and Nostrils through the rest of their Members that they feel pain and pleasure but yet they cannot discourse and reason and when they die even their Soul also is extinguished 21. The highest Order is call'd the Intellective Soul to wit the Soul of Man This withal contains the faculty of the two Souls the Vegetative and the Sensitive Therefore it can give a faculty to men of living and growing together also of feeling and sense 22. Moreover it gives him a faculty of discerning all reason to discern all things by His body although it die yet his Soul is perpetually conserv'd nor is extinguished Therefore the Men of this Age only fear dead men and do not fear dead Animals That arises from the natural discourse or reason of man that he can animadvert and think after the death of men Moreover the Soul of man not dead 23. Remains and therefore can fear But the Soul of creeping things and Beasts is