Johan Amos Comenius

“ It was Religion that perswaded him to forsake his Countrey, and a good cause. But I know not Gods pleasures, whether he will that I should seale it with my bloud. And rising up he said, I am here my God, dispose of me thy servant as it seemeth good in thine eyes; I am full of years, take from me my life, that I may not see those evils which I see are now comming on my Country. ”

“ Behold me a miserable old man, who have often intreated my God, that hee would have compassion on me, and take me out of this life, but I have not obtained it; For God hath reserved me to be a spectacle in the world, and a sacrifice to himself. Let Gods will be done. My death indeed is disgracefull in the eyes of men, but glorious in the light of God: for God will account that death precious in his sight, which I suffer for his glory and truth. ”

“ And when the chief Officer taking an affection to Nicolas above the rest did offer his life, if he would recant his errour, and would give him a whole yeares space to consider of it. He stood still a little as if he would consider of it, and by and by he made answer. It is too much by too long a deliberation, that I should lose my brothers, and went along with them to the fire. ”

“ Pray take away from one part, your gold and your temptations, from the other your swords, your racks, and other instruments of cruelty, and restore liberty of conscience, and you shall presently see, how seriously they have imbraced your religion, if therefore he be a false friend who loves another mans estate, and not his person, why are you so foolish as to please your selves in the thoughts of those men, who either out of flattery, or else through force, seem to comply with your present prosperous estate? ”

“ But when the revenging eye of God, could not longer bear the deaths, and Martyrdomes, the Banishment and crosses of his own, he declared a dreadfult example of his wrath upon Drahomira; for on that place where the Ministers bones lay unburied, the earth opened of it self and devoured Drahomira alive, with the Chariot and those that were carried in it, which place is now to be seen before the Castle of Prague. ”

“ I acknowledg that it was the will of God that we should outwardly fall, who hath chosen me and my beloved fellowes in this last age to honour the truth by our bloud, and to make it glorious by our constancy. ”

“ The fight is but shoort, but the reward is eternall; Let us remember our Lord, what a cruell death hee underwent for us, and with what guiltlesse blood we are redeemed, and what torments the Martyrs have patiently endured. ”

“ Krasa standing like an unshaken rock, against all the perswasions of the Legate, told them. That all their hopes of any recantation from him were in vain. Hee was drawne slowly through the streets, the Legate at every turning inveighing against him, and oftentimes (commanding the hangman to stay) crying to him. Pitty your self and recant those errours which the Bohemians have so rashly spread abroad. ”

“ And when fire was put to the wood they prayed with a loud voice, Lord Jesus Christ, thou in thy sufferings prayedst for thine enemies, threefore we also pray, forgive the King, the men of Prague, and the clergy, for they know not what they do, and their hands are full of blood. Well beloved people, pray for your King, that God would give him the knowledge of truth, for he is misled by the Bishops and Clergy. ”

“ I embrace the will of God, who by the ignominious death makes me conformable to his son, and by a narrow way bring me to a heavenly Kingdome. Therefore I praise the mercy of God, because he hath joyned me undeservedly to these excellent men, that I might receive with them a crown of Martyrdome. ”

“ Those that loved Religion and constancy at their hearts, did instantly separate themselves by banishment, others were troubled and wavered seeking holes and hiding places, soliciting Cæsar by Petitions either to change the decree or grant them a longer time or else indeavouring by words to obtaine it, as much as was in any mans power. There were not some wanting who pretending the discomodities of banishment, poverty, age, sicknesse, duties, and every thing else, thought it best to satisfie the Emperours will. ”

“ WHen the Jesuites solicited him to Apostacy, he said, you take away our lives under a pretence of Rebellion, and not content with that, Do you seeke our souls? Glut your selves with the sight of our bloud and be at rest. ”

“ And it was necessary that it should so happen to me, that every one might know the world to be an hater of the truth; because the truth is not in it: and that it also might appear, that the world is an enemy of God. ”

“ Thou therefore our God looke upon us miserable creatures, whom thou hast so humbled by afflictions, that the shadow of death covers us, who for thy sake are put to death every day, and are carried as sheep to the slaughter. awake O Lord why sleepest thou? do not cast us off for ever? why doest thou turn away thy face, and forget our affliction and oppressions? for our life is brought down to the dust, and our belly cleaves to the ground. Arise O Lord, help us and deliver us for thy name sake. Psal. 44. 21. &c. Israel is a scattered sheep, the Lions have driven him away. ”

“ When he ask’d the reason, he answered him, Let your Honour thinke, that my Conscience is so tender that it will not by any meanes suffer any violence to be used against it. If I should therefore revolt when that speaks to the contrary, I can expect nothing from it but gnawings, and rendings, and torments which will drive me headlong into despair. ”

“ Be strong therefore in the Lord, and in the power of his might, that thou mayst fight the good fight, and mayst receive a Crowne of life. What is the manner of this fight thou needest not to be taught, though peradventure thou mayst be admonished, But that I may no longer detain thee, stand fast beloved brother: As far as humane providence can direct us, we have provided for your safety, neither will we be wanting to you. ”

“ In the mean while it is told them that the Barons aud Noblemen, were led out of the prison of the Castle into the Court of the ancient City, near unto which in the market place that direful Theatre for that shambles was appointed: which they, as if they were going to meet with them, hasten to the windows, and looking out entertaine their fellow Martyrs with the forty fourth Psalm with a loud voyce, while the amazed multitude flock after them in great swarms, sighing and lamenting. ”

“ To this I answer, That heretofore being in a cruell prison, I was prevailed upon to sinne against God, my most righteous Judge, because then I was weak in the faith, not trusting God, that he was able to deliver his out of the hands of men: but God chastised me for this my fault, holding my conscience captive for a whole year together, so that I could have no hope in Gods mercy: and yet I recalled to mind former sinners, who did upon their repentance obtain mercy at the hands of God. ”

“ About fifty men farre excelling others in godlinesse, wisdomes and courage, who had passed over their younge yeares in learning, in millitary affaires, and in travelling the rest of their age, sety apart for the Church and Commonswealth to wit by watching, by shewing dangers to the imprudent, adding courage to the prudent, by exhorting unto concord, and advising in common what they could for the best: in a word, the very flower of our nation, the lights, delights and safeguard of our Country. ”

“ Some were wounded, others (among so many glittering swords) fell into diseases by reason of fear, what besides they did with the women-kind in the Temple, modesty forbids me to speak; the spoiles, as if taken from an enemy publickly sold at Kutiburg; and in their feasts they merrily drunk out of the cup which was taken away, and all without any punishment. ”

“ Thus the Bohemians received the first light of the Gospel; but the Crosse was the concomitant of it, according to the will of Christ, who as he did establish his Church by his own bloud; so he sprinkles it with the bloud of Martyrs, that it may be fruitfull: this is the counsell of Divine Wisedome, that we may hope in Christ, not for the things of this life. Therefore the Gospel cost the Bohemians some of their bloud. ”

“ We must do as Paul did, who was much in sorrow, and was grieved at the heart for the Brethren, who carried themselves so, as to become forsakers of God; and we may hope, that Gods mercy will not be wanting to his Elect, in bringing them into the wayes of repentance. But because God is a just Judge, and hath assigned a portion to the fearfull and liars in a lake of fire and brimstone. [Rev. 21. 8.] Now what will become of those hypocrites, who deny that with their mouths, that which they believe in their hearts; but fearfull, and lies in the sight of God. ”

“ Howsoever being advised to return from the maze of their errors into the path of truth, they smiling answered, not we but you must think of returning, for you are drawn aside from the Word of God to the impostures of Antichrist, and you do worship the creature for the Creator. ”

“ For a question being propounded concerning the secular power, whither it were lawfull for a Christian with a safe conscience to governe as a Magistrate, or to use the sword, or to give, or to exact Oaths, many were of the negative opinion as they are now in this Anabaptist age, but the greater part affirmed, that it was lawfull. The discent did so greatly increase, that those of the negative opinion did separate themselves, and had by themselves a peculiar meeting at Prague, accusing the other that they did admit of the sword, & propounded to defend themselves by outward force. ”

“ And indeed so long as he shot his darts against secular men, he was highly esteemed off amongst the Divines, as one out of whose mouth the Holy Ghost spake: but as soone as he began to thunder against them also, their minds being altered, they cryed out that he was mad, and the Devils Agent. ”

“ Verit,
3, Now Ianovius being banished the adversaries forbad and abolished communion in both kinds, not only in the Church of Aix, but every where at Prague, and through the whole Kingdome: so that the more constant among them, could not celebrate and receive the Sacrament after their accustomed manner, except in private houses, and after that in Woods and Caves; and there not without hazzard of their lives, and persecutions: for they were set upon in the ways, plundered, beaten, and drown’d in rivers, so that at length they were necessitated to go together armed, and in strong companies. ”

“ Among other things, a little before the time that he was to suffer death, he explained that place of Paul [For our conversation is in heaven] saying, The faithfull while they live are in body on earth, but in their conversation in heaven; that is, their shadow is onely here, they themselves do reign indeed with Christ in the heavens: much more their soules being separated from their bodies are immediately with Christ, and it cannot be thought to be otherwise. ”

“ Afterwards Marriages, Burials, Baptisme were forbidden to those that were Non-Catholicks, that which indeed was a thunder-bolt which shook the mindes of many, especially those which intended to marry. The want of baptisme and disgrace of buriall (because they were to be buried by the gardens, fields, and high-wayes, without any ceremony) could be endured more easily: if any one were privately married, or had his infant baptized, his punishment was a long imprisonment, unlesse that he could procure his liberty either by apostasie, or by some great fine. ”

“ Adam Pisecius was Pastor of Byreschrum in Moravia in the Dominion of Charles of Zerotina, who because his Patron had kept faith with Cæsar, feared no hurt, and entertaining curteously both in language and gesture, the Souldiers that came unto him, being wanting in nothing that might speake their welcome, but they assoone as they began to have knowledge of the Minister, were mad, and first of all beat him shrewdly, and then kill him as he was flying to the porch of the Temple, and stript him of his clothes and robd the house. ”

“ For I will not reckon up what friends were separated from their friends, what kinsfolk from their kinsfolk, parents from their children, children from their parents, brother and sister one from another: yea, some wives, their husbands not enduring the tryal of the Cross, was separated and disjoyned: some husbands are banished, whose wives could not be perswaded to forsake all for Christ: there are some women, who that they wight profess their faith in Christ, have forsaken their husbands for their Apostacy. ”

“ But when these things afforded but a lingring hope, Rokizane did again incourage his, and gave them new hopes of a Reformation, suddenly to appear: for taxing divers abuses, he said: We only now do grow on the out-side, but shortly some will appear, who from the depths shall draw forth the foundation of true religion. ”

“ I do not mean Infants, who cannot distinguish between their right hand and their left: but men of growth, who in many places, under moderate Governours, did not undergo such a bitter persecution as the other, but kept constantly in the faith: as for example, many in the Dukedome of Fridland, in the County of Westineus, of which we spake before, under the Barons of Zerotin and Waldstein, and some others, who suffered not their Subjects to be so tormented. ”

“ Neverthelesse they did despise the glory of God: for I ought to teach all, how they might come to repentance, but they had a signe given them, when those three spiritual men went from me, asking me a sign from Heaven (but they are without excuse, for they themselves held the books in their own hands) and I wept greatly, because they did not receive the Lords anointed: which indeed is no matter of wonder, seeing even from the beginning of the world, they did persecute those, who being renewed of God, doe good workes. ”

“ Our men receive these things with joy, and being desirous of the Christian Unity, they deliberate whether they should join with the Waldenses, and so be one people and one Church. The purity of their Doctrine, and Christian conversation of life, did much please them. ”

“ And thus the Ministers of the Gospell throughout all Moravia and Bohemia, the slaves and vassalls of Antichrist are given to the Churches for Doctors, blind guides to seeing men. It is high time to see how they dealt with the other Orders. ”

“ To whom that Gods word might the more appear, even France it self (although professing the Roman-Religion) not induring any longer to behold this daily Tyranny every day increasing, and the growth of the Emperor, brought about by the ruines and oppressions of other Kingdomes, joyne counsels and strength, of which passages God onely knows the issue, for the present we observe the just judgement of God who knows the Nations that deal at War, and to those that spill the bloud of his Saints, he can give them blood to drink, as he hath threatned in the 68 Psal. ”