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diff --git a/ksaft_EN.rst b/ksaft_EN.rst index 6a6d2a3..5cba26e 100644 --- a/ksaft_EN.rst +++ b/ksaft_EN.rst @@ -1,4 +1,4 @@ -============================================================================================ +============================================================================================ Jan Amos Komenský: The last will and testament of the dying mother The Unity of Brethren[*]_ ============================================================================================ @@ -12,6 +12,16 @@ by which (in the middle of its nation and in its specificity) treasures entruste All following footnotes (not this one) are by the translator. +The Year of Our Lord 1650. [#]_ + +J. A. K. + +.. [#] This translation is based on the electronic edition of the Czech + text available on + http://www.dkd.cz/dila/_Ksaft_umirajici_matky_Jednoty_Bratrske_9216.TXT, + and corrected by checking against the 1928 edition by J. V. Klíma + mentioned above. + Biblical quotations used are from the The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. @@ -21,37 +31,32 @@ by which (in the middle of its nation and in its specificity) treasures entruste National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. -The Year of Our Lord 1650. - -J. A. K. - -.. http://www.phil.muni.cz/german/mstc-php-RE.php ... staročeský slovník Introduction ------------ -The treatise of Jan Amos Komenský The last will and testament of the -dying mother The Unity of Brethren, although not large by its size, +The treatise of Jan Amos Komenský “The last will and testament of the +dying mother The Unity of Brethren”, although not large by its size, still belongs to the most important works of his. President Masaryk in the first chapter of his book “The World Revolution” [#]_ indicated that -it was the famous prophecy in the Komenský’s Testament was his guide in -the foreign resistance. +the famous prophecy in the Komenský’s Testament was his guide in the +foreign resistance. The Testament was created after the Thirty Years War, which brought -a yoking to the Czech nation under the foreign rule and which thwarted -by the Peace of Westfalia (1648) all hopes of our exiles to return -back to their country. Despite all promises of the Swedish chancellor -Axel Oxenstierna and despite pleading letter of Komenský to the -chancellor before the peace has been agreed, the Czechs were abandoned -by Swedish and nothing happened to help exiles. There was still a weak -hope they will take care for the exiles, when the warring sides talked -about the execution of the peace agreement in the beginning of the year -1650 in the Nürnberg. When even this hope has been frustrated, Komenský +a yoke to the Czech nation of the foreign rule and which thwarted by the +Peace of Westfalia (1648) all hopes of our exiles for return back to +their country. Despite all promises of the Swedish chancellor Axel +Oxenstierna and despite pleading letter of Komenský to the chancellor +before the peace has been agreed, the Czechs were abandoned by Swedish +and nothing happened to help exiles. There was still a weak hope they +will take care for the exiles, when the warring sides talked about the +execution of the peace agreement in the beginning of the year 1650 in +the Nürnberg. When even this hope has been frustrated, Komenský understood that the Unity is sentenced to die in the foreign countries when it cannot return back home. Komenský became the bishop of the Unity of Brethren in Leszno on 1648. Therefore he writes in the name of his -unity [#]_ moving and heartfelt Testament in the beginning of the year 1650, -where the Unity bids farewell with its believers and with the Czech +unity [#]_ moving and heartfelt Testament in the beginning of the year +1650, where the Unity bids farewell to its believers and to the Czech nation. It was also necessary to give an order to the members of the unity, how to behave if the Unity dissolves. (The Unity has not dissolved then yet though, because the council in Leszno the same year @@ -112,7 +117,7 @@ XII. The Unity thanks to the Polish Unity for accepting her children where it looses whole good moral life style. The Polish Unity should take care for the remedy. XIII. If the Unity dissolves, all its preachers could serve in any - Evangelical [#]_ church; faithful should join an evangelical church as + Evangelical[#]_ church; faithful should join an evangelical church as well. XIV. The Unity then turns to other Christian unities, first of all them to the Roman Unity, of which all other arisen. She was not true @@ -178,18 +183,18 @@ contracted from German. The original manuscript of the Testament has not been preserved. However, we have four transcriptions from the 18th century. The first print of the Testament, the Berlin one, is from 1757. The work was -printed in Prague only in 1848. Important editions are: publishing by -the bibliophiles club from 1909 by František Táborský and Em. Smetánka -with the illustrations by Adolf Kašpar; edition by the Czech Mission -Unity from 1912 (faithful copy of the Berlin edition); Kobr’s edition -from 1917 made by J. V. Novák; edition by Komenský society in Prague -from 1918 by Jan Herben and with illustrations of František Bílek; -critical edition by St. Souček in the Reichl’s Block from 1927 (which -is the foundation of our edition); then the edition by J. V. Klíma from -1928 in Prague, Rudolf Schams from 1930 in the Laichter’s collection -Lights. There are two German translations: from 1866 and the second one -by Dora Peřinová from 1907. Dutch translation is by the Amsterdam doctor -R. A. B Oosterhuis from 1928. +printed in Prague only in 1848. Important editions are: edition by the +bibliophiles club from 1909 by František Táborský and Em. Smetánka with +the illustrations by Adolf Kašpar; edition by the Czech Mission Unity +from 1912 (faithful copy of the Berlin edition); Kobr’s edition from +1917 made by J. V. Novák; edition by Komenský society in Prague from +1918 by Jan Herben and with illustrations of František Bílek; critical +edition by St. Souček in the Reichl’s Block from 1927 (which is the +foundation of our edition); then the edition by J. V. Klíma from 1928 in +Prague, Rudolf Schams from 1930 in the Laichter’s collection Lights. +There are two German translations: from 1866 and the second one by Dora +Peřinová from 1907. Dutch translation is by the Amsterdam doctor R. A. +B Oosterhuis from 1928. .. [#] Published in English as The Making of a State (1927). .. [#] The old Unity of Brethren and thus Komenský used intentionally @@ -204,45 +209,46 @@ R. A. B Oosterhuis from 1928. I. -- -In the name of the God Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. +In the name of the God Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. -My dear sons and everybody who hear my voice, listen to me! +My dear sons and everybody who hears my voice, listen to me! It is proclaimed in the God’s Scriptures, that the one era passes and -the other is coming while the earth stays for ever [#]_, so it has been +the other is coming while the earth stays for ever[#]_, so it has been fulfilled on us all, who were here before us, and it is being fulfilled on us who are alive now, and it will be fulfilled on those who are coming after us. That is that by coming to the world from the place, where the omnipotent Lord lead us from, from the place of the eternal silence, and after staying here for a while, how long He does measure us -to live, we will go back to where, he will lead us (O, let him lead us!) -to the place of His stay. In the same way it is true for each person +to live, we will go back to where he will lead us (O, let him lead us!) +to the place of His stay. As much this is true for each person individually, the same is true for every human society in households, cities, kingdoms and unities, that everywhere one passes away and other comes; you can see what’s even now going on under the heavens; some kingdoms are passing away and change together with their nations, languages, rights, religions: it happens certainly because the new era -is coming; even churches of The Unity: it happens certainly because the -God wants to renew the face of his land [#]_. +is coming; even congregations [#]_ of The Unity: it happens certainly +because the God wants to renew the face of his land [#]_. .. [#] Ecclesiastes 1:4 +.. [#] literally “churches” .. [#] Psalm 104:30 II. --- -I see in the midst of all these changes my own change and dying and +I see in the midst of all these changes my own change and my dying and passing away, and I have been put under the God’s discipline when I have been pushed away to the middle of strangers, and I have been abandoned by my neighbors (who build peace for themselves and forgot about myself [#]_). If The Lord affirms what people do, I see that while I had served -to the will of the God in my age, I am going to fall asleep [#]_; so +to the will of the God in my age, I am going to fall asleep[#]_; so I will do what the cautious according to the wisdom of the World do, if they have anything to bequeath, they establish their heirs and they divide among them the blessings of God, so that it would not be lost or -there wouldn’t be division and that they would not leave fights behind +there wouldn’t be division, and that they would not leave fights behind themselves. Which is the God’s order given to the Hezekiah: “Set your -house in order, for you shall die and not live.” [#]_, and whoever gets +house in order, for you shall die and not live.”[#]_, and whoever gets a house from God to steward should not leave the world without doing The Last Will and Testament. @@ -258,7 +264,7 @@ Go, my children, because I am a widow and forsaken. I brought you up with gladness; but with mourning and sorrow I have lost you, because you have sinned before the Lord God and have done what is evil in my sight. But now what can I do for you? For I am a widow and forsaken. Go, my -children, and ask for mercy from the Lord.[#]_ +children, and ask for mercy from the Lord. [#]_ .. [#] 2. Esdras 2:2b-4 NRSV @@ -268,20 +274,20 @@ IV. I will divide you into four groups, and speaking to the each group individually about what’s needed, I will turn my speech to other -unities, my sisters, older and younger [#]_, with whom and amongst them +unities, my sisters, older and younger[#]_, with whom and amongst them I was cared for by The Lord, and now when he calls me to himself before all of you, I divide amongst you what The Lord had given me to -administer from His Mercy. So, although my external likeness was that -I could tell with the Apostle [#]_: “I have no silver and gold” [#]_, -because I did not have on Earth, in the same manner as my Lord, where to -lay his head; and whatever I had from these smaller earthly things, -homes and congregations, fields, vineyards, they have took off (when -forcing me into exile) in the same manner as they robbed my Lord of his -gown and divided among themselves, when they have nailed him to the -cross; but I can boast in the Christ Jesus in the God’s matters, because -he gave me a riches spiritual, so that His word could stay with me. So -that I will bequest from those treasures given me to my care, how I will -think fit, to give each of you sons and my friends what you need. +administer from His Mercy. So, although my external likeness was such +that I could tell with the Apostle [#]_: “I have no silver and gold” +[#]_, because I did not have on Earth where to lay his head, in the same +manner as my Lord; and whatever I had from these smaller earthly things, +homes and congregations, fields, vineyards, they have took off from me +(when forcing me into exile) in the same manner as they robbed my Lord +of his gown and divided among themselves when they have nailed him to +the cross; but I can boast in the Christ Jesus in the God’s matters, +because he gave me a riches spiritual, so that His word could stay with +me. So that I will bequest from those treasures given me to my care, how +I will think fit, to give each of you sons and my friends what you need. .. [#] Younger sisters mean Lutheran and Calvin unities, older sister is the Utraquist unity. @@ -318,7 +324,7 @@ that faithfulness and who are arriving the end of your faith, with delight which delighted us our most faithful Lord, with these holy words: “You are those who have stayed with me in my trials, and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, that you may eat and -drink at my table in my kingdom.” [#]_ Accept this delight, O my sons, +drink at my table in my kingdom.”[#]_ Accept this delight, O my sons, and do not grief any more for the loss of your earthly fatherland and tabernacles of your home and tabernacles of the Lord here on the Earth; we are led to the more glorious things by the One who said: “Tell my @@ -330,13 +336,12 @@ fragrant perfume [#]_, and they shall neither toil nor become weary.” [#]_ Be ready for the rewards of the Kingdom, because perpetual light will shine on you forevermore. Flee from the shadow of this age, receive the joy of your glory [#]_ knowing that you shall be attached -after your release from here to the great crowd which are before the -throne and before the face of the Lamb, dressed in white and having palm -branches of Victory; about those the heavenly voice says: “These are the -ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes -and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before -the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple …” etc. -[#]_ +after your release from here to the great crowd before the throne and +before the face of the Lamb, dressed in white and having palm branches +of Victory; about those the heavenly voice says: “These are the ones +coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and +made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the +throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple …” etc. [#]_ .. [#] Luke 22:28-30 .. [#] Tree of life symbolises the eternal life, whereas fragrant @@ -350,23 +355,23 @@ VII. Delight more precious than whole world you have disposed of (because what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his -life, what shall a man give in return for his life [#]_), you fearful +life, what shall a man give in return for his life[#]_), you fearful ones, and when you cannot stand your test, you fell; cry and groan over yourself! Or is it right to keep faith for a time and leave it at the time of temptation, and show yourself to be of those who fell on the -rock and not having roots? [#]_ Ah, not many of you declared with Peter: -“Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.” [#]_ and +rock and not having roots?[#]_ Ah, not many of you declared with Peter: +“Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.”[#]_ and what remained? All of you fled away, when the gale hit the Lord and His -gospel [#]_. Consider the generations of old and see: has anyone trusted +gospel[#]_. Consider the generations of old and see: has anyone trusted in the Lord and been disappointed? Or has anyone persevered in the fear of the Lord and been forsaken? Or has anyone called upon him and been neglected? Woe to timid hearts and to slack hands, and to the sinner who walks a double path! Woe to the faint-hearted who have no trust! Therefore they will have no shelter. Woe to you who have lost your -nerve! What will you do when the Lord’s reckoning comes? [#]_ +nerve! What will you do when the Lord’s reckoning comes? [#]_ Here is advice: Do, what Peter did after his fall: recall who you are, -leave the bishop’s palaces [#]_ somewhere to a corner, where other +leave the bishop’s palaces[#]_ somewhere to a corner, where other disciples are sheltered. Cry and howl more than others, so long as the rooster of the God still crows and as long as the Lord still tied still standing in front of his false judges looks at you: when you leave? Do @@ -397,14 +402,14 @@ front of the face of the almighty Lord. IX. --- -I commend you cry, like the one which they commend to the whole family -of Israel. The Lord God, when he burnt His priests with fire in His -tabernacle, because they sacrificed unauthorized fire before the Lord -God; where the Lord God did not let the remaining priests cry, but He -let the people cry [#]_. Even my first born sinned, guardians [#]_ of my -tabernacle, brought or let be brought the foreign fire to the tabernacle -of the Unity, fire of the human wisdom, fire of bodily vanities, fire of -pride, splendor, jewels, debauchery, your own will, miserliness, and +I commend you cry, like the one which the Lord God commend to the whole +family of Israel, when he burnt His priests with fire in His tabernacle, +because they sacrificed unauthorized fire before the Lord God; where the +Lord God did not let the remaining priests cry, but He let the people +cry [#]_. Even my first born sinned, guardians [#]_ of my tabernacle, +brought or let be brought the foreign fire to the tabernacle of the +Unity, fire of the human wisdom, fire of bodily vanities, fire of pride, +splendor, jewels, debauchery, your own will, miserliness, and indifference, etc., and see they died and are dying in front of you for their sins; but you cry because this wound is coming on you and your descendants. @@ -422,15 +427,15 @@ their whole heart, and with fasting and crying even with howling, tearing their hearts, not only their robe; that the solemn assembly is proclaimed, so that both elders and youth are assembled, even the ones feeding on breasts; let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her -chamber; let the priests, servants of the LORD God, cry etc. [#]_; and +chamber; let the priests, servants of the LORD God, cry etc.[#]_; and such repentance as it was done in times of Ahasuerus in the city of Susa, when they were afraid of extermination, when they were not eating -or drinking day and night for three days [#]_, or the repentance done by +or drinking day and night for three days[#]_, or the repentance done by all citizens of Nineveh from the king to the last shepherd, from humans to animals, from elders to babies, doing nothing other than crying to -heavens with feast and crying [#]_, and again Jews had besought the +heavens with feast and crying[#]_, and again Jews had besought the merciful Lord with weeping and fasting and lying prostrate for three -days without ceasing [#]_. +days without ceasing[#]_. O sons, you have never did such repentance and you have never had such amount of fervor, but you behaved like many Judeans in their exile, that @@ -438,15 +443,15 @@ even in the places, where you were dispersed by the Lord, you still sinned and defiled His Holy Name in front of those, for whom you should sanctify him. Israelites, just after being twice defeated, sit down in front of the LORD God, cried, fasted and they offered burnt offerings -and peace offerings [#]_. You were not defeated twice, but more than -twenty times during those thirty years [#]_, but still falling into the +and peace offerings[#]_. You were not defeated twice, but more than +twenty times during those thirty years[#]_, but still falling into the pit, from which you could not and cannot get out, you still have not figured out how to manifest your repentance. And therefore at least now return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness and relenting of evil. Who knows -whether He will not turn and relent [#]_, so that there would be +whether He will not turn and relent[#]_, so that there would be liberation, as the LORD God said, in remains, who will be called by the -LORD God [#]_. +LORD God[#]_. .. [#] Joel 2:12-17 .. [#] Ester 4:16 @@ -471,31 +476,28 @@ futilities, meekness shared by all children and honesty towards yourself left you; on the other hand unfaithfulness, suspicion, differences and conflicts, seeking your own things, pride against yourself together, and discords sneaked between you forever. And in the same manner you started -at home, you have not stopped to behave in the same manner in exile, -only that you have spread out even more in exile. Some of you fallen in +at home you have not stopped to behave in the exile, only that your +thinking have spread thin even more in exile. Some of you fallen in places, where you are honored, and you got into pride and boasting; and some for stinginess worse than in your homeland forgot why you left it, -that is the Word of God. - -Other fallen into disgusting malady, that you gave yourself into vanity, -idleness, laziness, even into begging, which leads to the ugliness and -defamation not only the fate of exiles, but also themselves, and what is -even worse, of whole nation. Some of you have already unhitched from the -yoke of discipline, settling in places, where you could do whatever you -feel is right. +that is the Word of God. Other fallen into disgusting malady, that you +gave yourself into vanity, idleness, laziness, even into begging, which +leads to the ugliness and defamation not only the fate of exiles, but +also themselves, and what is even worse, of whole nation. Some of you +have already unhitched yourself from the yoke of discipline, settling in +places, where you could do whatever you feel is right. Oh, my children, that is how you remember what you were called for and what path you were lead to? We are not here for this life and its things, we are just pilgrims and we have just ordinary things pilgrims have; our home is in the heavens, and so we should be also concerned only with the heavenly matters. Just Lebanon [#]_ is here, Succoth and -Zarethan [#]_, where the Heavenly Salomon [#]_ collects for His Eternal -Temple collects and prepares the alive wood and stones, logs them, cuts, -chops, and chisel and planes them and us, its metals, dissolves and -casts into proper vessels, on this side of Jordan, in the country of -clay earth, where we roll in mud; but this Eternal Salomon leads us to -the to the Upper Jerusalem, where, if we let him well form us everything -will fit. +Zarethan [#]_, where the Heavenly Salomon [#]_ collects and prepares for +His Eternal Temple the alive wood and stones, logs, cuts, chops, chisel, +and planes them and us, its metals, dissolves and casts into proper +vessels, on this side of Jordan, in the country of clay earth, where we +roll in mud; but this Eternal Salomon leads us to the to the Upper +Jerusalem, where, if we let him well form us, everything will fit. .. [#] Lebanon - the mountain range, from which Salomon took the wood for the building of The Temple. @@ -514,7 +516,7 @@ their country and that you brought them up. God give you reward for it and not letting you into loneliness and protect you from being abandoned! I ask you however, remember from which trunk you came, so that you care to be a good grape, well planted vineyard, and do not -change into the wild grape [#]_. Christ told about those who fallen +change into the wild grape[#]_. Christ told about those who fallen apart: “They claim to be Jews, but they are not, they are mistaken.” [#]_. Take care therefore so that it is not said about you “They claim to be the seed of Czech brethren, but they are not.” This is the time, @@ -523,13 +525,13 @@ disappointments truly happen, when not few of your sons are wild in their flesh, leaving the yoke of the discipline and enjoy the freedom of flesh, temporary comforts and plentiful rents and collecting of money, so that for many the office of the shepherd (pastor) turned into mere -tenancy with you as it is elsewhere; you have not learned how to keep in -church in order [#]_ against the God’s prohibition and against the -examples of your fathers, following examples of others; even when the +tenancy with you as it is elsewhere; you have not learned how to keep +the church in order [#]_ against the God’s prohibition and against the +examples of your fathers following examples of others; even when the young ones live with the old ones, sons stay with their fathers, you -still want the salary and you take it. [#]_ And what about elders? It is +still want the salary and you take it.[#]_ And what about elders? It is clearly obvious, that the spirit of my fathers left you, my sons; you -have lost the keys of art, which Lascius wrote about [#]_, that your +have lost the keys of art, which Lascius wrote about[#]_, that your fathers were special masters of maintaining order, discipline, holiness and love of one towards another, without the compulsion and without the help of the world arm. But you, O mine ones (being from the Polish, as @@ -542,12 +544,12 @@ clothes, wiseacrity in their brains, and everything in other style, than what the Christ’s and ancestors’ simplicity sought; they do what they do, so that everything lost the original style and not much is recognizable. Therefore even people, and listeners, and patrons being -mostly void and cold and mostly emptied by winds of many temptations +mostly void, and cold, and mostly emptied by winds of many temptations from their roots, uprooting oneself, so that everything with you slowly -getting tired and is in danger of fall. Therefore, recall yourself, my +gets tired and is in danger of fall. Therefore, recall yourself, my sons, before you will be also uprooted by the Lord, and by true -correction and repair of everything good prevent His anger, so that he -will not move even your candlesticks from their places! +correction, and repair of everything good to prevent His anger, so that +he will not move even your candlesticks from their places! .. [#] Revelation 3:9 translated from Czech .. [#] Isaiah 5 @@ -558,6 +560,7 @@ will not move even your candlesticks from their places! .. [#] Lasicius - the Polish noble Jan Lasicki (1534-1605) wrote a celebratory work about the Unity of Brethren. + XIII. ----- @@ -566,9 +569,9 @@ household of God, demolishes what he does not like, and concludes the demolition, so that he may start afresh on new foundations), so that all my order, discipline, apostolic succession and all religious service terminates, what will you do, my last remainders, being priests or lay -persons? I give you this advice, sons! +persons? I give you this advice, sons! -If any preachers remain, who will have nobody to preach and serve at +If any preachers remain, who will have nobody to preach to and serve at home, serve the Christ where you can, in any Evangelical church which would ask your service; just remember, that you should take care of your simplicity, which I born you in and which I have led you to, walking on @@ -581,19 +584,19 @@ witness of where you come from. You then, orphaned listeners, if it comes to that you would not be able to attend unviolated, pure religious services built on the orders of the Unity, take the advice that you care for those who still walk in the -same fashion as we were the example [#]_, meaning those who will not +same fashion as we were the example[#]_, meaning those who will not teach you to make on Earth masters, fathers, leaders, but who lead to -the only one, who is in the heavens, master, father, leader [#]_; join +the only one, who is in the heavens, master, father, leader[#]_; join the unity where you will see the truth of the Christ gospel, pray for its peace and take care for its building in good, also by an example shine to others, also by the true prayers, so that at least on me and you, my sons, the Almighty wrath stopped, which is justly imposed on the -Christianity so fallen into many heresies and divisions [#]_! +Christianity so fallen into many heresies and divisions[#]_! .. [#] Phil. 3:17 .. [#] Matt 23:8 -.. [#] 3. Maccabees 7:38, which is probably wrong, 3. Maccabees 7 has - only 23 verses. +.. [#] 3. Maccabees 7:38, which is probably incorrect quotation, 3. + Maccabees 7 has only 23 verses. XIV. @@ -604,10 +607,10 @@ even you, our mother, from which we came from, the unity of Rome! You were our mother, but you turned into stepmother, or even female bison [#]_ sucking the blood of your children. I wish that you at least in your old age turned to repentance and left the Babylon of your -hideousness. Where I can show you my example, if it helps, where pay -honor to the God even in my vices remembering on us, and following the -light of his word, I left through His mercy from clouds of your -idolatry. +hideousness. Where I bequest, if it is of any use, to you my example, +where paying honor to the God who even in my vices remembered on us, and +following the light of His word I left through His mercy from clouds of +your idolatry. If you do not want, I will not bequest you anything, only the worm of bad conscience within; from the outside I put as my witness blood of my @@ -622,13 +625,13 @@ under her wings, and you would not! See, your house is left to you desolate.” (Matt. 23:37). Now you have your judgment, Jerusalem of the New Testament; wait for its enforcement. To your sons I bequest the right, which they were given by the God, to take care of the glory of -the Eternal Father (to whom they were born to by you; Ezech. 23:37), -they will raise the resistance against you, their mother, proving that -you are not his wife, but you put away harlotry from your face (Hoseah -2:2). If you do not even then correct yourself and you will not please -your sons by the return to their Father, I bequest to the kings of the -Earth, who until now have carried you on their backs, the God’s zeal, by -which they found you ugly and burn you as a dist with fire (Rev. 17:16). +the Eternal Father (to whom they were born to by you; Ezech. 23:37), to +raise the resistance against you, their mother, proving that you are not +his wife, but you release your harlotry from your face (Hoseah 2:2). If +you do not even then correct yourself and you will not please your sons +by the return to their Father, I bequest to the kings of the Earth, who +until now have carried you on their backs, the God’s zeal, by which they +found you ugly and burn you as a dist with fire (Rev. 17:16). .. [#] female bison — it was said about the Lithunian bison that he deals badly with its offsprings if they are touched by a human. @@ -638,7 +641,7 @@ XV. I speak to you also, my beloved sisters, who lead the uprising according to the will of God (Hosea 2:2) against our mother, and who (against the -will of that unfaithful our mother) betrothed yourself to the Eternal +will of that unfaithful our mother) betrothed yourself to the Eternal Bridegroom in faith, as I did as well, so that we may know the LORD God (Hosea 2:20). Rejoice with me, that we obtain the mercy for Christ not only to trust in Him, but also to suffer for Him (Phil. 1:29)! Grace, @@ -672,7 +675,7 @@ XVI. You, the German Unity, were my most beloved sister, who when I was alone the Lord brought you to life for my pleasure, and who I loved from all -my heart, although your love who when I was alone the Lord brought you +my heart, although your love who when I was alone the Lord brought you to life for my pleasure, and who I loved from all my heart, although your love cooled because of my simplicity. What I hold as my most precious jewel given to me by the Lord I have not been forgetting to @@ -692,14 +695,14 @@ NRSV) However, when Zion should be built and the Lord called Him from his work to rest, his helpers, who should build, let it be, and kept only what he did, and whatever he did, they decided to live in the ruins. Therefore, you don’t have much more than what he did not destroy -from the Papism, and what he thought could stay; those are your -palaces, those are your triumphs. What others considered and consider to -be destroyed yet, you don’t want to finish, you don’t want to even hear +from the Papism, and what he thought could stay; those are your palaces, +those are your triumphs. What others considered and consider to be +destroyed yet, you don’t want to finish, you don’t want to even hear about it, and even less you care about building of the new beautiful order of the whole Church and founding it on that foundation of unity, -and building for it fortifications of order and raising up gates and +and building for it fortifications order and raising up gates and attaching to them doors and bars and locks with the keys of Christ, but -having started with the Spirit, are you ending with the flesh, as those +having started with the Spirit, you are ending with the flesh, as those formerly enthusiastic Galatians (chapter 3:3), but in other direction. They started their Christianity with faith, wished to end with the acts of Law; you started with the living faith, finish with the dead one, the @@ -728,20 +731,19 @@ If then my beloved sister you are also from those are getting gifts and mercies of God, let even me add you something more: wish that you thinking to have something precious, had it truly, but not being misled by your thoughts, you were not feeding on shells, but broke into the -kernel. - -I ask for you first of all more diligent act of unanimity in taking care -for the religion and the act of guarding the discipline supporting it, -so that it would be not only surface but the thing itself. Concerning -theology I wish you more simplicity, less contemplation, and more -careful talk about God and most deep secrets of His than some of your -son did, which lead to the pitiful tearing of yourself, gathered against -you and against each other: Anabaptists, Socinians [#]_, Arminians [#]_, -and other bugs coming out of you (especially now in England, when the -dread of the world power discontinued [#]_; it is clear how your sons, -who are always seeking new things and who are unable to agree on -anything, made sad and outrageous theater to the Church of God from -himself, and the bad name for you with all nations). +kernel. I ask for you first of all more diligent act of unanimity in +taking care for the religion and the act of guarding the discipline +supporting it, so that it would be not only surface but the thing +itself. Concerning theology I wish you more simplicity, less +contemplation, and more careful talk about God and most deep secrets of +His than some of your son did, which lead to the pitiful tearing of +yourself, gathered against you and against each other: Anabaptists, +Socinians [#]_, Arminians [#]_, and other bugs coming out of you +(especially now in England, when the dread of the world power +discontinued [#]_; it is clear how your sons, who are always seeking new +things and who are unable to agree on anything, made sad and outrageous +theater to the Church of God from himself, and the bad name for you with +all nations). Oh my beloved sister, let God gives something to all your sons, so that we can learn to pray together with David: “Simplicity and honesty let @@ -759,46 +761,46 @@ XVIII. ------ To all Christian unities I bequest yearning for the unity of thoughts -and reconciliation and unity in faith and love to the Unity of spirit. -Oh if only that spirit, whose I got in the beginning from the Father of -all spirits [#]_, could come to all of you, so that you would long from -all your heart, as much as I was longing, for the true unity in the -Christendom with all those confessing the name of Christ in truth! Oh if -only God give you to find the foundations of all things essential, -things of service, and accidental, as he did it to me, so that all of -you, would know what is necessary to enthuse about and what not, what to -be enthusiastic about more or less, knowing, when to avoid the -enthusiasm which is without wisdom does not bring building and -improvement, but which brings destruction of the Church, where the -enraged enthusiasm is necessary, where to venture fight in rage for -the Glory of God (all the way to sacrificing your lives)! Oh if only all -of you longed for the true participation in the Mercy of God, for the -true participation in the merits of the Christ, for the true -participation so sweet inner gifts of the Holy Spirit, which you can -achieve through the true faith, true love and true hope to God, which is -the foundation of the Christianity! These you can then achieve by the -services ordained by God for service to us: Word, Keys, and Sacraments, -whose power is the most certainly proven by the inner power of the -Spirit, when they are being used simply and honestly, humbly and in -faith as if given by God without by humans invented beauty of rites. Oh -if only you understand, what Our Lord said: “The Kingdom of God is not -coming in things that can be observed, but it is among you.” (Luke -17:20,21 NRSV); also “there is need of only one thing” (Luke 10:42 -NRSV), that is being wholly invested into the one (that is the good part, -chosen by Maria [#]_, sitting silently at the Lord’s feet and letting go -all anxious activity), hit at least sometime something which would make -happy the heart of Our Compassionate One, who prayed for all of us to -the Father saying: “that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are -in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us” (John 17:21 NRSV), so -that all of you claim allegiance to the house of the Church were only -one house of God, well ordered and joined together, and only one in that -house family of God, under the unanimous order of God in concord, love -and helping one another standing as one body, although consisting of -many members, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it -is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s -growth in building itself up in love (Eph 4:16 NRSV), so that one day -the Christian Church and angels could sing: “how good and pleasant it is -when brothers dwell in unity!” (Psalm 133:1). +and reconciliation and unity in faith and love leading to the Unity of +spirit. Oh if only that spirit, whose I got in the beginning from the +Father of all spirits [#]_, could come to all of you, so that you would +long from all your heart, as much as I was longing, for the true unity +in the Christendom with all those confessing the name of Christ in +truth! Oh if only God give you to find the foundations of all things +essential, things of service, and accidental, as he did it to me, so +that all of you, would know what is necessary to enthuse about and what +not, what to be enthusiastic about more or less, knowing, when to avoid +the enthusiasm which is without wisdom and which does not bring building +and improvement, but which brings destruction of the Church, where the +enraged enthusiasm is necessary, where to venture fight in rage for the +Glory of God (all the way to sacrificing your lives)! Oh if only all of +you longed for the true participation in the Mercy of God, for the true +participation in the merits of the Christ, for the true participation so +sweet inner gifts of the Holy Spirit, which you can achieve through the +true faith, true love and true hope to God, which is the foundation of +the Christianity! These you can then achieve by the services ordained by +God for service to us: Word, Keys, and Sacraments, whose power is the +most certainly proved by the inner power of the Spirit, when they are +being used simply and honestly, humbly and in faith as if given by God +without humans invented beauty of rites. Oh if only you would +understand, what Our Lord said: “The Kingdom of God is not coming in +things that can be observed, but it is among you.” (Luke 17:20,21 NRSV); +also “there is need of only one thing” (Luke 10:42 NRSV), that is being +wholly invested into the one (that is the good part, chosen by Maria +[#]_, sitting silently at the Lord’s feet and letting go all anxious +activity), so that you would hit at least sometimes something which +would make happy the heart of Our Compassionate One, who prayed for all +of us to the Father saying: “that they may all be one, just as you, +Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us” (John +17:21 NRSV), so that all of you claim allegiance to the house of the +Church were only one house of God, well ordered and joined together, and +only one in that house family of God, under the unanimous order of God +in concord, love and helping one another standing as one body, although +consisting of many members, joined and knit together by every ligament +with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes +the body’s growth in building itself up in love (Eph 4:16 NRSV), so that +one day the Christian Church and angels could sing: “how good and +pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!” (Psalm 133:1). .. [#] i.e. God .. [#] Maria listened to the word of Christ, sittnng at his feet, while @@ -816,7 +818,7 @@ some rich burghers of Rome and kings living on their borders, who made as their heir the Roman commonwealth, ruling to the end of the Earth, making testaments in its benefit. Even I do believe God, that after the end of all gales of anger (introduced on our heads for our sins) the -rule of your things will return back to your hands, O Czech people! And +rule of your things will return back to your hands, O Czech nation! And for this hope I make you heir of all I have inherited from my ancestors and preserved during the hard and difficult times, and even what I have acquired through the work of my sons and God’s blessing. All that @@ -824,9 +826,9 @@ I bequest to your and give, namely: First of all, love for the pure God’s truth, which the Lord started to show us before other nations through the ministry of Master Hus, and he -which together with his helper [#]_ and other faithful Czechs sealed by +which together with his helper[#]_ and other faithful Czechs sealed by his blood, and from which we were lead away by the smarts of the -Antichrist, first during the Council of Basel, and now [#]_ through the +Antichrist, first during the Council of Basel, and now[#]_ through the brutal war power, and which I still strive to hold together with my sons who wish to go after the light. That is your inheritance, given to you before other nations, O my beloved country, take over again your right @@ -836,18 +838,18 @@ Compassionate one, will make way for his truth. Second, commend you to the passionate longing for always fuller and clearer understanding of the God’s truth, so that knowing the LORD, you would always try to get to know him more (Hos 6:3). And because the Lord -ordered us to search the Scriptures (John 5:39 [#]_) I bequest you to +ordered us to search the Scriptures (John 5:39[#]_) I bequest you to the inheritance the book of God, The Holy Bible, my sons from the original languages (which God ordered them to be written in) to the Czech language translated with great diligence (several learned men -spent fifteen years on this work) [#]_, and the Lord God so blessed this +spent fifteen years on this work)[#]_, and the Lord God so blessed this effort so much, that only few nations can listen to the holy prophets and apostles speak in their own language. Accept it as your own jewel, my beloved country, and use it for the God’s glory and your own good education; and although the enemies burned copies of this book, wherever they can find it, by the mercy of the same God, who ordered Jeremiah to -write again books once cut and burnt by the godless Jehoiakim [#]_ (Jer. -36) as well as soon afterwards He woke up the religious Ptolemaios [#]_ +write again books once cut and burnt by the godless Jehoiakim[#]_ (Jer. +36) as well as soon afterwards He woke up the religious Ptolemaios[#]_ to translate it into the Greek language and make it known to other nations, even to you this book of God will be preserved; believe and do not doubt! @@ -865,16 +867,16 @@ foundations, whenever the temple of God is being restored (Ezra 3:3)! Fourth, I give you the passion for the service to the Lord God and serving him with unity, which I have longed for always, as it is -evidenced by the memories of my ancestors [#]_ as well as the history +evidenced by the memories of my ancestors[#]_ as well as the history written by Jan Lascius about my matters. I could use this longing much, except that I have joined the common confession of the nation in 1575 and to the common consistory in 1610. However, let be given by God for his mercy (the wish I am sealing either with my life or my death, as the Lord will call me), that the third link be the most perfect, of all my -remains with other remains of faithful Czechs, so that the wood of -Judea and the wood of Ephraim [#]_ be the only wood in the hand of God, -when our scattered bones the Almighty Lord collects again, covers with -flesh and skin and fills with the spirit of Life, for Him nothing is +remains with other remains of faithful Czechs, so that the wood of Judea +and the wood of Ephraim [#]_ be the only wood in the hand of God, when +our scattered bones the Almighty Lord collects again, covers with flesh +and skin and fills with the spirit of Life, for Him nothing is impossible! Fifth, I submit to you and your sons also diligence in cultivation, @@ -882,31 +884,29 @@ cleaning and building up of adored and beloved language of our fathers. My sons were always watchfulness was known for this in times past, so much so, that wise told us there was no better Czech language than the one among the Brethren and in their books. But some are now even more -dillgent, when they were expelled from their country, to create useful +diligent, when they were expelled from their country, to create useful books written with even sharper pen for helping your sons in even more -simple introduction to various FIXME ušlechtilá spanilost in all matters -and speech, to wisdom and FIXME výmluvnost, for more better (FIXME -šťastnému) replacement of the current disaster for times when the Lord -will grant FIXME rozvlažení. So whatever books you find, old or new, -accept it from my sons, have it as your own for the best use you can -see! - -Sixth, I bequest you better youth, more dilligent, better in excercise, -than it used to be. It was my mistkae to entrust my youth to alien, who -led my sons to various passions [FIXME povášnili] and damaged them -[FIXME pokazili]. If the God liked to return me back to better times -I would took care to do better in this. However, I have lost all hope -for myself, so I ask you, my beloved country, I swear [FIXME prosím se -zapřísaháním] to do it yourself. Some of my sons worked on this [#]_ and +simple introduction to various noble grace and beauty in all matters and +speech, to wisdom and eloquence, for more better-chosen replacement of +the current disaster for times when the Lord will grant refreshing. So +whatever books you find, old or new, accept it from my sons, have it as +your own for the best use you can see! + +Sixth, I bequest you better youth, more diligent, better in exercise, +than it used to be. It was my mistake to entrust my youth to alien, who +inflamed my sons and ruined them. If the God liked to return me back to +better times I would took care to do better in this. However, I have +lost all hope for myself, so I ask you, my beloved country, I beseech +you to correct it yourself. Some of my sons worked on this [#]_ and prepared better methods of teaching for youth, which some other nations without difference of their religion are starting to use, but it belongs to you in the first place, do not neglect your inheritance, which my sons will be lead to when the time comes!! In total, all my inheritance, as ashes after the fire, I bequest to you, -my beloved country, so that you can make FIXME louh from it for cleaning +my beloved country, so that you can make lye from it for cleaning of your children, in the same manner as the Lord did for me in the -begginings when he risen up us and my children from the ashes of Hus. +beginnings when he risen up us and my children from the ashes of Hus. .. [#] Master Jerome of Prague .. [#] during the thirty years war @@ -926,25 +926,24 @@ begginings when he risen up us and my children from the ashes of Hus. XX. --- -But what more can I say? It is time to stop and say farewell to you -[FIXME rozžehnati se s tebou], my beloved country! But how? In the same -manner Jacob the patriarch on his death bed blessed his sons [FIXME -žehnaje se syny svými dával jim požehnání]; as Moses when he was leaving -his people. From their mouth I take words and I as a farewell declare -a blessing for you, the Czech nation, from your LORD God, so that you -may be and remain a growing branch over the wall. Even though they -filled you with bitterness and shot at you, because archers hated you -with a secret hate, remain your bow unmoved, and your arms agile by the -hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, by the mighty God to whom your fathers -serve, who helps you, and from the Almighty who will bless you with the -blessing of heaven above, blessings of the deep that crouches beneath, -blessings of the breasts and of the womb! Let your blessings be mighty -beyond the blessings of my ancestors, up to the bounties of the -everlasting hills. (Gen 49,22-26, translated according to the Czech +But what more can I say? It is time to stop and part with you by +blessing, my beloved country! But how? In the same manner Jacob the +patriarch on his death bed blessed his sons; as Moses when he was +leaving his people. From their mouth I take words and I as a farewell +declare a blessing for you, the Czech nation, from your LORD God, so +that you may be and remain a growing branch over the wall. Even though +they filled you with bitterness and shot at you, because archers hated +you with a secret hate, remain your bow unmoved, and your arms agile by +the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, by the mighty God to whom your +fathers serve, who helps you, and from the Almighty who will bless you +with the blessing of heaven above, blessings of the deep that crouches +beneath, blessings of the breasts and of the womb! Let your blessings be +mighty beyond the blessings of my ancestors, up to the bounties of the +everlasting hills. (Gen 49,22-26, translated according to the Czech text) Be alive, nation blessed for the God, and do not die; may your men be -countless (Deut. 33:6 [#]_)! Bless, O Lord, your fighting, and accept +countless (Deut. 33:6[#]_)! Bless, O Lord, your fighting, and accept the work your hands. Crush the loins of your adversaries, of those who hate you, that they rise not again (Deut. 33:11 according to the Czech text)! Let your time come, so that nations will say: Happy are you, |