14.03.2019 Views

Protestantism in Poland and Bohemia - James Aitken Wylie

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

to him <strong>in</strong> circumstances so solemn, that he returned<br />

<strong>in</strong>to the bosom of the Roman Church, <strong>and</strong> to repair<br />

to the utmost of his power the <strong>in</strong>jury his father had<br />

done the Papal See, he expended 5,000 ducats <strong>in</strong><br />

purchas<strong>in</strong>g copies of his father's Bible, which he<br />

burned publicly <strong>in</strong> the market-place of Vilna. On<br />

the leaves, now s<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> ashes, might be read the<br />

follow<strong>in</strong>g words, addressed <strong>in</strong> the dedication to the<br />

Polish monarch, <strong>and</strong> which we who are able to<br />

compare the <strong>Pol<strong>and</strong></strong> of the n<strong>in</strong>eteenth century with<br />

the <strong>Pol<strong>and</strong></strong> of the sixteenth, can hardly help<br />

regard<strong>in</strong>g as prophetic. "But if your Majesty<br />

(which may God avert) cont<strong>in</strong>u<strong>in</strong>g to be deluded<br />

by this world, unm<strong>in</strong>dful of its vanity, <strong>and</strong> fear<strong>in</strong>g<br />

still some hypocrisy, will persevere <strong>in</strong> that error<br />

which, accord<strong>in</strong>g to the prophecy of Daniel, that<br />

impudent priest, the idol of the Roman temple, has<br />

made abundantly to grow <strong>in</strong> his <strong>in</strong>fected v<strong>in</strong>eyard,<br />

like a true <strong>and</strong> real Antichrist; if your Majesty will<br />

follow to the end that bl<strong>in</strong>d chief of a generation of<br />

vipers, <strong>and</strong> lead us the faithful people of God the<br />

same way, it is to be feared that the Lord may, for<br />

such a rejection of his truth, condemn us all with<br />

your Majesty to shame, humiliation, <strong>and</strong><br />

54

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!