A RELATION OF THE DISTRESSED STATE OF THE CHURCH of CHRIST, PROFESSING The Protestant Religion in the Great Dukedom of LITHVANIA, Presented to the view of all Compassionate Christians.  PSAL. XLI. 1, 2. 
Blessed is he that considereth the Poor, the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him, and keep him alive, and he shall be blessed upon the Earth, and thou wilt not deliver him into the Will of his Enemies.  LAMENT. III. 52, 53, 54. 
Mine Enemies chased me sore like a Bird, without cause: They have cut off my life in the Dungeon, and cast a Stone upon me. Waters flowed over mine Head, than I said, I am cut off.  
LONDON, Printed in the Year of our Salvation 1661.   
Lament. I. 16. 
For these things I weep; mine Eye, mine Eye runneth down with water; because the Comforter, that should relieve my Soul, is far from me: my Children are desolate; because the Enemy prevailed.  
They have heard, that I sigh, there is none to comfort me: all mine Enemies have heard of my trouble, and they are glad, etc.  Ibid. v. 21.  

A Relation of the Distressed State of the Church of Christ, professing the Protestant Religion in the Great Dukedom of Lithuania; Presented to the view of all Compassionate Christians.  
THE fatal and Bloody Tragedy, which, with a great deal of Confusion, hath been acted on the Theatre of Europe, near upon forty years, or upwards, having dashed most potent Kingdoms, Nations, and Provinces, one against another, hath at last (with more Severity, because later) reached our Sarmatian Climate, and therein that most flourishing Kingdom of Poland, but especially the Great Dukedom of Lithuania, and the Provinces belonging thereunto; wherein it hath so ruined, and destroyed many magnificent, and populous Cities, lesser Towns, and Villages without number; that there are not so much, as any Marks left, where they stood before.  
This is now the twelfth year, since the highest, and most righteous Judge of all unrighteous Nations, having banished Peace from our Country, hath, in his fierce anger, called for many perfidious, cruel, swift, and mighty Nations, to execute his Judgements against us. And these, not having been in the least provoked by Us, but only thirsting after our Fortunes, and Blood, have washed their cruel hands therein, and are not satisfied therewith, but to the spoiling of the Goods have added most exquisite Torments upon the Bodies of the true Professors of Christianity.  
In the Year 1648. when the first Rebellion of the Cossacks broke forth, to whom the Tartarians readily did associate themselves, the Nobility was sought out, with much diligence, by the furious Rebels, to be slaughtered; and all such, as were not of the Greek Religion, were most ignominiously put to death, without any distinction; where were many numerous Congregations of the Reformed Protestants, whose Ministers were not spared also.  
And the Cruelty of the furious Cossacks was so barbarous, that the Tartars themselves (though their Associates) would not be guilty of so much Innocent Blood; but compassionately did rescue as many, as they could, out of their hands.  
Many had their Skins pulled over their Ears, whilst they were alive. Others had their Hands, and Feet, cut off. Some had their Bowels taken out, alive. Others had their Shinbones bored through. To some they poured melted Lead in at the Wounds, which they made in their Heads, or Bodies. Their Eyes were plucked out: there is no number of those, that were hanged. And it was accounted a great Mercy, if any had his Head cut off with a Sword, or if they were sent away as perpetual Slaves to the Turk. Poor Parents, and Husbands, were forced to look on, whilst their Wives, and Daughters were ravished.  
This was the miserable Condition of our Country, and Church, for several years together, during the Civil Wars. But afterwards, when we all begun to hope for better things, there fell a new, and more strange Calamity upon us, when we were almost consumed before. For the perfidious Moscov●te, having taken notice of the distraction, and devastation, which by the just Hand of God befell us; and that the strength of Lithuania was, by continual Intestine Wars, decayed, he presently took an opportunity to invade it; and, to that effect, having found out some Pretences, he came with an Army of two hundred thousand men, and associated to himself sixty thousand of the Rebellious Cossacks; who carried all before them, like a Flood, spoiling, burning, destroying all, that they met with, sacking the strong Holds, and Cities, not leaving one Corner in all Lithuania unsearched. Never was greater Tyranny committed in those Parts before. There was no regard of Tears, and Lamentations: no Pity showed to yielding Persons: all, without discretion, were cut to pieces. The common Multitude were slaughtered out of hand; but the Gentry, and Nobility were carried away; and, upon deliberation, were either hanged, or burned alive. Every Corner being filled with Massacres, made the Blood run, like Streams, through the Streets of Towns, and Cities.  
But the Condition of the Ministers of Christ was most miserable; for as many, as were taken, were, with mo●● 〈◊〉 ●●●ments, put to several kinds of death.  
Adrian Chylinsky, a man most conspicuous both for his old Age, as also for his Piety, and Learning, whereby he deserved eminently of the Church of Christ, being surprised at his own house, had his Hands, and Legs, tied together, and then roasted alive, leisurely by degrees, there being but some Chips, and Straw, gathered about him. Two of the same Name, a Father, and a Son, called Smolsky, both Ministers of Christ, near Vilna, the chiefest City in Lithuania, had their Heads most cruelly sawed off with a Sickle. Another Minister, in a Town called Holowozyn, whose Name was Slawinskie, had a new Torment put upon him: for they cut him by pieces, so long, as he lived. Many other Ministers were amongst the high Mountains exposed bound, and naked, to the Snow, and extreme cold Air; which made their noble Souls forsake their miserable Tabernacles. And by this kind of death, this last Winter, there were destroyed above fifteen hundred innocent Souls; who, seeking for shelter, were in their flight over-taken. Those, that were most healthy, or strong, were sent away to be made Slaves; but others were either flayed alive, or cut into pieces. The number of those, that were thus miserably put to death, as also the several kinds of Torments, which poor innocent Creatures were put to, no History can describe.  
In this Juncture of Affairs, all the Minister's of Christ were forced to forsake their Dwelling-places. And there is above forty, of whom it is not known, what kind of death they suffered: but that they are dead, is certain; because they are not found, nor were they carried into Captivity. The Churches, for the most part, as far as the Enemy could reach, were destroyed by Fire: All the Bells were carried away; so that there are but few left in the whole Dukedom. The desolate Fields, and Water only were left, as Witnesses of the insolency of a barbarous Enemy; for all Dwelling-places, and Woods were pulled, and cut down, and burnt to Ashes.  
One would think, that the Land had been by this time chastised sufficiently, and that the sharp Rod of our Correction should have been broken: but God was not yet pleased to put a period to our Calamities; for every year our Country had a New Enemy raised upon it, and so that little, which the former had left, the succeeding Enemy devoured: For, in the year 1655, the Multitude of our Enemies was augmented, by the coming of the Swede: whose Armies, by reason of the vicinity of these three Provinces, Borussia, Curland, and Liefland, which they had in their power, have, for the space of five years, afflicted our Country also. And, without any respect of the Protestant Religion, they used u● as Enemy's: and, by their coming into the Country, they made us liable to be more hated by those of the Roman Religion, than before; although after that all the Polish Armies had forsaken their King, and that His Sacred Royal Majesty had with drawn himself out of His Kingdom, by reason of the Power of the Enem●●s, who pressed all places, and being absent for a very long time in Si●●sia, yet the Lithuanian Churches, all that time, remained still constant, and faithful to their Gracious King.  
All this came upon us, undoubtedly, because of the Sins of our Country: yet the Wrath of God did still burn against us; for, a little while after, He did send another Enemy, out of another Corner, to wit, the Prince of ●ransylvania; in whose Army, besides the Hungarians, and Transylvanians, there were Moldavians, Null, Servians, and other Eastern Barbarous Nations, who came with great hopes, that they should be enriched with our Fortunes, and Goods.  
This brought a new Calamity upon that, which remained; for they made havoc of all, wasted, and destroyed all without distinction. The Churches, that remained, they rob; the Houses rifled, and burnt; the People driven into Banishment; and those, that could not fly, were murdered.  
It cannot be sufficiently lamented, much less uttered, what in such long continuance of our Troubles, amongst so many Eastern, Western, Northern, and other Enemies, our Native Country, the Church, and every Member thereof, have suffered. The dead, and the unborn, were then accounted blessed: the weaker Sex was reputed as the most Infortunate; For we have seen many Illustrious, and N●ble Families so exhausted, and brought to extremity; that they have not had Bread to eat. We have seen Noble Men, and Matrons, Virgins, and Children of great Parentage mancipated under the pleasure, and servitude of the Muscovians, Tartarians, Cossacks, and others; under which both they, and many Ministers of the Gospel to this day do groan heavily.  
In consideration of those Extremitis, which indeed are extraordinary, we cannot but adore the just Judgements of God thus poured upon us by reason of our Sins, and deplore our sad condition: and the more by reason of the small hopes of Restitution, or deliverance from such a Devastation. For, though we are brought very low already, having been made subject to many Wastings, great Terrors, and Troubles, as having had Death before our Eyes continually; yet there is still matter of new Troubles at home, especially to those, that desire to serve God in simplicity, and purity: to this particularly one Calamity followeth another, as the Waves, in a tempestuous Sea, come one upon another.  
Our very Neighbours do hate, and persecute the Remnant of us still, with as much eagerness, as our foreign Enemies did: they deprive us of our Churches yet remaining: those Lands, which were given for the maintenance of Ministers, and Schools, they give away, as if they had been their own: our Ministers are banished; and such, as remain are beaten, and misused: the Threaten of our total Exilement are increased: In a word, all the Reformed Protestans are accounted as the Off-scouring of the World, and the original cause of all the Troubles, which are hitherto befallen to the Country. Hence it is, that they are hated, abused, threatened more and more: and whatsoever may be found odious amongst men, all that is put upon them, for to make their calamities the greater.  
We do not question, but that all, that shall read, or hear of these things, and have the least spark of Christian Charity left in their Hearts: or take to heart the affliction of Joseph, will take Compassion on us being affected with the truth of that Worship, Doctrine, and Godliness, which did shine amongst us, even in the midst of our Troubles.  
For our parts, we have no other recourse, but to the Goodness of our God, and the sympathy of the Members of his Church; and therefore, following the Practice of the Apostles of Christ, and the Example of the Churches in the Palatinate, Bohemia, and others; which being in the same condition, some few years ago, implored the aid of their fellow-Members of the Reformed-Protestant Church, we do likewise make our recourse to your Goodness, and Charity. For we are persuaded, that God hath in these Times made these Kingdoms, and Churches more happy, and flourishing, than others, that they might be a place for refuge, and a Port of safety for those, that suffer Shipwreck for the Name of Jesus elsewhere.  
Look therefore, we beseech you, upon us, as Objects of Pity, and for the Love of God, for the sacred bonds of unity in Christ Jesus, stretch forth your hands, that the Vine-yard of the Lord may not be utterly destroyed. Send suitable comforts to those, that are comfortless; strengthen the hands of the feeble; support the weak, supply the wants of the needy with your liberality: not doubting, but that the Lord, who is the rewarder of all good deeds, and who takes all the works of Charity, bestowed upon the Members of his Militant Church, as if they had been bestowed upon himself, will be your sufficient reward, and at the Great day of Accounts will put you in mind of such Works for your eternal comfort. These are the prayers, and desires of those; who, in the name of all the Lithuanian Churches, have sent their Messenger to you, who solicits this in their Name, as having been an Eye-witness, in many places, of their distressed condition, and partaker of their Evils.  
John de Kraino Krainski, Minister of God's Word, and the Messenger of the Churches.