the other; for as if one had been in the body of the other, they spoke alike, saw alike, felt alike. Thus, though there was a great variety in their gifts, just as on a musical instrument the sound of the strings or pipes differs, and is now weaker, now stronger, yet a delightful harmony resounded among them. This is the purpose of the Christian unity,[1] and the foretoken of eternity, when everything will be done in one spirit.
(Sympathy among True Christians.)
5. From this equality sympathy among them arises; thus all rejoiced with those who rejoiced, were doleful with those who had dole. I had in the world seen a most evil thing that had grieved me not once: if one fared ill, the others rejoiced; if he erred, the others laughed; if he suffered injury, the others sought gain therefrom; indeed, for the sake of their own gain, pleasure, and amusement, they themselves led a fellow-man to his downfall and injury.
But among the holy men I found everything otherwise; for every man strove as bravely and as diligently to avert unhappiness and discomfort from his neighbours as from himself. Could he not avert it, he grieved not otherwise than if the misfortune had befallen himself, and he grieved because all were one heart, one soul. As the iron needles of a compass, when once they have been
- ↑ Komensky here obviously alludes to the religious community to which he belonged.
