Origin of the work:
1649 Leszno
Editions:
1649 (Leszno), place not given.
1893 Prague, J. A. Komenského Sebraná díla kazatelská II (under the title Kázání postní)
Contents:
This is a Lenten sermon for the Third Sunday of Lent, called Oculi or Scrutiny Sunday. Its aim was to reform the morals of the Leszno exiles, as in their exile a decline has set in. Comenius habitually chose unusual motifs for his preaching and applied them paradoxically, as is the case with this homily. The world is full of evil spirits, and the number of their snares is so great that there is not one person in all the world who has not been caught by them. Few realise that these are trapped within them, and the force of habit turns them in to the devils’ slaves forever. Every human imperfection and evil is the demonic in Man; it must be vigorously and thoroughly cast out. This is the function of the priests, but woe, even within them demonism lurks, providing an evil example to others. It is for this reason that each of them must begin with himself. Contributions to his learning may be made by others, too, who must however themselves display the will and strength to cast out demonism.
For further study, see also:
Vybrané spisy J. A. Komenského, vol. VII. Prague 1974, p56
J. V. Novák & J. Hendrich, Jan Amos Komenský, jeho život a spisy. Prague 1932, p426
Jan Kumpera, J. A. Komenský, poutník na rozhraní věků. Prague & Ostrava 1992, p273