In spite of the many misfortunes and sorrows which befell the queen of Bohemia, Elizabeth's mother, her court at the Hague was a gay and lively one. As soon as the young princesses became old enough to leave the care of their governess or tutor they became part of this pleasure-seeking company. At fifteen Princess Elizabeth made a charming addition to her mother's court. Her shining black hair fell gracefully back from a well shaped forehead. Her complexion was described by her rather envious sister, Sophia, as "dazzling." Her sparkling brown eyes and beautiful cherry-red lips won the admiration of everyone at the court. She was merry and gay, yet in her secret heart lay the unanswered questions which as a child she had sought to solve-questions of eternal things which, because she could not find their answer, she seldom dared to consider.
One frequent visitor to the court was Elizabeth's cousin, Frederick William, who later became the Great Elector of Brandenburg. With him Elizabeth spent many of her happiest hours and they became deeply attached to each other. Many years later Frederick William remembered these happy hours and was a help to Elizabeth when she needed a friend.
Another visitor to the royal family was King Wladislaus IV of Poland. He was very popular, both at this court and among his own people. Very successful in Poland's war against Sweden, and a just and wise ruler over his kingdom, he was loved and honored by all his subjects. Here, at the court of the queen of Bohemia, he found her daughter, Elizabeth, the greatest attraction of the many which made his visit exceedingly enjoyable. He paid homage to her grace and beauty, but marveled most of all at her great learning. What a queen she would make for his people! Watch as he would he could not detect one queenly virtue lacking in this beautiful princess of the Rhine. But a king who wages war successfully has much to do besides enjoying himself, and so King Wladislaus returned home and Elizabeth gave her attention to other friends and admirers.
But bits of information about this remarkable princess came, one way and another, to the attention of the warring king: a new report of her learning; a story about her extreme cleverness; a tale of her charming wit. Again he thought, What a queen she would make for Poland! At last he decided that a wise and worthy queen was very important to the welfare of his people, so he sent an embassy to the court of the queen of Bohemia, to lay at the feet of Elizabeth the crown of Poland and with it the heart and fortune of good King Wladislaus IV!
The messengers arrived in royal splendor at the court at the Hague. Their beautiful velvet cloaks seemed to catch the very sunshine and hold it in their deep, thick pile. Their sleek and shining horses revealed royalty in every graceful line. Their appearance befitted the important message they bore.
The princess listened graciously to the ardent declaration. Her heart thrilled as the heart of any girl would at such a proposal. It was a decision that needed careful consideration.
Elizabeth learned that she would have to forsake her Protestant religion if she became the queen of Poland. This was required by law, but it was a detail that could be easily arranged! Instantly she remembered the old Heidelberg Catechism which her grandmother had taught her when she was a very little girl. Everything in her mind and heart revolted at the thought of giving it up.
Virtually the whole civilized world of that time was divided over the question of religion. More than a hundred years before this, Martin Luther had given the Bible to the German people in their own tongue. Many of these people truly believed in the Lord Jesus Christ and were saved. Many others, however, saw only that which was wrong in their mother church and accepted the creed of the Protestants without accepting the Savior of whom it spoke. The Thirty Years' War in Germany, which resulted in slaughter and looting which has seldom been equaled in this world's history, was a war between the Catholics and the Protestants. In England the party which was in power persecuted and cruelly tortured the other. In France the Huguenots were hunted and slain and banished. Because of its religious zeal the Inquisition in Spain reached untold heights of torture.
This definite line of demarcation was not absent in Princess Elizabeth, and when she realized that she would have to give up her Protestant religion if she wore the crown of Poland, she chose at once to retain her religion and refuse the earthly crown.
When the ambassadors from King Wladislaus saw that their entreaties were in vain they left the Hague and carried the very firm, emphatic "No!" of Princess Elizabeth to their master. He was not prepared for this answer and did not wish to accept it as final. Again he sent other men to make a more persuasive appeal but they met with no more success. The princess was fixed in her decision. She was determined never to be anything other than a member of the Reformed Calvinistic Church of the Netherlands. If the king could not marry her as such he could go elsewhere to seek a wife. For three years the admiring king sent embassies and entreaties, but only in vain. Again and again he received the same answer.
At last he saw the case was hopeless and so he took Elizabeth's advice and married an Austrian princess. When that was settled, Elizabeth determined never again even to think of marriage. She shut herself up with her books, her religion, and her unhappy heart-and found no comfort or joy therein.
She was like the poor, unhappy man who traveled that dangerous road from Jerusalem to Jericho. We read of him in Luke 10. He fell among thieves and was robbed and left half dead beside the road. A priest, who represented the religion of that day, came along the road. The wounded man lying by the roadside was probably filled with hope. Surely this priest would help him. But did he? No, indeed! We read that he saw him and passed by on the other side. What a disappointment to the suffering man who was longing for help!
And so it was with Princess Elizabeth. She gave up the crown of a great country and the love of a kind and honorable man for the sake of her religion, but her religion failed to give her the peace that she so much desired.
So it is with everyone who thinks he can gain salvation by religion. Trusting in one's religion is trusting in one's self and trusting in his ability to measure up to God's requirements, even when God has plainly told us that "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." What God really wants men to do is to believe on His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Anyone who trusts in anything else-even religion-is like the wounded man on the Jericho road who depended on the priest to help him; he is like the princess who thought she would find peace and rest in her religion, although she did not know the Lord Jesus Christ.