A08486:138
A famous and godly history containing the lives a[nd] acts of three renowned reformers of the Christia[n] Church, Martin Luther, John Ecolampadius, and Huldericke Zuinglius. The declaration of Martin Luther's faith before the Emperor Charles the fifth, and the illustre estates of the empire of Germany, with an oration of his death, all set forth in Latin by Philip Melanchthon, Wolfgangus Faber, Capito. Simon Grineus, [and] Oswald Miconus, newly Englished by Henry Bennet Callesian.A famous and godly history contaynyng the lyues a[nd] actes of three renowmed reformers of the Christia[n] Church, Martine Luther, Iohn Ecolampadius, and Huldericke Zuinglius. The declaracion of Martin Luthers faythe before the Emperoure Charles the fyft, and the illustre estates of the empyre of Germanye, with an oration of hys death, all set forth in Latin by Philip Melancthon, Wolfgangus Faber, Capito. Simon Grineus, [and] Oswald Miconus, newly Englished by Henry Bennet Callesian.
London: printed by John Awdely, 1561London: printed by Iohn Awdely, 1561
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
THE Scholars assembled to hear the Lecture of the Epistle to the Romans, Phillip Melanchthon recited publicly, this that followeth, at nine of the clock before noon, advertising he gave this information, by the counsel of other Lords, for that the Auditors understanding the express truth (for so much as the lords knew certainly Fame would bl•we slanderous blasts every where of the death of Luther) should not credit flying tales and false reports.
THE Scholers assembled to heare the Lecture of the Epistle to ye Romaynes, Phyllip Melācthon recited publikly, thys that foloweth, at nyne of the clocke before noone, aduertisyng he gaue thys informacion, by the counsayle of other Lordes, for that the Auditors vnderstandyng the expresse truth (for so much as ye lords knew certainly Fame woulde bl•we sclaunderous blastes euery where of the death of Luther) should not credit flying tales and false reportes.
My friends, ye know that we have enterprised to expound Grammatical lye the Epistle to the Romans, in the which is contained the true doctrine ⟨image 44⟩of the Son of God, the which our Lord by his singular grace hath revealed unto us at this present by the reverend Father, & our dearly beloved Master Martin Luther. Not withstanding we have received heavy news, which have so augmented my dolour, that I am in doubt if I may continue henceforth in scholastical profession, and exercise of teaching. The cause wherefore I commemorate this thing, is for that I am so advised by other Lords, that ye may understand the true sequel of things least your selves blaze abroad vain •ales of this fatal chance, or give credit to other fables, which commonly are accustomed to be spread every where.
My friendes, ye know that we haue enterprised to expound Grammatical lye the Epistle to the Romaynes, in the which is contayned the true doctrine ⟨image 44⟩of the Sonne of God, the which our Lord by hys singular grace hath reuealed vnto vs at thys present by the reuerend Father, & our dearelye beloued Maister Martin Luther. Not withstanding we haue receiued heauy newes, which haue so augmented my dolour, that I am in dout if I mai continue hencefoorth in scholasticall profession, and exercise of teachyng. The cause wherefore I commemorate thys thinge, is for that I am so aduised by other Lordes, that ye may vnderstand the true sequele of things least your selues blase abroade vayne •ales of this fatal chaūce, or geue credit to other fables, which cōmonly ar accustomed to be spred euery where.
Wednesday last past, the. 17. day of February, Doctor Martin Luther sickened a little before Supper, of his1 accustomed malady, to say, the oppression of humours in the orifice or opening of his stomach, whereof I remember I have seen him oft diseased in this place. This sickness occupied him after Supper, with the which vehemently contending, he required secesse into an next chamber, & there he rested ⟨image 45⟩on bed two hours, whiles the pains increased, Doctor Jonah lying in his chamber, Luther awakened, & prayed him to rise, and call up Ambrose his Children's Schoolmaster, to make fire in an other Chamber. In that which being newly entered, Albert Earle of Mansfeld with his wife and divers other (whose names in these letters for hast, were not expressed) at that in stant came into his Chamber. Finally, feeling his fatal hour to approach, before. 1•. of the clock in the morning the. 18. of February, he commended him to God, with this devout prayer.
Wedensday last past, the. 17. daye of February, Doctor Martin Luther syckned a litle before Supper, of hys1 accustomed malady, to say, the oppression of humors in the orifice or opening of his stomacke, wherof I remē ber I haue senhim oft diseased in this place. Thys sickenes occupied him after Supper, with the which vehemētly contending, he required secesse into an next chamber, & there he rested ⟨image 45⟩on bed two houres, whiles the paines encreased, Doctor Ionas lying in his chamber, Luther awakened, & praied hym to ryse, and call vp Ambrose hys Childerns Schoolemaister, to make fyre in an other Chāber. In yt which beyng newly entred, Albert Earle of Mansfeld wyth hys wyfe and dyuers other (whose names in these letters for hast, were not expressed) at that in stant came into hys Chamber. Finally, feelyg hys fatal houre to approch, before. 1•. of the clock in the morning the. 18. of Februarye, he commended him to God, wyth this deuout praier.
My heavenly father, eternal & merciful God, thou hast manifested unto me thy dear Son our Lord Jesus Christ. I have taught him, I have known him, I love him as my life, my health, and my redemption, whom the wicked persecuted, maligned, and with injury affected. Draw my soul to thee. After this he said this that ensueth, thrice.
My heauenly father, eternal & mercyful God, thou hast manyfested vnto me thy deare Sonne our Lord Iesus Christe. I haue taught hym, I haue knowen hym, I loue hym as my life, my health, and my redempcion, whō the wycked persecuted, maligned, and wyth iniury affected. Draw my soule to thee. After thys he sayde thys that ensueth, thryse.
I commend my Spirit into thy hands, thou hast redeemed me God of truth. God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that all those ⟨image 45⟩that believe in him, should have life everlasting. John. 3.
I commende my Spirite into thy handes, thou hast redemed me God of truth. God so loued ye worlde, that he gaue his ouelye Sonne, that all those ⟨image 45⟩that beleue in hym, shoulde haue lyfe euerlastyng. Iohn. 3.
Having repeated often times his1 prayers, he was called to God, to the eternal School, and perpetual joys, in the• which he enjoyeth the society of the father, the Son, and the holy Ghost, all the Prophets & Apostles.
Hauyng repeated often tymes hys1 prayers, he was called to God, to the eternal Schole, and perpetual ioyes, in the• which he enioyeth the societye of the father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghost, al the Prophets & Apostles.
Hennas, the conductor and Chariot of Israel is dead, who hath governed the Church in this last age of the world, for the doctrine of remission of since, and of the faith of God, hath not been comprehended by bumayne wisdom, but God hath manifested the same by this holy man, whom we have seen raised of God.
He•as, the conductor and Chariot of Israel is dead, who hath gouerned the Churche in thys lasle age of the worlde, for the doctrine of remission of synnes, and of the fayth of God, hath not beene compreheneed by bumayne wysedome, but God hath manifested the same by thys holye man, whom we haue sene raysed of God.
Let us love the memory of this man and the doctrine that he hath taught. Let us learn to be morest & meek. Let us consider the wretched calamities, and marvellous changes y• shall follow this mishap & doleful chance.
Let vs loue the memory of thys mā and the doctrine that he hath taught. Let vs learne to be morest & meeke. Let vs consider the wretched calamities, and marueilous chaunges y• shal folow this myshay & doleful chaunce.
I beseech thee O Son of God, crucified for us, & resuscitate Emanuel; govern, conserve & defend thy Church.
I beseche thee O Sonne of God, crucified for vs, & resuscitate Emanuel; gouerne, conserue & defend thy Churche.
(⸫)
AL best in this common sorrow my voice shall be troubled with dolour & tears: yet I must say somewhat in this frequent assembly, not (as the Pagans solemn custom was) to sing the Encomye of the dead, but rather to admonish this company of the marvellous government, & perils of the Church, that we may consider for what causes we ought to be careful & pensive, what things we have special need of, & to what examples we ought to direct our life. For although profane men beholding this horrible confusion in this mortal estate, supposing allthings are transported by adventure, and governed by Fortune: yet we confirmed with ⟨image 46⟩many evident testimonies of God, let1 us separate the Church from the ungodly multitude, let us persuade our selves the same hath been preserved, and ruled by divine providence, & •et us perpen• what is the policy of the same. Let us acknowledge the true governors, and endeavour to frame our cou••e conformable to theirs. Let us ••ec• Guides & cove••ent Instructors, whom we may godly imitate & have in reverence. It shall be most expedient for so meditate and speak of these weighty & grave matters, as of ten & when mention shall be made of the Reverend man Martin Luther, our dearly beloved Master. Whom we must tenderly love & commend, since we know that he was divinely raised to be a Minister of the Gospel, although many profane men, & such as contemned the Gospel, hated him deadly. We ought also to collect testimonies,2 whereby we may demonstrate his doctrine contained no seditious opinions injuriously and with temerarious affection sown, as the Epicurean sect imagineth, but that by his doctrine, the will and faithful ⟨image 47⟩worshipping of God, & his holy scriptures are expressed, & the word of God y• is, the glad tidings of Jesus Christ sincerely announced. Al be it in these Dracions accustomably made in this place, we were wont orderly to depaint the particular ornaments of them, whom we praised: yet I omitting that member of Oration, intend to treat only of this principal article, Ecclesiastical function. For the wise & godly will deliberate & determine in them selves resolutely this:
If Luther hath manifested the necessary doctrine of salvation in y• Church, great thanks are to be given to God, who hath raised him, & we must commend his industry, faith, constancy, & many other his celestial virtues, and endeavour the memory of this man may be embraced and reverenced of every man.
If Luther hath manyfested the necessarye doctryne of saluacion in y• Church, great thankes are to be geuen to God, who hath raised him, & we must commend hys industry, faith, constancy, & many other hys celestiall vertues, and endeuour the memory of thys man may be embraced and reuerenced of euery man.
Let this then be the Proem of my Oration. The Son of God (as Paul saith) sitteth at the right hand of the everlasting father, & ministereth good things to men, that is, the voice, of the Gospel, & the holy ghost, and to distribute these gifts, he raiseth Prophets, Apostles, Doctors & Pastors, • ⟨image 47⟩taketh these out of our congregation, such as do learn, who profess, hear & embrace the Prophets & Apostles1 writings. And calleth not only those to this warfare, which have ordinary power, but also he denounceth war against them often times, by Doctors chosen of an other estate. It is most comfortable, & a pleasant spectacle to consider the Church of all ages, & to remember the bounty of God, who from time to time hat sent successively godly Doctors, to the end that when the first were in battle consumed, other might supply their ranks to achieve that the former begun.
Let thys then be the Proeme of my Oration. The Sonne of God (as Paule sayth) sitteth at the right hand of the euerlasting father, & ministreth good things to men, that is, the voice, of the Gospel, & the holy ghost, and to distribute these giftes, he rayseth Prophets, Apostles, Doctors & Pastors, • ⟨image 47⟩taketh these out of our congregacion, such as do learne, who professe, heare & embrace the Prophetes & Apostles1 writings. And calleth not only those to this warfare, which haue ordinari power, but also he denounceth warre against them often times, by Doctors chosen of an other estate. It is moste comfortable, & a pleasaūt spectacle to consider the Churche of all ages, & to remember the bountye of God, who from time to time hat sent successiuely godly Doctors, to thend that when the first were in battayl consumed, other might supply theyr rankes to atchieue that the former begonne.
AL best in thys common sorrow my voyce shalbe troubled wyth dolour & teares: yet I must saye somewhat in thys frequent assembly, not (as the Paganes solemne custome was) to sing the Encomye of the dead, but rather to admonish this companye of the marueilous gouernment, & perils of the Church, that we may consider for what causes we ought to be careful & pensiue, what thinges we haue special neede of, & to what examples we ought to direct our lyfe. For although prophane men beholding this horrible confusion in thys mortall estate, supposing althinges are transported by aduenture, and gouerned by Fortune: yet we confirmed wyth ⟨image 46⟩many euident testimonies of God, let1 vs separate the Church from the vngodly multitude, let vs perswade our selues the same hath bene preserued, and ruled by diuine prouidence, & •et vs perpen• what is the policye of the same. Let vs acknowledge the true gouernours, and endeuour to frame our cou••e conformable to theirs. Let vs ••ec• Guides & coue••ent Instructors, whom we maye godly imitate & haue in reuerence. It shalbe most expedient for so meditate and speake of these waighty & graue matters, as of ten & when mencion shall be made of the Reuerend man Martine Luther, our dearely beloued Maister. Whom we must tenderly loue & commende, synce we know that he was diuinely reysed to be a Minister of the Gospel, although many prophane mē, & suche as contempned the Gospel, hated him deadlye. We ought also to collect testemonies,2 whereby we may demonstrate his doctrine contayned no sedicious opinions iniuriously and wyth temerarious affection sowen, as the Epicurean sect imagineth, but that by hys doctrine, the wil and faythful ⟨image 47⟩worshipping of God, & hys holy scriptures ar expressed, & the word of God y• is, the glad tidyngs of Iesus Christ sincerely announced. Al be it in these Dracions accustomably made in this place, we wer wōt orderly to depaint the particular ornamentes of them, whō we praysed: yet I omit•yng that member of Oration, entend to treate only of this principal article, Ecclesiastical function. For the wise & godly wyll deliberate & determine in them selues resoluteli this:
