neglect the word of God and his work he will permit shortly a dismall day to come upon us which will bring with it whole Wain-loads of cares which we shall neither have power or meanes to escape Divers other things he also foretold He had his health competently well but that sometimes he was troubled with headach especially in his elder yeeres Whereupon he was afraid of some violent Apoplexie and when he felt a swimming in his head or noyse in his eares he used to say Lord Iesu smite me gently for I am absolved from my sins according to thy word and am fed unto life eternall by thy body and bloud Thine Apostle John and our Elector were taken out of this world by this kinde of death He endured often tentations whereupon he said All here are in health except Luther who is sound in body and without suffers at no mans hand in the world onely the Devil and all his Angels vex him He was of an indifferent stature of strong body of so Lionlike a quicknesse of his eyes that some could not endure to look directly upon him when he intentively beheld them They say that one of mild spirit who could not endure in private to talk with Luther was courteously used by Luther yet was so pierced with the quicknesse of his eyes that being amazed he knew no course better then to run from him His voyce was mild and not very cleare whereupon when on a time there was mention at table about Pauls voyce which was not very perfect and full Luther said I also have a lowe speech and pronuntiation To whom Melancthon answered But this small voyce is heard very farre and neere In wedlock he lived chastly and godly above twentie yeers and when he died left three sonnes and Catharin de Bora a widow who lived after his death seven yeeres To her it was a great grief that her husband died in a place farre from her so that she could not be with him and performe the last conjugall offices to him in his sicknesse In the time of the warre which presently followed she wandred up and down with her orphans and in banishment was exposed to many difficulties and dangers And besides the miseries of widowhood which are full many the ingratitude of many did much afflict her for where she hoped for kindnesse in regard of her husbands worthy and noble deserts of Gods Church often she was put of with great indignitie When afterward her house at Wittenberg in time of pestilence was infected she for her childrens safetie as became a godly mother betooke her self to Torg where was also an Universitie But in the way when the horses affrighted ran out and seemed to indanger the waggon she amazed not so much for her own as her childrens preservation lept out of the waggon whereby poore wretch she grievously bruised her body in the fall and being cast into a poole of cold water caught thereby a disease of wch she lay sick three monethes in banishment and pining away at length died quietly in the yeere 1552. Luthers writings were published at Wittenberg and Iene in severall Towns both in Latine and the German tongue Part of them were expositions of Scriptures part doctrinall part polemicall Of these this was his own judgement Above all I beseech the godly Reader and I beseech him for our Lord Iesus Christs sake that he would read my writings judiciously and with much pittying my case And let him know that I was formerly a Monk and a most furious Papist when I first entred into the cause undertaken by me yea I was so drunk drowned in the opinions of Papisme that I was most ready to kill all men if I could or to assist and consent to their attempts that did kill them who even in one syllable should dissent from the Pope Such a Saul was I as some that be yet alive I was not so cold and calme in defending Popery as was Eckius and his mates who more truly for their bellies sake seemed to defend Popery then that they were serious in the cause yea they seeme still to me to laugh at the Pope in secret as Epicureans But I proceeded in the Popes defence earnestly because I set before mine eyes the last day of judgement and trembled there at and desired from my very heart to attain salvation In another of his writings he in a manner wisheth his books extinct saying Alas my friends should not trouble me I have enough to do with the Papists and might almost say with Job and Jeremy would I had not been born yea almost say I would I had not published so many books and would not care if they were all perished Let other such spirited mens writings be sold in every shop as they desire Luther also was much against it that any man should be called a Lutheran after his name Because the doctrin was not his neither did he die for any one and because Saint Paul would not endure to have it done by his own person 1 Cor. 3. Against this humour of men also Luther said How should it come to passe that I a sack of wormes meat should be accessary to this that the children of Christ should be called after my base and unworthy name He also much opposed the title of Lutherans because we be all Christians and professe the doctrin of Christ as also because the Papists are guiltie of this crime by calling themselves Pontificians We ought not to imitate them in evill Of Luthers books thus writeth Sturmius I remember that in an epistle of Luthers to Wolfgangus Capito which is in Conradus Huberts Library some yeeres ago I read That he himself took content in none of his books but onely in his Catechisme and his book against Free Will For a conclusion I will here adde Melancthons judgement concerning the Talents by God bestowed on Luther and others Pomeranus saith he is a Gramarian and explains the force of words I intend Logick and shew the context of the matter and the Arguments Justus Jonas is an orator and copiously and elegantly discourseth But Luther is all these a very miracle among men What ever he saith what ever he writeth it peirceth mens minds and leaves behind it a wonderfull sting in their hearts And Camerarius speaketh thus of Luther The name of Luther is so odious to some that they detest the hearing it on the contrary other endure not that any thing should be found fault with which either he speak or did if any man dare speake against him they declaime against him presently as one guilty of impiety They who thus extoll the name and authority of Martin Luther as not doubting to elevate him above the condition and measure of Mortall men should see to it that they doe not wrong the good name of so excellent and admirable a man by attributing too much to him and that they
lifting up their eyes beheld the sacred hoste appearing in the ayre Wherefore with great devotion of heart they placed the most sacred Host in the holy Altar Whereupon the fearefull noyse ceased But in the night following a loud noyse and ratling much shriller then the former was heard about the sepulcher of Luther which awaked all the Citie terrified them and almost kill'd them with astonishment In the morning when they opened the sepulcher they found neither his body nor his bones nor any of the cloathes but there came a sulphurous stinke out thereof which almost overcame the standers by By this miracle many were so amazed that they amended their lives for the honour of the Christian faith and the glory of Jesus Christ When this lye came Printed into Germany Luther did subscribe with his own hand words to this purpose I Martin Luther doe professe and witnesse under mine owne hand that I on the 21. day of March received this figment full of anger and fury concerning my death and that I read it with a joyfull mind and cheerfull countenance And but that I detest the blasphemy which ascribeth an impudent lie to the divine Majestie for the other passages I cannot but with great joy of heart laugh at Sataus the Popes and their complices hatred against me God turne their hearts from their diabolicall maliciousnesse But if God decree not to heare my prayers for their sinne unto death then God graunt that they may fill up the measure of their sinnes and solace themselves to the full with their libels full fraught with such like lies This yeere Luther set forth a book intituled Against the Popedome ordained by the Devill In this he treats of the Councel appointed by the Pope and often adjourned or translated from place to place and of other plots of the Popes There he speaketh of the Campanian who comming out of Germany into Italy turned his bare breech towards Germany using words to the disgrace of the nation Luther published divers other Treatises as the explication of Christs speech Search the scriptures And The blindnesse and ingratitude of the world in handling Christs complaint of Ierusalem By Luthers advice especially Georgius Anhaltenus undertooke the government of the Church of Mersberg Of this is spoken in the life of Duke George In the yeere 1546. Luther accompanied with Melancthon visited his owne countrey and returned again in safety Not long after the Counsel of Trent being begun and having sate once or twice Luther was called again by the Earles of Mansfield to his owne countrey for to compose a dissention among them concerning their bounds and heritages Luther was not wont to deale in matters of this nature having been versed in sacred studies all his life time but because he was borne at Islebon a towne in the territories of Mansfield he was willing to do his countrey service in this kind Wherefore making his last sermon at Wittenburg the 17. day of Ianuary he tooke his journey on the 23. day And at Hall in Saxony lodged at Iustus Ionas his house where he stayed three dayes because of the roughnesse of the waters and preached the 26. of Ianuary upon Pauls Conversion On the 28. day being Thursday at Hall he passed over the river with Iustus Ionas and his own three sonnes and being in danger of drowning said to Dr Ionas Think you not that it would rejoyce the Devill very much if I and you and my three sonnes should be drowned When he came to the Earles of Mansfield he was entertained by a hundred horsemen or more of the Court and was brought into Isleben very honourably but very sick and almost past recovery which thing he said did often befall him when he had any great businesse to undertake But using some meanes for cure of his infirmity he sate at supper with the company and so continued to do from the 29. of Ianuary to the 17. of February and treated of the differences for whose determination he came thither In this time he preached sometimes and twice received the Lords supper and publikely received two students into the sacred order of the Ministery And at his lodging used much godly conference at Table with his friends and every day devoutly prayed The day before his death though he was somewhat weake yet he dined and supped with the company and at supper spake of divers matters and among other passages asked whether in Heaven we should know one another when the rest desired to heare his judgement thereof He said What befell Adam he never saw Eve but was at rest in a deep sleep when God formed her yet when he awaked and saw her he asketh not what she was or whence she was but saith that she was flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone Now how knew he that He being full of the Holy Ghost and endued with the knowledge of God thus spake After the same manner we also shall be in the other life renewed by Christ and shall know our parents our wives and children and all about us much more perfectly then Adam knew Eve at her bringing to him After supper when he went aside to pray as was his custome the paine in his breast began to increase whereupon by the advice of some there present he tooke a little Vnicornes horne in wine and after that slept quietly an houre or two on a pallat neer the fire When he awaked he betooke himselfe to his chamber went to bed and bidding his friends good night admonished them who were present to pray God for the propagation of the Gospel because the Councel of Trent and the Pope would attempt wonderfull devises against it Having thus said after a little silence he fell asleep But was awaked by the violence of his disease after midnight Then complained he again of the narrownesse of his breast and perceiving that his life was at an end he thus implored Gods mercy and said O heavenly father my gracious God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ thou God of all consolation I give thee heartie thanks that thou hast revealed to me thy Son Iesus Christ whom I beleeve whom I professe whom I love whom I glorifie whom the Pope of Rome and the rout of the wicked persecute and dishonour I beseech thee Lord Iesus Christ to receive my soule O my gracious heavenly Father though I be taken out of this life though I must now lay down this fraile body yet I certainly know that I shall live with thee eternally and that I cannot be taken out of thy hands He added moreover God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that every one who beleeveth in him should not perish but have life everlasting And that in the 68. Psalme Our God is the God of salvation and our Lord is the Lord who can deliver from death And here taking a medicine and drinking
it he further said Lord I render up my spirit into thy hands and come to thee And again Lord into thy hands I commend my spirit thou O God of truth hast redeemed me Here as one falling asleep and without any bodily pain that could be discerned he departed this life And when Doctor Ionas and Caelius said O reverend father do you die in the constant confession of that dectrin of Christ which you have hither to preached He answered so as he might be heard yea which was the last word he spake Thus he in his native countrey not having seen it many yeers before dyed much lamented by many This fell on the eighteen of February on the day in the Calender ascribed to Concord about three a clock in the morning in the great climaclericall yeere of his age Soone after his body put into a coffin of Lead was carried in funerall manner to the Temple of Isleben where Iustus Ionas preached Then the Earles of Mansfield desired that his body should be interred within their territories But the Elector of Saxony required that it should be brought back to Wittenberg In the return thereof which way so ever it went it was honourably attended and with much griefe accompanied out of each Princes Dominion and at length upon the 22. of February in the afternoon was brought to Wittenberg and was carried into the Temple Neere adjoyning to the Castle with such a troop of Princes Earles Nobles their living as students and other people that the like was seldome or never seene in that town When the funerall rites were performed Pomeranus preached to an assembly of many thousands And after that Melancthon with many teares and sighes made a funerall Oration When this was done the coffin with his body was put by the hands of divers learned men into the tomb neere to the pulpit in which he had made many learned Sermons before divers Princes Electors and the Congregation of many faithfull Christians In a brazen plate his picture lively deciphered was there set up with verses by it to this effect This Sepulchre great Luthers Corps containe This might suffice yet read these following strains HEer in this Vrne doth Martin Luther rest And sweetly sleep in hope to rise most blest By whose rare pains firme faith and Christs free Grace Which formerly thick Fogs of Error base And duskie Clouds of Works desert bid quite Were well reduced to their ancient Light For when blind Superstition ruled All And did faire Truth long time suppresse and thrall He by Gods Word and Spirits inspiration The Gospels Light re-spred for every Nation And well-instructed by Pauls sacred voyce choice Scorning Romes Cheats to teach pure Truth made And as Iohn Baptist in the Wildernesse Did Gods Lamb who heales Sin Preach and expresse So O Sweet Christ did Luther cleare thy book When all the World was caught with Errors hook And what the difference was betwixt the Law Whose tables Moses brake though God he saw Vpon Mount-Sinai and the Gospel sweet meet Which heales Sin-conscious hearts which Gods wrath This difference lost to th' world He did restore That so Christs gifts of Grace might shine the more He stoutly did oppose Romes Cheats and Charmes And Papal rule which wrought Gods Saints great harms Exhorting all Romes idols for to flie He many soules wan to true pietie And maugre all Romes threats and snares most slie Finisht in Faith his Course most valiantly Dying in peace his Soule with Christ doth rest Crown'd with immort all Glory truly blest For which rare Doctor let both high and low Blesse God that they so cleare Christs truth do know And pray the Lord that these his Gospels rayes May to the World shine-forth for datelesse dayes Philip Melancthon Dead is grave Luther worthy all due praise Who set forth Christ in Faith illustrious rayes His Death the Church laments with Sighs sincere Who was her Pastour nay her Patron deare Our Israels Chariots and Horsemen rare Is Dead with me let All sad Sables weare Let them their griefe in groaning verses sing For such sad Knells such Orphans best may ring Theodore Beza Rome tam'd the World the Pope tam'd Rome so great Rome rul'd by Power the Pope by deep Deceit But how more large than Theirs was Luthers Fame Who with One Pen both Pope and Rome did tame Go fictious Greece go tell Alcides then His Club is nothing to great Luthers Pen John Major By Luthers labours Leo the tenth is slain Not Hercles Club but Luthers Pen's his bane Joachim a Beust When Luther dy'd then with him dy'd most sure A Crown and credit of Religion pure His Soul soar'd-up to heaven on Concords day Which tended Luther thither on his way Deare Christ since Discord followed with Coates rent Give to thy Spouse Elijahs ornament Upon his Tomb-stone the Universitie of Wittenberg as to her beloved father engraved MARTINI LVTHERIS THEOLOGIAe D. CORPVS H. L. S. E. QVI ANNO CHRISTI M. D. XLVI XII CAL MARTII EISLEBII IN PATRIAS M. O. C. V. AN. LXIII M. III. D. X. Thus Luther ran his course this was the period of his travels When first Melancthon heard newes of his death he utttered these sacred words of the scripture The Charriot and horsemen of Israel is gone and tooke his death most heavily For they had lived together 28. yeeres in most religious manner so that Melancthon truely loved him for his admirable vertues and was a faithfull mate and helper to him in clearing the doctrine of the Gospel For though those times were prone to distractions and mens wavering mindes desirous of dissention yet when as each knew others infirmities there never fell any jarre betweene them which caused any alienation of their affection or parting their company and fellowship But what and how great stormes rose in Germany after the death of Luther out alas each Christian knoweth So that Luther said truly and often foretold That whilst he lived by Gods help there would no warre be raysed in Germany but when he was dead the age to come would see the event Concerning the doctrine of the Gospel he uttered this heavenly truth These things will be a great bane to Christian Religion First forgetfullnesse of Gods blessing on us in restoring to us the Gospel Secondly security which already commonly and every where raigneth Thirdly worldly wisdome which would bring all things into good order and cure the publique stirres with wicked Councels There was in this worthy man of God a quicke and prudent understanding a magnanimous and noble Spirit He was ever constant in known truth from the confession whereof he could never be removed with threats or promises So that when upon a time one Papist demanded of an other Why do you not stop the mans mouth with gold and silver The other answered See this German beast careth not for money There appeared in him a singular proofe of his
1538. Sim. Lemnius his libel Sleid. b. 12 Camerarius in Melancthons life An. 1539. Of lawfull defence Of the name of Councels and the Church George Duke of Saxony dyeth Henry succeeds Protestancy in Misnia * Now fiftie yeeres old An. 1540. The conference at Hagenaw Melancthon sick in his journey Luther prayeth for Melancthon c. Robert Barnes burnt at London His confession printed by Luther An. 1541. Myconius sick and comforted by Luther Iohn â—…udding Tom. 7. Ien. An. 1542. The Alcoran in the German tongue An. 1543. Camerarius in the life of Melancthon Luther to the Printer to Tigur Luther writeth against the Jews His answer to C. Schwenckfeld His judgement about ceremonies and excommunication Luther at Mersberg A commentary upon Davids last words An. 1544. Commentary on Genesis * In the life of Bulling and Lavat. Histor. Sacr. Luthers last Lecture See Mathes Sermon concerning Luther p. 169. b. The lye in Italy about Luthers death Tom. 8. Jen. p. 206. The Italians disgrace the Germans An. 1546. The Councel of Trent began Camerarius in vita Melanct. Luther called to Mansfield He lodged at Justus Jonas his house Luthers danger Luther very sick Luthers imployment Luthers conference Whether in the other life we shall know one another Luthers disease of which he died Luthers prayer before his death Luthers death Luthers body brought to wittenberg His honourable buriall The body of Martin Luther Doctour of Divinity lieth here interred who in An. 1546. the 12. of the Kalends of March died in Isleben the place of his birth when he had lived 63. yeeres 3. moneths and tenne dayes Melancthons sorrow for Luthers death Their intire love faithfull society What followed Luthers death See Mathel Serm. on Luthers life What will be great hinderances of Christian Religion Luthers vertues His constancy in the truth Luthers couragious speech about the Gospels successe at the Assembly at Auspurg 1530. * Tom. 1. epist. p. 85. * Tom. 1. epist. p. 297. and Tom. 2. p. 340. The Emperour Sigismund unhappy after Hus his death Tom. 2. Epist. The chiefe points of Religion opened and cleared by Luther Melancthon Tom. 6. declam Luthers worthy paines in translating the Bible The difficulty of Jobs Translation Luthers course in translating the Bible Tom. 1. epist. 171. Mathes Sermon concerning Luthers life p. 153. Luthers revising the first Edition of the Bible Who carped at this Luther expositions of the Bible Erasm. judgement thereof Luthers eloquence in his own tongue * I st binnunter gerum Pett in die helle Luthers adversaries Secret plots against Luther a Tom. 2. epist. 271. The Papists designes b Tom. 2. epist. p. 8. Lies against Luther Tom. 2. epist. p. 8. Tom. 2. ep. p. 71. 85. 289. * Tom. 2. ep. pag. 6. * Tom. 1. ep. p. 292. Charles the Emperour kept the souldiers from digging up Luthers bones Tom. 1. ep. Luth. p. 230. b. Luther discerned not all truth at first Tom. 1. ep. pag. 130. a Tom. 2. ep. pag. 72. b Tom. 2. ep. pag. 243. Tom. 2. ep. pag. 301. Tom. 2. ep. pag. 230. Tom. 1. epist. p. 61. Tom. 2. epist. p. 273. Tom. 1. epist. pag. 11. Tom. 2. epist. pag. 371. Tom. 2. epist. pag. 28. Tom. 2. epist. pag. 307. Tom. 1. epist. pag. 360. Tom. 2. epist. pag. 281. Tom. 1. epist. Melanct. pag. 408. to 1. Obenburg Tom. 5. oper. Jen. pag. 280. Conf. Theolog. Melanct. pag. 438. Tom. 2. epist. pag. 196. 250. Luthers private life His temperance Tom. 1. ep. p. 265. His zeale in prayer His recreations Tom. 2. ep. p. 293. and 334. Tom 2. ep. p. 365. Luthers liberality Mathes in his serm. p. 144. Tom. 2. ep. pag. 342. How he dealt with Printers His loving affection to his children His anger zeale Tom. 2. epist. p. 10. p. 207. Tom. 2. epist. pag. 10. Tom. 2. epist. pag. 207. Of Luthers Health Of Luthers person Of his wife and children after his death Luthers writings His judgement of them in the Praes. of Tom. 1. Lat. Work printed at Wittenberg Tom. 7. Jen. Germ. p. 288. The Antimonians Tom. 2. Jen. Germ. p. 69. In his b. of Rhiloric Exer. Melancth. in Mathes serm. Camerarius in Melancth. life pag. 251. Wolf Severus of Luthers
certified that Luther was ready in any safe place appointed him to make his answer But Luther having setled his resolution to depart tooke his leave of the Prince Elector and by a letter sent to him Novemb. 29. thanked his Highnesse for all friendly offices of his love The Prince sent that letter to the Legate and appointed Luther to abide at Wittenberg Of this Luther thus wrote The Prince was fully minded that I should stay but what his minde now is since the Royal proceedings are published and I have appealed to the Councel I know not For he understanding by the Cardinals Letter that Judgement should passe on him at Rome he made a new Appeal saying that he was forced of necessitie to appeal from the Pope to the Councel ensuing which was in many respects to be preferred before the Pope About the same time towards the end of the 18 yeere the Pope sent Charles Multitius a Misnian Knight and bestowed on Prince Frederick a golden Rose according to custome consecrated by the Pope on the fourth Sunday in Lent and exhorted him to continue in the faith of his ancestours He was earnest with Luther to be reconciled to the Pope and had seventie Briefes Apostolicall as they call them to shew that if the Prince would deliver him out of his custody for which cause the Pope sent him the Rose in seventie Townes the seventie Briefes should be set up and so he should be brought safe to Rome But he opened the closet of his heart to Luther himself when he thus spake O Martin I conceived you to be an old man and sitting in some solitary place as an ancient Divine in some private manner to have disputed your Tenents But now I see you to be in your best age and full of vigour Had I 25000. armed men I could not be confident that I could bring you to Rome for as I came hitherward I tried how men stood affected and found that where one man stood for the Pope three stood for you against him What Multitius did in this kinde was ridiculous for he asked of women and maids in the Innes as he came what they thought of the Seat of Rome They not knowing the force of this speech answered What know we whether at Rome ye sit on wooden or stone seats He further required of Luther that he would have a regard to the Churches peace and promised to endeavour that the Pope should do the like Luther freely promised most readily to doe what ever he could with a safe conscience in regard of Gods Trueth and affirmed that himself was desirous and studious of peace and that it was not his fault that these stirres arose for necessitie had urged him to do what he had done Multitius also called unto him Tecelius the cheife original of these debates and with sharp wordes and threates so daunted the man till now a clamorous unaffrighted bold face terrible to all so that ever after he languished and with heartes griefe pined away Luther wrote a consolatory letter to him in this case but for feare of the Popes indignation he died Frederik the Elector a prudent and Religious Prince neither yeelded to the Popes desire nor vouchsafed his Rose any respect though Multitius wonderfully boasted of it at Dresa sayd Doctour Martin is in my power About this time the Bohemians sending a booke written by Iohn Hus to Luther encouraged him to constancy and patience and confessed that the Divinity taught by Luther was sound and right Matters being growne to this height of dispute and Luther having many adversaries at Leipsick a towne in Misnia belonging to George Duke of Saxony Cosen german to Prince Frederik in the 19. yeere a disputation was held Thither came Andreas Carolostadius accompanied with Luther Melanchthon and Barninus Duke of Pomerania He at that time was in office in the University of Wittenberg Thither came also Iohn Eckius a Divine of Ingolstad Hereupon the 17. day of June Iohn Eckius and Carolostadius began the disputation about free-will Namely whether there be in man any free will to doe good as of himselfe that is as they say whether in congruitie we deserve grace when we doe what is in us to doe Eckius granted that there is not in man a genuine and naturall power and abilitie to doe a good worke but an acqâ—…ired On this point eight dayes were spent by his playing the Sophister Luther could by no meanes obtaine leave of Duke George freely with his safety to dispute and thereupon came not as a disputer but an as Auditor to Leipsick under the protection granted to Carolostadius Whereupon Eckius comming to Luthers Lodging said that he heard that Luther refused to dispute Luther answered How can I dispute seeing I cannot obtaine protection from George the Duke To this Eckius replied If I may not dispute with you I will no longer dispute with Carolostadius For I came hither to dispute with you If I can obtaine for you the Dukes leave will you dispute When Luther assented thereunto Eckius presently procured for him a publique grant of safety and liberty to dispute This Eckius did out of an assured confidence of victorie and renowne to himselfe by confirming that the Pope is the Head of the Church Iure Divino by Divine right which Luther denied Hence Eckius tooke occasion at large to flatter the Pope and demerit his favour and to derive much hatred and envie on Luther This the bold champion stoutly attempted in the whole disputation but was not able to make good his cause or confute Luther Eckius chiefe arguments were that the Church could not be without an head seeing it was a body consisting of severall members Then he produced the place in Matthew Thou art Peter c. and some speeches of St Ierome and Cyprian and the Councel of Constance where against the Articles of the Hussites it was concluded That it was necessary to salvation that men should beleeve that the Pope was the Oecomenicall Bishop or Christs vicar over the whole world Afterward they entred into dispute about Purgatorie and Indulgences but in briefe about repentance about remission both of sin and its punishment and about the power of priests The two last dayes Carolostadius disputed againe and on the 14. day of July the disputation ended This disputation was set forth afterward by Luther who granted that the Pope by humane right was head of the Church Whereupon Duke George inviting Luther and Eckius to dinner and embracing both of them sayd Whether the Pope have his authority by divine or humane right Pope he is Luther afterward changed his opinion about this point Before this disputation at Leipsick Luther was desired by Charles Multitius to goe to Confluence there to plead his cause before him being the Popes Commissary But Luther excused himselfe and shewed that for many reasons he neither could
and if the Gospel was purely to be preached ought to be mitigated The Emperour was somewhat offended with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tempted by his Legate to take it away but all in vain For this businesse was farre otherwise concluded of in heaven then at Norinberg as Luther wrote For the Princes and Cities of the Empire strove who first should admit the reformed doctrin This was done in Denmark Prussia Livonia Silesia and elsewhere In this yeere Luther set forth the book concerning the dignitie and office of the Civil Magistrate Frederik the Elector was much delighted with this book He wrote also to the Waldenses commonly called the Picards concerning the adoring the Sacrament In which book he first mentions the opinion of Berengarius concerning the Lords Supper before he began the contention with the Helvetians He now also set forth the five books of Moses in the German tongue three thousand yeers since the death of Moses He published also a book to the Senate of Prague about ordaining of Ministers and another about avoyding the doctrine of men He wrote this yeere also to the Livonians and shewed his great joy at their entertaining the Evangelicall doctrin which many tyrants in Germany sought obstinately to oppresse and forewarned them that they must expect cruell persecutions of the same kind to the undergoing whereof he gravely and piously exhorted them encouraging them to be resolute and to persevere valiantly in the truth of the Gospel which they had received He further did instruct them briefly and pudent and brasen forehead For this he called Amsdorfe to witnesse and sayd that all of them except three were want on persons and not to be maintained yea that it was the duty of the Magistrats to prohibite their whoredom compell them to marry For though no man can be compelled and forced to the truth yet publique wickednesse is to be taken away At the least the Masses might be forborne which were maintained at the Princes charge and were wickedly performed and to no good end Iohn the Prince of Anhalt by Doctour Ieronymus and a Franciscan warned Luther to acquite himselfe of holding a new Article with which Ferdinand of Norinberg did charge him namely that he held that Christ was the seed of Abraham At the first Luther conceived that they jested with him but when he found that they spoke it sadly he was forced to give credit to their speech that he was in very deed so accused Pope Adrian then opposed the Gospel and by his Bull as they call it very much blamed Frederik Electour of Saxony for the neglect of his duty in not punishing or banishing Luther And then warned and intreated the Prince that now at length he he would doe it and if he would not he should try how keen the Popes and Emperours swords were The same request Henry the eight King of England and Lodowik King of Hungary and Bohemia made To all these the Elector returned no other answer then that Luther was first to be heard in the Councel before he was to be condemned The Popes Legate also accused Luther at the Norician assembly as being most like to Mahomet For as the Turkes by Polygamy so Luther taking away the vowes of Chastity doth loose the reines to all licentiousnesse and overthrow the state of the Church and therefore he might be condemned before he was heard besides as now he did shew his cruelty against the Ecclesiasticall state he would afterward doe the like against the Political In this yeere Christiern King of Denmark and his wife sister of Charles the fifth were expulsed their Kingdome for his too violent government And being in banishment at the Court of his Unkle Frederik Elector of Saxony heard Luther preach In the 24. yeere Clemens the 7. made Pope in Adrians steed sent Laur. Campegius the Cardinal his Logate to Norinberg He wrote at large to Frederik the Elector and highly praysed the Popes good will and did undertake that a Councel should be called Then also Caesar and most of the Princes of the Empire pressed for the decree of Wormes Which thing when Luther had notice of he bewayled the state of Germany and complained of the blindnesse of men That yeare Erasmus Roterod perswaded by the King of England and Thomas Wolsey Cardinal wrote against â—…ker He put forth against his will as he wrâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…thor the Treatise concerning fâ—… What was Luthers judgement about the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he wrote to Spalatinus sheweth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the booke of Eras. concerning free-will and yet I have scarce read eight leaves thereof It grieveth me to answer so unlearned a book of a man so learned That book was answered by Luther An. 1526. with which delay the mindes of learned men were held in suspence what would be the issue of the controversie This yeere was remarkable for the unhappy Sacramentary controversie The beginning and proceeding whereof is related in the life of Carolostade Zwingl and Oecolamp and I list not here to renew our griefe by opening the sore again About this time came forth the fanatick writing of Tho. Muncer of Stolberg and the Preacher of Alstet in which he disgorged his venemous fury against the Lutherans The book which he wrote against Luther was dedicated to Christ Prince of Princes He rayled on Luther because he wanted an Enthusiasticall spirit and had nothing in his writing but a carnall spirit The same Muncer wrote to Melancthon a letter plainly shewing his fanaticall spirit Luther now put forth Davids Psalter in the German tongue a book against the seditious and an Epistle to Frederik and Iohn Princes of Saxony against the enemies of images and Enthusiasts who boasted of illumination and conference with God He also set forth a booke about the Exaltation of Benno a Bishop once of Misnia whose bones were on the sixteen day of May digged up at Misnia exalted and placed in a marble Tombe which act some took to be religious other jested and laughed thereat This yeere in October Luther laid aside his Monkishhood and declared his judgement concerning the Synode to be called for determination of the ceremonies saying thus I thinke it not very safe to call together a Councell of our men for the setling an uniformitie of Ceremonies for it will set a bad example though it be attempted with a good zeale as appeareth by all Councels from the beginning So that in the Apostolicall Synode they did more treat concerning matter of action and Traditions then of faith In the Synodes after this they never disputed about faith but alwayes about opinions and questions that the name of Councels is more suspected and hated by me then the name of free will If one Church will not of its own accord imitate another in externall matters what need is there to compell them by the decrees of Councels which presently are changed into lawes
many rich and of great power to speak against him bitterly and with open mouth to reproach him when especially the very time did help forward and set them on who were minded so to do And of what power the conveniency of time is in every action all know full well But when he perceived that Luther himself was somewhat troubled with the same thoughts he not onely moderated his passion but did cheere up Luther and endeavoured to ease his griefe and sorrow with pleasant conference and thereby brought him to his wonted cheerefulnesse again Luthers adversaries not onely observed the time of the marriage but proclaimed the marriage to be incestuous in which a Monk married a Nun. Hereupon the King of England in his Answer to Luther stiles this marriage incestuous and there saith among other opprobries put upon Luther that he could not have committed a sinne of higher nature Conradus Collinus Prior of Cullen and Ierome Emsenus * the best Divine among the Papists wrote virulently and disgracefully of this marriage Yea some there were whom Erasmus gave credit unto who laid a sinne to Luthers charge from which the time of his childs birth did acquit him Against these disgraces Luther thus animated himself saying If my marriage be a work of God what wonder is there if the flesh be offended at it It is offended even at the flesh which God our Creator took and gave to be a ransome and food for the salvation of the world if the world was not offended with me I should be offended with the world and should feare that it was not of God which I have done Now seeing the world is vexed and troubled at I am confirmed in my course and comforted in God So do you The cause of his marriage he there also relateth saying We resigned the revenew of the Monastery to the Prince I who abode in the Monastery so long as it pleased God now like a private housekeeper I have not married to prolong my life but seeing my dissolution neerer approaching and people with their Princes to rage against me that I might leave mine own doctrine for the weaks sake confirmed by mine own example for my doctrine may perchance be kicked against and trodden on after my death This yeere the Anabaptists spread themselves over Helvetia and other parts of Germany and began to broach their fancies at Anwerp Hereupon Luther by an Epistle warned them of Anwerp to take heed of the erroneous spirit which had hindred him very much and recited the impostures of false spirits in Popery and the by-pathes of the seducing spirits of the present times There he set downe the erroneous Articles of a tumultuous spirit at Anwerp and opened the inconstancy lying boldnesse and ambitious desire of honour lurking in that Spirit and entreateth them to forbeare the question concerning Gods hidden will and to attend to and learne the necessary precepts set before us by our God The Articles were these 1. That every man hath the Spirit 2. That the Spirit was nothing else but our reason and understanding 3. That every man beleeveth 4. That there were no inferi or place of torment for mens soules but that the body onely was condemned 5. That every soule should be saved 6. That by the law of nature we are taught to do good to our neighbour as we would he should doe to us and that this will in us was faith 7. That we sinne not against the law by desiring any thing if our will consent not to our desire and lust 8. That he which hath not the Spirit hath not sin because he wanteth reason which they called the Holy Ghost Now also Luther wrote to the King of England by the perswasion of Christiern the banished King of Denmark This Epistle was submissive and is extant in his Epistles He wrote also humbly to George Duke of Saxony that he would be pleased to afford him his favourable respect But the King returned him an harsh answere and objected to him his levity and inconstancy and defended Cardinal Wolsey against Luthers writing to him that hence it appeared how he hated Luther When Luther saw the Kings answer printed he was very much grieved at what he had done and that he had so much yeelded to his friends as to write in so humble a strain The like befell him upon his writing to Cajetan George Duke of Saxony and Erasmus Rotterod who by Luthers lenity were incensed rather then pacified He resolved never afterward to run into the like errour Cocleus and Eckius wonderfully also insulted over Luthers submissivenesse Wherefore Luther now printed a booke against as he calledit the Ill languaged and contumelious booke of the King of England In the yeare 1526. Luther refused Erasmus book intituled de servo Arbitrio The delaying of his answer proceeded from the cause certified to * Amsdorf in these words I will not answer Erasmus till I have done with Carolostade who makes great troubles and stirres in upper Germany Erasmus provoketh thereby put forth his Hyperaspides of which book Luther thus writeth Erasmus that viper being rouzed up will write against me again what eloquence will that most vain hunter after glory exercise to cast down Luther About the same time Duke George and the Bishops attempted many wayes to wrong Luther as appeareth by his letter to Myconius saying The wicked Papists conspire and as Melanctheus writeth to me from Iena threaten warre against me Wherefore see you that the people admonished hereof manfully contend by faithfull and continuall prayer to the Lord that they may be overcome and withheld by the Spirit and constrained to keepe outward peace Verily I understand by the writings and speeches of many that there is very great need of earnest prayer for Satans plots are a working Wherefore I intreat you that you would perswade the people to this most necessary and prevalent work because they are endangered and exposed to Satans sword and fury encompassing them He further saith That the Sectaries were divided into sixe Sects Sixe heads in one yeere are sprung up among the Sacramentarians t is a strange spirit which so much differs from it selfe One sect followed Carolostade that is fallen a second is that of Zwinglius which is falling the third is with Oecolampadius which will fall the fourth also which is Carolostade is fallen he thus disposeth of the words That which is given for you is my body The fifth is now arising in Silesia set forth by Valentine Crantwald and Caspar Schwenkfeld who thus invert the words My body which is given for you is this that is spirituall meat These grievously vex and molest us with their writings for they are most obstreperous and full of words I wish they had my disease of the Stone they seeme so strong to undergo it The sixth is that of Peter Florus at Cullen which Melancthon will deale with
I never saw ought but one letter about it O how he reprobates Luther I know saith he that Luther is forsaken of the Lord All those Spirits differing each from other contend with subtle arguments all of them boast of revelations obtained by prayer and teares and agree onely in this that all of them fight each with other for us This Christ effecteth for us Luther wrote a consolatory letter to Iohn Husse of Breslow a Teacher of the Gospel notwithstanding the scandall raised by the Heretiks and their fighting against the Articles of our Faith and in speciall manner he animated him against Schwenfeld and Crantwald saying You speak the Truth friend Hesse Hitherto the combate was about points not grounded in the Scriptures as about the Pope and Purgatory and the like Now ye come to more serious matters and to the battell already won concerning points in the Scripture Here we shall see the Dragon fighting or rather we shall combat with him Michael being our Captain in these Heavenly fights When the Dragon shall pull down the third part of the stars with his tayle to the earth then the cause will call for our strength in Christ Here you shall see what manner a warriour and how strong a champion Satan is whom yet you have not sufficiently tried or had experience of Schwenkfeld and Crantwald which I much lament are reserved for these mischiefes But the foundation of God standeth firme having this seale The Lord knoweth who are his let this be our comfort and in this let us be confident to prevaile over the gates of Hell Besides other studies of Luther he now expounded Ecclesiastes which was not easie and plain as he said for an Interpreters labour There are saith he therein many Hebraismes and obstacles in that tongue not yet well made known Yet by the grace of God I break thorow them This yeere he wrote a forme of the Masse in the German tongue in which he permitted some ceremonies to be used or not used at mens pleasures Among other speeches thus he saith Yet we retain those garments altars waxecandles used at the Masse till they grow old or that it seeme good to change them If it please any man to do otherwise I permit him to do as he liketh best But in the true Masse among Christians unmixt with Papists it is fit that the altar should not remain but that the Minister should turn himself to the people as Christ doubtlesse did at the first celebration of the Lords Supper But let this also await its due time He wrote also foure consolatory Psalmes to Mary Queen of Hungary upon the miserable death of her husband King Lodowick who was drowned He then also divulged other Treatises which are mentioned in his works In the 27. yeere the Anabaptists broached their new doctrin about the not baptizing of Infants and were themselves rebaptised they also taught communitie of goods Both Luther and Zwinglius wrote against them and the Magistrates punished them in divers places Luther wrote also upon the question whether souldiers lived in a kinde of life tending to happinesse In which discourse he learnedly and godly handled many things concerning warre and its discipline He dealt also against the Sacramentarians as he calleth them and in his book averreth that Christs word This is my body yet stand firme Of the book thus Luther writeth to Spalatinus I doubt not but that I have throughly moved the Sacramentarians for though my book be full of words and not so learned yet I am perswaded that I have touched them to the quick Bucer hath written most virulent letters against me unto our Jonas already they make a Satan of Luther what suppose you that they will do when they be gauled with that book But Christ liveth and raigneth Amen He also comforted them of Hall for the death of George Winckler their Pastor who was slain by conspiracy He also answered Iohn Hessus to the question Whether a Christian man may flie in time of Pestilence and to an other question namely Whether after the truth of the Gospel is made known a man may for feare of the tyrants forbeare to administer the Lords Supper in both kinds which Luther denyed against the Prischanists About the beginning of the yeere 27. Luther fell suddenly sicke of a congealing of bloud about his heart which almost kil'd him but the drinking of the water of Carduus Benedictus whose vertue then was not so commonly knowne he was presently helped But he wrastled with a farre worse agony afterward on the Sabbath after the visitation of the blessed Virgin This is recorded by Iohn Bugenhagius and Iustus Ionas who saw his affliction Here he indured not onely a corporall malady but also a spirituall tentation which Luther called a buffiting of Satan It seemed to him that swelling surges of the sea in a tempest did sound aloud at his left eare and against the left side of his head yet not within but without his head and that so violently that die he must except they presently grew calme Afterward when it seemed to come within his head he fell downe as one dead and was so cold in each part of his body that he had remaining neither heat nor bloud nor sence nor voyce But when his face was besprinckled with cold water by Jonas for so Luth. had bidden he came again to himself and began to pray most earnestly and to make a confession of his faith to say that he was unworthy of Martirdom which by his proceedings he might seemed to run upon His will and Testament concerning his wife with child and his young sonne this he made Lord God I thank thee that thou wouldest have me live a poore and indigent person upon Earth I have neither house nor lands nor possessions nor mony to leave Thou hast given me wife and children them I give back unto thee Nourish teach keep them O thou the father of orphans and Iudge of the widow as thou hast done to mee so do unto them But by using daily prayers and continuall fomentations after that he had sweat thoroughly the griefe by degrees decreased so that in the evening of that day he rose up and supped with his friends and confessed that his spirituall temptation was farre sorer then his corporall sicknesse Hereupon the day following he sayd to Iustus Ionas I will take speciall notice of the day last past in which as in a schoole I was put to the try all of my progresse And sate in a most hot sweating house The Lord bringeth to the graves mouth and fetcheth back againe He often makes mention of this tentation in his letters to his friends and consirmed the faith by receiving absolution from a Minister and the use of the Sacrament This yeere also he put forth the Story of Leonard Keisar his friend who was burnt for the Gospels sake at the Command of
Usury In the beginning of the yeere 1541. Luther wrote a consolatory letter to Frederik Myconius lamentably spent with a Consumption and affirmed that himself could have no joy to live if he died and thereupon wished that he himself might first lay down the tabernacle of his weake body and said that he was verily perswaded that his prayers should be granted for Myconius life As indeed it came to passe for Myconius out-lived Luther six yeers and would say that Luther obtained this for him by his prayers After Easter Bernard the infant sonne of Iohn of Anhalt was baptized at Dessaw Here Luther preached two Sermons to the Courtiers the Brother of the Prince of Anhalt and the Bishop of Brandenburgh which were printed He wrote also an Answer to a rayling book of one whom he calleth Hans Wurst Wherein he defended himself and his doctrin against the Papists and their Popish errours He put forth also an Exhortation to prayer against the Turk and answered the Princes questions concerning Transubstantiation Free-will Justification by faith and other points About this time the Bishoprick of Neoburg by Sala was voyd There Nicolas Amsdorf a Divine born of a noble Family was enstalled by Luther at the command of the Elector of Saxony the Patron of that Diocesse and Iulius Pflugius whom the Canons of the Colledge chose was refused Luther placed him in the Bishoprick Ian. 20. An. 1542. This thing as many conceived gave occasion to other stirres and very much offended the Emperour who much affected Pfugius for divers respects Of this see more in Amsdorfs life After this Luther wrote a book in the German tongue and call'd it The Pattern of the inauguration of a true Christian Bishop He published at that time the Alcoran which by Richard a Dominican was translated into the vulgar tongue He added to it a faithfull admonition concerning the abandoning the Turks doctrin and affirmed that not the Turk but the Pope was Antichrist And upon a difference rising between the Elector of Saxony and Maurice concerning the territories and town of Wurcen so that warre was likely to ensue Luther with weightie reasons in his letters disswaded both the Princes from their designes He further also opened his judgement about a Position some yeeres agone by him propounded Namely that to warre against the Turk was nothing else but to fight against God who useth him as his whip to scourge us Now also he wrote a consolatory letter concerning abortive birthes and bringing forth dead children The yeers 1543 and 44 produced many great troubles and stirres For now the Sacramentary contention began afresh to Melancthons great grief whom some attempted to set at jarres with Luther Some there were also who sought to coole Luthers heat and spake little more favourably of the Rhenan Churches then of the Turks Wherefore when Christopher Froschoverus the Printer of Tigur sent Luther a copie of his Tigurin Bible then Printed Luther admonished him by his letter that he should not publish anything which came to him from the Ministers of Tigur and that he had nothing to do with them nor would receive or read their books that the Churches of God could not joyne in Communion with them who already were running into the way of Perdition and would bring others into hell and damnation and that he would oppugne them with his prayers and books whilest he lived And now Luther first wrote against the Jews and refuted their lies and their blasphemous conceit about Shemhamphoras the name of God expounded He also wrote his judgement and a short answer to Casp. Schwenckfelds book and letter whom he bad not to mention him in his writings and sent him away with this answer The Lord reprove Satan who is in thee confusion befall the Spirit which called thee and the course which thou runnest and all the Sacramentarians and Eutychians who partake with thee and all thy blasphemies Thou doest as they of whom it was written they ran and I sent them not they spake and I commanded them not He wrote also his minde to others concerning the Ceremonies and excommunication he desired that there should be few Ceremonies and they tending to edification and that excommunication should be brought into the Church as a profitable discipline but could scarce hope to see it He admonished the young students at Wittenberg to avoyd fornication with wch some then were taxed yea he threatned that he would hold no societie with men of that ill condition and tarried some time at Mersburg with the Prince of Anhalt But afterward he was call'd to his ordinary taske by the University sending for him an honourable Embassie About this time he wrote an excellent Commentary upon the last words of David wherein he soundly and plainly declared the Article of the Trinitie the distinction of the persons Christs Deitie and humanitie In the yeere 1544. he finished the first part of his Commentaries on Genesis in which he often blameth the Sacramentarians and foretelleth that after his death many would oppugne Luthers doctrin Then in September he published the briefe and last Confession concerning the Eucharist wherein he expressely explaineth what in the Lords Supper is received by the worthy receivers what by the unworthy what by faith what without faith and censures Zwinglius Oecolampadius and others at Tigur who set forth an Apologie of their doctrin the yeere following Of this * elsewhere is spoken This very yeere the 17. of November he finished his explication of Genesis which was his last publique reading in the Universitie which he concluded with these words Thus end I my explication on Genesis God grant that others may more rightly and truly expound it then I have done I cannot proceed farther therein my strength faileth me pray for me that it would please God to grant me a quiet and comfortable departure out of this life This yeere in Italy was spread a most impudent lie about Luthers death The summe of it translated out of the Italian is this A stupendious rare miracle which God ever to be praised shewed about the filthy death of Martin Luther a man damned both in body and soule so that it conduced to the glory of Jesus Christ and the amendment and comfort of godly men When Martin Luther was sick he desired the Lords body to be communicated to him which he receiving died presently When he saw that he must die he requested that his body might be set upon the Altar and be adored with divine worship But God to put an end to his horrible errours by a great miracle warned the people to abstain from the impietie which Luther invented For when his body was laid in his grave suddenly so great a stirre and terrour arose as if the foundations of the earth were shaken together Whereupon all at the funerall trembling were astonished and after a while