name and not on ydolles and brynge vp their chyldreÌ„ and famelyes accordynge to thy most holye wyll and commaundementes Therfor aryse most blessyd lorde and lete it be wele knowne that thu art more myghtye than all our bloudthurstye aduersaryes And the moch more rather for that there is at thys daye in no kyngedome lorde vndre the sunne anye other manyfest churche or Christen congregacyon wherin thy holye worde is apertlye frelye and purelye taught and the sacramentes accordynge to thy true instytucyon mynystred neyther yet eternall father thy holye name called vpon ryghtlye by thy dere sonne Iesus Christ our lorde in the holye Ghost than onlye our churches and those that be of our true beleue The Pope and the Emprour wyll in no wyse abyde thys churche but sete in all their polycyes the vtter destruccyon therof They now laboure with tothe and nayle for 〈◊〉 syncere and pure doctryne to set vp mennys lyes and in place of thy true worshyppynges to auaunce foule ydolatrye We knowe it blessed lorde to be our bounde dewtye both to stoppe and withstande their wycked and frantyke enterpryse as wele for our owne subiectes as for their posterytees And therfor good lorde what we haue and what we maye we put now whollye in hasarde that the hygh treasure of grace thy precyouse worde and thy holye name maye gracyouslye remayne styll amonge vs and so be had in contynuaunce and left for imytacyon vnto our posterytees Thu God almyghtye whych art the most ryghteouse iudge of thy peoples iudge me in thys present cause accordynge to thy ryghtwysnesse and noÌ„ otherwyse thaÌ„ my innocencye therin requyreth For neyther the pope nor yet the Emproure can shewe hytherto anye honest pretence of thys their most detestable enterpryse I besyche the therfor as thu art my true god lete the malyee of myne enemyes come to nought Hytherto haue they agaynst thy holye worde done thys vyolence Defende thy true seruauntes whych haue both loued and embraced thy Gospell of saluacyon Thu God without fayle art the selfe ryghteouse iudge that serchest the inwarde hartes and reynes Thu lorde so clerelye beholdest the most hydden secretes of the harte that neyther they caÌ„ deceyue the nor yet mocke the with all their persuasyble gloses as they do soch men as knowe not their wyckedcraftes God is my stroÌ„ge shyelde of defeÌ„se preseruynge theÌ„ whych are true hatred But to soch dyssemblers and scorners as with craftye colours de clocke their inwarde myschefe and m 〈…〉 e he is a moâ— ernest enemye the lorde is a ryghteouse iudge 〈◊〉 soche a lyberall God as geueth hymselfe daylye to theÌ„ that heare hys worde and saueth them all daungers But where as hys worde is co 〈…〉 and blasphemed as with the cruell Pope and Emproure whych haue longe tyme contynued in their wycked purpose Loo beholde my lorde God becometh a stronge warryour yea hys armoure and weapons are layed fourth he hath sharpened hys swerde he hath bent hys bowe and made it redye therupon also he hath done hys arrowes of destruccyon so that perpetuall deathe wyll vpon them fasten that shall with those dartes be stryken The blasphemouse Pope and Emproure haue now conceyued myschefe they trauayle all great with iniquyte but a thynge of nought are they lyfe to brynge fourth They both haue labouryouslye dygged a pytt and with wycked haman shall in conclusyon droppe into the snare they haue made Their vnhappye workes wyll he auylye lyght vpon their owne pates and vpon their backes wyll their wyckednesse fall to their no small grefe In the meane season wyll I rendre thankes vnto my lorde God for hys ryghteousnes sake and magnyfye the name of the kynge that is hyghest Amen Iournaye Ißleben Hallis 3. sonnes Sore syck Preached Prayer Prynces A sermon Departynge A questyoÌ„ Adam Prayer Medycyne Earle Albert Watchynge vnto god The pope Ionas vnto god Resort To Christ Thankes The pope Ioan. 3. Psal. 67. vnto god doctryne CoÌ„staunâ—â— In peace Simeon Ioann 8. Hys bodye Prynces Ionas The duke Hallys Prynces Electour Hys wyfe sonnes doctours Straungers Pomeranus Buryed 1. Cor. 15 witnesses 3. thynges Churche Luther Doctryne Offyce Christ. Teachers Fathers AbrahaÌ„ prophetes Iohan Baptyst doctours ReÌ„naunt Luther Gouerners Troubles Obstynates Faythe Inuocacyon Christ. Cyuyle ordre The Byble Erasmus a buylder Of God Thankes allegorye Scriptures Scriptures Erasmê° A gyaunt Weakelynges VehemeÌ„cye Conscyence Polycyes Stronge Prayer Teares myghtye wysdome Chronycles eloqueÌ„ce A father Organe of God Teachers Prayer Warnynges Threttes ChristeÌ„ly Christ. Lyfe to come 1. Thes. 4 pastoure TryuÌ„phe The Gospell Hypocrytes S. Paule The worlde Aduersaryes Princes The pope an angell 2. partes of hys doctrine An other Ioan. 16. Iohan Huss a swanne Luther Reioyce Lazarus our sprete the slepe Deathe Luther Deathe Prayer An example No feare InnoceÌ„t Departure Ambrose Luther ii causes Last wordes No deathe Prayer Ambrose good maÌ„ S. Paule â—hearles S. Martyn Luther Helias Faythe preachers Papystes
The true hystorie of the Christen departynge of the reuerēde mā D. Martyne Luther collected by Iustus Ionas Michael Celius and Ioannes Aurifaber whych were present therat translated into Englysh by Iohan Bale Arma Ducis Saxoniae I hearde a voyce from heauen sayth S. Iohan whych sayd thus vnto me Blessed are the dead whych depart in the lorde For they from hens forth shall rest from their labours Apoca. xiiij The true hystorye of the Christen departynge of the reuerēde man D. Martyne Luther collected by Iustus Ionas Michael Celius and Ioannes Aurifaber whych were present therat and translated into Englysh by Iohan Bale IN the yeare of our lorde a M.D.XLVI at the instaunt request of the worthye and noble earles of Mansfelde the Reuerende man of God Doctor Martyne Luther departed from Wittemberge the 23. of Ianuarye and rested the first nyght at Bitterfelde For thys onlye cause ded they call hym thydre at that tyme to ende by hys godlye dyscressyon serten greuouse scysmes and controuersyes whych had longe not without parell contynued betwixt them Rather coueted they hym than anye other persone to fynysh those varyaunces for that they knewe hym a man of most groūded cōscyence lernynge iudgemēt also natyue borne within their domynyon in a cytie called Ißlebē And though the treatye of soch polytyck causes perteyned not to hys vocacyō ▪ yet was he not vndylygēt in reducynge that lōge cōceyned malyce and daungerouse hate in to a most agreable Christen concorde And the rather that it was in hys owne natyue contraye On the xxiiij daye of Ianuarye aboute eleuen of the clocke he came to Hallis and remayned there all that daye forth and iij. dayes after in the howse of Doctor Iustus Ionas In the meane tyme he made there a solempne sermon in the temple of the Conuersyon of S. Paule out of the Apostles Actes On the frydaye after whych was the xxviii daye of Ianuarye he departed frō Hallis with Doctor Ionas and hys iij. sonnes Iohan Martyne and Paule so passed ouer the daungerouse flode in a smal whyrye takynge hys iournaye from thens towardes Ißleben hys owne natyue cytie As he had ones entered the countye of Mansfelde he was honourablye receyued of an C. and xiij horse men Anon after in the charett he became so sore sycke that all they whych were present moch doubted of hys lyfe Wherupon they toke the next harboure releued hym with soch prouysyon as there was so that he was verye cherefull that nyght and complayned nomore of sickenesse From the xxix daye of Ianuarye tyll the xvij daye of Februarye he was contynuallye occupyed aboute the matters of concorde and agrement of the forseyd noble prynces bryngynge it vnto a most godlye conclusyon And besydes hys great laboure in so necessarye a cause he preached in the meane tyme iiij worthye sermons and ij tymes communycated with the Christē churche there in the holye supper of the lorde And in the latter communyon whych was vpon the sondaye he ordayned ij mynysters of the worde of God after the Apostles maner From the afore sayd .xxix. daye of Ianuarye to the xvij of Februarye manye a wonderfull sentence came out of hys mouthe and manye confortable wordes ded he vtter Manye harde places of the scriptures he opened in the presence of those noble prynces both at their tables and other where els wherof a boke is now compyled and imprented And amonge all other he oft tymes complayned of hys age and sayd If it pleased God that he came agayne to Wittemberge he wolde desyre no longar to lyue but depart in the lorde And alwayes at euen he vsed by the space of these xxi dayes to go from the prynces great haule īto hys owne chābre where as standynge ryght vp agaynst the wyndowe he occupyed a serten tyme in most feruent prayer vnto God the eternall father Wherof we Iustus Ionas Michael Celius Ioannes Aurifaber Ambrose hys owne seruaunt moch marueled vnderstādynge oft tymes serten of hys wordes And thys done he turned hym alwayes from the wyndowe towardes vs with a merye countenaūce as one delyuered of a verye heauye burden Thē wolde he a lyttle commen with vs and so go to hys bedde On the wedynsdaye whych was the xvij daye of Februarye both the noble prynces we desyred hym to kepe hys chambre and no longar to accombre hym selfe in their matters whych were afore that fullye and clerelye pacyfyed Notwithstandynge he came forth that mornynge agayne at euen lyke as he had done euerye daye afore In the verye same euenynge after supper about a vij or viij houres afore hys departynge from thys worlde he made vs a most grounded sermon of deathe necessarye and of the lyfe to come hauynge therin thys sentence amonge other O most blessyd lorde xx years are a verye small tyme. Yet if there were no increace therin accordynge to thy godlye creacyon and ordynaunce the worlde wolde in a maner be clerelye vacaunt or without people The greatter part of hys churche doth God gather vnto hym from infauntes And verelye I beleue thys to be true that whan a yonge childe of one yeare of age dyeth there departeth out of the worlde with hym ▪ a M. or ij of the same age But whan I now depart the worlde whych am thre score yeares olde there wyll scant iij. score depart hens with me of the same age so fewe are there whych lyue to that age And nothynge els wynne we by our longe contynuaunce here but daylye affliccyons and sorowes in beholdynge the wyckednesse falsehede and calamytees of thys worlde What a cruell sprete our common aduersarye is we nede to go no farther for recorde than ourselues And non other thynge els is mankynde than a shepe folde appoynted to the slaughter Afterwarde in the nyght as we were in dyuerse communycacyons he chaunced vpon thys questyon Whether in the worlde to come or in the perpetuall congregacyō one of vs shuld knowe an other or naye And as we instauntlye desyred hym therin to saye hys mynde he made vs thys answere How ded Adam sayd he how ded Adam As he arose from the slepe that God cast hym in Gene. 2. and behelde Eua standynge by hym whome he neuer sawe afore he sayd not what art thu or from whens dost thu come But he sayd Thys is now a bone taken of my bones and a verye flesde of my fleshe Thus perceyued he her not to be made of a dead stocke or a stone but of hys owne fleshe And full was he of the holye Ghost in that houre hauynge the perfyght through knowledge of God To thys full knowledge shall we come after thys lyfe beyng renouated in Christ and shall knowe one another by countenaunce more perfyghtlye than euer Adā knewe Eua hys wyfe After these communycacyons he arose and went vnto hys owne chambre ▪ hys ij sonnes Martyne and Paule with
hystorye so conforme to the matter we haue now in hande Thys mastre Ambrose was verye nygh of kynne to S. Martyne Luther whych caused hym oft tymes to frequent hys cumpanye both in hys syckenesse and afore And these were the last wordes that euer he spake vnto hym Mastre Doctour I thanke yow of your gentyll vysytacyon I hope as gentyllye to vysyte yow agayne where we shall togyther commen of most ioyfull causes And now in dede they maye commen those matters in an other lyfe and holde soch heauenlye felyshypp as they neuer coulde do here The same verye tyme that Doctour Martyne went so from hym I am wele remembred that he sayd thus vnto me Thysman is surelye gone though he seme styll here For he knoweth no maner of thynge perteynynge to the fleshe nor yet to deathe Whan we put hym in mynde of hys matters he knoweth not the worlde nor yet thys lyfe He is merye he ioyfullye laugheth and propouneth vnto vs in hys innocent state most wonderfull mysteryes But in the ende he derydeth vs. As who shuld saye fare ye wele now I haue nomore to do with thys worlde The lorde of hys infynyte mercye sayth he at the last graunt me soch a gracyouse ende that in the houre of deathe I nothynge remembre thys worlde In lyke maner at an other season after the seyd Ambrose was buryed in the yeare of our lorde a M.D.XLII in the monthe of Ianuarye as he one daye passed by he poynted with hys hande to hys graue and sayd vnto me Thys maÌ„ neyther felte hymselfe sycke neyther yet reckened of deathe yet was he neuer without Christes knowledge Here lyeth he inclosed whych yet knoweth of no deathe O lorde Iesus Christ I besyche the wore saue to take me so from thys myserable lyfe Yea manye tymes sayd thys blessyd father here both to me and to other Praye vnto our most mercyfull father that he shortlye take me vnto hym for here can I nomore do neyther yet am I anye longar profytable vnto yow Helpe me hens with your prayers prolonge not my lyfe on the earth Herbye maye ye wele perceyue that he had no great pleasure here but that hys full desyre was as was Saynt Paules to be dysolued and with Christ. He sange hys consummatum longe afore he departed commyttynge hys sowle to the handes of God Manye other prognostycacyons we had or sygnes asore hande of hys goynge awaye from vs. For all the yeare afore he sayd oft tymes vnto vs that he coueted to iournaye an other waye And as he desyered so came it to passe For as the noble earles of Mansfelde had sent for hym into hys owne natyue cytye of Ißleben by hys ghostlye counsell to quyet their matters of controuersye as he ded most gracyouslye he deceased there clerelye from thys lyfe The maner of thys Christen departynge ye haue in writynge by dyuerse men lerned of most grounded testymonye whych were there present with the prayer whych he made afore he gaue vp hys lyfe Whych here to repete were superfluouse Here am I coÌ„pelled to call to remembraunce the holye Byshopp S. Martyne In whose hystorye Seuerus Sulpicius mencyoneth that the Arryanes all other heretykes trembled as they hearde hym but named and that there was amonge the Chrysten beleuers sore lamentacyon and mournynge at hys buryall More ouer that after hys deathe was great dysputacyon betwyn certen cyties whych of them shulde retayne hys bodye And all thys hath also as ye knowe full wele chaunce â—o our Martyne here the elect Apostle and Prophete of God to withstande the great Antichrist in thys worthye lande of the Germanes Hym hath Christ now in hys dere bosome reseruynge hym to honoure for that he so inteyrlye loued hym and hys true churche Vnto vs hys posteryte the lorde graunt hys double sprete specyallye in those churches whych he here so frutefullye planted lyke as the Prophete Eliseus desyred of Helias as he was from hens translated If we thynke that God for our synnes and vnthankefulnesse hath depryued vs of hym lete vs studyouslye amende our lyues and desyre of the same God our mercyfull father that we maye froÌ„ heÌ„s forth perseuer in the pure doctryne and syncere Christen faythe and that Christ therin maye defende vs from sectes tyrauntes and the gates of helle Most gracyouse lorde Iesus Christ defende now thy carefull congregacyon that they perpetuallye maye prayse the a ryght Helpe vs our mercyfull God redemer and delyuer vs for the glorye of thy moâ—â— holye name Be fauourable to our inyquytees for thy gracyouse promes sake Conserue in our churche the syncere and faythfull mynysters Graunt them by thy holye sprete thy myghtye streÌ„gth and power as the 67. Psalme specyfyeth God with stronge wordes wyll assyst hys preachers Truth is it that both the vnshamefast and horryble blasphemyes of the obstynate papystes and monkes and also our daylye vnthankefulnesses and vyces haue deserued sore plages and penaltees Yet lete vs not cease to call vpoÌ„ god our most mercyfull father with amendemeÌ„t that he defende vs from all false worshyppynges for hys onlye sonnes sake our lorde Iesus Christ. And that thys prophetycall verse or Epitaphe of our fathers owne makynge maye be clerelye fulfylled Pestis eram uiuens morieÌ„s ero mors tua papa Alyne I was thy pestylence Thu Antichrist thu pope of Rome And now I dead wyll be from hence Thy deathe thy most dredefull dome God haue the prayse for euer Amen The Christen prayer of the most noble prynce electour Iohan Frederick duke of Saxon in hys godlye warres agaynst Antichrist hys vpholders Translated by Iohan Bale O Lorde eternall and my God in the put I all my trust Preserue me froÌ„ my pursuers and kepe me out of their cruell haÌ„des Lete them not rauyne me vp as the lyon the shepe neyther yet teare me in peces whyle there is non to assyst me O lorde and my God if I haue done soch thynge as the pope and Emprour do now laye to my charge as that I shuld support yll doctryne and renouÌ„ce true obedyence If I haue done euyll to anye faythfull seruaunt of thyne or begunne thys warre vncompelled Suffer myne enemyes to vexe me and take me yea lete them treade my lyfe into the earthe and throwe my honoure my power possessyons and peoples with all that thu hast geuen me into the dust But thu my ryghteouse lorde God knowest the hartes of vs both Therfor stande vp lorde strongelye in thy wrathe and shewe thy selfe as a myghtye God agaynst the furyouse indygnacyons of myne enemyes Establysh me a freshe in the offyce wherwith thu hast charged me that in myne owne landes and amonge myne owne folke I maye dwell in peace That they maye into a faythfull congregacyon be gathered vnto the and not to the pope Lete them heare thy blessyd worde lorde and not hys call vpon thy
whych ye haue hytherto taught and constauntlye now dye in the same He answered with stomake that all whych were present myght heare it Yea And with that he turned hymselfe on the ryght syde and so slept the space of a quarter of an houre so that manye reckened he shuld haue recouered But we lyked nothynge that slepe but from thens fourth with lyghtes we most dylygentlye marked hys eyes Anon after came in Earle Iohan Henryck of Swartzenburch with hys ladye And by that tyme he wexed verye pale in the face Hys fete and handes were deadlye colde and from the hart warde he sumwhat panted but it was so softlye that we verye lyttle perceyued it In the whych lyght breathynge he gaue ouer hys lyfe to God without anye payne to all our iudgemeÌ„tes For he neyther moued haÌ„de nor fote theriÌ„ Neyther was there anye of vs as we testyfye here in coÌ„science both before God man that coulde perceyue in hym anye perturbacyon dolour or other vnquyetnesse of bodye in hys departynge But quyetouslye and swetelye with all gentylnesse of sprete he rested in the lorde Lyke as olde Symeon sayd Now letyst thy seruaunt depart in peace accordynge to thy promes So that thys saynge of Christ in the viiâ— of IohaÌ„ maye wele be veryfyed on hym Verelye I saye vnto yow he that kepe my worde shall neuer se deathe Thys text out of the viij chaptre of IohaÌ„ was the last clause that in thys lyfe he wrote with hys owne haÌ„de about x. dayes afore he departed And for a memoryall he regestred it in the Byble of huldrick hans hys frynde whych was there the rent mastre of that cytie And he left it after thys sort Neuer to se deathe What an incredyble speakynge is thys if it be conferred with manyfest common experyence Yet he whych is the veryte it selfe hath so spoken it Trulye whan a man hath thys sentence in seryouse remembraunce stedefastlye beleuynge it and departeth hens therin he must plesauntlye passe awaye and not fele the harde panges of deathe And vndoubtedlye blessed is that man in that worde of beleue whych he hath so remembred in the verye deathe Herunto he thus subscrybed Martynus Luther Doctor 1546. die 7. Februarij After thys was hys dead bodye wrapped in a newe whyte lynen vesture and so layed agayne vpon the bedde remaynynge there styll by the space of v. houres In the meane tyme came there in manye worshypfull and honest cytiezens beholdynge it not without teares of fayth fulnesse and loue On the xix daye of Februarye about ij of the clocke at after none was the corps carryed fourth with great solempnyte and spirytuall songes in their mother tunge into the pryncypall churche of S. Andrewe And manye great prynces and earles folowed the same as wolfangus prynce of Anhalt with hys ij bretherne earle Philipp and earle Iohan with their wyues and whole famylyes earle Albert earle Iohan earle Wolfange of Mansfelde with their wyues howsholdes also prynce Eucrarde with hys ij sonnes earle George and Christopher with their ladyes and assemblyes with a great sort of lordes and gentylmen more and a wonderfull nombre of the commen people Where as doctor Iustus Ionas made the funerall sermon dyuyded into iij partes the first treatynge of the personage and godlye gyftes of Martyne Luther the seconde of the lattre resurreccyon and lyfe to come the thirde comprehendeth serten commynacyons and thretteninges agaynst the truthes aduersaryes that he beynge dead shuld not yet cease to inuade Antichristes blasphemouse kyngedome And thys was vpon the lattre part of the fort chaptre of S Paules first epistle to the Thessalonyanes Anon after at the instaunt petycyoÌ„ request of the most noble prynce electour IohaÌ„ Frederick duke of Saxon the corps was decred to be carryed with solempne obsequyes vnto the famouse cytie of Wittemberge the noble prynces and earles aforenamed accoÌ„panyenge it with great worshypp to the farther gates of IßlebeÌ„ And about sixe of the clocke at nyght the next daye after they came therwith to Hallis where as it was also receyued with lyke solempnyte of the senate and cytiezens and so reserued in S. Maryes churche there all that nyght In all the townes vyllages as they came by were the belles solempnelye ronge with no small lamentacyon dolour of the commen people The next daye was it most honourablye receyued of the lordes and hygh offycers of the noble duke of Saxon the earles of Anhalt SwartzeÌ„burg MaÌ„sfelde other great estates more with a myghtye nombre of horse men and so brought soleÌ„pnelye to Bitterfelde froÌ„ thens to the cytie of Wittemberge Longe were it to rehearce all the funerall ceremonyes and sorowfull mournynges amonge the common people in the townes as they went As they were ones comen to the gates of Wittemberge at the commaundemeÌ„t of the prynce electour Iohan Frederick whych was there present the rectour and masters of that noble vnyuersyte with their great nombre of scolers on the one syde the worthye senate with their great commynalte on the other syde receyued them worshyplye in their degrees Afore the hearce went from thens in order the mynysters of the churches scoles with their scollers they sange spirytuall songes in their mother tunge as their common maner is at buryals Next after the corps folowed hys most Christen wyfe Kateryne Luther with serten sober and dyscrete matrones After them folowed hys iij. sonnes IohaÌ„ Martyne and Paule Iames Luther a burger of Mansfelde with dyuerse other of hys kynsfolke TheÌ„ folowed the hygh rectour or deane of the vnyuersyte with soch yoÌ„ge prynces earles and barons as were studeauntes in the same After them folowed Doctor Georgius Pontanus doctor Philippus Melanâ—hoÌ„ Doctor Iustus Ionas Doctor Iohan Pomeranus Doctor Gaspar Cruciger Doctor Hieronymus with other auncyent doctors and masters of the vnyuersyte in a comelye order After these folowed the great commynaltces both of studeauntes and also of the common people Last of all folowed there honest matrones and vyrgynes in a semelye order also And after them soch a nombre of straungers as neuer in WitteÌ„berge was seane afore that daye And as they had ones brought it into the to churche they sett it afore the pulpett and sange vnto God their accustomed songes had commenlye at great buryalles in ther mother tunge Then went doctor Iohan Pomeranus into the pulpet and made a most confortable sermon to that most worshypfull audyence whych is now imprented In lyke case Phylypp Melanthon made a funerall oracyon with verye ernest sprete to the confort of that congregacyon whych is also imprented and here into Englysh translated After thys oracyon serten lerned mastres therunto appoynted reuerentlye toke the bodye and so buryed it not farre from the tombes of the noble dukes in the same churche Thus is the precyouse organe and instrument of the holye
Ghost the bodye of thys Reuerende Doctor Martyne Luther commytted to the earthe in the tower temple of Wittemberge not farre from that pulpett wherin he made manye a notable and godlye sermon by hys lyfetyme in the presence of the most worthye electours Dukes of Saxon and manye other noble prynces more So that it maye wele be veryfyed that Saynt Paule writeth 1. Corinthiorum 15. That is sowen in weakenesse shall aryse in power The bodye that is sowen in corrupcyon shall ryse agayne vncorrupted So Christen a departynge from thys myserye vnto the eternall felycyte our euerlastynge heauenlye father graunt vs of hys mercye infynite whych so gracyouslye called thys elect seruaunt of hys Martyne Luther to so worthye an offyce and also the lorde Iesus Christ whom he so faythfullye preached confessed to the worlde with the holye Ghost whych gaue hym most syngular strength in daungerouse parcls agaynst the wycked pope and the gates of helle Amen We Iustus Ionas Michael Celius and Ioannes Aurifaber whych were present at the godlye and gracyouse departynge of Doctor Martyne Luther from the begynnynge to the ende do testyfye here in conscyence as we sawe and hearde as we wyll be saued afore God in the great daye of tryall And not we onlye but the noble prynces and earles whych were there also present do witnesse the same God the father of our lorde Iesus Christ graūt vs all hys most flowynge habundaunt grace Amen An oracyon or processe rehearced off Philipp Melanchton at the buryall of the Reuerende man Doctour Martyne Luther Trāslated by Iohan Bale THough in thys publique and commō sorowe my vtteraunce be sumwhat dulled by doloure and heauynesse yet must I in so worthye an assemblye as here is now gathered of dewtye saye sumwhat Not as the paganes vsed in onlye commendynge the dead but rather in admonyshynge thys auditorye of the wonderfull gouernaunce and parels of the Christen church That they maye therby knowe afore hande what is to be cared for what to be desyered and what to be folowed of their youthe concernynge examples of a Christen lyfe What though prophane dessolute men in so confuse an ordre of lyuynge do rashlye interprete manye thynges and iudge them to happē by chauce or fortune Lete vs yet whych are confirmed by the manyfolde testymonyes of God seclude the true churche from the vnfaythfull rable and lete vs wele thynke yt to be gouerned preserued of God Yea lete vs ryghtlye beholde hys polytyque ordre perceyue hys trulye appoynted gouernours ▪ and consydre wele their iust course Fynallye lete vs therupon chose vs oute ryght leaders able instructours yea soche as we maye faythfullye both folowe and reuerence Of these so ernest causes wyll yt be necessarye for vs both to thynke and to speake so oft tymes as that reuerende man of God Doctour Martyne Luther our most derelye beloued father mastre is had in remembraunce amonge vs. Whō though a great nombre of wycked lyuers ded most bytterlye hate yet shall yt be mete for vs whych knewe hym a true mynystre of the Gospel raysed of God to fauer regarde and allowe hym and in the ende to shewe so hable testymonyes as maye proue hys doctryne in no case to be sedycyouse and boystuouse fearcenesse as the blynde beastlye belligoddes report hym And though in soche oracyōs as are cōmonly in thys place vttered manye thynges are spoken to the pryuate prayses of thē they are made for Yet that thynge here omytted wyll I now at thys tyme onlye speake of hys ecclesiastick offyce or funccyō of Gods eternall worde For mē of cōsciēce wyll iudge thys alwayes true That yf he hath made opē in the cōgregacyō the wholsom necessarye doctryne as we cā saye no lesse of hym God is greatlye to be lauded whych raysed hym for that purpose hys iust labours fayth perseueraunce and other vertues are moche to be cōmended hys remembraunce to be admytted of all Godlye men Lete thys therfor stande for the fore frōte of our oracyō The sonne of God sayth Paule sytteth at the ryght hande of hys eternall father and geueth gracyouse gyftes vnto men as are the true vtteraunce of the scriptures the holye ghost In whose free dystrybucyon he rayseth vp Prophetes Apostles teachers and ouersears And these he taketh out of our studyouse nombre whych eyther reade heare or Christēlye fauer the Apostles Prophetes wrytynges And not onlye calleth he them vnto that labouryouse offyce which are in autoryte afore but most commonlye he geueth those men sharpe battayle by workemen of a moch meaner sort to se to And trulye a verye plesaunt and profytable aspect is it to beholde the churche by all ages and so to cōsydre the great goodnesse of God whych euermore hath sent good theachers in an ordre or course of cōtynuaūce that they myght as in an host of warryours one succede in an others rowme Knowne is the ordre of our former fathers Adam Seth Enoch Mathusale Noe Sē whych beynge alyue dwellynge nygh to the Sodomytes as the people there ī processe of tyme neglected hys good instruccyōs the wholsome doctryne of Noe hys father so myserablye enclyned to the worshyppynge of Idolles was Abrahā sturred vp of God to be vnto the seyd Sē an assister fellawe helper in that worthye worke of the verytees furtheraūce Vnto hym succeded in that Godlye offyce Isaac Iacob Ioseph whych through out the lande of Egypt than beynge the most floryshynge kyngedome of the world plentuously spred the lyght of that heauenlye doctryne Thā folowed Moses Iosue Samuel Dauid Helias and Heliseus of whom Esaias receyued knowlege and of hym Hieremias After that was Daniel instructed of the seyd Hieremias of the seyd Daniel Zacharias Anon after them came fourth Esdras and Onias Than folowed next them the myghty Machabees than Symeon and Zacharias the prest than Iohan Baptist Christ and hys Apostles Moche profytable were yt to marke wele thys contynuall successyō of Godlye teachers whych ys a most manyfest sygne of the presence of God in hys congregacyon After the Apostles succeded an other sort whych though they were not so stronge as the other yet were they bewtyfullye adourned with the testymonyes of God Of thys companye was Polycarpus Ireneus Gregorius Neocesariensis Basilius Chrisostomus Cyrillus Augustinus Prosper Maximus Hugo Bernardus Taulerus Iohan Wicleue Iohan hufs and other in dyuerse quarters And though thys lattre age were more blynde than all the rest yet God alwayes reserued a remnaunt to hys peoples behoue And manyfest is yt that by the voyce of Luther the lyght of the Gospell hath apered more clere than of longe tyme afore He is therfor worthelye to be ioyned to thys most bewtyfull nombre of notable men whom God hath hyther sent to rectyfye and restore hys fathfull churche These ought we alwayes to
coÌ„gregacyon as S. Paule rehearceth it he that is faythfull hath a good conscyeÌ„ce pleaseth wele God is worthye of man to haue honour For soche a woÌ„ haue we knowne Martyn Luther For most constauntlye hath he defended the pure doctryne and in no poynt demynyshed the ryght rules of good conscyence Neuer regarded he anye dyssolute wyldenesse or anye sedycyouse mutterynges eyther yet anye troublouse mouynges Rather hath he bene the occasyon that warres in dyuerse quarters haue ceased No polycyes vsed he to augment the churches power neyther yet hys owne nor of anye man perteynynge to hym Thys iudge I soche vertu wysdom as shuld seme not to be obtayned by maunys onlye industrye Of God shuld mennys hartes seme to be dyrected specyallye they whych are so stroÌ„ge myghtye and ernest as of thys Luther the clere experyence sheweth What shall I report of hys other godlye gystes Myselfe verye oft commynge sodenlye vpon hym haue founde hym in most feruent prayer with habundaunce of teares comâ—ynge from hys eyes for the prosperouse estate of the vnyuersall Christen churche He appoynted to hymselfe euerye daye a serten tyme of psalmes readynge wherin he mixed hys prayers to God with contynuall syghynges and wepynges And sayd commonlye that he allowed not them whych eyther for wordlye worke or for slouthfulnesse supposed yt ynough a lyttle to mourne in their deuocyons For non other purpose sayth he are fashyons of prayer prescrybed vnto vs by the lordes appoyntement but that through readynge our myndes myght be inflamed and that our voyce myght so confesse outwardlye that God whych ys onlye to be called vpon More ouer than thys as dyuerse and manyfolde daungerouse doubtes of publyque parels haue oft tymes chauÌ„ced vnto vs we haue alwayes founde hym stronge and myghtye stomaked and neuer cowardlye harted nor yet terryfyed with wordlye sorowes He euermore set haÌ„de vpon the most sure anker Hys trust was in the onlye helpe of God and had allwayes to stande by hym a faythe invyncyble Farthermore thys specyall grace he had to se verye farre in thynges of great wayght or daunger wyselye afore hande to seke out the best remedyes Neyther was he as manye men haue supposed negligent in consyderacyon of the publyque welthe not yet in knowlege wherunto men hath therin bene enclyned But he perfyghtlye knewe what was most commodyouse therunto most warelye perceyued consydered the polycyes coÌ„iecturs of hys owne cytiezens though he were most quyck of wytt yet trusted he not all to that but affectuouslye red the ecclesyastyck wrytynges both olde newe sacred and prophane with other hystoryes chronycles whose clere examples he proponed in all that was to be done Of hys eloqueÌ„ce are left monumentes â–ª that neuer wyll perysh yea soche as doth proue hym equall with them whych had that gyft most hyghlye A man of so excellent witt lernynge with so manye noble vertues adourned so longe contynuynge amonge vs and most syngularlye appoynted of God for the instauracyon of hys sore decayed churche now also clerelye taken from vs to our no small dysconfort lete no man blame vs though we haue doloure For most lyke are we now to orphanes depryued of our valeaunt and faythfull father And though it becometh vs to be contented with that our lorde God hath done here yet maye we not suffre hys benefyghtes and graces in hym to be vnrecorded amonge vs. We maye wele coÌ„sydre thys man to be the verye swete organe of god lete vs not than drawe backe but studyouslye enbrace hys good lernynge Hys necessarye vertues also lete vs folowe to our power as hys true feare of God hys faythe feruencye in prayer hys gentyll behauer in offyce hys honest sober lyuynge hys warenesse in auoydynge sedycyon and hys sore and laboryouse stodye to profyght other And as other godlye gouernours of Christes churche as Hicremye Iohan Baptyst and Paule whose hystoryes we haue are greatlye and oft â–ª to be loked vpon for example so lete vs manye tymes haue respect to the doctryne and course of thys godlye man And se that we ioyne theunto both thankes and prayer to God specyallye at thys present as wele becometh vs. Saye therfor with me noâ—â— in a faythfull hart to that lorde almyghtye We thanke the omnipotent God the eternall father of our lorde Iesus Christ the onlye founder of thy true churche togyther with thy sonne vnto the coeternal our lorde Iesus Christ and the holye ghost wyse good mercyfull ryghtouse true myghtye and most liberall that thu gatheryst vnto that sonne of thyne the promysed herytage out of mankynde and vpholdest the true mynysterye of thy Gospell specyallye now that thu hast restored yt vnto vs by thy faythfull seruaunt Luther The we most hartelye desyre that from hens fourth thu wyt saue to preserue and gouerne that true congregacyon of thyne and that thu firmelye plante in vs the most sure doctryne lyke as Esaias desyered vnto hys dyscyples and lighten our myndes with thy most holye sprete that we maye both ryghtlye call vpon the and also leade a godlye conuersacyon Amen And bycause the departynges of myghtye gouernours are oft tymes no small decaye or losse to them that are left behynde We instauntlye requyre yow that is to saye both I and all they whych are here appoynted in Godlynesse to instruct yow that ye wyselye take hede to the daungers of thys worlde On the one syde the Turke cometh vpon vs verye fast on the other syde the enemyes thretneth vs battayle here euen at our owne dores And moche dyssolute wantonnesse of mennys wyttes reigneth euerye where whych now that Luthers grounded iudgement ys no longar to be feared wyll be the moche more bolde to corrupt that pure lernynge whych he hath ryghtlye geuen vs. That God maye the rather preserue vs from these daungers lete vs dylygeÌ„tlye labour to applye both our conuersacyons and stodyes to the best And euermore lete vs beare thys wayghtye sentence in mynde That so longe as we shall Christenlye retayne heare lerne and loue the syncere doctryne of the Gospell we shall be Gods owne congregacyon dwellynge place and churche lyke as the sonne of God hath most firmelye promysed He that loueth me sayth he wyll regarde my worde and my father wyll also loue hym And we togyther shall resort vnto hym and appoynt our dwellynge place within hym Lete thys so large a promes most ernestlye moue vs to applye to that heauenlye doctryne And lete vs wele thynke that for hys elect congregacyons sake God vpholdeth mankynde and the publique polycyes of regyons Also lete vs inwardlye beholde the eternall lyfe to come wherunto God hath vs of hys mere goodnesse called whych hath not all without cause thus manyfested hymself vnto vs by so manye worthye wytnesses neythet hath he sent hys most dere sonne in vayne But
holye sprete thys myghtye Apostle S. Martyne Luther agaynst the Antichristyane doctryne of that deuylysh pope and hys smokye swarme Lyke as the seyd Iohan Huss prophecyed in the verye houre of hys deathe For Huss in the Bohemysh tunge is as moch to saye as a gander Ye rost now the gander sayd he but after my deathe God wyll rayse soche a swāne as ye shall neyther be hable to rost nor yet to brenne And as they had sore accōbred hym with more ydell clamours and cryes than he was wele hable to answere he concluded thus with them An hondred yeares hens sayd he shall God and I answere yow Thys faythfull promes of hys true prophete haue the lorde now most iustlye perfourmed by our most dere father S. Luther whych in the yeare next folowynge that hondred beganne in hys worde to inuade the kyngedome of Antichrist Most hygh thankes ought we to geue vnto God that he in so harde battayles so longe preseruered hym to hys true churches behoue and that Christ by the space of xxx yeares haue so oft in hym tryumphed ouer hys aduersaryes Vnto hym be honoure and glorye perpetuall without ende Amen Great cause haue we on the other syde to reioyce ī that our father here hath so frutefullye perfourmed hys course in the Apostles doctryne and prophetes offyce And therin is so gracyouslye hens departed vnto our lorde Iesus Christ. There hath he now the felyshypp of the patryarkes prophetes Apostles Martyrs other faythfull fathers Namelye of thē whome here he so faythfully instructed in the Gospell of saluacyō with Lazarus is he there in Abrahams bosome or in the perpetuall Ioye of all heauenlye cytiezens The experyment therof haue we in Saynt Paule whych sayd Phil. 1. A desyre I haue to dye and to be with Christ. The same haue we also in Steuen whych sayd Acto 7. Lorde Iesu receyue my sprete More ouer Christ gaue vs a taft therof whan he sayd to the thefe Thys daye shalt thu be with me in paradyse Luce 23. And no doubt of yt as the sprete of Christ was in the handes of hys father tyll the daye of hys complete resurreccyon after he had sayd father into thy handes I cōmende my sprete So shall our spretes be in the handes of Christ tyll our complete resurreccyon For so sounde the wordes whych Abraham spake to the ryche glotton concernynge Lazarus He is in confort where as thu art in afflyccyon Luce 16. The faythfull are in quyett and confortable solace the wycked hath vnquietnes with paynefull anguysh shall haue to the lattre daye full swete therfor is that slepe whych the scripture affermeth the electes to rest in Yea and lyke as in a naturall slepe the hole man resteth plesauntlye is refreshed and becometh more stronge and helthefull So do the syckeman specyallye if he be terryfyed with the feare of deathe by greuouse and horryble dreames vnquyetouslye rest The slepe of soch a wone is oft tymes more greuouse and horryble than washys watchynge afore A great dyfference therfor is there betwixt the slepes of the faythfull and vnfaythfull Of these shall it become vs non otherwyse to dyffyne than the scripture leadeth vs. Now haue our dere father here obtayned that he longe had in desyre Wherfor if he were now agayne amonge vs he wolde ernestlye rebuke our present mournynges with these wordes of Christ Ioan 14. If ye loue me ye wolde trulye reioyce in my most profytable passage vnto God my eternall father or at the least be contented with my perpetuall felycyte and quyett Christ hath for vs ouercomen the deathe whye shulde we than anye more feare the stynge therof Non other is the deathe of our bodyes now than an entraunce of a lyfe contynuall through Iesus Christ our lorde whych was for vs a most precyouse sacryfyce I yet remembre it wele that I oft tymes hearde thys blessed man Doctour Luther saye as he behelde anye faythfull persone peceablye depart hens in Christes beleue The eternall God of heauen graunt me at hys tyme appoynted so plesauntlye to passe hens into the bosome of Christ my redemer and that my bodye be not longe vexed with the terrours of deathe Notwithstandynge yet Gods wyll be fulfylled in that matter In thys vnyuersyte now of late yeares Mastre Ambrose Bernarde a man sober wyse vertuouse and soch a won as loued Christ inteyrlye chaunced as ye knowe certayne dayes afore he dyed to be sicke and to kepe hys bedde Yet felte he no sore grefe of hys syckenesse but semed by and by therin transfourmed as it had bene into an other lyfe For he spake vnto vs most solacyouslye and plesauntlye that he wolde reioyce with vs as one neyther felynge of deathe nor yet dysease He coulde not feare the deathe for he felte nothynge therof And euer as mencyon was made of Christ from the verye hart he reioyced and sayd that grace helthe and mercye from God the euerlastynge father hath onlye chaunced to vs by hys most meke sufferynges An vnspekable loue had he vnto Christ and alwayes called vpon God the father in onlye sprete and veryte As mencyon was made of hys dere wyfe and chyldren or of hys possessyons rentes and dettes owynge hym he was so ignoraunt in all soch causes as they neuer had bene knowne to hym Vs at all tymes he knewe as we commened of Christ and named vs by our names He talked ioyfullye yea he both dallyed and laughed but all was in spirytuall thynges That a man not throughlye knowynge the matter wolde haue thought hym neuer to haue bene worldlye wyse in hys lyfe neyther yet to haue nede of hys bedde at that houre In thys innocencyeded the lorde Iesus Christ take hym hēs most plesauntlye and swetelye without other paynes to all our syght So that hauynge knowledge of the Christen faythe with the inteyre lone of God and hope of the lattre resurreccyon he neyther felte doloure nor deathe neyther tasted it nor yet se it As Christ sayth Ioan. 8. He that obserueth my worde shall neuer beholde deathe but pleasauntlye passe hens from deathe vnto lyfe And though all godlye beleuers do not so peaceablye depart as ded thys Ambrose but haue great paynes and suffre great anguyshes as ded on the crosse the dere sonne of God yet whan the extreme houre cometh they trulye se lyfe and no deathe As our swete father here ded whych so oft tymes and so inteyrlye commended hys sprete into the handes of God Whych gracyouslye hath now delyuered hym from thys lyfe myserable to a lyfe most happye and sure To hym therfor be honoure and glorye worlde without ende Amen Thys helthsome and myrye hystorye of our ambrose brought I in here for causes First therby sumwhat to mytygate your present dolours for the absens of our father here whych ye haue not without cause Secundlye for that I se the seyd