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
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
Michael Celius folowynge hym Anon after leanynge in the wyndowe he gaue hymselfe to prayer after hys accustomed maner Then went Michael Celius downe agayne and mastre Iohan Aurifaber came vp Vnto whome he sayd I wexe now verye sycke and moch peyne I fele aboute my hart Than sayd the seyd mastre Iohan vnro hym Whan I was tutour to the yonge earles here as eyther of theÌ„ felt anye grefe about the stomake the countesse mynystred therunto soch a confortable medycyne as releued them strayght wayes If ye wyll haue that I shall procure it for yow to the easement of your grefe He desyered hym so to do Then went he downe and sent vp Ionas and Celius vnto hym Whych axt hym how he ded And he complayned of a wonderfull grefe about hys hart Then ded they confort hym with warmed kerchers wherupon he sumwhat amended AnoÌ„ after came earle Albert in great hast vnto hym with M. Iohan Aurifaber bryngynge the afore rehearced medycyne And the earle sayd vnto hym How do ye mastre doctor He answered No parell is here to be doubted most benygne gentyll prynce but my hope is within a whyle to be moch better thaÌ„ I now am Then commaunded the noble earle the seyd medycyne to be geueÌ„ vnto hym And so after certayne communycacyons he departed from hym agayne Immedyatlye after as he sumwhat amended he desyred to lye downe vpon the bedde aboute ix of the clocke slept the requyetouslye by the space of more than halfe an houre D. Ionas Michael Celiê° hys ij soÌ„nes Martyne Paule with Ambrose hys seruaunt remaynynge styll in the chambre And as he awoke about x. of the clocke he sayd vnto them What syttye there yet styll Ye maye go to your rest They answered No mastre Doctor it is mete we watche and se what ye haue nede of With that he desyred to ryse â–ª and so weÌ„t into the stodye whych was next to hys chambre And as he had entered the seyd stodye he spake these wordes The euerlastynge God be my confort for now I go to my bedde Into thy handes o lorde I commende my sprete For thu God of truthe hast redemed me And as he had done of hys clothes and was layed in the bedde he gaue to yche one of them hys hande and sayd Fare wele to yow all swete bretherne in the lorde Praye for the congregacyon and holye Gospell of God that they maye haue prosperouâ—e successe For the wycked counsell of Trydent that abhomynable pope hath sought and yet seketh to do them both great harme Anon after he fell agayne on slepe rested quyetouslye tyll one of the clocke And as he awoke he called hys seruaunt Ambrose and commaunded hym to make hote the stoue or hote howse Then doctor Ionas Asked hym how he felt hymselfe Wherunto he answered O my lorde God how sycke am I thys houre O mastre Ionas I recken non other than here in Ißleben where I was both borne and baptysed to laye my mortall bones Then sayd Doctor Ionas and hys seruaunt Ambrose vnto hym We doubt not but God our eternall father wyll be your syngular confort through hys sonne Iesus Christ whome yow haue so ernestlye preached to the worlde With that he arose vp alone without helpe and went into the stoue repetynge agayne the wordes a fore spoken Into thy handes o lorde I commende my sowle For thu God of truthe without fayle hast redemed me And so ones or twyse he walked vp and downe in the stoue than returned agayne to hys bedde Then came there in vnto hym hys host and hostasse mastre Symon felde a Doctour of Physyck one Ludouicus a medycyne mastre also with serten other of the cytie Anon after resorted vnto hym earle Albert and hys ladye with other noble men and women bryngynge with them all maner of swete odours oyntmeÌ„tes spyces and confortatyues And all they ded their best to confort hym there Then called he vnto God saynge O my lorde God how greuouse anguysh suffer I now about my hart I shall now dye lorde I thaÌ„ke the hyghlye I shall now laye my bones in Ißleben myne owne natyue cytie Then sayd Doctor Ionas Michael Celius vnto hym Reuerende father call now vpon the lorde Ihesus Christ whome yow so inteyrlye haue loued our onlye medyatour and hygh Byshopp of our sowles and no doubt of it he wyll gracyouslye heare yow Ye haue now wele swett god wyll we trust better it Wherunto he answered Yea but the sweate is colde and full of deathe I geue ouer thys lyfe for my paynes increase more more O my euelastynge father the God father of our lorde Iesus Christ yea the lorde of all Ghostlye confort I rendre vnto the most hygh thaÌ„kes thys houre that it hath pleased thy inestymable goodnesse to make open vnto me a synner thy most derelye beloued sonne my lorde Iesus Christ whome I haue now I thaÌ„ke the in full and perfyght beleue Hym haue I preached hym haue I confessed hym haue I loued and gloryfyed whom the most wycked Pope with hys cursed cormorontes do styll yett darken dysdayne mocke persecute and blaspheme I besyche the most dere lorde Iesus Christ mercyfullye to receyue my sowle O my heauenlye father though I now leaue thys mortall bodye and am taken from thys lyfe yet do I certaynlye knowe that I shall euermore dwell with the that non shall be hable to witholde me from thy gracyouse handes So hath God loued the worlde that he hath geuen it hys onlye sonne that non whych beleue in hym shuld perysh but haue the lyfe euerlastynge For God sent not hys sonne into the worlde to condempne the worlde but that the worlde through hym myght be saued He that beleueth on hym shall not be condempned The God sayth Dauid whych is our sauer is euen the same lorde God by whome we escape deathe Geue thankes vnto that lorde in the congregacyon for the welsprynges of Israel For hys glorye is here and hys myght in the cloudes Then resorted vnto hym the medycyne mastre of whose handes he receyued to the quantyte of a spone full of that he mynystred Anon after he sayd agayne I go hens I go hens My sowle I commende vnto God whych created it And with that he thryse repeted agayne these wordes Lorde and father into thy handes I commende my sprete Thu God of truthe hast trulye redemed me And as he had thus commended hys sowle to the heauenlye father he laye quyetouslye styll and moued not at all Then they whych were aboute hym vttered manye ghostlye wordes they moued hym refreshed hym and called dyuerslye vpon hym to speake But he neyther opened eye nor yet answered one worde As he was thus in quyet and departed to euerye mannis thynkynge Doctor Ionas and Michael Celius cryed with a lowde voyce Reuerende father wyll ye perseuer in Christ and hys holye doctryne
trulye he both loueth and regardeth all them whych are not of these most specyall benefygtes oblyuyous se and vnthankefull I◠haue sayd Thus endeth the oracyō or processe rehearced off Philipp Melanchton at the buryall of the Reuerende man Doctor Martyne Luther Translated by Iohan Bale Anno M.D.LXVI The Christen sermon made at the buryall of the honorable Doctour Martyne Luther by Doctour Iohan Pomerane the chefe Pastoure of the churche of Wittemberge Anno Dn̄i M. D. XLVI Translated by Iohan Bale IN hys first Epistle to the Thessalonyanes the fort chaptre hath S. Paule the Apostle these wordes We wolde not bretherne that ye shulde be ignoraunt concernynge them whych are fallen a slepe neyther yet that ye shulde sorowe as they do whych haue no hope For if we beleue that Iesus dyed and rose agayne euen so them also whych are a slepe through Iesus shall God brynge with hym Dere fryndes in the lorde I am now cōstrayned of dewtye and loue to preache vnto yow at thys solēpne buryall of our dere father Doctour Martyne Luther the true Apostle of God But how to be haue my selfe therin to your consolacyon for verye heauynesse and doloure I knowe not And to speake it trulye who shuld in thys publique sorowe solace yow if I your pastoure preacher shuld not do it Yet am I in thys sermon more lyke to increase your teares than demynysh them God hath now taken from vs to our great hynderaunce that notable seruaunt of hys and man honourable Doctour Martyne Luther by whom he liberallye dyspersed innumerable gyftes of hys grace not onlye to vs here in Wittemberge and dyuerse other Christen churches of Germanye but to other foren nacyons abroade For by hym both they and we the prayse be geuen to god do at thys daye notablye tryumphe agaynst the blasphemouse kyngedome of Sathan the horryble ydolatryes and vayne tradycyons of men or as S. Paule doth call them the crastye inuencyons of the deuyll By hym hath God the father in these lattre dayes clerelye manyfested in the Gospell that ample ineffable and heauenlye mysterye euen hys sonne Iesus Christ as S. Paule to the Ephesyanes and Collossyanes calleth hym By thys chosen mynystre of hys haue the sayd sonne of God Ihesus Christ defended that Gospell agaynst the most wycked pope agaynst all sectes and tyrauntes and agaynst all the gates of helle Yea vnto thys so myghtye a seruaunt of hys gaue he a sprete so effectuall and stronge that he neuer yet staggered for no worldlye power nor threttenynge So ernest was he in supportynge the pure doctryne of the Gospell agaynst the corrupters therof that manye haue iudged euyll of hys vehement sprete as ded the vyperouse Pharysces of Iohan Baptyst and Christ. No greatter dyspleasure can be done to the hypocrytes than their actes to be rebuked by the manyfest veryte And agaynst their nature is it alwayes to geue place therunto But now that the lorde hath thus taken from vs thys noble doctour and prophete of hys yea thys excellent massenger most gracyouslye sent of hym to refourme hys churche how can we from we pynges desyst Or how shall we obeye the former saynges of Saynt Paule that we ought not to be heauye ouer them that slepe in Christ. We must consydre therin what foloweth That we ought not desperatlye to mourne as doth the vnfaythfull without hope of resurreccyon For we that beleue in God do perfyghtlye knowe that they are reserued to a moch better lyfe shall at the generall metynge be raysed vp agayne with vs euermore from thens fourth we shall dwell togyther without separacyō But trulye the worlde was full vnworthye anye longar to retayne so worthye a seruaunt of God to rebuke dysdayne as it hath done Manye syngular benefyghtes hath it receyued by hys admynystracyon in the worde specyallye delyueraunce from the great throldome of conscyence and tyrannye of the papysme yet hath it bene vnthankefull hytherto Notwithstandynge a great nōbre of our aduersaryes whych hath yet had some wytte dyscressyon haue moch rather couered hys longe lyfe than deathe All thys haue I spoken in preface to shewe that we mourne not without iust cause so notable a gyde taken from vs. And I doubt it not but if mournynge myght helpe all those worthye prynces gouernours cyties and comynaltees whych knoweth the power of the Gospell wolde also lament thys dolorouse chaunce with vs. Therfor can I not thynke that we mourne now alone but manye thousandes more with vs all Christendome ouer Neyther shall the wycked pope with hys Cardynall of Magunce and hysduke of Brunswyke haue anye great cause to reioyce in the deathe of thys man whych haue so manye tymes with the manyfest veryte confounded them neyther yet anye other sturdye aduersaryes of God For though hys worthye persone hath departed hensin the lorde yet tarryeth hys syncere doctryne here styll and wyll herafter more effectuallye worke He was without fayle that Angell specyfyed Apoc. 14. Whych ded flye in the myddes of heauen or congregacyon of God hauynge an euerlastynge Gospell to preache vnto them that dwell on the earthe innacyons kynredes tunges peoples for neuer was there anye that euer more ernestlye vttered thys sentence feare your lorde God and geue hym due honoure whych comprehendeth the lawe and Gospell than he For they without fayle were the ij chefe partes of hys whole doctryne by whome the whole scripture is opened and Christ ryghtlye knowne whych is our onlye ryghtwysnesse helthe and perpetuall lyfe It foloweth in the text The houre of hys iudgement is come Worshypp hym that made heauen and earthe c. Herin taught he the true inuocacyon prayer to God our heauenlye father in sprete veryte without supersticyon After the manyfestacyon of thys Angels doctryne wyll there yet come an other that shall brynge consolacyon to the myserablye afflicted congregacyon of God and vnto the truthes aduersaryes the ponnyshmentes of fyre and brymstone in the perpetuall iudgement of dampnacyon The voyce of thys Angell wyll be thys She is fallen she is fallen euen Babylon that great cytie For makynge all nacyons dronken with the wyne of her whoredome Ye shall wele perceyue it that our enemyes shall not longe reioyce of our sorowes But as Christ hath spoken it Ioan 16. Our heauynesse wyll be turned to ioye By conferrynge the Apocalyps with our tyme we perceyue sumwhat past and as sure we are that more is yet commynge What nede I then anye farther to wade in thys sorowfull oracyon concernynge the absence of thys our pastoure and Byshopp Yes therin to acknowledge the great mercye goodnesse of God to wardes vs so to rendre vnto hym most ernest thankes That after an hondred yeares sens the deathe of that blessyd man Iohan Huss whych in the yeare of our lorde 1415. was murthered for the veryte he raysed vnto vs by hys
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
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