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A26353 The life and death of Dr. Martin Luther the passages whereof have bin taken out of his owne and other Godly and most learned, mens writings, who lived in his time.; Martinus Lutherus. English Adam, Melchior, d. 1622.; Quarles, Francis, 1592-1644.; Hayne, Thomas, 1582-1645.; Adam, Melchior, d. 1622. Vitae germanorum theologorum. 1643 (1643) Wing A506; ESTC R7855 90,426 160

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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
Festivall times in his private Chappell Some times Luther for his healths sake went forth into the strawberry groves and somewhat farther into the Monasteries which were neere taking upon him the name Iunker George a noble man and accompanied onely with one attendant who was faithfull and secret and would often warne Luther in the places where they were entertained not presently to lay aside his sword and to take in hand the books before him for so he might be descried Sometimes he went forth a hunting with his friends Of this sport thus he writeth I was a hunting two dayes to see that lordly but bitter-sweet sport Here we took two Hares and some silly young Partridges The sport is meet for such as have nothing else to do There did I contemplate as a Divine amidst their nets and dogs Nor did the outward appearance of the game more delight me then what I conceived by it move me to pitie and griefe For what could this sport signifie and resemble but by the dogs wicked Popish divines and by the nets the cunning tricks and wiles by which they seeke to catch harmlesse Christians as hunters those silly creatures This was a most evident mysterie of the pursuing of plain hearted and faithfull souls Yet was there a more cruell mysterie presented to me When by my meanes we kept a young Hare alive and put her in my Coats sleeve and so left her in the meane time the dogs finding it broke one of her legs and taking her by the as she was in the sleeve stopt her wind Thus it is with Satan and the Pope who cruelly destroy poore souls without regard of my paines to save them I was by this time weary of this sport and thought that more pleasing where Beares Wolves Bores Foxes and such like savage creatures are strook dead with darts and arrows It comforted me again for I took it as a mystery resemblance of salvation that Hares and harmless creatures are taken by men not by Beares Wolves and ravenous Hawkes who resemble Popish Bishops and Divines because by these may be signified a devouring by Hell by those an eating of them as food for heaven He passed also to Wittenberg from his Patmos making few acquainted therewith and lodged with Amsdorf here he spent some few dayes and was merry with his friends without the Electors knowledge In his retirednesse he was much troubled with costivenesse having the benefit of naturall ease that way but once in foure or five dayes Then also was he tried by some devillish tentations which much disquieted him This disease he overcame by exercise and medicines sent him from Spalatinus Then read he also the Hebrew and Greek Bibles and besides the books above mentioned he wrote many letters to his friends which be now printed At length not enduring further delay and innovations he returned from his Patmos to Wittenberg without the knowledge of the Electour March the sixth Ann. 1522. he rendred these reasons of his return to the Electour First said he I am call'd back by the Letters of the Church and People of Wittenberg and that with much solicitation and entreaty Secondly at Wittenberg Satan hath made an inrode into my flock and raised such stirres that I cannot well represse and quiet them with my writing alone but of necessitie I must live there be present among them and both heare them and speake to them go in and out before them and do what I can for their good Besides I feare that some great and violent sedition will arise in Germany and make Germany undergo grievous punishment for its contempt and ingratitude I thought it therefore needfull to do doe what I ought and could for them in this regard by my counsell and endeavour to teach admonish and exhort them thereby to avert Gods anger and judgement or at least to stay them a while Furthermore I know well and am verily perswaded that my preaching and my proceeding to divulge the Gospel of Christ is not of my own motion but the worke of God Nor shall any kinde of death or persecution shake this my confidence and make me thinke otherwise and I conceive that I rightly divine that no terrours or crueltie can put out the light already shining And in an other Epistle I return to Wittenberg under a more sublime and strong protection then the Elector of Saxonie can give me Nor did I ever minde to sue for defence from your Highnesse Moreover did I know that your Highness would and could defend me verily I would not returne No sword can advance and maintaine this cause God alone can order and promote it without any mans excessive care and helpfull hand Therefore in this cause he that most strongly trusts to Gods assistance he most surely defendeth himself and others Seeing therefore I perceive your Highnesse to be weake in faith I can by no meanes attribute so much to your Highnesse as to be perswaded that I can be defended and freed from danger by you I will keep your Highnesse person your minde and body and estate safe from all danger and damage in this my cause whether you beleeve me or not Let your Highnesse then be assured and not doubt at all that this matter is farre otherwise concluded of in heaven then at Norimberg For we shall finde that they which think they have devoured all the Gospel and queld it in the rising are not yet come to the Benedicite I have to deale with another manner and more powerfull Prince then our Duke He knoweth me and I him conveniently well Did your Highnesse beleeve you should behold the wonderfull works and glory of God Whereas you not yet beleeving see none of these things To God be glory and praise for ever This and much more to this purpose he wrote shewing his full assurance and plerophory of faith most admirable He also wrote thus to Melancthon concerning the cause of his return Provide a lodging for me for the Translation of the Bible compels me to return to you pray to God that it may stand with his good pleasure I desire to conceale my self as much as I can yet will I proceed in my worke resolved upon He wrote the like to Amsdorf That for the translation of the Bible he must return to Wittenberg that therein he might use other mens counsell and help Luther being returned from the Lords Day first in Lent that whole weeke every day preached one Sermon these are extant and in them he shewed what he liked or disliked in the alterations made in his absence He found fault with them who had abrogated private Masse and Idols and administred the Lords Supper in both kinds and taken away auricular confession differences of meats invocation of Saints and other the like matters not because they had done impiously but because they proceeded not herein orderly He affirmed that he condemned the Papisticall Masse the worshipping of Images
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
carried against my owne desire yet never unlesse most grievous wrongs were done the Word of God or my selfe for its sake Whereupon it fell out that had I not been apt by nature to vehemency and imbittering my style the very indignity of the matter would have urged a dead and stony heart to write sharply how much more my selfe who am of an ardent spirit write not a dul stile Monsters of men carried me beyond the due temper of modesty For the warrant of this sharpnes he used to allead ge the example of Christ who called the Jewes an adulterous perverse generation a generation of Vipers hypocrites children of the Devill and Pauls example who calleth them dogs vaine bablers seducers illiterate yea Act. 13. most sharply inveighes against the false Prophet Moreover Erasmus often used to say In regard of the height of the diseases of this last age of the world God hath sent them a sharpe Physitian Also Charles the Emperour sayd If the Popes Priests were such as they should be they would not need a Luther Further he had divers spirituall tentations and terrible buffets of Satan as namely in his sicknesse at Coburg and at other times when his body was weake These much afflicted him and sometimes made him lie as one dead but by physick applyed for his cure and reading the Scripture and singing of Psalmes which he used to call them about him unto he was recovered and eased of those affrights and esteemed them but as the Devils traps from which God would deliver him In the dismall warre of Germany scarce could the souldiers be restrained from exercising their cruelty upon his dead corps For when Wittenberg yeelded to the Emperour Charles and he came to see the towne the Spaniards would have digged up Luthers tombe and burnt his body Charles the fifth as faithfull witnesses have related said Suffer him to rest till the day of resurrection and the Iudgement of all men But in the beginning of Luthers preaching he minded not to have proceeded so farre as the issue drew him to For An. 1520. he thus wrote I will offer them silence with all humility so that others be also silent For I will omit nothing on my part which may conduce to peace and have ever been carefull so to doe I will therefore make ready an humble letter to the Pope If matters prove calme as I hope it is well If not it is well also for it is Gods pleasure so to have it He often purposed also to have departed from the Papists malice For thus he writeth to Spalatinus Had not your letter come to my handes I had prepared to have gone out of the way And yet I am ready to be gone or to stay And againe I have not free liberty to speake or write If I goe hence I will poure out my whole mind and offer my life to Christ He daily more and more discerned Gods truth and could not wind himselfe out of some errours in the beginning presently for about the invocation of Saints thus he wrote An. 1518. My good Spalatinus I never judged that the worship of Saints was superstitious nor the praying to them for matters especially pertaining to the body For thus our neighbours the Pighards hereticks in Boemia conceit For we in better manner obtaine of God by his Saints any good thing for assuredly all good is Gods gift then others get by Magicians and Wisards of the Devill as the manner is But this my meaning was that it is superstitious yea ungodly wicked to beg of God and the Saints things corporall onely and to neglect the things which concerne the soule and salvation and are sued for according to Gods will As if we forgot or beleeved not his word saying Seeke first or cheifely the kingdome of God and all these things shall be added to you Yea every where Christ teacheth us to slight corporall matters and our bodies as base things in regard of our soules Concerning the adoration in the Sacrament thus he wrote I say a it is free for us to adore Christ and call upon him sub sacramento under the Sacrament For he sins not who doth not adore nor doth he sinne who doth adore Concerning the administration of the Lords Supper in the vulgar tongue thus he wrote I wish the Masse b might be used in the Mother tongue rather then can promise to have it so Because I cannot bring it to passe as being a matter requiring both Musick and the Spirit So in the mean time I permit every man to abound in his own sense till Christ inables me to say more He first celebrated the Masse in the mother tongue An. 1525. as he writeth to Langus and the members of Erford This day we attend the Princes command the next Lords day we will publiquely sing in the name of Christ and Masse shall be in the mother tongue for the Lay people But the daily service shall be in Latine but we will have the Lessons in the vulgar tongue These things ye shall have shortly published Luther causes Psalmed in the German tongue to be used Concerning this thus he wrote to Spalatinus An. 1524. We intend according to the example of the Prophets and ancient fathers of the Church to make Psalmes or spirituall songs for the common people that the word of God may continue among the people if not otherwise yet surely in Psalmes We seeke for Poets where we may Now seeing you have attained both the free use and Elegancy of the German tongue I intreat you to take some paines with us in this businesse and try how you can turn a Psalme into verse as I have given you a pattern I would have you not to use late invented and courtly termes But make the verse to sit the simplest and most vulgar capacitie yet let the words be smooth and proper Let the sense also be cleare and as neere as may be to the originall yet may you use this freedome as to vary the words sometimes so that you keep the sense I cannot performe the worke so neatly as I would and therefore desire to try how neere you can come to Heman Asaph or Jeduthun He taught many things soundly and gravely about the Scripture and the authoritie thereof as That our faith was to be built on the Canonicall books the other books required our judgement Of the word the Sacraments and Ministers he taught That we are planters and waterers and are Ministers of the word of life and Sacraments of salvation but are not Givers of the increase Concerning our Justice he said Thou Lord art my justice I am sinne Thou hast taken what I am and given me that which was thine Thou hast taken that which thou wast not and given me that which I was not Concerning ceremonies he said I condemne no Ceremonies but those which are contrary to the Gospel Concerning Moses As the learned