Thys text out of the viij . chaptre of Iohan , was the last clause that in thys lyfe he wrote with hys owne hande , 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 . Ioann. 8. 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 , Hys bodye . 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 , Prynces . 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 , Ionas . 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 petycyon & request of the most noble prynce electour Iohan Frederick duke of Saxon , The duke the corps was decred to be carryed , with solempne obsequyes vnto the famouse cytie of Wittemberge , the noble prynces and earles aforenamed , accompanyenge it with great worshypp to the farther gates of Ißleben

And about sixe of the clocke at nyght the next daye after , Hallys . 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 , Prynces . Swartzēburg & Mansfelde , & other great estates more with a myghtye nombre of horse men , and so brought solempnelye to Bitterfelde , & from 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 commaundement of the prynce electour Iohan Frederick whych was there present , Electour 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 , Hys wyfe & sonnes Iohan , Martyne , and Paule , Iames Luther a burger of Mansfelde , with dyuerse other of hys kynsfolke . Then folowed the hygh rectour or deane of the vnyuersyte with soch yonge prynces , earles , and barons as were studeauntes in the same .

After them folowed Doctor Georgius Pontanus , doctor Philippus Melan●hō , Doctor Iustus Ionas , doctours 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 Wittemberge was seane afore that daye . Straungers . 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 . Pomeranus . 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 .

Than folowed Moses , Iosue , Samuel , Dauid , Helias , and Heliseus , of whom Esaias receyued knowlege , and of hym Hieremias . prophetes 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 , Iohan Baptyst . than Iohan Baptist , Christ , and hys Apostles . Moche profytable were yt , to marke wele thys contynuall successyon 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 . doctours 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 , Remnaunt 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 . Luther . These ought we alwayes to accept for the most oryent flowers of the kynde of man . No doubt of it , but Themistocles , Scipio , Augustus , and soche other lyke , were men famouse & worthye note , Gouerners . whych eyther constytute or gouerned great empyres , yet were they nothynge in comparyson to these our leaders Esaie , Iohan Baptyst , Paule , Augustyne , Wycleue , & Luther . Conuenient is it therfor that we in the congregacyon knowe these dyuersytees .

What great & notable thynges than are they , that of Luther are trulye opened , whych shuld seme to declare hyscourse prayse worthye ? Troubles Blowne is yt abrode of manye , that the churche is sore troubled , and that inextrycable controuersyes are spred the worlde ouer . Vnto those men I answere , that soche hath folowed alwayes of the churches ryght gouernaunce . As the holye Ghost rebuketh the worlde of synne , dyssensyons aryse by the workynge of wycked obstynates . And the grounde of those sedycyons are they , whych dysdayne to heare the true sonne of God , Obstynates . of whom yt father euerlastynge hath sayd with open voyce . In anye wyse heare hym .

Luther hath made open to the worlde the most true & necessarye doctryne . Euydent is yt what excedynge darkenesses haue dwelt in the doctryne or artycle of penaunce . They now put asyde , he hath clerelye taught what true penaunce is , & what the sowles onlye refuge . What is the stronge anker and sure staye of that troubled conscyence , whych doubtfullye feareth the hygh dyspleasure of God . Faythe . He throughlye clered and taught that doctryne of Paule , whych stronglye testyfyeth man to be iustyfyed by faythe . He trulye declared , what the dyfference is of the lawe and Gospell , and of the spirytuall iustyce from the polytyque or outwarde ryghtwysnesse .

He shewed the true inuocacyon of God & from the paganes frantyck madnesse , in a maner reuoked the whole churche , whose frenesye fayned God to be ryghtlye called vpon , whan the myndes were verye farre of , & busylye occupyed with Achademycall doubtes . Inuocacyon . Luther wylled inuocacyon non other wyse to be , than with a pure faythe and an vncorrupted conscience . He sent vs alone to Christ , as to our onlye medyatour & true sonne of God , now syttynge at the ryght hande of hys eternall father , Christ . & there becommynge our aduocate . He neyther ledde vs to dead men nor their ymages , as the horryble madnesse of beastlye blynde bussardes hath vsed afore tyme , in worshyppynge both them and their Idolles .

Other true offyces accepted vnto god ▪ ●ed he most christenlye teache . And so he adourned and autorysed the foren cyuyle ordre , Cyuyle ordre . as yt was neuer afore done by anye mannys writynges . He also secluded from necessarye workes , the baby she ordynaunce of mennis tradycyons & rytes , & put asyde all lawes withstandynge the true honourynge of God . The Byble . And that the pu●e doctryne of the lorde myght the better be knowne to men and women , he translated into the Germanetūge , all the scriptures of the Apostles & Prophetes , with so apparent clerenesse , that hys onlye translacyon geueth now more lyght to the readers , than manye great commentaryes coude do afore .

More ouer he adioyned soche declaracyons to the text , as farre excelleth the exposycyons of all men that wrote afore hym , Erasmus by the verye testymonye of Erasmus And as yt is veryfyed of the instauracyon of Hierusalem , that the buylders therof wrought with the one hande , and in the other hande helde weapon to fyght . So trulye ded thys man . He withstode the enemyes of the lordes heauenlye worde , and yet neuer the lesse , left behynde hym workes full of ghostlye decumentes . a buylder Yea , manye a feble and weake conscyence haue he made stronge by hys most godlye erudycyons .

For as moche as a great part of hys doctryne ys aboue mannys cumpasse , as are hys wrytynges of remyssyon and faythe , we must of congruence graunt that he was taught of God . And without fayle manye of vs haue beholden hys troubles , Of God . wherin both he and we haue lerned , to holde thys for a most sure grounde , that by only faythe we are accepted , & heard of God .

Contynuallye than at all tymes from hens fourth , wyll all good men recognysh soche heauenlye benefyghtes as the lorde hath now largelye geuen to hys congregacyon by Luther . And first of all they wyll rendre thankes vnto God for it , Thankes . and than graunt themselues beholden greatlye to that man for hys frutefull labours , what though soche wycked workers as dysdayne the true churche , do iudge those doctrynes a vayne dallyaunce or els mere madnesse .

Neuer moued he anye questyon of darkenesse , or yet gaue fourth the apple of parelouse contencyon ( as they falselye report hym ) neyther proponed he anye doubtfull matter or obscure allegorye . allegorye Lete sober and godlye wyse men geue the iudgement , all quarellers put a part , and yt wyll be easye to perceyue , as the sentences are conferred , whych of them are agreable with the sacred scriptures , Scriptures . & whych are dyscordaunt , No doubt of it , but yche partye of those controuersyes ys wele knowne to men that are christenlye faythfull . For consyderynge that God hath appoynted hymselfe and hy● heauenlye wyll in the scriptures of both testamentes to be knowne ( in whom he hath clerelye shewed hymself ) it is not to be thought that their speakynges are doubtfull , Scriptures . as are the fyckle flerynges of Sybilla .

But some persones , not all yll , haue layde vnto Luther , that he hath bene more sharpe in rebukes than hath wele becomen hym . I wyl not moch reason vpon eyther of both partes . But I wyll answere by thys oft repeted sentence of Erasmus . That God hath geuen in thys lattre age for the great increace of euyls therin reignynge , Erasmus . a verye harde phesycyane . As he alwayes rayseth anye soche organe or fearce instrument agaynst the proude & vnshamefast aduersaryes of hys heauenlye veryte , he sayth as he sayd vnto the prophete Hieremye . Beholde I put my ernest wordes in thy mouthe , that thu mayst both destroye & buylde . And whan it is hys pleasure to sende fourth soche a myghtye gyaunt with speare & shyelde , A gyaunt it auayleth no man to reason with hym whye he doth so .

For God neuer gouerneth hys churche after mannys wysdome , neyther wylleth he hys workynge instrumentes to be all after one sort . Commonlye is thys seane amonge men , that meane & soft wyttes can in no wyse abyde anye vehement or boystuouse handelynges , Weakelynges . be they good or bad , profytable or vnprofytable . Aristides behelde how Themystocles with stought stomake toke great matters in hande , & brough them wele to passe . And though he were wele contented , that the publique welthe had therby good furtheraunce yet sought he by all meanes possyble , to moderate that hote hastye passyon in hym .

Neyther wyll I denye yt , but that vehement shource offendeth oft tymes . Neyther is there anye man without faute , Vehemencye . whych hath that infirmyte of nature . Yet in the meane season , if anye soche be ( as the olde writers accounted Hercules , Cimon , & dyuerse other no lesse ) he that can wele dyscusse what is commodyouse & profytable , is a full good man & worthye prayse And in the congregacyon ( as S. Paule rehearceth it ) he that is faythfull & hath a good conscyence , Conscyence . pleaseth wele God , & is worthye of man to haue honour .

For soche a won 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 , Polycyes 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 stronge , myghtye , Stronge 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 , Prayer . with habundaunce of teares com●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 . Teares . 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 chaunced vnto vs , we haue alwayes founde hym stronge and myghtye stomaked , and neuer cowardlye harted , myghtye . nor yet terryfyed with wordlye sorowes . He euermore set hande 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 . wysdome . 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 & coniecturs 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 , Chronycles . sacred and prophane , with other hystoryes & chronycles , whose clere examples he proponed in all that was to be done .

Of hys eloquence are left monumentes ▪ that neuer wyll perysh , yea , soche as doth proue hym equall with them , whych had that gyft most hyghlye . eloquence . 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 . A father . 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 .