History of Three Renowned Reformers, History 2
The hiſtorye of the Lyfe of Iohn Ecolampadius, ſetfoorth by Wolfangus Faber. Capito. (⸫)
¶ To the Chriſtian Reader.
I Wyſhe thee fauourable Reader, to encreaſe in y• knowledge & vnderſtandyng of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt raignyng in glory. Our friende Simon Grineus, as well flooriſhyng in eloquence and ornate ſtyle, as learned in ſacred knowledge and ſence of y• ſcrip tures, hath by hys letters faythfullye ſignified vntounto vsus the true deceaſe of the very organe of Chriſt, my welbeloued brother Iohn Ecolampadius. The whych information two Counſellers of Baſile, mē of ſyngular grauity and good fame hauehave wyth theyr aduertiſment verified to be true, who expreſſed in ſuche maner vntounto vsus the woordes and geſture of the deceaſed, that me ſemed I beheld and heard the lyuely woordes he pronounced at the point of death. Theſe Counſellers, were euer preſent with the Miniſters ſo long as occaſion ſpared them from publike affaires, and ſpecially when he was ready to geue place to nature▪ They enfourmed he intermitted no time, whyle he was ſycke to cōmendeThe laſt cōmendaciōs of Iohn Ecolampadius. the ſincere doctrine of fayth, peace, mutual louelove, and diligent care of the Churches to hys brethren, wherof al hys life ſtudious, then he was y• more earneſtly moued, yea enflamed when hys ſycknes was moſt impacient and do…orous. Pondering alſo with hymſelf, what occaſion of contencion and diſeord the enemy wold miniſter to y• ſelected Chriſtian flocke, deſtitute of the goueruaunce & aſſiſtence of theyr true Paſtor. And fullye I reſolue hys prayers auayled muche for that after hys departure, his Succeſſor in moſte ſharpeſt time of ſeuerity & perſecutiō, gouerned the ſterne ryghtlye, & was not diſplaced, in ſorte that the poore Chriſtiās ſequeſtring them ſelues for a tyme, & diſperſed abroad in the end aſſembled, & in lyke order as in fewe yeres before eſtabliſhed their Church and abode. Our part is to render harty thanks to the ramous and learned man Simon Grineus, who with compendious clegancy, and ſyngular erudicion, hath deſeriued the deceaſe of thys godlye man, by whoſe example we hauehave perfecte preſident to learne howe to behaue our ſelues at the latter houre. The reſt of Ecolampadius lyfe is no leſſe myrrour, whych Grineus hath required me fullye to ſetfoorth. Aprou…nce (I confeſſe) farre paſſyng my power, eſpecially in thys miſerable and croked age, & alſo ſkyl, if any wer at al wyth tract of yeares, lothſome ſycknes, and daylye exerciſe empayred and decayed.
And certes I could none other then encurre worthy note of ingratitude, if the glory of Chriſt whych ſhined in thys holy man, if thy deſyre fauorable Reader, proceding of a zelous affection, finally if Grineus earneſt requeſt a man of approued learnyng and god lynes moued me not to deſcriue the hyſtorye of Ecolampadius lyfe, and compriſe in fewe woordes thoſe matters whych I perfectlye vnderſtande. Thou ſhalt therefore heare of me the very trouth (and no pay … hiſtorye) barrayne of eloquence and phraſes, the truth I repea…e, will knowen to many credible perſons, fra…ng …raſt if I ſhould diſcloſe doubtful matters, and which I could not warrant, to deſerue worthely …, and ſtaine of credit. Attend therefore to this briefe diſcourſ… of Ecolampadius life, from the begynnyng to the …at…er end.
Ecolampadius was borne in Germany, in the yere of our Lord. 14…2.Ecolampadius Country. in a lytie Village called Vieſperg in that Territory which the auncient latins called Cheruſci. …ys Parentes according to the Country, very rich, hys Mother much renowmed for her integrity of lyfe, and holynes. Who for her liberality towards the poore, and good nature, was well regarded and reported among her neighbours. And when God had refte them of all their Children ſauyng thys, they endeuoured with al ſedulity & diligence to hauehave hym inſtructed, and from the very breſt nouriſhed in learnyng and godlye feare. Beyng growen ſomewhat elder, his Father determined to make hym a Marchaunt, but hys Mother procured longer exhibition for hys continue in ſtudy. When he learned hys ru…me…ts beyng very yong, he repreſented ſuch a tokē of towardnes, that all thoſe that knewe hym, ma…ueyled much thereat, for y• Lorde ripened hym the ry…e…er, y• he might employe hym in hys ſeruice. Whych was the cauſe hys Father, eyther ouercome with hys Wyues prayer, or wonne wyth the towardnes of the Childe, foreced for no charges. After he had taſted the firſt foundacions of learning, his Father ſent him to Helteprune, & Heidelberge, to aduaunce hym to the ſtudy of the liberall ſciences. There he profited ſo wel, that at the .xii. yeare of hys age he wrate cō mendable Verſes, and wythin twoo yeares after he obtained the degree of Bacheler, as they terme it. And thys whyle be fructified no leſſe in y• feare of God, and innocency of lyfe, then inDiſcourſe of Ecolampadius ſtudy. g…od litterature. Being graded Maiſter of Arte, he went to Boloigne in Italy, according to his fathers mind, to ſtudy the Ciuil law, vnderunder a Reader therof for hys excellencye in that knowledge muche renowmed. But wythin one halfe yeare after he was forced to returne, as well for the ayre of Italy, which he could not brooke, as for the fraudulency of a Marchant vntounto whom hys father had delyuered money for hys maintenaunce. Then he came backe to Heidelberge, where geuing ouer the Ciuil law, he applyed his mind to Diuinity, cō …oygning therwith good learnyng & the tongs. Pleas and ciuil contencions, ſeemed to baſe for the excellency of hys wyt. He was ſo careful and ſtudious to vnderſtand the truth, that the ambiguity & ve…acion of queſtions & vayne ſophiſtry (which pull many pregnaunt & natural good wyts, from the caſt of holy ſcripture) coulde not diſcourage hym to leaue hys purpoſe. After he had red Thomas of Aquine, he gaue hym ſelfe to Richard aboue al the ſcolaſtical writers. He redde diligentlye Gerſon, becauſe he ſemed more apt to nouriſh the feare & reuerence of God. He made none accompt of Scotus, al beit he was ſubtile: he ſtayed not as one muſyng, on eueryevery ſubtile queſtiō as hys companions dyd, but haſtened to attain to the ſomme of thys profeſſion. And this while he cōferred with certayne the fruites of hys ſtudy, andEcolampadius hated ambicion. contemned euermore the publick diſputacion of ſuche as in cōmon places would contend, eſteming the ſame to be a meane to corrupt & marre the toward wyts & good natures of younge men, with pride, arogancy, noiſe and braw…es. He more deſyred to learne, then to wynne Fame by knowledge, which was repugnant to the nature of hys tender yeres, & the inſtitucion of his Maiſters. You would hauehave ſaid he… had bene the ſuckyng Infant of ſacred Verity, & not the Scholer of doltyſh Schoolemaiſters. He attempted diligently, as hys capacity ſerued, to vnderſtand playnly all the ſecretes & miſteries of learned truth which was the cauſe that honeſt people commen ded hym ſingularly, both for learning and vertue. Yea, Philippe PalatineThe carle Palatine ſent for Ecolāpadius moſt illuſtre Prince and Elector of y• empire, encouraged wt his renowme, made him Inſtructor of hys Childre, which was the ready way to grow to great welth, if he had delited to ſauor of the pompe & brauery of the world, but the vertue of hys mynde borne to embrace godlines, drew him an other way. Wherfore with al celerity he abandoned the Court, and returned to proſecute hys godlye ſtudies agayne. Finally, for that hys Parentes, people very deuout, were fullye reſolued to employ theyr wealth on Gods ſeruice, and this their onelyonly Sonne, hauing no further care, nor hope of any iſſue, & cōſideryng he was of a weake complexion, and apt to proue a notable Preacher, they founded in the Towne where they were borne, by the aduiſe and conſent of theyr ſayde ſonne, a Benefice, hauyng the charge of Preacher annexed, and employed theron the principall part of theyr reuenue. And therefore EcolampadiusHe was in …ituted Preacher. was firſt aſſigned Gouernour of that Churche, where hauyng reſided ſyxe weekes, he procured liberty to return to Heidelberg to encreaſe his ſtudies, thynking hym ſelfe not then able to dyſcharge the office of a Preacher, whych he wel weyed to be no tryuial matter. But fyrſt of al he cam to Tubinge, and at Stulgarde he conferred wyth Capnion, a man at thoſe dayes very perfect and ſkylful in the knowledge of the tounges. Who in ſewe dayes gaue hym ſome … of Greke, whych he augmented after wyth priuate ſtudy, that at his returne to Heidelberg, he wrate a Grammer, which he intitu…ed Dragmata, the whyche ſynce was imprinted. And at y• tyme he learned the Hebrue tong of a Spaniard, who ſomtyme was my ſcholemaiſter a peruers mā, and or an euill conuerſacion, for he hated vsus becauſe we ſtudied that holy tonge. Euen thē I was Preacher at Bruſchel, and followed the Biſhoppes Court, about whoſe affaires, I had occaſion oftentymes to viſit Heidelberg, which miniſtred opportunity to enter in familiarity wyth hym, and to entertayne ye ſame with gratifiyng one an other as tyme required. This friendſhyppe floriſhed betwyxt vsus without violacion, or ſemblant of vnkyndnes tyll the latter day. For eche of vsus was participant of others affayres, and we diſpoſed and ordered all our actes and intentes with mutual aduiſe and counſell, ſauynge when he attempted the Monkyſh eſtate, which was contrary to my wyl. And now that he is departed out of thys mortal lyfe: I will not omit to louelove hym, the which Chriſte helpyng me, I wyl largely declare in hys Children, cōmitted to my tuiciō. Then he thought good to repayre to his habitacion to diſcharge his office,The vanitye of▪ falſe Preachers and preſerue the ſame from all contagion, whyche myghte happen to hys Church by the frequency of ſuch prepoſterous and vayne heads, as …u…ked in great nombers in ye Vniuerſities. During whych tyme I was called to Baſile, there to preache, and then he preached Chriſt in his Coūtry, to the great admiracion of al faythful & learned people, albeit then he entermedled many thinges of the auncient ſuperſticion, yet ſome affirmed he was a very ſeuere Preacher, becauſe he rored not out in the Pulpit, & with pleaſaunt g…ſture could not moue laughter among hys gloming▪ Auditors, as was the beſt…al …onkes cuſtome, for he euer obſerued modeſtye & grauitye in his …eraunce. This their corrupt & peruerſe iudgement gaue hym occaſiō to write vntounto me one litle treatiſe intituled, the …aſti… of paſſeouer▪ wherin be expreſſed hys mynde …ye learnedly, and (as I … ▪ not▪ … ▪ yeares paſt. Then I … wyth al ſedulity to allure ſuch a companion of ſtudye and godlynes to Baſi…, iudging it vnworthy that ſuche a toward wyt, and hope of Chriſtian Religion, ſhould l…ke in a ſ…et … of hys Country. I entreated Chriſtopher of V…nhim, Biſhop of Ba… ▪ …a d… to be a… ch…r at Baſ…e.to ſende for hym, and to …owe hym wyth par…h…all … of the Cathedral Churche. He brought wyth hym ſi…e Chriſtian Tra…s, I remember not y• argumentes of them al, but of one (…s I …rr…) wrytten of the Virgin Mary. And theſe Tragedies pleaſed wel the iudgement of al learned Readers. He gaue hym ſelf much to wryte Greeke and Latine verſes. The argumentes of hys Tragedies were not conformable to the rule of fayth, for that he wound hym ſelf out of the errors vſed in the Church ſlowly and deliberatelye, obeyng rather the iudgement of an apparent & eſtabliſhed religion, then the vayne affections of other, whyche was the cauſe hys Tragedies were not imprinted.
In this broyle, Eraſmus of …otero…ame came to Baſile, of purpoſe to hauehave hys Annotacious vponupon the newEraſmus ayded of Ecolampadius. Teſtamēt imprinted, & to accelerate the ſame, he required Ecolampadius to ayde hym. As he plainly confeſſeth he was ayded of hym, namyng Ecolampadius a perfect and true deuine, and an excellent myrrour of holynes in lyfe, and in the knowledge of the three tonges. He was graded Doctor through the impo…run…tye & coaction of hys friendes, who iudged hys parſonage worthy to be garniſhed wyth ſuch a title, the common people much applaudyng the ſame. It was hyghe tyme the lord ſhould be ſerued of ſuch a Miniſter ſo inſtructed, and ready, & therefore the Chanons of the great Church in Auſpurg, ſent for hym to preache there: but the harueſt of the Lord was not yet rype, and the Euā gelical corne not whyte inough to receiueEcolampadius apointed Preacher in Auſpurg. the ſythe, conſidering the life of the common people, was as peruers as the Eccleſiaſticall Miniſters contagious & corrupt, that the ſame refuſed the hand of the Phiſicion, whyche moued hym to determine hys departure▪ Twoo myles diſtant from Auſpurg, there is a Monaſtary conſecrated to S. Alton, wherein dwelleth … Couent of Moonkes, of the order of S. Brigide, who were bruted to lyue more religiouſly & holyly, then other. Ecolampadius hauing diligently obſerued their maners, deſired to be admitted one of that order, and required liberty for hys ſtudies and fayth, the whych he teſtefied wyth theſe words: Albeit wt .vi. hundred othes I ſhoulde oblige my ſelfe, I wyl not kepe couenaunt, if it happen I may ſupply the office of a Preacher abroade. The Moonkes allowed the condicion, and ſhewed their priuilege, by whych it was permiſſiue to ani to hauehave …greſſe and preache, if hereſies began to bu… g…nEcolampadius agreeth to be a Moonke. in any Country. Al thys pleaſed wel the Biſhop of Fri…guen, who highly eſteemed and reuerenced thys holy man. But I (as much as I could cōueniently) reſiſted this his attempt fearyng the euent, as in dede it came to paſſe, that he ſhould not finde ther the repoſe he deſired for hys ſtudyes, neither oportunity to ſerue his neighbour, and the Chriſtian Churche.
Beyng in the cloyſter, beſydes certayne ſermons whych he publiſhed, he wrate a treatiſe of Confeſſiō, very godly, and therefore vnpleaſaunt to ſuche as traffique Ceremonies. ForHe is prrſecuted. Friar Glapio, Themperor Charles Confeſſor, put him in great daunger for thys booke, at ſuch tyme as the Eſcates of Thempire wer aſſembled at Wormes. Wherfore by the perſwaſion and ſoliicitacion of his friendes, and the Monkes conſent, …e abandoned that Monaſtery. Before he departed the brute was, he was committed to priſon, the which a learned Chanō of Auſpurge ſignified vntounto me for a matter of truth, when I followed the Archbiſhop of Mences Court then, at Halle Sales in Saxony. The iourny of Wormes was ended fewe monethes before. Furthwith when I was aduertiſed of theſe heauy newes, I required licence for twoo monethes vnderunder colour of domeſtical affaires, and addreſſed me towardes Mens, to deiuſe ſome good meane to releace my brother. Being there arriued, and entred into my lodgyng, which was the Curates houſe, ſodaynly and beſides al expectacion I found Ecolampadlus, deuiſing wyth Gaſpar Hedio. I do not a lytle delight, when I call to memory the ſwete gretynges, and in credible ioy we had in our me…iyng, and how louingly we embraced eche other.
For foure yeares before he departed from Baſile, and ſince wee ſawe not one another. And beſides I aſſuredly beleued he was kept in cloſe priſon: I was forced twoo monethes at the leaſt to kepe three horſes and two ſeruauutes, as wel at Straſburg and Baſile, as in the common Innes in my direct way, til I came to y• Prince at Neurenberg, where then the Princes were appoynted to aſſemble. Ecolampadius went from Mens, and came to Fraunces Sickengen, a noble and famous Gentleman, whereFraunces Sickengen a louer of truth. he beganne to repourge the Maſſe, and tranſlated certayne fragmentes of Chriſoſtome, but for that thys worthye man was troubled wyth vnfortunate warre (a man worthy to lyue at reſt, and beare great aucthoritye, ſo ſeruently was he be…t to aduaūce Iuſtice, religion and good learuyng) Ecolampatius departed to Baſile, of purpoſe to hauehave imprinted y• he had wrytten, ſoiournyng wyth the ſayde Gentleman. Ther, by the aduiſe and conſent or … Senate (albeit certaynEcolampa dius profeſſeth diuini…y… at Baſile. Sophiſies repelled) he began to reade Eſay in publicke auditory, & immediatelye after at the requeſt of the Curate of S. Martins, he tooke y• charge to preache for hym, not wythout the hygh diſpleaſure of the Papiſtes, but in the end, he whom he ſincerely preached (whych is Chriſt) wan the field. And al thys while he profeſſed Chriſt fyue yeares together, wythoute anye meede or ſalarye, eyther of Curate or Preacher. About this tyme he tranſlated out of Greke into Latin, Chriſoſtome vponupon Geneſis, and TheophilactusHis tranſlacions. wholye. A diſputacion euen nowe beganne of the Sacrament of thankes geuing, and beyng required to ſay his opinion, he declared y• ſame modeſtly, and according to the mindeContencion for the Goſpel. of the auncient Fathers, whyche he faythfullye alaedged, whereof grewe marueilous cont…nc…ō, becauſe ſome conceyued not the ſence of hys wrytyng, as he meaned. But it is eaſy to coniect which way he tended, & what he demaunded, certenly nothing leſſe then to diſturbe y• Church, or obſcure the verity. And thys while the trouth began to floriſh in Suicerland, wherfore Faber, Eccius and other trauailed ſo much (as the brute went) wyth the Chiefetaines of Suicerland, that they got a place aſſigned for a publik diſputacion to diſcuſſe the principall poyntes of Religion, that wer in contencion.The iourney. There m… Ecolampadius not without great peryl, although he had letters of ſafeconduct. And for y• Zuinglius would not appeare there, or if he would, the principals of Zuricke woulde not hauehave ſuffered hym, doubtyng the enemyes deliberated otherwiſe, then with ſimple diſputacion to pacify thys broyle. Ecolampadius ſuſteyned y• cauſe of truth alone, agaynſt the r…nckeſt Papiſtes, & longeſt experimented Soldiours of Antichriſt. that in nombers repayred thyther. There be liuing at thys preſent many credible perſons, who can teſtify wyth what conſcience & dexteritye he cleared hym ſelfe, beſides that the aduerſaries hauehave publiſhed the truth alſo. A yeare after he employed hymſelfe, and dyd hys duty notably well, in diſputacion & reformaciō of BerneReformacion of ye goſpel at bern as the actes receiued of Notaries ſolemnely ſworne, beare wytnes to the whole worlde. Incontinentlye after this a great tumult roſe at Baſile forSediciō at Baſile. that certain of the Senate & the commonty boldly & with particular teme…ity, wythſtode matters lawfully & of longe time decreed for the puritye of the Goſpel, myliding to diſanul & abolyſh by priuate authority, the accords & agrements made by publick conſer, wherfore it was neceſſari to reforme, eſtabliſh, & innouate, as wel in ye city as the villages of this cōmon weale, thoſe matters yt before wer ordayned for religion according to the word of God. And in this ſturre, none demeaned them ſelues inſolently, for the cō mon people attempted nothyng diſorderly, ſaue that ſome puld downe and defaced Images, whych were ſet vp for ſuperſticion, ſo vigilant was the Senate to appeaſe al debate, & to reduce althinges to good order, & that they did was done by ye meane of this graue & holy mā, who exhorted them continually to modeſty, peace, & obedience. He was immediatelye after a meane to reeſtabliſh in the Church eccleſiaſtical diſcipline, & the cenſure ofThe cenſure of excōmunicacion receiued. excōmunicacion. The he was called to V…me wyth Ambroſe Blawrer, & Martin Bucer, wher he preſcribed order for the Church, & reformed ye ſame according to the rule of the Goſpell. He paſſed the reſt of hys lyfe in lyke holy exerciſes profyting daylye, wrytyng, reading, or geuing counſayl toThe exer… ſes of Ecolampadiu… the churches in Germany, to ye great diſcōfort of ſuch as couet not to hauehave Chriſt raigne ouer them, but to the in eſtimable emolument, and thankfull contentacion of the godly and ſincere ſort. Such hath ben the order of thys holy mans life to the latter end, true, pure, prone to piety, ready to relieue men, careful to aduaunce ye kingdom of god, & diligent to ſubuert ye attēpts of ſathan. This life hath he led tyl he departed wtout any alteraciō or inſtability. And for y• he laid foundacion & builded on a firme ſtone, he neuer receiued torment yt coulde deface, much les ruinate him, he had no… other thē Chriſt in his hart, taking his leuel at him, as at a blank, & al his cares, actions, conferences and attemptes, directing hys courſ… by hym, as by the aſpect of a ſtarre, called the leſſer Beare, a certayn marke. He hoyſed vp, and haled downe the ſayles of Chriſtes ſhyppe, as tyme required. He ſuccoured theThe of… es of a tru…aſtor. afflicted with godlye conſolacion, he offered pardon to the penitēt, the heauy loden & weary wightes he releued with Chriſt theyr onelye ſolace. The ſtony hartes he forced to relent wyth hammer of deuine wrath. He erected nothing, but in his rype tyme, & whē the profit of the Church vrged moſt. He was a prudēt Stuarde, for he wel ordred, & egally deuided the ordinary foode of the Lordes Family, yt whych he practiſed in his expoſition vponupon Ezechiel. For then he was more incumben…o his outward Stewardſhip, to the…t yt the falſe religion aboliſhed among Chriſtians, he myght frame & faſ…ion an vniforme & ryght cōmon w…le, according to the word of God. Farewel Reader, and pray with me, that we keping that way which Ecola…a…ius hath paſſed, may through the holye Ghoſte attayne to Ieſus Chriſte in hys fathers kyngdome. So be it.