The Marrow of Ecclesiastical History, Friedrich Myconius
The Life of Myconius, who dyed Anno Christi 1546.
FRidericus Myconius was born in Franconia, His birth.of religious parents, An. Chr. 1491. Decemb. 26. and bred up at School till he was 13 years old,His education. and then he was sent to Annaeberg where he studyed till he was 20.He enters into a Monastery. and then entred into a Monastery of the Franciscan Fryars there, without the knowledg of his Parents: and this he did, not that he might live in ease, fill his belly, and follow his pleasures: but that he might serve God, pray for the pardon of his own and other mens sins, and that he might live an holy and innocent life: For so men judged in those days: The first night after his entry, he had a dream, which proved Prophetical. In that Monastery he almost killed himself with watchings,His bodily exercises. fastings, praying, and performing other bodily exercises wherein they thought all holiness to consist: And in the night time when other Monks were asleep,His diligence in reading. he macerated and weakned himself with reading Peter Lombard, Alexander Hales, Bonaventure, Gabriel Biel, Augustine, and other like Authors, and being made Reader at Meal-times, for seven years together every dinner and supper he read the Bible with Lyra's Notes upon it, which he turned over so often that he had almost gotten it by heart, but yet without understanding and judgement: Only he retained in his Memory the Sacred Histories. But despairing of attaining to Learning under such Masters, he left his studies, and fell to Mechanical Arts:Indulgences brought into Germany. About which time Tecelius brought his Indulgences into Germany, boasting of the virtue of them, and exhorting all as they loved their own and their dead friends Salvation, that they should buy them, &c. and withall threatning that if they came not speedily to buy, he would lay down the Cross,Popish blasphemies. shut Heaven Gates that now stood wide open: that he would extinguish the light and splendor of the Sun: and that ere long he would cause that so pretious ware should not be sold at so easie a rate: and that whilst the World stood, Germany should not have such liberality profered to them from Rome again: and therefore he exhorted them seriously to have respect to their own and their deceased friends Salvation: For (saith he) now is the acceptable time, now is the day of Salvation: and except ye buy these Indulgences, no man can absolve you from your sins. He also told the Citizens of Annaeberg that if they would freely part with their mony, their metal Mines which were about the Town of S. Anne should abound with pure silver. By these means this cunning Hucster procured such honor to his Indulgences, that when he came to any Town, the Popes Bull was carryed before him wrapped either in silk or cloth of gold, and was met with a long and pompous Procession; so that probably had God himself come in a visible shape, he should not have been entertained with so much magnificence.Myconius well educated. Myconius had been taught by his Father the Lords Prayer, the Creed, the Decalogue, and to pray often: and that the blood of Christ only could cleanse us from sin: and that pardon of sin and eternal life could not be bought with mony, &c. which caused him to be much troubled whether he should believe his Father or the Priests; but understanding that there was a clause in the Indulgences that they should be given freely to the Poor, he went to Tecelius, entreated him to give him one, for that he was a poor sinner, and one that needed a free remission of his sins, and a participation of the merits of Christ: Tecelius admired that he could speak Latine so well (which few Priests could do in those days) and therefore he advised with his Colleagues, who perswaded him to give Myconius one: but after much debate he returned him answer,Popish covetousness. That the Pope wanted mony, without which he could not part with an Indulgence: Myconius urged the aforenamed clause in the Indulgences which were publickly posted up, wherein the Pope had inserted these words, ut pauperibus gratis darentur propter Deum: whereupon Tecelius his Colleagues pressed again that he might have one given him, pleading his learning, ingenuity, poverty, &c. and that it would be a dishonour both to God and the Pope to deny him one: But still Tecelius refused: whereupon some of them whispered Myconius in the Ear to give a little money, which he refused to do, and they fearing the event, one of them profered to give him some to buy one with, which he still refused, saying, that he would not have bought Indulgences, and that if he pleased, he could sell a Book to buy one, but he desired one for Gods sake, which if they denyed him, he wished them to consider how they could answer it to God, &c. But prevailing nothing, he went away rejoicing that there was yet a God in Heaven to pardon sinners freely, &c. according to that promise, As live (saith the Lord) I desire not the death of a sinner, &c.
Not long after he entred into Orders at Vinaria, The means of his Conversion.and read privately Luthers Books, which the other Fryars took very hainously, and threatned him for it. From thence he was called to be a Preacher at Vinaria▪ where at first he mixed some Popish Errors with the Truth; but by the Illumination of Gods Spirit, and by his reading Luther, he at last began to Preach against Popery, and to hold forth the Truth clearly in Thuringia; The Gospels swift progress.which spied so swiftly in one months space, and was so greedily imbraced not only through Saxony, but through all Countries, as if the Angels had been the carriers of it. Anno Christi 15 8. when Luther, was going to Auspurg, he lodged in the Monastery where Myconius was at Vinaria: at which time Myconius first saw him, but was not suffered to speak with him▪ Afterwards he was called to …otha to teach and govern the Thuringian Churches, where he lived with his Colleagues twenty years in much peace and concord;Love unfeigned. of which himself faith, Cucurri…aus, certa…m…, …ravimus, pugnavimus, vicimus & vixim…s semper con…u…et…ssimè, &c.
Anno. Christi 15…5.He endeavors … quiet the Anabaptists. In the tumult of the Anabaptistical Boors, Myconius took much pains to pacifie their mindes, and to keep them quiet: Yea, he so quieted with an Oration some that were pulling down some Noble-mens houses, that they went away in peace.His marriag…. That year also he marryed a wife called Marguet, the daughter of an honest Citizen of Gotha, by whom through Gods blessing, he had a numerous posterity. And though Myconius was by Gods Providence called to the Government of the Church in Gotha, yet the most illustrious Elector of …axo…y imployed him in many other businesses. He also took him along with him thrice into the Low-countries, as also into Cullen, Jul…ers, His zeal in preaching.and divers other places. At Dusseldo…p he preached the Gospel sincerely and purely, though to the hazard of his life; and at Cullen he maintained a publick Disputation with the Fryars, which was afterwards printed. With the like constancy and faithfulness he preached the Doctrine of the Gospel in Brunswick, in Cella of Saxony, and in other parts of Westphalia. Also in divers publick Conventions at Smalcald, Francfurt, and Noremberg, his counsel being asked, with much courage and zeal he handled the affairs of Religion, seeking to promote the glory of God, and profit and welfare of the Church.
An. Chr. 1528. Henry the Eighth King of England, fell out with the Pope, for not divorcing him from his wife Katharine of Spain, sister to Charles the Fifth, by reason of whose greatness the Pope durst not do it:He is sent into England. whereupon the King of England sent over to the Germane Princes (especially to the Duke of Saxony) to confederate against the Pope, and to join with them in an agreement about Religion; upon which occasion Myconius was sent over into England, partly about matters of Religion, but especially about a match between Henry the Eighth, and Anne of Cleve: King Henry the Eight his hypocrisie.but coming thither, he discovered the Kings hypocrisie about Religion, not only by the six Articles about that time established, but also by his imprisoning of Latimer, and cutting off the Lord Cromwels head, and burning of Mr. Barnes, &c. and by his seizing upon all the Abbey-lands: whereupon he left England, His return into Germany.and being come home, Anno Christi 1538. he was called by Henry of Saxony to visit and reform the Churches of Misnia, together with Luther, Jonas, Cruciger, &c. which fell out upon this occasion.
George Duke of Saxony, lying on his death-bed, sent to his Brother Henry (all his own sons being dead before) desiring him, that succeeding him, he should innovate nothing in Religion, and withall promised him golden mountains by his Ambassadors if he would assent thereto: to whom Henry answered, This Embassie of yours is just like to the Devils dealing with Christ, An heroical resolution.when he promised him al the World if he would fal down and worship him: but for my own part I am resolved not to depart from the Truth which God hath revealed unto me: but before the return of the Ambassadour, Duke George was dead: whereupon this Henry (notwithstanding all the opposition of the Papists) made this Reformation in the Churches:Reformation in Misna and Thuringia. which work being finished, Myconius visited all the Churches in Thuringia, and with the help of Melancthon and some other, he provided them Pastors and Schoolmasters, and procured stipends to be setled upon them for their maintenance. The rest of his life he spent in Preaching, Praying, and writing of Letters: many great persons in Universities, and the chief Churches holding correspondence with him; amongst whom were Luther, Melancthon, Cruciger, Menius, Basilius, Monerus, John Langus, Mechlerus, John Marcellus, Matthew Ratzenbergerus, &c.
Anno Christi 1541. He fell into a Consumption, whereof he wrote to Luther, That he was sick not to death, but to life: which gloss upon the Text pleased Luther excellently well, unto whom he wrote back:Luthers prayer for Myconius. I pray Christ our Lord, our Salvation, our Health, &c. that I may not live to see thee and some others of our Colleagues to dye, and go to Heaven, and to leave me hear amongst the Devils alone. I pray God that I may first lay down this dry, A prophetical prayer.exhausted, and unprofitable tabernacle: farewel, and God forbid that I should hear of thy death whil'st I live: Sed te superstitem faciat mihi Deus: hoc peto & volo, & fiat voluntas mea, Amen; quia haec voluntas gloriam nominis Dei, certè non meam voluptatem, His recovery.nec copiam quaerit. A while after Myconius recovered according to this Prayer, though his disease seemed to be desperate,Power of Prayer. and out-lived it fix years: even till after Luthers death, whereupon Justus Jonas, speaking of Luther, saith of him, Iste vir potuit quodvoluit, That man could have of God what he pleased.
A little before Myconius his death, he wrote an excellent Epistle to Joan. Frederick Elector of Saxony, wherein he praiseth God for raising up three successively in that Family, viz. Frederick, John, and John Frederick, to undertake the patronage of Luther, His character.&c. He was a man of singular piety, of solid learning of a dextrous judgement, of a burning zeal, and of admirable candor and gravity.His death. He dyed of a relapse into his former disease, Anno Christi 1546. and of his Age 55.
His Works were these: His works.Expositio in Evan. Marci. Enarrationes in Psalmum 101. Expositiones in Evan. secundum Matthaeum, Lucam, & Johannem. Commentaria in Jesaiam, Jeremiam, & Jonam. Narratio de vita & morte Zuinglii. Sermo de liberis recte educandis: De crapula, & ebrietate: De faenore & usura, &c.
Iohn Stigetias made this Epitaph upon him;
Quo duce Gotha tibi monstrata est Gratia Christi,
Haec pia M…conii contegit ossa lapis.
Doctrina & vitae tibi moribus ille reliquit
Exemplum: Hoc ingens (Gotha) tuere decus.