The Marrow of Ecclesiastical History, Gaspar Hedio – Oswald Myconius
The Life of Gaspar Hedio, who dyed Anno Christi 1552.
GAspar Hedio was born at Etling, His birth▪ and education.in the Marquisat of Baden, of honest Parents, and educated in Learning at Friburg, where also he Commenced Master of Arts; and from thence went to Basil, where he studyed Divinity, and Commenced Doctor Anno Christi 1520. About which time the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ beginning to appear in Germany, Hedio embraced and made a profession of the same,His conversion. whereupon being called to Preach in the chief Church of Ments, he taught the Truth plainly and powerfully, which when the tender and delicate Ears of many would not endure, a persecution was raised up against him, especially by the Popish Clergy, which caused him to leave Ments, and go to Strasborough, He goes to Strasborough.An. Chr. 1523. where he was a great assistant to Capito and Bucer in reforming Religion by the command of the Senate,Reformation at Strasborough. though the Papists gnashed their teeth at it: For the same year the Senate commanded their Preachers that they should teach the Gospel freely and Publickly, and that they should instil into their hearers the Love of God and their Neighbors, yet withall, that they should abstain from reproaching the contrary opinions, and from scandalous provoking the people against them.
Anno Christi 1523.His marriage. Hedio marryed a wife, and though the Papists raised a great persecution in that City against him, yet he Preached boldly against Masses, Indulgences, Auricular Confession, &c. and wrote against them also. And when the Senators of Strasborough the year after set forth in Print the reasons, grounded upon Scripture, why they made that alteration in Religion, Hedio with his Colleagues subscribed it: and withall, they published certain Propositions, wherein they strongly defended their Doctrine to be grounded upon the Word of God.
Anno Christi 1543.He is sent for to …. when Herman Archbishop of Collen began a Reformation, he sent for Bucer and Hedio to assist him therein, knowing them to be men of very quiet dispositions, and very fit to instruct the people: But awhile after when Caesar came to Bonna, they were in great danger by reason of his Spanish Souldiers, and at last by the command of Caesar they were dismissed from Ments, His danger and return.and through many difficulties and dangers they returned to Strasborough. What time he could spare from his Ministerial imployment,His diligence. he spent in writing Commentaries and Histories, of which a great part afterwards were published in Print, whereby he deserved excellently of the Church; and so continued Preaching and Writing till the year 1552. at which time it pleased God to put an end to his labors on Earth,His death. and to translate him to his Heavenly Kingdom: concerning whom one made this Epigram.
Argentina, tuis Hedio pia dogmata templis
Sincerâ docuit Religione Dei.
Cum que tibi pietas sit, prisca que gloria cordi,
Non poteris tanti non meminisse viri.
He published a Sermon about Tithes.His works. An Historical Synopsis, wherein he enlarged Sabellicus to the year 1538. He corrected Chronicon Abbatis Vspergensis: adding many remarkable matters from the year 1512 to 1537. He wrote Chronicon Germanicum: Besides a great many Histories and other Books which he translated into Dutch.
As he maintained peace and friendship with his Colleagues, so he held correspondence with most of the learned men of that Age. And amongst others Nicholas Gerbeline thus writes, Mira mihi est cum Hedione familiaritas: Hebraica & Graeca studia communia: ingeniorum rara quaedam aequalitas: Deus faxit ne malus aliquis discordiam interserat: Scis enim nihil iniquiùs ferre Daemonem quam sinceras amicitias.
The Life of Oswald Myconius, who dyed Anno Christi 1552.
OSwald Myconius was born at Lucern in Helvetia, His birth and education.Anno Christi 1488. and was first trained up in his Country School: after which he went to Basil, and there betook himself to the study of the Arts and Tongues, which he prosecuted with great diligence, and was much delighted with the Works of Erasmus, and of his Country-man Henry Glarianus, with both of which he was well acquainted, and was highly prized by them both for the excellency of his wit, and for his singular learning: This was about the year 1514.
His Learning being taken notice of,He is made a Schoolmaster. he was by the Magistrates of Basil made chief Master of Saint Theodores School, and awhile after of Saint Peters School, in both which he trained up many young men, and made them very fine Scholars.
After some years he was called from Basil to Zurick to moderate a School there,Removes to Zurick. where he took great pains in training up youth for three years space; at the end whereof he was called into his own Country of Lucern, From thence to Lucern.and set over the chief School there: About which time the Doctrine of the Gospel began to shine out in all places,His conversion. and our Myconius did not only willingly and readily embrace it himself, but was zealous to propagate it, and for that end endevoured to instill it into the hearts of his Scholars, which were very many, insomuch as the Popish party taking notice of it, turned him out of his School, Anno Christi 1523.
From thence therefore he went back to Zurick, Goes back to Zurick.where he was kindely entertained, and made chief Schoolmaster again, where he continued till after Zuinglius was slain in the War, at which time Learning and the esteem of Learned men began to decay in Zurick, whereupon he returned to Basil, Thence to Basil.and giving over the troublesome Office of a Schoolmaster, he was made Deacon of the Church of S. Alban, He is made a Deacon.where he preached diligently till the death of John Oecolampadius, and then he took up his Divinity Lecture, and began to expound the Gospel of S. Mark, which he performed so well, that very many Auditors frequented his Lectures.
About this time the Magistrates of Basil consulted about surrogating one in the Pastoral Office of Oecolampadius: and (beyond his expectation) Myconius was nominated and appointed thereto,And a Pastor. and so was made the chief Pastor in Basil, having but a little while supplyed the Office of a Deacon. In this his Pastoral Office he continued for about twenty years with great fidelity and diligence, and both by his Lectures and Ministry was very grateful to his hearers: and the rather because his courteous carriage was very pleasing, his Learning more then ordinary, and his Eloquence very popular.
When the great controversie about the manner of Christs presence in the Sacrament sprang up,He adheres to Luther. Myconius inclined to the opinion of Luther, and often rendered his reasons for it to his friends in private: But when, for this some grudges were raised up against him in the University, he voluntarily laid down his Divinity Lectures, and wholly applyed himself to his Pastoral Office, wherein he continued to the end of his life, which fell out Anno Christi 1552.His death. and of his age 64.
He wrote a learned and pious Exposition upon the Gospel of S. Mark: His works.Sermons upon Psalm 101. He translated Oecolampadius his Catechism out of Dutch into Latine: He published Commentaries upon Matthew, Luke, and Iohn, as also upon the Prophets Isaiah, Ieremiah, and Ionas, besides some other Theological and Philological Works.