The Marrow of Ecclesiastical History, Justus Jonas
The Life of Justus Jonas, who died Ano Christi 1555.
JUstus Jonas was born at Northusa Anno Christi 1493,His Birth. where his Father was a Senator, who falling sick of the Plague, having applyed an Onion to the Soar, and taken it off, he layd it by him; presently after, this little Jonas coming,A miracle of mercy. took the Onion and eat it up, yet without any prejudice to himself; God miraculously preserving him from that danger. He was at first brought up at School in his own Country. Afterwards being sent to a publick School, he studied Law, and made a good progress therein: but upon better thoughts, he studied Divinity, and proceeded Doctor,His Conversion and embraced the Reformed Religion, and was called an. Christi 1521 to a Pastoral Charge in Wittenberg: His call to Wittenburg.And when sundry Controversies arose, especially about abrogating private Masse, and the Prince Elector of Saxony feared lest the abolishing of it should cause great tumults, Jonas with his Colleagues went to him, and rendred such reasons for it, that the Prince acquiesced therein. He was present at most of the Disputations about Religion, where he defended the Truth strenuously▪ and endeavoured to promote Peace. He was also made a Professor in that University, where he publickly read Divinity Lectures, and bore all Offices in the Schooles. Anno Christi 1533 he created sundry Doctors of Divinity, as Gasper Cruciger, His employment… in the School….John Bugenhag Pom…ranus, and John Aepinus, Pastor of the Church of Ha…borough: At which Commencement John Frederick Elector of Saxony was present, and was much delighted with the Eloquent Speeches made by Justus Jonas.
Anno Christi 1539,He reforms some Churches when Henry Duke of Saxony, who had embraced the Reformed Religion, and was admitted into the League of Smalcald, succeeded his Brother George in the Government of Misnia and Thuringia, he presently by the advice of Luther and his Colleagues, Reformed his Churches, Luther himself beginning that Reformation; but the carrying on, and perfecting that work, was left to the care of Justus Jonas, with Spalatine and Ampersdorf. From thence he was called unto Hale in Saxony, He is called to Hale.where he preached and promoted Religion exceedingly: And whilst he was imployed there, he was not only very useful to those Churches, but was sent to from divers others for advice and counsel, and being a man of a publick spirit, he was never wanting to those that craved his help. Luther sometimes resorted thither to him, and took him along with him in his last journey to Is…eben, anno Christi 1546, where he dyed: After whose death he remained a while in the Duke of Saxony's Court, and was a constant companion of John Frederick's Sonnes in all their afflictions. And lastly, he was set over the Church in Eisfield, and was made Superintendent of the Franconian Churches within the Principality of Coburg, His death.where he ended his daies in much peace and comfort, Anno Christi 1555, and of his age 63.
He was a man of an excellent Wit, of great Industry,His Character. of much Integrity of life, joyned with Piety. Whilst Luther lived he was his faithful friend, and most dear to him. Most of the famous men of that age were his great friends. On a time Luther coming to his house, drank to him out of a curious glass, adding this Distich ex tempore,
Dat vitrum vitr… Jonae vitrum ipse Lutherus:
Ut vitro fragili similem se noscat uter que .
Being once under Temptations, and in great Agony, he shewed much despondencie,His T…tation. but his servant, partly by comforting him, & partly by chiding him, cheared him up, and at last, through God's mercy, the Spirit prevailed against the flesh.
He published a Defence of the mariage of Ministers against John Faber the patron of whoredoms:His works. An Oration about the study of Divinity. Annotations upon the Acts: About privat Masse, and the Unction of Priests. He turned some of Luthers works into Latin.