The Dead Yet Speaking, Biography 19
The Life and Death of CRUCIGER, Who died Anno Christi 1548.
GAsper Cruciger was born at Lipsich in Misnia, Anno 1504. of religious Parents, who carefully brought him up in the knowledge of God, and in learning. He was melancholy by nature, and of a retired disposition, much in meditation, and of few words: being principled in the Latine, he learned Greek, and profited much therein, and so went to the University of Wittenberg, that having studyed Divinity there, he might be more usefull to the Church: he studyed also the Hebrew tongue, and grew very exquisite therein: from thence was called to govern the School at Magdeburg, where he taught with much profit and applause till 1527. and then being called back to Wittenberg, he preached and …xpounded the Scriptures with so much dexterity, that he was graced with the degree of a Doctor; in that University he studyed and practised Physick also. He was very helpfull to Luther in his Translation of the Bible. He wrote so swiftly, that he was chosen Scribe at the disputation at Worms, and yet withall suggested to Melancthon many things for answer to Eccius his subtilties, insomuch that Glanvell (who supplyed the Enperors room) said of him, That the Lutherans had a Scribe that was more learned then all the Pontificians. He alwayes opposed the Anabaptisticall errors, and was very careful to preserve the Truch from corruptions: he alwayes hated new, and ambiguous expressions, which often caused much troubles in the Church: he often contemplated the foot-steps of God in Nature, saying with Paul, That God was so near unto us, that he might be almost felt with our hands. He studyed the Mathematicks in his later time, and grew so skilfull therein that few excelled him: he was excellent also in the Opticks: but with excessive pains, and incessant studyes night and day, he contracted to himselfe a mortall disease, whereby he wasted away, and yet his intellectuals decayed not: he lay sick for above three moneths, all which time he gave forth cleer & notable demonstrations of his Faith, Pat…ence and Piety: he called up his two young daughters, and caused them to repeate their prayers before him, and then himselfe prayed with great fervency for himselfe: the Church, and those his Orphans, concluding, Invoco te quanquam languida & imbecill… fide, sed fide tamen credo promissioni tuae, quam sanguine tuo, & resurrections obsignasti, &c. I call upon thee with a weak, yet with a true Faith; I beleele thy promises which thou hast sealed to mee with thy blood, and resurrection, &c. In his sicknesse he intermitted not his studies; for during the same, he turned into Latine Luthers books concerning the last words of David: he read the Psalms, and other Autors: his ordinary discourse with his friends was about the Principles of Religion; the admirable government of the Church; Immortality, and our sweet Communion in heaven. Upon the sixth of November there was a great Chasm, or opening in the heavens, and in some places fire fell to the earth, and flew up into the ayre againe; this Cruciger saw, as he lay in his bed in the night, and thereupon much bewayled the great commotions, and dissipations in the Church, which he foresaw by this Prodigie: He spent the few dayes which remained in prayer, and repentance, and so quietly ended his dayes November 16. Anno Christi 1548. and of his Age 45. Considering the mutabilitie of all earthly things, he used often to say,
Omnia praetereunt, praeter amare Deum.
Besides God's love nothing is sure,
And that for ev…r doth endure.
Grave Cruciger, was in his life
A hater of corroding strife;
His soule was …l'd with Heaven, and he
Was alwayes constant, alwayes free
In his devotions, all his dayes
He spent to give his maker praise;
Religions stocke did still encrease
Within his heart, and crown'd his peace.
He was a wonder to all Nations
For Piety, and disputations.
The Anabaptists felt the force
Of his patheticall discourse.
Truth alwayes shined in his brest;
All men speake truth, that speake him blest.