The Life of Philip MelanchthonLedderhose, Karl Friedrich
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The Life of Philip Melanchthon
Ledderhose, Karl Friedrich
Melanchthon, Philipp, 1497-1560
Froehshel now repeated the Creed, the Lord's prayer, and the words "Lord
Jesus Christ, into thy hands I commend my spirit!" he repeated several
times. When he repeated them for the third time, Melanchthon moved his
lips as if he was praying. More than twenty persons were gazing upon the
dying man. Without the slightest motion, this worthy man gently fell
asleep in the evening, at 7 o'clock, in the very same hour in which he
first beheld the light of this world, 63 years and 63 days before. In
the midst of prayer he celebrated his return home, as the old account
says, "to his beloved Lord Jesus Christ, whom he always praised with his
heart and mouth. With him he no doubt now enjoys everlasting happiness
and glory, together with all the elect. May our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Son of God, help us all to enjoy the same, and may he grant us all a
happy end, and joyous dismission, whenever it shall please him to call
us away. Amen."
* * * * *
Winsheim, who delivered his funeral oration, said: "Failing gradually,
he ceased to breathe almost without feeling death, and lay like one who
is asleep; his face was not distorted, and his features were not
changed, as is generally the case with the dead." When the beloved
teacher had thus closed his eyes, the tidings of this event spread
rapidly through the city. The students, greatly distressed, came to the
house in great numbers. It was very easy to see how much they had loved
him. The University soon informed the Elector of this sad event. The
body was laid out in the study during the same evening. On the morning
of the 20th of April, the artist, LUCAS KRANACH, painted his portrait.
All were anxious to behold the beloved body, and permission was given to
all during that and the following day.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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