The Marrow of Ecclesiastical History, Frederick Spanhemius
The Life of Frederick Spanhemius, who dyed Anno Christi 1649.
FRederick Spanhemius was born in January Anno Chri. 1600.His birth. in Amberg, the Metropolis of the upper Palatinate, which year was famous for many things, especially for that memorable battel of Newport, wherein Prince Maurice overthrew the Spanish Forces:His parentage. His Father was Wigand Spanhemius, an honorable and most pious man, being Doctor of Divinity, and a Counsellor to Frederick King of Bohemia in Ecclesiastical affairs: For Church businesses in the Palatinate are not ordered by Presbyteries and Consistories, as in other Reformed Churches, but by certain Ecclesiastical and Civil persons chosen by the Prince, to whom the whole care of Ecclesiastical matters is committed.
His Mother was Renata Tossana, the daughter of that famous Divine Daniel Tossanus, sometimes Minister in Orleance, afterwards Pastor and Professor of Divinity in Heidleberg: Our Frederick so soon as he began to speak,His education. shewed such towardliness and ingenuity, that he gave hopes of excelling when he should come to riper years: His parents therefore, least so fruitful a field should lie untilled, took care that he should be trained up in Religion and Learning, first under their own wings till he was seven years old; and then they procured him to be admitted into the Elector School in that City, where, as he grew in years he increased both in Learning and Piety, so that when he was eleven years old,His sickness. falling into a Tertian Ague, which held him long, he made a vow unto God, that if he pleased to restore him, he would (so soon as he was fit) apply himself to the study of Divinity,His vow. whereby he might be able to do him service in his Church all his life long.
An Chri. 1631.A great plague. the Plague brake forth at Amberg, which raging for seven or eight moneths together, dissipated that School, whereby his studies were hindred: yet did his Father endeavor to make up that defect by his private instructing of him at home: So that the year following his Father judging him fit for the University,He goes to Heidleberg. sent him to Heidleberg, which at that time was the common Mart of Learning, unto which Students resorted out of all parts: when he came thither, he first sojourned in the house of his Uncle Paul Tossan; by whose converse and example he profited very much: but after a while being examined by the Ecclesiastical Senate, and judged fit, he was admitted into the Colledge of Sapience, His industry.where he spent four years and an half under those famous men, Henry Alting and Conrade Decker, to whom he approved himself both for his wit, diligence and progress in Learning: For indeed he spent no time idly, imposing a task upon himself, whereby he did not only equal, but far exceed all his contemporaries: First drinking down those more pleasant studies of the Arts: then betaking himself to the study of Latine and Greek out of the most Classick Authors:His proficiency. after which he proceeded to the Hebrew, which he prosecuted with such fervor, that in four moneths space he read over the whole Hebrew Bible: He made also in that time three publick Orations: First of the Life and praises of Saint Ambrose; Secondly, Of the authority of the Laws prescribed to him by Altingius; and lastly of the four honorable Offices belonging to the Electoral family.His disputations. He also kept a publick Disputation De Mundo under Christopher Jugnitius: After all which in January An. Chri. 1619. by the command of his Superiors, he stood with five Competitors, and underwent a private and publick examination in the Hebrew, Greek, and Latine Tongues: as also in Logick, Physicks, Mathematicks, and Ethick…, and made Theams and Verses in all those three Languages: and disputed concerning Judiciary Astroligie with one of his Competitors. Examination being ended he was made Master of Arts,He is made Master of Arts. and so returned with honor to his Parents; with whom after he had staid a while he was by them sent to Geneva, Goes to Geneva.in regard of the eminency both of the Teachers and City: For indeed that City was famous from the first Reformation in which Calvin and Beza flourished, who derived the same excellent Genius wherewith themselves were adorned to their successors.
At his first coming thither he fell into acquaintance with Vedelius the Professor of Philosophy, and Heidanus, who afterwards made his Funeral Oration: These men found in him such qualifications as drew their affections to him: For they discerned him to be serious, contemplative, affable towards all, and of elegant manners: and abounding with profound speculations, which as he did not ambitiously discover, so neither did he conceal them where he might profitably make use of them: The greatest part of his time he spent in his private studies, and in learning the French Tongue, with the elegancy whereof he was much taken, so that in a few moneths he attained to good skill in it: For the furtherance whereof they agreed amongst themselves at meals to give an account in French of what they had read that day.
An. Chri. 1620.His disputations. he publickly disputed with Universal applause under Turretine concerning the five Articles controverted by the Arminians: wherein he gave an Essay what might afterwards be expected from him in that kinde. The year following things being in a deplorable condition in Bohemia, and in the Palatinate, he went to Gratianople, that he might free his Parents from further charge in his maintenance; and from thence to Ebrodune, He goes to Ebrodune.an Episcopal City in the upper Dauphaunie; where he was Tutor to a Noble mans sons for three years, during which time he conflicted with many diseases, especially with a dizziness in his head, for which by the advice of a Physitian he had a Fontinel made in his left arm, which wholly freed him from that disease.
Whilst he was in this City, he twice contested with the Pontificians: First in the Jesuites Colledge with Father Hughes concerning Justification, He disputes with Papists.the authority of the Scriptures, the Church, &c. And afterwards with a Franciscan Fryar in the presence of the Mayor of the City, a Papist, and many Popish Lawyers concerning the Sacrament of the Lords Supper: In both which he found (as he professed) the special assistance of God, so that though he was young, and not much versed in those controversies, yet he in the judgement of his very adversaries was not overcome.
At the end of the three years, having with much difficulty obtained leave of the Noble man, he returned to Geneva: and after a while went from thence to Paris, He goes to Paris.where he was most courteously entertained by Samuel Durant, the Pastor of the Reformed Church, his Kinsman, with whom he lived till the death of Mr. Durant, by whose advice he refused the Professor of Philosophies place at Lausanna, to which he was invited by the Magistrates of Bern.
During his abode at Paris he grew into familiar acquaintance with the learned Camero, He is dear to Camero.who was so far affected with his sweet disposition, that though he differed from him in some points, especially about Universal Redemption, yet did he endeavour to carry him along with him to Montalban, whither he was called to be the Divinity Professor, but prevailed not. He sometimes also visited Tilenus and Grotius, and had acquaintance with them.
An. Chri. 1625. in April, by the approbation of Mr. Durant he came over into England, He comes to England.where he stayd four moneths, in which short time he took a survey of the Kingdom, learned the Language, gat acquaintance with the most learned men, and observed many things that were worthy notice: as the funeral of King James: the arrival of Queen Mary: the Parliament: the Convocation of the Clergy: the Act at Oxford, and many other things. But the Plague being at that time hot in Oxford, (according to his former engagement to his Cosen Durant) he left England, His return to Paris.and returned to Paris, where he set upon the study of the Chaldee and Syriack Languages, and read over the Chaldee Paraphrase of the Prophets, and the Evangelists and most of the Epistles in Syriack.
These were his Halcyon days, which were broken off by the death of Mr. Durant, who left unto him his whole Library: after which he retired himself into the Family of the Noble Arnold, Counsellor and Secretary of State, who entertained him at his own Table, being much delighted with the variety of his Learning and Piety.
And thus far he lived a private life: but in July An. Chr. 1625. he was called by his friends to Geneva; He is called to Geneva.and indeed he delighted in that City above all others, wishing that there he might fix his station: whereupon he hasted thither upon this Call, and often spake of the good Providence of God to him therein: For when he came to Lyons, being to pass over the River Araris, he would needs go over in a Boat: but by the violence of the stream his Boat was split against an Arch of the Bridge,A special Providence. whereby with much difficulty he escaped drowning, and so (through Gods mercy) coming at length to Geneva, An. Chri. 1626.He is chosen Professor. he found the Professor of Philosophies place to be void by the death of Gasper Alexius, and so by the unanimous vote of all, he was preferred before all his Competitors to it, whereby after all his travels and troubles he aimed at a safe and quiet harbor: Hereupon the better to bind himself to continuance in that place,His marriage. the year after he resolved to marry, and pitching his affections upon Carlot a Portu, the daughter of the Noble Peter a Portu, with the good liking of her friends, he marryed her, and ever after carryed a tender affection towards her; and indeed she well deserved it in regard of her vertues, and innocency of manners,A good Wife. joyned with Dovelike simplicity, free from fraud and guile. For she wholly depended upon her husband, and was willing to be governed in all things by his advice, which is the chief commendations of a wife, and so had all things common with him. And herein our Spanheim admirably shewed his wisdom, who as he was famous abroad, so he took special care that no domestick jars should infelicitate his life:Family Government. his endeavour also was not only to preserve, but to encrease his outward estate: well remembring that speech of the Holy Apostle, whereby he requires that a Bishop should govern his house well, and keep his children in subjection with all honesty, For, saith he, If a man cannot govern his own family, how shall he take care of the Church of God?
By this wife he had many children, whereof some dyed in their infancy,His children. but he left seven behinde him, all of great towardness, especially his two eldest sons, who are like to inherit their Fathers vertues.
But it was not fit that his excellent parts should be shut up within the Schools, nor his light put under a bushel, which ought so to shine that the Church of God might be illuminated thereby; whereupon the Reverend Presbyterie often advised him to apply his minde to the study of Divinity,His Ordination. which also he willingly did, and so to the great rejoycing of all he was ordained a Minister, and indeed so excelled, that he exceeded all mens hopes, both for his Eloquence and Doctrine: And it pleased God to call him forth to the constant exercise of it Anno Christi 1631.He is made Professor of Divinity. at which time Benedict Turretain one of the Professors, and his dear friend, dying, he was by the general consent of all chosen to succeed him, at which time he lay sick in bed, and dreamed of no such matter: This place he discharged for eleven years space with great applause: For then he discovered what was afterwards to be expected from him both by his Lectures and Disputations: so that that University was never in a better condition then when it was illustrated by the light of Spanhemius.
An. Chri. 1635. he was chosen Rector of the University, at which time he made that excellent Oration, which was published in the name of Geneva Reformed, being just an hundred years after that City first embraced the Gospel.
Hereupon the Bernates consulted about drawing him to Lausanna, He is desired in several places.to succeed in the place of James à Portu: They of Groning edeavoured to get him to them: and the Prince Elector Palatine sought also the same: but the miseries which at this time fell upon the Palatinate, put an end to those desires: At last Leiden obtained him, though with much difficulty, the Magistrates and Church of Geneva much opposing it: Yet the Curators of Leiden insisted with so much earnestness by their frequent Letters, to which were added the request of the King of Bohemia, Leyden obtains him.of the illustrious States of Holland and West-…risland, and lastly of the States General, that with much ado at length they extorted, rather then obtained his dismission from Geneva: But its worth observation what means they used to retain him, with what grief and sorrow they parted with him, what a confluence of people brought him forth of the City, and with what sighs and tears they parted with him, as if in losing him, they had lost a principall member of their body.
Yet before he left Geneva he went to Basil to take the degree of Doctor: For in Geneva they use no such degree, and therefore whilst he was there he affected it not: But being to go to Leiden where it was more necessary, he that had been for so many years a Teacher of others, now submitted to examination,He Commences Doctor. and so was created Doctor: And this profit he gat thereby, that he veiwed Helvetia, and became acquainted with many excellent and learned men, especially with Z…gerus and Buxtorsius, whose names were now famous in the Christian World.
An. Chri. 1642. leaving Geneva, he with his whole Family and goods arrived safely in the monethmonth of October in Leiden, He comes to Leyden.just upon that Festival day wherein they celebrated the memorial of their deliverance from the …panish siege, and was most gratefully and heartily welcomed by them: and so soon as he came thither it was observed that there ensued a great alteration both in his stile, conceptions, phrases, and manner of life, so that he lived amongst the Hollanders as if he had been born amongst them.His great Learning. In his Oration which he made at his Inauguration, he shewed himself a learned, pious, prudent and peaceable Divine. In his Disputations he was earnest, quick, and altogether insuperable, as one that knew all the lurking holes of S… ph…iers, and withall knew how to overthrow them in their own Artifices: He was so acute that at the first word he understood the meaning of his Antagonists, and many times did so happily enucleate it, that expressing it better then themselves could, he taught them thereby: and when any difficulty arose, he could easily by the light of reason discuss and make it clear: But when he handled the cause of God, and was to assert his truth, and honor against the impudence of adversaries, you might have seen him go beyond himself: rising up with a great spirit and unusual zeal to dispel the objections of his adversaries. Many times also in Disputations, least they should be jejune and frigid, he would furnish the Opp…nent with Arguments, and arm him against himself, least an hour should pass without profit to the Hearers. His care was not only to learn the first grounds of some of the Arts, but he rested not till he had gained the exact knowledge of all the Arts, and had dived into the profundity of Philosophy: For its the sign of an ignoble and slothful minde to retain and conclude it self with in narrow bounds: yet rested he not in the knowledge of humane Arts, but only made them Handmaids and Servants to Divinity: His study of the Scriptures.For that indeed he prized above all other studies, and therein he spent most of his time, endeavouring throughly to understand the Sacred Scriptures, and to vindicate the same from all the false glosses put upon them by Hereticks: He, if ever any man, was studious of the Truth: to the defence whereof he consecrated all his studies, and indeed was then in his Paradice when he had attained to the knowledge of obscure Truths, or had brought light to difficult Texts, or had …reed them from the wrestings or cavils of Hereticks. He was truly a Scribe taught to the Kingdom of Heaven, who out of his treasury brought forth things new and old:His love to the truth. And although his minde was estranged from contentions, yet was he so great a lover of Truth, that no bonds of friendship or acquaintance, nor fear could divert him from the defence thereof: he alwayes preferred the cause of God before all other relations and respects: And though he often professed that his chiefest desire was to grapple with the open Adversaries of the Church: yet withall, he declared that he could not be silent towards those Brethren who through ignorance or infirmity sought to undermine the Truth:The danger of Schism. for many times a little spark neglected at first, proves a dangerous fire When men have once undertaken the Patronage of an opinion, they begin to cling close unto it, and the Error of it being not timely discovered to them, begins to please them, and at last shame of detracting what they have published, makes them incorrigible. A great wit, sound judgement, and strong memory, seldom meet in one man, by reason of the different tempers whence they proceed; but they did all so concur in our Spanheim, His excellent parts.that it was hard to say in which he most excelled. He was somewhat cholerick by nature, yet so suppressed the same, that he brake not forth at any time into sinful anger.
He was a man so addicted to his study and the Schools, that its a wonder how he could understand any thing else: But God had made him a man both for contemplation and action;His prudence in civil affairs. as may appear by the use which Noble men and women made of him for advice in civil affairs: When he wrote of Politicks, you would have thought that he had studyed nothing else in the whole course of his life: Before he grew old, he was an old man for wisdom and intentness upon businesses. His whole life was an Idaea of wisdom, whereby as occasion required, he could accommodate himself to affairs of all sorts.His prudence in chusing friends. He was a wary estimator of humane affairs: In his friendships he observed this rule, that though he did not admit all promiscuously, yet did he admit not a few into his familiarity. He was very ready to do good to, and to deserve well of all; and whereas many had daily occasion to make use of him, he rather numbred then weighed the good turns he did them. He had almost so many friends as acquaintance, especially of those that excelled in Learning: In England, His many friends.Vsher, Selden, Prideaux, Morton, and Twisse, who a little before death would trust no body but our Spanheim with sundry writings which he had prepared for the press. In France, besides many Noble men who were in great places of dignity, he had Molinaeus, Tro…chinus, William Rivet, Garissolius, Beaumontius, Mestrezatius, Drelincourtius, Bouterovius… Muratus, Blondellus, Ferrius, Petitus, Croius, Vincentius, Bochartus, almost all of them famous for their writings: I… Germany he had Zuingerus, Vlricus, Buxtorsius, Crocius, with some others; yea out of Sweden, the Queen her self the m… racle of her sexe, did lately salute him very kindely by her Bishop, and by her Letters signified how much she esteemed him, and how much she was delighted with his Works. In Transylvania, Bisterfield, a very learned man, kept constant correspondence with him by frequent Letters. But we must not forget Andrew Rivet, who was inferior to none of the Divines that then lived, with whom he had a most strict bond of friendship, so that they seemed to have but one soul in two bodies, they willed and nilled the same thing, their opinions and judgements never differing: But as he was always an acute observer of wit and learning, so he never desired more intimacy with any then with such as by an unusual kinde of Learning excelled all others, whereupon, seeing Salmatius, as the bright Sun obscuring all other Stars,His high esteem of Salmatius. acknowledging the immensity of his Learning, and the magnitude of his Heroick motions, he often professed that he delighted in nothing more then in his friendship: and Salmatius also willingly imbraced the same, insomuch as when Spanheim lay sick, hearing that he desired to speak with him, though at that time he lay sick of the Gout, Salmatius hasted to him, where with many tears and sighs they imbraced each other, conferring of such things as became Christians, and such great men to speak of, to their mutual satisfaction.
He lived also most friendly with his other Colleagues, weighing prudently what each of them deserved: But amongst all, observing Bernard Schot to excel for his skill in the Law, and dexterity in dispatching businesses, as also for his obsequious minde towards him, he made choice of him especially to impart his secrets to, and to rest most upon his advice.
He always, as he ought, much esteemed the singular good will of the Prince of Orange towards him, as also of the Queen of Bohemia, His great friends.and other of the States, to whom deservedly he was most dear: as they testified by their extraordinary grief at his death.
He always upon every occasion professed how much he was beholding to the Curators and Magistrates of Leiden, for their singular good will towards him, whereby they often anticipated, and exceeded his modesty in conferring favors upon him. The most excellent Princess of Orange also, after his death, sent to his widdow and eldest son, professing that the loss of him was no less a grief to her, then if she had lost another husband, or dear son, so highly did she esteem of him.
Neither may any man wonder whence it came to pass that he had so many friends,His great correspondence. if withall he do but consider the multitude of Letters that he sent and received, so that his study seemed to be a Compendium of all Europe. But behold the mutability of all Earthly things! The truth is, his labors were so many and great, that if his body had been of Oak, or Iron, he could not have held out long: so that we may truly say, that the imployment of his soul destroyed its own habitation, which was worn out, and dissolved with too much exercise:His great labours. For besides the publick labors which he underwent in the Church and University, his private and domestical cares, his conferences with his friends, his frequent intercourse of Letters, his various writings, and giving counsel to others, took up every moment in his life: And though he was often admonished by his friends to favour himself and moderate his pains, yet would he by no means be perswaded to it.
Hence it was observed that his strength began sensibly to decay,His sickness. and he was troubled with great obstructions, so that himself began to complain of them, yet would he not diminish his daily task: And thus he continued all the Winter afflicted with weakness, and pains at sundry seasons. His last Sermon he Preached at Easter, upon those memorable words of Saint Paul, His last Sermon and Lecture.Phil. 3. 21. Who shall change our vile body, that it may be like his glorious body, &c. Also after his last Lecture, returning home, he complained of the decay of his strength, which was so great, that with much difficulty he went on to the end of his Lecture, as many of his Auditors observed.
From thenceforth his health decayed, and his strength declined more and more, and which was an ill sign, his weakness was greater then his disease: yet notwithstanding he was delegated in the midst of April, He goes to a Synod.by the Church, to a Synod of the French Churches which met at Harlem, whither he went, though the labor was too great for his weak body: And at his return he sensibly discerned that he was much worse, so that though no signs of death appeared outwardly, yet was his weakness such, that being taken off his Legs, he was confined to his bed: Hereupon he foresaw the approach of death,His preparation for death. and wholly gave up himself to God, whom he continually invoked by ardent prayers, and sighs, which had been his constant practice in the whole course of his life: But yet April the 28. he thought himself better, and that there were some hopes of his recovery: whereupon in the afternoon he sate up at his study window: where he had not continued long before he was seized upon by a violent Feaver, with a great trembling and shaking of his whole body, which at length ended in a burning, so that he lay all night as if he had been in the midst of a fire:His ardent Prayer. whereupon seeing his end to approach, in the presence of his Family he poured forth most ardent Prayers to God; Profesting that he knew Christ to be his Redeemer in whom he believed, and with whom he knew that he should shortly be, and that he desired nothing so much as his happy dissolution, his soul still breathing after Christ: Only this by earnest prayers he begged of God, that he would give him strength to undergo whatsoever he should please to lay upon him, and that he would not suffer him to be tempted beyond what he was able to bear, that he might have a quiet and comfortable departure out of this miserable and sinful world:
Presently the famous Physitian Dr. Stratenus was sent for from the Hague, who was his special friend, to whom was adjoined Dr. Wallaeus, who performed all the Offices of good Physitians, and did what Art could do: But their business was not so much with the disease, as with death, which refused all remedies. The Citizens of Leiden mourned exceedingly for his sickness; the Queen of Bohemia, and the Princess of Orange shewed most tender affections towards him: His wife and family foreseeing their calamity in his loss, were dissolved into tears:His Faith and Hope. But Heidanus coming to visit him, he declared to him the inward peace of his soul, his hope of future glory, and his faith in Christ, together with his earnest desire of leaving this miserable World: He also freely forgave all that had wronged him, desiring the like from others, if he had any way justly offended them: Professing that whatsoever he had done, he did it out of his love to Truth, and his care over the Church. The night before his death Dr. Triglandius was sent for to him, whom he always loved and honoured as his dear friend, and Colleague, who being come, prayed with him: and the next day Dr. Massisius Pastor of the French Church did tho like: And thus he spent all that week in Prayers and holy Exercises: On Wednesday night he caused his son to read to him the 8. cha. of Ezekiel and part of the Epistle to the Romans: after which he spake to his eldest son [Frederick] exhorting him to the study of Divinity, requiring him not to be withdrawn from it by any means whatsoever;His commends his Wife. he thought that he could never speak enough of the tender love, care, and diligence of his wife shewed towards him. A little before his death, recollecting his spirits, in the presence of Samuel Riverius Pastor of Delph, with a clear and fervent voice, he prayed with such ardency of affections, as caused all to wonder.What he gives thanks for. In his Prayers he gave immortal thanks to God for all his blessings bestowed so plentifully upon him in the whole course of his life: and for that he had blessed him so much amongst strangers: acknowledging himself to be lesse then all those blessings, and that he had nothing to return to his Majesty for them but his grateful heart: Above other things he especially blessed him for bringing him forth in a Reformed and Orthodox Church, and for that he had not suffered him to be infected with the Popish Religion, whose Doctrine he professed to be erroneous and contrary to the Gospel of Christ, and the way of perdition: He prayed heartily to God to continue these blessings to his Family for ever, and that he would never suffer any of them to be seduced to Popery: He prayed also that in the pains of death he might with all his soul breath after God, and might before hand have some tast of the glory of heaven.
This Prayer being ended,His death. his strength and voice failed him, and so about Sun-setting he quietly slept in the Lord, Anno Chri 1649. and of his Age 49.
Genevae rogatu regis Sueciae,His works. lingua Gallica conscripsit Militem Suecicum: Huic comitem addidit Mercurium Helveticum: Commentarium vitae & Mortis Christopheri à Dhona. Leydae rogatu Reginae Bohemiae edidt Memorias Ludovice Juleanae Electricis Palatinae. Conciones tres▪ Thronum Gratiae, Thronum Jud…cii, Thronum Gloriae. Latinae scripsit Genevae, Genevam Restitutam. Prim…m, Secundam, & Tertiam Dubiorum Evangelicorum partem. Chamierum item contractum. Leydae, Exercitationes de Gratia universali. Epistolam ad Buchananum de controversiis Anglicanis: Item Epistolam ad Cottierium de conciliatione Gratiae Vniversalis. Besides divers others which he began, but could not finish, being prevented by multitude of businesses, and death.
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FINIS.