The Dead Yet Speaking, Biography 104
The Lif and Death of David Pareus. who dyed Anno Christi 1622.
DAvid Pareus was born in Silesia, Anno Christi 1548. His Parents were Citizens of good rank; when he was about three years old, he fell sick of the small pox, whereof he was like to dye, and though it pleased God that he recovered, yet he had thereby a blemish in one of his eyes, which continued so long as he lived: about that time his Mother dyed; when he grew up to riper years, his Father perceiving a naturall promptnesse in him to learning, set him to School in his owne City, where one of his M…sters was very rigid and severe in his carriage unto him, and there he learned Grammer, Musick and Arithmetick: But when he was fourteen years old (by the instigation of his step-mother) his father placed him with an Apothecary at …ra…islavia: which course of life he could not well relish, and therefore after a months stay he returned home again, which his step mother w…s much offended with, yet his tender father resolved to keep him at School, and …hen he disliked the severity of his former Master, he sent him to Hirschberg, to one Christopher Schillingus, who was much affected with his ingenuity and towardlinesse: the chiefe Magistrate also of that City took a great liking to him, for som Verses which he made at his sons Funerall, so that he gave him his dyet in his Family: when he had been there about two years, the Pastor of that place who was a Lutheran, fell out with his Schoolmaster for that, in Catechising of his Schollars, he had taught them, that Christs body being ascended into heaven was there to remaine till his coming to judgement, and that in the Sacrament we feed upon it onelyonly spiritually by faith, &c.
And his spleen was so great, that he would not be satisfied till he had driven him away from the City: Pareus having to hi… great griefe lost his Master, returned home; yet neither there was he in quiet, some tale-bearers suggesting to his Father that his Schoolmaster had infected him with his errors; and so far they prevailed, that his father intended to disinherit him: hereupon Pareus intended to goe into the Palatinate, which his father much disliked, and sought by all meanes to hinder, yet at last through Gods mercy, by importunity he gat his fathers consent, who sent him away with little mony in his purse: Thus forsaking his friends and fathers house, he went to Hirschberge, where he met with his Master and some of his School-fellowes, and so they travelled together towards the Palatinate, through Bohemia: by the way his mony failing, …e went to a Monastery to beg an Alms, and the Abbat pittying of him relieved him: going from thence to another Monastery, he met with an ignorant Fryar, and asked an Alms of him in Latine, he returned this answer; Nos pauperi fratres, nos nihil habemus; an piscimus, an caro, an panis, an misericordia habemus: Thus at length it pleased God to bring him safely to Amberg in the upper Palatinate: there his Schoolmaster stayed, and sent Pareus with ten more of his Schollars to Heidelberg, where they were admitted into the Colledge of Sapience: there he was a diligent hearer of Vrsin, Boquin, Tremelius, Zanchy, and the other Professors, under whom he profited both in the Arts and Tongues to admiration: Then he betook himselfe to the study of Divinity, and having fitted himselfe for the worke of the Ministery, he was chosen by the Elector to Preach in a Village within his jurisdiction, which he was then about to reforme: not long after he was called back to Heidleberg, and made a Publick Lecturer, where he continued till the death of Frederick the third, and then by the Heterodox party, he with the other Professors was driven from thence: but most of them were entertained by Prince Casimire, who erected a University an Newstade, appointing Vrsin, Zanch…, Iunius, Piscator and others to be the Professors in it: he appointed also a Synod, therein to cōsider how to provide for the other exiles: Tossan was chosen Moderator, & Pareus the Scribe of it: in that Synod Pareus gat …eave to goe visit his Country and friends, and so in three weeks space came safely to them, where he was received with much joy, and at the request of the Senate, he Preached the Sabbath following upon Iohn 3.16. And that with great applause and generall approbation: his father also was so well pleased with him, that presently after Sermon, he cancelled the writing whereby he had di…inherited him: the Senate also d…sired him to undertake a Pastorall charge in that place; but he chose rather to return into the Palatinate again… & coming to Newstad, he was appointed to Preach in a Village hard by, where he continued till Prince Casimire (as G…ardian to the young Prince Elector Palatine) sent for him to be a Preacher in the great Church in Hiedleberge; and not long after he was made Master of the Colledge of Sapience in that University: Anno Christi 1587. according to the Statutes of the Colledge he Commenced Master of Arts, and afterwards by the perswasion of his friends Doctor of Divinity also.
In the year 1594. at a Convention of States at Ra…isbone the Divines of the Palatinate were accused by the Lutherans, as holding opinions neither consonate to the Scriptures, Augustines Confession, nor to their owne Catechisme; but Pareus at the appointment of the Palatine, easily wiped of those aspersions, and vindicating the innocency of them: Anno Christi 1596. there brake forth a great Plague in the University of Heidleberg, whereof the learned Iames Kimedonti…s (Pareus his intimate friend) dyed, & som… other Professors also: and the Students by reason of it were driven away: yet Pareus stayed, & it pleased God to preserve his Colledge free from the infection: not long after he was chosen Professor of the Old Testament in the room of Kimedontius, and presently after Rector of the whole University. A…no Christi 1596. he was extreamely troubled with a Catarrh, insomuch as he dispaired of life, yet it pleased God after a while to restore him: Anno Christi 1602. upon the death of Daniel Tossan, he was made Professor of the New Testament: and grew so famous that many resorted out of Hungary, Borusia, France, England, Scotland, Ireland, and Germany to see and hear him.
In the year 1615. his wife sickened and dyed, which was a great griefe to him: Anno Christi 1618. the Low-Countries being exceedingly indangered by the growth of Arminianism, the States appointed a Synod at Dort, for the curing of that di…ease; and amongst other famous Divines, Pareus was chosen by the Elector Palatine to goe to it; but he being grown very old and infirm, desired to be excused, and so Paul Tossan was sent in his room: February the second, Anno Christi 1620. as Pareus was coming out of his study, the steps being slippery with the frost, his foot slipt and he fell down sixteen steps, and yet it pleased God by a wonderfull Providence that he light upon his feet, and received no hurt by the fall; which made him think of that promise Psalme 91. Hee will give his Angels charge over thee, &c. By his Doctrine and Councell he was admirably advantageous to the Church of God in many places: He strongly asserted the truth of God against it's adversaries: He was a great studyer and promoter of the Churches peace; laboring that they which agree in the Fundamentals, should not jar about matters of an inferior nature: He wrote many …xcellent Works, whereof some were printed by himselfe, others remained with his son Philip Pareus, who hath since published them to the great benefit of the Church.
About that time the Spaniapds came into the Palatinate with their Army, which brought great miseries upon that poor Country, which Pareus fore-saw both by Prodigies and Dreames; then did his friends both in Hiedleberge and other places, p…rswaded him to retire himselfe to some other place of safety; to whom he yeelded, that so he might not fall into the hands of those bloody Papists, whom he had irritated by his writings against them. At his departure he cryed out, O Hiedleberg! O Hiedleberge! but it's better to fall into the hands of God then of man, whose tender mercies are cruelty: He went to Anvilla where he spent his time in Prayer, Study and in Miditation, waiting and longing for the time of his chang: there also he wrote his Corpus Doctrinae; which when he had finished, he said, Lord, now let thy servant depart in peace because he hath finished that which he desired: Presently after he felt his strength much to decay, and he fell into a feaver; and finding that the ayre in that place agreed not with him, he went thence to Neapolis: earnestly begging of God that if it were his holy will, he might yet return to Hiedleberg, and lay his bones there: He made his will also finding his former Catarrh to return upon him againe: yet it pleased God by the help of Phisitians to recover him; whereupon he resolved to goe to Hiedleberge, and taking his Grand-son young Daniel Pareus with him, whom he loved deerly, he came safely to Hiedleberge, where he was received with wonderfull acclamations of joy; about which time Prince Frederick came also thither from his Exile: and the Sabbath following they received the Sacrament of the Lords-Supper together with much comfort: But three dayes after, his former disease returning, he was sensible of his approaching death: the Professors and Ministers resorted to him, much bewailing their owne losse, amongst whom was Henry Altingus, to whom he freely opened his minde both concerning God house and his owne, and presently after quietly departed in the Lord Anno Christi 1622. and of his age 73.
Pareus also of high Germany,
A wreath of Bayes deserves most worthily:
A very learned, godly, grave Divine,
Whose precious labors made his fame to shine,
Chiefly those on the Romans. And although
At first, he many straits did undergoe:
Both by his Father and his other friends;
Yet God who in deep straits assistance sends,
Made all for his best good t'operate,
And by them brought him to a blest estate;
For he became abroad, at home renown'd,
And was with many honours justly crown'd:
Especially at Hiedleberge, where hee,
From all earths feares was happily set free.