SOME ACCOUNT OF

THE LIFE OF HERMAN WITSIUS, D. D. .

TRANSLATED FROM THE LATIN ORATION, WHICH MARCKIUS DELIVERED BEFORE THE UNIVERSITY OF LEYDEN, AT HIS INTERMENT.

ENCHUYSEN is a noted and considerable city of West Friesland, and remarkable for being one of the first towns in the United Provinces, which, A. D. 1572, shook off the Spanish yoke. It was eminent, moreover, on another account; namely, that having embraced the pure faith of the gospel, this city was inflexibly tenacious of the truths it had received, and made a most strenuous and successful stand against the insolent innovations and incroachments of the Arminians, at a time when that pestilent sect was newly started up, and had rendered itself by the number of its adherents, very formidable to the whole reformed interest in Holland. And although this city, from the convenience of its situation (being a seaport), had been for a long series of ages, famous for its extensive commerce; yet it has been so happy as to produce many very learned men, and able ministers of the gospel and perhaps amidst all its advantages, it has not more reason to boast of any thing, than for being the birth-place of our Hermannus Witsius; who was born here on the 12th of February, 1636. Which same month and year were rendered further memorable, by the erection of the famous school of Utrecht into an university.

His father, Nicolas Witsius, served the church of Enchuysen, first as deacon, and then as presbyter; and in course of time, being advanced to civil honours, he was made treasurer and chief magistrate

of the city in all which stations, his piety, integrity, and humility, exceedingly endeared him to all his fellow-citizens. He also composed a book of sacred poems and hymns: which were, in their matter, so evangelical; and in their manner, so accurate and lively; that they seemed dictated by heaven, to inspire devout affections, and cultivate holy joy and spiritual mindedness.

The mother of our Witsius, was Joanna, daughter of Herman Gerardus; who, suffering greatly in his own country on account of his religious principles, after sustaining many losses, and running various hazards, got safe to Enchuysen; where he settled with his family, and became an eminent minister in the church. Here he continued preaching the gospel, for upwards of thirty years, and discharged his important trust with singular faithfulness and zeal; admired by all, no less for his eloquence than learning. And so hearty were his attachments to his flock in this place, that he refused many invitations sent him from several churches in Holland, of greater dignity and much larger revenues than his own.

Witsius, thus descended on both sides, from such worthy persons, looked upon himself as under an additional obligation so to behave and adjust his conduct, throughout the course of his life, as, by the blessing of divine grace, to bring no stain or dishonour on a family thus happily distinguished by their extraordinary love to God and reverence for his laws.

Before he was born, his pious parents made a vow to the Lord, that, if they had a male child, they would, from his earliest years, endeavour to devote him to the ministry and service of the sanctuary. At length, a son came; and they called him after his pious grandfather, Hermannus: beseeching God at the same time, that the spirit of that holy man, whose name he bore, might, as it were, revive in this his grandson; and that their infant offspring might not

only equal, but, if possible, even go beyond him, in Christian graces and ministerial abilities. And their prayers were indeed signally answered.

I must not forget to inform the reader, that Witsius came (as it is called) before his time: and this premature birth had well nigh cost both mother and son their lives. In consequence of this, he was, when born, so uncommonly small and weakly, that the midwife, and the other women present, concluded he must die in a few hours. But, herein God disappointed their fears, and (for what can make void his purposes?) raised this puny infant, afterwards, into a very great man (not in body, for he was always spare and thin): a man of vast intellectual abilities, brightened and improved by deep study, and whose fame diffused itself throughout the whole Christian world, by his useful, numerous, and learned labours.

His parents, after this danger, took particular care of his education, and were obliged to be extremely tender of his health. Above all, they endeavoured (and their endeavours were crowned with success equal to their largest wishes) to bring him up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord: teaching him, ere he could speak distinctly, to lisp out the praises of God, and unfold his wants in prayer before the throne of grace.

In the sixth year of his age, he was entered at the public school of his native town, to learn the rudiments of Latin. There he continued three years; at the end of which space, his mother's brother, Peter Gerardus, took him to his own house, and under his own immediate tuition. This worthy person was a great master of philosophy and the learned languages; but chiefly devoted his time to the study of divinity: and, not being then in any public employment, enjoyed a comfortable and useful retirement, addicting himself much to the instruction

and improvement of his nephew, whom he loved as his own son.

Under the care of his good uncle, Witsius made so rapid a progress in learning, that, before he was fifteen years old, he could not only speak and write the Latin language correctly, and with some degree of fluency; but could also readily interpret the books of the Greek Testament, and the orations of Isocrates, and render the Hebrew commentaries of Samuel into Latin: at the same time giving the etymology of the original words, and assigning the reasons of the variations of the pointing, grammatically. He had likewise, now, acquired some knowledge of philosophy; and had so far made himself master of logic, that, when he was removed to the university, he needed no preceptor to instruct him in that art. He learned also, while he continued with his uncle, Walæus' and Burgersdicius' Compendiums of Ethics: which latter author he plied so diligently, that he could at any time, repeat by heart the quotations cited by him from any of the ancient writers, whether Greek or Latin. He acquainted himself too, with the elements of Natural Philosophy and Metaphysics; and, as his uncle always kept him usefully employed, he was likewise master, and that almost by heart, of Windelin's Compendium of Theology: the good man deeming it an essential and special part of his duty, to make his nephew, from his earliest youth, intimately versed in matters of divinity.

His uncle himself had, from his own childhood, been inured to sanctify the ordinary actions and offices of life, by sending up ejaculatory aspirations to God, suitable to the business he was about: in order to which, he had made his memory the storehouse of some more eminently useful and familiar texts of scripture, both of the Old and New Testament, which related or might be accommodated to every part of common life: so that, when he lay down,

rose up, dressed, washed, walked abroad, studied, or did any thing else, he could repeat apposite passages from the holy scriptures, in their original languages of either Hebrew or Greek; thereby, in a very eminent manner, acknowledging God in all his ways, and doing whatsoever he did to his glory. This same excellent practice he recommended to his nephew: which had so happy an effect, that very many portions, both of the Hebrew Bible and Greek Testament, were, in his youth, so deeply impressed on Witsius' memory, that even in his old age, he never forgot them. Were all, who are intrusted with the education of others, equally diligent in forming the minds of their pupils betimes, to piety and learning; and were all young men equally attentive and obsequious as Witsius; they would be better scholars at their entrance into the university, than the generality of them now are when they leave it.

Having made so swift and deep a progress in most kinds of learning, Witsius began to think of removing to some university; and fixed on that of Utrecht, which was very eminent for the excellency of its course, the strictness of its discipline, the reputation of its professors, and the number of its students. What chiefly recommended this place to him, were the advantages he hoped to gain from the lectures and conversation of those very famous divines, who, at that time, flourished there: especially Maatsius, Hoornbeek, and Gisbert Voetius. Hither, therefore, he came, A. D. 1651, and in the fifteenth year of his age. But, just before he reached Utrecht, Maatsius was gathered to his fathers; so that on his arrival, he had only the melancholy satisfaction of hearing the great Hoornbeek pronounce the funeral oration over his much loved friend and colleague.

Being thus entered at the university, he assiduously applied himself to metaphysics; using, for