Gesner, Solomon

, a Lutheran divine, was born at Boleslau, in Silesia, Nov. 8, 1559. After receiving the early part of his education at his native place, he was sent to Breslaw to pursue the studies preparatory to the profession of a divine, and thence to Strasburg, where having obtained an academic exhibition for five years, he employed that time in the study of philosophy, the mathematics, and the learned languages, particularly the Oriental. He now became private tutor to a noble Livonian, and in 1583 was admitted to the degree of master of arts. In 1592 he was | invited to be professor of divinity in the university of Witteniberg, and was at the same time admitted to the degree of doctor of divinity. He also occupied the important posts of dean and rector of the university, assessor in the ecclesiastical consistory, and first preacher in the church; but the duties of these, with his close application, injured his health, and he fell a sacrifice to a complication of disorders, Feb. 7, 1605. His works are a Latin translation of “The Prophecy of Hosea;” “Disquisitions on the Psalter,” treating of the dignity, the use, the argument, and the connection of the Psalms, and many other works of a theological and controversial nature, to the amount of forty, which are enumerated in our authorities, and of which his commentaries and prelections on Isaiah, Joel, Obadiah, &c. appear to be the most valuable. 1

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Niceron,vol. XL. —Melchior Adam in Vitis Theologorum. Freheri Thealrura,