Leydecker, Melchior

, an eminent protestant divine, was born January 25, 1652, at Middleburg. He | acquired great skill in controversy and ecclesiastical antiquity, and wrote much against the Socinians and other sectaries. He was one of Frederic Spanheim’s friends, and appointed professor of divinity at Utrecht, 1678. He died January 6, 1721, aged sixty-nine. The following are the principal among his numerous Latin works: 1. a treatise “On the Hebrew Republic,” Amsterdam, 17 14 and 1716, 2 vols. fol. a very valuable work for the history of Judaism. 2. “Fax veritatis,” Ludg. Batav. 1677, 8vo. 3. “A Continuation of the Ecclesiastical History began by Hornius,” Francfort, 1704, 8vo. 4. History of the African Church,“curious, and full of interesting inquiries. 5.” Synopsis controversiarum de fredere.“6. A” Commentary in the Heidelburg Catechism.“7. A” Dissertation against Becker’s World bewitched.“8.” An Analysis of Scripture,“with the” Art of Preaching.“9. A” History of Jansenism,** Utrecht, 1695, 8vo. What Leydecker says in this work against the sovereignty of kings, has been refuted by P. Quesnel, in his “Sovereignty of Kings defended,” Paris, 1704, 12mo. ¹