Dieu, De

Dieu, de Louis (LODEWYK), was born at Vliessingen, April 7, 1590, where his father, Daniel de Dieu, labored in the ministry 24 years, having previously spent 22 years as minister of the Reformed Church in Brussels. Louis was at an early age devoted to the service of the Church, and placed under the care of his uncle, Daniel Colonius, regent of the Walloon College at Leyden, a competent and zealous instructor in theology. Here he made great proficiency in his theological studies. Whilst yet a candidate he was heard in Zealand by prince Maurice, who offered him the position of court- preacher, which he declined. In 1613 he became preacher to the Walloon church in Middelburg, and in 1617 he was called to the Reformed church in Vliessingen, where he preached not only in Dutch, but also in French and English. In 1619 he was called to be pastor of the Reformed church in Leyden. Whilst here he declined the professorship of theology offered him in the newly-founded University of Utrecht. Had his life been spared, the same position in the University of Leyden would have been tendered him. He died December 22, 1642. De Dieu was a man of eminent gifts and attainments, and enjoyed the esteem of many of his most excellent contemporaries. His attention was specially devoted to the Oriental languages. The fruits of his study in that direction were: Compendium Grammaticae Hebraicae (Leyden, 1626, 4to); Grammatica Trilinguis, Hebraica, Syriaca, et Chaldaica (Leyden, 1628, 4to); Rudimenta Linguae Persicae (Leyden, 1639, 4to). These were all written in Latin. His Oriental studies were made subservient to the elucidation of the Holy Scriptures. In 1627 he published at Leyden his Apocalypsis S. Johannis Syriace ex MS. exemp. Biblioth. Jos. Scaligeri edita, Charactere Syriaco et Hebreo, cum versione Latina, Graeco textu et notis; and in 1631 his Animadversiones sive Comment. in quatuor Evangelia, in quo collatis, Syri imprimis, Arabis, Evangelii Hebraei, Vulgati, D. Erasmi et Bezae versionibus, difficilia loca illustrantur et variae lectiones conferuntur. In this work he discussed with great impartiality and accuracy the value of these different translations. Critical and exegetical works on the Acts of the Apostles, on the Epistle to the Romans, etc. succeeded. In these the various translations were also compared. All his exegetical and critical works were finally edited by professor Leydecker, and published in folio in 1693, entitled Critica Sacra sive Animadversiones in loca quaedam difficiliora V. et N. Testamenti. See Bayle, Dictionary, s.v.; Simon, Hist. Critique, N.T., chapter 53.