Jerome Zanchius was born at Atzanum in Italy, Anno 1516.  His Father was a Lawyer, who brought him up at School; and when Zanchy was but twelve years old his Father died of the Plague, anno Christi 1528; at which time Zanchy was at School, where he was instructed in the Liberal Sciences.  When he came to the age of fifteen years, being now deprived of both his parents, observing that divers of his kindred were of the order of Canons Regular, amongst {805} who he judged that there were divers learned men, being exceeding desirous of learning, he entered into that Order, where he lived about twenty years, and studied Arts and School-Divinity, together with the Tongues.  He was very familiar with Celsus Martiningus, joining studies with him.  [He] was a diligent hearer of Peter Martyr’s public Lectures at Lucca upon the Epistle to the Romans, and of his private Lectures upon the Psalms, which he read to his Canons.  This drew his mind to an earnest study of the Scriptures.  He read also the Fathers, especially Augustine, with the most learned Interpreters of the Word of God: And thereupon he preached the Gospel for some years in the purest manner that the time and place would suffer.  And when Peter Martyr left Italy, so that his godly disciples could no longer live in safety there, much less have liberty of preaching, about twenty of them, in the space of one year, left their station, and followed their master into Germany, amongst whom Zanchy was one.  Being thus (as he used to say) delivered out of the Babylonish captivity, anno Christi, 1550, he went, first into Rhetia [or Raetia], where he stayed about eight months, and from thence to Geneva, and after nine months stay there, he was sent for by Peter Martyr into England.  But when he came to Strasborough, he stayed there to supply Hedio’s room, [who was] newly dead, who ready Dvinity in the Schools, which was in the year 1553.  He lived, and taught Divinity in that City about 11 years; sometimes also reading Aristotle in the Schools.  Yet [he was] not without opposition, old James Sturmius, the Father of that University being dead. [Sturm having previously defended Zanchy.]  Yea, his adversaries proceeded so far as to tell Zanchy, that if he would continue to read there, he must subscribe the Augustine [i.e. Augsburg] Confession, to which he yielded for peace-sake, with this proviso, modo Orthodoxe intelligatur; declaring his judgment also about Christ’s presence in the Sacrament, wherewith they were satisfied.  And thus he continued to the year 1563, being very acceptable to the good, and a shunner of strife, and a lover of concord.  At the end whereof the Divines and Prophessors there, accused him for differing from them in some points about the Lord’s Supper, the Ubiquity of Christ’s Body, the use of Images in the Churches, Predestination, and the Perseverance of {806} the Saints.  About these things they raised contentions, which were partly occasioned by the book of Heshusius, printed at this time at Stransborough, About the Lord’s Supper; and it came to pass, that they put Zanchy to his choice either to depart of himself, or else they would remove him from his place.  And though many ways were tried for the composing of this difference, yet could it not be effected.  But it pleased God that about this time there came a Messenger to signify to him that the Pastor of the Church of Clavenna, in the borders of Italy, being dead, he was chosen Pastor in his room; wherefore, obtaining a dismission from the Senate of Strasborough, he went thither, and after he had preached about two months, the Pestilence brake forth in that Town so violently, that in seven months space there died twelve hundred men; yet he continued there so long as he had any Auditors.  But when most of the Citizens had removed their families into an high mountain not far off, he went thither also, and spent above three months in Preach, Meditation, and Prayer; and when the Plague was stayed, he returned into the City again.  And thus he continued in that place almost four years to the great profit of many, but not without afflictions to himself.

Anno Christi 1568, he was sent for by Frederick the third, Elector Palatine, to Heidleberg to be Professor, and was entertained with all love and respect, where he succeeded Ursinus, and at his entrance made an excellent Oration about the preserving, and adhering to the mere Word of God alone.  The same year he was made Doctor of Divinity.  About which time that excellent Prince Frederick, who was a zealous promoter of the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles, required him to explicate the Doctrine of one God, and three Persons, to confirm it, and to confute the Doctrine of those which at that time denied the Deity of Christ and the Holy Ghost in Poland and Transylvania, and to answer their arguments. [i.e. the Socinians.]  Whereupon he wrote those learned Tractates, De Dei natura, De tribus Elohim, &c.  In which book the whole Orthodox Doctrine about the great Mystery is so unfolded and confirmed, that all adversaries may forever be ashamed which go about to contradict the same. {807}

Lælius Socinus, and other of his accomplices that defended the Heresies of Servetus, tried by divers ways and reasons to have drawn him to their opinion; but when they found him wholly estranged from them, and a zealous Defender of the Truth against their Blasphemies, they renounced all friendship with him, and left him; for which he gave hearty thanks unto God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.  He taught in that University ten years till the death of Prince Frederick.  Then by Prince John Casimir he was removed to his new University at Neustadt, where he spent above seven years in reading Divinity.  Though in the year 1578 he had been earnestly solicited to come to the University of Leyden, then newly begun, (as also the year after the Citizens of Antwerp called him to be their Pastor,) yet the Prince would by no means part with him, knowing that he could not be missed in his University.

The Prince Elector Palatine, Ledwick, being dead, and Prince Casimir being for the time made Administrator of his estate, the University was returned from Neustadt to Heidelberg, and Zanchy being now grown old, had a liberal stipend settled upon him by Prince Casimir; whereupon going to Heidelberg to visit his friends, he fell sick, and quietly departed in the Lord Anno Christi 1590, and of his age seventy five.

He was excellently versed in the writings of the ancient Fathers and Philosophers; he was of singular modesty, and very studious to promote the peace of the Church.

His Works are well known, being usually bound up in three volumes.  His Commentaries are upon Hosea, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Thessalonians, and John.  His other works are Miscellanea Theologica.  De tribus Elohim.  De natura Dei.  De operibus Dei.  De Incarnatione Filii Dei.  De sacra Scriptura.  Compendium præcipuorum capitum doctrinæ Christianæ  De Religione Christiana, &c.