Verklaring van de evangelische parabolen

The reason for this was by no means any lack of high regard for Your Reverence’s person, nor forgetfulness of my obligation to the same, much less any cooling of friendship between us. But, on one hand, through various changes of location, the highly respected authorities under whom I had then come seemed to require that honor from me above all others. On the other hand, Your Reverence seemed to prefer to avoid such a dedication, rather than give any occasion to show that the same would not be unpleasant to Your Reverence. However, since the providence of God has now led me to the translation and publication of a work of Your Reverence’s own hand and labor, the matter easily speaks for itself: that the same belongs nowhere else than with Your Reverence. And I find myself gladdened and honored that this opportunity is born to me to publicly testify my respect and obligation to Your Reverence. I still remember many times, with great pleasure and soul-contentment, that I had the honor and happiness of being one of your very first

students, after Your Reverence was inaugurated as Professor of the Hebrew and other Oriental Languages at the Academy of Franeker in the year 1680. At that time, I also took the liberty of publicly expressing my joy and acclaim in a metrical song. Upon this, within a short time, the Professorship in Holy Theology was entrusted to Your Reverence by the Noble Lords, the Chief Curators of that High School. Thus, I had the opportunity to likewise benefit from the firstfruits of your instruction, both in the Hebrew Biblical language and in the fundamental principles of Holy Theology, and the understanding of God's Holy Word in its idioms, coherence, and power of reasoning. And it was to me a singular honor and pleasure, not only to have been treated by Your Reverence as a student, but as a son and friend, being admitted by Your Reverence to a very familiar interaction, and thus to many opportunities to also benefit in private from the talents entrusted to Your Reverence.
However,