[citation needed] After acting as pastor at Eemnes-Binnen 1841–43, Alkmaar 1843–44 and Rotterdam 1844–62, in 1863 he was made professor of biblical and practical theology at the University of Utrecht, with which he was variously connected until the end of his life.

Holding himself aloof from the radical, naturalistic, and purely ethical tendencies, remaining neutral toward negative criticism, and in Christology maintaining a distinctly supernaturalistic position, he was pleased to call himself "Evangelical, or Christian Orthodox."

This phase of his activity he began with the first article, Verhandeling over den tegenwoordigen toestand der Apologetiek, in the newly founded Jaarboeken voor wetenschappelijke theologie, followed the next year by his treatise "On the Value of the Acts of the Apostles" (1846).

The best of his academic works, however, was his Praktische theologie (2 parts, Utrecht, 1877–78; English transl., New York, 1879), in which he considered homiletics, liturgics, catechetics, pastoral theology, missions, and even apologetics.

Mention should also be made of his popular devotional book, Het jaar des heils: Levenswoorden voor iederen dag (1874; English transl., Year of salvation: Words of Life for every Day, New York, 1875), and of the posthumous collection of his poems entitled Uit de dichterlijke nalatenshap (Amsterdam, 1884).