Ludwig Crocius

On 5 September 1607 his father died, vacating his position as preacher and inspector of the county of Katzenelnbogen in Langenschwalbach—Crocius succeeded him, but in 1608 he asked for leave from Moritz of Hesse-Kassel for further study.

From Geneva, he returned to Bremen and the St. Martini church as first preacher and teacher of philosophy and theology professor at the Gymnasium Illustre, from 1610.

He turned down later offers of positions made by John Sigismund, Elector of Brandenburg (1615) and the Landgrave Moritz of Hesse-Kassel (1618), and also a chance to become General superintendent for Silesia.

[4] Crocius made a public criticism of Johannes Bogermann who chaired the Synod, for his harshness towards the Remonstrants; and gave other clear signs of sympathy with Arminian views.

In practical terms they implied no restrictions or obligations for the church in Bremen, given that the conclusions of the Synod were given no confessional standing there.

In 1624 he resigned his post and left Bremen, but both the St. Ansgari and St. Stephani churches strove to gain Caesar as preachers; but the appointment was rejected by the senate.

The situation in Breman resolved with Crocius, Conrad Bergius (1592-1642) at St. Ansgarii, and Balthasar Willius (1606-1656), preacher at the Liebfrauenkirche as representatives of the moderate teachings of Melanchthon, and on the other hand the High School rector Johann Combach, Henricus Flockenius at St. Remberti, and Petrus Carpenter at St. Stephani as representatives of the strict doctrine.

The debates at Dort still cast a long shadow, and in 1640, when Crocius was attacked as an Arminian by Hendrik Alting who had also participated, John Davenant and Joseph Hall intervened in the controversy to defend him.

Others were: He wrote on the De Germania of Tacitus (1618) as a school work, and also the Idea viri boni hoc est octo et quadringenta Sixti sive Xisti sententiae quae vitae honestae et religiosae epitomen complectuntur (1618).