He was the only living child of a preacher, Theodorus à Brakel, and his wife Margaretha Homma.

In 1659 he was declared a candidate for the ministry and he was ordained in 1662, after completing his studies at the University of Utrecht under theologians Gisbertus Voetius and Andreas Essenius.

Scholars in the Netherlands have defined this movement as follows:[4] The Dutch Second Reformation is that movement within the Dutch Reformed Church during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, which as a reaction to the declension or absence of living faith, made both the personal experience of faith and godliness matters of central importance.

From that perspective, the movement formulated substantial and procedural reformation initiatives, submitting them to the proper ecclesiastical, political, and social agencies, or, in conformity, pursued in both word and deed a further reformation of the church, society, and state.À Brakel and his ministry functioned at the approximate center of this Pietistic movement, both historically and theologically.

À Brakel's prominence as a major representative of this movement is largely due to his magnum opus, The Christian's Reasonable Service.

The title also conveyed that God asks men to serve him in spirit and truth, doing so in a reasonable manner.

He also came in conflict with his consistory and the governing officials of Friesland when he permitted his exiled fellow minister, Jacobus Koelman, to preach in his pulpit.

When Friesland attempted to forbid him to preach, à Brakel stood his ground and challenged the government’s right to interfere in the running of the church.

David Flud Van Giffen and his Cocceian views concerning the interpretation of the Old Testament, as well as any manifestation of Erastian church government.