 His parents were Roman Catholic but he converted to the Reformed religion.He studied at Düsseldorf from 1583 to 1587, he also studied at Aix-la-Chapelle and then entered the college of St. Lawrence in Cologne; he next studied for two years to prepare for business but in 1589 again altered his intention and studied at the Herborn Academy from 1589 until 1593, he entered further schooling at Heidelberg on 12 April 1593, focusing on theology on 12 April 1594.There he studied under Johannes Piscator and received a theological doctorate on 4 July 1594.