ARNOLDT, JOHN, a famous Protestant divine of Germany, born at Ballenstad, in the duchy of Anhalt, in the year 1555. At first he applied himself to the study of physic; but falling into a dangerous sickness, he made a vow to change his profession for that of divinity, if he should be restored to health; which he accordingly did upon his recovery. He was a minister first at Quedlinburg and then at Brunswick. He met with great opposition in this last city: his success as a preacher raising the enmity of his brethren, who became his bitter enemies. In order to ruin his character, they ascribed a variety of errors to him; and persecuted him to such a degree, that he was obliged to leave Brunswick, and retire to Illeb, where he was minister for three years. In 1611, George duke of Lüneburg, who had a high opinion of his integrity and sanctity, gave him the church of Zell, and appointed him superintendent of all the churches in the duchy of Lüneburg; which office he discharged for 11 years, and died in 1621. It is reported that he foretold his death, having said to his wife, upon his return home after his last sermon, that now he had preached his funeral sermon. He wrote in High Dutch A Treatise on True Christianity, which has been translated into several languages.