Erasmus Finx aka Erasmus Francisci, was a German Polymath

Polymath

A polymath is a person whose expertise spans a significant number of different subject areas. In less formal terms, a polymath may simply be someone who is very knowledgeable...

, author

Author

An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...

 and writer of Christian hymn

Hymn

A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...

s.

Life

Finx was born in Lübeck

Lübeck

The Hanseatic City of Lübeck is the second-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein, in northern Germany, and one of the major ports of Germany. It was for several centuries the "capital" of the Hanseatic League and, because of its Brick Gothic architectural heritage, is listed by UNESCO as a World...

, the son of a lawyer

Lawyer

A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...

 and received higher education at Lüneburg

Lüneburg

Lüneburg is a town in the German state of Lower Saxony. It is located about southeast of fellow Hanseatic city Hamburg. It is part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region, and one of Hamburg's inner suburbs...

 and Stettin. He studied law and was travelling through Italy, France and the Netherlands afterwards. As of 1657, he worked as a reader at Endter publishing at Nuremberg

Nuremberg

Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...

, where he also published some of his books. He died in Nuremberg.

He wrote a large number of books, e.g. under the following pseudonyms: Der Erzählende, Freundlieb Ehrenreich von Kaufleben, Theophil Anti-Scepticus. Der Unpartheyische, Gottlieb Unverrucht, Theophilus Urbinus, Gottlieb Warmund.

Work (selection)

• Die geistl. Goldkammer der I. bußfertigen, II. gottverlangenden u. III. jesusverliebten Seelen, deren Geschmeide u. Juwelen durch wehklagende Reuebegierden, gläubige Wünsche u. inbrünstige Seufzer den Liebhabern der Himmelsschätze zuteil werden, 1664
• Ost- und West-Indischer wie auch Sinesischer Lust- und Stats-Garten: in drey Haupt-Theile unterschieden..., Nürnberg 1668
• Christl. Spazierbüchlein, 1668 (Pseudonym: Christian Minsicht)
• Die lustige Schaubühne allerhand Curiositäten in einer Sprachhaltung einiger guter Freunde vorgestellet I, 1969; II, 1671
• Erinnerung der Morgenröte oder geistl. Hahnengeschrei an die im Schatten des Todes vertieften Herzen in 63 Aufmunterungen der menschl. Seele z. Buße u. wahrer Bekehrung u. z. Glauben u. gläubigen Wandel, 1672
• Deren nach der ewigen u. beständigen Ruhe trachtenden seelenlabende Ruhestunden in den unruhigen Mühen u. Tränen dieser Welt, 3 Bde., 1676-80
  
• Der Wunder=reiche Überzug unserer Nider=Welt oder Erd=umgebende Lufft-Kreys Nürnberg 1680
• Lorbeerkranz der christl. Rittersleute, 1680
• Letzte Rechenschaften jeglicher Menschen, 1681
• Ehr- u. freudenreiches Wohl der Ewigkeit f. die Verächter der Eitelkeit, in 52 Betrachtungen erwogen, 1683
• Der hohe Traur-Saal oder Steigen und Fallen großer Herren. Fürstellend aus allen vier Welt-Theilen, unterschiedlicher hoher Standes-Staats und Glücks-Personen wunderbare und traurige Veränderungen, so in den nechsten anderthalb hundert Jahren ... sich gefüget 1665 (Mit 3 Fortsetzungen, Gesamtausgabe Nürnberg: Endter 1669-81)
• Der Höllische Proteus, oder Tausendkünstige Versteller, vermittelst Erzehlung der vielfältigen Bild-Verwechslungen Erscheinender Gespenster, Werffender und poltrender Geister, gespenstischer Vorzeichen der Todes-Fälle, Wie auch Andrer abentheurlicher Händel, arglistiger Possen, und seltsamer Aufzüge dieses verdammten Schauspielers, und, Von theils Gelehrten, für den menschlichen Lebens-Geist irrig-angesehenen Betriegers, (nebenst vorberichtlichem Grund-Beweis der Gewissheit, daß es würcklich Gespenster gebe) 2. Aufl., Nürnberg: Endter 1695