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Sketch of the Life of the celebrated country, and after suffering many Francis Turrettine, Professor of hardships, arrived at this happy Divinity at Geneva, who died place. He had lived for some Anno 1687. Translated from years in Antwerp, and was intiB. Pictet's Latin Oration, deli-mately acquainted with the most vered before the Academy of Ge- illustrious Marnix Santaldegond. neva, when he ascended the But that place being besieged by Theological Chair, in the room the Duke of Parma, he was forced of Turrettine, his uncle. to leave it at the hazard of his life, and came first to Geneva, and afterward to that sacred asylum IT is not a hall filled with for proscribed humanity and persmoky statutes," as Seneca ob-secuted religion, Zurich. After "that can make a man he had resided more than five serves, illustrious; because no one hath years there, he returned to this lived for our glory, nor is any city, where he spent the rething ours which existed before mainder of his days. He was a us." Yet, if dignity of family is man of the strictest integrity, and of any avail to procure just vene- of a very blameless life; faithful ration from lofty minds, that our to his promises, and a lover of Turrettine was nobly descended, true religion, which he proved is well known to all who have by many acts of beneficence to heard that his ancestors held the the poor. Thus he acquired a first rank in the very ancient re-reputation which shed a lustre on public of Lucca. The first of that his posterity, outlived this transifamily who came to Geneva was tory world, and does not need to Francis Turrettine, the grand- fear the corroding tooth of time. father of our deceased friend. Of him it may be said, "he hath This man, more than a century dispersed, he hath given to the since, impelled by an ardent zeal poor; his righteousness endureth for knowing, and professing the for ever." reformed religion, renounced every thing dear in his native VOL. II....No. 12.

His son, Benedict Turrettine, was the father of our departed

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friend. He was long the princi- | deserving of a long life. But he. pal ornament of this city, acade- such was the will of God, only my, and Church. He shone with paid a visit to this globe; for he no common lustre, and was a very had not reached his forty-ninth warm defender of divine truth. year, when he was torn, as it To him may be applied, what were, from the bowels of his Gregory Nazianzen said of Atha- country, by a premature death, nasius, "In praising Athanasius, by means of a severe fever. He The left many children behind him. we praise virtue itself." Francis Turrettine, the son of most animated of Benedict's works was his answer to father Cotton, Benedict, was born the 17th of the Jesuit, that most inveterate October, 1623. In this year died enemy of the Reformation. Cot- Philip Du Plessis, and the great ton had attacked our translation Paul Sarpi, of Venice; illustrious of the Bible; and forgetting his characters, whom no praise can argument, and instigated, doubt-appreciate. When the stars disless, by the father of lies, ven- appear in one part of our horizon, tured to predict the time when others come forth to view in anlikethe city of Geneva should be other. In this year, also, died destroyed, and the heresy of Cal-Pope Gregory XV. It was, vin obliterated from the earth. wise, famous for the Synod of Blessed be God, he has been Charenton. In the same year, found a liar. Turrettine obtained the Genevan Church, according a complete victory over him, and to the custom of the primitive hung up the spoils in the temple Christians, began to use leavened of the God of heaven. In the bread in the Sacrament of the year 1620, he attended the Synod Lord's Supper.

We admire the early beams of of Alez, in the Cevennes. Peter Du Moulin, a man famous in all the sun, and from the stem we the Christian world, was mode- conjecture the future harvest. rator in that venerable assembly. From his early years Turrettine Benedict Turrettine gained the gave remarkable specimens of his In him love of all the divines present. greatness in after life. It was difficult to know, whether was confirmed what a historian of he excelled most in human learn- the first rank asserts concerning ing, or in the knowledge of the Probus the emperor, that no man Scriptures. In him were united ever arrived at a high degree of a happy commanding authority, eminence in virtue, who did not, unaffected piety, and wonderful when young, discover something eloquence. He had the simpli- great. These seeds of excellence, city of a child united to the mag- and sparks of genius, were not nanimity of a hero. His love of unobserved by Turrettine's sagapeace, and forbearing spirit, were cious father, who, when at the equalled only by his love to truth point of death, caused his son to and holiness; virtues which, Eras-be brought to his bedside, and mus said, met in Leo X. but of said, as with a prophetic impulse, which, as all the world knows, he" This child is sealed with the did not possess the most distant seal of the living God!" In some resemblance. He that had ac- such manner, Athanasius and Baquired immortal honour seemed sil are said to have discovered

that greatness in early years, father Cotton; he lived, as a which, by the grace of God, they light to the youth in sacred stuafterward attained. dies, to an extreme old age, and Turrettine soon completed his is yet revered by us as reviving course in the languages and philo- in his excellent son. Another of sophy. Such was the happy turn Turrettine's instructers was Freof his mind, such his astonishing derick Spanheim, whose memory progress in learning, that his com- and reputation will never perish panions willingly confessed his from the annals of sacred literasuperiority. His vigorous mind ture, while the sun rules the left nothing unsearched; and day, and the stars burn by night; though but a youth, he read books who was the miracle of Europe, with the eye and attention of one and whose death the Reformed far advanced in life. He soon Churches would not cease to laexceeded the sanguine expecta- ment, if he had not left behind tions of his friends; and every him two such sons as Ezekiel and day showed that the operations of Frederick. What great men! the the mind outrun the velocity of very eyes of the republic of lettime. Having finished his course ters, and whose worth no lapse of of philosophy, he applied all his time can obliterate, or almost attention to theology. He had equal. Alexander More, one of the greatest men of his time for the most eloquent of men, so chepreceptors: John Deodate, that rished Turrettine, that, when the eminent divine, who, in the Sy- latter published, anno 1644, nod of Dort, a council more cele- theses concerning divine grace, brated than any for many ages as he had defended one before on past, had as many witnesses of his political happiness, the master did immense learning and acute judg- not think it unworthy of his stament as he had hearers; who, in tion to celebrate the merit of his a convention held at Saumor, so pupil in verse. composed the differences of the Under such masters, how much hot-spirited divines, that the he acquired let the world judge; queen of France, oftener than I will be silent. Suffice it to say, once, ordered thanks to be given such were his powers of expreshim in her name; whose friend- sion, that he could give probaship crowned heads, and purpled bility to the amiable reveries of eminences of the Church of Rome, certain philosophers; and his eagerly sought; and whose work mind not only learned, but regison the Bible is a monument more tered what he was taught. By the lasting than brass: Theodore peculiar favour of heaven, what Tronchin, who was also a mem- cost others much attention and ber of the Synod of Dort, and labour, was but a sport to him to who conducted himself in such a acquire. When he had studied manner in that assembly as to some years at Geneva, he wished merit the name of a great divine. to visit other seminaries of learnNor is it the least of his praise, ing at that time famous in the that he pleased the very brave world. He accordingly left his De Rohan. He was a most spi- native country, and carried with rited defender of the Reformation, him a very honourable testimony and wrote an animated answer to to his character. Leyden, which

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was then, and still is, the abode man; above all, his amiable me-
of the Muses and the nursery of desty, and a course of virtue
great divines, was the first place without a stain. While at Paris,
he visited. In this celebrated he studied the doctrine of the
seat of learning, Turrettine gain-sphere, under Gassendi, that
ed, not only the private affection, prince of philosophers. He left
but the public honorary esteem of Paris, and went to Saumur, Mon-
all the academy. He defended a tauban, and Nismes, places fa-
thesis, on the written word of God, mous for learned divines, and for
before the great Spanheim. He the Reformation. In this last city,
followed all the divines in Hol- celebrated for its antiquities, the
land, who were eminent for learn- stupendous remains of the Roman
What a grandeur,
Turrettine's father
ing and holiness of life.
group of wonderful divines were once discharged the pastoral of-
then at Leyden; Rivet, Salma- fice. There he saluted the ve-
sius, Voet, Hornbeck, &c.! Tur- nerable Calvus, who was an inti-
rettine profited much by their mate friend of Benedict, and who,
prelections and conversation; seeing in Francis the very image
and having carried away in his ca- of his father, could not think of
pacious mind almost every thing parting with him. Thus, having
valuable in Leyden, went to almost travelled over all France,
Utrecht. There he saw, with and having left a grateful remem-
wonder, that most illustrious and brance of himself in every place,
learned virgin, Anna Maria a Turrettine returned, enriched
Schurman; a woman in whom were with the knowledge of men and
concentrated immense learning things, to his native country.
The time was now come, when
and sterling piety; a woman not
inferior, in any degree, to the those talents, committed to him
Paulas, Laetas, &c. mentioned by by God, should be devoted to the
the ancient fathers. Having vi- service of the Church. Accord-
sited every place in Belgium, ingly, he was set apart to the
where he could find any thing to holy ministry, anno 1648; and in
make a good Minister of the Gos- the following year was, with the
pel, he went, anno 1645, to consent of the Senate, admitted a
France, which country has, from Pastor of this Church. He first
time immemorial, abounded with exercised his talents in the Ita-
men eminent in every branch of lian congregation; for he could
science. He went first to Paris, preach, with equal facility, in the
the metropolis of Europe, and the French, Latin, and Italian Jan-
Whenever he began to
mother of learning. At that time guages.
many great men taught there; as, speak in public, all acknowledged
Falcair, Mestrezat, Drelincourt, his father revived in him, and ad-
Daille, and Blondel. He lodged mired Benedict in Francis. As
in the house of the incomparable often as he ascended the pulpit,
Daille; and soon gained his en- all flocked after him. Such was
tire affection. All admired that the power of his eloquence, such
greatness of mind, that invincible his commanding manner and ma-
love of learning, that accurate jestic mien, that he seemed to
judgment, and tenacious memory, have been educated at Athens it-
which distinguished this young self; and begat an attention in the

audience which nothing could in- gained applause from all his auterrupt; and an eagerness scarcely ditors. ever to be satisfied, as he conci- From this day he devoted all liated the regard of all the citizens his time and abilities to the duties of Geneva, and the Senate were of his office; and how much so pleased with his abilities, they knowledge he acquired, and with oftener than once offered him a what assiduity and learning he professorship in philosophy; this, taught, let others say. It would however, he as often refused. be fulsome for me to say too much of my dear deceased uncle,

The fame of Turrettine was let others inform posterity how not confined to the narrow pre-much he did to promote the glory eincts of Geneva. The Church and kingdom of Christ; to overof Lyons, which had lately lost throw the power and tyranny of the very valuable Aaron More, Antichrist; what was his incestheir pastor, invited Turrettine, sant solicitude for the good of the by letter, to supply his place, in Church; how solidly and learnthe words of the man of Macedo-edly he explained the Gospel of nia, "Come over and help us." Christ, not with the enticing This call, with the consent of the words of man's wisdom, but feed- · Senate, he accepted; and was re-ing his hearers with sound docceived at Lyons with every mark trine, keeping the medium beof affection and esteem. The tween farcical ostentation and a Church of Lyons had not been creeping vulgarity, and exercising misinformed about their illustrious the greatest fear, lest the majesty Pastor; for he so exerted himself, of divine truth should sink in the that, though he was but one year glare of pompous expressions. among them, the flames which Let others relate, with what boldraged before in that congregation ness he lashed the manners of our were extinguished, and the most age, how neither the blandishperfect tranquillity was restored. ments of the polite, nor the frowns He was, during his short stay, of power, could make him hold eminently successful. The Church his peace. With what intrepidity of Lyons was very unwilling to of soul, and force of expression, part with him; but his native did he thunder against the vicious country could not want such a and profane! How did he, with man any longer. He left a sor-showers of tears, call the wicked rowful people in Lyons; and re-to repentance? beseeching and turning in safety, was received at warning every man, not in pasGeneva with open arms; it being sionate irritating words, but with resolved, that he should teach di- the yearnings of a father over his vinity in the place of the venera-profligate son. With what dilible Tronchin, who was, through gence he taught in the theological old age and infirmity, unable to chair! With what ease he made discharge the duties of his office. dark things clear, distinguished Turrettine accordingly ascended between truth and error, solved the theological chair in the year difficult questions in divinity, fol1653, and delivered an inaugural lowed the sophist into his lurking oration on the first verse of the places, and pursued the enemy of Epistle to the Hebrews, which truth through all his windings!