534

All the Pastors of the Church, ly, grave, and of good report. except three or four, were nursed He was not like those who speak under his care; and though we as angels, and walk as men. What should be silent, many eminent Nazianzen said of Athanasius was divines in France, and Holland, evidently true of Turrettine: He and Switzerland, will tell what a was low in his opinion of himself, teacher he was. Would to God but sublime in all his actions. he had been teaching still! Though Turrentine wished to do actions worthy of praise, yet he did not court the applause of men; nor did he ever thrust him

Turrettine was a modest divine, if ever there was one. As at mount Sinai the Lord set bounds to the curiosity of the Israelites, self forward to public observaso there are certain limits fixed tion. A well-earned reputation by God to human knowledge in he did not decline; but he neithis world; and some things in ther studiously sought it, nor the Scriptures over which Jeho- built it on the ruins of another vah has thrown a veil, and which man's. As far as can be observed, we will not and cannot know, till he never acted to please himself. we see Christ as he is. He had All he did was for the glory of continual heaviness in his heart, Christ, the good of the Church, because he saw all things in the and especially for the advantage world and Church growing worse of his pupils, who were dear to and worse. He saw, with the him as his own soul. Turrettine utmost concern, the coat of Christ was not like many divines, who torn to pieces; the progress and despise every thing but their increase of error; the apostacy own productions; who defend an of many from the reformed reli- opinion, not because it is true, gion, either through a cowardly but because it is their own; who or avaricious spirit; the awful measure themselves by themmysteries of Christianity weighed selves, and are not wise. His auin the balance of depraved rea-thority was never stretched too son, and sported with by petty far. He might have enjoined, philosophers and profane infidels; but for love's sake, he rather bethe introduction of a flood of sought. His mind was the very Arian, Socinian, and Arminian seat of candour, and consequently errors, nay, of the horrors of a stranger to those little jealouAtheism. These things made sies and unsanctified heats that dishim almost shed tears of blood. grace the religion of Jesus. He He admired, but did not seek, to was not an evil speaker, nor soon comprehend the deep things of angry at an opposing brother. God; and he was wont to tell his His character, in this instance, pupils, with awful solemnity, that was the reverse of Jerome's, and it was the province of a mad phi- other great men mentioned in losophy, and an evidence of a Church history, who, on all ocbold impious spirit, to seek far-casions, treated their antagonists ther than the plain decisions or with the utmost severity of mannative consequences of revelation. ner, and acrimony of style, and Turrettine lived as he believ- thus injured rather than promoted ed, and walked as he taught. He their cause. Our deceased friend was foremost in every thing love-was a great lover of peace: be

often said, that the Ministers of man of God, and of a polite and the Gospel of Peace ought not to religious audience, viz. On the be the heralds of war; and that origin or birthday of the school the trumpet of Zion should not be sounded to excite contention among saints. He often lamented, that in time of common danger, divines should, by their petty squabbles, open the gates to the enemies of truth.

and academy; on the election of Pope Alexander VII.; on the union between virtue and truth; and on the prejudices that hinder the spread of the Gospel.

In the year 1662, another office of great honour and difficulty was Turrettine did not, through en-imposed upon Turrettine. When vy, look with an evil eye upon the walls of this city were to be the excellence and reputation of repaired, and the expense was other men. He was a real friend found more than the state could to humanity, and to humanity in bear, it was agreed to seek the affliction. Nothing excelled his assistance of the Swiss cantons, beneficence, but the happy way and of the United States of Holof his discovering it. The widow land; and none was reckoned and the fatherless, the orphan more fit for this embassy than the and the stranger, found in him a son of Benedict Turrettine, who patron and defender. He was, had been more than forty years in fact, what the Scriptures and before sent for the same purpose. the fathers of the Church say a Francis Turrettine left Geneva in bishop should be, given to hospi- the month of May. His receptality, and a lover of the poor. tion at Basle was very flattering; As Olympiodorus speaks, he did the divines of that seminary vied not measure his bounty by his with each other in testifying their wealth, but from the largeness of great affection for him. From his affection to the needy. His thence he went to Holland, where house was a kind of home to every their High Mightinesses received religious stranger that visited Ge- him very cordially; and, as a neva, and none left his house token of their esteem, honoured without profit; for he reckoned him with a golden chain, and a with Titus and Frederick I. that large piece of plate. Turrettine a day was lost in which he had could never forget the attentions done no good. Turrettine was he received in Holland, especially very laborious in study; his the marked regard of that miracle mind was always on the stretch. of our age, the prince of Orange. His study was his pleasure and His embassy succeeded to his recreation. wish; and if we are silent, the

In a short time after he was fortifications of the city will cry made professor of divinity, he out. It is unnecessary here to was called to the rectorship of narrate how much the Churches this academy. This office he dis-in Holland, especially the Church charged for many years, with at the Hague, wished to have this much credit to himself, and ad- luminary of the Reformation again vantage to the republic, and de-among them. But their attempts livered anniversary orations in to recall him were fruitless. He the fullest assembly of the Ge- left them; and, from a strong nevans, on topics worthy of a love to Geneva, broke through

every entanglement of honour, from the cavils and reproaches of affection, and grief. He continued, its enemies. In 1666, he pubhowever, to correspond with the lished his disputations concerning great and good men of that coun- the satisfaction of Christ, against try to the day of his death. Tur-Socinus and his hell-hatched rettine, taking another route on brood. In the year 1674, he his way home travelled through corrected his celebrated System. Germany, and returned home by With this system every divine the way of Paris. Thither he ought to be acquainted, otherwise went to congratulate his old pre- he will fight in the dark against ceptors. Those of them who the enemies of the truth. Turwere alive, rejoiced to see their rettine long hesitated whether he former scholar, now wiser than should publish his great work. his teachers. He preached twice He knew that the world was alto most crowded audiences in the ready filled with books of this Church of Charenton, which, kind, and that the taste of the age alas! is now no more. At that was fonder of books that fed the time he became acquainted with fancy than instructed the mind. the matchless John Claude, the His love of truth, and the cause glory and eminent defender of the of Christ, however, prevailed Reformation, whose character is over his inclination, and that far above my praise. Turrettine work, so long desired by the pubreturned safely home, and was lic, was published, and gratified received with open arms by all their fullest expectations. He his countrymen. The city and received letters from many learnChurch, though at that time in ed divines, testifying their appromourning on account of the death bation of his views of divine truth. of the great Leger, were com- He published his Sermons the forted by the arrival and presence same year, which are in almost of Turrettine. every body's possession. In the

He returned to his work with year 1668, he revised and pubgreater alacrity than ever. In lished his Disputations anew, and the year 1668, he was again rec- added ten new ones to that editor of this academy, and, with his tion. He had begun to revise usual judgment and eloquence, part of his System, when he was delivered an oration on the pre- taken to Heaven by the Sovereign servation of Geneva, and the Head of the Church.

As

evils and scandals of the Church. This man, who feared God Nothing was now wanting to his greatly, had been long bowed external happiness but a consort. down to the grave with grief, on He married, about this time, Eli-account of the melancholy state zabeth de Masse, a most illus- of the Reformed Churches. trious virgin. She brought him was said of Basil, so we may say one daughter, and three sons. of Turrettine, "While others Only one of the sons is now alive, regard only their own things, and and seems, in every respect, see only what is among their own worthy of such a father. feet, or what concerns their own In the year 1664, Turrettine interest, he went farther, his spirefuted the letter of the Pope, rit trembled for every thing done and vindicated the Reformation against Christ's spouse; in every

thing he was moderate, but in strength failed him. He conthis he knew no bounds; when versed, that day, about the intruth lay in the street, when the terests of the kingdom of Christ, members of Christ were scatter- with several of his friends, till ed, he could take no sleep, his ten o'clock, when, on a sudden, soul was rent with anguish." How he felt the approach of the last often have we heard him groan- enemy. O happy day, that found ing, and seen him weeping over him so employed! As soon as he the massacres of Piedmont, and felt himself seized with this sickwhen he beheld the miserable re-ness unto death, his mind looking mains of our brethren there? How into futurity, augured the issue, often was his face foul with weep- and he did not choose to coning at the state of the Protestant ceal it from his dear sister. Churches in France, who are Whenever I heard of his disnow the sport of bigoted priests tress, I hastened to his bed-side, and faithless tyrants! With what and was thus accosted by my feeling did he repeat the latter much-esteemed uncle. "The part of the eightieth Psalm! time is now come, when, to my Great God, thou heardest these inexpressible joy, I will be degroans, thou sawest these tears; livered from the prison of the and ye, my hearers, have seen body, and am only sorry, that, him in tears, when bewailing the through my great affliction, I canChurches of Christ. The Lord not pray as I ought to my eternal hath now wiped all his tears Father. I know, however, whom away and thus we come to the I have believed, and whom I will concluding scene of his life. trust, while I have any being.

Turrettine's health had long My soul pants, through all its been very good. If the strictest powers, for Christ, and none but temperance and an unshaken mind Christ. This I earnestly beg of could have ensured a long life, he God, that, having forgiven all my had lived long indeed! We sel- sins, he would give me strength dom saw him sick. He was some- and patience to bear my trouble, times subjected to a colic, and and give me an easy passage to a twice felt the excruciating pains blessed immortality." The most of the gout. We promised our-skilful physicians in Geneva were selves a long possession of such called, in order to relieve, if they an invaluable treasure; but it could not remove, the disorder. was determined otherwise. Tur- While they were exerting all rettine's great soul could dwell no their skill, he was addressing himlonger in the frail tenement of self to the great Judge of all, in the body! On the 26th of Septem- the words of David, Enter not ber, 1687, the day in which he was into judgment with thy servant;" first confined to bed, he rose very and, "O Christ, wash my soul in early, long before the rising of thy blood." "Hear, Father, the the sun, and wrote letters to some powerful voice of his blood," &c. of his dearest friends in the On the following day, the physiChurch; as to Heidegger and cians, with great concern,informed Peter Jurieu, the luminaries of us, that all the powers of medicine the age in which they lived, and could give him no relief. We hoped would have written more, but his for his recovery, and stood weep

ing around him. He, collected in | He bore witness to the truth of himself, and prepared for all religion; confessed he had been events, said to us, Why do you a great sinner, and needed much weep? The way of death must repentance unto life; but debe trod once by all. The life we clared, that he had the fullest asnow live, is not life: it is the surance of the remission of his abode of sin; a sea of cares; a sins through Christ; that he emschool of sorrow; it is death it-braced the divine mercy with all self. The life which I am soon his heart, and, as a dying man, to live, is only worthy of the begged of God that he would wash name. O! when shall I leave him in the blood of the Lamb, this habitation of sin, this field of and receive him now into the affliction ? O! when shall I be mansions of the blessed. He redissolved in death, be master of commended to him the Church, myself, and enjoy eternal happi- the academy, and his son. He ness in the presence of Christ ? begged of him to salute the senate The last day he lived, he spoke in his name; and to tell them, many affecting things to his son, that he died in the same faith in (Alphonsus) and, among other which he had lived, and which he things, gave in charge the four had taught; to exhort the brefollowing: the care of the Church thren in the ministry, to lay aside of God, if ever he was a minister; all guile and differences, and a love of truth, humility, and cha- strive together for the faith of rity. And when I stood beside the Gospel, and in the work of him, he exhorted me, in the the Lord; to live mindful of their strongest expressions, to diligence common order, character, office, in the work of the Lord. Many mortality, and the account they things he said, which grief per- must render of their stewardship mits me not to utter, but which I at the tremendous tribunal of God! shall never forget while I live. We continued praying, and Towards evening, he was ob- when one said, Let us go to the served to decline rapidly; but he throne of grace, he cried out, as told us, he would not die that if impatient of delay, Let us go, night, but would see the light of let us go! His face was not like another day! We all admired that of a dying man, but of one his patience in his trouble; and that was triumphing! He seemed if, at any time, through the force to be in heaven, not on earth. of his distress, an impatient word Immediately after this he gave us escaped him, he instantly returned his last benediction, commending to himself, and praised the infinite us to God with all his heart, and, mercies of God. The next morn- without any convulsion of his ing, he knew his dissolution was body, without any contortion of near. "The day is now come," his face or eyes, he fell asleep in cried he, "when I shall go forth Jesus. Blessed are the dead who to meet my Saviour. Farewell, die in the Lord!

cruel absence, for ever!" Mi- Thus died Turrettine, aged chael Turrettine, a dear relation sixty-four years. God grant that of the deceased, and professor of we all may be enabled to live as oriental languages in the acade- he did, and to die in like manner. my, came to see his dying friend. Amen.