Ferry, Paul

Ferry, Paul a French Protestant divine, was born at Metz Feb. 24,1591, and was educated at the Seminary of Montauban. He became pastor at Metz in 1612, and held that position during sixty years. He was one of the most eloquent men in the province, and by his powers of mind, his activity, and his prudence, he gained the esteems of the most influential men of his time, and early obtained great influence over Roman Catholics as well as Protestants. Being troubled by the divisions which existed among the Protestants, and hoping to do something towards removing them, he held a correspondence on the subject with Duraeus, SEE DURY, the great - "pacificator." Dury even came to Metz in 1662 to discuss the subject. Nothing substantial came of it; but Ferry carried his love of conciliation so far that he even regarded as possible the reunion of Protestants and Romanists; at all events, it is certain that he bad on this subject a long correspondence with Bossuet. It occurred in this way. Ferry had published in 1654 a Catechisme general de la Reformation, in which he showed that the Reformation was a necessary reaction against the corruption of the Church. Bossuet, at that time canon and archdeacon of Metz, wrote a refutation of this little work. The discussion led to a mutual esteem between the, disputants; and when, in 1667, the project of the reunion of Protestants and Roman Catholics was considered by the government, Ferry was consulted, and entered into correspondence with Bossuet on the subject. This correspondence is printed in vol. 24 of the (Euvres de Bossuet

(edition of Versailles). It has been proved almost -beyond doubt that Ferry was one of the ministers gained over by the cardinal Richelieu to agitate in favor of the reunion of the two religions, and that he received a pension of five hundred crowns for so doing. The receipt of Ferry for this sum is said to be shown in the Imperial Library of Paris. Ferry died at Metz July 28, 1669. He left a large number of writings, most of which remain in MS. Those which are published are, besides a volume of poetry, Scholastici orthodoxi Specimen, hoc est Salutis nostrae methodus analytica, ex ipsis Scholasticorum veterum et recentiorum intimis juxta normam Scripturarum adornata et instructa (Geneva, 1616, 8vo; 2d ed. Leyden, 1630, 8vo) :-Le dernier Desespoir de la Tradition contra l' ecriture (Sedan, 1618, m-a) :-Refutation des Calomnies semees nouvellement contre certain endroit d'un livre publie il y a plusieurs annees et intitule; Le dernier Desespoir, etc. (Sedan, 1624, 8vo): - Remarques d'histoire sur le " Discours de la vie et de la mort de St. Sevier," publis par le Sieur de Ramberviller (1624, 8vo) :-Vindicis pro Scholastico orthodoxo, adversus Leon. Perinium, Jesuit., in quibus agitur d presdestinatione et annexis, de gratia et libern arbitrio, de cause peccati et justificatione (Leyden, 1630, 8vao)Quatra Sermons prononceis en divers lieux et sur differents sujets (La Ferte-au-Col, 1646, 12mo):-Lettre aux ministres de Geneve, vol. ii of the Bibliothique Anglaise. -Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, 17:563; Bayle, Dictionary (Lond. 1736), iii, 33; Haag, La France Protestante; Floquet, Etudes sur la vie de Bossuet (Par. 1855, 3 vols. 8vo), vol. i; London Rev. July, 1856, p. 409 sq.