Paul Ferry — Wikipedia

Paul Ferry or (much more rarely) Ferri ^{[ first ]} ( February 24, 1591 – December 28, 1669 ) is a Protestant pastor and a French theologian ^{[ 2 ]} . He was a pastor of the Reformed Church of Metz, from 1612 to 1669 ^{[ 3 ]} .

Son of the adviser of the master alderman Jacques Ferry and Élisabeth Joly, sister of the king’s prosecutor in town, Paul Ferry ^{[ 4 ]} , was born in Metz, the February 24 1591 ^{[ 3 ]} . Coming from a family of notable reformed Messins, Paul Ferry first studied in German states, then in La Rochelle and finally became a theology student at the Reformed Academy of Montauban. He gains a little notoriety by publishing a collection of poetic pieces.

In 1611, Paul Ferry was called to succeed Pastor François Buffet, when he was barely 20 years old. He receives the imposition of the hands on first ^is January 1612 , from Pastor Messin Théophile Le Coullon (1580-1652). His ministry in his hometown will last 58 years. With his 3 or 4 ordinary colleagues, he exercises in a powerful community (between half and a quarter of the 20,000 inhabitants of the city), and particular from the ecclesiastical point of view (because independent of the reformed churches of France). From the end of the 1610s, his correspondence network was fleshed out and he seems to be the spiritual leader of his church. He is in contact with all the big names in French-speaking Protestantism in his time, whether in the kingdom or in the communities of abroad (United Provinces, German States, etc.), thus taking advantage of the position of Metz. His spiritual influence remains relatively limited, however, since he publishes only five sermons throughout his ministry. But he is often recognized as a mediator. At the local level, it is on the front line of the main cases which brought the reformed and Catholics to the confiscation of the temple of rue de la Chèvre for the benefit of the Jesuits, who therefore become the neighbors of Ferry). As a result, he is very regularly chosen to pronounce harangues to representatives of passing power in Metz, including Louis XIII and Richelieu themselves in December 1631 .

At the Horgne temple, he married Esther de Vigneulles, in 1613 ^{[ 3 ]} . Widowed in 1636, he remarried in 1637 with Suzanne Lespigalgal ^{[ 3 ]} . He has a total of 12 children, only two of whom survive him. By his eldest daughter, Suzanne, he is the grandfather of the blind pastor Jacques Couët du Vivier (1634-1666), great-grandson of Jacques Couët (1546-1608), pastor of Paris and Basel.

In 1625, he replied with a critical pamphlet to the book of the Catholic poet Alphonse de Rambervillers entitled The admirable acts in prosperity, in adversity, and in glory of the blessed martyr sainct livier, gentleman of Austrasia ^{[ 5 ]} . From 1642, Paul Ferry embarked on more developed historical research, which remain unfinished at his death. His goal was to refute a work of controversy based on history, written by the Franciscan theologian and suffragant bishop of Metz (1629-1644), Martin Meurisse. He is best known for his controversy with Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet. At the origin of this exchange of view, there is the conversion to the Catholicism of a reformed lawyer opponent of Ferry, Gaspard de Lalouette, in the cathedral of Toul in 1653, at the initiative of Bossuet, then a work of the pastor Messin, published in 1654 in Sedan and entitled General catechism of the reformation preached in Metz. Bossuet will hasten to reply to it with a Refutation of the catechism of Mr. Ferry, Minister of Religion, alleged reformed ^{[ 6 ]} . Following this exchange, the two men stayed in touch and dialogue in 1666 about a meeting of Catholics and Protestants: these discussions were often considered as proof of its moderation, but he made no concession to his young Interlocutor, then canon of Metz.

The last years of his career has been devoted to research to bring together Calvinists and Lutherans: he is then closely interested in the work of John Dury.

Paul Ferry dies in Metz the December 28, 1669 ^{[ note 1 ]} .

Paul Ferry papers and manuscripts:

• The pastor left a considerable amount of papers and archives containing drafts of sermons, remarks on the Bible, historical works, remarks of literature, but also a very large correspondence. He is certainly the best known French -speaking pastor in XVII ^{It is} century thanks to all these preserved sources.
• Most of these papers are in Paris (French Protestantism Library, National Library of France), Metz (library-media library) and Épinal (inter-municipal multimedia library). Some scattered elements are also found at the Verdun municipal library ^{[ 7 ]} .

Ferry printed and preserved works:

• The blind love represented of his most strong colors to the various effects he crossed the loves of Fidamant and Ferriane , printed in Poitiers, sells in Paris, Jean Millot, 1610 [1609], in-12, engraved title, [12] -168 p.
• The first poetic works by Paul Ferry Messin. Where soubs the sweet diversity of his conceptions meet the freedoms of the freedoms of a youth , Lyon [Montauban], Pierre Coderc [Denis haultin], 1610, IN-8 °, 235 p.
• Scholastics orthodox specimen. This is our salvation method analytical, the scholastic of the early and recent intimate accordance with the Scriptures and equipped. By Paul’s Metz by the Minister Gotstadii [genève], in John Lamb [Chouët], 1616, in-8 °, 559 p.
• The interviews of the Pœnitent, or devoted meditations on the CXXXIX PSEAUME. , Geneva, Pierre and Jaques Chouët, 1616, in-12, 352 p.
• The last despair of tradition against fencing. Where is amply refuted the book of Father François Veron Jesuite, by which he pretends to teach to any person, what not paid in theology, a brief & easy way to reset the Word of God, & convince the reform churches & error & abuse in all & each policel of their doctrine , Sedan, Jean Jannon, 1618, in-8°, 812 p.
• Notes of stories about the speech of life & the death of S. Livier, & the story of his miracles newly published by the Sieur de Ramberviller Lieutenant General to the bailiwick of the Evesché de Metz, with various approvals from the doctors , S.L., 1624, in-8 °, 32 p. [The attribution of this work to Ferry is ensured by a testimony of David Ancillon. BNF, 8-LK 7-8 850.]
• PaLii Ferrii vindication for the academic orthodox, against Leonardo perin, Jesuit. In which it is treated. 1. The first constitution and original justice. 2. predestination and annexed. 3. Grace and free will. 4. The cause of sin and justifying and other pertinent , New York [Leyde], with Wiarmum Jelgerum [Jean Maire], 1630, in-8 °, P1 Pièces Liminaires, 366 p.
• Four sermons pronounced in various places and on different subjects by Paul Ferry, pastor in the reformed Church of Metz , Charenton, Louis Vendosme, 1646, in-8 °, 232 p.
• General category of the reformation of religion. Preschy in Metz, by Paul Ferry Minister of the Word of God , Sedan, François Chayer, 1654, in-16, 151 p. (reissued in 1656 in Geneva at Chouët)
• Grace sermon. Made in Metz the UNZIEEM DAY [of] June 1655 . On these words hebr.xii.28 Let us hold the grace. By Paul Ferry , Amsteldam [sic], Jean Ravestein, [1655], in-8 °, 47 p.

It is possible that Ferry is the author of some other works that we have lost:

• The memory of Tres-Auguste, Tres-Magnanime and very Invincible Prince Fie Henry the Great, IIII. Roy of France and Navarre , Montauban, Denis Haultin, 1610, in-8 °, 8 p. (This publication is taken up in his first poetic works of 1610).
• On the tomb of Mr. Bérauld, doctor of theology, rector in the academy and pastor in the Church of Montauban , AMAUBOBAN, HERIIS HAIRMIN, 1611, IN-8 °, 8 P.
• Meditation for a girl afflicted in her mind , Geneva, around 1620. We know that this room was printed, but without the knowledge of Ferry.
• Refutation of slander sown newly against certain places of a book published several years ago and entitled the last despair of tradition against fencing, with the whole passages of the authors, cott only on the fringes and now produced on long for verification more ample things before alleged , Sedan, Hubert Raoult, 1624, in-8 °, 36 p.

It is usually attributed to him a Censorship of the advertisement printed at Pont-à-Mousson. To Messrs of the pretended religion of Metz, on the last book of their Minister Ferry. Addressed to gentlemen of the Roman Church , Sedan, Jean Jannon, 1618, in-8 °, 103 p. This work was written with the help of Paul Ferry, but by his cousin Pierre Joly, then Pasteur without church.

Part of his printed work is available online:

http://www.prdl.org/author_view.php?a_id=287

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• Othon Cuvier, “Notice on Paul Ferry, one of the pastors of Metz (1612-1669)”, Memoirs of the Imperial Academy of Metz 1868-1869, 50 ^{It is} year, 1870, p. 473-510 ( read online ) .
• Roger Mazauric, Pastor Paul Ferry. Messin, Bossuet and historian interlocutor , Metz, Mutelet, 1964.
• François Gaquère, The Irenic Bossuet-Paul Ferry dialogue in Metz (1652-1669) , Paris, Beauchesne, 1967.
• Michel Caffier, Lorraine literature dictionary , flight. 1, ed. Serpen, Metz, 2003 (ISBN  2-87692-569-9 ) , p. 379-382.
• Julien Léonard, “The pastors and the meeting of churches in the 17th century: the case of Paul Ferry”, SHPF Bulletin , t. 156-1, 2010, p. 81-106.
• Julien Léonard, “Paul Ferry, committed historian of the Middle Ages Messin”, in Mireille Chazan and Gérard Nauroy (ed.), Write history in Metz in the Middle Ages , Berne, Peter Lang, 2011, pp. 407-434.
• Julien Léonard, “Paul Ferry and the death of the king (1610-1612)”, Europa Moderna. Review of History and Iconology , n ° 2 (special number After Henri IV , presented and introduced by Jean-François Dubost), 2011, p. 17-32. CONSULTABLE online: http://europamoderna.com/index.php/articles-publies/49-nd22011/78-julien-leonard-paul-ferry-et-la-mort-du-roi-1610-1612
• Julien Léonard, “The harangues of Paul Ferry, or the political speech of a reformed pastor in Metz under the regime of the edict of Nantes”, in Stefano Simiz (ed.), Public speech in the city of reforms during the revolution , Villeneuve d’Ascq, Presses Universitaires du Septentrion, 2012, p. 85-103.
• Julien Léonard, “The passive correspondence of Paul Ferry: what contributions of a quantitative analysis? “, SHPF Bulletin , t. 159-1, 2013, p. 49-66.
• Julien Léonard, “History, memory and reformed identity at Paul Ferry”, in Philip Benedict, Hugues Daussy and Pierre-Olivier Léchot (ed.), Huguenote identity. Make memory and write history ( XVI ^{It is} – XXI ^{It is} century) , Geneva, Droz, 2014, p. 171-188.
• Julien Léonard, “Between generational, family and consistorial tensions: the difficult succession of Paul Ferry at the ministry in Metz (1652-1669)”, in Didier Poton and Raymond A. Mentzer (ed.), Act for the Church. Center ministries and charges in the reformed churches (16th – XIXth) , Paris, Les Indes Savantes, 2014, p. 141-158.
• Julien Léonard, Be a pastor in the 17th century. The Ministry of Paul Ferry in Metz (1612-1669) , Preface by Yves Krunacker, Rennes, Pure, 2015.
• Julien Léonard, “Paul Ferry”, in Isabelle Guyot-Bachy and Jean-Christophe Blanchard (dir.), Dictionary of learned Lorraine , Metz: Editions des umbrella, 2022, p. 136-137

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