He was a Calvinist, born into a Huguenot family, and after the Edict of Nantes which had granted religious liberty to the Huguenots was revoked by Louis XIV in 1685, he became an exile.
Siya ay isang kalvinista, ipinanganak sa isang Protestante pamilya, at pagkatapos ang mga utos ng Nantes na kung saan nagkaroon na ipinagkaloob sa relihiyosong kalayaan sa Huguenots ay revoked by Louis XIV in 1685, siya ay naging isang pagpapatapon.