gistfile1.php

public function assertThrowsException($exception, $code)
{
    $raisedException = null;
    try {
        $code();
    } catch (\Exception $raisedException) {
        // No more code, we only want to catch the exception in $raisedException.
    }

    $this->assertInstanceOf($exception, $raisedException);

}

public function testGizmo()
{
    $widget = 'something';
    // Some more code
    

    $this->assertThrowsException('\Package\Specific\Exception', function () use ($widget) {
        $blah = new \Package\Gizmo($widget);
    }); 
}