not from the unchangeable Election unto Glory any other Benefit or Experience or Assurance than vvhat may flovv from a mutable and contingent Condition But besides that this is a most gross absurdity to suppose a Certainty vvhich is uncertain it is also repugnant to the common Sence and Experience of the faithful who together with the Holy Apostle rejoyce in the Sence and Feeling of their Election praising God for this Divine Benefit according to the Counsel of our Lord Jesus for that their Names be vvritten in the Book of Life Luke 10.20 vvhich is in Heaven In short they oppose the Sence of their Election to the fiery darts and temptations of the Devil challenging him thus Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect Rom. 8.32 CANON VIII Those vvho teach that God out of his Just and Soveraign vvill only hath not decreed to leave any one in fallen Adam and in that common Estate of Sin and Condemnation and to pass them by in the Communication of Grace necessary to vvork Faith and Conversion For this is firm and immutable Rom. 9.18 He vvill have Mercy on vvhom he vvill and vvhom he vvill he hardneth Item Matth. 13.11 To you it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven but unto them it is not given Item Matth. 11.25 26. I give thanks unto thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth for this that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto Babes and little Children It is even so O Father for such is thy good pleasure CANON IX Those that teach that the cause wherefore God sendeth the Gospel rather to one Nation than to another is not the Sole and Soveraign good will and pleasure of God but because one Nation is better and more worthy than another to whom the Gospel is not communicated For Moses doth in plain words contradict it speaking thus unto the Children of Israel Deut. 10.14 15. Behold the Heavens and the Heaven of Heavens belong unto Jehovah thy God the Earth also and all that is in it but Jehovah delighted in thy Fathers only to love them and hath chosen their posterity after them to wit you from among all People as is evident this day And Jesus Christ Matth. 22.28 Woe unto thee Chorazin woe unto thee Bethsaida for if these Miracles had been done in Tyre and Sydon which have been done in the midst of you they would have repented in Sackcloth and Ashes CHAP. II. Of the Death of Jesus Christ and Mans Redemption by it CANON I. GOD is not only Soveraignly Merciful but also Soveraignly just And his Justice requireth as it is revealed to us in his Word that our Sins committed against his Infinite Majesty be not only punished with Temporal but also with Eternal Punishments in Soul and Body Nor can we avoid those dreadful punishments unless the Justice of God be fully satisfied CANON II. Now we being utterly unable of our selves to satisfie Divine Justice and to deliver our selves from the Wrath of God God out of his boundless Mercy hath given us his Onely Son to be a Surety for us who was made Sin and a Curse upon the Cross for us and in our stead that he might make satisfaction for us CANON III. This Death of the Son of God is the One Onely and most perfect Sacrifice and Satisfaction for our Sins whose worth and value is Infinite and which is abundantly sufficient to expiate the Sins of the whole World CANON IV. And this Death is of so great a Value and Dignity because the Person who suffered it is not only a True Man and perfectly Holy but is also the Onely Son of God of the self-same Eternal Essence with the Father and the Spirit For such a one must our Saviour needs be because he felt in his Death the Sence of Gods VVrath and Curse which we had deserved by our Sins CANON V. Moreover the Gospel-promise is that whosoever believeth in Jesus Christ crucified shall not perish but have Everlasting Life Which promise ought to be preached and tendered indifferently unto all Nations and Persons to whom God in his good pleasure shall send the Gospel and together with it the great Command of Faith and Repentance CANON VI. And whereas many who are called by the Gospel do not repent nor believe in Christ Jesus but perish in their Infidelity this cometh not from any defect or insufficiency in the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ offered upon the Cross but the fault is in and from themselves CANON VII But all that truely Believe and are delivered and saved from their Sins and Everlasting destruction through Jesus Christ this singular benefit is derived to them from the mere Grace of God only which he oweth no Man and it was given them from all Eternity in Jesus Christ CANON VIII For such was the most free Counsel and most gracious will and purpose of God the Father that the quickning Power of God and the saving efficacious Vertue of his Sons most pretious Death should extend it self unto all the Elect to give them and them onely Justifying Faith and thereby infallibly to bring them unto Salvation That is to say God would that Jesus Christ by the Blood of his Cross wherewith he confirmed the Nevv Covenant should efficaciously redeem all those and none other out of every Nation Kingdom People and Language vvho from all Eternity vvere chosen unto Salvation and vvere given him by the Father that he should give them Faith vvhich as all other Gifts of the Holy Ghost he hath acquired for them by his Death and purge them by his Blood from all Sin both Original and Actual committed before and after Faith that he should keep them faithfully unto the end and finally present them before the Father glorious vvithout any spot or blemish CANON IX This Council proceeding from the Everlasting Love of God towards his Elect hath been powerfully accomplished from the beginning of the World unto this very day The Gates of Hell having in vain opposed it and it shall be also alwayes in succeeding Ages accomplished yea in such manner that the Elect shall be in their appointed time gathered into one and there shall be alwayes upon Earth in one place or other a Church of Believers founded in the Blood of Jesus Christ which will bear a constant Love unto its Saviour who as the Bridegroom for his Dearly Beloved Bride hath yielded up the Ghost upon his Cross which also shall persevere in his Service and shall praise and glorifie him now in time and to all Eternity Errors Rejected The Orthodox Doctrine having been Explained the Synod Rejecteth their Errors CANON I. WHO teach that God the Father destinated his Son unto the cursed Death of the Cross without any certain or determined Counsel to save any one particular Sinner so that the Necessity Utility and Dignity of the Impetration of Christ Jesus his Death might have been wholly saved and
confirm the Covenant of Grace propounded to us in the Gospel Ministry Answ Yes Quest How many Sacraments do you believe that there be in the Christian Church Answ Two Baptism and the Lord's Supper Quest Do you desire to be instructed in the Nature and Use of Baptism which you now demand of this Church of Christ Answ Yes Then the Minister shall say Our Lord sheweth us in what Poverty and Misery we are all born when he telleth us that we must be born again For if our Nature must be renewed that it may enter into the Kingdom of God then 't is evident that it is universally depraved and accursed whereof he admonisheth us that we may be humbled and displeased with oar selves and by this means doth he prepare us earnestly to petition for his Grace by which all that Corruption and Malediction of our first Nature may be abolished And we are not capable of receiving it till we be first emptied of all Confidence in our own Vertue Wisdom and Righteousness that so we may pass Sentence of Condemnation upon all that is in us And look as he remonstrateth unto us our miserable Estate so also doth he comfort us with his Mercy promising to regenerate us by his Holy Spirit unto newness of Life which will be the earnest of our entrance into his Kingdom This Regeneration consisteth of two Parts First that we deny our selves not following our own Judgment Will and Pleasure but resigning our Hearts and Understandings to be led Captive by the Wisdom and Righteousness of God and so mortifying our selves and all our fleshly Members here below we do then follow the Divine Light and take up our Complacency in Obedience unto his good Will and Pleasure revealed to us in his Holy Word and subject our selves to the Guidance and Government of his Holy Spirit Now the Accomplishment of both these is in our Lord Jesus whose Death and Passion is of such Vertue that by communicating in it we are as it were dead to Sin that so our carnal Affections and the Desires of our Flesh may be mortified In like manner by the Vertue of Christs Resurrection we rise up unto newness of Live which is of God inâ—smuch as his Holy Spirit doth guide and govern us and work in us those Works which are well-pleasing to him Yet the first and chiefest Point of our Salvation is that by his Mercy he freely pardons all our Sins not imputing them unto us and blotteth out the remembrance of them that so they may not be brought in Judgment against us All these Benefits are conferred upon us when he is pleased graciously to incorporate us into his Church by Baptism for in this Sacrament he testifieth unto us the Forgiveness of our Sins And to this purpose hath he ordained the Sign of Water thereby to signifie unto us That as this Element cleanseth away the Filth of the Body even so will he wash and purifie our Souls that there may not appear the least Spot upon them In the next place it holdeth forth unto us our Renovation which standeth as was said before in the Mortification of our Flesh and in that Spiritual Life which he effecteth in us So that we receive a double Grace and Benefit from God in our Baptism provided we do not disannul the Vertue of this Sacrament by our Ingratitude First That we have a most certain Token and Testimony that God will be a propitious Father to us not imputing our Sins and Offences to us Secondly That he will assist us by his Holy Spirit that we may be enabled to combat with the Devil Sin and the Desires of our Flesh until we have won the Victory and so enjoy the Liberty of his Kingdom which is a Kingdom of Righteousness For as much then as these two things be accomplished in us by the Grace of our Lord Jesus it followeth that the Vertue and Substance of Baptism is treasured up in him And indeed we have no other Laver but that of his Blood nor any other Renovation but what is in his Death and Resurrection which as he communicateth his Riches and Benedictions to us by his Word so also doth he distribute them abroad among us by his Sacraments And in this appeareth the wonderful Love of God towards us that these Graces bestowed on us having before the Incarnation of our Lord Redeemer been as it were locked up among the Jewish People and the Partition-Wall which separated between Jews and Gentiles being broken down by his Death he hath and doth shed abroad upon Mankind the saving Waters of his Grace in such abundance that now there is neither Jew nor Greek neither Male nor Female neither Circumcision nor Uncircumcision nor any outward Condition of Men that can exclude them from that great Salvation which is in him and which the Lord Jesus will have preached unto all Nations And the Covenant of his Peace is now ratified by Baptism according to the Commission which he hath given unto his Apostles saying Go ye and preach unto all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Quest And is it not true my Brother that you desire to be Partaker of this Grace by Baptism Answ Yes Quest But forasmuch as he that entreth into the House of God must look unto his ways lest he should prophane the Sanctuary and presume according to that Saying of the wise Preacher to offer the Sacrifice of Fools and ungodly Persons and that he ought to be clean purged from all Leaven of Error and Malice do you not detest from your Heart all Errors contrary to that sound Doctrin taught in our Churches Answ Yes Quest Forasmuch as we are now about to administer the Sacrament of Baptism unto you do you not protest to live and die in the Faith of our Lord Jesus which you have now confessed before us and to adorn it with an Holy Life and Conversation and to direct all your Thoughts Words and Actions to the Glory of God and the Edification of your Neighbour and to submit your self to the Order and Discipline of our Church in Conformity whereunto this Holy Ordinance must be inviolably maintained Answ Yes This being done the Minister shall add Let us call upon God that he may be entreated to give his Blessing to this present Holy Ministration O Lord our God! The most wise and merciful God! We praise and bless thy Holy Name for that Grace which thy good Hand hath deigned to bestow upon this thy Servant who lay in the profound Darkness of the Shadow of Death but is now enlightned by thee thou having caused the Day-Spring from on high with his quickening and saving Brightness to arise and shine in upon him drawing him from a most deplorable hardness of a stony Heart to mollifie and soften him delivering him from the Bonds of Death and restoring Life unto him Lord as thou hast took away the Veil that was upon his
that most pious Bishop of Norwich Dr. Joseph Hall gave this Character of him That he was one of the most learned Men that Scotland ever bred He had been formerly Minister of Bourdeaux thence translated to the Professor's Chair of Divinity at Saumur and lastly unto Montauban where he died in the year 1625. But more of him in my Icones 5. Peter Berault the Son of Michael a Son not unworthy his Father who founded the University 6. Anthony Garrissoles who died in the Lord Anno 1651. 7. Paul Charles though he was called to the Professorship in Divinity after Monsieur Garrissoles yet entered he into his rest two years before his Reverend Collegue viz. 1649. 8. John Verdier he died in the year 1668. 9. Andrew Martell he went into exile with his Brethren in the year 1685 and was called to be Professor of Divinity in the University of Berne in Switzerland where he is yet living In his time the University was removed from Montauban to Puy-Laurens in Languedoc in the year 1660. 10. Anthony Peres was called in to succeed Monsieur Verdier immediately upon his death This very learned and godly Divine died in my Neighbourhood in the year 1686. here in King-street near Bunhil fields London This University of Montauban the first and eldest Protestant University of France had subsisted the just age of a Man and then purely out of a design to facilitate its Ruine it was removed in the year 1660. to Puy-Laurens The University of Saumur had its foundations shaken in the year 1675. though it had a quiet and uninterrupted possession of threescore and ten years and was grounded upon the Edict of Nantes and confirmed by other Edicts of Henry the Fourth and of his Son and Successor Lewis the Thirteenth Henry the Fourth comprehended them both in the Gift he made them Anno 1599. And in the Articles of Peace granted by Lewis the Thirteenth to the City of Montauban they were again ratified and he formally promised to continue his Bounty which in truth was no bounty but a Debt for the Reformed compounded with his Father to pay their Tithes to the Popish Parish Priests which they did honestly and justly provided the King would allow such a summ of 135000 l. in good money unto them for their Ministers Schools Colleges and Universities And in his Answer to their Bill of Grievances in the second year of his Reign and of our Lord 1611. Article 19. He granted to the Universities of Saumur and Montauban the same Priviledges Immunities and Prerogatives as the other Universities in the Kingdom enjoyed according to the will and intention of King Henry the Fourth expressed in his Answer to the Bill of Grievances presented him by the Reformed Article the Fourth Yet all these Engagements and Obligations both of Honour and Conscience could not contain the present King nor his Council within any Bounds But that all the Schools Colleges and Universities of the Reformed must be dissolved dissipated and they be utterly ruined SECT XXXIII But we shall proceed one step farther and discover in this short Abridgment how the Faith and Patience of God's Saints was farther tryed and exercised in France before the last deluge of Popish Fury was poured out upon them There were new Laws and Orders as so many new Engines and Racks invented to torment them This is the fourth method devised by them The first of these Orders which appeared was touching the manner of Burial and Interring the dead In those places where the exercise of our Religion was actually established the number of Attendants was reduced to thirty Persons and to ten where it was not Orders were also issued out to hinder the Communication of one Province with another by Circular Letters or any other way whatsoever though it were about matters of Alms and the distributions of Charity There were likewise Prohibitions made of holding Colloquies in the Interval of Synods excepting in two Cases viz. to provide Ministers for Churches destitute upon the Death of their Pastors and the censuring of greater Scandals They despoiled also those places which they called Exercises de Fief of all the Characters and Priviledges of a Temple as the Bell Pulpit and other things of that nature They forbad also the Reception and Ordination of Ministers in any Synods or to have their Decisive Vote in them or to Register them in the Catalogue of those Churches to which they appertained One Decree forbiddeth the singing of Psalms in their private Houses yea and another to forbear singing in their Temples when as their Consecrated Host was carried by in Procession One Decree forbids all Marriages at such times as they be prohibited by the Church of Rome viz. Lent and the Ember Weeks c. By another Decree their Ministers are not suffered to Preach at any considerable distance from their Residence lest they should have the sorry priviledge of an annexed Congregation a poor plurality For one Church being of it self utterly unable to maintain a Minister sometimes two or three would join together to make up a Competency for his subsistence Other Decrees forbid their setling in any places unless sent unto them by their Synod though the Consistories had given them a solemn Call according to their usual Forms Another Decree comes forth to hinder Synods from sending to any Churches more Ministers than were there in the preceding Synod Another Decree prohibits all Proposans Students in Divinity to study in Foreign Universities Other Decrees banish all Foreign Ministers not born in the Kingdom though they had been Ordained in France and spent the greatest part of their Lives in it out of it Another Decree forbad all Ministers and Candidates for the Ministry to reside in those places where Preaching was forbidden or nearer to them than six Miles Another Decree forbad the People to assemble in the Temples under pretence of praying reading or singing of Psalms except in the presence of a Minister placed there by the Synod There was one Decree and that a most ridiculous one Enacted That all the backs of the Seats in their Temples must be removed that so they might be reduced to most accurate and decent Uniformity Another Decree to hinder richer Churches from assisting the weaker in maintaining of their Ministers and other necessities Another Decree obligeth Parents to give their Children who had changed their Religion great Pensions Another forbiddeth Marriages betwixt Persons of different Religions notwithstanding their Scandalous Cohabitation Another prohibiteth those of the Reformed Religion from that time to entertain in their Houses any Domestick Servants who were Roman Catholicks Another maketh them uncapable of being Tutors or Guardians and consequently did put all Minors whose Fathers died in the Profession of the Protestant Religion under the Power and Education of Roman Catholicks Another forbiddeth Ministers and Elders to hinder any of their Flock either directly or indirectly to embrace the Roman Religion or to disswade them from it Another forbiddeth Jews and
banished them unto Rheims and are now doing penance for their Heresie as the Papists call it and you may be sure a severe Penance it is that will be inflicted on them by the bigotted Nuns in their Convents The Lady Vielle Vigne neâ—r Nantes in Brittany being accused of holding a Conventicle in her house that is for keeping a day of Prayer was immediately arrested and all that had been found at that Religious Meeting were carried to prison where this Excellent Pious Lady abides in Duress Monsieur de Rosemont formerly Pastor of Giens having through humane Infirmity fallen with the Multitude fell sick in danger of death the Priest of his Parish comes to visit him and offers to administer the Popish Sacraments Extream Unction and the Eucharist unto him but the poor Man refuses them and declares his mind boldly against them and in particular against their Sacrilege in robbing the People of the Cup. Finally it pleased God that he recovered of his distemper and being in perfect health he was demanded whether the words he had spoken and the discourse he had held in his Sickness were the effects of his Fever and Delirium or of his fixed and settled Judgment He answered couragiously that what he had spoken in his Sickness he would stand to in his Health that they were his present Thoughts and Faith and expressing a great deal of Remorse and Sorrow for his Fall he begg'd pardon of God for it whereupon he was brought before a Judge who condemn'd him forth-right unto the Gallies there to be hung till he was dead Monsieur Bayley Minister of Carla in the County of Foix and who was in June 1685. seized on by the Provost of Montauban and thrown into a Dungeon in the Castle of Trumpet at Bordeaux not one of his Friends or Relations being ever permitted to visit him or to know the cause of his Imprisonment died the 12th of November following but with that Constancy as became a Martyr of Jesus Christ praising and blessing God for his Sufferings These Sufferings of his had been very great and exceeding grievous He lay a long while together sick without any relief or assistance yea they were so barbarously cruel to him as to deny him a Cup of cold Water to quench his burning Thirst his merciless Guards treating him in his very malady with all manner of Barbarities that by those Torments he might be enforced to apostatize from the Truth but this excellent man of God held stedfastly to the last and by his Faith and Patience conquered the Cruelties of his Tormentors and died triumphantly He was a Person of great Worth and Learning all which was communicated by him to the Edification of his Flock His Brother one of the rarest Scholars of this Age is that famous Author of the Republique des Lettres The Widow of Monsieur Fremont that rich famous Banker of Paris together with her two Sons left above 200000 Liveres in their House and escapt most fortunately their Persecutors Monsieur Fremont putting himself and six more into the Habits and Arms of the Life-Guard and himself as an Officer in the head of them coming upon the Frontiers to the Guards demands whether none had passed them lately To which they replied Yes some had done it a little before with Pass-ports But this new Officer tells them they were counterfeited and he was ordered to pursue these Counterfeits and so saved himself and Company In Poictou the Houses of the Gentry are demolished and excessive Cruelties by the Mission to make them renounce their Religion The Lady of a Person of Quality who for his Constancy was imprisoned after that his House had been pulled down was clapt up between four Walls where though she was big with child and very near her time yet she was starved to death with Cold and Famine In the Burrough of Torique three Leagues from Niort Frances Aubin a Country Woman declaring her resolution to persist unchangeably in the Protestant Religion they first squeezed her Fingers to pieces with Iron Skrews and then hung her up by her Arm-pits smoaking and forcing her to suck in with her Nostrils Tobacco and Brimstone afterward these bloody Villains tied her Legs unto a Horse who drew her upon burning Faggots Her own Brother of the same name was an Eye-witness of all her Sufferings who also was tortured by them but in another manner And forasmuch as none of these Cruelties could make them either loose their Resolutions or their Lives they flung them both into a low Ditch whence they were taken out almost knee deep in Mud and Water Another Inhabitant of the same place called Fountayne was hung up also by the Arms smoakt with Tobacco her Fingers burnt by a light fire and then thrust into a Dungeon to die of Cold and Hunger as a Man of S. Maixant had done before her A Gentleman of Augumois they tormented to death by pouring into his Mouth boiling Aqua Vitae and Wines and Water They gagged two Gentlewomen of the same Province and had almost killed them by a great quantity of Wine which they forced down their Throats Another Lady of Quality whilst they consum'd her Goods before her face they watching her by day and night forced her to turn the Spit without any Rest or Intermission and this hath been an ordinary practice to keep people so long waking 7 8 9. days and nights together the Dragoons watching by turns till these poor Creatures having lost their Senses and not knowing what Questions are put them or Answers they make unto them are intangled carried to a Popish Church and two Witnesses swearing they saw this though a delirious Person at Mass if afterward by Sleep or Food they came to themselves again and declare that they be Protestants they are condemned for Relapse and burnt to death without Mercy An Eminent French Minister gave the Writer hereof this Relation That Jan. 23. 1685. a Woman had her sucking Child snatch'd from her Breasts and put into the next Room which was only parted by a few Boards from hers These Devils incarnate would not let the poor Mother come to her Child unless she would renounce her Religion and become a Roman Catholick Her Chiled crys and she crys her Bowels yearn upon her poor miserable Infant but the Fear of God and of hell and losing her Soul keep her from Apostasie however she suffers a double Martyrdom one in her own person the other in that of her sweet Babe who dies in her hearing with Crying and Famine before its poor Mother Monsieur Elias Boutonnet a Merchant of Marans near Rochell was martyr'd by these bloody Miscreants after this manner They hung him up by the Heels to a Post of his own House and smoak'd him to death with wet Straw set on fire SECT XLV The Martyrdom of Monsieur Homel Pastor of the Church of Vivaretz in the Province of Sevennes in the Kingdom of France who was with most Hellish Cruelty broken upon
Allâ—giance and Obedience to the King their Soveraign This was all his offence but his Function was the greatest For this he must die But he suffers death triumphantly Died Abner as a Fool Monsieur Hommel liv'd a Saint died a Martyr Some Passages of his Martyrdom are fallen into my hands written by an eye and ear Witness of them which for the Reader 's satisfaction are here communicated without addition or alteration I count my self happy said this dying Saint that I can die in my Master's quarrel What! would my gracious Redeemer descend from Heaven unto Earth that I might be lilted up from Earth to Heaven would he undergo an ignominious Death that I might be possessed of a most blessed Life Verily if after all this to prolong a frail and miserable life I should lose that which is everlasting should I not be a most ungrateful wretch unto my God and a most cruel Enemy to my own Happiness No! no! the Dye is cast I am immoveable in my resolution I breath after that Hour O! when will that good Hour come which will period my present miserable life and give me the injoyment of one which is infinitely more blessed Farewel my dear Wife I know your Tears your continual Sighs hinder your bidding me Adieu Don't be troubled at this Gibbet upon which I must expire 't is to me a triumphal Chariot which will carry me into Heaven I see Heaven open'd â—â—d my sweet Jesus with his out-stretched Arms ready to receive me yea he will receive me who is the Divine Spouse of my Soul I am leaving the World in which is nothing but adversity that I may get to Heaven and enjoy everlasting felicity You shall come unto me I shall never any more come back to you All that I recommend unto you is Educate our dear Children in the fear of God and be careful that they swerve not from that way prescribed them in the Holy Scriptures I have bequeathed them a little Formulary for their Instruction that if ever they be brought into the like condition with my self they may undergo it couragiously And be confident in the goodness of our God who will send them the Divine Comforter to strengthen them in all their Straits and Distresses Prepare them for Suffering betimes that so in that great day when we shall appear before the Judgment-seat of Christ we may be able to bespeak him Lord Here we are and the Children which thou hast graciously given us Ah! I shall never have done Ah! why am I hindred from my departure why am I kept so long in this my earthly Tabernacle Farewel my dear People 't is the last Farewel I shall ever give you Be ye stedfast be ye fixed And know that I never preached to you any thing but the pure Truth of the Gospel the true way which leads unto Heaven Some one then told him He spake too much How said he do I speak too much I speak nothing but the very truth I have neither spoken nor done any thing that was in the least offensive to the Sacred Majesty of our August Monarch But on the contrary I have always exhorted the People committed by the Lord unto my charge to render those Honors which are due unto our King and have inform'd them that our Lives and Fortunes are at his disposal and that we are bound to employ them in the defence of his Estate and Crown But as for our Consciences we hold them of our God and must keep them for him Then his Judges leaving him ordered the Executioner to do his office which he did breaking his Arms and his Legs And being then demanded whether he would die a Roman Catholick He answer'd How my Lords Had it been my design to have changed my Religion I would have done it before my Bones had been thus broken to pieces I wait only for the hour of my dissolution Courage Courage O my Soul Thou shalt presently injoy the delights of Heaven And as for thee O my poor Body thou shalt be reduc'd to dust but 't is that thou may'st be raised again a Spiritual Body Thou shalt see things that never enter'd into the heart of man and which are in this life impossible to be conceived He again addressed himself unto his Wife Farewel once more my well-beloved Spouse I am waiting for you But know though you see my Bones broken to shivers yet my Soul is replenished with unexpressible Joys He utter'd many excellent Matters which are now slipt my memory Only I shall not omit that he kiss'd his very Judges who poured out a shower of Tears being astonished at so great a constancy His eyes were always lifted up to Heaven He never gave one Cry for all the Blows that were laid upon him after the first His Life was had in singular veneration and as long as this Earth shall continue his Death will be in admiration Let 's imitate this Great Man of God and persevere unto the end tho' with the loss of our Lives in the true Religion which is that only that will conduct us to the Heavenly Paradise Amen I intended â—â—od willing to write his Life at large and to publish it shortly in my Icones N. B. Every Limb every Member and every Bone in his Body were broken with the Iron Bar forty Hours before the Executioner was permitted to strike him upon the Breast which gave him as they call it Le Coup de Grace the Blow of Mercy that Death-stroke which put an end unto all his Miseries Before we proceed any farther I shall desire the Reader to remark SECT XLVI 1. That in the Head of these booted and armed Apostles besides their own Military Officers and Commanders there marched the Intendants of every Province and District together with the Bishops of the Diocess accompanied with a Troop of fiery Zealots Missionaries Monks and other Romish Churchmen The Intendants gave out such Orders as they conceived would most effectually promote and facilitate the conversion of the Hereticks and suppress natural Bowels and Pity in case any such arise and move in the Dragoons or their Officers The Prelates kept open House to receive Abjurations and to have a strict and careful eye that nothing might be done contrary to the Intentions of the Clergy 2. When the Dragoons had made some to relent and yield by their inhumane Cruelties they presently change their Quarters and are sent to plague those of the Reformed who do yet persevere in their fidelity to Christ and the Gospel So that often times these had at once all the Dragoons quartered upon them which were before dispersed among all the Inhabitants of that place This was a burden insupportable 3. That in the most eminent Cities and Towns of the Province they were careful by the Intendants or some other means to procure some persons to change their Religion before they sent their Troops thither and these new Converts must be aiding and assisting in perverting others So
or others that may sing Masses for the Dead is he to be deposed from his Office We answer Let him be first heard in the Consistory speak for himself before they proceed unto his Deposal XXVII It was demanded Whether the Word of God might be preached publickly without Authority from the Civil Magistrate Answer was given That there should be special care had of the Time and Publick Peace and above all that there be no Tumults nor Sedition XXVIII The Churches of Paris Orleance and Rouan are deputed by this present Synod to Protest against the Popish Council now held at Trent and of the Nullity of all its Decisions and Decrees and their Protestation shall be done either by Printed Books or Oral Remonstrances unto the King's Majesty or by any other way as they shall judge needful XXIX It is now Decreed That the Deputies of the Provinces when they go to Court shall take with them our Confession of Faith and consult among themselves how to present it unto His Majesty together with the Petitions of our Churches and to this purpose they shall make Application unto those Lords who they know to be Favourers of our Cause and Religion XXX Whereas divers Persons do solicite this National Synod to supply the Congregations who have sent them hither with Pastors they are all answered That at present we are utterly unable to gratifie them and that therefore they be advised to set up Propositions of the Word of God and to take special care of Educating hopeful young Men in Learning in the Arts Languages and Divinity who may hereafter be imployed in the Sacred Ministry and they are most humbly to Petition the Lord of the Harvest to send Labourers who may get it in XXXI May he be admitted to communicate in the Bread only at the Lord's Table who hath an Antipathy against Wine Yes he may provided that he do his utmost to drink of the Cup but in case he cannot he shall make a Protestation of his Antipathy The End of the Synod of Poictiers THE ACTS DECISIONS and DECREES OF THE III. National Synod OF THE Reformed Churches of Christ IN The KINGDOM of FRANCE HELD At ORLEANCE in the Year of our LORD 1562. The Contents of this Synod Chap. I. A Moderator and two Scribes chosen Chap. II. General Matters The Synod to be called the General or National Church-Council of the Kingdom Chap. III. Discipline exercised upon Delinquents Chap. IV. Various Matters Cases of Conscience c. THE Synod of Orleance 1562. Synod III. SYNOD III. Articles of the National Synod held at Orleance the Twenty fifth Day of April in the Year One thousand five hundred sixty and two after Easter in the Second Year of K. Charles IX CHAP. I. Monsieur De Chandieu was a very learned French Divine His Works are 1. The Marks of the True Church 2. De L'Vnique Sacrifice 3. Contra les Traditions c. in Follo He was Lord of Chandieu and Baron of Chabot chosen by the Church of Paris to be their Pastor at Twenty Years of Age and Moderator of this National Synod at Twenty three A Gentleman of eminent Piety and Gravity He was desired by the King of Navary to be his Pastor and upon his Death removed to Geneva where he was called to the Pastoral Office in that City and discharged it with very great fidelity He never took any Wages for his Work in the Ministry He wrote himself Sadeel which is the Hebrew of Chandieu The Field of GOD. He died of an Hectick Fever in the 57th Year of his Age saith Mr. Du Thou but he was mistaken for it was in the 63d Anno 1591. Melchior Adams hath writ his Life among his Theolog. Exteri ANthony de Chandieu Minister in the Church of Paris chosen President Robert le Macon Lord La Fountaine Minister in the Church of Orleance and Peter Sevin Deacon of the Church of Paris chosen Scribes by General Consent of the Deputies CHAP. II. General MATTERS This Synod bears the Name and has the Authority of a General Council by the Advice of the Assembly I. THE Ministers and Elders Convocated in this Assembly of Orleance for the General Council of France following the Determination of the last Synod held at Poictiers are of Opinion That the present Assembly should have and bear the Name and Authority of the Council General of the Deputies of this Kingdom notwithstanding that several Deputies are absent who shall be sufficiently informed of Matters debated and resolved in this Council together with the Reasons for which notwithstanding their absence we were constrained to proceed without them all which shall be more largely declared in the next General Council where also shall be heard the Reasons of those absent Deputies for their Non-attendance and their Arguments if need be against the Decisions of the present Council Ministers of Princes and great Lords shall sign the Confession of Faith II. The Princes and other great Lords following the Court in case they would have Churches instituted in their Houses shall be desired to take such for their Pastors as are Ministers in Churches truly Reformed bringing with them sufficient Testimonials of their Lawful Call unto the Ministry who shall before their Admission subscribe the Confession of Faith of the Churches in this Kingdom and our Church-Discipline And that the Preaching of the Gospel may be more successful the said Protestant Lords shall be requested every one of them to erect a Consistory There shall be a Consistory in their Houses composed of the Ministers and other Persons most eminent for Piety in their said Family by which Consistory all Scandals and Vices shall be supprest and the Rules of Discipline observed Moreover those Ministers shall be present at Provincial Synods if it may possibly consist with their occasions And that this may be effected the Council hath ordained That the Province in which the Synod shall be assembled shall be obliged to call them to it And those Ministers especially or a part of them shall be there present being deputed by the rest unto the General Synods together with their Elders who may inform the said General or Provincial Synods of their Lives and Conversation And in case the said Lords and Princes have divers Houses they shall be advertis'd None to have preheminence over another that none of their Ministers may pretend domination or preheminence over another according to that Article of our Church-Discipline in this case expresly provided And when as the said Lords and Princes shall reside in those Houses of theirs where there is a Church already formed we desire for the preventing of all Divisions that the Church in their Family would joyn itself unto the Church of that place and for that time to make but one Assembly III. Whenas the Lord's Supper shall be celebrated in the close of every Synod according to the Fourth Article of our Church-Discipline in the Acts of the First National
Pastors and Elders as they be obliged by that Article of our Discipline otherwise they shall have no power of Voting in that Synod XIII In explaining the fifth Article of the tenth Chapter of our Discipline concerning Funerals it was decreed That Ministers should hinder the distribution of the Deceased's Alms at their Interrments that so those inconveniences which would otherwise fall out may be prevented XIV That Article of the Synod of Saumur concerning the Administration of Baptism after Singing the last Psalm before the Blessing shall be inserted into the eleventh Chapter of our Discipline XV. Having read and carefully examined the Memoirs sent from the Provinces concerning the fifth Article of the thirteenth Chapter of our Discipline about the Form in which Promises of Marriage are to be conceived and uttered this Assembly ordereth That both that Article of the Discipline and of the last Synod of Saumur shall be amended and that the Churches be left to their own liberty and discretion either to use the words de praesenti or de futuro XVI In explaining the tenth Article of the same Chapter this case was propounded by the Colloquy of Foix A Man espoused the Widow of the Deceased who was married to his own Sister in a former Marriage The Synod judgeth That such a Marriage is not incestuous nor comprised in the said Article forasmuch as Affinity ceaseth by Death and proceedeth not beyond the Persons conjoyned by that said Affinity XVII A Question was moved upon reading the 16th Article of the 13th Chapter Whether it were lawful to give them a Certificate to be married out of their own Churches Who desired it for this reason only that they might avoid Bewitching and Impotency procured by tying the Point This Assembly ordaineth That it shall not in the least be granted them and adviseth them not to give way unto such fears proceeding from their weakness and unbelief and the Faithful are exhorted to arm themselves against such Attempts by an entire confidence in God's Holy Word and by fervent Prayers to vanquish such Illusions and to come unto the Ordinance of Marriage when blessed in our Churches with more Reverence Attention and Devotion than is usual XVIII The Assembly decreed about the 23d Article of the same Chapter concerning Widows Marriages That they shall not be admitted to contract Marriage till seven Months and fourteen days be fully expired after their Husbands Death XIX The 21st * * * It 's the 20th Article Article of the same Chapter being examined the Church in the House of her Highness the King's Sister craved Advice for their Conduct in that great Concern of her Royal Highness's Marriage with the Prince of Lorrain because althô she had employed the Authority of the Provincial Synod and of divers famous Persons both within and without the Kingdom yet she cannot any longer hinder it This Synod approving their Duty judgeth this Marriage utterly unlawful nor shall it be permitted in any of our Churches and Letters to this purpose shall be written to her and all Ministers are enjoyned carefully to observe this Article otherwise they shall be suspended and deposed from their Ministry And this Injunction shall be annexed to the Articles of our Discipline N.B. She would not be married after the Popish way and could not after the Protestants Henry IV. her Brother found out a temper got the Archbishop of Roven his Natural Brother to pronounce only the formal words of Marriage in his Cabinet the King himself joyning their Hands and the Duke of Barr went immediately to Mass and she to a Sermon at Court See the 28th Artic. of Part. Matters of the Nation Synod of Gâ—rgâ—aâ— XX. A Case was propounded upon the Article of Incests A Maid was married in her Nonage to one who in his first Marriage had espoused her Aunt by Papal Dispensation and had Children by her now she is since come to the knowledge of the Truth embraceth and makes open profession thereof but not her Husband she also hath born him Children may this Woman be received into Communion with our Churches This Assembly distinguishing between Affinity and Consanguinity and considering the time wherein the said Marriage was contracted and that the Dispensation such as it was is reputed a Law in this Kingdom and because the Husband is of the contrary Religion adviseth That without approving the said Marriage she be received unto Communion with us in the Sacraments And this shall be published unto the People XXI On the Article of Publick Penance for Scandals the Province of Higher Languedoc moved Whether a Man convicted and condemned by the Civil Magistrate for a certain Crime which yet he pertinaciously denieth may be received to the Peace and Fellowship of the Church without undergoing Publick Penance This Assembly judgeth That in the first place the past Life of this condemned Person be revised and examined and then the Accusations brought in against him the Witnesses attesting them and the Judges passing Sentence on him and then to ponder all Circumstances and Proofs over and above what were produced before the Magistrate and if alter the greatest diligence used herein and Adjurations made him in the Name of God to confess the Truth he still persists in his denyals he may be received unto the Lord's Table provided that the Church be publickly acquainted in his presence that the Judgment of the whole Process lieth between God and his own Conscience XXII Instead of those words in the beginning of the * * * It is now the 23th Art 26th Article of the same Chapter Who shall have dwelt there shall be inserted Who being espoused shall have dwelt together XXIII A Case being moved Whether Lands might be purchased on these Terms That you keep up Divine Service as 't is called in the Church of Rome This Assembly is of Opinion That we should make a difference between those who purchase upon Terms of paying such and such Suits and Service unto a Bishop Abbot or Curate and those who in downright Terms scruple the causing Mass to be said or sung the former of these be not liable to Church Censures but the latter must be informed that they cannot with a safe Conscience neither possess nor acquire such Lands or Leases XXIV Proctors and Advocates i. e. Attorneys and Counsellors professing the Reformed Religion may not take of their own accord Monitories out of the Popish Ecclesiastical Courts But Judges being Publick Persons and having Authority to declare what is Law and ought to be done may order what they shall do in such Cases XXV The last clause of the 13th Article in the Chapter of Ministers shall be struck out because 't is comprised in the 15th Article of the last Chapter of our Discipline concerning Particular Orders XXVI Divers Provinces complaining of the Licentiousness of Printers in publishing all sorts of Books Cities and Churches having Printers in them are advised to suffer no Book to get into the Press
to appear at Court and that he was at the Expence of printing the Confession of our Faith This Assembly gives him the Sum of seventy Crowns to reimburse his Charges and thanketh him for his care and faithfulness in the delivery of those Letters and for having communicated with Monsieur Piscator and brought back with him his answers But order is given unto the Synod of Lower Guyenne to examine him upon some certain points mentioned in the aforesaid answers as for styling himself the Messenger or Ambassador of the Churches and for submitting the Confession of Faith of the Churches of this Kingdom to the Censures of Forreign Universities and in case these can be proved upon him he shall be censured And forasmuch as the Letters of Monsieur Piscator have been communicated to others before they were tendered to this Assembly the said Synod shall make a strict inquiry into this matter and know whether Monsieur Regnault were guilty of it or no. CHAP. II. Observations on reading the Confession of Faith 1. ON the tenth Article in which it 's said that the whole off-spring of Adam are infected with Original Sin The Pastors of Lauzanna by their Letters request that our Lord Jesus Christ may be excepted But it was not found needful to accord it to them because that it 's expresly mentioned in another Article of the same Confession and for that in this place it is to be understood of other persons as also for that the Scripture expresseth this in plain terms 2. Whereas the Synod of Gap had charged the Provinces to consider in what terms the twenty fifth Article of the Confession of Faith should be couched and to come prepared for it unto the present Synod and to judge whether any mention should be made of the Catholick Church spoken of in the Apostles Creed as also whether it would not be expedient to add the word pure to that of true Church in the twenty ninth Article and that all in general should come ready to debate that Question of the Church The Provinces having been heard speak by their Deputies it was finally resolved by common unanimous consent that nothing should be added to or taken from these Articles and there should be no more discourse had about that point of the Church 3. It was Decreed that nothing should be added unto the eighth Article of our confession which treats of Justification because it 's couched in the very express words of Scripture and in its own common phrase Those Explications and Amplifications desired by some may be received either from Doctors in our Universities or Pastors of our Churches 4. Whereas Doctor John Piscator Professor in the University of Herborn by his Letters of answer to those sent him from the Synod of Gap doth give us an account of his Doctrine in the point of Justification Concerning Man's Justification in the Opinion of Piscator as that it 's only wrought out by Christ's Death and Passion and not by his Life and Active Obedience This Synod in no wise approving the dividing causes so nearly conjoined in this great effect of Divine Grace and judging those arguments produced by him for the defence of his cause weak and invalid doth order that all the Pastors in the respective Churches of this Kingdom do wholly conform themselves in their Teaching to that form of sound words which hath been hitherto taught among us and is contained in the Holy Scriptures to wit That the whole Obedience of Christ both in his Life and Death is imputed to us for the full remission of our Sins and acceptance unto Eternal Life and in short that this being but one and the self-same Obedience is our entire and perfect Justification And the Synod farther ordains that answer shall be made unto the Letters of the said Doctor Piscator propounding to him this Holy Doctrine together with its principal foundations yet without any vain jangling and with that devotion as becomes the singular modesty expressed by him in his Letters to us wherein there is not the least bitterness or provoking expression leaving it unto God who can when he pleaseth reveal unto him the defects which are in the Doctrine of the said Piscator as also to assure him that he hath exceedingly satisfied this Assembly in his Explications on that Topick of Repentance The suppression of the Book of Felix Huguet on the point of Justification for being written without the Warrant tho' in the name of all our Churches against Piscator 5. Letters were sent by Mr. Felix Huguet Minister of the Gospel together with two Copies of a Book writ by him in Latine concerning Justification which said book he had for some time past caused to be Printed at Geneva without the knowledge of the Pastors of that City or the Approbation of the Pastors of the Province of Dolphiny where he resides Upon report made of it by several Brethren Pastors of Churches ordered to peruse the said Book both as to its style and matter The Synod judgeth the said Huguet to have incurred a most grievous censure first for writing in the name of the Synod in a matter of General concern without any warrant from it for so doing and secondly for giving a publick answer to a Book which was never published and lastly for having Printed his Book contrary to the Canons of our Church-discipline And therefore it ordaineth that the said Book be suppressed and that thanks be returned to the Magistrates of Geneva for their preventing of its publick sale and to intreat them that for the future they would totally suppress it And farther the Synod hath thought good that in the Letter which shall be written unto Dr. Piscator he shall be acquainted that Huguets Book was writ without the order knowledge and consent of our Churches and only attempted by him upon a private caprice of his own without any publick Warrant or Authority for so doing Monsieur Sohnis answers orthodoxly and in the name and by order of the Churches unto Piscator 6. Whereas Monsieur Sohnis Pastor and Professor of the Church and University of Montauban hath at the desire and in the name of this Assembly written Letters and an Answer unto those of Piscator which upon perusal are found very orthodox It 's ordered that thanks be returned unto the said Sohnius for his labour and diligence but yet for peace and concord 's sake it 's thought good to detain them by us for a while and Monsieur Sohnis is intreated to suspend the publication of his Treatise about Justification for some short time till we see what fruits the sweet and gentle procedures may produce and the next National Synod shall then license it 7. Monsieur Regnault Pastor of the Church of Bourdeaux having sent us the Copy of Letters written to him by the most Illustrious Lord John Earl of Nassau in which he expresseth his desire of maintaining the Peace and Union of the Church and
which he hath prepared that we should use and walk in CANON IX This self-same Election was not done out of fore-seen Faith and Obedience of Faith Holyness or any other good Quality and Disposition as a Cause or Condition prae-required in Man that is to be Elected but that God might give him Faith and Obedience of Faith and true Holyness And therefore Election is the Spring and Fountain of all saving Good from which flow out Faith Holyness and all other saving Gifts yea Everlasting Life it self as the Fruits and Effects thereof according to that saying of the Apostle Ephes 1.4 He hath chosen us not because we were but that we might be Holy and Unblameable before him in Love CANON X. Now the Cause of this free Election is the only good pleasure of God which doth not stand in this that he hath chosen as a Condition of Salvation some certain Humane Qualities or Actions which are possible to be done but in this that he hath took unto himself some certain select Persons from among the vast Multitude and Community of Sinners to be his peculiar Inheritance Even as it is written Rom. 9.11 12 13. Before the Children were born and before they had done good or evil c. It was said unto her viz. Rebecca the Elder shall serve the younger as it is written Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated And Acts 13.48 And all those who were ordained unto Eternal Life they believed CANON XI And forasmuch as God is most wise unchangeable knowing all things and Almighty therefore his Decree of Election can never be broken off nor changed nor revoked nor disanulled nor can the Elect be reprobated nor their number impaired and diminished CANON XII The Elect are in due time assured of their Everlasting and Unchangeable Election unto Salvation though it be done gradually and in a very unequal measure Nor do they get it by a curious diving into the Depths and Secrets of God but upon an exact scrutiny into their own hearts they meet with Spiritual Joys and Holy Heavenly Rejoycings and with those infallible Fruits of their Election noted and recorded in the Word of God such as Faith unfeigned in the Lord Jesus a Filial Fear of God Godly Sorrow for Sin and hungring and thirsting after Righteousness CANON XIII From this assurance and inward Sence and feeling of their Election Children of God do dayly take occasion for greater Abasement and deeper Humiliation of themselves before God and to adore the unfathomable depths of his Mercy and purge themselves from all filthiness both of Flesh and Spirit and also to love God most ardently and transcendently who hath first loved them with such a potent and unparallel'd Affection So far are they by this Doctrine from growing slothful careless carnally secure or negligent of Duty and of keeping the Commandments of God that they ordinarily through the just judgment of God are guilty of these sins who rashly and unwarrantably presuming of their Election do riot it at Noon day and turn the Grace of God into lasciviousness and refuse to walk in the good ways of Gods Elect. CANON XIV And as this Doctrine of Divine Election according to the Infinite wise Council of God was preached by the Prophets of old by our Lord Jesus Christ and by his Apostles under both Testaments and after recorded in the Holy Scriptures So also ought it now in our days to be taught publickly in the Church of God for whom it is principally designed but with a Spirit of Discretion Religiously and Piously in time and place relinquishing all curious Inquiries into the wayes of the most High and all to the Glory of Gods Holy Name the Peace and Comfort the Everlasting Life and Happyness of his People CANON XV. Moreover the Sacred Scriptures do render this Everlasting Free Grace of God in our Election the more illustrious and recommend it to us by testifying that all Men are not Elected but that some in the Eternal Election of God are passed by to witt those whom God in his good pleasure which is alwayes most Free most Righteous Unblameable and Unchangeable Decreed to leave in that gulph of common Misery whereinto by their own sin they had flung themselves headlong and not to give them saving Faith nor the Grace of Conversion but having abandon'd them to their own ways and lusts he doth finally in his Righteous Judgment condemne and punish them Everlastingly not only for their unbelief but also for all their other sins for the manifestation of his Justice This is the Decree of Reprobation which doth not in any wise make God the Author of Sin the very thought whereof is horrid Blasphemy but on the contrary doth demonstrate him to be a most dreadful irreprehensible and Righteous Judge and Revenger of all Sin CANON XVI Such who do not as yet effectually feel in their own Souls a lively Faith in Christ Jesus or a particular confidence of Heart in God Peace of Conscience a diligent care and endeavour to yield Filial Obedience and to glorifie God through Jesus Christ and do yet nevertheless use the means by which God hath promised to work those Graces in us they should not be discouraged when as they here speak or Reprobation nor should they reckon themselves in the number of Reprobates but they ought carefully to continue in the use of means and ardently to petition for that happy hour when this Grace of God shall be abundantly poured down upon them and to wait for it in all Reverence and Humility much less should they be affrighted at the Doctrine of Reprobation who when as they desire to be sincere Converts and would please God intirely and be delivered from this Body of Death sin dwelling in them yet cannot make so great a progress in Piety and Faith as they would Because God who is full of Mercy hath promised that he will not quench the smoaking flax nor break the bruised reed But this Doctrine is indeed terrible unto them who forgetting God and Jesus Christ our Saviour are totally imbondaged unto the heart-piercing cares of this present World and the Concupiscencies of their fiesh during the whole time of their unregeneracy CANON XVII Wherefore since 't is our Duty to judge of Gods Will by his Word which testifieth for the Children of Believers that they be Holy not indeed by Nature but through the singular benefit of the Covenant of Grace in which they be included with their Parents Fathers and Mothers fearing God should not doubt of their Childrens Election and Salvation whom God takes unto himself in their Infancy CANON XVIII In case any Person murmur against the free Grace of God in Election and the Severity of Gods Justice in Reprobation we should oppose them with that of the Apostle Rom. 9.20 O! Man who art thou that contendest with God And with those words of our Saviour Matth. 20.15 Is it not lawful for me to do with my own as I please
Converts are not alwayes so guided and moved of God as they may not through their own fault in some particular Actions swerve from the Conduct of his Grace and be seduced by the Lusts of the Flesh to obey it Therefore they ought alwayes to watch and pray that they may not be led into temptation and in case they neglect this their Duty they are not only obnoxious to be seduced and drawn away by the Flesh the World and Satan into grievous and atrocious Sins but by the just permission of God they do actually fall and that very shamefully And we have sad instances of this in David Peter and divers other Godly Persons mentioned in Scripture CANON V. In the mean while by such Sins they hainously offend God and render themselves guilty of Death they grieve the Holy Spirit they interrupt the Course and Exercise of their Faith they do wound their Consciences most sorely and may lose the Sence and Feeling of the grace of God for a time 'till that he do once again lift up the Light of his Fatherly loving Countenance upon them vvhich he may do upon the serious renevval of their Repentance and returning into the good vvayes of their Duty CANON VI. For God vvho is rich in Mercy according to the unchangeable purpose of Election doth not utterly take away from his own his Holy Spirit no not in their greatest and most lamentable falls nor doth he suffer them to fall so low as to lose the grace of Adoption and their Estate of Justification or to commit that Sin unto Death against the Holy Ghost Nor doth he so forsake them as to suffer them to be precipitated into Everlasting Destruction CANON VII For even under those falls God preserveth in them principally and most carefully his Immortal Seed of Regeneration so that it is not totally lost nor destroyed in them Yea and afterwards he doth truely and effectually renew them by his Word and Spirit and bring them to Repentance working in them a godly sorrow for their Sins so that with a contrite and broken heart they do petition for and obtain their pardon through Faith in the Blood of the Mediator and feel once again the Grace of a Reconciled God and adore his faithfulness and tender bowels of Compassion and do for the future work out their Salvation more sollicitously with fear and trembling CANON VIII So then 't is not from any Merit or Strength of their own but by the Sole and Soveraign Free Grace and Mercy of God that they do not totally loose Faith and Grace nor live and die and perish finally in their Sins which might easily have been done and without all doubt would have eventually befallen them had it not been for God himself who can in no wise suffer his Council to be changed nor his Promise to be vacated nor that their Calling decreed in his Eternal Purpose should be revoked nor the Merit and Intercession of the Lord Jesus and his keeping of them should be annihilated nor the Seal of his Holy Spirit to be evacuated and abolished CANON IX And as for that keeping of the Elect unto Salvation and the perseverance of true Believers in Faith Believers themselves may be and are according to the Degrees of their Faith assured of it by which they be certainly perswaded that they are and shall continue true and lively Members of Christs Church and that they shall obtain the forgiveness of all their Sins and at last Everlasting Life CANON X. And therefore this Assurance doth not arise from any particular Revelation which is besides or without the Word but it proceedeth from Faith in Gods promises which he hath most abundantly revealed in his Holy Word for our comfort and from the witness of his Holy Spirit together with our Spirit that we be the Children and Heirs of God Rom. 8.16 17. and finally from a Serious and Religious Study and endeavour to keep a good Conscience and the unwearied performance of good works And should Gods Elect be deprived here below of this Sacred Consolation that they shall obtain at last the Victory should they be destitute of this infallible pledge and earnest of Eternal Glory they would be of all Men the most miserable CANON XI Yet notwithstanding the Scriptures testifie that Believers must conflict in this Life with many doubts arising from the Flesh and being thus agitated with grievous temptations they may not then feel this full Consolation of Faith and this certainty of preserving But God the Father of all Consolation will not suffer them to be tempted above what they are able to bear but together with the temptation will give them strength to undergo it and a most happy issue out of it 1 Cor. 10.13 and by his Holy Spirit will again revive in them the assurance of their perseverance CANON XII And this Assurance of persevering to the end is so far from rendring true Believers proud or plunging them into Carnal Security that its rather the Soarce and Root of true Humility and of Filial Fear of true Godliness and Patience in all our Conflicts and Combats of most ardent Prayers constancy under the Cross confession of the Truth and of Solid Rejoycing in God So that the Consideration of this benefit is a Spur and Incentive to quicken and provoke them to a serious and dayly Exercise of Thanksgiving and good Works As is evident from Scripture Instances and the Examples of Saints CANON XIII So that when as the Confidence of Perseverance is enkindled again in the faithful which are recovered from their falls this doth not beget in them a laziness and neglect of Piety but a far greater care to keep themselves in the ways of God which are ordained for us to walk in And they retain the certainty of their hope least by abusing the Paternal Love and Kindness of their God he should once again turn away his gracious and loving Countenance from them the sight whereof is unto all the faithful far better than Life and the deprival of it far more bitter than Death and they should fall into greater anguish and torments of Conscience CANON XIV And forasmuch as it hath pleased God by his grace to begin his Work in us through the preaching of the Gospel so also will he preserve continue and perfect it by the Hearing Reading Counsels Threatnings and Promises of the Gospel and by our Usage of the Sacraments CANON XV. This Doctrine of the Assurance and Perseverance of Real Saints and sound Believers which is so abundantly revealed by God in his Word unto the glory of his Name and the Consolation of Pious Souls and which is imprinted by him on the hearts of the Faithful is such as no Flesh can comprehend Satan hates the World laugheth at the Ignorant and Hypocrites abuse and is opposed by erroneous Spirits But on the other hand it hath been ever beloved and that most ardently by the Spouse of Christ and as a most inestimable
born again not of corruptible Seed but of that which is incorruptible CANON IX Who teach That our Lord Jesus Christ did no where pray for the infallible perseverance of Believers in the Faith for they contradict our Lord himself Luke 22.32 I have prayed Simon Peter that thy Faith may not fail And the very Letter of St. John's Gospel chap. 17.11 where Christ saith that he did not pray for his Apostles only but also for all them who should believe by their Word Holy Father keep them in thy Name and ver 15. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the World but that thou shouldest keep them from evil CANON X. We Pastors and Elders whose Names are hereunder-written Deputies for the Reformed Churches of France unto the National Synod of Charenton St. Maurice near Paris in the Moneth of September 1623. do declare with all possible sincerity the Articles and Canons above-mentioned to be grounded on the Word of God and agreeable to the Confession of Faith owned and received in the Reformed Churches of this Kingdom from which in the presence of God we do protest that through his Grace we will never depart In confirmation whereof we have hereunto affixt our Names at Charenton aforesaid this 30th day of September 1623. Signed by the Pastors and Elders of the said Synod Durand Moderator De Baille Assessor Faucheur and Scribes De Launay Scribes Berbie Pastor of the Church of Quaissac J. Clerc de Chambrun Chamier Pastor of Montlimart J. le Pelletier Pastor in the Church of Vandome Savoys Pastor in the Church of Castres Sir John Embelier Jurieu Pastor of Chastillon on the Loir Villon Faures J. M. de Langle Pastor of Rouen P. Paulet Pastor of Vezenobre Avignon Pastor of Rennes P. Beraud Pastor and Professor in the Church of Montauban Lottiby Pastor at Poitiers William Rivett Pastor of Taillebourg in Xaintonge CHAP. XXVII Remarks upon some of the Deputies Commissionated unto this Synod 1 MOnsieur Durant the Moderator was first Minister to the Landgrave of Hesse and after to that Excellent Princess Katharine Dutchess of Barr only Sister of Henry the Fourth and at last Pastor of the Church of Paris He was a very Holy Man of God a most Eloquent and Zealous Preacher he was like Lightning and Thunder in the Pulpit There be Three Excellent Sermons of his in print upon the Nineteenth Verse of the Fifth Chapter and First Epistle to the Thessalonians He grew sickly after his return from this Synod and dyed in the Year 1626. 2. Peter de Launay who was the Lay-Scribe in this Synod was a very Learned Gentleman and of great Reputation in the Churches of France He hath written Commentaries upon all the Epistles of Paul in French which are printed in Two Volumes in Quarto He Commented also but under another Name upon the Prophesie of Daniel and the Apocalypse of St. John 3. Adrian Chamier was the Worthy Son of the Great Chamier the Third Minister successively from his Grandfather a Pious Minister in Dolphiny I knew five of his Grandsons all Learned and Godly Ministers and Exiles for Christ The Ministry hath been in this Family for Six Generations Monsieur Leger that was a Pastor in the Churches of the Valleys of Piedmont writes that the Ministry had been in his Family for above Four Hundred years and that his Grandfather preached when he was above an Hundred Years Old See Legers Histoire General des Vaudols Livre 2. pag. 360. Adrian Chamier was for his great Prudence and Ability to manage Synodical businesses chosen Deputy to several of their National Synods He succeeded his Father in the Pastoral Office in the Church of Montlimart Of whom God lending me Life I shall say more in my Icones 4. Jurieu he was the Father of Monsieur Jurieu the Learned Pastor and Professor of Divinity in the French Church and Illustrious School of Rotterdam 5. Beraud he succeeded his Father in both Functions as Pastor of the Church and Professor of Divinity in the University of Montauban 6. Monsieur William Rivet he was Brother to Andrew Rivet Professor of Divinity at Leyden distinguisht from him by the Title of Lord of Champvernon He would never remove from his Church of Taillebourg He was very dear unto the House of Tremouille Deputy to several National Synods a Man of singular prudence and dexterity in the management and dispatch of the Synodical Affairs insomuch that when he died there was a great lamentation for him because of that great loss the whole Province sustained in his Death But God made it up in Two years time by raising up Twenty Ministers capable of doing all Services in their Provincial Synod as I have been credibly informed by some Ancient and Eminent Pastors of Poictou He was a Man of great Learning He hath writt de Justificatione and another Book de Invocatione Adoratione Sanctorum defunctorum I have seen another piece of his in French of the Authority of the Scriptures in Quarto and there is a Fourth in Octavo Des droicts de Dieu Sir Augustus Galland was the first Commissioner for the King in any of their National Synods He represented the King in this I suppose he was born in Bearn or Navar. He was a great Lawyer and Antiquary his Works are printed in one Folio viz. Memoirs pour L' Histoire de Navarre de Flandre par Guillemot Paris 1648. 8. Monsieur de Baux Lord of L' Angle Pastor of the Church of Caen The Reverend Dr. L' Angle Prebend of Westminster is his Son 9. Monsieur Mestrezat Of him see the Second Synod of Charenton in which he presided THE Acts Canons Decisions and Decrees OF THE XXIV NATIONAL SYNOD OF The Reformed Churches OF FRANCE AND BEARNE Assembled in The City of Castres in the Country of Albigeois In the Year of Our Lord 1626. The CONTENTS of the Synod of CASTRES 1 Chap. THE Lord Galland produced his Commission from the King to sit and represent His Majesty in this Synod The Commission it self Deputies to the Synod Election of the Synodical Officers Chap. II. The Kings writ for calling of the Synod and ordering of Matters in it Chap. III. The Commissioners Speech to the Synod Chap. IV. The Synods Answer to it Chap. V. The Kings Writ for Election of a new General Deputy upon the Death of the former Chap. VI. The Debate about that Writt Chap. VII The Synods Letter to the King about this Election Chap. VIII Their Deputies return with His Majesties Answer verbal and written The Kings Letter Monsieur Herbaut Miwister of State his Letter to the Synod Chap. IX The Lord Commissioners more ample Declaration of His Majesties Will and several points demanded by their Deputies Chap. X. The Kings Warrant and Order unto the Synod for the Nomination of their General Deputies without any Previous Political Assembly Chap. XI A Conference between the Synod and the Lord Commissioner Chap. XII A Remonstrance of the Lord of Angoulins on
very much confided yet he hath supported and doth still support by his own Almighty Arm the People of his Covenant confounding their Hopes who promised themselves no less than the utter Ruin of all our flourishing Churches upon the Change of their temporal Estate they not considering that the true Religion is kept up in the Hearts of God's Elect by the Efficacy of that Spirit of Life which having raised Jesus Christ from the Dead doth give Power and Virtue to the Faithful to triumph over all the Forces and Assaults of the World yea and of Death it self To this Occasion of Thanksgiving we will add another which is more particular viz. That since the Peace was ratified God hath filled our Hearts with Gladness by saving his Majesty to whose Clemency we owe our Peace from a great and horrid Conspiracy plotted against him by his perfidious Enemies and ours also The Lord grant that the lively Sense of his Benefits may make us groan for having sinned against him and inflame us with his Love and that we to whom he hath committed the Government of his House may be Pattners of Zeal and of every Christian Vertue and by the Light of sound Doctrine and of an Holy Life we may dissipate and drive away those black and dark Vices wherewith our Flocks have provoked his Anger for certainly we have very great Cause of Humiliation being as yet under the Cross and his Majesty's Edict in divers Points and Articles being not as yet executed observed or performed and the Malice of our Enemies increasing the Number of those Infractions and thereby the Measure of our Sufferings all which is ordered by the most holy wise Providence of our God for our Correction For as of old when he extended Mercy unto Jacob wrestling with him yet with a Blow from his own Hand he made him lame and halt ever after even so also now in these Deliverances from our past Miseries and Confusions which it hath pleased his Divine Grace to vouchsafe us yet hath he left divers Wounds on the Body of our Churches whereby to provoke us unto Repentance and to quicken us unto more Intenseness and Fervour in our Prayers and Supplications for the exciting of his Bowels of Compassion towards us We do acknowledg the free Grace of our God to be our truest Refuge and Sanctuary and that a Christian Patience and submissive Waiting for the Effects of his wise Providence will be our most assured Remedy against all the Evils that can befal us And we have this Consolation got by long Experience of the Vanity of all human Means and Aids that 't is in our Days as it was in ancient Times when God saved and restored his People it was not done by Might nor Power not by Arms nor by Swords and Bows but by his Spirit This self-same Spirit which levelled the great Mountains before Zorobabel and brought them into Plains worketh as powerfully now as heretofore so that we often see those very Mountains of Dangers and Difficulties which were raised up against his People reduced unto nothing giving us therefore a clear and full Knowledg of his great Name that he is wonderful in Counsel and excellent in Working Moreover we do give you farther assurance that it is our Intention That those who are called of God to serve and Minister before him in his House shall wholly and absolutely attend thereunto We well knowing that whilst with Moses in the Mount they give themselves to Prayer and apply themselves wholly to their Ministerial Work and Duty they will attract upon their People the Blessing of the Lord and they will be mighty with God for the throwing down of strong Holds and of every high thing that exalts it self against the Knowledg of God And whereas you remind us of that great Contentment you received at the sight of that Universal Harmony of our former Synods in Points of Doctrine and rejection of Errors which had troubled divers Churches we conceive our selves bound to promote the continuance of your holy Joys and Thankfulness unto God forasmuch as in this Assembly there was found but one Heart and one Soul to maintain the Confession of Faith and the Discipline of our Churches by which we know that the Lord will preserve his Heritage in this Kingdom he himself keeping up this Sacred Mound and Hedg by his own special Benediction whilst he hath broke to pieces that which was Terrene and Carnal in sundry places Yea 't is our hope that as heretofore he made his Ark triumph in Captivity and Dagon to fall down prostrate before it even then whenas Israel was most despicable so also in the midst of the Churches Sufferings shall his Gospel triumph over Superstition And as the Cross of his Son the Lord Jesus got the Victory over the World so shall the Cross of his Children which is also that of Christ be the Confusion of their Enemies This is most honoured Lords and Brethren our Consolation amidst the Ruins and Desolations of the Church of God in divers Regions of Europe which is intimated to us in your Letters Let us therefore lift up our Hands and Hearts unto our God that he would be pleased to take pity on the great and sore Afflictions of Joseph and that he would make Jerusalem a Praise and Renown in the whole Earth for his own Name 's sake Of which we have the more and greater Hopes because those great and violent Attempts of Satan do learn us that the time of his Confusion draweth near and we know that the Lord never humbleth nor casteth down his poor Church but with a design of exalting it and he layeth his Children as it were dead in their Graves that he may confound the World by raising them again from the Dead And inasmuch as amidst such horrible Afflictions God hath made your Church and Common-wealth a glorious Example of his Protection and of the Miracles of his Providence we render to his Divine Majesty from the bottom of our Hearts all possible Thanks and Praises and particularly for this that as your Golden Candlestick hath never wanted burning and shining Lights so also your University ceaseth not to educate and prepare for the Service of many Churches many fit and well-furnish'd Instruments for the Work of the Ministry In which we own and acknowledg the Zeal and Piety of our Lords your Magistrates to whom we do wish from the Lord of Lords all sorts of Benedictions And we praise God that through the goodness of our King we enjoy our ancient Priviledges of serving and building up the Churches in this Realm by their Ministry who owe their Education to your worthy Labours and Instructions and all our Provinces shall be as to their Profit so to your Contentment fully and sufficiently informed hereof at the return of their respective Deputies And in the mean while we most affectionately thank you for your singular care in cultivating and improving those many young and tender
Doctrine and Writings of the Sieurs Amyraud and Testard Pastors and Professor of Divinity in the Vniversity of Saumur The Sieurs Testard Pastor of the Church of Blois and Amyraud Pastor and Professor of Theology in the Church and University of Saumur came in Person unto this Synod and declared That they understood from common Fame how that both at home and abroad and by the Consutations and Proceedings of sundry Provinces as also from divers Books written against them and their printed Labours they were blamed for that Doctrine which they had published to the World that therefore at the first opening of the Synod they presented themselves before it not knowing but that their Cause might be debated whenas the Confession of Faith came to be read and that they appeared to give an account of it and such Explanations of their Doctrine as the most Reverend Synod should judg needful and to submit themselves unto its Judgment and consequently to demand its Protection for the support of their Innocence hoping that this Favour would not be denied them because they were fully perswaded in their Consciences that they had never taught either by Word or Writing any Doctrine repugnant to the Word of God to our Confession of Faith Catechism Liturgy or Canons of the National Synods of Alez and Charenton which had ratified those of Dort and which they had signed with their Hands and were ready to seal even with their Heart-Blood Article 13. And the Sieur de la Place Pastor and Professor in the Church and University of Saumur reported also from the said University That he was charged by it to render an account of the Grounds and Reasons which induced him to approve and license the Works and Writings of Monsieur Amâ—â—aud which he did according to the Priviledg granted by the Discipline unto our Universities Moreover the Sieur Ouzan Elder in the said Church of Saumur being admitted into the Synod declared that the said Church understanding that Monsieur Amyraud one of its Pastors was brought into trouble for his Doctrine though both by it and and his most exemplary and godly Conversation they had been always exceedingly edified had given him an express Charge to testify unto it before this grave Assembly and most humbly to commend unto their Reverences the Innocency and Honour of his Ministry Article 14. There were also tendred unto the Lord Commissioner the Letters but not opened which were sent unto the Synod from the Churches and Universities of Geneva and Leyden and from the Sieurs du Moulin Pastor and Professor in Theology at Sedan and Rivet Pastor and Professor at Leyden together with the Treatises composed by them and the collationed Copies of the Approbations given by the Doctors in the Faculty of Theology at Leyden Franequer and Groningen unto the Treatise of the said Professor Rivet Which Letters being opened by the Lord Commissioner and their Contents perused by him he allowed the reading of them unto the Assembly The Assembly did likewise read the Letters writ by Monsieur Vignier Pastor in the Church of Blois and by Monsieur le Faucheur Pastor in the Church of Paris in which they offer their Sentiments for reconciling the Controversies arisen about the Writings of the said Testard and Amyraud and their Opponents Article 15. Moreover the Apologetical Letters of the Sieurs Vignier and Garnier Pastors of the Churches of Blois and Marchenoir were read who informed the Synod that by virtue of a Commission given them by the Province of Berry to examine the Theological Writings which might be composed either by the Pastors or others of their Province they had given their Attestation and Approbation to the Book of the said Monsieur Testard and had given an account of this their Judgment unto the Provincial Synod assembled in the Year 1634 and the Extracts of those their Writings were produced Article 16. Those Papers having been all read and the aforesaid Sieurs Testard and Amyraud having been divers times heard and the Assembly having in a very long Debate considered the Difficulties of those Questions raised by them did constitute the Sieurs Commarc Pastor id the Church of Vertueil Charles Pastor in the Church of Montauban de L'angle Pastor in the Church of Roan Petit Pastor and Professor in the Church and University of Nismes le Blanc Pastor and Professor in the University of Die de Bons Pastor in the Church of Chaalons upon Saone and Daillé Pastor in the Church of Paris a Committee to digest and reduce into Order the Explications which had been given or might hereafter be given by the before-mentioned Testard and Amyraud and that they should accordingly as soon as it was finished bring in their Report Article 17. And the said Committee having discharged their Trust and made their Report unto the Synod the before-mentioned Mr. Testard and Amyraud were again introduced and did with the deepest Seriousness protest before God that it was never in their Thoughts to propound or teach any Doctrine whatever but what was agreeable to the known and common Expositions of our Creed and contained in our Confession of Faith and in the Decisions of the National Synod held at Charenton in the Year 1623 all which they were ready to sign with their best Blood Article 18. And pursuant hereunto explaining their Opinions about the Universality of Christ's Death they declared That Jesus Christ died for all Men sufficiently but for the Elect only effectually and that consequentially his Intention was to die for all Men in respect of the Sufficienâ—y of his Satisfaction but for the Elect only in respect of its quickning and Saving Virtue and Efficacy which is to say that Christ's Will was that the Sacrifice of his Cross should be of an infinite Price and Value and most abundantly sufficient to expiate the Sins of the whole World yet nevertheless the Efficacy of his Death appertains only unto the Elect so that those who are called by the Preaching of the Gospel to participate by Faith in the Effects and Fruits of his Death being invited seriously and God vouchsafing them all external Means needful for their coming to him and showing them in good earnest and with the greatest Sincerity by his Word what would be well-pleasing to him if they should not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ but perish in their Obstinacy and Unbelief this cometh not from any Defect of Virtue or Sufficiency in the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ nor yet for want of Summons or serious Invitations unto Faith or Repentance but only from their own Fault And as for those who do receive the Doctrine of the Gospel with the Obedience of Faith they are according to the irrevocable Promise of God made Partakers of the effectual Virtue and Fruit of Christ Jesus's Death for this was the most free Counsel and gracious Purpose both of God the Father in giving his Son for the Salvation of Mankind and of the Lord Jesus Christ in suffering the Pains
any other way than by the Merit of our Lord Jesus Christ or in any other Religion besides the Christian Article 26. And whereas divers Persons were much offended at the Professor Amyraud for calling that Knowledg of God which Men might gain from the Consideration of his Works and Providence unless their Corruption were extream by the Name of Faith The said Professor declared that he did it because he reckoned that that Perswasion which some have that there is a God and that he is a Rewarder may bear that Name he owning however that St. Paul did simply and plainly stile it the Knowledg of God 1 Cor. 1.21 The Assembly injoined him not to give the Name of Faith to any other Knowledg of God but unto that which is ingendred in us by the Holy Ghost and by the Preaching of his Word according as the Scripture useth it whether thereby to point out unto us the Faith of God's ancient Saints or this which is now under the New Testament and necessarily accompanied with a distinct Knowledg of Christ Article 27. And as for Man's natural Impotency either to believe or to desire and do the things that belong unto Salvation both the said Sieurs Amyraud and Testard protested that Man had none other Power than that of the Holy Spirit of God which is only able to heal him by an interiour illuminating of his Understanding and bending of his Will by that gracious invincible and uneffable Operation which he only exerts upon the Hearts of those Vessels of Grace which are elect of God Article 28. They did farther declare that this Impotency was in us from our Birth for which Cause it may be called natural and they have called it physical or natural nor ever did refuse so doing unless when they would signify that it is voluntary and conjoined with Malice and Obstinacy whenas Man despiseth and rejecteth the Invitations of God which he would receive and imbrace provided his Heart were well and fittingly disposed within it self Article 29. And Monsieur Testard added particularly that this doth not in the least derogate from what he had asserted concerning two Callings the one real and the other verbal given by God unto Men whereby they may be saved if they will sith that he intended thereby to signify nothing else but that their Impotency to convert themselves was not of the same kind with that of a Man who having lost his Eyes or Legs was willing with all his Heart to see and walk but that this Impotency sprung from the Malice of the Heart it self The Assembly having heard him thus express himself injoined him to abstain from these terms and not to use them unless with very much Prudence and Discretion and to join with them such needful Glosses and Explications as thereby it may appear that Man is so depraved by Nature that he cannot of himself will any Good without the special Grace of God which may produce in us by his Holy Spirit both to will and to do according to his good Pleasure Article 30. And those afore-mentioned Minister and Professor Testard and Amyraud having acquiesced in all as above declared and having sworn and subscribed to it the Assembly gave them the right Hand of Fellowship by the Hand of their Moderator and they were honourably dismissed to the Exercise of their respective Charges The Continuation of other General and Ecclesiastical Matters Article 31. FOrasmuch as the far greater Part of the Provinces have not took any Order about the Expences of their Deputies sent unto this Synod the Assembly desirous to provide for their Indemnity without Prejudice to that Vantage-Assessment they might lay claim unto or which had been granted to them did pass this Decree That their respective Provinces should pay them after the Rate of an hundred Sous being eight Shillings and four Pence Sterling Money a day and they shall be accountable to them for those Portions accruing from the Sum granted by his Majesty towards the defraying of our Synodical Expences Article 32. Henceforward whenas a Professor's Place in Theology in any one of our Universities comes by his Death to be vacant that it may not be any long time void and that the University-Councils may have fit Persons ready at hand whom they may chuse and call in to supply the Office of the Deceased this Synod desirous to repair so great a Loss exhorteth the Lords of Chamvernon de L'angle Texier du Soul Daillé Bochart of Caen to separate themselves unto the Profession of Theology that they may take it upon them whenever the Necessities of our Universities shall require it Article 33. Forasmuch as particular Actions cannot be truly and impartially judged but from a due Consideration had of all their Circumstances this Assembly not being able to enact a Canon concerning Persons accused of Bankerouting doth leave the whole Affair to the Prudence of Consistories how and in what manner to proceed against them as they shall see to be most expedient Article 34. The Province of Lower Guyenne having requested it the Assembly declareth that the appointing of publick Fasts and of all other Deliberations relating to the Discipline of our Churches and the upholding of their Order ought to be determined in Ecclesiastical Meetings by the Plurality of Pastors and Elders Suffrages without any preferring of one above another Article 35. Over and above those Attestations which Scholars are wont to bring with them from the Professors and Regents of those Universities under whose Direction they have followed their Studies the Synod doth ordain that they shall also take out Attestations from the Pastors and Consistory of their Lives and Conversations Article 36. Forasmuch as the Church judgeth not them that are without and doth not exercise any Jurisdiction on those who have quitted her Communion This Assembly judgeth it not meet that those Persons should be publickly from the Pulpit censured who that they might marry with Parties of a contrary Religion have abandoned the true Religion which they formerly professed Article 37. Without prejudicing the Rights of the Province of Provence and Burgundy this Assembly grants the Power of calling the next National Synod unto that of Anjou CHAP. XVI Particular Matters 1. THE Sieur de la Fite Solon Pastor of the Church of Bayon having presented the first part of a Book of Metaphysicks composed by him and dedicated unto this Assembly after they were examined about it who had been commissionated thereunto by the Synod of Lower Guyenne this Assembly ordered that it should be again perused by some of its Members who having made their Report the said Sieur de la Fite was praised and incouraged to employ those Gifts wherewith God had indowed him for the Illustration of the Truth and the Sum of three hundred Livers was voted to be given him which the Lord du Candall should pay him upon his Debet and the Monies so paid should be charged to the Accompt of the Churches 2. Monsieur
your Majesties Service as often as we shall have the Honour of your Commands and Summons 'T is in this posture Sire that we desire to Live and Die being not only by our Birth and Obligations but by our most Ardent Affections From Charenton December 28th 1644. Sire Your Majesties most Humble most Obedient and most Faithful Subjects and Servants the Pastors and Elders Assembled by Permission of your Majesty in the National Synod at Charenton and in the Name of them all Garrissoles Moderator Banage Assessor Blondel Scribe and Le Coq Scribe A Copy of the Letter Written by the Synod unto the Queen Regent Madam WE cannot but esteem this Day in which we lie prostrate at your Feet in the Persons of our Deputies as one of the most Happy Days of our Life No sooner had God intrusted your Majesty with the Government of this Kingdom but you may well remember how very diligent our Churches were to obtain this Honour whereof we stand now Possessed to signify in your Majesties Presence that exceeding Joy with which we were transported to see how the Providence of God was particularly concerned for the Weal of France and that when we had so sad an Occasion of Weeping and Mourning at the Death of our late King of Glorious Memory yet even then our Sorrows were Converted into Joys for your Majesties most Happy Exaltation unto the Regency which hath made us almost forgetful of our Loss the Sun now shining forth with greater Brightness than ever Only some cross Accidents interposed and deprived us of this Honour at that time and it was Madam the Will of God that before we appeared in your Majesties Presence we should joyn our then Hopes and Prejudices to those Experiences we all now have of the Blessings of God upon your most prudent and prosperous Government that so the Testimonies of our Joy might be the more Stately and Expressed in Terms far more Magnificent And that our Thankfulness might be Combined with our most Loyal most Humble and Dutiful Submissions Therefore Madam have we deputed unto your Majesty the Sieurs Vincent and Chabrol Pastors and de Panieure and de Clesles Elders to assure your Majesty on behalf of all the Churches of our deep Sense and Gratitude for all your Majesties Favours to us You have Madam continued to us his Majesty's Favours and those of his Royal Predecessors you have confirmed the Edicts granted us by your own Royal Declaration and which is more Madam 't is from your great Bounty that we now have the Liberty and Priviledge of this Assembly which we beseech your Majesty to repute as the most Vniform Meeting and most Harmonious Concourse of all the Hearts of your Subjects professing The Reformed Religion for the Service of your Majesties We Madam shall Love and Obey your Majesty Eternally nor shall any one be your Rival or Competitor with you for our Affections and we shall transmit this our Loyalty unto our Posterity after us as a most Essential part of our Religion And we beseech the Great God by whom Kings Reign and who hath hitherto caused the Lilies of your Crown to flourish so Gloriously that he would Madam be pleased to preserve you for the King our common Master and the King for your Majesty and both of you a long time for France and our Churches that so in the meeting and perpetual Conjunction of both those Luminaries this Kingdom may injoy the most Auspicious and most Beneficial Influences And that Madam your Regency may raise an Emulation in the most Accomplish'd and Consummate Monarchie's and that hereafter it may he a Domestick Pattern unto our King whereunto he may conform his Glorious Actions These Madam are the Vows and most ardent Prayers of your Majest's From Charenton December 28th 1644. Most Humble most Obedient and most Faithful Subjects and Servants the Pastors and Elders Assembled by your Majesties Permission in the National Synod at Charenton and for them all Garrissoles Moderator Banage Assessor Blondel and Le Coq Scribes CHAP. V. The Return of the Deputies with the Kings Answer 8. ON Thursday the Fifth of January the Sieurs Vincent Chabrol de Panieure and de Clesses returned unto the Synod with Letters from his Majesty and acquainted us with that favourable Audience and Reception they had from the King the Queen Regent his Royal Highness the Duke of Orleans the Lord Cardinal the Lord Chancellor the Lord Treasurer the Comptroller and from the Secretary de la Vrilliere Which obliged all the Churches to bless God for the good Success of their Deputation and seemeth to promise us a speedy Redress of our Grievances yet nevertheless according to our Bounden Duty all the Churches are enjoyned to offer up their most Ardent Prayers unto God for their Majesties Preservation in Health and Life for his Royal Highness the Duke of Orleans and for our Lords the Ministers of State And whereas the said Deputies had not the Honour of Waiting upon the Prince he being then out of Town the Synod ordred them immediately to return to Paris as soon as they had News of his Arrival and to deliver him his Letters and to assure his Highness that our Churches were his most Humble Servants A Copy of the King's Letter unto the Synod By the King Dear and Well-beloved 9. WE have Received your Letters of the Eight and Twentieth Day of the last Month and understand by them to our great Contentment and by your Deputies the Good and Sincere Intentions of your Assembly held by our Permission at Charenton to continue in that inviolable Fidelity and Obedience to us which is your indispensable Duty the which hath given all desirable Satisfaction both to us and to our most Honoured Lady and Mother the Queen Regent Wherefore we were willing you should be informed by this our Letter and we exhort you to persist in this your Resolution and that you would upon all Occasions render us the undeniable Tokens of it by your good Conduct and by your strict Observance of those Orders we have prescribed you about the holding if your National Synod and on all other occurrences whatsoever which may offer themselves for upholding the publicly Tranquillity of this Kingdom And thus performing your Duty to us as we trust you will you may be assured that you shall receive from our Bounty and from that of our most Honoured Lady and Mother the Queen Regent all sort of Protection and favourable Entertainment and shall be supported and preserved under the benefit of our Edicts your Enjoyment of which in all Liberty and Safety under our Reign as during that of our most Honoured Lord and Father the late King will be a singular Pleasure and Delight unto us Of which your Deputies who are now returning to you from us will give you a more full and particular Knowledge Given at Paris this Fourth Day of January 1645. Signed in the Original Louis And a little lower Phelippeaux The Superscription
Lord do expect and wait for this Fruit of your Eminency's great Goodness and whatever shall be received by us it shall be as a most refreshing Shower that shall cause our Hearts to fructifie more abundantly yea and the Hearts of all those of our Religion in that Love and Affection which they have ever had and which our Religion and our Interest inspireth us to have above all other his Majesty's Subjects for his Service and to have the Praise of being true Frenchmen firmly devoted to the Advancement of the State and to that respect which all France oweth unto your Eminency But whatever may be my Lord we invocate incessantly our common Redeemer that he would preserve your Eminency's Person in all Prosperity and bless your Counsels given unto his Majesty and cause them for the future as they have in times past to succeed to the Advantage of the State the Glory of his Majesty and the immortal Honour of your Eminency These are their Vows and Prayers who will conserve inviolably the Quality which they have ever had to be my Lord of your Eminency The most Humble and most Obedient Servants the Pastors and Elders Assembled in a National Synod at Loudun and for them all Daille Moderator c. 6. The Sieurs Eustache and Mirabel who were Deputed from this Assembly unto his Majesty being returned from their Journey gave an Account of their Deputation and delivered Letters from the King his Eminency and the Lord de la Vrilliere unto this Assembly and they received the Praise and Thanks of it for their Care and Labour A Copy of His Majesty's Letter DEar and Well Beloved We were very glad at the Receipt of your Letters dated the 18th Instant and to hear from the Mouths of your Deputies the Sieurs Eustache and de Mirabel the Thanks you have rendred us for our permitting you to hold this National Synod in our Town of Loudun and the Protestations of your inviolable Fidelity and Obedience to us and being well satisfied therewith we were willing to give you the knowledge of it by this our Letter and to exhort you to persist in your Godly Purposes and Duties and to afford us upon all occasions which may offer themselves for our Service the Evidences of your good Conduct And we farther assure you that whilst you continue your selves within the Bounds we require from your Synod and upon all other Occurrences which you may meet withal to maintain as much as in you lieth the publick Peace and Tranquility you shall also receive from us all good and favourable Usage and we shall be delighted to protect you under the benefit of our Edicts and of those of our most Honoured Lord and Father the late King as we have done until now and as we shall yet again once more assure you more particularly by your Deputies whom we return unto you very much satisfied In the mean while we do the more willingly allow the Continuation of the Lord Marquess of Ruvigny in the Office of General Deputy for your Churches near our selves because we are fully perswaded that he will always acquit himself with Care and Faithfulness of that Employ Given at Tholouse the Tirteenth Day of November One Thousand Six Hundred Fifty and Nine Signed LOVIS And a little Lower PHELIPPEAVX The Superscription was To our dear and well-beloved the Pastors and Elders Deputed unto the Assembly of the National Synod of our Subjects of the Protestant Reformed Religion held at Loudun Copy of his Eminency's Letter Sirs YOur Deputies delivered me the Letter which you took the pains to write me I owe you Thanks for your Civilities and the more because his Majesty being perswaded as he is of your inviolable Fidelity and of your Zeal for his Service 't is but needless and superfluous to mention any good Offices for you with his Majesty I pray you to believe that I have a very great Esteem for you as you do deserve it being such good Servants and Subjects of the King I have nothing more but to leave my self to what shall be related of me by your own Deputies and by the Dispatches of the Lord de la Vrilliere I remain Sirs Your most Affectionate to do you Service The Cardinal Mazarin The Sieur de la Morinaye was Deputed by this Assembly with Letters to my Lord Chancellor and to my Lord de Bertueil Comptroler General of the Exchequer and ordered to ride unto Paris and there to take up the Sixteen Thousand Livres Gratuity which his Majesty hath been pleased to bestow upon this Assembly for defraying the Expences of it's Deputies to which purpose the Orders of the Accomptants and the Assignment of my Lord High Treasurer was delivered into his Hands which was under Signed by the Sieur Eustache 7. The Assembly considering that since the Death of the Sieur Bazin General Deputy of our Churches for the Third Estate unto the King that there is no one to supply his Place so that my Lord Marquess of Ruvigny our General Deputy is even born down with the Duties of his Office at Court which is a very great Inconveniency to our Churches it was decreed That a most humble Petition should be tender'd unto his Majesty that he would be pleased to put us again into the Possession of this Priviledge And the Assembly hoping that this their Petition would not be unacceptable unto his Majesty and my Lord Commissioner not in the least opposing it was resolved that we should proceed immediately unto the Election of such Persons as should be presented unto his Majesty according to the usual Forms Which being done it was found that the Sieurs Loride des Galinieres Advocate in the King's Council and in Parliament Jassaud Advocate in the mixt Court of Castres and des Forges Le Coq Counsellor and Secretary to the King had the Plurality of Votes Whereupon it was decreed that my Lord Marquess of Ruvigny shall be intreated to notifie it unto the King as soon as possible together with the most humble Petition of this Assembly that his Majesty would be pleased to chuse one out of these Three according to Custom and to assign him the Salary which his Majesty and the Kings his Predecessors have given unto those who have exercised the said Office of General Deputy 8. Letters being Addressed to this Assembly by the Pastors and Professors of Divinity in the Church and University of Geneva and other Letters from the Pastors and Professors of Divinity in the Churches and Universities of the Cantons of Zurich Berne Basil and Schapheusen joyntly Signed by them they were delivered unto my Lord Commissioner who having first perused them did afterwards order them to be communicated unto the Assembly and to be read in it The Contents of which were large Expressions of their Affections to the Peace of the Churches of this Kingdom and their Joy at the Liberty which it hath pleased the King to give us and the Priviledge of Assembling
to whose Jurisdiction the Authors of these Disturbances do belong and against whom the Opposition is formed The Sieurs Testard Pastor of the Church of Blois and Amyrald Pastor and Professor of Theology in the Church and University of Saumur came in Person unto this Synod and declared that they understood from common Fame how that both at home and abroad and by the Consultations and Proceedings of sundry Provinces as also from divers Books written against them and their printed Labours they were blamed for that Doctrin which they had published unto the World that therefore at the first opening of the Synod they presented themselves before it not knowing but that our Cause might be debated whenas the Confession of Faith came to be read and that they came to give an Account of it and such Explanations of their Doctrin as the most Reverend Synod shall judge needful and to submit themselves unto its Judgment and consequentially to demand its Protection for the support of their Innocency hoping that this Favour would not be denied them because they were fully perswaded in their Consciences that they had never taught neither by Word nor Writing any Doctrin repugnant to the Word of God to our Confession of Faith Catechism Liturgy or Canons of the National Synod of Alez and Charenton which had ratified those of Dort and which they had Signed with their Hands and were even ready to seal with their Hearts Blood And the Sieur de la Place Pastor and Professor in the Church and University of Saumur reported also from the said University that he was charged by it to render an account of the Grounds and Reasons which induced him to approve and license the Works of Monsieur Amyraud which he did according to the Priviledge granted by the Discipline unto our Universities Moreover the Lord Ouzan Elder in the said Church of Saumur being admitted into the Synod declared That the said Church understanding that Monsieur Amyraud one of their Pastors was brought in trouble for his Doctrin tho both by it and his most exemplary Godly Conversation they had been always exceedingly edified they had expresly charged him to testifie unto it before this Grave Assembly and most humbly to recommend unto their Reverences the Innocency and Honour of his Ministry There were also tender'd unto the Lord Commissioner the Letters which were sent unto the Synod from the Churches and Universities of Geneva and Sedan and from the Sieurs du Moulin Pastor and Professor of Theology at Sedan and Rivett Pastor and Professor at Leyden together with the Treatises composed by them and the collationed Copies of the Approbations given by the Doctors in the Faculty of Theology at Leyden Franequer and Groningen unto that Treatise of the said Professor Rivett which Letters being opened by the Lord Commissioner and their Contents perused by his Lordship he allowed the reading of them unto the Assembly The Assembly read the Letters writ by Monsieur Vignier Pastor in the Church of Blois and by Monsieur Le Faucheur Pastor in the Church of Paris in which they offer their Sentiments for reconciling the Controversies arisen about the Writings of the said Testard and Amyraud and their Opponents Moreover the Apologetical Letters of the Sieurs Vignier and Garnier Pastors of the Churches of Blois and Marchenoir were read who informed the Synod that in vertue of a Commission given them by the Province of Berry to examin the Theological Writings which might be composed either by the Pastors or other persons of their Province they had given their Attestation and Approbation to the Book of the said Monsieur Testard and had given an account of their Judgment unto the Provincial Synod assembled in the year 1634. and the Extracts of those Writings were produced Those Papers having been all read and the aforesaid Sieurs Testard and Amyrald having been divers times heard and the Assembly having in a very long debate considered the difficulties of those Questions raised by them did constitute the Sieurs Commarc Pastor in the Church of Vertueil Charles Pastor in the Church of Montauban De L'Angle Pastor in the Church of Rouan Petit Pastor and Professor in the University of Nismes Le Blanc Pastor and Professor in the University of Die de Bons Pastor in the Church of Chaalons upon Saone and Daille Pastor in the Church of Paris a Committee to digest and reduce into order the Explications which had been given by the before-mentioned Testard and Amyraud and that as soon as it was finished they should bring in their Report And the said Committee having discharged their trust and made their report unto the Synod the before-mentioned Mr. Testard and Amyraud were again introduced and protested with the deepest Seriousness before God that it was never in their Thoughts to propound or teach any Doctrin whatsoever but what was agreeable to the known and common Expositions of our Creed and contained in our Confession of Faith and in the Decisions of the National Synod held at Charenton in the Year 1623 all which they were ready to sign with their best and purest Blood And pursuiant hereunto explaining their Opinions about the Universality of Christ's Death they declared that Jesus Christ died for all Men sufficiently but for the Elect only effectually and that consequentially his Intention was to Die for all Men in respect of the sufficiency of his Satisfaction but for the Elect only in respect of its quickening and saving vertue and efficacy Which is to say that the Will of Christ was that the Sacrifice of his Cross should be of an infinite price and value and most abundantly Sufficient to expiate the Sins of the whole World yet nevertheless the efficacy of his Death appertains only unto the Elect so that those who are called by the Preaching of the Gospel to participate by Faith in the effects and fruits of this Death being invited seriously and God vouchsafing them all external means needful for their coming to him and shewing them in good earnest and with the greatest sincerity by his Word what would be well-pleasing to him if they should not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ but perish in their Obstinacy and Unbelief this cometh not from any defect of Vertue or Sufficiency in the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ nor yet for want of Summons or serious Invitations unto Faith or Repentance but only from their own Fault And as for those who receive the Doctrin of the Gospel with Obedience of Faith they are according to the irrevocable promise of God made partakers of the effectual Vertue and Fruit of Christ Jesus his Death For this was the most free Council and gracious purpose both of God the Father in giving his Son for the Salvation of Mankind and of the Lord Jesus Christ in suffering the pains of Death that the efficacy thereof should peculiarly belong unto all the Elect and to them only to give them justifying Faith and by it to bring them infallibly
you will protect you under the shadow of his Wings he will follow you in your goings out and comings in all and every one of you in general and particular with his chiefest and choicest Benedictions My Reverend Colleagues here present do concur with me in these Prayers and what my weakness could not their more excellent Gifts will contribute most effectually on this occasion to promote your Peace CHAP. XXI A Letter written by an Unknown Person to Mr. Martin upon his Apostacy from the Reformed Religion Friend IT is nois'd abroad and I hear it from all parts that thou hast been at Tours and renounced the true Religion and took up that of the Romanists for the Sum of Eight Hundred Livres whereof thou hast already received Four and that thou bearest the Arms and wearest the mark of the Beast and hast sworn thy self a Champion against all his Enemies What hast thou done Man What is the Party thou hast abandonned What Complaints canst thou form against them Of what Crimes wilt thou accuse them Is it true that thou hast left us Canst thou think on what thou hast done without terrour and horrour Thou hast quitted the Party of God thou hast forsaken his Inheritance thou art gone out of his way the way of Life The bare knowledge of this must cause the Sinner to turn Quaker for 't is his utter ruin his total destruction Adam had no sooner sinned but he was struck with horrour and confusion but thou declarest thy self as the shameless Whoremongers who boast impudently of their Sin and hold up their Heads audaciously when they come out of the Stews Saint Peter having denied his Master was confounded muffled his Face went out and wept bitterly but thou as I am informed and it toucheth me to the quick art more Joyous than ever the World can read an extraordinary Mirth and Gayety in thy Countenance Friend do not take any thing amiss that I shall tell thee for I can swear it that what I do it is if possible to regain and save thee Thou knowest it was a Judas who betrayed the Son of God his Lord and Master and he betrayed him for Thirty Pieces of Silver No sooner had he receiv'd the Mony but he betray'd his Master yet he confessed his Treason I have saith he betrayed Innocent Blood yea and he returns the Mony Take it saith he take this accursed Thing from me 't is the price of Blood of the Blood of the Son of God But it was too late for thou very well knowest that the Miserable Wretch tortur'd with the furies of his Conscience utterly despairing of Mercy went and Hang'd himself Now inasmuch as thou hast been Partner with him in his Treason though thou hast betrayed thy Master for a greater Sum than Judas did yet I beseech thee be not Partner with him in his Despair But go and return thy Mony and throw it at their Feet who have seduced thee Tell them I have sinned I have betrayed my Saviour I have left the way of Eternal Life but I do now from my very Soul utterly renounce these matters I abhor this my Sin O look you unto it and then come weeping and mourning for thy Sin and give glory unto God in his House in his holy Temple and resolve with David that thou wilt dwell in it for ever more For the God of Glory is a God of Mercy and he will upon thy sincere Repentance and humble ardent Prayers extend his Mercy to thee Age igitur poenitentiam prima opera fac I pray thee Dear Friend have compassion upon thy self pity thy precious Soul never be ashamed of Repentance sith thou wast never ashamed of Sin That Royal Prophet David is a fair Copy for thee to write after a most excellent example every way worthy thy imitation For having fallen shamefully he was not ashamed to confess it unto God nor to beg his Pardon and rich Grace restored him Tell God I have sinned acknowledge thine Offence own it to him with Compunction and Confusion with Remorse and Godly Sorrow and thou shalt be forgiven 'T is true indeed thy Crime is heinous thou hast left the Fountain of Living Waters to hew out unto thee Cisterns yea broken Cisterns that can hold no Waters Thou hast quitted God that thou maist follow Men thou hast quitted Life to embrace Death Thou hast falsified thy Promises and broken that Allegiance which thou hadst sworn in the most solemn manner unto God thou hast violated that Sacred Vow which thou hast made to the God and Father of Spirits Yet let not this fright thee into Despair for thou canst not but know unless thou hast forgoten it that where Sin abounds there the Grace of God doth much more abound for he superabounds in loving-kindnesses and multitudes of tender Mercies Consider then from whence thou art fallen be Zealous and Repent Thou hast not kept the word of Gods Patience and therefore he hath not kept but left thee in the Hour of Temptation which cometh upon the Inhabiters of this Earth to try them Thou hast forsaken the true Riches to take up with those that perish Thou knowest not thy own Poverty and Misery Time hath not as yet discovered it unto thee I counsel thee my dear Friend to buy of the Heir of all things Gold tryed in the Fire that thou may'st be rich Thou hast forsaken the glorious Son of Righteousness who thou knowest hath healing in his Wings Thus hast thou lost both Health Sight and Sense The Lord quicken thee When the Sun sets the Night draws on apace Darkness deprives us of Light The Decays of thy Health are Evidences of the groowth of thy Disease one follows ordinarily the other unless Death intervene I speak this as to temporal matters But as to spiritual he that is blind abideth so and he that hath lost his Health can never recover it without Sovereign Mercy unless the great Physician do open his Eyes do anoint them with his Heavenly Collyrium that he may see and do purge away his Sins that he may recover his former Health Consider then what thou once wast and from whence thou art fallen and O my dear Friend Repent Repent or else God will come unto thee in his Wrath and thy last Estate will be worse than thy first and my Affliction for thine everlasting Perdition greater O Friend rouze up thy drowsy Soul and from the bottom of thy Heart and from the depths of that Dungeon into which thou art fallen cry aloud unto him who hath the Keys of Death and Hell for Mercy cry aloud unto him for there is yet some hope Hope yet in God for he that is hopeless is helpless Thou needest Divine Wisdom ask it of God who giveth liberally and upbraideth none Call upon him and he will redeem thee he will restore thee and thou shalt refresh my Bowels Though Simoniacal Persons who believe the Gift of God may be had for Gold and Silver will perish
got out of God's Ark and the Deluge is about thee Where wilt thou pitch the Sole of thy Foot Go then as the Dove and return unto thy place Salvation is not to be had any where else Thou knowest it as well as I. Whether art thou gone Where art thou a going Dost not thou know that Jesus Christ only hath the Words of Eternal Life Thinkest thou to find it any where else Why Man He only is the Way the Truth and the Life Thou hast changed thy Riligion thou hast quitted thy Party thou hast abandoned thy Flock Good God what hast thou done O Friend I forbear to speak my Fears But once again What hast thou done Thou hast quitted the Rich Pearl with the Cock in the Fable for a Grain of Wheat See from whence thou art fallen and consider I beseech thee Dear Friend what thou hast gotten by thy Fall Thou embracest a Religion patch'd up of Human Ceremonies Thou knowest it well a Religion which is an Hodge-podg of Jewish and Pagan Ceremonies blended together Thou hast thrown thy self into its Arms thou liest in its Bosom thou wearest its Livery and art marked with its Marks And thou very well knowest why and wherefore Thou wast remiss in thy Duty Thou wast not payed thy Sallary This was thy frequent Complaint Thou idle and slothful Servant oughtest thou to forsake thy Lord's Service and his Flock Thou wast not serious enough nor caredst to take pains in thy Calling Instead of studying and giving thy self to reading thou hauntedst wicked Companies which thou knowest corrupt good Manners and being such an one thy self thou couldst not chuse better Birds of a Feather will Flock together More I might say but I spare thee Well Man what hast thou done Consider I beseech thee and I adjure thee to it by the Bowels of our ancient Friendship that 't is the true Religion which thou hast forsaken and that only in which Salvation is to be had and that the very Church of Rome her self believeth all the Articles that the Reformed Church believeth And I can speak it and thou knowest it as well as I that in case she were divested of all her Jewish Ceremonies and Human Inventions and of Men's Traditions which are set up in the room of God's Word the Romish Religion would be no longer Roman but Reformed What then hast thou done Thou hast took the Shadow for the Substance the Ceremonies for the Truth I protest unto thee upon my Soul that thou art out of the way Friend Give me thy Hand and I will once more set thee in the right way and thou shalt taste how gracious the Lord is to them that fear him that he is ready to forgive most willing to shew Mercy and if thou hast recourse unto him by Prayers and Supplications in the Name and Merits of his Dear Son thou shalt certainly obtain the Remission of thy Sins thro his Name My Friend thou hast joyned thy self to the Communion of Idols and art a Partner with Idolaters and dost thou think in their Communion to work out thy Salvation Be not deceived God will not be mocked No Idolaters shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Ah! dost not thou know that our Religion which thou hast quitted giveth the Glory of Man's Salvation unto the Christ of God only That it ascribeth the Salvation of Believers to the Lord Jesus only That it preacheth nothing else but what the Elect Apostle of the Gentiles preached even Jesus Christ and him Crucified That it putteth Confidence in none but God And as David seeketh for none in Heaven but God That it adoreth no Creature whatsoever but adoreth God only Father Son and Spirit Three Persons in one God That it invocateth God only because besides him there never was nor never will be any that can help save and deliver That with the blessed Virgin she calleth him her God and her Saviour That it teacheth not the Doctrin of Devils nor forbiddeth Marriage nor to obstain from Meats which God hath created to be used by the Faithful and those who have not known the Truth with Thanksgiving That it is not Sacrilegious to rob the People of the Cup against the express Commandment of God That it reacheth God to be a Spirit and that such as worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth That it teacheth to fear God and to honour the King whom may the Lord of his Mercy long preserve To sanctifie the day of Rest but not Festivals which are only Men's Inventions To keep Promise and Covenant tho to a Man's Loss and Hurt Rather to serve God than Men And forasmuch as God hath spoken the Word that he will not give his Glory unto another nor his Praise unto Graven Images it teacheth all to ascribe Glory unto God only and to give him the Thanks of all our Mercies because he is the sole Author and Donour of them Our Religion doth not take away any of God's Commandments nor suffereth any Images to be made nor Pictures to be hung up that they should be served and adored A Religion neither addeth to nor taketh any thing from the Holy Word of God for it well knows that such as do so the Plagues written in that Word shall be inflicted on them and their Names shall be blotted out of the Book of Life It teacheth with St. Paul that the Divine Scriptures can make us wise unto Salvation and with St. John that the Blood of Jesus cleanseth us from all Sin and that there is none other Purgatory for our Sins than Christ's Blood Time would fail me and I should but waste it if I told thee That the Death of the Son of God is our Life his Wounds our Health and that there is none other Sacrifice for Sin than that one only and never to be repeated Sacrifice of his Death Friend our Religion teacheth that by this Sacrifice we have the Remission of all our Sins and that where the Remission of Sins is there is no more Oblation for Sin and therefore no Mass Take heed unto thy self Friend for if thou sinnest wilfully after Admonition after that thou hast received the knowledge of the Truth know of a Truth that there is no more Sacrifice for Sins Do not then count the Blood of the Covenant a prophane thing for thou knowest that 't is a most fearful thing to fall into the Hands of an incensed God Be zealous therefore and Repent In short thou knowest that all the Doctrins of our Religion are contained in thâ— Holy Scriptures and yet thou hast quitted it What hast thou done Thou art return'd unto Babylon from which God hath brought thee forth in the Loyns of thy Fathers that thou mightst not participate in her Sins nor in her Plagues Thou hast return'd with the Dog unto thy Vomit and with the Sow that was washed to wallow in the Mire My Friend my Bowels are troubled for thee Believe and follow my Counsel Awake and