in France as it was delivered to the French King in the Year 1681. SIR YOur Majesty's Subjects of the pretended Reformed Religion do with all humility represent to your Majesty that your Declaration of the 17th of June last does so overwhelm them with grief that they are almost out of themselves but nevertheless they are so bold as once more to have recourse to your Majesty hoping that being still your most faithful Subjects they shall not be denied access for Justice and that rather like God Almighty your Majesty will be tender to hearken to the Voice of the afflicted Upon this confidence they throw themselves at your Majesty's Feet and desire you to consider that this Declaration is directly contrary to all the Edicts granted to those of that Religion and particularly to the Edict of Nantes which has been given to them as a perpetual and irrevocable Law and which your Majesty has frequently confirm'd for besides that this does all along suppose that your Subjects of that Religion shall enjoy in this your Kingdom all rights as well natural as civil which are common to any of your Subjects and that among those Rights that of the Power of Parents over their Children to the Age of Puberty is one of the most general the 18th Article of that Edict does expresly provide That none shall by force take away any Children from their Parents to baptize or give them the Sacrament of Confirmation against the will of their Parents 'T is well known that Confirmation is never given to Children till they are past Seven years old and if the Edict forbids to give them Confirmation at that Age sure much less will it allow them to be at liberty to chuse their Religion and to make abjuration at that age of a Religion in which they were born and educated 'T is with the same Intention that the 38th Article of the same Edict does in express words say That the Parents making profession of that Religion may provide their Children of such Tutors and Guardians as they shall think fit nay that they may name one or more either by Will or Codicil before a Notary or written with their own Hand Your Majesty Sir is most humbly supplicated to weigh the force of the word Education even after the Death of the Parents for it evidently demonstrates that the Edict had a regard to the paternal Right of Parents over their Children not only as inviolable during their Life but extending it self even after their Death so as no zeal of Religion nor any other Pretext could take it away nay it was so far from being limited to the age of Seven years that it was to be preserv'd during the whole Course of the Education which scarce begins at that Age and is very narrowly limited when it ends at that of Fourteen Besides Sir The Edict of Nantes is not either the onely or the first Law that speaks in favour of this Power which being a Law of Nature is as ancient as the World and 't is a Maxim that natural Rights are immutable but it is found also in an Answer given to the Protestants in the year 1571. under the Reign of Charles the Ninth which was the severest reign against those of that Religion The Power of Fathers over their Children was thought so sacred that it was said upon the 24th Article that Fathers should not be hindred in the Education of their Children according to the Principles of their Religion and the Motives of their Conscience and that even after the Death of the Parents their Children should be Educated in the same Religion till they had attained the full Age of Fourteen years and then should be left to their Choice and Liberty But Sir none of your Royal Ancestours have more authentically acknowledged this right of Parents than your Majesty For besides divers Judgments given in your Council of State in the years 63 and 65 which are expresly in favour of this Power your Majesty's Declaration in the year 69. has it in express words That it is prohibited to all Persons whatsoever not only to take away from their Parents the Children of those of the pretended Reformed Religion or to allure them but they shall not also make any Change or declaration of Change of their Religion before they have attained the compleat Age of Fourteen years for the Males and Twelve for the Females and that till they have respectively attain'd the same age they the said Children shall after the decease of their Parents remain in the hands of their nearest Relations of the same Religion and that any that shall detain them shall be oblig'd to restore them back to their Relations All this has been put in execution and confirm'd by divers Precedents and particularly by a Judgment given by the Archbishop of Rheims in the Month of August 76. by which it is ordain'd that none of the Female Sex shall be received into the House of the Propagation of the Faith at Sedan till they have attain'd the Age of Twelve years compleat Your Majesty's Suppliants beg leave to represent to your Princely Consideration the Difference that will be found between the Declaration of 1669. and this last of 1681. the first leaves to Nature its Rights and Priviledges to Conscience its Motives and Impulses to the civil and common Laws their Principles and Maxims to your Parliaments their Rules and constant Methods of proceeding to foreign Nations an Example worthy their Imitation and lastly to the Roman Catholick Religion the honour of keeping within some bounds of Equity in Conformity to Reason and the Practice of the Primitive Church whereas under this new Law Nature suffers and groans to see Children torn from the Bosom of their Parents to whom she had given them and who ought to be more theirs at the Age of Seven years than before since 't is properly at that time that their Education begins and that Parents do as it were take possession of their right The Conscience of your Petitioners will be troubled and disquieted in the most cruel manner imaginable since the Paternal care of Children for their Education is one of the most important and indispensable duties of Conscience every Parent being responsible to God Almighty for his Childrens actions while nature has deposited them in his hands The Civil and Canon Laws will both speak in favour of your Suppliants for if Children before the age of puberty which is at fourteen can neither make a Will nor be Witnesses at Law nor make Vows nor do any Act of their own will how can it be thought reasonable that they should before that age make choice of their Religion which is the most important Act of their whole Life Your Parliaments Sir who following the common Principles of Reason and Equity did never yet subject Children to capital Punishments before the age of Puberty must now violate that Custom of all Nations and practised in all Ages for by making Children of
Tower being likely to fall it was removed to one of the Corners of the Temple and no sooner was the Steeple Repaired but that the Bell was returned into its ancient Place And in all that Province the Word of God is Preached in none other Places but what are allowed by the Edict which Confirmed our Churches in their Possessions injoyed by them for above Fourscore Years and it were better for them to suffer Death than to loose this their Right Tenthly Nor have there been in the Churches of that Province any Parents for sending their Children to the Colledges of Jesuits suspended from the Sacraments but according to the Discipline which is allowed us by the Edicts Nor may the Professors of our Religion for observing this Canon which contributes so much to the Peace of their own Consciences and the Morals of their Children with any the least shew of Reason be Impeached or Condemned because they be bound to Train and Educate them by all fitting Means and Instructions in the Fear of God and Obedience to the King and an Abhorrency and detestation of those Cursed Principles which having been once instilled into the tender Minds of young Scholars by the Regents of the Jesuits Colledges have plunged this Kingdom once and again into a Sea of Tears and Sorrows Nor are we guilty of Violating the Edict as before because not only the Sorbonne but the whole University of Paris which is the most ancient in the Kingdom and of Europe it self hath now this very day commenced a Suit at Law against the Jesuits for Debauching our Youth and poysoning them in their Morals A thing never to be endured by Church or State because contrary both to sound Policy and true Theology And whereas we are prohibited to send our Scholars designed for the Ministry to study Divinity either in Geneva Switzerland the Confederate Netherlands or England we most humbly beseech his Majesty that our Churches may injoy their Liberty granted us by the former Kings his Royal Predecessors as unto all other his Subjects without any distinction of Religion Because Geneva hath been for these Fifty Years and more under the immediate Protection of this Crown and that it hath always imbraced the Interests of France and all those other Estates are allied unto this Kingdom and conserve themselves much more inviolably in their Alliance with his Majesty than any other Princes of Christendom whatsoever Besides these very Nations from whose Universities we are debarred Studying in do send their own Youth into France to Polish and Refine their Manners to be instructed in good Learning and thereby do give a most Valid Testimony that they are so far from being Enemies to France that they be very much in Love with the Order and Government thereof Besides many who are now Pastors in the Reformed Churches of this Kingdom and have studied in some or all of those Foreign Universities did never withdraw themselves nor others from that Obedience owed by them unto his Majesty nor have hinted any the least shew or dislike or aversion for Monarchy under which the French Nation have subsisted and by which they have been ruled Successively from Father to Son for above 1200 Years And forasmuch as his Majesty doth not think good to forbid the Youth of this Kingdom who are Students in Philosophy Law or Medicine to travel into Foreign Parts no nor into Commonwealths as Venice c. where there is and at Padua also a very great Confluence of our Nation diligently following their Studies in all those Faculties we do once more Repeat our most Humble Request that our Churches may injoy their Former and Ancient Liberty in these Matters CHAP. IV. A Deputation from the Synod unto their Majesties and the Lords of the Privy Council 7. THe Assembly Nominated the Sieurs Vincent and Chabrol Pastors and the Sieurs de Panieure and de Clesles Elders to wait immediately upon their Majesties and to lay at their Majesties Feet our most humble Submissions and Thanks and to deliver our Letters to the King Queen Regent the Duke of Orleans to the Prince of Conde to the Lord Cardinal Mazarin to the Lord Chancellor to the Lord Treasurer to Monsieur D'Emery Comptroller General and to Monsieur de Vrilliere Secretary of State to whose Division the Professors of the Reformed Religion appertained A Copy of a Letter Written by the Synod unto the King Sire THis our Assembly was no sooner formed but we applied our Selves unto the Divine Majesty for his Blessing upon it and the First Thought that came into our Souls was to acquit our Selves conscientiously of our Duty to your Majesty who are the most Lively Portraiture of our God and to this purpose we immediately dispatched the Sieurs Vincent and Chabrol Pastors de Panieure and de Clesles Elders to lay at your Majesties Feet our Homage and Submissions as likewise to render to you our most Humble Thanks for that singular favour we have received from your Majesty in granting us this Priviledge of Meeting together in this Synod in which we labour Zealously to Serve our God to Confirm and Strengthen our Selves in his Service and in all Duty and Obedience to your Majesty And being so near your most Excellent Majesty and those Glorious Intelligences which do inviron you and well knowing that your Majesties Eyes are upon us and that we be equally under your Majesties Inspection and Power we are incouraged to discharge our Selves worthily of our Duty and to persist in that Fidelity which is Natural and Hereditary to us and shall be Entailed by us upon our Posterity But Sire the principal end of our Deputing these Gentlemen unto your Majesty is to testify the Triumphant Joy of all our Churches and that unspeakable Satisfaction we feel in our Souls to see your Majesty advanced unto the Throne a King whom with Multitudes of Prayers reiterated with the greatest Ardor and Importunity we had demanded of our God for many and many a Year together We believe Sire that God hath given you out of the Treasures of his Mercy out of the Riches of his Grace unto your France to bring back unto us the Golden Age and to be the Glorious Instrument of his Choicest and most Exquisite Favours because that he Crowneth your first Entrance upon the Government with wonderful Success and unexpected Victories which render your Majesty formidable to your Enemies and make your People to consider you as a precious Bud of Infinite Prosperities which the Providence of God hath kept in store for poor France under your Government We believe Sire that it will be very pleasing to you that we should share and participate with your other Subjects in those Blessings which God dispenseth through your Hands sith that we labour and shall by the most Signal Characters of Fidelity always labour to render cur Selves worthy of them and for that our Lives Fortunes and Honours shall be all Sacrificed with the greatest Chearfulness in
well as in the Pres des Clerks by the Ladies Princes yea and by Henry the Second himself This one Ordinance only contributed mightily to the downfal of Popery and the propagation of the Gospel It took so much with the genius of the Nation That all ranks and degrees of Men practised it in the Temples and in their Families No Gentleman professing the Reformed Religion would sit down at his Table without praising God by singing Yea it was a special part of their Morning and Evening Worship in their several Houses to sing God's Praises The Popish Clergy raged and to prevent the growth and spreading of the Gospel by it that mischievous Cardinal of Lorrain another Elymas the Sorcerer got the Odes of Horace and the filthy obscene Poems of Tibullus and Catullus to be turn'd into French and sung in the Court Ribaldry was his Piety and the means used by him to expel and banish the singing of divine Psalms out of the prophane Court of France The Holy Word of God is duly truly and powerfully Preached in Churches and Fields in Ships and Houses in Vaults and Cellars in all places where the Gospel-Ministers can have admission and conveniency and with singular success Multitudes are Convinced and Converted established and edified Christ rideth out upon the white Horse of the Ministry with the Sword and Bow of the Gospel Preached Conquering and to Conquer His Enemies fall under him and submit themselves unto him O! the unparallell'd success of the plain and zealous Sermons of the first Reformers Multitudes flock in like Doves into the Windows of God's Ark. As innumerable drops of dew fall from the Womb of the Morning so hath the Lord Christ the dew of his Youth The Popish Churches are drained the Protestant Temples are filled The Priests complain that their Altars are neglected their Masses are now indeed solitary Dagon cannot stand before God's Ark. Children and Persons of riper years are Catechised in the Rudiments and Principles of Christian Religion and can give a comfortable account of their Faith a reason of that hope that is in them By this Ordinance do their pious Pastors prepare them for Communion with the Lord at his holy Table Here they communicate in both kinds according to the Primitive Institution of this Sacrament by Jesus Christ himself Sect. 7. Though the Churches of God walked in the Comforts of the Holy-Ghost and were multiplied throughout the whole Kingdom yet were they exercised with Fiery Tryals and underwent most cruel and inhumane Sufferings Satan stormed that his Kingdom was assaulted weakned and subverted this boileth up his Revenge and causeth him to throw out Floods of Wrath against the Church travelling under the pangs of Reformation Hence the Saints of God are imprisoned arraigned for their Lives and condemned by merciless unrighteous Judges for their Profession of the Truth unto the Flames Others are murdered in cold Blood and massacred without any legal forms of Justice in the least And yet in the sight of those cruel Deaths and most barbarous Executions the first National Synod is called and celebrated in the Metropolis of the Kingdom at the very Doors of the Court God inspiring with Zeal and Courage the Pastors of several Churches to meet and consult together about the arduous and most important Businesses of the Reformed Religion Sect. 8. Two things among others were dispatch'd in this Council 1. They publish the Confession of their Faith and tell the King and Kingdom what they believe and practise This was put into the Hands of their Young King lately come to the Crown upon the Death of his Father who though he had sworn to see that famous Martyr of Christ Annas du Bourg Counsellour in the Parliament of Paris burnt yet was at a Tilt by Count de Montgomery a Protestant wounded with a Launce in the Eye and died before he could perform his Oath How Francis the Second entertained this Confession when it was tender'd him is not my Business to relate I shall only give my Reader the Confession itself and I do the rather lay it before him because it is a brief System of the Protestant Religion constantly read at the opening of all their Synods and because of the frequent References unto it in and by all those National Synods which I now publish Sect. 9. The Confession of Faith held and professed by the Reformed Churches of France received and enacted by their first National Synod Celebrated in the City of Paris and Year of our Lord 1559. ARTICLE I. WE believe and confess That there is but one God only whose Being only is simple spiritual eternal invisible immutable infinite incomprehensible ineffable who can do all things who is all-wise all-good most just and most merciful ARTICLE II. This one God hath revealed himself to be such a one unto Men first in the Creation preservation and governing of his works secondly far more plainly in his word which from the beginning he revealed to the Fathers by certain Visions and Oracles and then caused it to be put in writing in those Books which we call the Holy Scripture ARTICLE III. All this holy Scipture is contained in the Canonical Books of the Old and New Testament the Catalogue whereof followeth The five Books of Moses namely Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers and Deuteronomy Item Joshua Judges Ruth the first and second Book of Samuel the first and second Book of Kings the first and second Book of Chronicles otherwise called the Paralipomena one Book of Esdras Nehemiah Hester Job the Psalms Solomon's Proverbs or Sentences Ecclesiastes the Song of Songs Esaiah Jeremiah with the Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonas Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zachariah Malachi Item the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew according to St. Mark according to St. Luke and according to St. John as also the second Book of St. Luke otherwise called The Acts of the Apostles Item the Epistles of St. Paul the Apostle to the Romans one to the Corinthians two to the Galatians one to the Ephesians one to the Philippians one to the Colossians one to the Thessalonians two to Timothy two to Titus one to Philemon one Item the Epistle to the Hebrews the Epistle of St. James the first and second Epistle of St. Peter the first second and third Epistle of St. John the Epistle of St. Jude and the Apocalypse or Revelations of St. John ARTICLE IV. We acknowledge these Books to be Canonical that is we account them as the most certain Rule of our Faith and that not so much because of the common consent of the Church but because of the Testimony and Perswasion of the Holy Ghost by which we are taught to distinguish betwixt them and other Ecclesiastical Books upon which although they may be useful yet we cannot ground any Article of Faith ARTICLE V. We believe That the Doctrine contained in these Books is proceeded from God from whom only and not from men it deriveth
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
the great losses it sustained in the Troubles of Privas as also to help defray the Expences they shall be at in a Suit at Court about the Consulship of their Town This Assembly judging that the Moneys granted us by His Majesty ought not to be diverted unto such uses doth notwithstanding recommend their Affair unto our Lords the General Deputies that they might get right due to them by the Lords of the Privy Council and because of the Necessities of the said Church there shall be a supernumerary portion assigned to them when we make the publick Dividend 6. Monsieur Massez Notary Publick and Secretary to the Consul of Montauban in the Higher Languedoc requesting to be reimburst by the Churches the great Expences he was at in prosecuting the wrongs done him by the Parliament of Tolouse It being a business of General Concern because of the Notorious Violations of the Edicts granted us by our Kings This Assembly exhorted the Province of Higher Languedoc to take care that the said Monsieur Massez have satisfaction given him for his past Losses and that he be indemnified for the future and that they extend their Charity to him in a most ample and exemplary manner sith they themselves have judged his case to be of very great Importance to all the Churches 7. The Magistrates Consuls and Consistory of the Town of Privas having represented both by Letters and Word of Mouth by Monsieur Tavernier one of their Elders deputed to us the great Losses Dammages and Afflictions sustained by them since the Death of Monsieur Chambaud whereby they be now reduced to a most lamentable condition and worthy of our most tender compassions which also was confirmed by Letters from the Synod and Political Assembly of Vivaretz and praying some Charitable Relief to be Exhibited to them that so this considerable and populous Church might not be totally desolated and dissolved This Assembly ordained That the Summ of Six Hundred Livres should be given the said Church of Privas for a present supply And all the Churches of this Kingdom shall by their Deputies here in this Assembly as soon as they return unto their respective Provinces be exhorted to open the Bowels of their compassion to the said afflicted Church of Privas and to relieve them by a General Collection upon the Lords Day in their respective Temples The Moneys of which Collection shall be sent unto the Churches of Lions and Nismes to be distributed by them unto that of Privas And Letters also shall be writ to the Lord Governour of Montauban to the Marquesses of La Charse of Montbrun and other the Parents and Kindred of the late Deceased Monsieur de Chambaud desiring them to take special care of the Religious Education of his Children that they may not be diverted from the True Religion and trained up in Popish Idolatry but that they would be pleased to undertake for them and become their Tutors and Guardians according to the known Laws and Statutes of this Kingdom 8. The Heads of Families professing the Reformed Religion in the Baylywick of Orillac in the Mountains of Upper Auvergne petitioned that the Portions granted them by the National Synods of Gap and Rochel might be contined to them This Assembly ordained that the Portion belonging unto the said Church in the Baylywyck of Orillac shall be given it free and discharged of all Taxes by the Province of Higher Languedoc Gap p. m. 18 3. Rochell 9. Monsieur Casaud Pastor of the Church of Lectoure petitioned on its behalf for some charitable Relief to raise it up from that woful Ruin and Misery into which it is now plunged and to sustain it against its Enemies for the future This Assembly compassionating the said Church did order and assign a free Portion out of the Dividend of Higher Languedoc and Guyenne unto it and one part of the Collection which shall be made in the Higher Languedoc and Guyenne for the Church of Privas shall be given unto the said Church of Lectoure 10. The Church of Tulette belonging to the Province of Dolphiny but inclosed on all parts with the County of Venisse humbly requested some relief for its subsistence Because this is a Church of great importance very poor exceeding feeble and unable to resist the many Enemies which do surround it This Assembly ordained that besides the free Portion which it should receive as well as others out of the Dividend for the said Province of Dolphiny It shall have also an half portion free out of the Common Stock of all the Churches until the sitting of the next National Synod 11. Hierome Quevedo a Spaniard escaped out of the Prison of the Inquisition demanded some relief that he might live in the profession of the Gospel This Assembly ordered him an Hundred Livres out of the common Moneys of the Churches which shall be put into the hands of the Consistory of Montpellier to pay him Quarterly a Portion that so he may learn some honest Trade whereby to gain a livelyhood Which Summ shall be continued to him or taken from him as the Consistory of the Church of Montpellier shall judge of his Deportments 12. Lawrence Joly one of the Exiled Protestants of the Marquisate of Salluces having brought Letters from the Church of Guillestre which is composed of the poor Refugees of the said Marquisate unto this Assembly did most humbly petition that they might have a Portion of the Moneys granted us by the King for the maintenance of a Pastor because they are in hopes that it may allure and attract a great many others who are groaning under that sore and heavy persecution in the Marquisate and doe hunger after the Bread of Life and ardently desire the Inlargement of Christ's Kingdom to quit and forsake it This Assembly in the Dividend of its Moneys will ordain a supernumerary Portion for the said Church of Guillestre 13. Monsieur Guingonis shall be assisted with Ten Crown out of the common Moneys belonging to the Province of Province And as for Mr. John Dury Student in Divinity the Province of Lower Languedoc is ordered to provide for him according to the Canons of our National Synods and in the mean while he shall receive Twenty Crowns out of the Moneys appropriated to the said Province of Lower Languedoc that so he may quit this Town and remove to Montauban 14. Anthony Verdier formerly a Priest in the County of Avignon had Six Livres given him that he might depart hence unto Grenoble 15. The Church of St. Paul Trois Chasteaux demanding some Relief to set up a School among them and to help build their Temple were dismissed over to the Province of Dolphiny which is exhorted to have a special care of that Church 16. Monsieur John Perier Pastor of the Church of Paillac in Auvergne did on behalf of his Church complain against the Provincial Synod of Burgundy for not giving him the Portions granted by the National Synod of Privas and requested that
satisfaction therein 69. The Church of Nismes did both by Letters and word of Mouth by the Sieurs Ollivier and Mazaudier petition that Monsieur Jamett might be given them for their Pastor he being a Person every way qualified in respect of his Gifts and Graces to edifie it and to repair those sore breaches which the Apostacy and Debauches of some of their former Ministers had caused among them This Assembly having a special respect unto the Church of Nismes and considering its great necessities and importance because of the vast number of its Members and the University there erected though it would not use its absolute Authority in disposing of the Person and Ministry of Monsieur Jamett yet neither can it bear with his Excuses nor with the Oppositions made by the Deputies of the Province of Orleans and Berry therefore it doth intreat the Church of St. Amand and the said Province of Berry also in which he doth at present exercise his Ministry to consider seriously with themselves of the great importance of that Church of Nismes and to grant them their request as in Christian Charity they be bound and particularly by reason of that Holy Communion which is between all the Saints and Churches of this Nation And Letters shall be dispatcht to His Grace the Lord Duke of Sully that he would be pleased to give his consent unto this Call 70. Monsieur de Chasteaumal reported in this Assembly his Fathers many and good services done for the Churches and the many heavy losses suffered by him for the profession of the Gospel and the true Reformed Religion and requested that a Pension might he allowed a Son of his whom he designeth for the Ministry Although this Assembly knows that such an Affair as this ought not to he taken notice of by the National Synods yet because of the Hereditary Piety of the said Lord of Chasteaumal the Province of Dolphiny is injoyned to consider and honour him and to bestow the first vacant Scholarship in their Province upon his Son 71. Letters from the Church of Sancerre and the Deputies of Orleans and Berry as also from the General Assembly held at Loudun informed this Synod of the great necessities of that Church Whereupon two supernumerary Portions were ordered for their Relief as a Testimony of our unfeigned Love to that important Church which shall be payd them yearly by the Province of Berry who for that purpose should receive them in the General Dividend and make good payment thereof till the sitting of the next National Synod 72. Whereas the National Synod of Vitre had granted unto Monsieur Scoffier an Aged and Worthy Minister 2. Vitre Act. 17. Of the Dividend declared Emeritus one supernumerary Portion and half for his subsistence it shall be joyned to the Moneys of the Province of Sevennes whose Receiver without any further Order shall pay it in free unto him of all Taxes and Costs whatsoever 73. The Lord of Clausonne acquainting this Assembly with the Poverty of the Church of Montfrin in the Lower Languedoc an half supernumerary Portion was ordered unto that Church which shall be numbred in the distribution as one of the Churches in the Province of Lower Languedoc 74. Monsieur de Anjou representing the Poverty and Necessity of the Church of Puymichel in Provence a supernumerary Portion shall be granted to it in the General Dividend 75. The Assembly having ordained that in the last Sessions of this Synod there should be a List brought in of the Churches to whom the Collected Charities should be imparted and by what Provinces they should be particularly assisted Now that this Decree may be the better executed it was judged meet that the Collections made in the Provinces of Dolphiny Lower Languedoc Province Sevennes Vivaretz and Burgundy shall be assigned to the Church of Privas And the Moneys Collected in Higher Languedoc and Guyenne shall be appropriated to Lectoure And the Charities Collected in the Lower Guyenne and Xaintonge shall be given unto Puymirol And the Collection in the Isle of France Normandy Britain and Berry shall be payd into the Church of Netancour and that of Anjou and Poictou shall go toward the relief of Vendosme Nor shall these Charities so Collected be any way prejudicial to that General Collection which we have designed for the Refugees out of the Marquisate of Salluces 76. It being the bounden Duty of all Pastors personally to reside on their Churches the Deputies of Lower and Higher Languedoc and of Sevennes are obliged immediately upon their return home unto their respective Provinces to notifie unto those Ministers who neglect this their Duty that they go and reside on their Churches within Three Moneths on pain of being suspended the Sacred Ministry 77. That Affair concerning the Children of the Lord de la Reynela whose Uncle and Guardian is the Lord of la Garelaye shall be recommended to the Lords General Deputies at Court to prosecute it most vigorously and effectually 78. Upon complaint made by the Widow of Mr. Emanuel Sebastian Minister of Gods Word lately deceased This Assembly ordered that all Arrears of Pension due unto her since her Husbands Death by the Province of Sevennes shall be punctually pay'd her out of the first Moneys that come into the Receivers hands of the said Province and he himself shall pay those just Debts with his own hands immediately unto her 79. Whereas the Church of Vsez hath craved leave to seek for it self a third Pastor either within or without the Province This Assembly grants it to them but with this proviso that they keep close to the Forms prescribed by the Discipline and that they act nothing herein to the prejudice of their present Ministers and particularly that they do not in the least diminish that double Honour they ought to have for the Reverend Monsieur Brunier and his Family whose great labours have been for these many years that he hath served them and yet continue to be exceeding useful and beneficial to their Souls See of this Jacornai in the Roll of Apostates in the Synod of Castres 80. The Church of Gignac having been exceedingly perplexed ever since the Call of Monsieur Jacornais unto the Ministry among them who was recommended to them by the Province of Higher Languedoc it seemed good unto this Assembly to remove him thence yet without any Impeachment unto his Credit or Ministry his Conversation being every way blameless and unreprovable only he hath met with no incouragement nor maintenance from them though the said Church of Gignac hath received ever since his presentation to them their Portion of the Kings Money Wherefore the said Province of Lower Languedoc is injoyned to see that the said Jacornais be fully satisfied and that he have his Sallary payd him until such time as he be provided of another Church and that it may be done effectually they shall either detain from the said Church of Gignac what is owing them by the Province and so
Provincial Synod of Vivaretz and presented by that grave Assembly to the Pastoral Office in the Church of Annonay though he was then but eighteen Years of Age and Annonay was a Church of no mean Consideration but what he wanted in Years he made up in Merit In the Year 1612 he was removed to the Church of Montpellier in which he served full twenty Years He was one of the Scribes in the National Synod held the first time at Charenton 1623. The Parliament of Tholouse having made a Decree that no Foreigner should be a Minister or preach within their Jurisdiction in the Year 1632. he came to Paris and sollicited the Court for his Restoration He had in that City a Brother very rich and one who followed the Law Whilst he resided here the University of Lansanna in Switzerland earnestly invited him to be Professor of Theology in it but he very civilly declined that Motion though he was a most accomplish'd Scholar and Divine In the Year 1636 a Franciscan Friar who was the great Favourite of Cardinal Richelieu and of his Cabinet-Council meeting him in an Apothecary's Shop in St. James's Street demanded his Name and he telling him who he was and the Reason for which he was driven away from Montpellier he bespoke him Monsieur Faucheur do you tarry here and preach at Charenton and I will ingage my Word for it that the King shall never trouble you He communicating this Relation to his Brother his Brother communicated it unto the Elders of that Church who discoursing with him intreated him to preach the next Lord's Day in their Temple which he did to their and the Churches very great Satisfaction And here he continued in their Service preaching and dispensing the Word and Sacraments among them unto the Day of his Death 3. Monsieur Amyraut of him I shall speak in the Catalogue of the Churches and Ministers hung upon the File in the last National Synod where my Reader will meet with a Multitude of Remarks upon the Pastors that were then actually imployed in the Service of those-once flourishing Churches The End of the Second Synod of Charenton THE Acts Canons Decisions and Decrees OF THE Twenty seventh Synod OF The Reformed Churches OF FRANCE Assembled under his Majesty's Authority and Permission AT ALANSON IN THE PROVINCE of NORMANDY On Wednesday the twenty seventh of May and ended Thursday the ninth of July In the Year of our Lord God 1637. Being the twenty eighth Year of the Reign of LOUIS XIII King of FRANCE and NAVARRE The CONTENTS of the Synodical Acts in several Chapters Chap. I. THE King 's Writ for calling the Synod presented by the Marquess of Clermont General Deputy Monsieur St. Mars Commissioner for the King Names of the Deputies Election of the Synodical Officers Chap. II. The King's Commission to Monsieur St. Mars to represent hit Royal Person in the Synod Chap. III. The Lord Commissioner's Speech and a very long one unto the Synod Chap. IV. The Synod's Replies and Answers unto the Contents of it Chap. V. Three Deputies sent with a Letter from the Synod unto the King Chap. VI. A second Letter to the King Chap. VII Approbation and Confirmation of the Confession of Faith Chap. VIII Observations upon the Discipline Chap. IX Observations on the last Natiâ—â—â—â— Synod Chap. X. A peniâ—â—n◠〈◊〉 after tâ—â— Yoâ—â—s Deposition and Penaâ—â—â— iâ— at last restored to the Exercise of his Ministerial Office Chap. XI The Snappishness of the Commissioner the Prudence and Patience of the Synod Chap. XII A penitent Minister petitioning for Restoration unto his Ministerial Office refused and why Chap. XIII The Churches of â—earn incorporated with the Reformed Churches of France Chap. XIV Appeals 3. A Lady appealeth 4. Des Champs a factious Minister 11. An Appeal about a Legacy Chap. XV. General Matters 1. An Action indifferent so left by the Synod 4. Whether Slaves may be purchased 5. No Minister to be ordained without a Title 7. An Act for a National Fast 8. An Expedient to preserve Peace among the Ministers Professors and Churches 9. A Petition to the King opposed by the Commissioner 10. A Letter from the King unto the Synod The Synod's Letter to the King 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30. A Determination of the Controversies moved by Amyrald and Testard 31. The Deputies in the Synod to receive an hundred Sous par diem Sallary from their Provinces 32. Professors of Divinity designed Chap. XVI 4 5. Two poor Ministers in great Wants 7. An Expedient to compose Differences in a Church and Province 9. The Case of La Milletierâ— the Reconciler 11. Complaints of two Books L'Antidote and Les Ombres d'Arminius Chap. XVII Of Vniversities Order taken for upholding and maintaining the Vniversities Chap. XVIII Arrears of Monies due unto the Vniversities Chap. XIX Accompts of the Vniversities Chap. XX. Lord of Candall's Accompts Chap. XXI A Dividend of 16000 Livers Chap. XXII Roll of deposed and revolted Ministers Chap. XXIII Catalogue of the Churches and Ministers Chap. XXIV Monsieur Ferrand's Speech unto his Majesty Chap. XXV Instructions given unto Monsieur Ferrand c. deputed to the King Chap. XXVI Monsieur Ferrand's Speech to Cardinal Richelieu Chap. XXVII The Bill of Grievances A Book stiled Le Proselyte Evangelique Chap. XXVIII Letters from the Pastors and Professors of Geneva Chap. XXIX Testimonials unto Dr. Rivet's Treatise against the Books of the Sieurs Amyraut and Testard Chap. XXX Two Letters one from Mr. du Moulin another from Monsieur Diodati to the Synod The Synod of Alanson 1637. The 27th Synod SYNOD XXVII 1637. In the Name of God Amen Acts of the twenty seventh National Synod of the Reformed Churches of France held in the Town of Alanson in the Province of Normandy It was opened by his Majesty's Permission Wednesday the 27th of May and ended Thursday the 9th of July in the Year of our Lord God 1637 and the 18th Year of the Reign of our Dread Sovereign Louis the Thirteenth King of France and Navarre CHAP. I. The King 's Writ presented by the Marquess of Clermont for calling the Synod Mr. de St. Mars Commissioner Deputies Officers chosen Article 1. THE Lord Marquess of Clermont General Deputy of the Reformed Churches of France at the opening of the Synod presented his Majesty's Warrant expresly given by him under his own Hand for the calling of it the Tenour of which is as followeth This sixth Day of Jannary in the Year Sixteen hundred thirty and seven the King being at Paris upon the most humble Petition of his Subjects of the Reformed Religion who craved his Royal Permission for the calling and assembling of a National Synod there not having been one held since that of Charâ—nton in the Year 1631. His Majesty being desirous to gratify those his Subjects and to deal favourably with them hath permitted and doth permit the Convocation of a National Synod the 27th day of May next
of Death that the Efficacy thereof should particularly belong unto all the Elect and to them only to give them justifying Faith and by it to bring them infallibly unto Salvation and thus effectually to redeem all those and none other who were from all Eternity from among all People Nations and Tongues chosen unto Salvation Whereupon although the Assembly were well satisfied yet nevertheless they decreed that for the future that Phráse of Jesus Chist's dying equally for all should be forborn because that term equally was formerly and might be so again an Occasion of stumbling unto many Article 19. And as for the Conditional Decree of which mention is made in the aforesaid Treatise of Predestination the said Sieurs Testard and Amyraud declared that they do not nor ever did understand any other thing than God's Will revealed in his Word to give Grace and Life unto Believers and that they called this in none other Sense a Conditional Will than that of an Anthropopeia because God promiseth not the Effects thereof but upon condition of Faith and Repentance And they added farther That although the Propositions resulting from the Manifestation of this will be conditional and conceived under an if or it may be as if thou believest thou shalt be saved if Man repent of his Sins they shall be forgiven him yet nevertheless this doth not suppose in God an Ignorance of the Event not an Impotency as to the Execution nor any Inconstancy as to his Will which is always firmly accomplished and ever unchangeable in it self according to the Nature of God in which there is no Variableness nor Shadow of turning Article 20. And the said Sieur Amyraud did particularly protest as he had formerly published unto the World that he never gave the Name of Universal or Conditional Predestination unto this Will of God than by way of Concession and accommodating it unto the Language of the Adversary Yet forasmuch as many are offended at this Expression of his he offered freely to raze it out of those places where-ever it did occur promising also to abstain in from it for the future and both he and the Sieur Testard acknowledged that to speak truly and accurately according to the Usage of sacred Scripture there is none other Decree of Predestination of Men unto eternal Life and Salvation than the unchangeable Purpose of God by which according to the most free and good Pleasure of his Will he hath out of mere Grate chosen in Jesus Christ unto Salvation before the Foundation of the World a certain number of Men in themselves neither better nor more worthy than others and that he hath decreed to give them unto Jesus Christ to be saved and that he would call and draw them effectually to Communion with him by his Word and Spirit And they did in consequence of this Holy Doctrine reject their Error who held that Faith and the Obedience of Faith Holiness Godliness and Perseverance are not the Fruits and Effects of this unchangeable Decree unto Glory but Conditions or Causes without which Election could not be passed which Conditions or Causes are antecedently requisite and foreseen as if they were already accomplished in those who were fit to be elected contrary to what is taught us by the sacred Scripture Acts 13. 48. and elsewhere Article 21. And whereas they have made distinct Decrees in this Counsel of God the first of which is to save all Men though Jesus Christ if they shall believe in him the second to give Faith unto some particular Persons they declared that they did this upon none other account than of accommodating it unto that Manner and Order which the Spirit of Man observeth in his Reasonings for the Succour of his own Infirmity they otherwise believing that though they considered this Decree as diverse yet it was formed in God in one and the self-same Moment without any Succession of Thought or Order of Priority and Posteriority The Will of this most supreme and incomprehensible Lord being but one only eternal Act in him so that could we but conceive of things as they be in him from all Eternity we should comprehend these Decrees of God by one only Act of our Understanding as in Truth they be but one only Act of his eternal and unchangeable Will Article 22. The Synod having heard these Declarations from the Sieurs Testard and Amyraud it injoined them and all others to refrain from those terms of conditional frustratory or revocable Decree and that they should rather choose the Word Will whereby to express that Sentiment of theirs and by which they would signify the revealed Will of God commonly called by Divines Voluntas Signe Article 23. And whereas in sundry Places marked in the Writings of the before-mentioned Monsieur Testard and Amyraud they have ascribed unto God as it were a Notion of Velleity and strong Affections and vehement Desires of Things which he hath not hot never will effectuate they having declared that by those figurative Ways of speaking and anthropopathical they designed to speak properly none other thing than this that if Men were obedient to the Commandments and Invitations of God their Faith and Obedience would be most acceptable unto him according as was before expressed by them The Assembly hearing this their Explication did injoin them to use such Expressions as these with that Sobriety and Prudence that they might not give the least Occasion of Offence unto any Person nor cause them to conceive of God in any way unsuitable to his glorious Nature Article 24. Monsieur Testard and Amyraud declared farther that although the Doctrines obvious to us in the Works of Creation and Providence do teach and preach Repentance and invite us to seek the Lord who would be found of us yet nevertheless by reason of the horrible Blindness of our Nature and its universal Corruption no Man was ever this way converted yea and it is utterly impossible that any one should be converted but by the hearing of the Word of God which is the Seed of our Regeneration and the Instrument of the Holy Ghost whole Efficacy and Virtue only is able to illuminate our Understandings and to change the Hearts and Affections of the Children of Men. Article 25. And forasmuch as the Word of God hath always revealed the Knowledg of the Lord our Redeemer the said Sieurs did farther protest that no one Man was ever nor can be saved without some certain Measure of this Knowledg less indeed under the old Testament but greater under the New the Death and Resurrection of the Son of God being most plainly and distinctly manifested in the Gospel and they hold it as an undoubted Truth that now under the New Covenant the distinct Knowledg of Christ is absolutely necessary for all Persons who are come unto Years of Discretion in order to their obtaining of eternal Salvation And they do from their very Heart anathematize all those who believe or teach that Man may be saved
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
unto Salvation and thus effectually to redeem all those and none other who were from all Eternity from among all People Nations and Tongues chosen unto Salvation Whereupon although the Assembly were well satisfied yet nevertheless they decreed that for the future that Phrase of Jesus Christ's dying Equally for all should be for born that term Equally was heretofore and might be so again an occasion of stumbling unto many And as for the conditional Decree mentioned in the aforesaid Treatise of Predestination the said Mr. Testard and Amyraud declared that they do not not ever did understand any other thing than God's Revealed Will in his Word to give Grace and Life unto Believers and that they called this in none other sense a Conditional Will than that of an Anthropopia because God promiseth not the effects thereof but upon condition of Faith and Repentance And they added farther that although the Propositions resulting from the manifestation of this Will be conditional and conceived under an If or It may be as if thou believest thou shalt be Saved if a Man repent of his Sins they shall be forgiven him yet nevertheless this doth not suppose in God an Ignorance of the Event nor an Impotency as to the Execution of nor any inconstancy as to his Will which is always firmly accomplished and ever unchangable in it self according to the nature of God in which there is no variableness nor shadow of turning And the said Monsieur Amyraud did particularly protest as he had before published unto the World that he never gave the Name of Universal or Conditional Predestination unto this Will of God than by way of concession and accommodation unto the Language of the Adversary yet forasmuch as many are offended at this Expression of his he offered freely to raze it out of those Places wherever it did occur promising also to abstain from it for the future And both He and the Sieur Testard acknowledged that to speak truly and accurately according to the usage of Sacred Scripture there is no other Decree of Predestination of Men unto Eternal Life and Salvation than the unchangable purpose of God by which according to the most free and good pleasure of his Will he hath out of meer Grace chosen in Jesus Christ unto Salvation before the Foundation of the World a certain number of Men in themselves neither better nor more worthy than others and that he hath decreed to give them unto Jesus Christ to be Saved and that he would call and draw them effectually to Communion with him by his Word and Spirit And they did in consequence of this their Doctrin reject their Error who held that Faith and th' Obedience of Faith Holiness Godliness and Perseverance are not the fruits and effects of this unchangable Decree unto Glory but conditions or causes without which Election could not be passed which conditions or causes are antecedently requisite and foreseen as if they were already accomplished in those who were fit to be elected contrary to what is taught us by the Sacred Scriptures Acts 13.48 and elsewhere And whereas they have made distinct Decrees in this Counsel of God the first of which is to save all Men through Jesus Christ if they shall believe in him the Second to give Faith unto some particular Persons they declared that they did this upon none other account than of accommodating it unto the manner and order which the Spirit of Man observeth in his Reasonings for the succour of his own Infirmities they otherwise believing that though they considered this Decree as Diverse yet was it found in God in one and the self same Moment without any Succession of Thought or order of Priority and Posteriority The Will of this most Supream and Incomprehensible Lord being one only Eternal Act in him so that could we but conceive of things as they be in him from all Eternity we should comprehend these Decrees of God by one only Act of our Understanding as in truth they be but one only Act of his Eternal and Unchangable Will. The Synod having heard these Declarations of the Sieurs Testart and Amyraud injoyned them and all others to refrain from those terms of Conditional Frustratory or Revocable Decree and that they should rather chuse the Word Will whereby to express that Sentiment of theirs by which they would signifie the Revealed Will of God commonly called by Divines Voluntas Signi And whereas in sundry places marked in the Writings of the before-mentioned Mr. Testard and Amyraud they have ascribed unto God as it were a notion of Velleity and strong Affections and vehement desires of things which he hath not nor ever will effectuate they having declared that by those figurative ways of Speaking and an anthropopathical they designed to speak properly none other thing than this that if Men were obedient to the Commandments and Invitations of God their Faith and Obedience would be most acceptable to him according as was before expressed by them The Assembly hearing this their Explication did injoyn them to use such Expressions as these with that Sobriety and Prudence that they might not give any occasion of offence unto any Person nor cause them to conceive of God in any way unsuitable to his Glorious Nature And the same Monsieur Amyraud and Testard declared farther that although the Doctrins obvious to us in the works of Creation and Providence do Teach and Preach Repentance and invite us to seek the Lord who would be found of us Yet nevertheless by reason of the horrible blindness of our Nature and its Universal Corruption no Man was ever this way converted yea and it is utterly impossible that any one should be converted but by the Hearing of the Word of God which is the seed of our Regeneration and the Instrument of the Holy Ghost whose efficacy and vertue only is able to illuminate our Understandings and to change the Hearts and Affections of the Children of Men. And forasmuch as the Word of God hath always revealed the knowledge of the Lord our Redeemer the said Sieurs did farther protest that no one Man was ever nor can be saved without some certain measure of this Knowledge less indeed under the Old Testament but greater under the New the Death and Resurrection of the Son of God being most plainly and distinctly manifested in the Gospel And they hold it as an undoubted Truth that now under the New Covenant the distinct knowledge of Christ is absolutely necessary for all Persons who are come unto Years of Discretion in order to their obtaining of Eternal Salvation And they do from their very Heart anathematize all those who believe or Teach that Man may be saved any other way than by the Merit of our Lord Jesus Christ or in any other Religion besides the Christian And whereas divers Persons were much offended at the Professor Amyrald for calling that knowledge of God which Men might gain from the consideration of his Works and