Scribes In pursuance of the Canon made in the Synod or Privas The Provinces are injoyned to see that the Deputies of every Church do make Oath that they shall not give their Votes nor Suffrages unto such as brigue their Elections and Deputations unto our National Synods CHAP. XIII The Confession of Faith approved THE Confession of Faith being read word by word and every Article distinctly in its due Order it was approved and ratified by the Unanimous consent of all the Deputies both Pastors and Elders who protested as well for themselves as for their Provinces that they would live and die in the profession of this Faith teach it in their Churches and see it inviolably to be observed CHAP. XIV Observations on reading the Church-Discipline 1 AFter those words in the Fifth Canon of the First Chapter Without power of administring the Holy Sacraments these shall be added nor of solemnizing Marriages 2 In reading the Nine and Twentieth Canon of the same Chapter the Council declareth that by the discord mentioned in that Canon we are to understand not only what is moved by the Pastor but by the Church or Members among themselves also 3. On the first Canon of the third Chapter it was declared that whosoever accepted the Office of an Elder cannot be constrained to execute it if before his Reception thereinto the consent he had once given be again revoked by him 4. When the sixth Canon of the eighth Chapter was read at the request of the Provincial Deputies of Berry it was voted That Provincial Synods should be obliged before they brake up to proceed unto Censures even as in the like case a Decree had been framed for Colloquies 5. All our Churches are exhorted faithfully and exactly to observe the ninth Canon of the twelfth Chapter concerning the Administration of the Cup in the Lords Supper and to be accountable for their Obedience to it unto the next National Synod 6. The eighth Canon of the Ninth Chapter shall be razed but of our Discipline as being superfluous and unpracticable in our Churches 7. The same judgment having past on the fourth Canon of the tenth Chapter it was amended and changed into these words Churches which have been accustomed to make Publick Prayers on some certain days of the Week may continue that order which for many years they have so happily observed and other Churches may imitate their good example when as the Lord shall bless them with Ability and Opportunity and it may contribute unto their Edification 8. And Pastors also in the faithful discharge of their duties shall indeavour by their Remonstrances and Exhortations to prevent those great dishonours done unto Almighty God by that general contempt of his Holy Word preached very many neglecting Sermons and Publick Publick Ordinances of Religious Worship yea and Family-Prayers of which Omissions a multitude of Heads of Families Housholders and their Domesticks are exceeding guilty 9. The eighteenth Canon of the thirteenth Chapter shall be couched in this form Such as dwell in those places where the Publick Exercise of our Religion is not est ablished may cause their banes of Matrimony to be published in the Popish Churches it being a matter purely political 10. The Churches are injoyned by this Synod to give in an account unto their Colloquies and Provincial Synods of all Infractions of the sixteenth Canon in the fourteenth Chapter of our Discipline and Colloquies and Synods are to censure such Offenders whether they have violated it by printing of Practical or Controversal Treatises 11. When the twenty fourth twenty fifth and twenty sixth Canons of the fourteenth Chapter were read it was voted That this ensuing Canon should be made and read in all the Churches as soon as the Deputies were returned unto their respective Provinces CHAP. XV. An Act against Debauchery FOrasmuch as the Wrath of God is visibly revealed from Heaven against the Ungodlyness of Men and is notoriously poured out upon those who being once enlightned from above and called to the knowledge of the Heavenly Truth have afterward kept it under Hatches through their Unrighteousness that so they might more freely wallow in the Abominations of this World and turn the Grace of God into lasciviousness The National Synod of the reformed Churches of this Kingdom Assembled by His Majesties Licence in the Town of Gastres unable to behold without weeping Eyes and a wounded bleeding heart after such dreadful Judgments and Desolations as have befallen us the reigning Dissolutions and Debauches of those Persons who style and own themselves Members of Gods Church though in very truth and deed they be horrible Profaners of his Holy Name and dishonourable Professors of our most Holy Religion by their Impious and Licentious Lives and do as much as in them lieth deny the power of Godliness by their open and shameless ingratitude to his Divine Goodness Now for the avoiding of Gods burning Wrath and Indignation and more and more to stir up the Bowels of his Fatherly Compassions which he was pleased to remember for us even in the midst of Judgment yea and then also when as he smote his sinful Heritage with his forest and severest strokes and that upon our Conversion and Reformation his special Love and favour may be had and obtained and that this peace which against all hopes he hath given a stiff-necked and rebellious People who have bitterly provoked him to Jealousie and as it is too too evident have nothing profited by his Rod of Discipline and Correction may be preserved and continued This National Synod decreeth That all the Churches of this Kingdom shall be sollicited by the most powerful Motives and Arguments to humble themselves deeply in a most serious Repentance before his Divine Majesty and utterly to abandon all Vanities Luxury 's Fantasticalness and sumptuous Superfluities in Apparel those unseemly Ornaments and delights of lascivious Curles Paintings Naked Breasts Dances Balls Masquerades Wassaile-Feasts Carnevalls and all other unfruitful works of Darkness that so the Faithful Reforming their Lives and producing Fruits worthy of Repentance may demonstrate themselves by their good Works to be the conscientious Guardians of that pretious Jewel or saving Truths which is deposited with them And all Consistories are injoyned to exert that Authority given them of God diligently to suppress their Insolencies who glorying in their shame and ignominy may attempt in aftertimes to continue in any of their disorderly and sinful practises and should set themselves to resist those Remonstrances which the Great and Holy God hath or may issue forth against them by his Sacred Word And that this most needful Canon may be executed with the greater Faithfulness Care and Facility This Synod doth ordain that it shall be read publickly in all our Churches and an Account of its Observation shall be given in unto Colloquies and Synods on pain of being responsible in their own Persons particularly for all its Transgressions and Violations The whole Church Discipline having been read
they represented that they would observe it themselves and see that it should be exactly observed in their Provinces CHAP. VIII Observations upon reading the last National Synod of Charenton in the Year 1644. 1. THE Provincial Deputies of Lower Languedoc and Sevennes demanding that something might be changed in that Decree of the National Synod of Charenton in the Year 1644. which empowred Consistories with full Authority to judge Sovereignly and without Appeal of those differences arising upon the Account of Seats erected in our Temples And the Consistory of Montpellier having sent Memoirs and demanded quite contrary to them a Confirmation of the said Decree This Assembly waving the Decrees of Provincial Synods made in prejudice of the Ordinances of the National Synod of Charenton and which have not been as yet put in execution by their Consistories and are now vacated and disannulled by this present Assembly it doth judge that there ought not to be any change made in that Decree of the said National Synod of Charenton but ordaineth only That in case the Difficulties be so great as that they cannot be composed by the particular Consistory then it may call in the most considerable Heads of Families belonging to their own Church or of the Neighbour Consistories to be corroborated by their United Counsels and to judge Sovereignly without Appeal concerning those Seats and to prosecute with Church-Censures all such Persons as will not submit unto their Orders and particularly those who shall attempt to remove a business of this nature from our Ecclesiastical Assemblies Moreover it declareth and judgeth as did the last National Synod held at Charenton in the 7th and 11th Articles of Appeals That there be fewer Inconveniences in leaving all Seats free and in common than in affecting them unto particular Persons who being meerly private Persons cannot of right lay claim unto any preheminence before others And all the Churches are exhorted to do what in them lieth to make all places common 2. Forasmuch as True Piety and Holiness depend upon the right knowledge of the Mysteries of Religion this Assembly ratifying that Decree made in the last National Synod of Charenton which was to this effect That whereas in several Great Churches of this Kingdom it was requisite for their general Edification that the Sunday's Catechisms should be handled not by familiar Questions and Answers but by Common-places And that their Instruction might be facilitated who were grown in Years they had substituted extraordinary Catechisings upon some certain days of the Week preceding the Lord's Supper their Practice being approved all the Churches of this Kingdom are exhorted to conform themselves to that Order prescribed by the Discipline as far as God shall enable them and in case they cannot Catechise their Children on every sabbath-Sabbath-day they shall then chuse out some particular Day of the Week for this Exercise especially before the Celebration of the Lord's Supper And Provincial Synods are charged to take knowledge whether every particular Church in their District do perform their Duty herein or no and to give an Account thereof unto the next National Synod This Decree is again revived and 't is now ordered that it shall be exactly observed in all our Churches which shall take such care and course in their respective Consistories as they shall judge will best contribute to the Instruction of the Faithful and in those Churches which have two Sermons on the Lord's Day the Second Sermon shall be turned into an Exposition of the Catechism by way of Common-Place adapting their Discourses to the meanest Capacities And in those Churches and Towns where there is more frequent Preaching as on every day of the Week there is in some they are exhorted to exchange one or more of these Sermons into familiar Catechistical Exercises and such as be more populous and dispersed into divers quarters they are exhorted to hire a fit Person n to instruct the Children in all the Quarters of those Cities and of the Country or at least to chuse out in every Quarter such Elders as are Men able and willing to do this good Service unto the Church of our Lord Jesus And all Fathers and Mothers shall take an especial Care of the Religious Education of their Children teaching them themselves and committing them to Godly Ministers who may form their tender years unto Godliness And all Colloquies and Synods are enjoyned to take Cognizance once a year of the Observation of this Order by Pastors and Consistories And in case there should occur any difficulty to obstruct and hinder this good Design Provincial Synods are empowred with Authority to judge of it and whatever shall be determined and ordained by them shall be executed notwithstanding any Appeal that may be made from them and put in practice till the meeting of the next National Synod unto which an Account of the whole shall be given And that Pastors may acquit themselves more carefully of this most needful part of their Ministry and may have the more time for their private Studies and better prepare themselves for their publick Work in the Pulpit and give more satisfaction unto their Auditories by a clear judicious and solid Explication of the Sacred Scripture Those Churches whose Ministers are obliged to preach oftner than three times in the Week are entreated to discharge them of some part of this Exercise that they may be the better qualified for their Work and may apply themselves more profitably to the Instruction of the Youth by familiar Catechisings And Synods and Colloquies shall see unto it that Pastors and their Churches do all of them endeavour the Advancement of their Members Edification and the Glory of God and of the Gospel 3. Monsieur Drelincourt Pastor of the Chrch of Paris having given an Account of his Works undertook in Obedience to the Counsel of the last National Synod held at Charenton received the Praise and Thanks of this Assembly for those his Learned Labours already published in Defence of the Truth and for Consolation of the Faithful which have been very beneficial to them and he is exhorted to continue his painful Studies and to print those other Treatises as soon as they be finished which are now in his Hands 4. There was read an Article of the last National Synod concerning the Differences of the University of Die with Monsieur Aymin a Minister and the Letters also of the Professors in the said University were perused in which they complain of the many Troubles he hath put them to upon the score of the Judgments passed in the Consistory of Lion March 21. 1638. and March 7. 1643. notwithstanding they had been all repealed in that last National Synod and which self-same Decree was Confirmed by a Judicial Sentence of the Supreme Court of Requests May 12. 1656. into which the said Aymin had driven them And another Report was made how he threatned them with farther Prosecutions upon the same Account This Assembly censureth the
if it be done out of contempt and through fear of being obliged to renounce all Idolatry after divers admonitions given them and they not reforming they shall be cut off from the Body of the Church but if it be through infirmity they shall be born withal for some space of time till they be more established in the Faith CAN. XII Such as care not to come unto our publick Christian Congregations but only upon those days when the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is Celebrated shall be reproved and admonished of their duty and to this purpose they shall join themselves unto one certain particular Church N. B. This last Clause is only in my Edition of Paris and Rouen 1663. CAN. XIII The Faithful who make a trade of hearing the Word of God in one Church and of receiving the Sacraments in another shall be censured and by the advice of the Colloquy or Provincial Synod they shall be appointed to join themselves unto that Church which is nearest and most convenient for them N. B. Provincial Synod is only in my Parisian and Quevilly Edition CAN. XIV Chap. XIII Of Marriages Although it hath not been the Custom to administer the Lord's Supper in the greatest part of our Churches more than four times a year yet it were to be desired that it might be oftner so that the Reverence which is needful for this holy Sacrament could be kept up and observed Because it is most profitable for the Children of God to be exercised and grow in Faith by the frequent use of the Sacraments and the Example of the Primitive Church doth invite us to it And therefore our National Synods shall take that care and order in this matter as is requisite for the weal and happiness of our Churches CHAP. XIII Of Marriages CANON I. SUch as are under Age shall not Contract Marriage without the Consent of their Parents or of those other Persons under whose power they be Howbeit if their said Parents should be so unreasonable as not to yield unto so sacred and needful an Ordinance yea and refuse their consent meerly out of hatred to Religion the Consistory shall advise the Parties to apply themselves unto the Civil Magistrate CAN. II. Such as are of Years and in possession of their Estates shall be admonished by the Minister in the publick Church-Assemblies not to make any Promise of Marriage but in the presence of their Parents Friends Neighbours and Persons in reputation for Godliness And such as do otherwise shall be censured for their lightness and contempt of the said admonition And it were very meet that those Promises of Marriage were performed with solemn Prayers CAN. III. The Faithful that are of Age although they have been Married shall notwithstanding so far honour their Parents as not to Contract Marriage without having first acquainted them therewith and in case of failure herein they shall be censured by the Consistory CAN. IV. Fathers and Mothers professing the Reformed Religion whose Children being Idolaters would marry themselves unto Idolatrous Women shall be advised if possibly they can do it to hinder their said Children from Contracting such Marriages especially if they be not as yet emancipated from under their Authority and Fathers shall employ their Paternal Power to prevent and hinder them but and if they cannot so far prevail yet at passing the Marriage Contracts they shall protest their abhorrency of that Idolatry into which their Children will deeper plunge themselves And this being done the Parents may consent unto the Promises and Conditions about the Dowry and other such like matters and they shall give in evidence unto their Consistory of those endeavours they have used to hinder such Marriages CAN. V. For time to come all Promises of Marriages and Espousals shall be performed by words de futuro which shall not be counted as indissolvible as words de praesenti Because words de praesenti do not so much promise Marriage as in effect consummate it Yet nevertheless those promises by words de futuro shall not be dissolved without very great and lawful causes Wherefore the Custom of those Churches is condemned which celebrateth Espousals betrothings by the Ministry and Benediction of their Pastors with gift of Body and words de praesenti For by such Solemnity the Parties are truly and actually conjoined in Marriage so that the Banes are preposterous and published after the Marriage is Consummated and a second Benediction is rendred needless and superfluous True indeed 't is not thought evil that Pastors should assist at Espousals and pray and exhort the Parties unto mutual love faithfulness and the fear of God provided that they forbear all other formalities which are of none other use than to make a Bond indissolvible which oftentimes we are constrained to break again upon oppositions made when the Banes are published and because of other accidental hinderances For these reasons also those Churches which solemnize Espousals in their Temples with the same publick Benediction as at Marriage are exhorted to lay down this their Custom and to conform themselves unto our Churches in all the other Provinces of this Kingdom N. B. The addition unto this Canon which is Printed in another Character is only found in my Parisian and Quevilly Editions of the Discipline yet grounded upon very many Acts of several National Synods See Syn. of Poictiers Art 2. of Partic. Matters 1560. The Syn. of Saumur 1597. Art 25. concerning Observations upon the Discipline The Synod of Privas 1612. Art 9. of Observations upon the Discipline The Syn. of Alez 1620. Art 14. of Observations upon the Discipline CAN. VI. In Consanguinities and Affinities the faithful may not Contract Marriage but with the Kings Licence according to the Edict CAN. VII It is utterly unlawful to Petition the Pope for a Dispensation of the Impediments of Marriage which is already or may be hereafter accomplished because in so doing there would be an owning of his Tyranny Yet we may warrantably address our selves unto the King for a Dispensation in degrees not prohibited by God nor by the Civil Government CAN. VIII Spiritual Kindred as they be called are not at all comprehended nor understood by those words of Consanguinity and Affinity in the Kings Edict nor do they hinder any Marriage-Contracts CAN. IX It is not lawful for any Man to Marry the Sister of his Deceased Wife for such Marriages are prohibited not only by the Laws of the Land but by the word of God And although by the Law of Moses it was ordained that when the Brother died without Children his Brother should raise up Seed unto him yet that Law enacted for the Children of Israel was temporary relating only to the preservation of the Tribes of that People But the Marriage of a Sister of a Betrothed and Deceased Wife is of another Nature because that Alliance was not Contracted by a Commixture of Blood therefore such a Marriage may be admitted and approved Yet notwithstanding
assigned upon some particular Tenement Rent or Revenue the whole shall be administred by the Deacons or other persons commissionated and ordained thereunto by the Churches through whose hands the Minister shall receive his Pension that so all suspicion of covetousness may be removed and lest by such worldly cares he should be diverted from the weightier Duties of his Calling CAN. XLIV That Church in whose Service a Minister dieth shall take care of his Widow and Orphans and if the Church cannot do it through want of ability the Province shall maintain them CAN. XLV Ministers shall be subject unto Censures CAN. XLVI The Duty of Ministers is to govern both themselves and their Flocks and all their Members small and great of whatsoever quality and degree according to the Word of God and the Church-Discipline But it belongeth properly unto the Magistrate to oversee all Orders and Degrees of Men yea and Ministers also and to take heed that they walk uprightly in their calling wherefore if they offend the Magistrate shall admonish them of their Duty and that power is ascribed to him by our Church-Discipline in Consistories Colloquies and Synods unless their Offences be punishable by Law the knowledge of which appertaineth unto the Civil Magistrate CAN. XLVII If Ministers should teach evil Doctrine and after sufficient admonition given them do not desist they shall be deposed Item Such as reject those holy Counsels made them out of God's Word by their Consistories Item Such also as are of Scandalous Lives and those who shall be convicted of Heresy Schism Rebellion against the Discipline of the Church and open Blasphemies deserving punishment by the Civil Magistrate Simony all Bribery by gifts briguings and underhand dealings to get into another Mans place desertion of their Flocks without lawful leave and just occasion falshood perjury whoredom theft drunkenness battery meriting punishment by the Laws Usuries scandalous Plays and others forbidden by the Laws Dances and such like dissolutions Crimes branded with Infamy and which in any other Person would merit Exclusion from the Church and all persons uncapable of discharging the duties of their Calling CAN. XLVIII These shall not be deposed who by reason of Sickness old Age or any other such infirmities are rendred uncapable of discharging the Duties of their Ministry in which case their honour shall be conserved them and they shall be recommended unto their Churches for maintenance and other Ministers shall be provided to perform the duties of their Calling CAN. XLIX Scandalous Crimes punishable by the Civil Magistrate such as Murder High-Treason and other Vices redounding to the great dishonour and scandal of the Church do deserve that the Minister guilty of them should be deposed although he had committed them not only before his Ordination but also before his Conversion And this shall be the rather done lest the Continuance of such a Wretch in the Ministry should draw greater scandal upon than edifying unto the Church Of which all Synods shall take Cognisance CAN. L. In Case a Minister be convicted of enormous and notorious Crimes he shall be deposed out of hand by the Consistory they inviting unto that action their Colloquy or through default thereof two or three disinteressed Ministers And if the Delinquent Minister should complain of the Accusation and Calumny the business shall be reported unto the Provincial Synod If he hath Preached Heretical Doctrine contrary to the Scriptures he shall be suspended by the Consistory Colloquy or two or three Ministers invited thereunto as before till the final decision of his Case by the Provincial Synod and all Sentences of Suspension for what cause or account soever shall stand good and be of force notwithstanding his Appeal until the definitive Judgment of the next Synod N.B. That Parenthesis in this Canon is not to be found in the four last Editions of the Discipline but yet it is in two others that I have both Printed since the last National Synod CAN. LI. Unless necessity so require it the Causes of a Ministers Deposal shall not be published unto the People of which those who were his Judges and decreed his Deposal shall take cognisance CAN. LII The National Synods shall be informed by the Provinces of all Deposed Ministers that they may not be by them admitted into the Ministry any more CAN. LIII Ministers Deposed for Crimes deserving Capital punishment or bearing mark of Infamy shall never be restored unto their Office whatever satisfactions may be given by them But as for slighter faults upon Confession of them they may be restored by the Provincial Synod but with this condition to serve in another Province and not in their own CAN. LIV. Vagrants that is to say such as having no Call do thrust themselves into the Ministry shall be restrained And whatever Ordinance shall be Decreed and Executed about the Interdiction of any Persons from the Ministry shall be of equal vertue with the Acts of the National Synod and as if it had been done by it CAN. LV. They who have been once denounced Vagrants Apostates Hereticks and Schismaticks shall be denounced such in all the Churches that so they may be aware of them And a List of these Wretches names shall be brought from the several Provincial Synods to be hung up in the National CAN. LVI Such as by the judgment of a National Synod have been once inrolled among the Vagrants shall never be razed out of that black Catalogue but by the authority of another CAN. LVII Such as intrude into the Ministry in those places and Provinces where the pure worship of God is already established shall be severely admonished to desist and in case of their obstinate persisting in this their intrusion they shall be declared Schismaticks and their Followers also if after the like admonitions given they do not leave them CHAP. II. Of Schools CANON I. THE Churches shall do their utmost endeavour to erect Schools and to take care of the instruction of their Youth CAN. II. Regents and Masters of Schools shall subscribe the Confession of Faith and Church-Discipline and the Towns and Churches shall nor admit any one into this Office without the consent of the Consistory of that place CAN. III. Doctors and Professors in Divinity shall be chosen by the Synod of that Province in which our Universities do lie and they shall be Examined not only in Lectures made by them upon the authentick Edition of the Greek and Hebrew Texts of the Old and New Testament which shall be given them but also by a disputation of one or more days as upon advice taken shall be judged best and being found Persons of sufficient abilities if they are not Pastors the right hand of Fellowship shall be given them they having first promised that they will with all faithfulness and diligence discharge their duty and handle the holy Scriptures with all purity according to the Analogy of Faith and the Confession of our Churches Chap. II. Of Schooh which
and foundation was their utter ruine Wherefore that we might not overburden our selves with too great a load of businesses all at once and for that the fury of War is incompatible with the Constitution of good and wholesome Laws we did prudently defer and delay their full and particular satisfaction till such time as we might make the best provision for them that could be desired And now at last through the divine goodness enjoying a greater quiet than ever we believed that we could not better employ our selves than in those concerns of the glory of his holy name and service and that he may he religiously adored invocated and worshipped by all our Subjects and although it be not his good pleasure to permit at this time that it should be in one and the self-same form and mode of Religion yet at least that it may be with one and the self-same mind and intention and in such an order and manner as there may not be any trouble or tumult among them for it that so both we our selves and this Kingdom may always merit and preserve that glorious Title entail'd upon us by the noble Atchievements of our Progenitors of being the Most Christian and so by this means to remove the cause of all those evils and troubles which might fall out upon the score and account of Religion they being of all others the most spreading taking and influential For these reasons we knowing that this was an affair of the greatest importance and meriting our best thoughts and deepest consideration after we had taken in hand the Bills of Grievances presented us by our Roman Catholick Subjects and had permitted our other Subjects of the aforesaid pretended Reformed Religion to assemble themselves by their Deputies to prepare their Bills also and to bring them in together with their Remonstrances unto us and had several Conferences with them about those very matters at sundry and divers times and revised all former Edicts we have judged needful now upon the whole to give unto all our said Subjects one and that a general clear plain and absolute Law by which they may be ruled and governed in and about all those differences which have heretofore fallen out or may hereafter happen and fall out among them which 't is our hope will most effectually contribute to their mutual and full contentment upon all occasions and emergencies whatsoever Sith that we never deliberated nor advised with our Privy-Council about it upon any other ground or respect than that great zeal which we have for God's Service and Glory and that he may be more religiously obeyed and worshiped by all our said Subjects and that there might be setled and established among them a good and firm and durable Peace For the obtaining of which we do most devoutly implore and wait upon his Divine Goodness hoping and expecting the continuance thereof and of that wonderful Protection and Favour he hath always most illustriously vouchsafed unto this Kingdom from its first Foundations laid many hundred years ago unto this very day and that he will be so merciful unto our said Subjects as to give them to understand that in the observation of this our Law consists next and after their duty unto God and us the principal basis and ground-work of their Union Concord Tranquillity and Peace and the setling and restoration of the whole state in its primitive splendour opulency and power As we for our part do purpose resolve and promise to see that it be exactly observed without suffering it in any manner to be transgressed or violated For these Causes We with the Advice of the Princes of our Blood and other Princes and Officers of the Crown and other great and Honourable Persons in our Council of State who are near about us and attend upon us having well and diligently pondered and considered this whole affair we have by this perpetual and irrevocable Edict said declared and Ordained and we do say declare and Ordain I. In the first place That the sense and remembrance of all matters passed both on the one side and the other from the beginning of March in the year 1585. unto the day of our coming unto the Crown and during all the preceding Troubles and all causes and occasions of them shall be for ever suppressed and forgotten as if they had never been Nor shall it be lawful for our Attorney-Generals or any other Persons whatsoever whether publick or private at any time or on any occasions that may be to mention sue implead or prosecute for them in any of our Courts or Jurisdictions whatsoever II. We forbid all our Subjects whatsoever their Estate or Quality may be to revive the memory of past matters or to assault incense injure provoke or reproach one the other upon those accounts or upon any cause or pretext whatsoever to dispute contend or quarrel with or to wrong and offend any one either in word or deed but that they contain themselves within bounds and live together peaceably as Brethren Friends and Fellow-Citizens on pain of punishing the Transgressors as Breakers of the Peace and Disturbers of the quiet and settlement of the Common-wealth III. We Ordain That the Roman Catholick and Apostolick Religion shall be restored and set up again in all places and quarters of this our Kingdom and in all other our Dominions subject to us where the exercise thereof hath been intermitted that it may be peaceably and freely exercised without any trouble lett or hinderance And we do most straitly forbid all Persons whatsoever their quality estate or condition may be upon the Penalties before-mentioned to trouble molest or disquiet the Ecclesiasticks in the Celebration of Divine Service or in the receiving or injoyment of their Tithes Emoluments and Revenues of their Benefices and of all other rights and duties appertaining to them And that all persons who in the late troubles have seized upon Churches Houses Goods and Revenues belonging to the said Ecclesiasticks and who do possess and occupy them do entirely relinquish the same and do peaceably resign and yield up their possession and enjoyment of them and of all rights priviledges and securities unto those Churchmen who are disseized of them Moreover we do most straitly forbid all those of the said pretended Reformed Religion to have any Sermons preached or any other exercise of their Religion aforesaid in any Churches Houses or other Habitations of those the said Ecclesiasticks IV. And the said Ecclesiasticks shall have full liberty to buy those Houses and Edifices which have been built not upon holy but profane grounds taken from them in the late troubles or to compel the Possessors of the said Buildings to purchase the land of them at a certain rate and price which shall be estimated and set upon it by persons of judgment and experience in such matters and for which both the Parties shall agree And in case of non-agreement between them the Judges of those places shall determine saving
do with Silk or Gold at your Feasts or Repasts Every day should be unto us a day of Prayers and Tears not a feasting but a fasting day Your Indevotion is another source of your Afflictions You have despised God's holy Word Family Duties Family Prayer hath been either neglected or very negligently performed That you may turn away God's Wrath from you set upon the Religious Performance of these Religious Duties Let them be frequent prolonged and with greater fervency Let your outward demeanour be exemplary for its great mortification and this too in the very eyes of your adversaries and that you may be known publickly who you are by the modesty humility and plainness of your Garb and principally by your Charity and the excellency of your Faith Take a special care of your poor persecuted Brethren give liberally towards the charges of their Escapeal All things should now be in common among you and no person should count any thing his own whil'st his poor Brother needs it This is the very soul of Christianity and if you thus bestow it God may restore again unto you his Gospel whereof he hath deprived you Thus ordering your Conversations you will be admired by your own Countrymen and Enemies of your Religion it will prevail with them to hear you favourably and incline them either to become Converts themselves or else to favour your Escapeal These Adviso's are only Expedients for the present till such time as it shall please God to open you a door of deliverance from the Tyranny you now groan under And you must take the first opportunity you can of departing For don't fool your selves with this imagination that you shall be able for any long space of time to keep the Truth of God in the Land of Meshek Your Piety will gradually decay Your Children having never known any other Religion than the Romish will accustom themselves unto it and never desire to leave their Country Wherefore spare neither pains diligence nor costs that you may be transported into a Land of Liberty And look not back behind you to carry away what is in your Houses Whosoever looks back again is not meet for the Kingdom of Heaven And tho' you were stript of all in your flight yet you would be rich enough in having your Souls given you for a Prey The worst that can befal you is to die of famine But is that kind of death more terrible than any other Can any Death be dreadful to us when the Life of our Souls lies at stake and the Glory of God is concerned And yet possibly it may never be so bad with you 'T is our Duty in no wise to doubt of God's mercy Such a thought should never be harbour'd by us In the very worst of times God hath been gracious to his People and they have been relieved in their necessities So that all the hazard you run is but the renouncing the Vanities of this World or being reduced to work with our hands for our living or to receive an Alms. The pride of Man's heart can't brook this thought But 't is this Pride that must be subdued 't is this Monster that must be brained 't is it that hath undone us We should reckon it our great honour to be debased scorned impoverished and stript of all for Christ Jesus Our Life is very short No matter how we suffer in it Our great concern should be for Eternity We live and work for Eternity My brethren count it great joy when you fall into divers temptations And be perswaded that you cannot make any other satisfaction for your great crime in renouncing with your mouths the Truth of our holy Religion than by sacrificing unto God your Estate Ease and Comforts than by offering up your selves at last for his sake unto the Sufferings and Miseries of this Cruel World As for those among you who yet stand your ground My dearly beloved Brethren in the Name of God look unto the Recompence of Reward promised you for your Perseverance Look unto the Glory you shall receive for having overcome all Difficulties and retained your Integrity Let 's look unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith lift up your hands that hang down and strengthen your feeble knees Remember that he endured the Cross and despised the shame and that he exposed himself to the contradiction of sinners that he might sit down at the right hand of God his Father Consider that great cloud of Witnesses and persist constantly in that Race which is set before you Look unto those Martyrs who live now glorified in Heaven and in the memory of Men. Remember that God chastises all he loves and that he owns them for his children be not therefore displeased with the correction of the Lord. Remember he bestows a very great honour upon you in calling you out to suffer for his Name 's sake Take patiently the loss and spoiling of your Goods your Prisons and Sorrows The Lord will recompence you for all your hard Labours and will give a glorious issue to all your Conflicts The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen If you have any charity for your Brethren you will communicate this Letter among them SECT LVII I have done with my Preface adding Courteous Reader but one Advertisement about my Manuscript Copies out of which I have extracted and compiled my Synodicon It is more than twenty Years ago that I met with some Collections out of the Manuscript Acts of these National Synods That great Learning deep Wisdom and sound Godliness I observed in them inflamed my desires and affections after the Originals Accordingly when as the Ministers were banished France and about 150 of them came unto London I made it my business to learn of them some News of these Acts. But I may speak it truly that the far greater part of these Reverend Confessors did with much regret inform me that they feared they were lost irrecoverably For the first thing the Intendants did when they visited their Churches was to seize upon all Papers Writings Acts Deeds Books and whatsoever belonged unto their Consistories Colloquies and Synods yea and this they did also unto particular Ministers thus robbing them of their well-furnish'd Libraries and of all their Manuscripts I mingled my Griefs with theirs for this Peculate But yet did not give over my search No sooner did I hear of any new Minister arrived but I insinuated my self into his Acquaintance and renewed my Inquiry tho' frequently to my sore dissatisfaction And having given over all hopes of ever seeing this Jewel one day about two years and a half since as I was in company with about six or seven of these worthy and reverend Refugees bemoaning the great loss their Churches had sustained in this cruel Persecution and particularly in the loss of those Acts of their famous National Synods * * * Monsieur Foren Pastor of the Church of Sion in the Province of
dear Brother Monsieur * * * One Copy calls him Halnar and in two other Coples Saluart Salnar Minister in the Church of Castres styled Hamonia Confessionum as being most useful and needful for these our times judging also that it would do singular good Service if it were rendred into our French Tongue and therefore the Province of Higher Languedoc is charged by this Synod to get it translated and to prefix an Epistle Commendatory to the said Book in the Name of their faid Province XV. The Church of Vitré requesting our Advice in this case Whether Witnesses should be confronted deposing a Crime committed by the Delinquent who does obstinately and upon his Oath deny the very Matter of Fact This Assembly judgeth That all occasions of new Quarrels may be avoided which may probably arise from such Confrontations the Witnesses shall not be confronted unless of their own accord they do freely consent unto it or unless that the last and greatest Censures must of neccessity be used which indeed cannot be executed till such time as the Delinquents shall have been well and duly convicted and this cannot be done unless that he confess and own his Offence or that the Witnesses do avow it constantly to his face XVI The Article about our Catechism shall remain in its full power till the next National Synod whereunto the Provinces shall come well instructed that so we may advise whether Mr. Calvin's Catechism may be retained or that a shorter one consisting only of the Apostles Creed the Lord's Prayer and the Ten Commandments shall be taken up and used in the Ordinance of Catechising XVII The Deputies of Poictou propounded this Case A certain Marriage was dissolved by Authority of the Official because of the Husband's Impotency sometime after the Woman being publickly married in the Church it fell out the Man also was re-married but in the Romish Church he being now touched with Repentance demandeth to be received unto the Peace and Communion of our Church This Assembly adviseth that before his re-admission his Wife shall be interrogated whether she be well satisfied with him that so it may be known whether he hath not abused God's holy Ordinance of Marriage because he had been once before judged impotent and if he be now found such we advise the deferring of his Reception till we have had more ample proof of his Repentance But if it be otherwise he having according to our Discipline repaired his fault of being married in the Church of Rowe shall be restored to the Peace and Communion of the Church Nevertheless this Assembly judgeth that the Consistory should be censured not only for not using its Authority to hinder the Woman to suddenly after her Marriage contracted and solemnized from running to the Official who presently ordered her a Separation but also for not persisting in their Admonitions to the Husband that he should not so easily and readily consent as he did unto a dissolution of the said Marriage because such a Separation ought not to have been till after three Ecclesiastical Sentences had thrice gradually intervened as is usual even in the Church of Rome XVIII Claudius Merchant formerly Minister in the Church of Beauriers and Civray in the Province of Berry having been accused and convicted of Adultery before this Assembly we do depose him from his Charge and Ministry for being a scandalous Person utterly unworthy of it Moreover we do ordain That this his said Deposition shall be published in those places where he exercised his Ministry but without mentioning the Woman only in general this shall be declared that 't is for a very gross and heavy Sin for a most grievous Scandal Finally he shall not be admitted in any place of his Residence unto the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper till he have first done Publick Penance for this notorious Scandal given by him unto the Church altho' the particular Crime committed by him shall not be specified in the Church And the Consistory of the Church De la Roche posé shall be censured for putting him into Office among them before they had sufficient Attestations concerning him XIX Divers Gentlemen complaining by the Deputies of Augoumois that in those places where there is but one Sermon in the Week their Ministers do resufe coming on the Week-days to Preach and Baptize their Children which are then born unless they bring them at the appointed Times for Religious Worship This Assembly adviseth That to prevent all Clamours and Complaints for the future the Consistory shall appoint one Day in the midst of the Week for an extraordinary Assembly and so provide for all emergent necessary Duties XX. The Churches shall be informed that by the Ninth Article of the Secret Articles the King promiseth to dispense with the Degrees of Consanguinity and Assinity between Persons of the Reformed Religion so that we need not have recourse unto the Pope for Dispensations Wherefore in such Cases they may apply themselves unto His Majesty by our Agent at Court XXI Our Brother the Deputy of Poictou propounded this Case That a certain Person having quitted his Benefice did yet notwithstanding receive a Pension from his Curate that enjoys it This Assembly adviseth that he be admonished either to relinquish such a Pension or else wholly to employ it unto Pious Uses XXII Whereas the Deputy of Anjou hath demanded that the Church of La Gravelle may be declared a Member of the said Province because 't is inclosed within its bounds the Assembly judgeth That inasmuch as our Brother De Cherpon Minister of it had been mostly incouraged in his Studies by the Liberality of the Lord De la Val and that the far greater part of the Members of that Church are Brittains it being distant from Brittany but one small League that therefore the said Church shall be reputed to belong to the Province of Brittany and the rather because of the paucity of Ministers in it And this Order shall be in force no longer than the time of Monsieur Cherpon's Residence at and Relation to the ' foresaid Church of La Gravelle * * * In my Copy it wrs Noturi◠which I lookt upon as an Error of the French Scribe for Norwich XXIII Our Brother Monsieur Mary Minister of the Church of Norwich in England but living at present in Normandy shall be obliged to return unto his Church upon its first Summons yet because of the great Success of his Ministry in these parts his Church may be intreated to continue for some longer time his absence from it XXIV Monsieur De Feugeray Pastor in the Church of Rouen having informed this Assembly of the great importance of that Church and how necessary it is that it should be provided of able Ministers we being at present destitute of all help for them do advise the Province of Normandy to enquire in their respective Classis whether they may not find two Churches so nigh one unto the other
and he is put upon the Roll of distribution among those Ministers who are to be provided of Churches by this present National Synod in the close of it which judgeth that both those Churches have forfeited the Ministry of the blessed Gospel of Christ one having lost it for their sin of ingratitude in demanding work and enjoying the labours of their Minister and denying him bread by which he and his poor Family might live And the other is deprived of the Ordinances because they endeavoured to rob another Church of its Pastor and would get him by unjust and unlawful means quite contrary to the Canons of our Discipline Moreover this Assembly hath rejected and disannulled the appeal of Monsieur Roy from the mixt Assembly before mentioned and that also brought by Monsieur Petit from the Colloquy of Jonzac And as for the Appeal of the Church of Barbezieux from the Decree past in the last Synod or Saujon this Assembly cannot blame the patience and indulgence of that Synod because of all former circumstances but yet it cannot but censure the last Colloquy held at Abaigne for producing before us Acts and Writings signed when their meeting was broken up and unto which neither the Moderators nor any other of the Pastors had given their consent And that Church of Barbezieux shall come to a full account with the said Mr. Petit and shall give him intire satisfaction betwixt this and the next Synod on pain of being for ever deprived of the Ministry of God's holy Word and Sacraments 20. Monsieur Rossell at present Minister in the City and Church of Orange appealed from a Decree of the Synod of Lower Languedoc But this Assembly dismissed it over to the Provincial Synod of Vivaretz which is fully authorized finally to decide and determine the matters in controversie betwixt them 21. The Church of Mauzé in Aulnix having opposed by an Appeal the Liberty granted unto Monsieur de la â—ave by the Colloquy of Aulnix and confirmed by the Synod of Saujon and not appearing to make good the Contents of their Appeal the Judicial Sentence of the said Colloquy and Synod was confirmed And the Appeal of the Church of Jonzac for its being separated from that of Clan which was decreed by the same Synod and the Appeal of the Church of Mirambeau about the translating of Monsieur Rossignol from them unto the Church of Arvert neither of these Appeals being abetted and defended by any person they did both fall to the ground of course and were both declared null and desert 22. Whereas the Church of Mirambeau having demanded of the Synod of Xaintonge a portion of his Majesties Moneys was refused the grant thereof because they had no Pastor and do now therefore make their Appeal This Assembly judgeth that the said Synod proceeded well and wisely and that the Appeal of the said Church is causless and unreasonable But that Provincial Synod is advised to present one of their Proposans who is maintained out of our common Stock unto this vacant Church CHAP. X. Of Particular Matters 1. THE Sieurs Richard Pastor of the Church of Meusac and Islemade Richeteau Pastor of the Church of St. Leophary and Charles Pastor of the Church of Archiac represented unto this Synod the two first by word of mouth the last by his Son Minister of Villemur the great Difficulties they met withal in executing that Canon of the Synod of Gap obliging Pastors to a personal Residence on their Churches which being considered by the Provincial Synod of Higher Languedoc and particularly as relating to the said Ministers who now lived in the City of Montauban the final Judgment on their Case was remitted unto this Assembly Monsieur Beraud Pastor and Professor in that Church and University was heard deliver his thoughts about this Affair And divers Acts being produced and read on both sides many of which proved evidently the convenient Houses and Lodgings that those Churches had provided for these their Pastors who complained without any just ground though other Acts did offer the contrary After a mature debate of the whole this ensuing Decree was made and published that the said Richard and Richeteau shall both of them remove from the City of Montauban unto their respective Churches which are injoyned to accommodate them with convenient Housen as soon as possible and to augment their Salaries unto a just competency and this at farthest within the space of one year And if the said Churches shall refuse or neglect this their bounden duty they shall be deprived of the Ministry of God's Holy Word and Sacraments and if the said Ministers shall refuse to reside in those Habitations provided for them before the year be expired they also shall be suspended from their Ministerial Office And every one of these Plaintiffs and Defendants on both sides are sharply censured for producing several Attestations Inquiries and other such like Acts done and confirmed by and before Publick Notaries and Secular Judges And as for Monsieur Charles the Elder this Assembly considering the Age great Charge and that Assistance which he hath promised unto his Father-in-law and that Help which his Son hath promised unto him doth dispense with his personal Residence in his Church for so long a time as his Church shall permit him and he may live where he now doth And these Ministers Charles Richard and Richeteau are expresly forbidden all intermeddling in any sort whatsoever with the Affairs of the Church and University of Montauban unless they be duly called and invited to it by the Consistory of that University 2. Mr. Charles the Younger shall for the future make his constant Residence in his Church of Villemur and whereas he pretends that he was absolutely given up and resigned unto the Church of Puylaurens and that he was only lent unto that of Villemur This Assembly requireth the Provincial Synod of Higher Languedoc and Guyenne to examine the truth of this matter and till the said Synod determine otherwise about him he shall serve the Church of Villemur 3. The Colloquy Church and University of Montauban petitioned that Monsieur Beraud might be restored to them and to continue in his Office amongst them The Sieurs Beraud Father and Son and the Deputies of the Province were all heard speaking in their order to this matter as also Monsieur Bouchereau Pastor of the Church of Saumur who pleaded that Monsieur Beraud the Younger had engaged himself for one year to be professor in that University This Assembly considering the necessities of the said University of Saumur decreed that Monsieur Beraud should tarry with them another year to commence on the fifteenth day of April next coming which term being expired Monsieur Beraud the Son shall serve in the Ministry in his Father's stead and perform all the duties belonging unto his Office and he shall then be appropriated to and fixed in the Church and University of Montauban nor may the Provincial Synod nor Colloquy nor the said
Officers of His Majesty their Provincial Synod could not meet but towards the end of August which had exceedingly retarded and put back their Journey so that they could not possibly come any sooner unto this Assembly Their Excuses were admitted and they were admonished for the future to keep exactly to the forme prescribed by the former National Synods in their Letters of Deputation and to bring in Writing the Names of those Persons who being Commissionated could not come hither unto this Synod The One and Twentieth day after the Synod had first met and sate there were Letters brought and read in full Assembly from the Province of Provence assembled in their Synod at Cabrieres on the Eight and Twentieth day of August last By which they excuse themselves and crave that they may be excused for not having sent any Deputies unto this Assembly But all their Excuses were rejected and the said Province was censur'd for their neglect of this their Duty they being able if they had been willing to have Commissionated some from out of their Body unto this Synod and they were farther censured for that their Letters were full of blots and razures and that the clause of submission unto the Votes and Canons thereof was not couched in such full and Emphatical terms as the former National Synods had prescribed Prayers having been offered up unto God and all the Letters of Deputation read and examined The Reverend Mr. Durant Pastor of the Church of Paris was nominated and chosen Moderator Mr. Bayly Assessor and Mr. Faucheur a Pastor and Mr. Launay an Elder to be Scribes CHAP. II. The Kings Commissson to the Lord GALLAND AS soon as the Synodical Officers were chosen the Lord Galland declared that by vertue of and in Obedience to his Majesties Letters Patents bearing Date the Seventeenth of April last and verified in his Court of Parliament the Second of May following by which His Majesty had ordained that in all Assemblies of his Subjects of the Reformed Religion whether Coloquies or Synods one of His Majesties Officers being of the same Religion should assist in Person and see that nothing should be propounded or handled but only such Affairs as were permitted by his Edicts and that he should make report thereof unto His Majesty He came now and sate in this Assembly for that His Majesty had Commissionated him as his Deputy unto this present Assembly as was evident by the Letters Pattents of His said Majesty subscribed by the Kings own Hand Lewis and a little Lower by His Majesties Order De L' Omeny and Sealed with the Great Seal in yellow Wax and Dated the Twenty Ninth of July last which were produced and read The Tenour whereof is as followeth Lewis by the Grace of God King of France and Navarre to our well-beloved and faithful Counsellor in our Council of State and Privy Council our Attorney General in our Realm of Navarre Monsieur Augustus Galland Greeting We having Willed and Ordained by our Letters Patents bearing Date in the Moneth of April last that our Subjects of the P. Reformed Religion might hold their Synodical Assemblies as formerly and meet and treat about Matters of their Discipline and that we would Commissionate one of our Officers of the same Religion to be present in those Assemblies and to see that none other Matter should be Debated in them but what is according to our Edicts Now forasmuch as in the Moneth of September next there will be conven'd at Charenton an Assembly of the Deputies of the said Religion from out of all the Provinces of this our Kingdom For these Causes we being well assured of your good affection unto our Service and to the Repose and Peace of our Estate we have Commissionated and do by these presents Commissionate you to meet and be present with them in the said General Assembly whether it sit at Charenton or be removed elsewhere by our permission during the whole time of their Sessions and carefully to take heed that nothing he Treated or Debated in it contrary to our Service or prejudicial to the Publick Peace And in case any other thing shall be proposed or Debated than what concerns the Order and Discipline of the said P. Reformed Religion you shall oppose and suppress it and make those Remonstrances against it as be in such cases needful and give us full and timely notice of the whole and of all and singular passages transacted in it And because of that confidence we have of your Loyalty and Affection we have Commissionated and Deputed and do Commissionate and Depute you for this very end and purpose to be present in all those Assemblies held by our Subjects of the said P. Reformed Religion by our Licence at the said Town of Charenton without your having need of any other powers than what are now given you by these present Letters Pattents which you may communicate unto such Persons as you shall think fit so that none of those our aforesaid Subjects may pretend ignorance you having received full power from us For such is our will and pleasure Given at St. Germain in I aye this Nine and Twentieth day of July and in the Year of Grace One Thousand Six Hundred and Twenty Three and in the Fourteenth Year of Our Reign Signed Lewes and a little lower By His Majesties Order D' LOMENY CHAP. III. A great Debate about this Commission THE Letters Pattents being read The Lord of Montmartyn Deputy General of the Churches unto His Majesty reported that when as He and his Colleague the Lord Maniald were inform'd of His Majesties Will as aforesaid they did what lay in their power by reason and argument to disswade His Majesty from passing this Declaration But notwithstanding all that they did or could urge His Majesty was not pleased in the least to heed or regard them but caused this Declaration to be verified in his Court of Parliament So that neither himself nor the Lord Maniald being able to do any thing more they left it unto this present Assembly to reiterate their Complaints unto His Majesty and if they thought good to tender their Petitions unto His Majesty about it The Synod deliberating in presence of the Lord Augustus Galland about this Affair and cousidering that by this Declaration of His Majesty our Colloquies and Synods were most unjustly charged and condemned for having past beyond the Bounds and Limits of their most humble Duty which they have alwayes deferred and payd unto His Majesty in all their Consultations and Debates and moreover that the benefit of his Edicts was greatly retrenched and those favourable Concessions which His Majesty had granted us were now as good as totally revoked it is resolved that a most solemn humble address should be presented to His Majesty that he would be pleased to maintain our Churches in all their Liberties which had been accorded to them and which they had ever heretofore enjoyed and two Pastors with two Elders were ordained to
Council that the Moneys granted by his Bounty unto the Churches might be assigned on some particular Tally for this year That a long time was spent before he could find any success of his endeavours But at last they would give him Orders and Assignations which in truth he refused to accept because he knew them to be naught and worth nothing And that finally about the end of the last April they had given him others which he was constrained to take because he saw the Lords of the Council fixed in their resolutions of giving him none other That indeed these latter Assignations were a little better than the former but it would be a very great while before any payment were made that it would be at least Six or Eight Moneths before the first Summ would become due that the whole Assembly knew they would not grant him any Order or Tally for the last year 1622 yea and His Majesty had revoked his former grant of Moneys to the Churches for the year 1621 and employed them elsewhere to some other purposes And as for the Arrears due unto us in the foregoing years he had took all care possible and used the utmost diligence to recover them but with very little or no success that he had brought in his Accompts and prayed the Assembly to constitute a Committee to audit and close them The Assembly having most heartily thanked the said Lord of Candal for his singular care respects and kindnesses upon all occasions expressed unto the Churches and desired the continuance of his Love did nominate Messieurs de Basnage and Le Clark Pastors du Port and du Four Elders to peruse and examine his Accompts And whereas a world of inconveniencies will befal our Churches by so long delay of paying in the Moneys granted us by His Majesty for this year now current the Synod deputed the Sieurs de L' Angle a Pastor and du Port an Elder and the Lords of Montmartyn and Candal to wait upon His Majesty and on the behalf of this Assembly most humbly to beseech him to grant some other Assignations and Orders for the more speedy paying in of His Majesties Great Bounty unto our Churches and that as a Token of His Royal Goodness and Liberality he would be pleased to add some other Summs to us instead of those which have been taken from us in the last foregoing years we having received not so much as one farthing or doibt for them 15. A few dayes after the said Deputies being returned from the King they made Report in this Assembly how Graciously they had been received by His Majesty who assured them that in case his said Subjects of the Reformed Religion continued in their Duty and Obedience he would alwayes give them all possible content And the same Expressions of kindness they received also from the Lords of His most Honourable Privy Council who ordered out of hand Forty Thousand Livres to be payed in unto them they yielding up unto their Lordships the old Warrants for the like Summ but as for what was requested about reimbursing us the years past by fixing those Summs due unto us on some other Tallies and Assignations their Honours were pleased to say There was no reason why they should promise it 16. The Province of Anjou requested that the University of Saumur might not any longer be left destitute of Professors in Divinity but that some speedy care and course might be taken to send Monsieur Cameron to be Professor of that faculty in it The Lord Commissioner and Deputy for His Majesty unto this Synod declared that it was the Will and Pleasure of His Majesty that those two Gentlemen Mr. Gilbert Primrose and Mr. John Cameron should not be preferred neither of them to any Publick Office either of Pastors in the Churches or of Pastors and Professors in the Churches and Universities of this Kingdom not because of their Birth as being Foreigners but for some private Reasons of State relating to his Service And the said Lord of Galland presented us His Majesties Letters Written and Signed with His Own Hand Lewes and a little lower de L' Omeny Dated the Twenty Fifth day of this present Moneth The Assembly understanding this to be His Majesties pleasure would not put it to the Vote Whether they should be continued or not in their Ministry but deputed the Sieurs Cottiby Minister of the Gospel and du Bois and St. Martyn Elders together with the Lord of Montmartyn General Deputy to carry unto His Majesty a Petition from this Assembly wherein this Assembly did most humbly beseech His Majesty that as he had lately with his own Mouth most graciously promised so His Majesty would be pleased to give Order that all our Ministers might as fully injoy the fruit and benefit of his promise CHAP. XV. N. B. What picque the King of France had against Monsieur Cameron as I cannot tell so I shall not write my guesses and conjectures about it because they may be and may not be true Mr. Cameron if he had designed what afterwards some others attempted a coalition of both the Religions Protestant and Popish yet certainly was no Papist yea far enough from their Doctrine and Worship But he had angred the Jesuits not so much as his Reverend Colleague and Countreyman And this was the true reason why Monsieur Primrose was necessitated to quit Bourdeaux and France when as Cameron was permitted to tarry and return to Bourdeaux and was preferred unto the Professors Chair in Divinity afterwards at Montauban On Whitsunday in the year 1619. Father Arnoux the Jesuit preaching before the King Queen and Court of France in the Castle of Amboise attempted a Task impossible to whiten Blackamores to wash or wipe his Church clean and especially his own Order from an indelible blot viz. That they held it lawful to kill Kings This the Jesuit with a boldness and audaciousness which is the proper Talent of their Society would have some how or other evaded He assures that Royal Auditory with the greatest confidence that it was never the Doctrine of their Catholick Church never believed by these good Fathers that Subjects might lawfully rebel against their Sovereigns yea that it doth anathematize all those who teach and preach that the Sacred Persons of Princes may be lawfully made away and murdered yea that the whole Society of Jesuits doth condemn detest and as much as hi them lieth doth anathematize all Advisers Abettors and Aiders of Rebels against their King upon any pretext vvhatsoever His Majesty and that vvhole illustrious Auditory vvere overjoyed at this free and liberal Declaration of the Jesuit and quitted the Sermon as they said very much edified And His Majesty told it publickly that he had great reason to be pleased with the Fathers of the Society and that Father Arnoux had in the Name and stead of them all plainly and fully enough condemned the Book of Mariana Monsieur Primrose vvas present at this Sermon and
but one Word more and having added that shall conclude The Synod of Nismes decreed That Baptism administred by one who had neither Call nor Commission was null and injoined Pastors not in the least to scruple the baptizing such Children who had Water poured upon them by Women or any other such Persons without Call or Commission to baptize 'T is his Majesty's Pleasure that this Article be amended for such reasons as I shall recite unto you in their very Words from the Original Order Because from hence springeth the Opinion of Re-baptizing for from the Doubt which they make about a Call they oblige themselves to re-baptize all those who were baptized by such Persons whose Call they cannot approve of and of whose Call they make themselves the sole Judges and Arbitrators although the Catholick Church not approving their Call yea not in the least hesitating to declare they have none doth yet notwithstanding approve of their Baptism because it is a Sacrament whose Virtue and Efficacy is ex opere operato and not ex opere operantis so that the Synod did that which did not belong unto them when they invalidated this Sacrament by whom-soever it was administred since the Catholick Church in which they cannot say there hath been a Want or Failure of any Call hath decided this Point and in Case of Necessity hath judged probably of the Infants Disposition therefore all Persons are called and the Word and Water intervening the Church will not have this Act to be any more repeated CHAP. IV. How follow the Synod's Replies and Answers unto the King's Propositions Article 13. THE Commissioner having finished his Discourse which was patiently and attentively heard by the Synod The Synod by the Mouth of its Moderator did praise and bless God with their most hearty and humble Thanksgivings for his infinite Goodness and Mercy in hearing the Prayers of his poor Servants and inclining the King's Heart to grant us this Meeting and to promise us the Continuance of his Favours and Thanks also were returned unto his Majesty for that according to his usual and wonted Kindness he hath vouchsafed us new Expressions of his paternal Affection in his Letters and Writ for our Assembly and in choosing and sending and honouring us with such a Person for his Commissioner as is universally famed for his singular Integrity Prudence and Piety And the said Lord Commissioner was most humbly intreated to assure his Majesty that as the Churches did never in Thought or Deed depart from that Obedience Fidelity and Subjection unto which by the Word of God they stood obliged so for the future they will never aim at any other Mark than their Continuance in it and daily give in new Evidences unto his Majesty and our Lords of his most honourable Privy-Council of the Innocency of our Conversation 15. And whereas divers Reports and Informations have been brought in against some Provincial Synods and sundry particular Persons have been taxed for violating of his Majesty's Ordinances his Majesty is most humbly intreated to consider that the Synod of Nismes is in no wise blame-worthy for it never received any Letters from the Lords of Bearn and as for our Reverend Brother Monsieur Rousselet who is a Native of New-Castle a City belonging to that Canton and subject to those Lords he was invited by their Letters to return unto his own Country and to exercise his Ministry there and to accept of the Professor's Place in Theology then vacant in their University of Lausanna yet did he of his own Accord as soon as he had received those Letters of Call produce and tender them unto his Majesty's Commissioner then present in that Synod of Nismes and also unto several other Officers of his Majesty who all unanimously declared that he did not in the least Tittle or Punctilio decline from his Duty 16. And although his Majesty's Subjects in this Kingdom may resolve what they please as to their own personal Forbearance of Communications and Correspondence with Foreigners yet sith they cannot tie up their Hands who live abroad out of his Majesty's Dominions and Authority from writing what they please and sending it where they please into this Kingdom Yet that it may appear to the whole World that our Churches do not court nor are ambitious of their Familiarity we promise before God for the future that whatsoever Letters are addressed unto the Colloquies and Synods of this Kingdom from any foreign Prince State City or Churches or ever they be opened shall be first of all delivered into the Hands of his Majesty's Commissioners that so by them and from their own Mouths his Majesty may be fully informed of their Contents that so all and every individual Person professing the Reformed Religion and in Communion with us here at home may be discharged and acquitted from all imputation of Faction and Disobedience whatsoever 17. Moreover whereas by our Discipline Colloquies and Provincial Synods are obliged to take care that particular Churches destitute of Pastors be provided for and Causes of this nature are never transmitted to our National Synods unless upon extraordinary Occasions and by way of Appeal And whereas particular Churches are sometimes necessitated to seek abroad out of their Provinces for a Supply of Pastors whenas they cannot be furnished at home yet are these their Researches regulated by the Canons of our Discipline And therefore it was in Obedience and conformity to them that the Synods of Dolphiny and Sevennes did bring their Demands for the Churches of Montlimart and Anduze unto that of Nismes requesting that the Sieurs Cregut and Arnaud might be conferr'd upon them for their Ministers Wherefore his Majesty is most humbly petitioned to take it into his Royal Consideration that they have not in the least swerved from nor transgressed the Orders authoritatively imposed by his Edicts In the mean time forasmuch as the Churches cannot without violating their own Discipline and opening a large Gap unto infinite Disorders and Confusion suffer that Colloquies and Provincial Synods should attempt to prescribe Laws unto one another this Synod doth therefore forbid and interdict all such Assemblies the making of any General Orders whether for Days of Fasting Humiliation and Prayer or for any other Consideration or Account whatsoever excepting what shall be of concern and relating to their own District and Division 18. Moreover we do likewise acknowledg that that Reverence and Obedience which is in all well-governed States the proper Duty of its Subjects can never be too carefully recommended to the People and on the other hand that impious Licence of blaming the Publick Government and Supream Authority cannot be too severely reproved and decried This Synod doth in join all Pastors in their Sermons and Exhortations to press it home upon the Consciences of their Auditories and particular Flocks that they do not in any manner of wise directly nor indirectly depart from that Obedience Fidelity and Respect which are inviolably due unto his
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
desired by them and against whom very many Members of the said Church made their Exceptions as being one by whom they could not profit Wherefore that said Province and all others are forbidden for the future to use any such manner of dealings and the said Province is enjoyned to comfort and accommodate the said Church of la Fite as soon as possibly they can by providing a Pastor for it who may be more pleasing and acceptable to them than Monsieur Belon and to settle the said Belon in some other place where he may employ his Gifts more usefully And whereas Bergerac is a Church of no small importance and its Necessities are very great and urgent and Monsieur de Bourdieu is exceeding Successful in his Ministry there this Synod doth approve of his being in that Station and confirmeth him in the Pastoral Office of that Church And whereas the Lord of Rabas his Majesties Commissioner in the Synod of St. Foy who made this Change hath complained by Letters that the Act of Monsieur de Bourdieu's Removal was passed before a Publick Notary an Answer was Voted to be returned assuring him how great Deference this Assembly hath for his Lordship's Person and Quality and to the truth of that Testimonial rendred by the Deputies of Lower Guyenne concerning what was transacted in their Provincial Assembly and that whilst Judgement was passed upon the said Appeal that Act was not in the least regarded 3. Upon Hearing the report of the Committee who were ordered to inspect the Appeal of Monsieur Reynault Pastor of the Church of Realville and the Proceedings against him by the Synods of Mauvezin and Realmont this Assembly conserving the Honour of his Ministry untainted and confirming the Judicial Acts of the Province to whose care and kindness he is yet notwithstanding particularly recommended doth exhort him to enjoy his Quietus the remainder of his Days that in case his many and frequent Sicknesses shall not permit him to go through with the Duties of his Calling yet he may Edifie the Church of God by his Exemplary Life and Conversation 4. Report being made by the Commissioners appointed to examine the Letters and Memoirs of Monsieur Moysnier who appealed because the word of Censure was not inserted into the Act of the Synod of Higher Languedoc and had formed a Complaint against the Sieur Crubel This Assembly as to the first Article judgeth that his Appeal was ill grounded And as for his Complaint in as much as he never gave notice of it unto Monsieur Crubel it shall be carried unto the Consistory of the Church of Montauban to whom the care of restoring him unto his charge is particularly recommended 5. The Colloquy of Condommois appealing from the Synod of Lower Guyenne for taking to themselves the Cognizance of Monsieur Rival's Complaint and of that of the Province of Bearn and not having ordered any Person to appear for them nor sent any Memoirs whereby to sustain their Appeal this Assembly declareth the said Appeal null and void and the Appealers worthy of the greatest Censures for having by a kind of Chicanery of Law obstructed the final Decision of that Affair and requireth the very next Synod of that Province to give Judgment on it and not only to denounce the Censures but to see them as zealously executed and to exert their Authority that whatever Legacies have been heretofore or may be hereafter bequeathed unto the Church of Marsan be punctually and faithfully applied according to the Intention of the Testators and that the right of Alternation expressly declared in this Testament be kept inviolably for the Province of Bearne 6. Memoirs sent from the Church of St. Hippolite were read in which they maintained their Appeal from the Decree of the Synod of Sevennes who had forbidden them to seek after Monsieur Poujade now in the Ministry of the French Church of Canterbury in England And the Deputies of the Province produced and alledged the Reasons of their Prohibition and the whole affair having been maturely considered and debated this Assembly confirmeth that Decree from which they have Appealed and forbids that Church of St. Hippolyte of ever any more entertaining a Thought for the said Poujade and this also shall be observed as a standing Rule by all the Churches of that Province 7. Although the Appeal of the Consistory of the Church of St. John de Gardonengues be not of the nature of those things which are to be brought unto these Assemblies yet nevertheless this Assembly desirous of the Peace of that Church and for the procuring and effecting of it hath took cognizance thereof and vacating the Judgment of the said Synod of Sevennes which had approved that Monsieur Bony the Younger should erect a Seat for himself in the Temple directly contrary to the advice of the Consistory retaining the ancient Custom of that Church It Declareth that excepting the Lords and Magistrates and Judges of that Place every one should be at liberty to sit where they pleased And it is farther Ordained that in all such like cases every Consistory shall have full Power to Act and Provide what will be most for the Peoples Edifying without any Appeal at all from them And that for the future no Appeals of this kind shall ever be admitted into the National Synods 8. The Acts of the Synod of Sevennes and a Letter written from Monsieur Tubert complaining of his being Deposed from the Holy Ministry without ever confronting of the Witnesses being all read and the Deputies of that Province heard who had no Memoirs given them by their Principals for justifying of their Judgment the Assembly dismissed this Cause to the Cognizance of the next Synod of Lower Languedoc and enjoyneth the Parties to appear in Person before it and to bring with them all their Acts and Evidences that may serve to the clearing up of this matter and impowereth the said Synod to give forth a final Judgment on it 9. The Appeal of the Church of Brenoux concerning their Conjunction with that of Laval is disannul'd because that such Matters as these about Uniting one Church unto another are to be judged Sovereignly without Appeal by every Provincial Synod 10. The Church of Vixan Appealed from the Synod of Sevennes for rejecting their Petition when they craved leave to get for themselves a Second Pastor This Assembly disannulleth their Appeal because that the said Church had not sent any Memoirs for the upholding of their Appeal and because the Ground of it is now wholly removed 11. That Sentence pronounced by the Provincial Synod of Lower Guyenne is confirmed in all its Branches and Articles and the Consistory of Tonneins hath incurred the greatest Censure for having under the pretext of a particular Counsel offered by the same Synod unto the Church of Bergerac and propounded by them as an Example to be followed by all others in the Province deprived Monsieur Fevron who now Appealed of a Right acquired by him through
to them which is a most mischievous trick and abuse put upon those who see and converse with them Yea lastly this is contrary to those glorious Patterns and Examples of the Primitive and Ancient Christians who being in no wise able to brook such Disguises did repute and esteem them most Sacrilegious Impieties and would rather expose themselves to many Deaths than to swerve from the least Tittle of that Fidelity and Allegiance they had sworn unto God in their Baptism Wherefore this Synod ordaineth that such Offenders be strictly and carefully admonished not to persist in this their Hypocrisie for with whatsoever glosses and fine pretexts they may colour it over it is an open Mockage and Scorn both of God and Man a grievous Scandal unto their Brethren and a Mortal Wound unto their own Consciences And in case they shall obstinately abide in their Impious Resolution then all Consistories are injoyned to pursue and prosecute them with all Church-Censures as being Persons utterly unworthy of Communion with the Saints of God And that none may pretend Ignorance of this Act let it be Read and Notified publickly in all Places and Congregations where it may be judged needful An Act for the National Past 12. Forasmuch as the Patience and Long-suffering of God which leadeth Men unto Repentance hath been horribly despised by them so that his just Wrath and Indignation hath burnt like Fire against them for their great Ungodliness in every Nation and Country of Christendom and yet this fierce Anger of God is not turned away but his Almighty Arm is stretched out still and that Devouring Wars by reason of the Obdurateness and Impenitency of Sinful Men do menace them with utter Ruins and Desolations The National Synod assembled by his Majesties Permission at Charenton considering that the only means for removing so great and sore Judgments is the Conversion of Sinners and the humbling and abasing of their Haughty Hearts before the glorious Tribunal of that great God whom they have so much provoked unto Jealousie And whereas it is the indispensable duty and should be the perpetual practice of all Christians to become new Creatures to purge themselves from Dead Works and to serve the most holy God in all Holiness Righteousness and true Godliness The National Synod exhorts all the Faithful in general and particular to offer unto the Lord of Glory whom they have exceedingly dishonoured the reasonable Sacrifice of a contrite and a broken Heart and to lie prostrate in all Humility and Sincere Repentance at the Feet of his Divine Majesty And Provincial Synods are all of them required to proclaim publick and solemn Fasts in their respective Divisions according as their publick or private Necessities may demand And now that the Grace and Mercy of our Infinite and Almighty God may be implored and his Blessing and favour obtained for the establishing of an Universal Peace for the setting of the Kingdom for the conservation of his Majesties Sacred Person for his Divine Benedictions upon his Youth for the glory of his Crown and the happy Success of his Armies under the lawful Government of the Queen Regent and for the prosperity of the whole Royal Family it is decreed that a solemn Day of Fasting and Prayers shall be Observ'd and Celebrated in all the Churches of this Kingdom upon the Fourth Day of May now next ensuing and that the Faithful may be prepared for the Religious Observation of it publick Notice shall be given to them by all Pastors from their Pulpits by reading of this present Act. CHAP. XV. Particular Matters ARTICLE 1. ON the First Day of January being the Seventh after the opening of the Synod the Sieur de la Milletiere having distributed some certain Copies of a small Script of his just then Published in which he acquainted the World with the Reasons moving him to print another of greater bulk whereof he presented Two Copies unto this Assembly Intituled Instruction a la Foy Catholique and farther demanded that the Letters written by him unto this Assembly and left in the Hands of the Scribes might be read but they were not read the Lord Commissioner having desired the Tuesday following that they might be deposited with him to be sent unto his Majesty And the said Sieur de la Milletiere having on Monday the Eighteenth Instant obtained his Majesties leave to be present at this Assembly he was admitted into it when and where he discoursed of his Design and of the Subject of his Book and demanded that Commissioners might be appointed by the Synod for its examination which was absolutely refused him The Synod remembred the Judgment past against him by that of Alanson which had Seven Years agoe expresly ordred the Consistory of Paris to threaten him that unless he abandon'd his Opinions and Designs so very contrary to the Peace of our Churches to his own Conscience and to God's Truth he should not be owned as a Member of these our Reformed Churches Besides the Synod conceived that it was not reasonable to take off any of the Deputies from their Service and to imploy them in such an unprofitable Occupation or that they should contest with a Fellow who would not submit himself unto their Judgment and Authority and who hath told the World that for these Two last Years he had no other Intention than to incorporate himself into the Communion of the Church of Rome and to form a Party against all the Reformed Churches impugning with might and main the common Confessions of all Protestants perpetually accusing them of contemning the Catholick that is his Romish Church and of Schism from it and propounding to them for the Rule of their Faith the Acts and Canons of the Council of Trent against which they have all unanimously protested and do to this very Day protest against both them and it But the said de la Milletiere having given it under his own Hand in Writing that he would submit himself unto the Judgment of this Synod when as the Commissioners whom he himself had nominated brought in their report and the result of all their Conferences and Discourse had been read he changed the form of his Petition and varying from what he promised of receiving a Charitable Instruction he fell into a Contentious Dispute full of Wranglings upon the points in Controversie particularly upon that of Justification and would needs have two whole Days allowed him for this Debate with them However the Synod pittying his Weaknesses and desirous by all means possible to reclaim him back unto his Duty yeilded to his desires and ordered the Sieurs de Croy and de Langle Pastors of the Churches of Beziers and Rouan to confer with him And whereas the said de la Milletiere had begun to debate the point of Justification with Monsieur Amyraud Pastor and Professor of Divinity at Saumur the Synod thought meet that their Conference should be continued in presence of those Two forementioned Commissioners the remaining
Castell Thierry and Sarrau Pastor of the Church of Meaux are appointed to visit the said Church of Senlis accompanied each of them with an Elder of their respective Consistories and the said Church is to defray their Expences These things being thus ordered and dispatched Monsieur Fauquembergue craved leave of this Assembly to retire himself unto such a Place as the good Providence of God should direct him which was freely granted him and he was commended to the Grace of God 32. John Grillemet came unto this Assembly to maintain his Appeal from a Judgment of the Consistory of Montauban and from another given in the Provincial Synod of Higher Languedoc After that the said Guillemet and the Deputies of that Province had been both heard the Assembly judged that this affair should not have been brought before it and therefore doth send it back again to the Synod of that Province and to the Consistory of Montauban whose Judgments are now confirmed by the authority of this present National Synod but withal intreateth them both to extend their Charity unto this Appellant 33. The Church of Eyssigeac having appealed from the Judgment of the Colloquy of Perigord and from the Synod of Lower Guyenne assembled at St. Foy 1645 about the Titles put into the Bands of Matrimony of the Sieur de Bequay Attorney in the Praesidial Court of Agen and from the Complaints brought against Monsieur Eymer at present Pastor of the Church of Mount St. Proy which said Complaints were mentioned in a Memorial sent by the Consistory of the said Church of Eyssigeac This Appeal of theirs was declared null And as for their Complaints they were ordered to be carried unto the next Synod of Lower Guyenne who are to take Cognizance of them And the said Memorial was to this end put into the Hands of the Provincial Deputies of Lower Guienne being attested by the Signatures of Monsieur Beraud a Pastor and of Four Elders CHAP. X. General Matters 1. THE Assembly being informed by the Province of Lower Languedoc that some Pastors do read the Texts of their Sermons in other Translations differing from that which is commonly used in our Churches this Assembly decreeth that no Person shall dare use any other Version than that which is ordinarily used whether in Reading the Scriptures or taking their Texts out of it 2. As to that Proposal made by the Deputy of the Province of Burgundy concerning the administration of the Poor's Mony and the rendring of Accompts by those who have had the Management thereof This Assembly judgeth that the cognizance and direction of this matter belongeth unto the Consistory according to the Order established by our Discipline and that whosoever doth violate those Canons by remâ—â—ing this Affair from our Ecclesiastick Assemblies ought to be prosecuted with all kind of Censures as Contemners of our Canons and Rebels to the Consistories 3. The Provincial Deputies of Burgundy demanding upon the Sixteenth Article of the Thirteenth Chapter of our Discipline how they should judge of their place of Abode who contract Marriage that so they may warrantably publish their Banes This Assembly was of Opinion that there could not be a General Canon made which should oblige all the Churches because that the Customs of particular places though different one from another are to be followed Therefore the cognizance of this matter is remitted to the prudence of Provincial Synods Colloquies and Consistories which shall observe and follow the Customs in every particular District 4. The Deputies of the same Province made report of the little care that was observed in several parts of their Province to sanctifie the Lord's Day and that by very many Persons it was imployed in Worldly Businesses Sports and Pastimes depriving themselves of Religious Exercises and Ordinances and suffering themselves to be led aside by Sinful Examples unto Plays and Dissolutions This Assembly touched to the quick with a most sensible grief for so great a Profanation provoking God to pour down his most dreadful Vengeance upon the Sons of Men doth exhort all the Faithful to spend this Sacred Day of Rest in the performances of Holy Duties and to those divine ends whereunto it is appointed by exercising themselves in all publick and private Duties of Religion particularly in the Reading Hearing and Meditation of God's Holy Word and Prayer and that they do not only Religiously abstain from their ordinary Week-days labour but also from all Companies Meetings Sports and Recreations which will estrange their Hearts and Affections from the Worship of God and from that Devotion which we are most especially obliged to upon these Holy Sabbaths of Christs own Institution And our Provincial Synods are injoyned upon this occasion to make such Canons as they shall judge needful and every individual Member of our Churches are most strictly commanded conscientiously to observe and obey them 5. The Province of Bearn desired that they might be impowered with authority to practise those Canons which they had already established and which they might hereafter also as to the times and places of Celebrating Marriages This Assembly granted them their Request and gave also the same Authority unto all other Provincial Synods and forbiddeth all Ministers to Marry any Persons in their Churches excepting at the Hours accustomed for such Solemnities 6. The Two and Thirtieth Article in the last Chapter of our Discipline which forbiddeth Duels under the severest Censures even of Excommunication it self shall be read in all the Churches and reinforced with most close and vehement Exhortations that so this Hellish Sin may be banished from out the Hearts and Societies of the Faithful as being expresly forbidden by the word of God and declared by his Majesty's Edicts to have merited the deepest brand of Infamy and all Consistories are injoyned to put forth their Power in prosecuting the Refractory with all kind of Censures 7. Whereas diverts Provinces have complained of that great difference which is observed in the Printed Copies of our Discipline this Assembly Ordaineth that there shall be drawn up another most exact and correct according to the Decisions of our National Synods in whose Margin shall be inserted the Canons and Observations extracted out of those Synods which shall be judged most needful And Monsieur Amyraud Pastor and Professor in the Church and University of Saumur is charged with this Task and he shall use the labours of Monsieur Blondel Gaultier and Catelau and shall communicate his Work unto the Consistories of Saumur Paris and Rochel and with then Approbation it shall be Printed 8. In executing that Article of the National Synod of Charenton in the Year 1631 when as any Members of the Augustane Confession commonly called Lutherans shall offer Children into Baptism not having before-time communicated with us this Assembly decreeth that the Consistories shall take a particular notice of their Inclinations whether they joyn themselves unto our Church-Assemblies with a true peaceable Spirit of Charity as is required by