of Monsieur Chauve at present Pastor in the Church of Sommieres urging for themselves the great importance of their Church and the indispensible necessity they had of a Pastor whose Age and Experience might be able to undergo the burdens of so numerous a Congregation After hearing the Letters of the said Church of Nismes and their request uttered by the mouth of the Sieur de * * * Another reads Pierre d'Or another Pinedon Pucchredon their Deputy and the Arguments of the Provincial Synod by their Deputies to the contrary this Assembly ordained that the said Sieur Chauve should be lent for three months unto the Church of Nismes after which term the Provincial Synod having heard both the Churches and the said Sieur de Chauve may judge whether it be needful or not to dispose of his Ministry and if they find it necessary then by the Authority of this Assembly they shall give him unto the Church of Nismes and they shall provide that of Sommieres with another Pastor either taken from Nismes or elsewhere 33. The Sieur de la Faye This was razed out by the second of Vitré Obs 6. upon this present Synod Pastor of the Church of Aubenas in Vivaretz appeared in this Assembly Appellant from the Judgment of the Provincial Synod which had threatned him with the greatest Censures as if he had deserved them and farther had ordained that the next Synod of his Province should remove him unto some other Church which in their wisdom they should conceive to be more expedient for him and that in the mean while the Colloquy should have a watchful Eye over his conversation But this Assembly condemned all the proceedings of that Province in this Affair particularly for receiving Informations against the said Sieur de la Faye unattested and for censuring him without any cause or Reason and for not having recorded that their Censure nor brought hither any Record thereof and therefore approving the Appeal of the said Sieur de la Faye it doth abrogate that Sentence of the said Provincial Synod as infamous and unjust in every article branch and member of it 34. Certain Inhabitants of Caussade Appealed from a Decree of the Provincial Synod of Higher Languedoc This was reverst in the 2d Synod of Vitré p. m. 12. importing that the Sieur Grand formerly their Pastor but afterwards suspended for three months and then removed from three years should now at last the term being expired be imposed again upon them This Assembly over-looking the formalities which ought to have been observed in their Appeal but were not did graciously receive both them and it and having heard the Province and seen the Decree declaring several miscarriages whereof the said Grand had been guilty ordained that he be summoned to make his personal appearance before us and to be heard speak with his own mouth what he hath to say for himself and then to be Judged according to the merits of his cause Whereupon the said Sieur Grand having been examined by a Committee appointed for that End and they making report of his confessions and answers this Assembly aggravated his Censure and Judged that he could not exercise his Ministry to the edification of that Church of Caussade and therefore doth ordain that he be disposed of somewhere else by the Colloquy of Lower Quercy at their next meeting and that he be for ever made uncapable of returning to Caussade nor may the said Church ever have power over him or his Father who became bound for him to redemand the Moneys disbursed by them on his Studies because they enjoyed the exercise of his Ministry for some space of time 35. The Colloquy of the Isles Appealed for that Monsieur de la Forest formerly Pastor in the Church of St. John d' Angely was given by their Provincial Synod unto the Church of Mauze in the Colloquy of St. John d' Angely The Sieur Cocq ' a Minister having been heard speak for that Colloquy and the Deputies of the Synod of Xaintonge for the Province this Assembly confirmeth the said de la Forest in the Pastoral office of that Church of Mauzé and ordaineth that the Province shall provide for the Church of St. John d' Angely as soon as possible they can 36. The Church of Agen Appealed because having demanded their portions free of all taxations the Synod of Lower Guyenne had refused it This Assembly rejected their Appeal and dismissed over the affair relating to it unto the said Province which shall provide for their Pastors maintenance as soon as one shall be setled with them 37. The Church of Boislebeque appealing from the decree of the Synod of Normandy by which Monsieur Simson was not only excluded from the said Church of Boislebeque but also from all other Churches of Normandy this their Appeal was made null and void and the judgment of the said Province confirmed which is intreated to take care that the said Church of Boislebeque be supplied with a second Minister in case they shall judge it needful 38. The Colloquy of Albigeois brought an Appeal from the Judgment given in their Provincial Synod of Higher * * * Another Copy Higher Guyenne Languedoc about the affair of Monsieur Josion one of the Pastors of the Church of Castres relating to the Censures past against the said Colloquy and their Deputies After hearing the Sieur Raffin Pastor of the Church of Realmont for the said Colloquy and the Deputies of the said Province together with the said Josion and the Sieur de la Garrigues Deputy of the Church of Castres and the report of the Commissioners deputed to inspect the writings produced by the several parties and who were ordered to examine and hear Witnesses dwelling upon the place and who were particularly mentioned by name unto them this Assembly took off the Censure inflicted upon the said Colloquy and its Commissioners by the said Synod and yet approveth of its judicial sentence in all other particulars and ordaineth that all Papers concerning this business be deposited with Monsieur Gardesy that so the remembrance of them may be for ever forgotten 39. The appeal of Monsieur Raffin Pastor of the Church of Realmont from the Synod of Higher Languedoc which had confirmed an Ordinance of the Colloquy of Albigeois obliging the said Church to visit the annexed Church of la Fenasse every six weeks was disannulled and the decrees of the Provincial Synod and Colloquy were both confirmed 40. The Consuls of Pamiers appealed from a decree of the Synod of Higher Languedoc which would not grant them the precedency claimed by them to communicate first at the Lords Table before the Judge of that City But this their appeal was rejected because it was of the nature of those things which might be finally determined by the Synod of their own Province 41. The appeal of Monsieur Graue Elder in the Church of Pamiers from the Decree of the Synod of Higher Languedoc about Moneys ordered
injoyned to send their Acts unto it and to adjourn the Parties thither 17. Monsieur Peyreille Pastor of the Church de la Cabarede appealed from a judgment of the Colloquy of Albigeois and the Synod of Higher Languedoc which had Deposed him from the Holy Ministry The Letters of the said Peyreille directed unto this Assembly being read and the Acts of all proceedings had against him by the Colloquy of Albigeois having been perused and the Deputies of the Province of Higher Languedoc having spoken on behalf of their Synod This Assembly did not only confirm the Sentence of the said Colloquy and Province but doth farther aggravate it by depriving the said Peyreille utterly of all hopes of ever being re-instated into the Sacred Ministry 18. The Lord Broccard formerly president of the Exchequer at Dijon brought his Appeal from a Decree of the Provincial Synod of Burgundy but it was declared null and the Consistory of Dijon is injoyned to proceed against him the said Broccard by all Church-Censures in case he detain his Daughter from her Husband without his consent 19. The Church of Croset brought its Appeal from a Judgment of the Synod of Burgundy which ordained that the Churches of Cheury and Puilly should both equally and by turns enjoy the Ministry of their Pastor with that of Crosett This Assembly remanded back again this Affair unto that Provincial Synod which having congregated its Four Colloquies shall revise it over once more and then pass a final Sentence on it 20. The Church of Monoblett appealed from the judgment of the Province of Sevennes because it had lent their Minister Monsieur de Merveils for Sixth Moneths unto the Church of St. Hippolyte The Church also of St. Hippolyte brought an Appeal from the same Judgment The Deputy of St. Hippolyte was heard petitioning that the Ministry of Monsieur Marvell might be confirmed to them during Life and the Deputies of that Province were heard also and the Letters from the said Churches were read audibly and distinctly and a Canon of the National Synod of Tonneins and several other Acts were all perused and considered after which this Assembly altering the Judgment of the said Province ordained that according to their request Monsieur Marvells be settled during Life in the Ministry of that Church of St. Hippolyte and chargeth the said Province to get out of hand a supply for that of Monoblett 21. The Consuls of the Town of Anduze appealed from a Decree of the Synod of Sevennes importing that Monsieur Couront should continue his Ministry in the Church of Anduze and the said Courant petitioned that he might be freed from their Service The Deputy of that Church and the Deputies of the Province having been heard and Letters of the said Courant being read this Synod discharged the said Courant from his Ministry in that Church and ordereth the Province to present him unto some other Congregation and farther the Deputies of Sevennes are charged as they return home to pass through Anduze and to accord and pacifie the Differences between their Consuls and Consistory And whereas the Deputy of the said Town hath brought in a complaint against Monsieur Ollier another of its Pastors This Assembly considering that their Complaints are about sorry Trides and that they had not first carried them as they ought to their own Provincial Synod doth ordain that Monsieur Ollier continue in his Ministry there until the sitting of the next Provincial Synod who shall take care of this business 22. Monsieur Tricot Pastor of the Church of Chasteau du Loire complained of the Consistory of the Church of Tours for that being order'd by the Provincial Synod of Anjou in their Name and Authority to judge of a difference betwixt Monsieur du Verger an Elder in that Church and himself they gave a respit of Hearing for Fifteen days unto the said du Verger before which time this National Synod will be dissolved and the Parties concern'd deprived of all means for bringing in their Appeal and having it here determined This Assembly considering that the said du Verger is absent dismisseth over the Affair to the Colloquy of Anjou with full power in two Moneths time after our breaking up to judge finally thereof 23. Monsieur Guerrin Pastor of the Church of Baugency brought in his Appeal from the Judgment of the Provincial Synod of Berry This Assembly for certain reasons drawn from the special nature of the matter in question judgeth that it does not belong to the cognisance of our Ecclesiastical Assemblies as it hath been also thus determined by the Provincial Synods However we would not have it to be made a President 24. The Church of Puylaurens appealed from a Judgment of the Synod of Higher Languedoc by which Monsieur Garissoles Pastor of that Church was lent unto the Church of Montauban until the meeting of this National Synod which yet was contrary to a Decree of the last National Synod held at Alez which had only lent Monsieur de Garissoles unto that said Church for Six Moneths with an express prohibition unto the said Church of Montauban not to detain him beyond that time Monsieur du Bois Deputy for the Church of Montauban having been heard and the Elder of the Church of Puylaurens as also the Deputies of the Province this Assembly corrected and condemned the Judgment of the said Synod of Higher Languedoc for violating the Decree of the last National Synod of Alez And yet considering the great necessity of the Church and University of Montauban ordaineth that Monsieur de Garissoles shall remain in the Church of Puylaurens until the next Provincial Synod which may then bestow him upon the Church and University of Montauban provided that he yield his consent unto it which that he may be induced to Letters shall be written him from this Assembly to perswade and incourage him to accept thereof 25. The Church of Montrevil Bonnein appealed from a Judgment of the Provincial Synod of Poictou for giving away Monsieur * * * Two Copies call him Delon but a Third D'Vssen Delon their Pastor from them unto the Church of Montauban After that the Deputies of the said Province had been heard the Assembly confirmed Monsieur Delon in his Pastoral Office in the Church of Montauban upon the same terms and conditions as were expressed in that Decree of the Provincial Synod of Poictou 26. The Church of Touars appealed from the Judgment of the Synod of Poictou which for some special reasons had remanded back unto the Colloquy of Higher Poictou their Petition about Monsieur de la Piltiere whom they desired to be their Pastor and who is now Minister in the Church of Chastelheraut After hearing the Deputy of that Church of Touars and the Deputies of the Province and the Letters of the Lord Duke and Lady Dutchess of Tremouille and of the Church of Chastelheraut and those of Monsieur de la Piltiere and the Memoirs sent by him
of no moment confirmed Monsieur Horle in the Pastoral Office of that Church and gives it leave to provide themselves of a second Pastor either within or without the Province as the Lord shall offer them an opportunity and farther it decreeth that the said Church shall attend their next Provincial Synod and gain an Order from it for re-uniting the Church of Tornas now joyned unto that of Lezan unto themselves and the said Synod shall comply with them in this their request and use some other means for the maintenance of that Church of Lezan when as that of Tornas shall be again incorporated with that of Anduze as it was heretofore 25 The Decree of the last Synod of the Isle of France notwithstanding the Letters and Complaints of Monsieur Richard Pastor and and of some certain Elders of the Church of Vandieres to the contrary was confirmed and the said Richard was injoyned by the Synod to exercise his Ministry in those Churches unto which he was assigned on pain of being suspended from his Office and that Province is requested to compassionate his great wants and to extend unto him their wonted Charities 26. Whereas Monsieur Razes appealed from a Judgment of the Provincial Synod of Lower Languedoc This Council rejected his Appeal and to put a period unto the contentions of the said Razes about the precedency of Monsieur Martyn an Attorney at Bezieres it decreed that for the future no businesses of this Nature should ever be presented unto these Assemblies 27. The Appeal of the Church of Mazamet was also rejected because it was not of the Nature of those businesses which ought to be decided in these Councils and because the Provincial Deputies of Higher Languedoc offered to take care that both the Appealers and their Partners should have full satisfaction given them 28. The Appeal of Monsieur Rossel Pastor in the Church of Issoire about pecuniary matters is according to the Canons in that case provided dismissed over to the Judgment of the Province of Lower Languedoc 29. The Several Appeals of Monsieur Genoyer Pastor of the Church of Riez in Provence are devolved on the Colloquy of Ambrun who shall call upon the Church of Luc to produce what they have to say for themselves and to threaten them that notwithstanding their Appeal in case of their absence or refusal to obey this Order and to bring forth the Book of their Consistory whereby the justice or unreasonableness of what is demanded of them may be discovered Judgment shall pass upon them 30. Report was made in full Council of the Contents of Monsieur Sauceux his Memoirs who appealed from the Judicial Sentences of the Synod of the Isle of France and of their Commissioners sent on their behalf unto the Church of Bayolett and the Deputies of that Province were heard also Whereupon without invalidating the Judicial Sentences of that Synod or of its Commissioners They were told that the form of their proceedings was wrong that the said Synod should have cited Monsieur Sauceux to have appear'd before them and have omitted in that Act concerning him the mentioning of His Majesties Edict and that the bottom of the business may be found out the Council decreed that the Provincial Deputies of Normandy shall in their return homewards pass over unto the Church of Bayolet and shall examin the said Mr. Sauceux and his Consistory and after hearing both Parties they shall pronounce a final Judgment on them 31. Whereas Monsieur des Maretz Elder of the Church of Oysemont hath sent neither Letters nor Memoirs to defend his Appeal from the Judgment of the Province of the Isle of France his Appeal was therefore declared null 32. That Appeal from the Judgment of the Province of Burgundy brought by the L. L. Renaut and Fronevill in the Name of the Sieur L' Advise touching a certain Declaration delivered unto the Sieur de Villemenat to be kept by him is declared null 33. The Lord of Fournivall Elder in the Church of Beaune appealed in behalf of its Consistory from a Decree past in the last Synod of Burgundy held at Issurtilles which had censur'd the said Consistory for not observing all requisite Formalities in receiving a Person of the contrary Religion into Fellowship and Communion with us but his Appeal was declared null and the said Consistory was censured for appealing unto this Council upon the score of a single Censure CHAP. XXI Discipline Exercised on a Scandalous Minister This Peris did afterwards by flight save himself from being prosecuted by the Lord Commissioners for a Libel which was found upon him and for which he was condemned to the Gallows 34 PEter Peris formerly Pastor in the Church of Estray in the Colloquy of Aunix complained personally unto the Synod against the Province of Xaintonge for that having discharged him the Service of his Church they refused him an Attestation of his Life and Doctrine The Deputies of that Province immediately assigned the reasons of their refusal grounded upon the scandalous Conversation of the said Peris and his Method of teaching which was exceeding offensive unto divers Churches And the said Peris Apologizing for himself The Council took thence occasion to interrogate him on divers Articles of which he was accused and convicted as 1. For desertion of his Ministry 2. Of haunting and over-much familiar and scandalous Acquaintance and Communion with our Adversaries particularly with Apostates revolted from the True Religion unto Romish Idolatry and with Persons cast by the dreadful Sentence of Excommunication for Errors and Blasphemies out of these our Reformed Churches 3. Of Prophaneness Insolency and Vanity 4. Of Lyings Slanderings and Plottings against our Churches and several of their Members And forasmuch as he had about him even now whilst he was under examination a most execrable Libel against His Majesties Honour and the Tranquillity of the State compos'd by some mutinous Spirits disturbers of the Publick Peace which was delivered into the hands of His Majesties Commissioner the Lord Galland to dispose of it as his Lordship in his Wisdom should think fit The Council Deposed the said Peris from the Sacred Ministry and debarring him all hopes of ever being again restored to it decreeth that he shall be suspended all Communion in the Sacraments until such time as he giving Glory unto God and confessing his Offences shall have manifested to the World the Gracious Fruits of a serious and sound Repentance And this Act shall be notified unto all the Churches 35. Mr. Peju a Pastor Baignouâ—â—n Elder and Rousseau all deputed by the Heads of Families in the Church of Mer declared the grievances for which they appealed and on the contrary the Provincial Deputies of Berry vindicated the Sentence of their Synod The Letters and Acts also of both Parties were produced and read both by Monsieur Peju and by the Province Upon the whole the Council judged that the Province ought not to have brought before this Assembly Acts and Memoirs
another or that the Pastor of one Church shall be removed to another or that he shall be separated no matter how it be from his Flock in case an Appeal be made from this Judgment that Province which hath pronounced it shall nominate two of the Neighbouring Provinces and whose Synods are nearest to be held and shall give unto the Appellant his Choice pf either of them to bring his Appeal before it which shall judge of the Case till further Order But if the Party appealing do not chuse it that very Province from whose Judgment the Appeal is made shall chuse one of the two before which the Appellant shall be bound to appear and subject himself unto its Judgment which shall be of force till the meeting of the National Synod And in case of non-appearance that Province which hath passed Judgment may proceed to pronounce its Execution notwithstanding the Appeal Nor shall this be in any wise prejudicial unto Provincial Synods for in all other matters left undetermined by our Discipline the Judgments of those Synods shall be of full and absolute Authority nor shall there be any Appeal admitted from them within their Precincts And this present Canon shall be universally practised in all the Provinces those only excepted upon whose Account some special Decrees have been formerly enacted 26. Blasphemies being some of the most crying and daring Sins enflaming the Wrath of God against the Children of Men this Assembly being seized with an Holy Horror to see so great a number of profane Wretches involved in this Hellish Crime decreeth That the Four and Twentieth Canon of the Fourteenth Chapter of our Discipline shall be read publickly in all Churches and re-inforced with most lively pungent Exhortations that the Judgments of God may be prevented by a serious and sincere Repentance and this horrible Vice may be banished the Society of Christians and all Consistories are authorized to take the best Course they can for putting this present Act in Execution 27. The Assembly being informed that in divers parts of this Kingdom contrary to his Majesty's Will the Exercise of our Religion is prohibited in those places which are called Annexed tho by the Edicts in these it was always permitted and established and it unanimously judging and with one common consent that this is an Affair of the highest Importance and strikes at the very Root and Being of our Churches and in which the Consciences of all those of our Profession are Sovereignly concerned it doth enjoyn all Pastors and Churches exposed unto this afflicting and most vexatious Tryal to maintain themselves constantly in the possession of their Exercises notwithstanding any Prohibitions to the contrary And in case Pastors shall neglect this their Duty they shall be deposed from the Ministry as Deserters of their Flock committed to their Trust and if any of those Annexed Churches or Members shall neglect their Attendance on them they also shall be deprived of Communion with us at the Lords Table And all Churches within the Precincts of that Province whereunto these Annexes do belong are enjoyned to assist them with Counsel and Comfort and with all other things needful to help defray the Charges of Travel and Prosecutions in Courts of Justice unto which they may be necessitated and obliged And all Provincial Synods in case the ordinary Pastors of those places should be hindred by any Violence from performing their Duties shall take care that they be supplied by other Pastors in such a manner as they shall judge most convenient till some other and more beneficial course can be taken Moreover this Assembly commandeth all the next adjoyning Churches to testifie their Zeal unto the Glory of God and the Communion of Charity which ought to be among Christians by sending and lending their Pastors to them that so the Possession of the Gospel preached and the Dispensation of the Gospel Ordinances may be conserved in those Annexed Congregations As soon as ever this Proposition was made and before the Judgment of the Deputies in this Synod was demanded my Lord Commissioner declared and offered sundry Reasons and Arguments why an Affair of this nature ought not to be debated in it but that according to his Majesty's Permission this Article was to be inserted with others of the like quality into our Bill of Grievances which after the breaking up of this Assembly was to be presented unto his Majesty In answer whereunto this Synod receiving in the most respectful manner whatever came from his Majesty and from the Mouth of my Lord his Commissioner ordained that this Affair should be set in the Head of those which shall be carried unto the King in the Name of this Assembly and which shall be sollicited with all possible respect care diligence and importunity by my Lord the General Deputy and we hope in the mean while that his Majesty will maintain us in those matters which are granted us by his Edict nor that he will be displeased with us for debating about Ecclesiastical Affairs which are brought hither unto this National Assembly and which directly concern our Religion and the Exercise of our Discipline in the nature and number of which are all Ministerial Offices and the respective Duties of private Christians 28. It being judged needful that some certain Person should be nominated who did ordinarily attend his Majesty's Privy Council and Council of State to whom the Churches might apply themselves to take care of their Business and to salve them from those vast Expences which of necessity must be defrayed in the frequent Deputations of particular persons employed in the management of their Law Suits and Differences that our Churches have with their Adverse Parties The Assembly cast their Eyes upon the Sieur Loride des Galinieres Advocate in his Majesty's Privy Council and Council of State and Parliament of Paris dwelling a la Rue des Anglois in the English Street to take upon him this Trust which being motion'd to him the said Sieur Loride assured the Assembly he accepted of it as of a great Honour and that he did most readily and willingly undertake it nor would he demand a Denier of Costs Salaries and Vacations not only for those Affairs wherewith he should be intrusted in his Majesty's Privy Council and Council of State but also for those which he should dispatch as Advocate in the Parliament of Paris and Court of Aids nor would he claim any thing but for what he should himself disburse in the management of these Affairs for our distressed Churches The Assembly kindly embraced his generous Offers and that he may be indemnified they voted presently that the Provincial Deputies should each of them make report unto their Provincial Synod the Contents of this present Act that so in case the said Provincial Synods shall judge meet there shall be given the Sum of Three Thousand Livres a Year by the Provinces according to the Dividend hereafter mentioned And this that the said Sieur Loride may
shall be destitute of employment the Colloquy or Provincial Synod are of duty bound to provide him of another Church within one Month. And if within that term the Colloquy or Synod have not provided for him he shall be then at liberty to get himself a Church out of that Province in any place where God shall open a door unto him according to the Canons of our Discipline CAN. XXX Authority is granted unto Provincial Synods for divers considerations to remove Ministers from their Churches their Churches having been first heard and their Reasons well and sufficiently weighed But in case of discord the whole shall be determined by a National Synod and till the sitting of which nothing shall be innovated CAN. XXXI When as a Minister is persecuted or for some other reason cannot exercise his Ministry in that Church unto which he was appointed he may by the said Church be sent elsewhere or they may exchange him with another for a certain time by the good will and consent of both the Churches But and if the Minister shall not submit unto the judgment of those two Churches he shall give the Reasons of his refusal unto the Consistory and in it their equity shall be debated and determined and in case they be not esteemed valid and the Minister shall notwithstanding persist in his resolution of not accepting the said Employment the difference shall be referred unto the next Provincial Synod or else unto the Colloquy if both those Churches do belong unto the same Colloquy CAN. XXXII Ministers may with their own consent be lent by the Consistory according as the Edification of the Church shall require but the loan shall not be done without the advice of two or three Ministers or of the same Colloquy if it be for any longer term than six Months CAN. XXXIII Ministers that have been lent when as the time of their loan is expired shall be restored again unto their Churches from which they had departed CAN. XXXIV If a Church do not redemand its Pastor within one Year after the time for which he was lent is expired he shall then appertain unto that Church unto which he was lent provided always that the said Pastor do yield his consent unto it but and if he do not give his consent he shall dispose of himself according to the advice of the Colloquy or Synod of that Church to which he had been lent And this Canon shall be of force with reference to those Ministers who because of persecution have betook themselves unto the service of other Churches and the persecution ceasing they be not redemanded by their former Churches within one Year which shall begin from that time in which those Ministers gave notice of it unto those aforesaid Churches CAN. XXXV A Minister destitute of a Church and unimployed in his Province and lent by the Colloquy to a Church out of the bounds of the Province till the next Session of his Provincial Synod if he be not employed by that Synod within their Province he shall remain appropriate unto that Church to which he was lent provided that he and the Church do mutually consent thereunto CAN. XXXVI That Churches may perform their Duties to their Pastors according to those Obligations on them by the Word of God and that Pastors may have no just ground of offence given them nor to abandon their said Flocks they shall be admonished to minister unto their Pastors all things necessary for their comfortable subsistence CAN. XXXVII And to prevent their ingratitude who by experience are known to have dealt unworthily with their painful Ministers this order shall be observed one quarter of the yearly Pension which was promised them shall be paid in unto them by way of advance beforehand CAN. XXXVIII And for the future lest through any ill management of this matter the Churches should happen to be dissipated those who are chosen Moderators in Colloquies shall enquire of the Elders in every Church about the Maintenance afforded by them unto their Ministers and of their Care in supplying their Wants according to the Canon before ordained that so by the Authority of Colloquies provision may be made for them CAN. XXXIX When as necessary Maintenance shall have been detained from a Pastor and three Months be laps'd since his Complaints and Remonstrances it shall be then lawful for the said Pastor to joyn himself unto any other Church by consent of his Colloquy or Provincial Synod And the Colloquy or Synod may shorten the term of three Months if there be urgent necessity for it yea if that the necessity be pressing and three Months are expired and the Pastor is not supplied though he had entered in his Petition to be discharged it shall suffice if he call into his Consistory two neighbour Ministers and he shall not be bound to wait for the sitting of the Colloquy or Synod to obtain their advice and consent unless that one of the said Assemblies were convocated and to meet in that very self-same Month in which he was to have departed CAN. XL. In that tryal and judgment which shall be passed upon a Peoples ingratitude at the complaint of a Minister all circumstances shall be prudently considered and special regard shall be had unto the poverty of the Church and of the Plaintiff's estate that so they may use those means which will be most likely to promote the Glory of God the Edification of his Church and the Honour of the Ministry CAN. XLI A Church being found ungrateful shall not be provided of a Pastor till such time as they have given intire satisfaction according to their ability unto him of whom they be deprived And this Pastor shall in the mean while remember always to keep himself disingaged from the Church of any other Province but his own unless by a Decree of the said Province it may have been otherwise determined N.B. The last Clause of this Canon is not in four Copies of different Editions as that of the Year 1653. that of Geneva 1666. that of Quevilly 1678. and an English Translation of the Discipline printed for Bourn in the Year 1642. But yet I find it in the Paris Edition by Vandôme in the Year 1663. and in another Impression of it at Quevilly I think in the same Year 1663 for I have not the Original now by me which I returned twenty Years ago to my Friend but the Translation I made of it CAN. XLII Ministers though they have Estates and Lands of their own may yet nevertheless take Wages from their Flocks yea and it is expedient that they should so do in regard of its consequence lest other Ministers and Churches be prejudiced by this their example Yet shall they be advised so to manage this liberty as the Churches necessity and their quality shall require it CAN. XLIII No Pastor under the title of a Pastor shall be permitted to possess an Inheritance but in case his Stipend or any part thereof were
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
were Arbitrators But and if any Members of the said Consistories shall be chosen Arbitrators it shall be as they are private Persons and only in their own names CAN. XV. Besides those Admonitions given by the Consistories if there be a necessity of inflicting greater punishment or censures upon Offendors it shall be either Suspension or Privation for a time from the Lords Table or else Excommunication or cutting off from the Church And Consistories shall be advised to manage both the one and other with singular Prudence and to distinguish well betwixt them as also to weigh and examine very prudently those faults and scandals with their circumstances that are brought before them that so Censures and Judgment may be given according as is meet and requisite CAN. XVI Suspension from the Lords Table shall be used for the greater humbling of Offenders and for quickning them to a most lively sense of their offences This Suspension shall not be published unto the People nor its Cause nor also the re-admission of the Delinquent unless they had been Hereticks Despisers of God Rebels against the Consistory or Traytors to the Church These also shall be suspended who have been attainted of Crimes deserving Corporal punishment and causing grievous scandal to the Church Item those who contrary to the Remonstrances made them were married by a Popish Priest and Fathers and Mothers that so marry their Children and Tutors Guardians and others in the stead of Parents that do in the same manner marry their Orphan-Pupils and those also who shall carry them to a Popish Priest by him to be baptized or represent another at such a Baptism It being needful that such persons although they begin visibly to repent should be immediately suspended and for a time deprived of the Lord's Supper and that their suspension be declared unto the people that so they may be more deeply humbled and induced unto Repentance as also that the Church may be discharged of all shame and blame and to terrify others and learn them by this example not to be guilty of such sinful miscarriages CAN. XVII If by such suspensions Sinners be not reformed but abide obstinate and impenitent after long forbearance and frequent admonitions and earnest sollicitations of them to it they shall then be proceeded against with publick Admonitions made before the Congregation by the Pastor on three Lord's days following and for their greater shame if it be thought needful they shall be mentioned by name and the whole Church shall be desired to intreat God for them and to endeavour by all means to bring them unto Repentance and an acknowledgment of their sins to prevent their being cut off by Excommunication unto which we cannot proceed without a World of regret and grief And if after all this there be no Conversion on the Sinners part but that they persist in their hardness and obstinacy on the fourth Sabbath the Pastor shall publickly declare to the whole Congregation that the said scandalous and obdurate Sinners nameing them particularly are no longer owned by us for Church-Members but in the name and by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ and of his Church are cut off from it And this shall be the Form of Excommunication See the Acts of the second National Synod of Paris in the year 1565. Canon the Second The Form of Excommunication to be used in the Reformed Churches of France decreed by the Synod of Alez 1620. and incorporated with the Canons of Church Discipline by the National Synod of Charenton Observation the 11. upon the Synod of Alez Dear Brethren THis is the fourth time that we declare unto you that N. N. for sundry Sins and Scandals committed in the Church of God and for his Impenitency and contempt of all Admonitions which have been given from the word of God was suspended the holy Supper of the Lord which Suspension and its Causes have been notified to you that you might join your Prayers with ours that the Great God would be intreated to mollify his hard heart and touch him with sincere Repentance and draw him out of the way of Perdition But although we have so long born with him prayed exhorted and adjured him to return unto God and have essayed all means to bring him unto Repentance yet nevertheless he persisteth in his impenitency and with a most hardned obstinacy rebelleth against God and trampleth under foot his Word and the Discipline established in his House and boasting of his Sin hath caused a great deal of trouble for a long time unto his Church and the most holy name of our God to be blasphemed Wherefore we Ministers of the Word and Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ whom God hath armed with spiritual Weapons mighty through God to throw down the strong holds which do oppose themselves against him to whom the Eternal Son of God hath given power of binding and loosing upon Earth declaring that what we shall bind in Earth shall be bound in Heaven and being willing throughly to purge the House of God and to free his Church of Scandal and by pronouncing Anathema against the wicked one to glorify the name of our God In the Name and by the Authority of our Lord Jesus by the advice and authority of the Pastors and Elders assembled in Colloquy and of the Consistory of this Church we have cut off and do cut off the said N. N. from the Communion of the Church of God We do Excommunicate and deprive him of the Fellowship of Saints that so he may be unto you as a Pagan or Publican and that among true Believers he may be an Anathema and Execration Let his Company be reputed Contagious and let his Example possess your Souls with astonishment and cause you to tremble under the mighty hand of God! And this Sentence the Son of God will ratify and make effectual until such time as the Sinner being confounded and abased before God shall glorify him by his Conversion and being delivered from the Bonds of Satan to whom he is inslaved he may mourn for his Sin with Repentance unto Life Let 's pray God most dearly Beloved Brethren that he would daign to compassionate this most miserable Sinner and that this dreadful Sentence which with very great regret and sorrow of heart we have pronounced against him by the authority of the Son of God may contribute unto his humiliation and bring back into the way of Life and Salvation a Soul which is wandered and strayed from it Amen! Cursed be he that doth the work of the Lord negligently Amen! If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha Amen CAN. XVIII Henceforward all Sentences of Excommunication confirmed by the Provincial Synod shall be of full power and valid as also all Sentences of Suspension from the Lord's Supper made by the Consistory which were not declared unto the People shall hold good although the Person suspended had entered his Appeal unto the Colloquy
of those of the said pretended Reformed Religion within the Jurisdiction of our Parliament of Provence they not needing to take out Letters of Evocation or other Provisions but in our Chancery of Dolphiny As also those of the said Religion in Normandy and Brittaine shall not be obliged to take out Letters of Evocation nor other Provisions but from our Court of Chancery in Paris XXXIII Our Subjects of the Reformed Religion in the Jurisdiction of the Parliament of Burgundy shall according to their will and choice plead in the Chamber ordained for that purpose either in the Parliament of Paris or in that of Dolphiny And they also shall not be bound to take out Letters of Evocation nor any other provisions unless from out of the said Chanceries of Paris or Dolphiny at their choice and pleasure XXXIV All these said Chambers composed as aforesaid shall take cognisance try and judge Soveraignly and without Appeal by Decree privatively of all others of all Suits and Differences moved or to be moved in which those of the said pretended Reformed Religion shall be the principal Parties or Defendants in demanding or defending in all matters as well Civil as Criminal whether the said Suits and Processes be by writing or by verbal Appeals and if it seem good unto the said Parties and one of them do require it before the Cause come to be contested with respect unto the Processes which may be moved excepting always all matters beneficiary and the Possessors of Tithes not impropriated Patronages of Churches and those Causes in which the rights and duties and Demean of the Church shall be debated all which shall be tryed and judged in the Courts of Parliament without granting any power unto the said Chambers of the Edict to take Cognisance of them As also we will that when as Criminal Processes shall fall out between the said Ecclesiasticks and those of the said pretended Reformed Religion if the Ecclesiastical Person be Defendant in this Case the Cognisance and Judgments of the Criminal Process shall belong unto our Soveraign Courts privatively of the said Chambers or if the said Ecclesiastical Person be Plaintiff and he of the said Religion Defendant the Cognisance and Judgment of the said Criminal Process shall belong by Appeal and finally without Appeal unto those Chambers beforesaid established Moreover those said Chambers shall take Cognisance in times of Vacations of matters attributed by the Edicts and Ordinances unto the Chambers established in time of Vacation every one of them in their Jurisdiction XXXV The said Chamber of Grenoble shall be from this instant united and incorporated with the Body of the said Court of Parliament and the Presidents and Counsellers of the said pretended Reformed Religion shall be accounted and called the Presidents and Counsellors of the said Court and shall be reckoned and taken in the rank quality and number of them And for these ends they shall be first distributed by the other Chambers and then extracted and drawn out from among them to be imployed and serve in that which we ordain anew but always on this condition that they shall assist and have Voice and Sessions in all Deliberations that shall be made when as the Chambers are Assembled and they shall enjoy the same Sallaries Authorities and Preheminencies which the other Presidents and Counsellors of the said Court do XXXVI We will and it is our mind and intention that the said Chambers of Castres and Bourdeaux shall be reunited and incorporated in those Parliaments in the same form as others when as there shall be need of it and that the Causes which have moved us to make the establishment shall cease and there shall be no place left for them among our Subjects And to this purpose the Presidents and Counsellors in them of the said Religion shall be accounted and held for Presidents and Counsellors of the said Courts XXXVII There shall be also a new Creation and Erection in the Chamber Ordained for the Parliament of Bourdeaux of two Substitutes of our Attorney and Advocate-Generals one of which said Proctors shall be a Catholick and another of the said Religion who shall be possessed of the said Offices with competent Sallaries XXXVIII And the said Substitutes shall not take unto themselves any other quality than that of Substitutes and when as the Chambers ordained for the Parliaments of Tholouse and Bourdeaux shall be united and incorporated with the said Parliaments the said Substitutes shall be provided of Offices of Counsellors in them XXXIX The Dispatches of the Chancery of Bourdeaux shall be made in presence of two Counsellors of that Chamber one of which shall be a Catholick and the other of the said pretended Reformed Religion in the absence of one of the Masters of Requests of our Houshold And one of the Notaries and Secretaries of the said Court of Parliament of Bourdeaux shall make his Residence in the place where the said Chamber shall be established or else one of the ordinary Secretaries of the Chancery to sign the Dispatches of the said Chancery XL. We Will and Ordain That in the said Chamber of Bourdeaux there shall be two of the Register of the said Parliament the one for Civil the other for Criminal Causes who shall discharge their Offices by our Commissions and shall be called the Deputies or Commissioners in the Civil and Criminal Office of the Register who notwithstanding may not be abandoned nor revoked by the said Registers in Parliament Yet nevertheless they shall be bound to bring in the Emoluments of the said Registers Office unto the said Registers and the said Deputies shall be paid their Sallaries by the said Registers as it shall be advised and arbitrated by the said Chamber Moreover it shall be ordained that the Catholick Ushers shall be taken out of the said Court or from elsewhere according to our pleasure over and besides which there shall be two new ones erected of the said Reformed Religion and who shall be put into those places without payment of Fine or Fees And all those said Ushers shall be regulated by the said Chamber as well for the exercise and division of their offices as for the Emoluments which they are to receive There shall be also set up by Commission a Payer of Wages and Receiver of Fines in the said Chamber which office shall be given by us to whom we please in case the said Chamber be established any where else than in the said City And that Commission formerly granted unto the Payer of Wages in the Chamber of Castres shall be in full power and effect and the Commission of the Receit of the Fines in the said Chamber shall be joined unto the said Office XLI There shall be good and sufficient Assignments made for the Officers Wages in the Chambers ordained by this Edict XLII The Presidents Counsellors and other Catholick Officers of the said Chambers shall be continued as long as may be and as we shall see meet for our
of tools to build his House 'T is the very Character of Hell to force Men to Mass by Fire and Sword by Dragoons Plunder and Tortures And none but the Devil would spirit Men unto such actions and they who use them are undoubtedly his proper Imps and Agents And that you may keep up your abhorrency of Popery never forget this Continually set before your Eyes all its Deformities and never look on them or it through those false Glasses which the Doctors of Lies do now adays represent them to you You see their Temples full of Images before which they bow down and worship contrary to the express Commandment of God Thou shalt not make unto thy self any graven Image thou shalt not bow down thy self before them And flatter not your selves with this that possibly you may not be obliged thereunto for the people with whom you are do it and you partake in this their Sin of Idolatry at leastwise if you do not abhor it both with heart and mouth Set before you that Idolatrous Worship performed unto Creatures and in particular that Honour which being due only unto God is yet nevertheless given unto the Mother of our Saviour Jesus Christ and unto Saints and then remember those dreadful words As I live saith the Lord I will not give my glory unto another And remember also that Idolaters are in the Van of those that shall never inherit the Kingdom of Heaven Consider that Sacrifice ordained by their Church and wherein you must adore a bit of Bread Do not think you shall escape by this foolish suggestion We only adore Jesus Christ who is in Heaven For the Pagan Idolaters might have used the same plea That when they kneeled before their Idols they lifted up their Hearts to the true God Never be reconciled with them for that great wrong they do your Souls in robbing you of the Cup which is but one half of the Sacrament when as Jesus Christ hath given you the whole of it Never accustom your selves to that barbarous Language which keeps you from understanding your Religion and leaves it only to be gazed at with your eyes Keep up a perpetual aversion for that vain heap of Pagan and Jewish Ceremonies which are in a direct line of opposition to the purity and simplicity of Christianity But know 't is not enough that you detest all these things with your Heart you must also condemn them with your Mouths Your Judgments herein must not be concealed you must be ever and every where ready to confess the Truth And therefore as often as you shall have occasion declare openly without guile or reservation that you abhor that Worship unto which you are compelled to be present Never go to Mass unless they drag you to it by main force and whil'st they force you to it declare publickly that you do not in the least with your heart consent thereunto and if by the same violence wherewith they brought you to it they keep you at it yet manifest by your Actions that you have not any belief nor respect for those false Mysteries Keep carefully your Books of Piety of Devotion and of Controversie and read them with singular diligence and attention Preserve them by hiding and conveying them from the reach and search of your Persecutors Above all keep as your most precious Jewels the most Holy Bible and suffer every thing rather than suffer your Bibles to be snatcht away from you Read them daily and with the greatest devotion Concerning your poor Children 'T is true they will be ravisht out of your Arms and led to the Catechistical Exercises of the Priests and 't is to be seared this will be done with so great violence that 't will be impossible for you to hinder it yet as soon as they shall be returned from them never fail to destroy what those Priests have built up Instruct them in the Truth and infuse into their Souls a sacred abhorrency of the Romish Religion And this you may do by causing them to read carefully those places of Holy Scripture which are contrary to it Never forget nor spare any pains or expence in procuring from foreign Countries Books capable of instructing and strengthening you and when as the Priests shall have robb'd you or your own cause others to be brought you whatever rates you pay for them The poor Country Peasants and Mechanicks in Towns and Cities by reason of their ignorance are expos'd to greatest dangers But the strong ought to support the weak and you must earnestly endeavour each others edification This you may do as you travel into your Country-houses as you walk in the Streets yea when as you meet one another in your Shops there being none by you of the contrary Religion Supply these poor People with Books for their Instruction and exhort them without ceasing to bear up against all discouragements and never to let loose their hearts unto Idolatry but contrariwise to detest and oppose it by their discourses Maintain a continual Correspodence among your selves and perfectly know one another principally those who love the Truth and mutually incourage one another in your Resolutions never to forsake it If you can at any time meet together secretly by Night in the Retirements of your Houses let it be for the reading of God's Word and of good Books capable of instructing you but above all for Prayer Proper Prayers for your condition shall be sent you from foreign Countries By reason of that commerce and communion you are necessitated to hold with the Papists endeavour also after their Conversion Who knows but that God may have ordained this sore Persecution for this very end that you should carry the light of the Gospel into the very bosom of Popery in order to its destruction But take heed unto your selves For should you be dumb dogs and dissemblers and counterfeit the Papists before the Papists God will give you up to a reprobate sence So then forbear not speaking unto the Papists when you meet them but entertain them with Discourses of Religion And speaking to them of the violence offered unto your Consciences give them a lively pourtraict of the Deformities of their Religion and Purity of your own shew them the Vanities and Impurities of their Worship of their Idolatry and sottish Opinions And labour powerfully by all means their conversion And that this may be successful order your Lives with the greatest accuracy and circumspection 'T is visible that the sinful disorders and miscarriages of your Conversations have brought upon you those fearful Judgments from God under which you are now groaning There was no kind of worldliness in which you were not ingag'd such as rich Houshold-Goods Vessels of Silver Tapistry Feasts Gluttonies Idle Days Plays Pastimes Cloth of Silk and Gold Rings Pearls and Jewels If you be wise your first Reformation must begin here all these must be rejected sell your Tapistries your Silver Vessels wear the plainest Woolsteds have nothing to
their Communicating and it be known that their refraining is from Contempt of that Holy Sacrament they shall be proceeded against according to the Discipline but if their forbearance spring from infirmity they shall be born withal for some time till they have gotten more Soul-strength As for those who conform not to the Rules of our Church and yet frequent Sermons and be not of an ill Life nor scandalous they shall be admonished and enticed by all means to conform to them Whether another Counceil besides the Consistory may be established in the Church VI. Whereas some certain Churches and in particular that of Sens earnestly demand that it may be permitted them to establish a Council in their City composed of wise and experienced Persons not being Officers of the Church urging for it the multitude of their Enemies necessitating them to stand upon their Guard and that hourly divers Affairs of great importance do occur calling for prompt and speedy Succours to the Conservation of the Church that their Pastors and Elders dwell not in Town who might prevent those Discontents brought upon them by Monsieur de la Croix their Pastor who would neither countenance nor authorize any such Council This Assembly in pursuance of the Article of the Discipline relating to this matter and expounding it is of Opinion That for time to come no such Council be established excepting that composed of Ministers Elders and Deacons being confident that God will ever bless their Labours and Councils whom he hath called to Office in the Church and better serve himself by their Simplicity than by the Prudence of Worldly Politicians Besides it shall be always lawful for the Pastors and Elders on any great and difficult Affair to call unto them such Persons as by whose Counsel they may be any ways aided Not hereby debarring particular Persons the benefit of mutual Counsel which they may one afford another upon emergent occasions for their better Preservation But we do not hereby intend to authorize any company of Men besides the Consistory to be stiled the Council of the Church CHAP. VI. Imposition of Hands shall be practised in those places where it hath not as yet been observed VII BEcause that in the ninth Article of the Discipline it 's said That when Ministers are to be confirmed there shall be Imposition of Hands upon them yet not as of pure necessity It is demanded whether the Churches that have no such Custom should for time to come submit unto the Usage of it The reply was That there being neither Precept nor Promise touching this matter therefore no necessary Obligation shall be established about it However this Ceremony being of ancient Usage in the Church practised by the Apostles and tending to Edification the Churches shall do their endeavour to promote Conformity unto it as far as possible they may 'T is left to the Prudence of the Consistory to call in their Proposans at their Debates VIII The Churches Council consisting of Ministers Elders and Deacons it is demanded Whether unordained Preachers not having any particular Charge may be called in to assist the Consistory without ever granting them power of Suffrage that so they may be moulded and prepared for the better managing of Church-affairs when God shall call them thereunto We answer There being no Inconveniency in it 't is left to the prudence and discretion of the Pastors who may to try their Abilities demand also their Opinions Parents are exhorted to bring Sureties for their Children at Baptism IX There being no Commandment from the Lord that we should take Godfathers and Godmothers to present our Infants unto Baptism we cannot therefore impose an express Necessity on any one to use them nevertheless this Custom being very ancient and brought into the Church on a good Intent viz. To testifie the Parents Faith and Baptism of their Child and to take upon them its Education in case of their death and for that it maintains Christian Society with a Bond of Love and Alliance Such as will not follow this practise but will in their own Persons present their Children unto Baptism are earnestly desired not to be conceited but to conform to this ancient and accustomed Order which we find both good and very beneficial However Women shall not be suffered to present Children And this is the true sence of the second Article of the Synod of Lions Counsellors and Advocares of the Reformed Religion must not plead in beneficiary Matters X. Judges Notaries Scriveners and others who by the Duty of their Callings are bound to Judge Sign and Seal all matters indifferently brought to them shall not be censured for giving Judgment or receiving a last Will or passing a Contract or dispatching Writings about Idolatrous Concerns But Advocates Arbitrators and all others whose Offices are free shall be admonished that they ought wholly to forbear Pleading for or any other ways to treat of beneficiary Causes or such-like Matters CHAP. VII All the Churches must be conformable in point of Common Publick Prayers XI CHurches which besides their ordinary Sermons are accustomed to Morning and Evening Common-Prayers on such Days whenas there is no Preaching or once a day towards night when there has been a Sermon are intreated to conform themselves unto those Churches which have no such Custom that so Superstition which is like to follow hereupon may be prevented and that visible Neglect and Contempt of Sermons may be avoid and Family-Prayers which every Housholder is bound to perform may be no more neglected Moreover Publick Extraordinary Common-Prayers ought to be reserved for Times of Necessity and Afflictions because it is an extraordinary Remedy as Publick Fasting whose usage ought not to be common And Ministers shall inform their Churches which have daily Common-Prayer why they are laid down that so all Scandal and Muttering at their Suppression may be removed and they shall admonish the Heads of Families ordinarily to call upon God in their Hoses by Morning and Evening-Prayers No Person to be married without a sufficient Certificate XII Such as come from one Church unto another to be married shall not be suffered without a sufficient Attestation from that Church whence they departed and the Banes shall be called in those very places where both the Parties have their residence and are known XIII Forasmuch as divers Churches having borrowed a Minister from another do trust unto it and use no diligence elsewhere to gain one for themselves yea and will not permit him when re-called by his own Church to return again unto it whereby they would seem to claim him for their own by Prescription who was only a Loan unto them so that hereby many and great Troubles may every day grow upon us and though Consistories ought to be advised not to prefer their own particular Profit to the common Benefit and Edification of the Churches of Christ nor to leave a Church unprovided when they can
made this Decree That if through want of will on their side they were not employed in the sacred Ministry they shall be bound to make restitution unto those Churches which had furnished them with necessary Supplies towards their Education as soon as God shall enable them XLIX The present Synod returns Thanks unto Monsieur Beraud Rotan and the other Pastors for their pious endeavours in maintaining the Truth at the Conference held at Mants with Monsieur De Perron and other Popish Theologers and ratifies their whole proceeding and that offer made by them to continue the said Conference at the pleasure and commandment of His Majesty In pursuance whereof the Synod hath nominated twenty Pastors out of whom twelve shall be chosen to confer with those of the Romish Church that so the Provinces may have notice and come prepared for the said Conference And in case the Provinces would recommend any other they are required to do it speedily and shall acquaint the said Beraud and Rotan with it Catalogue of those nominated for the General Conference The twenty Persons nominated are Monsieur Rotan of Xaintonge Monsieur Ceovt of Bourgogne * * * Mr Chauve See the Synod of Saumur Gen. Mar. 12. Monsieur De L'Estang Godion of Poictòu Monsieur D'aneau of Higher Languedoc Monsieur Pacard of Xaintonge Monsieur De la Noue of Anjou Monsieur Constans of Lyonnois Monsieur Cazenave of Bearn Monsieur De la Banserie of Normandy Monsieur De la Faye of Geneva Monsieur De Beaulieu of France Monsieur Des Alâ—ues of Tourain †††Another Copy hath Monsieur De Serres Monsieur Chamier of Dauphine Monsieur De Chambrisé of Brittany Monsieur Ricotier the Son of Gascony Monsieur Gigord of Lower Languedoc Monsieur Berault of the Higher Guyenne Monsieur | | | But Baron's Name was razed out Baron of England Monsieur Melanez of Gascony and Monsieur Junius of Leyden in Holland L. The Province of Lower Languedoc demanding our Advice What course should be taken with those Ministers who having been deposed did afterwards live soberly and religiously without giving any the least offence tho' a long time had past since their Deposition whether it were lawful to employ them again in the Dispensation of the Word and Sacraments in that self-same Province where they had been deposed or not This Synod answers That it is in no wise expedient because contrary to the very Letter of the Canons of our Discipline LI. The same Deputies having moved That there might be nothing innovated as to the Observation of Holy-days such as Christmas and the rest the Synod doth accord unto it LII This Assembly having seen Monsieur Daneau's Answer unto the first part of Bellarmin's Works doth judge them worthy to be made publick whereof Notice shall be given our said Brother by Letters from this Synod and he is entreated to intimate in his Preface that he designed brevity in his Answer because others had been more large and ample LIII Monsieur De Serres having requested by his Letters written to this Synod See Synod of Saumur Part. Mat. 3. that some learned Men might be appointed to revise his Collection out of the Fathers a Work undertaken by him to prove our Religion to be the most Ancient Catholick Religion and the Romish to be New and Particular This Synod hath ordained That the said De Serres shall cause three Copies of his Collection to be fairly transcribed whereof one shall be sent into the Lower Languedoc and from thence into the Higher Languedoc Guyenne and Gascogny another into Xaintonge and from thence into Poictou and the Churches beyond the River of Loire and the third shall be sent unto Geneva that care may be taken about its Impression And till it be thus revised the said Monsieur De Serres is expresly ordered neither to print nor publish any thing of the said Collection LIV. The Synod being informed that several Sums of Money were collected in the Churches for their Service whereof no account hath been render'd This Synod ordereth That all Receivers of those Collections made in the said Churches do bring in their Accompts of those Moneys unto the next National Synod notwithstanding any Agreement past between these Receivers and particular Churches to the contrary And the Province of Lower Languedoc shall give Notice to Monsieur De Serres and John Chalais that they come and yield up their Accounts and pay in the remaining Moneys in their hands at the time appointed them before the six Ministers and six Elders or other Persons well skill'd in matters of Accompt which shall be deputed by the Synod of Lower Languedoc and these Accounts shall be audited in the City of Monpellier And in case the said Monsieur De Serres refuse so to do he shall be suspended from the Ministry and the said John Chalais from the Sacrament And both of them are required to appear in Person before the next National Synod But De Serres died the very day before it sat LV. The Deputies of Higher Languedoc demanding Whether Sinners who had committed certain Crimes for which by Sentence of the Magistrate they were punished with Brands of publick Infamy ought also to be censur'd by the Church so far as to do publick Penance in the face of the whole Congregation The Synod resolved affirmatively because they be two distinct Matters the Jurisdiction of the Civil Magistrate and the Ecclesiastical Cognisance taken by Consistories this relating to the Conscience and the interiour concerns of the Soul and that only to the Body and outward Man CHAP. V. Of APPEALS I. WHereas the Church of Rochel hath brought an Appeal from the Province of Poictou about Monsieur Esnard whom the said Church claims for its Minister by Vertue of an Order granted it by the National Synod celebrated in the Year 1581. It is now decreed That because the. said Church hath not produced the Grant of that Synod Monsieur Esnard shall remain where he is at present in the Province of Poictou and moreover the said Church shall be censured for having used Terms of Law in the said Appeal II. An Appeal being brought by the Colloquy of Angoulesme against the Church of St. Mesme about a Judgment past in the Synod of Xaintonge This Article was razed out in the Synod of Saumur Part. Mat. 4. this Assembly doth confirm that Judgment in the whole and in every part of it denounced by the said Synod which is also charged by the Authority of this Assembly to censure Monsieur De Bargemont and his Associates for troubling us with their Impertinencies III. The Church of Cognac and Monsieur De Bargemont having appealed from a Judgment given in the Synod of Xaintonge held at Pons This Assembly decreeth That the said Monsieur De Bargemont shall be appropriated to the Church of Segonsac with this Proviso that he serve alternatively the Church of Coignac and Segonsac and that
the Church of Segonsac do give him full satisfaction for all his Arrerages within the prefixed Term of Six Months from the first of July next And if the Church of Coignac refuse their Consent unto this Condition then the said De Bargemont shall appertain solely to the Church of Segonsac And if it so fall out that the said Church of Segonsac be wanting unto their Duty and which is now re-inforced upon them 1594. Synod XIII the said de Bargemont shall be at liberty to be conferr'd on any other Church excepting that of Cognac IV. An Appeal being brought by Monsieur Cazaux and the Consistory of Mauvoisin from an Order made in the Provincial Synod of the Higher Guyenne After that Monsieur de Fontenailles and the Church of Castillon were heard this National Synod did confirm that Order of the Provincial Synod hold this present Year at Lectoure and in case the said Church of Castillon cannot throughly effect the purport of that Order then the said Sieur de Cazaux shall be at liberty to serve the Church of Mauvoisin V. Appeals being brought by Monsieur Beraut Minister of God's Holy Word of the one part and by Messieurs the Consuls and Elders of the Church of Montauban on the other part from an Order of the Synod of Higher Languedoc about the space of time granted unto the said Berault for attending his private domestick Concerns and the looking after his Estate lying at a distance from the City of Montauban This National Synod confirmeth that Order of the aforesaid Provincial Synod for the full term of One Year to be granted the said Monsieur Beraut for attending his necessary private Businesses which shall begin from the Day of his Departure And he is desired as a Testimony of his Respect and Love unto his Church to leave his Family in the said City or at least within the Province as also his Church is admonished to pay in unto him during his absence his Salary as a Token and Pledge of their great and unfeigned Respects unto their Pastor the said Monsieur Beraut and both the said Monsieur Beraut his Church and the Colloquy shall carefully and unanimously endeavour that his place be supplied and all the requisite Duties of his Pastoral Office be acceptably discharged by some other worthy Minister in his Church during that Year of his absence VI. An Appeal being brought by the Churches of Montauban and Venez for that by the Synod of Higher Languedoc held at Montauban and Lectoure Monsieur de Castlefranc Minister of the Gospel was consigned to the Church of Realmont and yet the Isle of France doth pretend a Right unto the said Monsieur de Chastlefranc This Synod declares That the Province of the Isle of France had nothing to do with the said Monsieur De Chastlefranc and whereas Monsieur de Chastlefranc doth also make his Appeal unto this Synod we decree That the Churches of Montredon and Venez have a Right to claim him as their own peculiar Minister nevertheless the said de Chastlefranc shall officiate in the Churches of Montredon Venez and Realmont conjointly at each of them six Months together during which time this Synod doth order that the Church of Realmont shall provide themselves of an able Pastor otherwise they shall be proceeded against by the sharpest Censures as is usually done in such Cases by their Colloquy And if it so fall out that the said Church of Realmont do need the Labours of the said Monsieur de Chastlefranc he is intreated to assist them as far as his strength will suffer him VII The Church of Monpellier having brought an Appeal from the Provincial Synods of Lower Languedoc who had dispos'd of Monsieur de Villette to the Church of Valleragne This Assembly doth confirm the Judgment of the said Provincial Synod and declareth That the said Church of Monpellier cannot of Right lay any Claim to the said Monsieur de Villette CHAP. VI. Particular MATTERS 1594. Synod XIII I. THE Deputies of the Province of Gascony Perigord and Limousin desiring that the Churches of Coudonnois and Landers might be joyned to the Provincial Synod of Agenois Perigord and Limousin and being opposed herein by the Remonstrances of the Deputies from the Province of Higher Guyenne and most especially by the Pastor of the Church of Lectoure Mr. Bernard Ennis in the name and behalf of the Colloquy of Armagnac After mature consultation it was resolved That the Synods of the Higher Guyenne and Gascogny should remain as they are in their present establishment not but that in time coming and in case necessity so require it there may be made an alteration and the Churches of Armagnac which are now divided from their Colloquy shall reader an Account unto the next National Synod of their separation from it till which they shall remain incorporated with it II. The Churches of Augoumois shall be joyned to the Provincial Synod of Xaintonge and Aunix for the perfecting a sixth Colloquy according to the equal division of those said Churches III. The Church of Bergerac shall be sharply censured by Letters from this Assembly for that by theirs to us they professed a Resolution not to subject themselves to the fourth Article of the tenth Chapter pf our Discipline IV. Those of the Isle of France shall be severely censured for proposing to this Assembly a politick Union with those of the Romish Gallican Church in defence of the Liberties of the Gallican Church against the Pope And Letters shall be dispatch'd unto those fore-mentioned Persons to acquaint them that their Proposition was judged utterly unworthy our consultation and they shall be farther censured for demanding competent Judges both of the one and other Religion to decide the Points in controversie between us as also for demanding that neither National nor Provincial Synods be conven'd unless on very great and weighty occasions and that very rarely 5. The Church of Aymet complaining That Monsieur Balarand their Pastor absented himself from them and was setled in the Church of Castres without any lawful dismission from them After that the Provincial Deputies of Gascony had been heard as also the said Monsieur Balarand and the Petition of the ancient Deputy from the City and Church of Castres and after reading the Act of Dismission given unto the said Balarand by those of the Church of Aymet subscribed by those self-same Persons who have now written to those of the City of Castres and yet some of them have since signed a Revocation of that Grant this Synod doth assign the said Monsieur Balarand unto the Church of Castres to be their ordinary Pastor but on these conditions First That the Church of Aymet be provided of an able Pastor within six Months or sooner it may be by the Colloquy of Perigord or Synod of Gascony at the sole Charges of the aforesaid Church of Castres according to the offers made by Monsieur Bassol their Deputy Secondly That the Judge of Castres do cause all
served them as this was ever the sence and judgment of the said Synod of Xaintonge II. Whereas both the Church of Paris and Lions do lay claim unto the said Monsieur D'amours as theirs and engaged to them This Assembly having heard the said D'amours open the whole Affair and weighed the Arguments on both sides doth find that he is not obliged either to the one or other but is at full liberty to accept of any Church presented to him by the Synod III. And forasmuch as the Church of Chastelheraut have presented their Petition That the said Monsieur D'amours should be setled among them after hearing what was urged to the contrary by the Church of St. John and the declaration of the said Sieur D'amours leaving himself wholly to the disposal of this Assembly it is decreed That the said Sieur D'amours shall be given unto the Church of Chastelheraut IV. The Consistory of Havre de Grace appealing from an Order of the Synod of Normandy which had ordained our Brother Monsieur * * * Another Copy calls him Maâ—â— Dinnis de la Mathennie Pastor of Cricquetot to be their sole Pastor he having served them faithfully in the Ministry ever since he first gathered their Church and and that the two Churches should be united into one and their Pastors Joynt-Pastors and that the Churches should make but one common Purse for their maintenance And the demand of those of Cricquetot being heard urging that the said Monsieur de la Mathennie was first of all sent unto them and that they always had and would continue to him his Stipend It was voted That the said Monsieur de Mathennie should continue with the Church of Cricquetot and those of the Havre have six Months time given them to provide themselves of another Pastor during which time the said de la Mathennie shall remain as he hath done in the Town of Honsleur and shall serve both the Churches and as to the Annexation of the Church of Beauvillier it shall be determined by the Colloquy of Caux and the Church of Hauvre is exhorted according to their Duty to pay double Honour unto the said Monsieur de la Mathennie as they have done heretofore V. The Appeal of Master Michael Mercier from the Synod of the Isle of France Picardy and Champagne was rejected because he appeared not in Person to prosecute it in this Assembly and that Order of the Church of Paris ratified by their Provincial Synod concerning the Exercise of Religion in the place ordained by His Majesty is approved also and confirmed by the Consent and Authority of this present National Synod VI. The Sentence past by the Synod of Lower Guyenne against Messieurs Chauveton and Baduel is ratified and because of the great importance of that Affair we do further decree That he of the two who shall first endeavour his Restoration unto the Church of Bergerac shall be totally deposed from the Ministry VII The Appeal of the Church of Nerac about the concern of Monsieur John Renaut is declared null and the Sentence of the Synod of Lower Guyenne confirmed and how the said Monsieur Renaut shall be for time coming disposed of is left wholly to the Wisdom of that Synod But since that the said Renaut was yielded up entirely unto the Church of Nerac VIII The Appeal of the Church of Chaume from the Synod of Poictou was not admitted because the matter in debate between them is of the nature of those things which ought to be determined in their own Province IX The Appeal of the Colloquy of Poictiers from that Order of the Synod of Poictou is good and valid and it is decreed That Monsieur Menestoier Pastor of the Church of Sancay Monstreuill Bonninll and L' Artillier shall incorporate himself with the Colloquy of Poictiers X. Monsieur de la Millie reappealing from an Order of the Synod of Poictou who had setled Monsieur Favre in the Pastoral Charge of the Church of Vigean this Assembly approveth that Order and the Province is exhorted to take care that the Church of the said de Melliere be provided for as soon as possible XI That Judgment of the Synod of Lower Languedoc from which the Church of Macilargues and de Nager had appealed is confirmed And Letters shall be dispatched unto the said Synod requesting them out of hand to provide an able Minister for the Church of Macilargues XII An Appeal was brought by the Church of Nismes from a Judgment of the Synod of Lower Languedoc which had given Monsieur Terond to the Church of St. Martyn whereupon this Assembly decreed That in case the Church of Nismes did not send the said Monsieur Terond unto his own Colloquy within the space of one Year that then he should be wholly setled in the Church of St. Martyn nor shall that Church be provided of any other Minister for a full Year unless the said Monsieur Terond be recalled back again in which case all his Charges shall be defrayed by those of Nismes XIII The Church of Nismes appealed from the Synod of Dolphiny because they refused to grant them Monsieur Chamier though carnestly desired by them to be Professor of Divinity in their University This Assembly is of Opinion That the said Sieur Chamier cannot be removed from the Church of Montlimard without the express consent of his Church and Province XIV The Appeal of the Elders in the Church of Chastillon upon the Loire from the Censures of the Synod of Orleans and Berry is rejected and they shall be again censured by Letters from this Assembly more sharply XV. That Order of the Synod of Dolphiny concerning Monsieur Felix from which the Church of Niort hath appealed is confirmed XVI The Church of Cognac appealed from an Order of the Synod of Xaintonge about Monsieur de la Nusse The Assembly examining the matter finds that of Right the said de la Nusse belongs to the Church of Cognac but because of the Covenants between them it decrees That the said Sieur de la Nusse shall at the sole Charges of the Church of Nerac come and serve one Year in the Church of Coignac during which time those of Nerac shall endeavour to procure for the Church of Coignac such a Minister as shall be approved by the Colloquy of Augoumois and in case of their non-observing this Order Monsieur la Nusse shall be wholly appropriated to the Church of Coignac XVII Monsieur Bourguignon appealing from the Synod of the Isle of France enjoyning his return unto his own Province this Assembly considering the great Services done by him unto the Church of God and his manifold Losses have and do adjudge him absolutely unto the Church of Mets. XVIII The Father of Monsieur Olivier appealing from the Synod of Higher Languedoc it was ordered That the said Olivier shall be setled in the Church of Lectoure and Letters shall be written unto the Father to this purpose XIX Upon the Appeal of
Sieur Quinson Pastor of the Church of Chartres and Favieres appealing in their name from a Decree of the Provincial Synod of the Isle of France held at Charenton by which the Lord de Bijannettes was left at liberty either of communicating with the Church of Blainville whereof he was a Member or because he was nearer with that of Favieres he contributing both to the one and other This Assembly confirms that Decree of the Synod of the Isle of France and declares the Appeal to be null and void because the difference is of their nature which may be finally determined by the Provincial Synods However for time coming it is ordained that no Member shall joyn himself to another Church without leave first had and obtained from the Colloquy or Provincial Synod which shall very well weigh and consider of all Motives and Arguments inducing to it 16. This Assembly took no notice of the Appeal brought by the Province of Lower Languedoc from the Judgment of that of Vivaretz about the business of Monsieur Rossell because according to the Canon of the last National Synod it might have been finally determined in that Province as also because the difference arose from a particular Agreement which the said Rossell made with the Church of Gignac wherein they had obliged themselves to pay him over and above his Salary that portion accrewing to them from the Moneys granted us by His Majesty Nevertheless this Synod did expresly prohibit for the future all such Bargains and Agreements and ordains that Pastors shall have from their Churches settled and certain Wages in which payment shall not be reckoned their Augmentation from the Moneys of His Majesties Bounty And Ministers shall give Acquittances unto their Churches of all Moneys received from them at the quarterly payments 17. The Sieur Guibert Pastor complaining of a Judgment passed in the Provincial Synod of Xaintonge whereby he was consigned Minister to the Church of Archiac The Assembly having heard the Deputies of that Province and the said Guibert also declared the Decree of the said Province just and equitable and ordaineth his continuance in the said Church until such times as by advice of the Colloquy or of the same Province he may be elsewhere employed if need be but they be exhorted to take care for his comfortable maintenance 18. The Colloquy of Mayne appealing from a Decree of the Colloquy of Touraine chosen Umpire between that of Mayne and Anjou by which the Church of Prinjey and Gallirante had been adjudged to the Colloquy of Anjou upon hearing the Arguments produced by the said Colloquies this Assembly revoketh and reverseth the Decree aforesaid and adjudgeth the Church of Prinjey and Gallirante unto the Colloquy of Mayne 19. A difference falling out between the Provinces of the Isle of France and Berry upon this occasion divers Gentlemen and others formerly Members of the Church of Chartres had lately joyned themselves unto the Church of Basoches and Genouille gathered in the Colloquy of Blesois because of its nearness to their Habitations and more Commodious for them The Synod hearing the arguments on both sides and perusing the Memoirs doth leave the Gentlemen and other persons to their full Liberty either for Basoches and Genouille or for that of Chartres 20. The Sieur Beraud Pastor and Professor in the Church of Montauban and the Sieurs de Novellan and de Vaures Deputies from that Church unto the last Synod of Higher Languedoc and Guyenne held at Pamiers appealed for that the said Beraud was aggrieved by the aforesaid Synod which having restored the Sieur Benoist to the aforesaid Church and refused to give him his dismission tho he humbly demanded it and had ordained that he should be reconciled with the said Benoist that they might live for the future amicably in peace and good correspondence together And the Sieurs de Novellan and de Vaures appealed for that the said Sieur Benoist was sent back unto the Church of Montauban as if he were one of their own proper Pastors Upon hearing the complanits of the Sieur Beraud and the Deputies of the said Church and the defence made by Monsieur Benoist and on perusal of divers Acts and Letters written on both sides and the Provincial Deputies also being heard producing the Acts on which their Decree was grounded and relating the Charge and Commission given them as they passed through Moutauban both from the party favouring Monsieur Beraud and the party desiring the continuance of the Ministry of the said Benoist This Assembly observing in all their proceedings more of passion than of reason ordaineth that the said Beraud be out of hand reconciled with the said Benoist and the said Benoist shall testifie unto him the great desire he hath for the future of living with him in all Love Honour and Respect and intreat him to forget and forgive all past miscarriages And furthermore it doth absolutely and fully ratifie and confirm that Decree of the Provincial Synod disannulling the Appeal of the said Deputies and exhorts them to a mutual reconciliation and to use their utmost endeavour for the effecting an entire universal Peace in the said Church And in case this be not done the next approaching Provinvincial Synod is charged by vertue and authority of this Assembly to remove them both from it and to employ them elsewhere in some other distinct Churches of the Province and by some other Ministers to serve and supply the Church of Montauban And the Sieurs Bauconis Silvius and de Malleret are ordered to travel unto Montauban and to give the said Church a punctual Account of this our Decree in all its circumstances and the Expences of their Journey shall be defrayed by it And whereas the Deputies of the said Church do desire that Garissoles and Cabault Proposans maintained by them might be examined in this National Synod and that it would be pleased to give in their Opinions of them whether they were persons sufficiently qualified for the Sacred Ministry and capable of assisting their other Pastors it was resolved that this matter should be left wholly to the Judgment of their Provincial Synod who should determine both of their Capacity and Induction into the said Church whereunto however they should not consent till such time as they had unanimously agreed about the Ministry of Monsieur Benoist on which condition they might grant the demands of the said Church And in case it should be a long time before the Synod Assembled that then the Colloquy of Lower Quercy shall finally determine this Affair provided that they call in to act together with them the Colloquy of Armagnac that so all sinister thoughts of partiality in their Judicial Sentence may be obviated and prevented And if in pursuance hereof they shall perceive a design laid for the exclusion of Monsieur Benoist then they shall not in the least proceed to the Ordination of the said Proposans nor unto their Instalment in the Church of Montauban 21. The
University of Montauban appealed because the last Synod held at Pamiers refused to admit of Monsieur Gardesie unto the Professors place of the Greek Tongue This Assembly decreeth that the Synod or both the Colloquies which shall judge about the Proposans of the Church of Montauban shall also take cognisance of this Affair And in case they do grant the said Gardesie unto that University and he consent unto it that then they do dispose of one of the said Proposans or of some other person whom they believe will best edifie the Church of Mauvoisin unto its service in the Pastoral work 22. The Appeal of the Common Council of the City of Montauban on behalf of the Counsellors in their Colloquy is dismissed over to the next Political Assembly of the Province 23. The Sieurs des Baconis Sylvius and de Malleret in their journey unto Montauban about the affairs of that Church are ordered to visit the Churches of Meusac Islemade and St. Leophary and to take knowledge of their Estate and Proverty that so they may testifie unto the approaching Synod of the Higher Guyenne whether the Sieurs Richaud and Bicheteau can be maintained by them and whether they be able to incourage them in their personal residence among them according to the Decree of the National Synod of Rochel 24. Whereas Monsieur Beraud appealed from the Judgment of the Provincial Synod of Higher Languedoc and Guyenne for their continuing the Sieurs Richaud and Bicheteau in the Curatorship of the University of Montauban since the Decree of the last National Synod and for their approving of that custom of precedency among the Elders according to their Seniority in Office This Assembly expounding the Canon of the aforesaid Synod of Rochel declareth that it never intended to set up any ordinary Curators excepting those that be upon the place and it only gave leave unto the Consistories and University Counsels to call in upon extraordinary occasions such persons as they judged best able to advise and assist them and therefore can in no wise approve of this Intendency ordained by the Provincial Synod And as for the other point it cannot allow the Provincial Synods to make orders about precedency and condemns the said Province for so doing and farther it does appoint all Consistories to use their prudence in preventing of those disorders and confusions which may fall out on such punctilio's and to take care that every one have that respect paid him which is due unto him 25. The appeal of the Sieurs Rafin Perrot and Phillipy about their expences unto the last National Synod is sent back unto the Neighbour Province with full power to determine finally therein according to the Canon of the same Synod concerning Pecuniary matters 26. The Sieur Beraud brought in an Appeal of the Colloquy of Armagnas which complained of the Province of Higher Languedoc and Guyenne that meerly out of conformity to their Neighbours would send their Deputies to the Synods of Lower Languedoc and Guyenne This Assembly approving the resolution of the said Synod Censures the Colloquy for their opposition and makes null and void their Appeal 27. Master Claudius Maillard Doctor of Physick and heretofore Elder in the Church of Orleans appealed from the judgment of his Provincial Synod held at Gien by which the said Maillard was censured together with his book written by him against his own Pastor Monsieur du Moulin and because it had ordained that his Censure should be published in the Church before the whole Congregation the said Maillard pleading that neither his Book nor Person ought to have been censured but only that formality of his having caused it to be printed and farther that the Censure past upon Mr. du Moulin by the same Synod ought also to have been published in the Congregation Upon perusal of that aforesaid Printed discourse and published by the said Maillard and sent by him subscribed with his own hand unto this Assembly and the several acts produced by him proving his assertions And Monsieur du Moulin being heard apologizing for himself and his demand of License to depart from the said Church and Province both which he had long ere this have quitted had it not been that he expected the sitting of this Assembly and the Deputies of the said Church being heard earnestly requesting his return unto them The Acts also of the Colloquy held at Baugency being perused which condemned the Consistory of Orleans for not deposing of Esaiah Fleureau from his Office and for not publishing his suspension from the Lords Table notwithstanding his Appeal and finally the act of the Synod before-mentioned together with what was done about its execution by the Deputies sent from the Synod After mature deliberation of all these things this Assembly judged that the said Maillard had do reason at all to Appeal from the sentence of the Synod considering the greatness of his fault which is again condemned both in substance and circumstance and ordaineth that he shall call in all his Books dispersed abroad and suppress them and judgeth that the said Colloquy ought in no wise to have hindred the Appeal of the said Fleureau And as for the said Sieur du Moulin This Assembly approveth the judgment of the Synod and the proceedings of the Pastors delegated for its execution but cannot allow of the departure of the said du Moulin since the denunciation of the said Sentence And it ordaineth that the said du Moulin shall be restored unto the Church of Orleans which is injoined to love honour and maintain him And that an effectual reconciliation may be wrought among them Messieurs Ferrier Chauve de Montdenis and Basnage Ministers together with the Lord of Fiefbrun an Elder and the other Elders Deputed with the aforesaid Elders unto this National Synod are commissioned by it to transport themselves unto the Church of Orleans and there by Authority of this Assembly to ordain whatsoever may be judged expedient for the mollifying of those Hearts and abating of those heats and reconciling of the divided parties and the happy re-establishment of the Ministry of the said Sieur du Moulin in that Church and to inflict such Censures as are meet upon the Refractory and Contumacious Members which shall oppose and hinder this pacification 28. The Provincial Synod of Poictou dismissed over unto this Assembly the last Censure of Master Fiacre Picard sometime Minister in the Church of Chastelheraut who being convicted in the said Synod of several notorious Crimes was suspended until now from his Office and commanded to appear in person before this Assembly The Deputies of the Province gave an account of the Synods judgment past upon him produced the Accusations brought in against him and the several proofs and Evidences of them together with his Letters and Confessions After which the said Picard was called in and heard speak in his own defence some things he owned and others he denied whereupon this Assembly confirmeth the judgment past upon
might be Censured 3. The Lord of Barjac was Censured for not adhearing to the Resolutions taken in the Assembly of Saumur by plurality of suffrages Anno 1611. And for joyning himself unto their private Cabal who would have made the Lesser number carry it from the greater contrary to the Natural Order of all Synods But the said Lord of Barjac giving publick Testimony of his sorrow for this Miscarriage and protesting seriously for the future never in any wise to depart from the Universally received order of being Concluded by the Majority of Votes his Censure was taken off and his offence remitted to him To prevent all divisions in the Reformed Churches of this Kingdom this National Synod framed an Act or Oath of Union to be taken by all the Deputies CHAP. III. The Oath of Vnion sworn by all the Deputies of the Reformed Churches of France assembled in the National Synod at Privas in Vivaretz and subscribed by them all the day month and year above-mitten WE whose Names are here under written Deputies for the Reformed Churches of France Assembled in a National Synod at the Town of Privas in the Province of Vivaretz knowing by past-experience that nothing is more needful to preserve the Weal Peace and good Estate of the said Churches than an holy Union and unviolable Concord both in Doctrine Discipline and their Dependencies and that the said Churches cannot long subsist without a good intimate and mutual Conjunction one with the other and better kept than formerly Being for this cause desirous to remove all seeds of disunion and occasions of divisions which may hereafter trouble the said Churches and to prevent all Impostures Calumnies private Factions Plots and Practices by which divers persons ill-affected to our Religion do endeavour to dissipate and ruine them Which quickens us more than ever to find out by joynt accord and Common Consent the proper and most effectual means of our just lawful and necessary conservation in the aforesaid Union under that obedience due unto his Majesty our Soveraign Lord and the Queen his Mother We have in the Name of all our Churches and for their good and for the service of their Majesties Sworn and Protested and we do Swear and Protest Promising also our utmost Endeavour that these very self-same protestations shall be ratified in and by all our Provinces to remain inseparably united and conjoyned in that confession of Faith of the Reformed Churches of this Kingdom read in this Synod approved and ratified by every one of us Swearing not only in our own Name but also in the respective Names of all the Churches of our Provinces which have Deputed us unto this Synod that we will live and die in it As also we Protest in our own and their Names to keep inviolably that Ecclesiastical Discipline Established in the Reformed Churches of this Kingdom and to see its Canons observed for the better Government of these our Churches and the reformation of life and manners Acknowledging that it is Most agreeable to Gods holy Word whose Authority is Supream And we Protest and Swear to yield all obedience and fidelity to their said Majesties desiring nothing else but that under the Protection of their Edicts we may serve our God with Liberty of Conscience CHAP. IV. Observation on Reading the Confession of Faith 1. WHereas there is mention made in the 14th Article of the Heresies of Servetus some of the Deputies desired that the specifying of them might be removed because those his Heresies are now as it were dead and buried and the Deputies of the Provinces in pursuance of that Decree past in the last National Synod of St. Maixant having brought with them the Judgment of their respective Provinces upon this Subject it was thought meet that nothing should be innovated in that Article but that it should be entirely left as we found it 2. That Union in Doctrine may be preserved among us and no Errors may be suffered to creep into our Churches All Pastors in actual service and all Proposans who are to be received into the Ministry shall sign this following Article I Whose Name is here under-written do receive and approve the Contents of the Confession of Faith of the Reformed Churches in this Kingdom and do promise to persevere in it until death and to believe and teach agreeably thereunto And whereas some persons contend about the sense of the eighteenth Article treating of our Justification I declare and protest before God that I understand it in the same sense in which it is received in our Churches approved by our National Synods agreeably to the Word of God which is That our Lord Jesus Christ was obedient to the Moral and Ceremonial Law not only for our good but also in our stead and that his whole Obedience yielded by him thereunto is imputed to us and that our Justification consists not only in the forgiveness of sins but also in the Imputation of his Active Righteousness and subjecting my self unto the Word of God I believe that the Son of Man came to serve and that he was not a Servant because he came into the World I do also promise that I will never depart from the Doctirne received in our Churches and that I will yield all Obedience to the Canons of our National Synods in this matter And this Article shall be religiously observed in and by all the Provinces 3. Our Printers be forbidden henceforward to print the Confession of Faith with this Title The Confession of Faith revised and amended by the National Synod 4 The Confession of Faith being read and heard was approved by all the Deputies who protested that by the Grace of God they would live and die in it As was manifest by their Act in swearing the said Union CHAP. V. Observations upon Reading of our Church-Discipline Article 1. IN reading and revising the Discipline of our Churches this National Synod voted That whereas in the close of the second Canon of the first Chapter the time and manner of admitting Novices lately converted from Popery to the Reformed Religion are particularly specified Now instead of these words Unless in a Provincial Synod these ensuing shall be inserted Unless by the Advice of Provincial and National Synods and the said Canon shall be finished with this Sentence Nor shall they be Ordained by Imposition of Hands no more than if they were unknown persons without the Advice of Provincial and National Synods Article 2. On the third Canon of the first Chapter after these words which do almost conclude it And after long experience had of his Repentance and Godly Conversation There shall be nothing added but the last clause shall be blotted out viz. He being found meet and sit and sufficiently qualified to teach the Church may be chosen and called unto the Sacred Ministry Article 3. The Deputies of Burgundy demanding that they might not be bound by that Canon of the Synod of St. Maixant that seven Pastors should be
if after notice given him he continue to preach at Nismes or within the Province He is from this very instant declared suspended from the Ministry and not to be restored but by the next National Synod 27. The Church of Vallence Appealed from the Provincial Synod of Vivaretz held at Annonay and from the Synod of Dolphiny held at Veyners for removing from them the Sieur Murat their Pastor The Memoirs and Acts of the said Synods and of the Colloquy of Nismes being read and both parties having been heard speak upon this present Case Monsieur Murat was sharply Censured for his over-forwardness in closing with the Invitations of the Church of Nismes and for urging by dishonest ways the Church of Vallence to give him his Dismission and this extorted also under the pretence and with the plausible Attestation of his singular prudence And the Church of Nismes is severely censured for all its proceedings and particularly that contrary to the Decree of St. Maixant in the first Article of General Matters it sought a Pastor for it self out of the Province without first consulting with their Colloquy or Synod And the Synod of Vivaretz also was blamed for acting contrary to the Discipline in judging notwithstanding the Appeal of the Church of Vallence lay neglected by them that the said Murat was at liberty And the Provincial Synod of Dolphiny held at Veyners is also censured for suffering themselves to be surprized and inveigled into this present Act and passing too slight a Judgment on it whereas they should have been more reserved and done as the Colloquy of Nismes which dismissed the whole Affair unto this Assembly For these causes and after mature deliberation upon the whole this Assembly enjoyneth the said Murat to return unto his Church of Vallence within three months and in case of contravention unto this Ordinance we do presently denounce him suspended from the Ministry 28. Monsieur Isaiah Ferrier appeared in person before this Assembly he was Minister of St. Gyles in Lower Languedoc to answer those Accusations which were brought against him by the Sieur de Beauvoysin who appealed from the Synods of Vigan and Baignols and that the truth of those Accusations might be proved Commissioners were ordained to receive and examine them who having heard them and seen the Evidences produced by the said Sieur de Beauvoysin and upon their Report made of them and of matters confessed by the said Ferrier the Assembly pronounced this Sentence viz. that the said Ferrier be suspended from the holy Ministry until the next National Synod And forasmuch as among those many Articles of which he stands accused several cannot be fully proved because of Processes yet hanging in the Court of Castres The Assembly doth order the said Ferrier to appear before the Synod of Vivaretz and to justifie himself if he can in their presence and the said Synod shall transmit his Defence of himself whatever it be over unto the next National Synod that so he may be either restored or more severely censured and in case he cannot justifie himself between this and the next National Synod he is now as he shall then be denounced Deposed from the Ministry of the Gospel And in case he should be restored by the National Synod unto the Ministry yet shall he not be sent back unto his Church of St. Gyles nor to any other in that Colloquy Nevertheless there shall be allowed him betwixt this time and the next National Synod a yearly portion of the King's Moneys towards his subsistence And also the Province of Lower Languedoc is sharply censured for their long connivance at so great a wickedness and for not doing their duty in endeavouring to suppress the scandal and throughly to purge the House of God from such defilements 29. The Appeals of the Sieur Conain from the Decree of the Synod of Parey le Moyneau as also that of the Sieur Truchis who yet did not send his Appeal unto this Assembly are declared null and void and the Judgments past in the Provincial Synods of Burgundy against them are by this present Act ratified and established 30. The Appeal of the Church of Avalon from the Province of Burgundy being not prosecuted by any one in this Assembly is declared Null 31. The Appeals of the Colloquy of Gex from the Synod of Bussy and also that of Pont du Velle were wisely and rightly judged by the Synod of Burgundy and the said Colloquy is exhorted to conform it self for the future unto the Orders thereof 32. The Church of Manosques appealled from an Ordinance of the Synod of Provence held at Lire September 1610. And complained how that by the said Ordinance an yearly grant of sixty Livers formerly accorded to them by a preceding Synod was then reversed This Assembly doth confirm that Article of the said Synod of Lire Yet nevertheless it recommends the said Church of Manosques to the care of that Province 33. An Appeal was brought by divers Churches of the Lower Guyenne from a Judgment of the said Province importing that the more opulent and wealthy Churches should be deprived of their portions in the King's Moneys and that their shares should be employed to the comforting of poorer Churches that so they might be kept up or restored And whereas the Deputies of the said Province requested that the Judgment of their Synod might be confirmed This Assembly leaveth that Province wholly to their liberty either to follow the aforesaid Expedient or those other Overtures particularly notified unto those Deputies and it recommends with the greatest earnestness their poor Churches unto the Charity of those which flourish and are in a better condition as to the World 34. That Book written by Monsieur de la Viennerie Pastor of the Church of Tonne Boutonne in Xaintonge entituled A Commentary upon the Canon of the Mass having been read and examined as to its chiefest Points to wit Invocation of Saints Justification Predestination and divers others there was observed in it several odd expressions and phrases which were not only obscure but also doubtful suspicious and erroneous Whereupon in pursuance of the Judgment given by the Provincial Synod of Xaintonge the said Manuscript was ordered to be supprest and farther the Province was exhorted to watch carefully over the Doctrine delivered from the Pulpit by the said de la Viennerie 35. Whereas there is a great Dissention sprung up in the Church of Montauban about the Sieurs Loupiat and Gouze who are Elected Elders This Assembly condemns the proceeding of the said Sieur de Gouze as being full of vanity and for insisting on it that he ought to be preferred to the Sieur Loupiat in their nomination unto the people Also the said Gouze is blamed for his animosity in searching out crimes and persons to accuse Monsieur Loupiat who yet could never make proof of those matters laid by them unto his charge Moreover the Consistory there is also censured for not restraining those proceedings by a
their dependencies and that the said Churches cannot long Subsist without a Good a Strict and Mutual Union and conjunction of one with the other and this better kept and maintained than formerly Therefore being desirous what in us lyeth for the future to remove all seeds of division and occasion of partialities between the said Churches and to obviate all Impostures Plots Calumnies and Practices whatsoever by means whereof divers Persons ill affected to our Religion do indeavour its utter Ruine and destruction For which reason we are more bound than ever by an unanimous consent and agreement to use those means which will most and best contribute to our just lawful and necessary preservation in the Union aforesaid under the authority of our Soveraign Lord the King and the Queen Regent his Mother we have in the Name of all those Churches and for their Weal and Happiness and for the service of their Majesties Sworn and Protested and do Swear and Protest yea we do also promise that we will see these our Protestation to be ratified in and by all our respective Provinces to continue inseparably United and conjoyned in the Confession of Faith owned and Professed by the Reformed Church of this Kingdom and confirmed approved and ratified by us all We Swear as well in our own Names as in the Names of all the Churches and Provinces which Commissionated us to be their Deputies unto this Assembly that we will live and die in this Confession as also we do protest that we will keep inviolably that Ecclesiastical Discipline which is established in the Reformed Churches of this Kingdom and to observe its Canons for the Government of these Churches and the reformation of manners owning and acknowledging that it is agreeable to the Word of God under whose supream and unviolable authority We Protest and Swear to yield all obedience and fidelity to their Majesties desiring nothing more than through the favour of their Edicts to serve our God without any Violence offered unto our Consciences Sworn and Subscribed by Gigord Moderator Gardesy Assessor Rivet and Scribes Maltrett Scribes And by all the other Deputies with their own hands CHAP. XVI An Act for the Meeting of the General Mixt Assembly THE Lord of Rouvray our General Deputy having sent unto this Synod his Majesties writ bearing date the 22d day of this present month by which at the request of this National Synod the time of meeting for the next National General Assembly is put off till the a 25th of August but without any change of place This Assembly judging the City of Grenoble to be a very inconvenient place because of its great distance and for being the Residence of a Parliament and for divers other great and weighty reasons ordered that Letters should be written unto the Lord Marshal Duke de Lesdiguieres and presented to him by the Deputies of Burgundy and Dolphiny who also by word of mouth should humbly intreat his excellency not only to take in good part the change of the place of meeting which all the Deputies convened at this Synod have unanimously desired and hold necessary but also that he would be pleased to joyn with them in their humble request and Petition unto their Majesties by the Lords our General Deputies who shall present unto them Letters from this Assembly in which with all humbleness it shall be declared that the late King of most happy Memory did usually make choice of the most meet and convenient places for the holding of those Assemblies And the said Lords Deputies shall use their utmost care and diligence to give notice and information of the success of this their undertaking before the 15th of July or sooner if may be unto the Provincial Assemblies in case of refusal This Assembly adviseth also that it would be expedient that they send each of them one Deputy chosen out of their whole Body to reiterate with all submissions and reverence their most humble Petitions unto their Majesties and by conjoyned Supplications to obtain this change from them Moreover the Lords General Deputies are most expresly charged to prosecute their complaints of that grievous Outrage Committed by the Lieutenant in the Government of Guise against Monsieur Sigart Pastor of the Church of Levall and to desire that justice may have its due Course upon that Officer they corroborating by word of mouth what hath been written unto their Majesties from this Assembly about it They be also exhorted according to the Canon made at Privas most humbly to petition their Majesties that we may be exempted from that necessity which is now more eagerly and violently prest upon us than ever yea and with greater severity rigour and exaction than heretofore and against that Liberty of Conscience which hath been so often promised us of styling our selves of the pretended Reformed Religion we rather choosing to suffer all kind of torments than to be compelled with our own mouths to condemn our own most holy and true Religion Moreover they be exhorted to assist the Church of Dijon whose place of Meeting for Religious Worship is removed four long Leagues distant from that City although by the Edict they may have their Temple in the Suburbs And yet this poor Church hath been frustrated of its expectations and earnest requests after ten years Prosecution and Attendance at Court for if They shall also complain of the Commissioners that were sent into Burgundy to see the Edict of Nants executed for that they refused to hear the Petitions tendered them for restoring the exercise of our Religion in seven antient Baily wicks and in the Cities of St. John de Laune and de Noyers where the Word of God had been duly and constantly Preached in the years 1576 and 1577. And they shall favour and stand by that opposition made by those of our Religion in Vivaretz against the Petition presented to the Council by the Judge of the Lower Vivaretz who would of his own head and authority bring into the Royal Courts of Villeneuve of Berg and Annonay Causes determinable in the Provosts Court which is expresly contrary to that Article of the Edict declaring that the Judgment of Declinators and Exceptions against the Jurisdictions of a Court shall only appertain to the Mixt Chambers of the Edict or to other Courts at the choice of the Professors of our Religion They shall complain also of letting decay the Fortifications of Clermont in the Lower Languedoc one of our Cautionary Towns and given us as a pledge and hostage for our security The Papists in the mean while fortifying the Town against the Castle They are also intreated to be careful of that business of Monsieur de la Garde Governour of Tonneins who being summoned and brought before His Majesty and Council after a world of difficulty was dismissed over to the Chamber of Grenoble from whence the Jesuits and other Clergy of the Romish Church would fain remove it back again to Paris And they shall use all
for some weighty reasons and motives it doth at present accept of their Appeal and amending the Decree of that Provincial Synod ordaineth that the Canon made in the National Synod of Tonneins be put in Execution and whereas the said Church of Niort have been at needless Expences in seeking Ministers to supply them abroad without the Province all their Costs and Charges shall be limited and restrained to the sum of two hundred Livers to be payed them out of the monies allotted unto the said Province nor shall Monsieur Chauffepied be at all obliged to make any restitution out of the monies given him for his pains and travel unto the said General Assembly 8. The Church of Chastelheraut appealing from a judgment of the Province of Poictou their Appeal was admitted notwithstanding it had been decreed otherwise in former National Synods Though still the Provinces be exhorted to conform themselves unto their Orders of else they shall be remanded back re infectâ who ever bring unto these Assemblies matters which may and ought to be judged in a Neighbour Province and therefore amending the Sentence of the Synod of Poictou it ordaineth that whereas the Church of Chastelheraut had exhibited an hundred Livers towards the maintenance of a certain Fellow named Pichon formerly a Franciscan Fryar the Province of Poictou shall reimburse the said Church the sum of fifty Livers 9. Monsieur Paul Bonnet formerly Pastor in the Church of Saujon Alez Obs 17. on this Synod appealing from the judgment of the Colloquy of the Isles and since from that of the Provincial Synod of Xaintonge which had ratified the Sentence of the said Colloquy by vertue whereof he was suspended the holy Ministry until such time as he had fully cleared himself from that crime whereof he was impeached and accused This Assembly having heard the Deputies of that Province and the Arguments and grounds of their proceedings against him and the said Bonnet speak in his own defence approved the Decrees both of the Synod and Colloquy and ordained that his suspension should be continued until the next meeting of the Provincial Synod of Poictou which will be about six months hence and at present doth Commissionate the Sieurs Chesneau Pastor of the Church of S. Maixant and Papin Pastor of the Church of St. Hermin to take with them each an Elder either from their own or the Neighbour Churches at their own choice and to pass over unto those places at the charges of the Province of Xaintonge where the Crimes of which he stands accused were committed and they shall make strict and particular inquiry into the truth of them and make report thereof unto the said Provincial Synod who shall judge finally by authority from this Assembly of the whole affair either by aggravating his Censure in Case he be found guilty or by restoring the said Bonnet if innocent unto the holy Ministry which yet he shall never any more exercise within the said Province of Xaintonge and till this judgment be executed the said Bonnet shall be received into Communion with us at the Lord's Table but in another Church than that of Saujon And that portion of moneys given us by his Majesty and received under his name by the Province of Xaintonge shall be detained by the Receiver of the said Province to be restored to him free of all Taxes and Costs from the time of his deprival in case he be declared innocent absolv'd and justified but and if he be found guilty the said Province shall be responsible for it in their accounts unto the next National Synod And whereas the Church of Saujon demands reimbursement of costs expended by them during Bonnets absence they be remanded back unto the said Province of Poictou who shall judge definitively herein and the next Synod of Xaintonge shall come to an account with the Church of Saujon and pay them all their charges which are in justice due unto them without expecting the Declaration of that final Judgment which was before mentioned 10. The Church of Belin having appealed from a Decree of the Synod of Brittain which had ordained the said Church to reimburse Monsieur de la Place Pastor of the Church of Sion a certain sum of moneys owing by them unto Monsieur Aveline his Father-in-Law deceased The whole business was dismissed over to the Consistory of this Church of Vitré because it was not of that nature or moment as to be brought hither or determined by these Assemblies 11. The Appeal of the Church of Beziers from a Decree of the Synod of Lower Languedoc which had refused to give them two supernumerary portions is rejected because the said Church neither sent any Memoirs about it nor any one to report the true Causes of their said Appeal 12. The Appeal of the Church of Genouillac from a Judgment of the Synod of Lower Languedoc is also rejected and declared null because they sent not any Memoir about it and the Reverend and Learned Monsieur De Croy is confirmed in the Pastoral Office of the Church of Beziers 13. Whereas the Lord of Soubeyran Consul of the City of Aimargues and certain Inhabitants of the said City have appealed unto this present Assembly from the Synod of Lower Languedoc which had confirmed Monsieur Boulet in the Pastoral Office of their Church and had refused to restore unto them Monsieur Laurent neither of those persons having appeared for them nor having sent any Memoirs unto the National Synod they were declared to be fallen from their Appeal and to have lost all benefit and advantage by it and the Judgment of the Provincial Synod was now ratified and the rather because the Elder of the said Church yielded his consent unto it in the name of the Consistory and farther declared that the Ministry of the said Monsieur Boulet was exceeding edifying and successful and very acceptable unto the whole Church Wherefore the Colloquy of Nismes is charged to pursue the opposers of Monsieur Boulet's Ministry and settlement there with all Church-Censures 14. The Church of Privas appealed from a Decree of the Synod of Vivaretz Privas Art 10. of Colledges which had transferr'd their Colledge setled in their Town and confirmed by the National Synod there in the year 1612. unto the Churches of Aubenas and Annonay but they not appearing about it nor sending any Memoirs unto this Assembly the said Appeal was laid by until the next National Synod 15. Another Appeal of the same Church of Privas which was brought in from a Judgment of the Synod of Vivaretz that had injoined them to pay unto the Widow of Monsieur Valeton deceased the remainder of his Wages due unto him as also what he had disbursed out of his own pocket for their service was declared null and the Judgment of that Synod ratified 16. The Judgment of the Synod of Burgundy declaring that the Church of Mascon could not lay any claim of right unto the Ministry of Monsieur de
la Coste Pastor of the Church of Dijon was approved and the Appeal of the Church of Mascon made void and the said Sieur de la Coste is confirmed in his Ministry to the Church of Dijon 17. Monsieur de St. Stephens presented Memoirs from the Church of Cailla appealing from a Decree of the Synod of Lower Languedoc and offering several reasons for their Appeal demonstrating the singular benefit their Church would receive by the Ministry of Monsieur de Gassaigne and petitioned this Assembly to bestow him upon them and to remove the Sieur Terond unto the service of some other Church The Deputies of the said Province having been heard speaking for it the Appeal of the Church of Cailla was judged not receivable and Monsieur Terond was confirmed in his Ministry among them upon those conditions expressed in their Synodical Decree and the said Judgment is the rather confirmed because the Church of Manacelles will not consent that the said de Gaissaigne their Pastor should be taken from them 18. The Appeal of the Church de la Mote from the Judgment of the Province of Poictou was not received because the matter of it might be finally determined at home in their own Province and for that the Church had not sent any person nor Memoirs to maintain and prosecute this their Appeal 19. Samuel du Fresnay Student in Divinity appealed from the Decree of the Synod of Normandy held at Falaise in Aprill sixteen hundred and sixteen by which he was suspended the Lord's Supper and because they had ordained his suspension to be published unto the Congregation and lastly for that they had threatned him with Excommunication out of the Church for Errors in point of Doctrine maintained by him quite contrary to his promise made of abjuring them and that he would never any more vend and utter them cither by word or writing He appearing personally in this Assembly was heard speak for himself as also the Deputies of the Province on behalf of their Synod And this affair after a full hearing of both the Parties being found to be of very great Importance the Sieurs Josion Montdenys Courant Chambrun and Chamvernon Pastors were Commissionated to examine the said du Fresnay and to inform him of the matters reported and to bring in their report of the whole unto this Assembly Since that the said Commissioners having inform'd us that they had heard and convinced him by the word of God of Errors against the Article of Christ's last coming unto judgment this Synod did give him another hearing and convicted him of that and divers other opinions shaking the very foundation of our Christian Doctrine and he obstinately persisting in those his Errors and refusing to give glory unto God by abjuring of them This Assembly approving all former actings and proceedings against him and of that Sentence past upon him in the Synod of Normandy and as yet respiting their own judgment concerning him do give him the space of four days seriously to consider of those Instructions which have been now afforded him and that time expired the said Du Fresné presented himself before us and did by word of mouth and under his own hand-writing declare that he renounced all those aforesaid Erroneous Tenents asserted by him and that he was very much displeased with himself to have believed and published them and that he desireth to live and die in the purity of God's holy word taught in the Reformed Churches of this Kingdom Upon which Declaration the Synod praised God for his acceptance of them and their poor indeavours and received the said du Fresné unto the Peace of the Church and did immediately take off his Consure and ordered all his Writings which were brought hither together with his Retractation should be deposited in the hands of Monsieur Rivet our Moderator and Pastor of the Church of Touars and though it doth not deprive him of his hopes to continue his studies in Divinity yet it doth not judge expedient that he be called out unto the Ministry till the sitting of the next National Synod in which he shall produce good and valuable Attestations from the places and Universities in which he shall make his abode how much he hath profited by those Instructions given him and in case he ratify his present protestations made in this Assembly who are Ear-Witnesses of them by his after actions and Conversation then we do ordain that out of the common Fund of the Churches moneys the Lord du Candal our Receivor General shall put into the hands of the Consistory of the Church of Saumur the sum of two hundred Livers to defray his expences in that City and for every year henceforward the sum of one hundred and fifty Livers until the sitting of the next National Synod and this for to support and incourage him in his Studies either at Geneva Saumur or any other of our Universities in this Kingdom 20. The Appeal of Monsieur de Bedaride from a Decree of the Provincial Synod of Dolphiny is dismissed over unto the next Synod of Lower Languedoc unto which the Sieurs Bedaride and Maurice who was formerly Pastor of the Church of Orange and at present of that of Aiguieres in Provence shall give their personal presence that they may be heard on those matters they have to offer and that Synod shall by the Authority of this Assembly make a final determination of that affair as also of that Complaint of Monsieur Julian the Elder against Monsieur Maurice and those several Parties shall not be suffered in any wise to produce any Processes but what are purely Ecclesiastical 21. Master Paul Maurice Pastor of the Church of Aiguieres in Provence appealed from a Decree of the Synod of Dolphiny which had disannull'd the promise made by the Colloquy of Valentinois unto the said Maurice for receiving his Son into the Catalogue of Scholars Pensioners in the said Colloquy This Assembly ordaineth that the Canon made by the Province of Dolphiny about the reception of Scholars Pensioners shall for the future be observed and the Son of the said Maurice shall have the reversion of the next Pension for a young Scholar in whatsoever Colloquy of the said Province it becomes Vacant 22. The appeal of the Church of Breau and Aulais from the Decree of the Provincial Synod of Sevennes is declared null and the judgment of the said Synod is confirmed 23. The Church of Quissac appealing from the Synod of Sevennes their Appeal is declared null because they sent no Memoirs concerning it unto this Assembly and therefore the judicial Sentence of the said Synod was ordered to be put in Execution 24. The Church of Rochecouart was heard in their Appeal from the Decree of the Synod of Poictou and the Deputies of that Church were told that the Synodical Decree against them was confirmed and the Pastors of Rochebeaucourt and Vertueil and Monsieur Peterin an Elder deputed unto this Assembly from the Province of Xaintonge
our Church the Person and Ministry of the said Gaussens shall remain fixed unto the said Province of Normandy 4 Whereas the Synod of Vitre had granted Monsieur de la Coste unto the University of Saumur to be their Professor in Divinity 2. Vitre Of Universities 14. Aelow of Univers Act. 12. upon condition that he should undergo an Examin in the Province of Anjou according to the Canons of our Church-Discipline and the Deputies of the Synod of Anjou in Conjunction with several Ministers of the Provinces of Poictou Normandy Berry and Britain having judged by his Examination and Probationary Lectures on the Old and New Testament and Publick Disputations that God hath not called him unto that Accademical Profession and therefore did desire him to rest contented with his Ministerial Calling only and to exercise his Gifts in some particular Church of Christ where God's Holy Providence might make use of him Now the said Sieur de Coste brought in his Appeal from them This Assembly does ratifie the Judgment of the Provincial Deputies of Anjou and of those other Pastors which were imployed in the said Examin and yet nevertheless for divers reasons and Considerations and for the Repose and Comfort of the said Sieur de la Coste it doth ordain that he shall be put into the Catalogue of Pastors who shall be intreated to prepare and fit themselves for the Publick Profession of Theology against the next National Synod and in the mean while the said Sieur de la Coste shall be at liberty to settle himself in any Church as he thinks good and he shall receive Three Hundred Livers out of the Common Moneys of our Churches for the Charges of his Journey over and above what he was to have received by Order of the said Deputies who were present at his Examination towards his Maintenance and till such time as he be provided of a Church he shall injoy another single Portion free of all Charges and Two Hundred Livers more for one whole Year within which time he is obliged to fix himself Pastor in some particular Church and therein to Exercise his Ministry 5. Mrs. Isabeau de Sales Relict of Monsieur Samuel Toussain late Pastor in the Church of Luke now Deceased appealed from the Synod of Lormarin in Provence for that they had ordered Seventy Five Livers only to be paid her without giving her any satisfaction for what was due unto her said deceased Husband for his Journeys on behalf of his Church and Province nor unto her for the first year of herâ— Widowhood This Assembly honouring the Memory of the said Monsieur Toussain and the many Services done by him in his life time unto the Churches doth now ordain That the Province of Provence shall immediately pay in Four Hundred Livres unto the said Gentlewoman Mrs. Isabeau de Sales which shall be put out to interest in safe hands for the Children of the said Sieur Toussain And farther there shall be payed in unto the said Widow Seventy Five Livers more which were granted her by the Synod of Lormarin And the Province shall exhibit yearly for the space of Ten Years the Summ of Seventy Five livers towards the maintenance of the Children of the said Sieur Toussain and the Church of Luc also shall pay in unto the said Gentlewoman all Arrearages of Sallary which remain due unto their late Pastor Monsieur Toussain her deceased Husband according to the Accompt she hath produced and proved 6. Mr. Bartholomew Ressens Pastor of the Church of Velaux appealed from the Synod of Provenâ—e which had proceeded divers ways very unjustly against him in several Synods inclusively from the Year 1612 unto the Synod of Aiguieres in the Year 1619. In which they had not only refused him his part of the Portions granted unto the Church of Velaux by the National Synod of Privas but they had also over and above oppressed him with sundry and very grievous Burdens particularly that they suspended him for Three Months time from the Holy Ministry and yet that very self-same Assembly did a while after re-instate him again as before into it having first compelled him to very unbecoming Submissions to them and entertained divers Accusations against him without any Proof or Foundation yea after that Messieurs Brunier Chambrun and de St. Caesaire had given in their Judicial Sentence upon his Cause For these Reverend Persons by Authority from the National Synod of Vitre came unto the Synod of Lormarin held in the said Province in the Month of November in the Year 1617 and having heard and examined all matters relating to him they did absolve and justifie him Mr. Ressens having ended the Deputies of the said Province were heard and Monsieur Brunier also reported what he and his fellow Commissioners had done in Obedience to the Commission given them to visit the said Province by the National Synod of Vitre Whereupon this Assembly doth very severely censure that Province of Provence for their Levity Confusions and immoderate Passions which were too too evident by the Acts of their Synod at Aiguieres And therefore disanulling their Judgment it doth ordain that all those Acts concerning the said Mr. Ressens shall be rased out of their Synodical Books And forasmuch as the said Ressens hath not carried himself with that decorum as he was and is obliged to by the Cannons of our Ecclesiastical Discipline and for that he hath failed in his Duty and Respects unto Synodical Meetings and has been too much occupied in worldly Affairs and discovered a very greedy covetous heart after dishonest gain which put him upon a very shameful Action confessed by him openly in this National Assembly which had he not done would otherwise have merited his Suspension from the Ministry but forasmuch as the Lord himself hath in much Mercy chastised him for it and for that he has made a full and free and ingenuous Confession and shamed himself publickly for this miscarriage whereby our bowels are moved with compassion for him and hath given us hope that for the future 't will be a Spur to excite and quicken him unto his Duty and to be more careful and circumspect in his walking for all which considerations we contenting our selves at present with this publick Repremand given him in full Synod do expresly forbid him to accept of any Deputation for the future unto Political Assemblies or to appear hereafter as a Delegate personally in any one of them And as for those Accompts lying between him and the said Province they be dismissed over to the Church of Alez to be audited by them and having done it to make Report thereof unto this Assembly 7. Mr. Andrew Guarin Pastor of the Church of Jonias and Gordes appealed from the Synod of Provence which had ordained Twenty Crowns unto the said Churches to pay off their great Expences they were inforced to by the Lord of the Soil who would not suffer them to worship God in their Temple built
so great a Favour and Priviledge upon very good and satisfactory Grounds and Reasons 26. The Colloquy of Rouergue presented their Appeal by Monsieur Jaques Pastor of the Church of St. Breuest from the Synod of Higher Languedock held at Millaud by which the said Colloquy was condemned to pay Five Hundred Livers another Copy has Five Hundred Crowns unto Monsieur du Luc for razing the place at Monntelarat it being a matter obtained by surprize and against that use whereunto the Churches Money is to be imployed After hearing the Arguments of the said de Luc against the said Colloquy and the reasons alleadged by the Deputies of the Province the Assembly did not judge this Affair to belong to the Cognisance of Synods and therefore remands it back again to the Cities and Corporations in the Colloquy of Rouergue that they may give satisfaction as they shall see reason for it The Moneys granted us by the Kings bounty shall see reason for it The Moneys granted us by the Kings bounty being destinated to other and better purposes 27. The Church of Authun and Couches appealed from the Synod of Burgundy which refused to give them Monsieur Textor for their Minister and had censured them for that they persisted in their Endeavours to procure him This Assembly not being able to invalidate the Judgment of the said Province of Burgundy because those who are concern'd in it are not here neither in their Persons nor by their Memoirs yet doth it however enjoyn the said Province to take care That the said Church of Cauches be speedily supplyed with an able Minister according to the Canons of our Ecclesiastical Discipline 28. The Church of Foussay appealed about the maintenance of Monsieur Vatable their Pastor from the Synod of Poictou but their Appeal was rejected because it was of the nature of those things which might be determined by Provincial Synods 29. The Sieur des Maretz appealed from a Decree of the Synod of Vivaretz held at Privas which had confirmed those Orders of the Colloquy of Rochefoucaut dated the 25th of June 1619. and that of Privas Dated the 10th of November 1619. and injoyned him the said des Maretz wholly to quit the Church of Vals as soon as they should have paid him the remainders of his Sallary The Deputies of the Church of Vals petitioned that they might be provided of another Pastor and those of the Province produced the reasons moving them to pronounce that judgment against him Upon the whole this Assembly although it doth confirm that Ordinance of the Synod of Vivaretz as to the removal of the said des Maretz from the Church of Vals yet cannot in the least approve of the proceedings of the said Province in their manner of Interdicting him his Ministry there And although he be exhorted to be more careful in preserving the Honour of his Calling and to adorn it with that prudence and gravity which well becomes it yet nevertheless do we recommend him unto the said Province of Vivaretz to settle him in some particular Church which shall be done either by the Colloquy or Synod And that till he be provided he may maintain himself and Family the said Province shall give him one Portion free of all Rates and Taxes out of the Moneys granted us by His Majesties Liberality and Fifteen Crowns in ready Money for the Expences of his Journey and the Church of Vals shall pay him off fully his wages to this very day and to this purpose the Moneys which would otherwise accrew unto the said Church of Vals shall be detained in the hands of the Receiver of the Province of Vivaretz And the Sieurs Agar and Richaud are charged by this Assembly that they do both of them in their respective Places and Capacities use their best indeavours that the said Church do give all content and satisfaction unto the said Sieur des Maretz A Canon made against those Churches who fill their Consistories with Persons nearly related by blood or Affinity each to other 30. Monsieur de la Cloche appealed from the Provincial Synod of Britain for detaining from him as he pretended Moneys which were owed him by the Church of Nantes This Assembly dismisseth him over to the Province of Anjou who shall judge definitively in this matter according to the Cannons of our Discipline 31. The Church of Chalays appealed from an Order of the Synod of Burgundy held at Gex in the year 1617 about an opposition made by Monsieur du Noyer an Advocate against the admission of several Persons nominated to be Elders because already the Consistory of that Church was filled up with near Relations as of Father and Son Three Brothers in Law an Uncle and Nephew and that the said du Noyer having opposed himself to this disorder they did thereupon suspend him from being an Elder in the said Church This Assembly judgeth that the said opposition was very warrantable because of the many Relations and Kindred that were in it and that the Colloquy did but right when they took off the Counsel from the said du Noyer And though for the present it suffers the State of the Consistory of the said Church of Chalais to continue yet doth it injoyne them for the future to observe as much as in them lieth the Consul given them by the Synod of Burgundy concerning their change of Elders So that they had no cause at all nor ought they to have appealed from that Synodical Exhortation 32. The Church of Valon la Gorce and Salvas appealed from the Province of Vivaretz for denying them help and assistance by which they might have stemm'd and resisted those many Evils befallen them by the Persecution of the Baron of la Gorce and for not suffering them to be incorporated with the Province of Lower Languedoc which they had most earnestly desired and requested do still persist in their desire of being incorporated with it This Assembly cannot consent that the said Church of Valon should be severed from the Province of Vivaretz for many and weighty Reasons and therefore enjoyneth the said Province of Vivaretz to have a most especial care of the said Church of Valon in their distribution of His Majesties Money that so they may be aided and supported under their many and heavy Burdens and most grievous Oppressions 33. The Church of Milhaud brought their Appeal from a Judgment of the Province of Sevennes which refused to repay them the Charges they had been at in maintaining Noel le Gele formerly a Carmelit Fryer in the Church of Rome and sent by the Church of Maruejols unto that of Milhaud This Assembly judgeth that the Colloquy of Rouergue should defray his Charges because the said le Gele is dedicated to their Service 43. The Church of Luke appealing from the Synod of Provence This Assembly judged that their demand of being reimburst their Charges for the pretended Synod of Thouars could not be admitted because they did not therein suffer alone
of Sevennes gave in the reasons of their refusal viz. the singular fruitfulness and success of the Ministry of the said Monsieur Ollier among them After all the Assembly confirmed Monsieur Ollyer in his Pastoral Office to the Church of Alez according to the Canons of our Church Discipline and adviseth the Church of Montauban to mind their Duty better for the future than they have done heretofore in maintaining one or more Scholars who may serve them in case of need without being inforced to rob and spoil other Churches See below in the Catalogue of Deposed Ministers Act 7. of this Cottelier 50. Monsieur Matthew Lansard appealed from the Synod of Lower Languedoc held at Vsez in May last which had restored the Sieur John Cottelier formerly Minister in the Church of Nismes unto the exercise of his Ministry upon condition that he should employ himself in some other Province contrary to the Decree of the foregoing Synod in the same Province held at Malquel in the Moneth of May 1619 which had deposed the said Cottelier from the Sacred Ministry as a Person utterly unworthy so Holy and Honourable a Calling The said Cottelier was called in and heard speak for himself against the said Lansard and whatever he could urge in his own Defence and Justification and the Deputies of the Province brought in the Reasons and Motives both of the one and other Sentence and of the Enquiry made about him at Nismes by Commissioners sent thither to that very end and purpose Upon the whole this Assembly did very grievously censure that Province of Lower Languedoc for restoring the said Cottelier again unto the Ministerial Office contrary to the Canons of our Church-Discipline and it doth also censure the Church of Montpellier for suffering him to administer the Sacrament of the Lords Supper among them and other Churches were censured which admitted him to preach in their Pulpits in that Province of Lower Languedoc at that time when as he was interdicted all the Duties of a Gospel Minister in that very Province And forasmuch as the said Cottelier hath by his Vices and Debauches rendred himself utterly unworthy of so Sacred a Function this Assembly doth now totally depose him from the Holy Ministry without any the least hopes of his ever being restored to it 51. The Appeal of the Colloquy of Albigeois from the Synod of Higher Languedoc held at Puylaurent about Church Rates is dismissed over to the Colloquy of Montpellier in Lower Languedoc 52. The Appeal of the Church of Realmont against that of la Fanasse brought in at first into the Synod of Puylaurent in the Higher Languedoc and from thence hither is now declared null 53. The Appeal of the Consistory and Church of la Tremblade from the Censure and Judgment given against them by the Synod of Xaintonge held at Marennes was rejected because the contents thereof was of that nature which might be finally determined in their own Province 54. In like manner the Appeal of the Church of Bruillet in the same Province of Xaintonge and that of Monsieur de la Chaussee Elder in the Church of St. Claud brought against the Synod of the same Province held at St. John d' Angely about the Ministry of Monsieur Hog was rejected because the matters of both these Appeals might be finally decided within their own Province 55. The Province of Poictou brought in an Appeal against the University Council of Saumur about their receiving of Monsieur Cameron into the Professorship of Divinity whereunto he was called by them according to a Decree of the Synod of Anjou The Deputies of Poictou were heard in their Arguments and Oppositions made against the Sieur Camerons promotion unto that Chair and the Deputies of Anjou were heard speak for their Province and for the University of Saumur as also Monsieur Vignier who with the Sieurs de la Buissonniter and de la Place had been called in from the Neighbour Provinces by the said University to examin the said Sieur Cameron Although this Assembly believeth that the said Province of Poictou were stirred up unto their Opposition by a Godly Zeal yet notwithstanding it doth approve and confirm whatever hath been done by the Province of Anjou by the University of Saumur and by all the Commissioners of the other Provinces in the Call of the aforesaid Monsieur Cameron unto the Profession of Theology and declares it to have been well and lawfully done by them 56. Monsieur Mahaut appealed from the Synod of Normandy for not approving his Call unto the Church of Roan which had chosen him for their Pastor and he had accepted of it being now out of all Employment and not related unto any Church This Assembly could not approve of the Church of Roans dealings with the said Sieur Mahaut no more than it can of their distinction made between the most eminent Members and the Heads of Families which they are forbidden to use for the future because of many inconveniencies that may ensue upon it And yet forasmuch as the said Sieur Mahaut hath requested to be discharged from the said Church of Roan as is evident from the Consistorial Acts of that Church which were produced he hath no reason to repute himself their Pastor And that the said Mahaut may have an Answer unto his Letters sent unto this Synod he is remanded back unto the next Provincial Synod of Normandy who shall dispose of the Person and Ministry of the said Monsieur Mahaut by vertue of the Authority of this Assembly and in the mean while according to the Decree of the Synod of Normandy he shall go and serve the Church of Ponteau de Mer. 57. The Church of Nismes appealed from the Synod of Lower Languedoc held at Malguiol for denying them Monsieur Chauve to be their Pastor Whereupon the Counsellors Magistrates and Consuls of Nismes as also the Deputies from Sommieres were called in and heard in what they had to oppose against this Appeal of Nismes who pleaded their particular Right unto the Person and Ministry of the said Monsieur Chauve There were Deputies also from the Church of Montauban on the same Errand demanding that he might be conferr'd upon them This Assembly also sounded the inclination of this Reverend Minister who did as ingeniously inform them that there is and ever had been a most sincere and mutual Affection and Correspondence between him and his Church of Sommiers and that the Lord had poured out a singular Benediction upon his poor Labours in it The Deputies also of the Province of Lower Languedoc gave in their Reasons why they had refused him unto the Church of Nismes All which having been maturely debated and considered This Assembly did confirm Monsieur Chauve in his Ministerial Relation unto the Church of Sommieres concurring herein with the judicial Sentence of the said Province and yet compassionating the necessities of that Chrch of Nismes it doth lend the said Monsieur Chauve to them for one year to
should be of indispensable necessity but they shall send their Accounts fairly written and cleared up with their Acquittances unto the places where they be summoned And they shall take special care that they be not Sollicitors of any Process unless upon very urgent occasion 8. And whereas there is not a sufficient Number of Pastors in that Province to form Three Colloquies and 't will be very inconvenient there should be but Two in case a Controversie should arise betwixt both the Colloquies they shall therefore all meet in one Synod joyntly together until such time as the good providence of God shall have augmented their Numbers 9. And that these Canons may be observed in the said Province of Provence Monsieur Brunier Pastor of the Church of Vsez shall sit in Person in the next Synod of the said Province and it shall alwayes as often as their Synods be called give timely Notice thereof unto the Provinces of Lower Languedoc and Dolphiny that they may depute some of their Pastors unto the said Synod as iâ— is usually practised in the other Provinces for the upholding and better conservation of a mutual Correspondence 24. Whereas a proposal was made of Incorporating the Churches of Provence either with the Province of Lower Languedoc or with that of Dolphiny and the many difficulties arising about it have perswaded us to lay it by for the present yet because of the great multitude of Churches and Ministers which are in Dolphiny and because that the Borders of many of them are contiguous with the said Province of Provence which if united to it would constitute a convenient Synod The Province of Dolphiny is therefore exhorted to consider which of their Churches may be adjoyned unto Provence and to make report thereof unto the next National Synod 25. A Petition from the Church of Senerac was presented by Monsieur de Cahuzac craving Advice and Counsel how to govern themselves under that Interdiction of the Holy Ministry and Exercise of the Reformed Religion thrown out against them and some Relief for their Pastor Their case was recommended to the Province of Higher Languedoc to take care of them according to their necessities and the Lords our General-Deputies at Court are desired also to use their utmost endeavours for the taking off that wicked Prohibition laid upon them of Worshipping God according to his Appointment 26. Mr. Paul Daude formerly Pastor in the Church of St. John de Gardon neque but deposed from Ministry by the Province of Sevennes presented his Petition to be restored again unto it according to those hopes given him by the Synod held at la Salle But when as the Crimes for which he was deposed had been related in this Assembly It confirmed his Sentence with this addition and aggravation That he should be for ever Deposed and never meddle any more with any of the Acts and Functions of the Sacred Ministry exhorting him withal to betake himself to some other Calling for he must not flatter himself with false hopes of being readmitted unto this Sacred Office 27. The Church of Paris complained that whereas they had out of mere bounty quitted to the poorer Churches of the Isle of France Picardy and Champagne the Four Portion assigned unto their Pastors the said Province would now have them absolutely and peremptorily to be at their disposal and not suffer the Church of Paris to finger One Farthing of that Money This Assembly judgeth that according to the distribution made in our National Synods those aforesaid Portions do properly belong unto the Church of Paris and they shall be wholly and solely at their disposal But yet we intreat the said Church to extend their usual Charity unto that Province and generously and christianly to refresh the bowels of its poorer Churches 28. Monsieur Piloly brought Letters from the Assembly of Loudun 2. Vitre p. m. 20. craving that the Portions granted him by the National Synod of Vitre might be continued to him This Assembly consulting the Judgment of the said Synod of Vitre professeth that the whole Representative Body of our Churches is not obliged unto any such Recompenses nor may the Moneys assigned for the Relief of our poor Ministers be diverted unto such uses considering the miserable condition whereunto the greatest part of them be now reduced But yet the said Monsieur Piloly shall have paid him his Four aforesaid Portions unto the First day of January next coming in the year 1621. 29. Monsieur Lubac being summon'd to give an account why he laid down his Ministry in the Church of Privas and doth not care to exercise it though he was called thereunto This Assembly having heard the Report of the whole proceedings upon which the Colloquy of Privas grounded their Sentence of Suspension against him and which was since confirmed in the Synod of Vivaretz and the said Monsieur de Lubac speaking in his own defence and clearing himself from the Crimes whereof he was accused and not understanding plainly and sufficiently the proofs of the said Accusations on the one hand nor of his Justification on the other doth nevertheless confirm his Sentence of Suspension and dismisseth this whole Affair over unto the Colloquy of Valentinois in the Province of Dolphiny And the Sieurs de la Croze and du Port Deputies of Dolphiny and the Sieur Richard of Vivaretz shall personally assist in it and revise again all former passages and take new Informations and particularly hear what Monsieur de Couches Minister of Tournon can either alleadge for or against him and all this at the sole Costs and Charges of the Province of Vivaretz which shall be rated by the Colloquy of Valentinois to make payment unto the said Deputies that so Monsieur de Lubac may be absolved if innocent or condemned if guilty by the Authority of this present Synod for the matters already brought in against him or which may be now afresh offered by the Consistory of Privas who shall make a careful and faithful Report of all Ecclesiastical Acts that have past on this occasion that so the Sacred Ministry may be purged and acquitted of all Reproach and Jnjust Reflections And although the said Monsieur Lubac should be justified yet shall he not serve in the Province of Vivaretz any more 30. Whereas the Lords Governour Magistrates Consuls and Consistory of the City of Orange petitioned that Monsieur Chambrun might be presented to the Pastoral Office in their Church The Lords Magistrates Consuls and Consistory of Nismes were heard speaking of their Right and Interest both in the Person and Ministry of the said Monsieur Chambrun moreover the Provincial Deputies of Dolphiny and of the Lower Languedoc do contend to retain him and Monsieur de Chambrun desiring to be discharged and to be at liberty for his Healths sake which was mightily impaired and broken within these Two last years and had diverted him very much from the Duties of his Calling This Assembly having very great Respect
examine Witnesses about it and to give a final Judgment therein by Authority from it and ordaineth that the said des Maretz be cited to appear before them and that the Deputies of the said Province shall carry those Evidences thither which they produced in this Assembly 22. Monsieur Huron a Minister without Imployment was presented to the Church of Mirembeau in the Province of Xaintonge at the request of Monsieur Thomas Elder in the said Church and this Assembly did also by vvay of Advance give him Sixty Livres 23. Monsieur Morell Deputy from the Church of Die desired this Assembly that it would be pleased for the future to pay the Professors of that University their Stipends and in case the Synod vvould be pleased to do it they offered freely to relinquish their right which by contract with the Province of Dolphiny they had over the said University or else that we would grant some greater Augmentation than heretofore towards the maintenance and keeping up of the said University This Synod ordered that the Six Hundred Livres granted by the National Synod of Alez should be continued unto that University 24. The Province of Provence complained by Letters of Monsieur Huron sometime since Minister of the Church of Riez in the same Province that he had lying by him very many Papers belonging to them and that he had not given an Account of his Deputation unto the last Synod of Alez and finally that he stood indebted a considerable Summ of Money unto the said Province and therefore they requested this Assembly to injoyn him the said Huron to come in Person unto their next Provincial Synod and to give an Account of these Matters After that Monsieur Huron was heard speak for himself and the Provincial Deputies of Dolphiny who produced the Memoirs of the Province of Provence this Assembly did not judge the two first Articles complained of either reasonable or charitable and declares him acquitted and absolved from them And as for the third concerning the Summs of Money pretended to be owing by him the Cognisance and Judgment thereof is devolved on the Consistory of Montpellier unto which Monsieur Huron may send or in Person deliver what he has to produce for his own Justification and Discharge 25. The same Monsieur Huron complaining that the Province of Provence have not payd him one farthing of the Dividend he should have had of the Kings Moneys since the sitting of the last Synod at Alez This Assembly counting this Affair not to belong to its cognisance did remand it as that last immediately foregoing unto the Consistory of Montpellier 26. The Widow of Monsieur Toussaint deceased late Pastor of the Church of Luc in Provence complained that notwithstanding all her earnest Sollicitations and Endeavours used by her with that Province she could never get a Denier of the Four Hundred Livres nor of the Seventy and Five Livres nor a Doit of the Arrearages ordained by the National Synod of Alez for the maintenance of her poor Orphans This Assembly ordaineth the Lord of Candal to pay the said Four Hundred Livres unto the said Mrs. Toussaincts out of the Moneys belonging to that Province because of the security brought by her from Monsieur Galles her Father Physitian to the City of Orange and as for the Arrears and other Articles of her demands the Judgment of them is devolved upon the Colloquy of Baronniers in Dolphiny which injoyned to put the Decree of Alez in Execution and by Authority from this Assembly to put a final period to this business 27. The said Province of Provence having given in none Account of the Observation of those Canons which were made particularly for them in the Synod of Alez This Assembly ordereth the Sieurs of Chambrun and Crubelier to go in Person unto the next Synod of the said Province which shall bear their Charges and that afterwards the Province of Dolphiny and Lower Languedoc shall send each of them one Pastor unto their following Synods to see those aforesaid Canons punctually observed by that Province of Provence And these Three Provinces of Dolphiny and Lower Languedoc and Provence shall each of them give an Account hereof unto the next National Synod And once more the said Province of Provence is injoyned carefully to observe and keep those Canons or else they shall lose and forfeit all part and interest in the Moneys of His Majesties Bounty 28. Monsieur Jasper Martin Pastor in the Church of Saliens complained that he was never payed one farthing of that Portion granted him by the Synod of Alez and therefore petitions this Assembly to give him another until the meeting of the next National Synod This Assembly orders that he be payd in this present year the Portion granted him in the year 1620. by that of Alez and farther as an augmentation the Summ of One Hundred Livres more 29. Monsieur du Val heretofore Pastor in the Church of Falaise in the Province of the Isle of France appeared personally in this Assembly petitioning to be restored unto the Ministry and provided of a Church by its Authority The Synod not being fully informed for what reasons the said Province had suspended him the Exercise of his Ministry hath remanded him bâ—ck again unto the said Province which shall dispose of him according as they shall judge best for the Glory of God and the Edification of his Church 30. The Widow of Monsieur de Preau late Pastor in the Church of Vitre in the Province of Britain petitioned this Assembly to allow her the same Pension they did others in her condition only till such time as she had finished her Law-Suit commenc't against the Murderers of her Husband This Synod not judging this Affair to belong unto its cognisance hath dismissed her over to that of the Province and recommends it particularly unto them 31. Monsieur Joly formerly Pastor of the Church of Hour and Baillolet petitioned this Assembly that whereas the Colloquy of Beausse by Order of the Provincial Synod of the Isle of France had suspended him from the Ministry for Three Moneths time because he had deserted those aforesaid Churches we would be pleased to take his suspension off the File and out of the Acts of the said Colloquy after that both the Lord of Sasseuse Elder in the said Church of Baillolet and the Deputies of the Province had been heard This Assembly approveth of the said suspension Yet for divers Considerations doth ordain that it be razed out of those Acts. 32. The Province of Lower Guyenne complained that in the dividend of Moneys given us by the King and to be received this very Year the Synod had forgotten the Summ of Three Hundred Livres appointed by the National Synod of Alez for maintaining of a Minister in the Churches in the Land of La Bour in Biscay This Synod intreateth the Lord of Candal that out of the good Moneys which might accrew for the Wages of a Second Professor in the Universities
continued in its perfect being in all its parts complete and intire although the Redemption impetrated should never have been actually applyed either to or by any one particular Person But this Doctrine is injurious to the Wisdom of God the Father and to the merit of Jesus Christ and is contrary to the very Letter and express terms of the Scripture for doe but hear what our Lord speaketh John 10.15 17. I lay down my Life for my Sheep and I know them And the Prophet Esay saith of our Saviour Cap. 53.10 When as he shall have made his Soul an Offering for Sin he shall see his seed he shall prolong his days and the good pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand In short this Doctrine subverts that Article of our Creed I believe the Holy Catholick Church CANON II. Who teach that the design of Christ Jesus in his Death was not effectually to ratifie the New Covenant of Grace by his Blood but only to acquire for his Father a right of contracting anew with Men another Covenant whether of Grace or Works it was not material But this is repugnant unto Scripture which teacheth Heb. 7.22 That Jesus Christ was a Surety and Mediator of a better that is to say of the New Covenant and Heb. 9.15 17. That a Testament is not in force till the Death of the Testator CANON III. Who teach that Jesus Christ by his satisfaction hath not merited for any one assuredly Salvation it self or that Faith whereby his satisfaction may be applyed effectually to Salvation But that he hath only acquired unto the Father the Power or plenary Will of treating anew with Men and prescribing to them new Conditions such as please him and whose accomplishment dependeth on the free Will of Man And so it might have fallen out that either no Man or all Men might have accomplisht them For these have too mean and abject thoughts of the Death of Christ Jesus not owning nor acknowledging the principal fruit or benefit acquired by it This Doctrine would redeem from Hell that Ancient and condemned Heresie of the Pelagians CANON IV. Who teach that this New Covenant of Grace which God the Father hath contracted with Men through the interposal of Christs Death doth not consist in this that we are justified before God and saved by Faith as it lays hold of Christs Death but in this that whereas the Law required perfect Obedience it is now abolished and God reckons Faith it self and the imperfect Obedience of Faith for a perfect and complete Obedience unto the Law and out of his mere and pure Grace doth esteem it worthy to be recompensed with Eternal Life For these Fellovvs contradict in express terms the Sacred Scripture Rom. 3.23 24. Being justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption which is in Jesus Christ vvhom God hath ordained before all time to be a Propitiation by Faith in his Blood And thus introduce vvith profane Socinus a Novel and unheard of Justification before God against the Unanimous and common Consent of the vvhole Church CANON V. Who teach that all Men are received into a State of Reconciliation and to the Grace of the Covenant so that none is obnoxious unto Condemnation nor shall be condemned for Original Sin but that they be exempted from all the guilt vvhich is in that Sin For this Opinion crosseth the Scripture vvhich affirmeth Ephes 2.3 That vve are by Nature Children of Wrath. CANON VI. Who serve themselves of that distinction of the Impetration and Application that they may instil into the minds of simple and ignorant Souls this Opinion That God would equally impart unto all Men the benefits purchased by the Death of Jesus Christ and whereas some are made Partakers sooner than others of the Remission of Sins and of Eternal Life that this difference came from and depends chiefly on their free Will applying unto themselves that Grace which is indifferently offered unto all But this hath no dependency at all upon the gift of special Mercy working efficaciously within them that they may apply it rather than others unto themselves For making semblance as if they propounded this Doctrine in a good Sence they indeavour slily to insinuate into Souls the most pernicious Poyson of Pelagianisme CANON VII Who teach that Jesus Christ needed not to have died nor indeed did he die for them who were the Objects of Gods Sovereign Love and Elected unto Everlasting Life as if these needed not the Death of our Lord Jesus Christ which is a notorious contradiction unto the Apostle Gal. 2.20 Christ hath loved me and given himself to the Death for me Rom. 8.32 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect God is he that justifieth who will condemne Christ is he that hath dyed for us They also contradict our very Saviour himself John 10.15 I lay down my Life for my Sheep and chap. 15.12 13. This is my Commandment that ye love one another even as I have loved you There is no greater love than this that one should lay down his Life for his Friends CHAP. III. Of the Corruption of Man his Conversion unto God and the manner how CANON I. MAN at first was created after Gods Image and adorned in his Understanding with the true and saving Knowledge of his Creator and of Spiritual things with Righteousness in his Will and Purity in his Heart and in all his Affections yea he was truly and throughly Holy but being turned away from God by the Instigation of the Devil and his own free Will he hath deprived himself of those Excellent Gifts and contrary wise instead of them he hath brought upon himself Blindness horrible Darkness Vanity and perverseness of Judgment in his Understanding Malice Rebellion and hardness in his Will and Heart and so in like manner impurity in all his Affections CANON II. And such as he is since the Fall such Children are there begotten of him he is the corrupted Father Of corrupted Children the Corruption through the Just Judgment of God being derived from Adam down upon all his Posterity Jesus Christ only excepted and this not only by imitation as the Pelagians of old asserted but by propagation of his Corrupted Nature CANON III. Therefore all Men are conceived in Sin and are born Children of Wrath utterly unable to perform any saving Duty enclined unto Evil dead in Sin and in Bondage to it and without the Regenerating Grace of Gods Spirit they neither will nor can return unto God nor reform their depraved Nature nor so much as dispose themselves to a Reformation of it CANON IV. 'T is true that since the Fall there remain in Man some Relicks of Natural Light by means whereof he yet retaineth some Knowledge of God and of Natural things he can discern between what is honest and dishonest and expresseth some kind of Care and Study for Vertue and Exteriour Discipline But he is so far from being able by this Light of Nature
and Chambrun who were appointed Commissioners by the Synod of Charenton to visit that Province had been countermanded by Monsieur Recent the said Recent is injoyned to appear before the next Synod of Lower Languedoc and there to answer unto all Matters that shall be brought in against him and the said Synod shall suspend him from the Ministry in case he be found to have deserved it And those Excuses of the Sieurs Crubellier and Chambrun are accepted but withall the Reverend Mr. Chauve and Bouteroue and in case they by some lawful hindrance should be detained then the Reverend Mr. Le Faucheur and Conel are charged to go unto the next Synod of Provence and there see the aforesaid Canons of those former National Synods to be put in Execution and to remedy those disorders which may and do retard their Observation The Agreement made between the said Province and the Widow of Monsieur Toussains is approved and confirmed The Commissioners appointed for remedying the Confusions in the said Province shall give judgment in that case complained of by the Church of Lormarin and brought before this Assembly The Synod confirming the Sentence of the Province of the Isle of France decreeth that Monsieur du Val shall be numbred among the Pastors that be Emeriti and that a free Portion shall be assigned and payed in unto him as unto others of the same quality and under his Circumstances That the Twelfth Article in the Chapter of Colledges and Universities may be more accurately observed than heretofore all Provinces within whose district the said Universities be Erected are earnestly exhorted to put forth their helping hand that they be reduc't into practice and they shall bring proof of their Obedience yielded to this Canon unto the next National Synod The Province of Guyenne requesting it this Council doth confirm the R. R. Mr. Alba and Ferrand in the Pastoral Charge of the Churches of Agen and Bourdeaux Report being made by the Commissioners appointed for examining the Memoirs of Monsieur du Bois a Pastor sent by the last National Synod unto the Church of Fontaines and Crossy till the sitting of the next Synod of Normandy upon the first Article of his Complaints and Demands he was ordered to apply himself unto the Province of Anjou and the said Province should bestir themselves so effectually that he may have full satisfaction and all his Debts payd him especially by the Lady de la Barce and upon the Second that the Province of Normandy shall give him an Accompt of his Portion which they received for him under his Name it being entered under their Dividend Moreover they shall either provide him of a Church or give him an Honourable dismission from the Ministry in their Province in case there be no vacant Church in it that demands his Service Which also shall be notified to him and that the aforesaid Province hath proceeded to dischâ—rge him CHAP. XIX 1626. The 25th Synod A Deposed Minister Restored MOniseur James Repasseau presenting Honourable Attestations of His Deportment ever since his Deposition and with Showers of Tears most humbly petitioning the Synod that he might reap the fruits and benefits of those hopes which the last National Synod had given him some ground to expect and that upon evident proofs and tokens of his sincere Repentance he might be another day restored unto the Exercise of his Ministry and the Provincial Deputies of Dolphiny being charged by their Synod to intercede for him and by word of mouth to confirm those good and laudable Testimonials which had been given him by the Church of Montlimard where he hath ever since resided and by his Religious and Exemplary Conversation exceedingly edified them The Synod having tender bowels of Love and Compassion for him and yielding a just deference to those affectionate intreaties of the Province of Dolphiny and of the whole Church of Montlimard in which for these Four last Years he hath made his constant aboad to their singular satisfaction after serious Admonitions given him to stand upon his guard and diligently to ponder his Paths and to walk in the House or God with a very Godly Fear and a most Religious Circumspection for the future because of the great scandal which was taken by the Church and World by those within and without at his Sin and Fall especially his best and dearest Friends having been horribly amazed and astonished at it This Synod doth now restore him to his Ministry and to the Exercise of all the Duties and Offices of a Gospel-Minister and decreeth by this present Canon that his Name shall be razed out of the Roll and Catalogue of Deposed Ministers that so when as any Church shall give him a Call to work among them he may re-enter upon his Pastoral Work and charge with as great Honour and Comfort as he was deprived of it with Grief Ignominy and Confusion CHAP. XX. APPEALES THE Sieur Ginoux brought his Appeal from a Judgment of the Province of Sevennes and he was patiently heard speaking of those pretended grievances which occasioned his Appeal and of that opposition which was made and formed by him and his Party against the Settlement of Monsieur Courant in the Pastoral Office in the Church of Alez and about the Suspension decreed against him from the Lords Table by the Consistory of his own Church and the Provincial Synod The Deputies of Sevennes were heard also speaking in the behalf of their Province This Synod did hereupon declare that the said opposition was groundless 1626. The 25th Synod and confirmed the Decree of the Provincial Synod for the Setting of the said Monsieur Courant in the Church of Alez and forasmuch as the said Sieur Ginoux doth yield unto those Exhortations and Remonstrances that have been made him and out of deference to them protesteth that he will relinquish as he now relinquisheth all those Accusations brought by him against Monsieur des Marests and his Colleague Monsieur Courant whom he reckoneth and believeth to be True Worthy and Faithful Ministers of the Gospel Holy and Exemplary in their Lives of Unblemished and Unstained Reputations And farther it ordaineth that the said Sieurs des Marests and Courant shall openly and publickly declare before the Consistory of Montpellier that they do reciprocally hold and esteem the said Sieur Ginoux for an honest Gentleman of good Reputation and without Reproach and after this Declaration thus made the said Consistory shall reconcile them one to the other and by Authority from this Synod the said Sieur Ginoux shall be received by them unto the Peace and Commmunion of the Church and that Suspension decreed against him by the Province of Sevennes shall be removed and taken off the File 2. Letters were read from the Church of Paris with its appeal from the Judgment of the last Provincial Synod and Monsieur Mestrezat and d' Hâ—ysseau with the other Deputies of that Province were heard speaking to it This Assembly
voted a Decree that the Censure past on the Church of Paris in that Synod of he Isle of France shall be reversed and that the Church of Paris shall be advised precisely to observe the Canons concerning the re-search of Pastors Moreover to comply with their instant urgent Importunities Monsieur Daille is purely and absolutely resigned to them 3. Whereas John Mellier having opposed the Election and Reception of the Sieur John Celaris into the Office of an Elder and brought his Appeal unto this Synod it is remanded back unto the Province of Higher Languedoc who have full power to determine it 4. The Synod ratifying the Judgment of the Province of Xaintonge from whence the Church of Montendre had appealed This Assembly ordaineth that for the future Provincial Synods shall judge soveraignly and finally in all causes about dismembring and conjoining of Annexed Churches 5. And therefore according to this Canon the Appeal of the Church of St. Hillary in the Province of Poictou is declared null notwithstanding what hath been remonstrated to the contrary by the Lord de la Begaudiere 6. For the same reason the Appeal of the Church of St. Fulgentius in the same Province is disanulled 7. The same Sentence was given on the Appeal of the Church of Quissac from the Decree of the Province of Sevennes 8. And for the like reason the Church of Sauve in the said Province having brought an Appeal had it rejected 9. Although the differences about the distribution of His Majesties Liberality granted us to our Churches ought not to be brought before these National Synods yet that the contestations in the Churches of the Lower Guyenne may be terminated the Deputies of that Province are commanded to confer with the R. R. Mr. Belot and de Baux Ministers of the Gospel and with the Sieurs Marlat and la Briere Elders that in case they should hit upon an expedient of accommodating Matters it may be ratified by the Authority of this Assembly not that we would have a precedent made hereof And once again that Ancient Prohibition against our Ministers is now revived That not one of them shall touch a Denier of His Majesties Bounty assigned to and distributed by the Provinces unto their particular Churches because the said Churches ought solely to receive it and it must remain wholly at their disposal and because our Pastors shall not have an uncertain but a most certain and determinate Pension for their subsistence from their Churches 10. The Appeal of Monsieur Perez Pastor of the Church of Cajarre was vacated and the Assembly injoyned the Province of Higher Languedoc to put forth their hand that the said Perez may receive for time coming greater satisfaction from his Church than heretofore And in case the said Church do not fully content him and pay him his just dues betwixt this and the next Synod of that Province they shall be deprived of his Ministry and he shall be assigned to some other Flock yea and though they should give him all possible satisfaction yet shall he not be compelled to serve a Church against his Will whereunto he was not sent but for a time 11. This Judgment past upon the Appeal of the Church of Angles that it was very needless and ill layd the Sentence of their Province being founded on Equity and Charity 12. The Appeal of Monsieur Peter Prevost a Pastor Emeritus is declared null 13. The Church of Bergerac appealed and petitioned that forasmuch as the Sentence of the Province of Lower Guyenne hath been invalidated the Twelve Hundred Livres formerly granted unto their Colledge might be continued The Letters and Memoirs of that Church being read and the Deputies of that Province heard this Decree was made That the Four Hundred Livres given unto every Province for their respectiye Colledges shall be continued unto that of Bergerac until the next National Synod unto which they shall give a clear and good account of what has been done by them for the re-establishment of their Colledge on default of which that Sentence of the Provincial Synod for translating the said Colledge to the Town of Nerac shall be confirmed And as for the remaining Eight Hundred Livres Four Hundred of them shall be detained by the Lord of Candal in his hands and the other Four Hundred shall be accorded to the Church of Nerac but on this condition only that the Town of Bergerac do find out some means for the re-establishment of their Colledge And our National Synods may hereafter give them sensible pledges of their accustomed Love and Kindness 14. Monsieur des Marests suspended the Holy Ministry by the Province of Vivaretz petitioned in his Appeals that they might be obliged to restore him unto the Publick Exercise of his Office and come to an account with him upon hearing the Deputies of that Province this Synod voted that his suspension should be removed and that the said Province should accompt with him for the Moneys owing to him before the Consistory of Alez and that Monsieur Cuper shall pay him presently in ready Moneys Three Hundred Livres out of what might accrew unto the said Province and to repair the want of Charity which those of that Province have been notoriously guilty of towards him they shall for the future take special care to incourage him in his Ministry 15. Mr. George Arbaut formerly Pastor of the Church in Boiscoiran appeared in Person before this Synod to maintain his Appeal But upon hearing the Deputies of the Province of Lower Languedoc by which he was Deposed and Monsieur Paulett Pastor of the Church of Vezenobre who gave in Evidence against him on one of the Principal Articles for which he was condemned the Letters and Acts produced both for and against him having been perused The Synod confirmed the Judgment denounc't against the said Arbaut and declareth him for ever unworthy of Employment in the Sacred Ministry and decreeth farther that he shall not be admitted to Communion in the Sacraments till such time as being toucht with a deep remorse and serious Repentance for his Sin he do fully freely and ingenuously Confess his Offences before that Church in which he constantly resideth 16. Monsieur Beraut Pastor of the Church of Montauban and Professor in that University appealed from a Decree of the Provincial Synod of Higher Languedoc and consequentially from the Actions of the Delegates of that Synod and of the Colloquy of Lower Quercy Letters from the Magistrates in the Sheriffdom or Montauban were read as also from the Four Consuls of the said City The Lords de la Roche and Bardon Counsellors in that Sheriffdom the Lords de la Rose and Auglas first and second Consuls and the R. Mr. Charles a Minister one of those Delegates were all heard speaking of this Affair and Monsieur Beraud also declaring his grievances as also did the Deputies of the Province The Synod did hereupon take unto it self the cognisance of this Case and voted that the R. R. Mr.
Maurice and le Bloy Ministers of the Gospel Martimont and Laullan Elders shall to this purpose ride unto the City of Montauban and joyning with the Consistory of that Church shall inquire into those matters alledged against Monsieur Beraud and examin Witnesses and form a Process against him and proceed to a definitive Sentence and see that right be done upon those Appeals and the principal of that Affair as is but just and reasonable 17. Monsieur Scoffier Pastor of the Church of Lunell brought an Appeal in his own Name and that of his Sister Mrs. Blandina Scoffier from a Judgment of the Synod of Sevennes which having been read and perused This Synod declared that the said Judgment was very unrighteous and utterly unjustifiable And that the opposition made by Mrs. Jacquelina Scoffier was ill-grounded and that the Summ of Four Hundred and Three Livres One Sous Four Deniers liquidated by the Consistory of Anduze Authorized thereunto by the Synod of Sevennes shall immediately and without delay be payed by the Receiver of the said Province into the hands of the laid Monsieur Scoffier to be imployed by him for the Relief of his poor Sister Blandina 18. The Sieurs Guez Pastor and Bien-nous-vienne Elder of the Church of Aubusson declared the reasons of their Appeal and Complaints against the Province of Berry And the Deputies of the same Province and Mr. Texier an Elder delegated by the Consistory of Aubusson produced their Arguments and Allegations to the contrary After the whole had been heard and debated the Judgment of the said Province was invalidated because they ought not to remove a Pastor from his Church without assigning him to some other much less should they prefer a Scholar unto an ordained Minister And farther it was decreed that Monsieur Guez should continue in his Pastoral Office in that Church of Aubusson until the next Provincial Synod and the differences between the Elders of that Church and Monsieur Guez their Pastor and between those Elders and other Members of that Church are remanded back unto the same Synod And the Deputies of that Province are commanded to carry unto their Synod the Memoir which was produced in this Assembly and the Sieurs Salmon and Scoffier are to make inquiry into the truth of those Articles of Accusation contained in the said Memoir that so the said Synod may do right unto the wronged Parties and censure the Delinquents 19. This Assembly ratified the Judgment of the Province of Higher Languedoc and vacated the Appeal of Monsieur Bicheteau Professor of the Hebrew Tongue in the University of Montauban and decreed that a free Portion should be assigned him on the Dividend of the said Province and that he may according to the Canons of former National Synods preach in the Church of Montauban when as he shall be thereunto requested by the Consistory and as in prudence and charity they be bound they shall look more carefully after the General Edification of the Church and the particular Consolation of the said Monsieur Bicheteau 20. The Letters and Acts of the Church of Pamiers were tendred by Monsieur du Tocque their Deputy and read in this Council requesting on behalf of that Church that the Decree of the Provincial Synod of Higher Languedoc might be reversed and Monsieur Galliard might be discharged from serving that Church The matter having been debated the Synod declared upon the whole That the Province had judged well and that the Church had ill appealed and because of the importance of that Church leave is given it to seek out for a second Pastor but yet nevertheless Monsieur Galliard should be continued in his Ministry unto that Church until the next Provincial Synod who shall have a singular regard unto the Honour and Comfort of Monsieur Galliard and provide him of another Church in case the Peace and Edification of that of Pamiers shall so require it 21. Monsieur Peyroll Pastor in the Church of Montpellier is injoyned within five dayes after this present Act shall be signified to him personally to appear in this City and to answer unto such questions as this Synod shall desire to be resolved in from his own Mouth and in case he vefuse Obedience unto this injunction he shall then be prosecuted with the utmost rigour according to the Discipline 22. This Assembly ratified the Sentence of the Synod of Higher Languedoc which had disannulled the Appeal made by Ruinall against the Election of James Canac unto the Elders Office in the Church of St. Afrique and afterwards reconciled them one unto the other 23. There were produced and read in open Synod Acts and Letters from divers Inhabitants of the Town of St. Ambroise appealing from the Judgment of the Synod of Lower Languedoc as also from sundry other Inhabitants of the same Town Writing in favour of Monsieur Courroy Pastor of the Church of the said place This Assembly confirmed the Sentence of the Colloquy of Vsez and of the Provincial Synod and censured those Appealers in the Person of their Deputies for having through their unbridled passion passed Church-Acts out of Consistory in the Consuls House of their Town and brought a parcel of frivolous Accusations against Monsieur Courroy their Pastor and decreeth farther that he be continued Minister unto the said Church of St. Ambroise and that if he should be removed thence though it was at his own request yet shall not the said Church be provided of another Pastor till the whole Body of them have banished all their disorderly passions and bitterness and be visibly re-united in one and the same mind that so they may by all just and peaceable wayes seek after a Minister who may be conceived most proper and fittest to promote their common Edification and this shall be signified unto that Church by the Deputies of Burgundy who are charged in their way homeward to pass through that Town of St. Ambroise and then and there they shall inform the Inhabitants of the Intentions of this Synod and do their best endeavours to reconcile them among themselves and to their Worthy Pastor Mr. Courroy and to know their minds about it that so they may malse report thereof unto the Synod of Lower Languedoc which is impowered by this Assembly to use all Lawful and Holy Means for promoting the Peace and Edifying of that Church 24. The Letters and Memoirs produced by the Consuls of Anduze appealing from a Decree of the Provincial Synod of Sevennes and from the Consistory of the said Town who wore Parties to it were all examined And the Deputies of that Province together with the Sieurs Puyredon Deputy Consul and Cheiloit an Elder speaking on behalf of the Consistory and Monsieur Horle a Minister were all heard After which the Council rejecting that Appeal and censuring their proceedings who had brought it in and would support it by unusual and undue means and with Libels of Accusations written out of Consistory stuff't with matters
said Peyroll and borne with him too long considering that the suspension threatned bore no proportion to the greatness of his Crime and that the Consistory should not have payd any respect unto his Appeal when it was done on purpose to obstruct the Execution of the Synodical Decree nor should they have connived at those Defaults observed in his Sermons which have occasioned so many Persons to complain of him Moreover it was ordained that the said Peyroll for his Contentiousness at Law and frequent failures in his promises should be suspended from the Sacred Ministry until the next Synod of Lower Languedoc during which time the Colloquy shall take care that the Church be provided of another Pastor and the Synod being informed by the Consistory of Montpellier of the verity and reality of these Offences taken at his Sermons and of the other defaults whereof he is accused shall aggravate his censure even unto a Deposition from the Ministry in case the said Peyroll refuse to testifie his Repentance by informing his promises and by giving plenary satisfaction unto the Church which he hath so grievously scandalized through his violations of them 45. The Sieurs Taby and Longuett Commissioners appointed by this Council to pass over unto the City of Vsez and to cite Monsieur Noguier Pastor of that Church before them having heard him and the Witnesses brought forth unto them returned and made Report of all the Acts produced both for and against Monsieur Astier After which the said Astier and the Sieurs Noguier and Espagnac and the Provincial Deputies of Lower Languedoc were all suffered to speak in order whereupon the Council Confirmed the Judgment of the said Province in all its Articles and immediately absolved the said Monsieur Espagnac of the Crimes brought in against him by the said Astier and censuring the said Astier for his animosity and passion ordaineth that he be reconciled with his adverse Party and that the Papers produced in this cause shall be supprest which being done and the said Monsieur Astier having intreated Monsieur Aspagnac to forget what is past The Council consents that the Censures denounc't against him by the Synod of Lower Languedoc be repealed and taken off the File 46. The Synod heard the Sieur Mercurin Pastor of the Church of Grace declare his particular grievances of which he complained in his Appeal from the Provincial Synod of Provence and judging that the said Province ought not to refuse their assistance to him against the Persecution suffered by him from the Adversaries of the Gospel it decreed that Monsieur Cuper shall immediately pay him out of the Common Stock of Moneys belonging to the Churches of Provence the Summ of an Hundred and Fifty Livres for which the Receiver of that Province shall be accountable and that henceforward an half Portion shall be setled upon him for his encouragement over and above what the Church of Grace hath hitherto injoyed 47. The Council doing right unto Monsieur Berauld upon his Appeals and disanulling all former proceedings against him except those of the Committees which it had particularly ordained and constituted about his Affair and having examined all those Accusations Depositions of Witnesses Denyals and Defences relating to it did unauimously and without the least disagreement declare as it now declareth the said Monsieur Berauld absolved and justified from all crimes imposed on him and that there may be a real and hearty reconciliation of the said Monsieur Berauld with those who were transported against him and that the peace and edifying of the Church of Montauban may be settled and promoted the Reverend Mr. Charles and Delon Pastors of the said Church were commanded to come into this Assembly and presenting themselves before it they were acquainted with its Holy Desires and Intentions and were all of them joyntly and severally exhorted unto Concord Union and Brotherly Love that so the Church in which they officiate may be edified and comforted by their Ministry and that all sence of injuries and bitter animosities may be for ever buried in the Grave of Oblivion 48. Those Acts brought into the Colloquy of Albigeois by the Commissioners Nominated in the Synod of Realmont to make inquiry into the crime imposed on Monsieur Fabry Pastor of the Church de la Caune were all examined And the said Fabry was heard as to those grievances of which he complained in his Appeal as also was the Sieur de Maroule Pastor of the Church of Pont de Larq one of the Commissioners and the Provincial Deputies of Higher Languedoc Whereupon the Council condemned the supine connivency of the said Province which for many years together had never called their Pastors to an account for sundry Accusations laid unto their charge and passing by the reasons inducing that Colloquy to give Judgment as it did it ratifieth the Sentence of suspension denounc't against the said Fabry and having sharply reproved him according as the Nature of his Offence required it did farther decree that when the time of his suspension should expire he should be restored unto his Office and to the Exercise thereof but in another Church and not in that of La Caune from which the Colloquy hath already determined that he should be discharged 49. That Appeal brought by the Elder of the Church of Vic-fezensac from a Decree of the Synod of Lower Guyenne in favour of Monsieur Bragerac its Pastor that the Churches of Montreal and Vic-fezansac should pay him his Sallary was declared null 50. Monsieur Gravier neither appearing in Person nor sending any Memoirs to defend his Appeal formed by him against a Decree of the Province of Lower Guyenne the Contents of which was a Declaration that Monsieur Potet a Minister having past his word unto Mrs. Gravier to acquit her of a certain Summ of Money Mr. Gravier demanded its performance but this Appeal was declared null and void CHAP. XXIII A Scandalous Minister Deposed 51 STephen Girault heretofore Minister of the Gospel in the Church of Barbezieux having not defended the Appeal brought by him from the Sentence of the Synod of Xaintonge which Deposed him for many and grievous Crimes and in particular for Adultery The Council declared his Appeal null and ratifying the Deposition of the said Girault doth aggravate his Sentence by cutting him off from all hopes of ever being restored unto the Sacred Ministry either to the Office or Exercise thereof 52. The Inhabitants of St. Lawrence in Aigouze appealed from the Judgment of the Synod of Lower Languedoc which had restored Monsieur Tuffan unto the Ministry in the Colloquy of Nismes but their Appeal was turned over to the cognisance of the approaching Synod of Sevennes which is ordered to proceed against the said Tuffan in case the Matters whereof he is accused be averred and proved upon him by deposing him from the Holy Ministry and Monsieur Aymar is charged to be present at the next Colloquy of Nismes and there to receive all proceedings old and
those Commands and Orders shall be signed and copied out by those now-mentioned Overseers for the Poor And both they and the said Receiver shall be obliged to send the Certificate unto the next National Synod of the faithful Employment of those Moneys unto the common Uses and Necessities of their Poor and that they were not in the least diverted from the Intention of the charitable Donors nor of his Majesty unto the Benefit and private Profit of some few particular Persons either for defraying their Expences in Travel or Deputations or any other occasion whatsoever And the Council shall agree and pitch upon those aforesaid Receivers and Overseers And to facilitate the receiving of those Sums collected and to prevent all Delays Confusions Inequalities in receiving and other Inconveniences which may fall out in case the said Cities should send abroad unto the Provinces and particular Churches to gather in what had been granted them and above all to ease them of those great Charges which they must of Necessity be at in this Case it was thought best to order the Consistories of Paris and Lyons to choose a Person from among them to be the General Receiver of those Moneys And all the Provinces are enjoined to send speedily and if possible they can within a Month's space after the Return of their Deputies the Moneys collected by them viz. the Provinces of the Isle of France Normandy Brittain Anjou Berry Poitou and Xaintonge to those who are ordained to receive them in the City of Paris and those of Burgundy Dolphiny Provence Vivaretz Sevennes Higher and Lower Languedoc and Guyenne to them who shall be appointed in the City of Lions that so these Moneys being received by them may be transmitted to the particular Commissioners of the said Cities either by Bills of Exchange or any other way together with their Acquittances according to the Dividend before ordained 2. In Pursuance of this last-named Article the Lord of Angoulins was nominated to be Receiver for the Town of Rochel and for Overseers Monsieur de L' Hommeau and Monsieur Colomiez Pastors together with Mr. Paul Mervant and Nicholas Chesnell Peers and tree Burgesses and Elders of the City of Rochel And for the City of Montauban the Lord Roques first Consul was declared Receiver and the R. R. Mr. Ollier and Charles Pastors together with the Lords d' Assier Barrampere and du Bois Elders for Overseers And for the City of Castres Mr. Thomas was nominated Receiver and the Lords de la Gasquerie de Servoles de Lissac de Bernard the Elder de Legonier and Rony the Auditor for Overseers And all and every one of these now-mentioned Persons were agreed upon and approved by this Council which also enjoined them who received these Collections and Charities to deliver them unto these Receivers 22. In every Province there shall be reserv'd a Cahier of the particular Complaints and Grievances of particular Churches oppressed upon the score and account of Religion that so those Cahiers may be all transmitted to the Church of Paris which shall compile out of them one general Cahier to be left in the hands of our General Deputies CHAP. XXVIII Particular Matters 1. SOME having very cunningly and maliciously robbed the Deputies of Lower Languedoc of certain Papers quoted in an Inventory which they had brought to this Council giving an account of the Grounds and Reasons of that Judgment passed by the Provincial Synod on George Arbault the Council being well fatisfied of their Integrity and Fidelity and particularly of Monsieur Petit's with whom all those Writings were deposited did think it needful to give them this Attestation and fully to discharge them of all those Papers which were delivered unto Monsieur Aymard one of the Provincial Deputies for Sevennes who will exhibit them upon all Occasions excepting those relating to the Sieur Arbaut before-mentioned which he received from the hands of the Sieurs Mestrezat and du Puy who were commissionated by the Synod to peruse them he having given them a Receipt under his own Hand which was delivered by him unto the aforesaid Monsieur Aymard together with those Papers and two Inventories subscribed by the Sieurs du Cros and Petit. 2. In reading the Accusation of the Sieur Arbaut and some other Acts brought against him the Colloquy of Anduze was ordered to inform themselves of the Deportments of the Sieurs du Cros Pastor of the Church at Blansac and of Raly Pastor in the Church of St. John de Maruejoly and to proceed against them And the Commissioners deputed by the Province of Lower Languedoc were ordered to deliver unto the said Colloquy the whole Relation of their Proceedings And the said Colloquy should judg of those Differences which are risen up between the said Arbaut formerly a Minister and the Colloquies of Montpellier and Vsez all which shall be notified to them by their Scribe 3. Monsieur Tourtelon a Pastor Emeritus came unto the Synod bitterly complaining of his great Poverty and Misery and petitioned for some Relief Mr. Cooper was intreated to advance an hundred Franks before-hand unto this aged Gentleman payable out of that Portion assigned to him and which will become due out of the Dividend for the Province of Lower Languedoc to whose Charity we do in an especial manner recommend him 4. There was again read the Petition of John le Febure 1626. The 25th Synod a Bookseller in Geneva reiterating his former Complaints unto divers of our National Synods against Monsieur Manueill a Minister somewhere serving in the Province of Bearn After hearing the Allegations of the Deputies of that Province on behalf of Manueill the Synod not admitting their Excuses nor being able any longer to suffer that the Advice and Orders of our preceding Synods and the Complaints of the said Febure and of the Church of Geneva should be so wretchedly slighted and despised and that a Fellow blasted in his Reputation for an infamous Crime from which he hath not acquitted nor careth to acquit and clear himself should be continued in the Ministry in that Province and that Provincial Synod to have no regard at all unto the Proceedings had against him by that famous City of Geneva nor to take the least care that the said Manueill should purge and justify himself from the Crime imposed on him that so the Scandal might be repaired either by his compleat Absolution and Discharge or by an exemplary Punishment inflicted upon him for his said Offence A Decree past That in case the Synod of the said Province of Bearn did not give full Satisfaction unto the Requests of this and of the former National Synods of our Churches and produce undoubted Evidence thereof unto the next National Synod by valid Acts of their Duty and Obedience thereunto that then their Deputies should be utterly excluded these Synods nor should they have either admission or session consultive or decisive Votes in them 5. The Deputies of Bearn complaining that the Parliament
any Difference should arise about this matter then it should be referred unto the Consistory of Montpellier who were impowered by this present National Synod to decide it finally 76. Monsieur Bardon Receiver of the Moneys appertaining to the Province of Higher Languedoc is intreated to advance unto the Family of Monsieur Voisin out of the first Moneys he shall receive that free Portion which was granted by this National Synod unto the said Family 77. The Petition of the Church of Vielle Vigne requesting that an hundred Livers might be granted them for the keeping up of their School was remanded back unto the Province of Brittain who were charitably to consider of it 78. A Petition from the Church of Tressans was presented unto this Council by the Sieur Razes who ordered the Province of Lower Languedoc to give the belt Assistance to it and an Accompt of their Condition is to be brought in unto the next National Synod 79. The Reverend Mr. Constans and Erondelle gave in their Judgment about a Book writ by the Sieur Bufon and perused by them whereupon a Vote pass'd that it should not be printed and the Reasons moving the Council thereunto shall be reported unto the said Buson by Monsieur Fort one of the Deputies of the Lower Guyenne 80. For as much as three free Portions had been allotted by the last National Synod of Charenton unto the Churches of Soulés in case they were provided of a second Pastor This Assembly authorizeth the Colloquy of Condonnois to examine that Proposan who was said to be fit for the Ministry and the Province of Lower Guyenne is charged to advance such a Sum as they shall judg needful for the Maintenance of a second Pastor and to make Report thereof unto the next National Synod which shall reimburse them those their Moneys 81. This Council decreed that out of the first Moneys which should be received the Sum of two hundred Livers should be presented to each of our Professors in the University of Montauban and Saumur for the Years one thousand six hundred twenty one and twenty two in which they receieved nothing 82. The Province of Higher Languedoc understanding that there was a Dividend of Moneys made by this Council demanded the Reimbursement of four hundred Livers which in Obedience to a Decree of the last Synod at Charenton they had paid in to Monsieur Berauld Professor of Divinity in the University of Montauban But this their Demand was ordered to be brought into the next National Synod who will take Care to see them have Restitution made of that aforesaid Sum disbursed by them 83. The Accompt rendred by the Isle of France for its Colledg was accepted and the Council voted that the Censure pronounced against the said Province should be razed out of the Acts of the last National Synod 84. This Assembly not judging it convenient unto Reason to repeal its own Ordinance about Mr. Percy did deposit that Act concerning several Heads of Families in the Church of Montflanquin and those Acts of the Church of Bourdeaux and of Monsieur Ferrand in the Hands of the Deputies of Lower Guyenne who should make Report of them unto the next National Synod to whom the final Judgment of this Affair is dismissed 85. The Deputies of Dolphiny presented Letters from Monsieur de Piotet Pastor of the Church of Molines together with the Canons of our National Synods and Church-Discipline compiled by him into a just Volume Whereupon Commissioners were nominated to peruse this his Collection and they bringing in a very favourable Report concerning it Thanks were voted unto the said Monsieur Piotet and that he should by Letters from this Assembly be advised of the Defects noted by the Commissioners in this his Work that so he might compleat it and render it more useful and serviceable to the Churches 86. The Lord of Montmartyn Deputy-General for our Churches reporting unto this Assembly that there were divers Orders which greatly imported the common Good of all our Churches and which he had obtained some Years ago from the Privy Council and of which it is very needful he should have the keeping that he may produce them upon all Occasions and Occurrences for the better Service of our Churches And whereas several Deputies of the Provinces have remonstrated that for the Information of their Provinces and the better inabling them to pursue and execute those Orders of Council there is a Necessity that they should be possess'd of the said Originals or at least of Copies most exactly transcribed from and faithfully compared with them This Assembly taking into Consideration the many Copies of those Orders necessary for the Provinces all of which cannot possibly have the said Originals but with a great deal of Time and Expence of Moneys did intreat the Lord Galland his Majesties Commissioner to us that he would be pleased to give himself the Trouble of collationing the Copies with the Originals that so they may be of better Use and Service to the Deputies and Provinces which have sent them according as the Necessity of their Affairs may require 87. The Magistrates of Castres having past a Judgment against Peter Peris at the Request of Monsieur Constans now that the Charges may be defrayed of that Process an Order was given that the said Sieur Constans should presently receive four and twenty Livers 88. Forty Livers were ordered unto the Transcriber of the Copies of that Cahier brought by the Magistrates of this City unto the Lord Montmartyn and of the Accompts given us by the Lord of Candall 89. As soon as the time of the Sieur Fabre's Suspension is expired the Colloquy of Albigeois shall immediately assemble and provide the Church of La Caune another Pastor 90. Monsieur Combalasse Pastor of the Church of Venez prayed this Assembly to assist him and the Widow of Monsieur Raffin deceased with some Moneys that they might bring their Law-suit to an End about the Settlement of their Temple in the Town of Venez But their Demand as had been before in the like Case practised by the National Synod of Alez was dismissed over to the next Provincial Synod of Higher Languedoc And in the mean while this Council assured him that they would improve all their Power and Interest to procure the said Settlement 91. The Provincial Deputies of Burgundy and the Lord of Beaufort Deputy for the Province of Sevennes shall in their Return homeward pass through the Towns of Sauve and Anduze and acquaint the Consistories there with the Intention of this Council and shall do their best Indeavours to reconcile the Sieurs Bony and Aldebert and put to their helping Hand that the Overseer of the Poor in the Town of Anduze and the said Mr. Bony do agree upon Arbitrators who may put a Period to their Differences 92. The Proceedings formed against the Sieurs Peris and Jolly were delivered unto the Provincial Deputies of Xaintonge and Higher Languedoc in which Provinces they both lived
Monsieur d' Huysseau and conformable to the Regulation made in the last Synod of Castres 50. Mr. Du Bois a Pastor discharged by the Province of Normandy complaining that contrary to the Decree of the National Synod of Castres the said Province instead of reckoning with him for his Portion assigned by the 24th National Synod held at Charenton in the Year 1623 unto him had ordered that the free Portion granted him by that of Castres in the Year 1626 should be paid in unto him by the Receiver of the said Province The Assembly having heard the Report of the Commissioners nominated by it to examine his Pretensions doth condemn the said Province for not having followed the Intentions of the said National Synod of Castres and ordaineth that out of the best and clearest Monies belonging to the said Province there shall be detained the Sum of eight and fifty Livers and fourteen Sous in the hands of the Lord du Candall who shall pay it unto the said Mr. Du Bois he giving an Acquittance for it And whereas he hath not touch'd a Denier of his free Portion given him by the National Synod of Castres it shall be paid unto him either by the Lord of Candall or his Deputy in the Province of the Isle of France 51. Whereas the first National Synod of Charenton in the Year 1623 had ordained four hundred Livers to be paid in to the Province of Higher Languedoc now the Lord of Candall out of the first Monies that shall be distributed among the Churches shall reimburse the said Province of that Sum. CHAP. XX. APPEALS 1. MR. Nonis Pastor in the Church of Aulas appearing to defend that Appeal brought by the said Church from the Judgment of the Province of Sevennes which had ordered the Inhabitants of La Breauvaise to be incorporated for the future with the Church of Breas After hearing the pretended Grievances of the Church of Aulas and the Petition brought by the Deputy of the Inhabitants of La Breauvaise confirmed by their Letters and by the Letters of the Church of Breaus and the Reasons given in by the Deputies of the Province for their Judgment whereby it was manifest that the Differences between those two Churches of Aulas and Breas are rather bottom'd on the Passions of some particular Persons than on any real Interest of either And whereas by the Canon of the National Synod of Castres the Province of Sevennes was sufficiently impower'd to pass a final Sentence in this Affair this Assembly condemneth Monsieur Nouis for quitting the exercise of his Ministry in his Church and taking upon him the Office of a Sollicitor which might have been better discharged by another and enjoineth the Deputies of the Province of Sevennes to labour a Composition in the most amicable manner of the Differences between both thole Churches of Aulas and Breau and in case they should not be able to compose them then they shall acquaint the Synod of Lower Languedoc therewith before which the Deputies of both those Churches shall appear and receive their final Judgment Moreover the Synod of Sevennes is injoined to see to it that Mr. Berlé Pastor of the Church of Breau and all other Ministers of the said Province do actually and personally reside with their Flocks And forasmuch as the National Synod of Castres had given full Power unto Provincial Synods to judg finally in the Case of Conjunction and Separation of the Churches and their Annexes this Assembly confirming that Canon ordaineth That in case any Difficulties should arise and hinder the Provincial Synods from coming to a final Judgment then those Causes shall be dismissed over to the Synod of the Neighbour Province nor shall they be brought hereafter unto our National Synods 2. This Assembly approving the Zeal of the Province of Burgundy and the Motives inducing them to give Sentence on Monsieur Durand Pastor of the Church of Issurtille doth however take off that Censure of Suspension from him and restoreth him with Honour unto the exercise of his Ministry and ordereth that the Act from which he appealeth and that which follows it shall be supprest because 't is very clear the said Durand had no Design to execute the Sentence denounc'd against himself but that he proceeded in that Business with all simplicity and uprightness wherein he is exhorted to continue and to walk with more prudence and circumspection according to the Counsel of his Brethren 3. This Assembly revising the Judgment given by the Province of Burgundy against Paul Sarazin heretofore Pastor in the Church of Vison declareth That the said Province proceeded in that Matter with excessive Severity and for the future enjoineth that they never insert into the Causes of their Censures Facts not verified and that in no wise they depart from the wonted Forms And farther the said Sarazin is judged worthy of the greatest Censures for abandoning his Church without leave first had and obtained and for being negligent in conserving the Honour of his Vocation whereunto he had been called by God and amending the Sentence from which he doth appeal this Synod removeth him the said Sarazin from his Ministry which he shall not any more exercise 4. The Judgment past by the same Province against Joseph Aubery formerly Pastor in the Church of Coulonges in the Colloquy of Gex is confirmed in every Point and Article thereof 5. Mr. Chacerat Pastor of the Churches of Ponteau de Mar and Quillebeaf having made his Complaints unto this Assembly and praying that Right and Justice might be done him the next Synod of Normandy was ordered to take special care of him and with all love to provide for the Safety of his Person and that his Life may be made comfortable to him And the said Cacherat is exhorted to continue in the Exercise of his Calling with that Zeal and Conscientiousness he hath ever manifested Yet afterward he revolted 6. The said Mr. Cacherat appealing from the Judgment of his Province and declaring the Grievances pretended to have been sustained by him The Assembly representing to him that his Cause was not of their Nature which should be brought before the National Synods did exhort him to rest satisfied with the Testimonial given him unanimously by his Province of his Probity and Fidelity in the discharge of his Ministry and the rather because these Persons whom he accuseth to have done him Wrong being dead 't is utterly impossible that his Province should procure him a more ample Satisfaction 7. Although the Appeal brought by Monsieur Pejus from the Judgment of the Commissioners of the Province of Berry be not of their Nature which are to be brought unto these National Synod Yet nevertheless this Synod taking to it self the cognizance thereof doth confirm that Judgment given by the said Commissioners in all its Articles and censureth the said Mr. Pejus for not acquiescing in it and enjoineth him to yield full satisfaction to it on pain of being suspended
from the Ministry 8. Mr. Vinieux Pastor of the Church of Bazars complaining That the Decree of the National Synod of Castres relating to him had not been executed This Assembly ordained that out of the first Monies belonging to the Province of Lower Guyenne the Lord of Candall shall keep by him that very Sum promised unto the said Vinieux And he farther praying to be freed from the Service of his Church and Province He was ordered to apply himself unto his Province who should take into their serious Consideration his necessitous Condition and the great Importance of his Request and Appeal 9. The Letters of Mr. Baux appealing from the Judgment of the Province of Higher Languedoc were read Whereupon the Synod enjoineth the said Province to present him unto a Church that may comfortably maintain him and the Church of Mazemet is also enjoined to give him full Satisfaction for all his Arrears on default whereof they shall be deprived of the sacred Ministry according to the Rigour of our Discipline 10. In explaining that Canon of the National Synod of Tonneins held in the Year 1614 and which is the seventh Observation on the foregoing Synod of Privas whereby the Provinces were charged to defray the Expences of those Churches whose Pastors should be deputed unto General Assemblies both Ecclesiastical and Political This Assembly declareth That whatsoever Charges particular Churches may be at in procuring Ministers to serve them during their Pastors Absence ought to be reimburst them not by their Pastors out of their Sallaries but by the Province which had deputed them and this out of the Monies appertaining unto all the Churches of their Division and therefore disannulleth the several Appeals of the Churches of Vignan Sauve Breau Aulas Castagnoles St. Julian and St. Privat to the contrary 11. Whereas the Church of St. German hath refused to pay unto the Widow of their deceased Pastor Monsieur de la Faye the Pension of the Year of her Widowhood and appealed unto this Synod against her this their Appeal is cast out because we do not judg it equitable to invalidate the Canons made by the Provinces of both the Languedocs and Sevennes for Payment unto the Widows of their late Pastors without Exception the Pension of the said Year of their Widowhood as also all Arrearages of Stipend owing unto their Pastors at their Death by the Churches in which they ministred 12. The Appeals of the Churches of St. Julian and St. Andre for the same reasons are declared null and void 13. The Appeal brought by Monsieur Perrynet on behalf of the Church of Die appealing from the Judgment of the Synod of Dolphiny by which Monsieur Aymin had been lent unto the said Church was declared null 14. Monsieur Belon appealing from the Judgment of the Province of Lower Guyenne for confirming Mr. D'oze in the Ministry of the Church of Tournon and not appearing to prosecute his Appeal the Synod declared it null and the Appealant worthy of Censure for commencing such an unjust Action 15. The Church of Sommieres not prosecuting their Appeal from the Judgment of their Province the said Appeal was declared null and the Judgment of the Province ratified yet that Province is required not to let that important Church nor any other of the same Nature to lie long vacant but to see that it be speedily furnished with an able Pastor 16. Whereas it evidently appears that the Church of Baisly is much indebted unto their Pastor Monsieur Bayeux more through the Ingratitude of sundry private Persons than their Poverty and Inability This Synod disanulling their Appeal and condemning their Defect of Duty injoineth them to give full Satisfaction unto the said Mr. Bajeux and this without applying a Denier of those Moneys given by Monsieur Lasson for the Maintenance of a Proposan to this Purpose which shall not for the future be at all diverted from that Use unto which it was at first appointed without very great Necessity and the Consent of their Provincial Synod unto whom the said Mr. Bayeux is recommended from us that they would be pleased to procure him a competent and comfortable Supply unto his Necessities 17. The Appeal brought by the Church of Orbec separated by the Synod of Normandy from that of Mesnil Imbert according to the Canon of the last National Synod of Castres under that Article of Annexations is remanded back unto the next Synod of the said Province which having heard the Reasons of the said Church shall proceed to a final Judgment in the case 18. Monsieur Morrice Pastor of the Church of Fontaines and of Cressy was heard unfolding the Grievances of which he complained in his Appeal and the Deputies of Normandy in the Declaration of the Reasons of their Proceedings against him Whereupon the Assembly ratified the Judgment of the said Province and jointly commissionated the Sieurs de la Naux da Buisson de Beauvais and Herault together with four Elders from the Churches of Montgobert Sees Alenson and the Consistory of Fontaines and Cressy within one Month after the Return of the Deputies of the said Province unto their Churches to take new Informations in this Affair and after exact Inquiries made about it to give a final Judgment on Monsieur Morrice for the Fact of which he stands accused 19. The Memoirs and Acts of that Appeal sent by the Consistory of Montagnac being read the Synod gave Judgment that the said Appeal ought not to be admitted and those who first moved for it were worthy of a severe Censure And forasmuch as the Differences betwixt Monsieur Perery Pastor in the Church of Calignac and the Consistory of Montagnac are sprung from the Licentiousness of his Discourses and his frequent absenting himself from his own home he is expresly injoined to be more moderate in his Discourses and to settle his Abode in the midst of his Flock and on Default hereof the Province shall proceed against him according to the Discipline 20. The Churches of Montdidier and Montagoux refusing Payment of threescore Livers ordained by the Synod of Sevennes unto Mr. Jubert for Augmentation of his Wages their Appeal was rejected and the Judgment of their Province confirmed 21. The Letters and Memoirs of Monsieur Chavanon appealing from the Judgment of the Synod of Sevennes and of Mr. Rouvre and of the Commissioners who were sent by the said Synod unto the Church of L'edignan having been read and the Deputies of the Province being heard This Assembly exhorts the said Province not to use its Power in lending Pastors of Churches within their Division till they have first consulted with their Churches and seriously to consider of their Importance and it censureth the said Chavanon for those sharp and bitter Expressions couched by him in his Letters and as for those Facts mentioned in the said Memoirs the Cognizance and Judgment of them is reserved and dismissed over unto the next Provincial Synod which having maturely and exactly examined and
debated them shall pass a befitting Censure upon the guilty and delinquent Persons 22. Although the Appeal of the Church of Sumaine was judged unworthy of our Acceptance yet the Province of Sevennes is exhorted to take into their Christian Consideration the Necessities of the said Church and to establish such Officers in it as are most capable of promoting its Edification and not to suffer Churches of such great Importance to be left any long time destitute of Pastors but that they be immediately supplied either from within or without the Province 23. Monsieur de Fabas Pastor of the Church of Morlans declared his Grievances in his Appeal and the Deputies of the Province of Bearn produced the Reasons inducing their Synod to pass Censure upon him After that both Parties had promised Subjection to the Judgment of this Synod Monsieur de Fabas was censured by this Assembly for his extraordinary and irregular Proceedings and his Appeal being admitted the Province of Bearn was exhorted tor the future never to remove any Pastors from their Churches till they had first consulted their Churches according to the Canons of our Discipline and it ordaineth that since the Sentence of the Provincial Synod was barely provisional it shall stand and be in force till the Meeting of the next Synod by which the said Monsieur de Fabas shall be restored unto his Church of Morlans and Monsieur Rivas who serveth it at present shall be provided of another Church which may be more to his Conveniency and Comfort And till the sitting of the said Provincial Synod the said Monsieur de Fabas may live where he doth and serve the Church of Nay and in case the time of holding the said Synod should be prorogued beyond the term of one Year beginning from the time of calling the said Synod that then the said Monsieur de Fabas is declared to be restored unto the said Church of Morlans 24. This Assembly Censured the Church of St. Hyppolit for those tart and injurious Expressions used in their Letters against the Pastors of the Province of Sevennes and disannulling their Appeal doth confer Monsieur Buera upon that Church to be their Minister whom they formerly requested with a great deal of Love and Importunity and it setteth the said Mr. Buera free and at Liberty from his Province the Deputies of the Province of Lower Languedoc having thereunto consented and Monsieur Bel is licensed to exercise his Ministry at St. Hippolyte in Conjunction with Monsieur Buera until the next Provincial Synod which shall provide another Church for Monsieur Bel and Monsieur Falgueroles is commanded to depart from St. Hippolyte and to reside in the midst of his own Flock on Pain of being Censured according to the 13th Canon in the 1st Chapter of our Discipline And whereas the said Falgueroles is accused by divers Memoirs brought into this Assembly all those Papers were deposited into the Hands of the Deputies of Sevennes with an express Charge and Injunction unto the Synod of the said Province that the said Synod do make Inquiry into the Truth of them and then to proceed to Judgment and to bring an Account hereof unto the next National Synod 25. Although Mr. Benoist hath just Cause of appealing from the Sentence of the Synod of Anjou which had invalidated the Judgment of the University-Council of Saumur for dividing the Profession of the Greek Tongue between Monsieur Duncan and the said Mr. Benoist who having exercised the said Profession before its being suppress'd might warrantably demand to be restored to it yet nevertheless because both these Gentlemen are frequently hindred and diverted by their Practice of Physick from the said Profession and for that the publick Interest requireth all University-Offices should be conferred upon unincumbred Persons who may be free and at Liberty regularly to discharge them without any Interruption by other Functions and Business This Assembly disannulleth those Appeals of the said Benoist and Duncan and confirmeth that Sentence of the University-Council and of the last Synod of the said Province and ordaineth that the Deputies of the said Province of Poictou in their Return homeward shall visit the City of Saumur and endeavour to accommodate and reconcile the divided Parties who are exhorted to live in all good Concord and Friendship and to give publick Evidence of their having buried in oblivion all Resentments of past Differences 26. The Provincial Deputies of Bearn made report that they had received Letters from the Deputies of their Synod and from Mr. Belard Elder of the Church of Morlans containing divers Complaints against Monsieur de Fabas Whereupon the said de Fabas was called in and answered unto all the Articles mentioned in the said Letters And the Assembly persisting in their former Judgment noted in the 23d Appeal where the said de Fabas had purged himself from all Matters objected against him did farther ordain That there should be delivered to him and to the Deputies of Bearn Copies exactly collationed of those Letters produced against him And as for the Original as soon as it shall have been marked it shall be carried by the Lords of Aubas and Masselieres Deputies of the Lower Guyenne unto the Colloquy of Condommois which is expresly charged to make inquiry into that Accusation so obliquely brought in against the said de Fabas and raising Suspicions of him as if he intended to revolt from the true Religion and had received to this purpose Letters from the Monks of Morlans that in case he be found guilty of this Wickedness he may be prosecuted according to the Canons of our Discipline but if not that his Accusers may be condemned to give him all befitting Satisfaction And whereas in the Margent of one of the said Letters it is said that the Colloquy of Nay hath begun its Process against the said de Fabas upon supposition of having deserted his Church this Assembly being not able to believe that the Churches of Bearn would be so extreamly weak as to proceed against them who had appealed from the Judgment of their Synods unto this decreeth That Letters shall be written both to the Colloquy of Nay and to the Synod of Bearn to advise them to be very careful that the Union of the Churches in their Province with those of this Kingdom be not wounded directly nor indirectly by any Actions contrary to Christian Charity And whereas extraordinary Processes have been managed and carried on against the said Mr. de Fabas or may be now begun or finished they be all declared to be in very truth and deed as this Synod doth now declare them to be null and void and undertaken contrary to our Church-Discipline 27. The Appeal of the Church of Bergerac opposing the Incorporation of the House of Tiraqueau with the Church of Cours was rejected and the Judgment of the Province of Lower Guyenne confirmed according to the Canon of the Synod of Castres which dismisseth such and the like
may be comforted the practice and observation of the 5th Canon in the 10th Chapter of our Discipline is recommended to all the Churches Moreover in case any one of our Churches hath had for a long time any particular Form which it hath used to its Edification that Church may retain the observation of that their Order even by the Allowance of this Assembly Article 6. Forasmuch as the 12th Canon in the 13th Chapter of our Discipline seems to contradict the 16th Observation of the National Synod of Montpellier upon the Discipline All the Provinces are exhorted to bring with them unto the next National Synod their several and respective Opinions whether the said Article shall be razed or receive any Change or Emendation Article 7. Though all the Provinces do keep and observe most exactly the 16th Canon in the 14th Chapter of our Discipline yet shall every one of them carefully make use of such Expedients as they in their own particular Judgments do conceive to be most meet and proper for their better Observation and the avoiding of all Inconveniences Article 8. The Church-Discipline having been read all and every one of the Provincial Deputies did both for themselves and their respective Synods promise to observe it and see that it be exactly observed by their Provinces CHAP. IX Observations on reading the Acts of the former Synod held for the second time at Charenton in the Months of September and October 1631. Article 1. THE Provinces bringing in their respective Judgments upon the Matters commended to their Deliberation by the last National Synod This Assembly decreed that nothing should be changed in the 19th and 20th Canons of the 5th Chapter of our Discipline Article 2. The Colloquy of Montpellier which was commissionated by the Synod of Charenton in its Name and with full Authority to judg of the Charge brought in against the Sieur Bony making Report of their Execution of the said Commission and the Provincial Synod of Sevennes whereof he is a Member giving him a very honourable Testimonial This Assembly ordaineth that the Articles which concerned him shall be razed out of the Acts of the first and second National Synods of Charenton and of that of Castres CHAP. X. A penitent Minister after ten Years Penance restored 3. MR. George Arbaud who was formerly deposed from the Sacred Ministry by the National Synod of Castres appearing now in Person and humbly petitioning that he might be restored again unto it and the Provincial Deputies of Lower Languedoc testifying to his godly Life and Conversion for ten Years last past This Assembly considering the Sincerity of his Repentance confirm'd by so long a trial and condescending both to his Supplications and the Attestations given him by his Province and having very seriously exhorted him to be more strict and religious in his future Actions than formerly and to grow in Grace and true Godliness did grant him his Request and left it to the Care of the Synod of Lower Languedoc or of the Consistory of Nismes to provide a Church for him 4. Whereas the Sieurs Bony and Donadiu deputed by the Synod of Sevennes to execute a Commission given them by the last National Synod had born all the Charges thereof themselves it was ordained that the Province of Lower Languedoc should see them reimburs'd and satisfied 5. All the Provinces are strictly charged to see that the 14th Canon of the 14th Chapter of the Discipline be very carefully practised and observed and that they bring in an Account of their Obedience to this Canon unto the next National Synod CHAP. XI The Snappishness of the Commissioner and the Prudence and Patience of the National Synod 6. LEtters were read from Monsieur Privas Pastor of the Church of Chastillon detained Prisoner in the Jail of Agen humbly petitioning this Synod to endeavour his Enlargement and the Lord Commissioner demanding Whether the Synod intended to make his Affair their own and to interest themselves in it The Assembly considering that the said Monsieur Privas was before his natural and proper Judges declared that as his present Circumstances were they could do nothing for him except the recommending him to the good Providence of God and exhorted him to wait and suffer patiently whatever should be decreed against him by the Court of Agen. 7. This Assembly remembring the Promise made by the last National Synod unto Monsieur Chamier decreed that it shall be performed as soon as God shall bless the Churches with Ability So that Monsieur Chamier had never a Penny of Monies granted him for his Father's Works 8. The Monies granted unto Monsieur Bellot and Constans shall be faithfully paid them as soon as the Churches may recover their Assignments granted them by his Majesty 9. All the Provinces are ordered to get for themselves the Acts of all our National Synods that so they may comfortably discharge the Duty laid upon them by the National Synod of Charenton 10. The Church of Montpellier informing this Assembly that the Design and Intendment of the National Synod of Castres was not satisfied the Consistory of the Church of Nismes is ordered to exhort the Widow of Mr. Scoffier to accompt with them how that Sum of Money hath been imployed which was given by the said National Synod for the Relief of Mrs. Blandina Scoffier her Sister that in case the said Monies be yet in her Hands they may be restored unto the Heirs of Mrs. Jacquelina Scoffier by whom she was actually maintained 11. The Judgment of the Synod of Anjou having been perused to whom the last National Synod had turned over the Cognizance of that Difference risen between the Provinces of Xaintonge and Poictou about the Conjunction of the Church of Saveilles with that of Villefaignan and several Letters Memoirs and Articles of Agreement between the said Churches since the said Judgment having been read and the Deputies of the two contending Provinces being heard this Assembly disallowing the Proceedings of the Colloquy of Augoulmois which had actually united the said Churches in prejudice of the Judgment given to the contrary by the Province of Anjou doth ordain that the Churches of Chefboutonné and Saveilles shall continue joined together as heretofore 12. The National Synod of Charenton having charged the Province of Burgundy to shut up the Accompt with Monsieur Grass which yet could not be performed this Assembly commits the execution thereof to the Consistory of the Church of Lyon CHAP. XII The Restoration of a penitent Minister deferred 13. JOseph Obery deposed by the last National Synod and residing at present in the Canton of Bearn wrote Letters unto this Assembly petitioning for his Restoration unto the sacred Ministry which before they were opened were presented unto the Lord Commissioner who having read them declared that they contained nothing but Matters purely Ecclesiastical And after they had been seen and perused by the whole Synod and the Testimonial given him by the Consul of Aubonne in the
County of Vaux and that the Provincial Deputies of Burgundy had delivered in their Opinion concerning him this Synod could not grant him his Request yet nevertheless received with Joy the good News of his Repentance and Conversion unto the Lord and he was exhorted to confirm himself more and more in it and to continue in the Grace of God 14. The Province of Lower Guyenne is injoined to make use of their Authority upon Monsieur Perery and to see that he do actually reside with his Flock and in case he continue refractory and disobey their Order that they do then immediately censure him according to the utmost Rigor and Severity of our Discipline 15. The Practice of the 3d Article of General Matters in the last National Synod is recommended unto all the Churches 16. Complaints having Been brought against divers Pastors Non-Residents in the Colloquy of Lower Quercy unto the last National Synod and those Complaints together with the Letters of those Ministers apologizing for themselves having been dismissed to the Colloquy of Albigeois and the Synod of Higher Languedoc to judg of their Case now the Sentence pass'd upon them was revised in this present Synod and this Assembly being willing to support and incourage them in their Ministry did once more ordain the Colloquy of Albigeois to renew their Informations and to examine afresh the pretended Inability of those Churches and to urge and induce them by all kind of Arguments and those the most forcible to perform their Duties and to bring in an Account hereof unto the next National Synod 17. The Appeal of the Church of Nerac which refused to defray the Charges the Church of Agen were at in the Removal of Monsieur Vignier is dismissed over to the Judgment of the Province of Lower Guyenne because it is not of the Nature of those Affairs which do depend upon National Synods 18. That Judgment given by the Province of Dolphiny in the Cause of Monsieur Aymier is ratified by this present Synod 19. Forasmuch as the Province of Vivaretz hath given their Consent unto it this Assembly permitteth for this time that the Church of St. Estienne in Forest be incorporated with the Province of Burgundy 20. The Promise made by the last National Synod unto the Province of Bearn about the Ministers born in it and imployed in divers Churches of this Kingdom is again confirmed and the said Province is exhorted to acquiesce and rest satisfied therewith 21. Whereas the Adjunction of the Church of Valence unto that of Soyon is indispensably needful for the Subsistence of this latter the Synod injoineth the said Church to incorporate it self with it as it hath done formerly and this Act shall be notified unto them by the Deputies of Lower Languedoc of Sevennes and Provence as they return in their way homeward 22. The Deputies of Vivaretz remonstrated that the Article concerning Monsieur Perrier's Account was left out in that Copy of the last National Synod which was brought down unto their Province and that it were sit the said Accompt should be revised This Assembly ordaineth that the said Province do apply it self unto that of Dolphiny which shall summon the said Perrier before them and judg finally of the Merits of the said Remonstrance 23. The Synod of Lower Guyenne shall cite Monsieur Bustanoby before them that he may accompt with them about the Imployment of the three hundred Livers delivered unto his deceased Father by the National Synod of Castres and they shall make Report thereof unto the next National Synod A penitent Minister seeking and petitioning to be restored is denied but with Advice to betake himself to some other Calling 24. SAmuel du Fresné deposed from the sacred Ministry by the Consistory of Vienna and Synod of Higher Languedoc presenred himself unto this Assembly and with a Shower of Tears implored the Pardons and Bowels of the Church whom he had offended by his Fall But upon Perusal of the Acts of his Deposition and the 51st Article of the Discipline which depriveth them of all Hopes of Restoration who are fallen into such Crimes of which he stands convicted The Assembly advised him to betake himself to some other Calling and to repair the Scandal he had given by his Perseverance in true Repentance and the Practice of Godliness 25. Forasmuch as in that Information brought in against the said du Fresné there were several over-curious Questions and very ill-becoming the Gravity of Ecclesiastical Persons the Province of Higher Languedoc is charged to make Remonstrance thereof unto the Parties who drew up those Articles of Information against him and to put to their helping-Hand that no such Matters be done for the future 26. Whereas the Holy Apostle in the 8th Verse of the 3d Chapter to the Romans saith expresly that their Damnation is just who say Let us do Good that Evil may come thereof and that 't is neither consisting with Reason nor the Integrity of our Christian Profession to prefer the Consideration of our little temporal Losses and Concerns unto the Duties of Conscience This Assembly cannot therefore admit of those Excuses alledged by the Consistory of the Church of Rochel for neglecting the Execution of the first Article of General Matters in the foregoing Synod and therefore doth once more renew its Injunction that all the Churches do conform themselves unto the Practice thereof and judgeth the Consistory of the said Church of Rochel worthy of the sharpest Censures and farther ordaineth that Letters be written unto the Faithful in the said City to convince them of the Greatness of their Sin and of the Scandal which their Connivency and unsufferable Cowardice hath given unto all the Churches of this Kingdom and they be adjured by the Compassions of the Living God and the Religious Resentments of sincere and devout Christians to hold keep and observe strictly precisely and inviolably the sincere Profession of God's Saving Truth in its Purity and Power without swerving or derogating from it by any Actions either directly or indirectly contrary thereunto 27. All our Universities are exhorted to conform themselves as much as in them lieth unto the Observation of that Article of the last National Synod which recommended the Profession of Metaphysicks to the Professors of Philosophy CHAP. XIII Bearn incorporated with the Churches of France 28. THE Deputies of the Province of Bearn having declared that their Synod doth accept the Union of the Churches of this Kingdom under the Conditions granted them by the National Synod of Charenton in their Observations upon the first Article of that of Castres and that they do from this Instant submit themselves unto all our National Synods that shall be held hereafter and they promise also that they will allow of all Appeals brought by the Pastors Elders and Churches of their Principality unto these our National Synods and farther that they consent for the future to exercise their Discipline in all Points according to the Canons of the Discipline
established in the Churches of this Kingdom and enacted by our National Synods over and besides what hath been determined and decided in the Provincial Synod of Bearn Whereupon the Assembly granted that their Appeals should be judged according to the Discipline framed for the Churches of Bearn by the Command of their famous Princess Jane Queen of Navarre and ratified by the Parliament of Pau a Copy whereof faithfully collationed with the Original shall be deposited in the Hands of that Province which shall be charged with the Convocation of the next National Synod by the Provincial Deputies of Bearn signed subscribed and attested by their own Hand-writings And also it is farther granted them as their Priviledg that whatever Pastors are now actually imployed in the Ministry of the Churches of that Province shall not be removed unto the Service of other Churches in this Kingdom unless their aforesaid Churches do yield a plenary and explicit Consent thereunto 29. Mr. Richard formerly Pastor of the Church at Saponnay in the Province of the Isle of France presented himself unto this Assembly humbly petitioning that they would be pleased to give him some Imployment in the said Province according to the Discipline The Assembly informed him that the Honour of his Ministry had not been blemished by them and therefore if he were not in actual Service as he desired none could be blamed for it but himself and his imprudent Management of his own Affairs and forasmuch as there was not at present any vacant Church in that Province he was advised to depart unto his native Country the Land of Vaux there to pass the Remainder of his Days and the Province whereunto he last belonged is exhorted to continue to him their wonted Charities and to help him with Monies to defray the Expences of his Journey homeward 30. Without making any Reflections on the Prohibition of the Province of Vivaretz this Assembly doing Right upon the Complaint of Monsieur des Maretz ordaineth that the Decree of the last National Synod shall be executed according to the Form and Tenour thereof CHAP. XIV Appeals and Complaints 1. THE Complaints of the Sieur Genoyer against the Synod of Provence and Monsieur Maurice his Brother having been examined and the said Maurice heard speak in his own Defence on each of the Articles brought against him This Assembly judged that the said Genoyer ought not to have troubled them about such mean and slight Matters and which also are not proved and therefore from hence-forward interdicts him all such manner of Proceedings and in the mean while exhorteth the Provincial Synods to read over the Acts of the National that so whatever Matters have been decided in them may not be concealed from the Churches 2. This Assembly conserving the Honour of Monsieur Pascard permits him to exercise the Duties of his Ministry whenas ever he shall be requested thereunto by the Pastors and Consistories in the Province of Xaintonge and this according to the Discipline 3. Although the Appeal of my Lady de Juigne is not of the Nature of those Matters which ought to be presented unto the National Synods yet the Assembly taking Cognizance thereof and weighing the Reasons urged by the said Lady and the Motives oh which the Consistory of Pringey hath founded its Censure confirmed by the Judgment of the Synod of Anjou it decreeth That the said Censure shall be taken off and the said Lady is exhorted to give unto the Church of Pringey the generous Fruits of her Christian Charity and Bounty and that she would as liberally contribute to the Subsistence of that Church and of the Gospel there according to that large and plentiful Estate with which God hath blessed her as she hath done formerly c. to continue it for the future although she may for her greater Conveniency join her self in Communion with any other Church nearer to her 4. The Sieurs le Mousnier de Caux and de Bures appealing on behalf of sundry private Persons Members of the Church of Dieppe the Appeal brought by them from the Judgment given by the Provincial Synod held at Caen and the Provincial Deputies of Normandy and the Acts of those particular Persons aforesaid and of the afore-mentioned Synod and of their Commissioners and of the Consistory of Dieppe together with the Letters of the said Synod to the Church of Dieppe and of their Commissioners sent unto the said Church to see their Sentence executed in it having been all read This Assembly passing by the Defects in the Deputation of Monsieur le Mousnier and his Companions which are contrary to the Forms usually required and received in all Appeals and commending their Love and godly Zeal doth confirm the Judgment of the Synod of Normandy as being grounded upon Prudence and Charity and forbiddeth the Church of Diep and all other Churches of this Kingdom to receive unto the Exercise of the Ministerial Office among them one called Deschamps who by his fastious Pranks and Practices yea and since that the Synod of Caen had notified it by their judicial Decree hath himself publickly demonstrated that his Ministry can never edify nor profit that Church and the Consistory of that Church is blamed for their Imprudence for admitting him to preach among them without ever demanding or perusing his Attestations from the Churches in which he formerly served and from the Colloquies and Synods of which he was a Member whereby they have suffered him very inconsiderately to insinuate himself into the Affections of the People who demanded him to be their Pastor before they had any Knowledg of him And farthermore the Consistory of that Church is forbidden hence forward all Deliberations about either the Reception of any new or Exclusion of any old Pastor without having first consulted the Heads of Families belonging to their Church and according to the Canons of our Discipline it condemneth the Proceedings of the said Consistory who through an Excess of Rigour refused to grant unto the Plaintiffs their Liberty and Priviledg of Appeal whereby they were contrary to the Discipline reduced to a Necessity of making a tumultuous Deputation And whereas the Provincial Synod in decreeing the Exclusion of the said Des Champs did omit what would have principally contributed to their Satisfaction who demanded him for their Minister this Assembly taking the Church of Dieppe into its most particular Consideration doth promise the said Church of Dieppe to provide for them a third Pastor either within or without the Province yea and to ingage them to proceed unto the Reception of the Sieur du Bures recommended by the Testimonial of their Deputies and of the Province and this according to the Canons of our Discipline unto which that said Church is advised to conform it self and by its Union with their Consistory to preserve that Peace and Charity which ought to be among all Christians to the maintaining of which the said Sieurs le Mousnier de Caux and de Bures
Church which was also confirmed by the Synod of the Isle of France as also for that they refused him an Attestation which he would have used for divers Ends and Purposes The Assembly having heard the Deputies of that Province told him that his Affair was not of that nature as to be brought before a National Synod however out of special Favour to him they did permit him to discover his Grievances which being unfolded by him and considered occasion was thereby given of remonstrating to him his Offences committed by Words and Deeds and Proceedings against the Pastors and Consistory of the Church of Paris And farther it was declared to him that the Censures of the said Church had been inflicted on him by reason of his ill Deportments And farther he was exhorted to pay all Respect and Obedience unto his spiritual Guides and Rulers and to subject himself unto the Discipline of our Churches And finally he was injoined to acquiesce in what had been decreed concerning his Matters both by the said Church and the Provincial Synod All which he did immediately 9. The Judgment of the Province of Sevennes concerning the Ministry of Monsieur Soleil having been confirmed the Appeal brought by Mr. Vignolles and Roux was declared null and the Appellants worthy of Censure for their unreasonable Misconstruction of it 10. The Appeal of the Church de la Fitte was rejected because it ought not to be brought unto nor received in this Assembly Wherefore they were injoined to acquiesce in the Judgment of their Province 11. On reading that Clause in the last Will and Testament of the Lord de la Fon relating to the Legacy bequeathed by him for the educating a young Scholar in Humanity and the Arts who may one day serve the Church of God in the Sacred Ministry and the Judgment given by the Synod of Normandy upon it and the Memoirs of the Church of Baaly This Assembly disannulled that Judgment of the said Provincial Synod as also the Appeal of the Church of Baaly and confirmed the Decree of the last National Synod and now declareth and ordaineth That the said Church hath only nor ought it to have any other Interest in the said Legacy than its bare Administration for so the Lord de la Fon disposed of it in his Testament aforesaid for the maintenance of a Scholar and that it is the proper and special Duty of the said Church to be accomptable for it unto the Colloquy of Caen according to the Intention of the deceased Donor expressed in that Clause of his Will wherein he mentions the said Legacy And the said Colloquy or the said Church of Baaly are necessarily to be called in at that time when the Election of the Scholar is to be made and to be present at his Examen to judg of his Progress and the said Church if they please and have need of him may and ought before any other have the choice of him to be imployed in the Service of their Souls in the Ministry of the Word and Sacraments 12. The Deputies of Sevennes complained that the Synod of Lower Languedoc had several times attempted to provide for their vacant Churches out of their Province which is directly contrary to the Canons of our Discipline and have thereby reduced those two Reverend Ministers Mr. du Mas and de la Cosle to remain without employment This Assembly condemning such Proceedings doth recommend unto the Province of Lower Languedoc the Practice of the twenty fourth Canon made in the National Synod of Charenton in the Year 1623 Observation the second upon the Discipline And it being the desire of the Church of Alez as also of the Synod of Sevennes whereunto that of Lower Languedoc doth freely consent that Monsieur Button should be assigned to the Ministry of the Church of Alez he is by the Authority of this Synod given and confirmed to them for their Pastor 13. The Appeal of Monsieur Rouzé and of the Church of St. Andrew de l' Ancize was disannulled because the Affairs of their annexed Congregations ought to be soveraignly and finally determined by their own of the Neighbour-Provinces And this Assembly recommends the said Mr. Rouzé to the care of the Synod of Sevennes to provide for his comfortable Subsistence according to the Rules of Christian Charity 14. This Assembly passing by the Appeal of the Province of Xaintonge from the Judgment of that of Poitiers according to the Decree of the National Synod of St. Maixant held in May 1609 Article the nineteenth about â—ppeals leaveth the Family of the Lord du Brueil Goulard at liberty to join themselves unto the Church of Annay 15. To regulate that Contest between the Provinces of Xaintonge and Poictou the latter of these pretending to reunite the Church of Champagne Mouton with their Synod This Assembly confirming the Decree of the first National Synod of Charenton ordaineth That the said Church shall continue incorporated as it hath been to this day with that of St. Claud until the next Synod of Xaintonge which shall make some Provision for Monsieur Ferrand and by all fitting Means for the Subsistence of the Church of St. Claud and immediately after the breaking up of the said Synod the Church of Champagne Mouton shall be joined unto that of Courteilles and provided for to its liking and content by the Synod of Poictou and that said Synod shall take a most particular care that the Church of Vigean be not left destitute of a Pastor 16. This Assembly ratified the Judgment of the Consistory and Colloquy of Caen approved by the Synod of Normandy who declared the Appeal of Monsieur Fourneaux null and not receivable and ordaineth That the said Judicial Sentence be fully executed according to its purport and tenour in due form as to the deposing of the said Fourneaux And whereas he had been publickly suspended from the Lord's Supper and since he hath acknowledged his Offence for marrying his Daughter unto one of a contrary Religion publickly before a whole National Synod and he having been kept back from communicating at the Lord's Table this last Easter the said Suspension shall be taken off both from himself and Wise after that he shall have confessed in the Consistory his Sorrow for the Sin which his Conâ—â—vency hath brought into his Family 17. Upon perusal of the Judgment past in the Synods of Sevennes and Lower Languedoc and of the Letters of Monsieur Horle's Widow and the Memoirs of the Church of Anduze this Assembly declareth the said Church to have well deserved the sharpest Censures and therefore rejecteth their Appeal and confirmeth the judicial Sentence of both those Synods and enjoined that said Church to give full Satisfaction unto that poor and afflicted Widow 18. This Assembly receiving the Appeal of the Lord Chabassier Judg of Anduze and of Monsieur Couraut Pastor of the Church of Quissac and condemning the Facility of the Synod of Sevennes held at Sumene who without hearing of
Maeil Elder in the Church of Dieppe being chosen by the common Votes of the Pastors Elders and Heads of Families there and sent unto the Deputies of the Province of Normandy to move and intreat them to request that Mr. Texier who was freed from the Church of Mauvesin in the Province of Higher Languedoc might be given to them absolutely and the said Lords Deputies having introduced him into the Assembly to make his Demand in which also they joined with him After that Mr. Texier had been heard on the one part declaring how that for the Ingratitude of his Church he accepted of the Call given him by the Church of Dieppe upon Condition that his Province should judg it reasonable to set him at Liberty and with Design to oblige his Church by the Authority of the National Church to give him a full Satisfaction and on the other part the Deputies of Higher Languedoc complained that they were not in due time and place acquainted with his Intention and requesting that the Right of their Province might be intirely secured it having many Churches to be supplied which were destitute of Pastors and particularly the Church of Mauvesin which had sufficiently assured the said Texier that he should be paid the Arrears of his Wages The Assembly decreed that he should apply himself unto his Synod which is exhorted to see that he be fully satisfied and in case he be set free from his Church and that he cannot be commodiously provided for within his Province that then leave shall be given him to depart where he best liketh 3. The Assembly conserving to the Province of Berry the Right they have hitherto had over the Church of la Selle ordaineth that as long as it shall be supplied by the Pastors of the Isle of France it shall be under the Jurisdiction of the said Province which shall continue their Contributions towards the Subsistence of the Colledg of Chastillon 4. Forasmuch as the Assembly is not now in Possession of any Fund out of which those who have Recourse unto it might be relieved by its Charities Monsieur Falquet whose Necessities are very great is recommended unto the Province of Berry to be assisted and comforted by them either by allowing him some certain Portion out of their Alms or by recommending his afflicted Condition to be relieved by the more rich and populous Churches 5. The Deputies of the Province of Vivaretz relating the extream Poverty whereunto Monsieur Zuccond a Pastor emeritus hath been for several Years last past reduced by reason of his great Sicknesses Losses Expences and Imprisonments suffered from the Lord of Chanal and la Motte and that the precedent National Synods had in Consideration of his great Afflictions granted him a free Portion out of the Monies of his Majesty's Liberality and requested this Assembly that they would be pleased to vouchsafe him some sensible Tokens of their Charity and Compassion Answer was made them that forasmuch as the Churches had no Monies at all of their own nor now to be disposed by them the said Province was exhorted to take care of him for his comfortable Subsistence and Relief from among themselves 6. Whereas the Province of Sevennes had formed a Complaint against Monsieur James Pasquier Pastor in the Church of St. John de Breuil this Affair was turned over to the Judgment of the Province of Higher Languedoc 7. The Deputies of Bearn requesting that the Divisions which have been judged and condemned in the Church of Morlas maybe totally and effectually remedied and that there may be an End put unto the Complaints brought in by Monsieur Fabas against his Province and sundry particular Persons on the one hand and of divers others against him on the other that therefore some Deputies may be sent with an express Charge to take Knowledg of and give a final Judgment on all those Articles which could not possibly be examined or clearly inspected into in this Place and at so great a Distance The Assembly accepting the Offer of the Deputies of the Province of Bearn promising to bear their Charges who should to this Purpose be sent unto them did nominate the Sieurs Ferrand and Charles Pastors and Charron an Elder to receive the Information drawn up at the Request of Monsieur Rival by the Lord D'abbadie the Decrees past in Parliament against the Lords D'abbadie Rival and others who by Order of their Colloquy had admitted unto Communion at the Lord's Table some particular Persons of Morlas and generally all Papers whatsoever which have given Birth and Fewel unto this Fewd and Contention that so they may proceed to a final Judgment on the remaining Matters yet under Debate and Controversy And they shall bring in their Accompt hereof unto the next National Synod 8. To regulate the Pretensions of the Churches of Alanson St. Aignan and Mans about the Donative given for their Benefit by the Lady de la Harangere and destined to the Maintenance of some poor Scholars This Assembly ordaineth that according to the Tenor of the said Legacy the Administration of the Monies arising from it ought to be left in the Hands of the Church of Alanson and those two other Churches shall agree with it about the choice of him to whom the Pension shall be exhibited and that the first of these three Churches which shall be unprovided may proceed to receive and imploy him and that the Son of Monsieur Vignier Pastor of the Church of Mans who hath already received some Fruits of the aforesaid Pension shall injoy it and be preferred before all others in the Injoyment of it 9. Forasmuch as the Sieur de la Milletiere hath sent unto the Pastors deputed by the Provinces the first Part of a Book written by him intituled Les Moyens de la Paix Chrestienne en la Reunion des Catholiques Evangeliques sur les differends de la Religion divisé en quatre parties and the Title of the first Volume La Refutation de la procedure de Monsieur Daillé en son Examen and Letters also in which he asserts that he is moved hereunto by the sole Spirit of God for to reconcile the Differences in Religion He takes for granted that what he hath offered or may hereafter offer will be received without any Contradiction by all the Churches and presupposeth that all our first Reformers and their Successors were abused and do abuse themselves through a Misunderstanding which cannot be discovered but by them who shall admit his new conceited Lights And whereas he hath been too long even for the space of three Years tolerated and that the Church of Paris hath used all Endeavours to reduce him unto his Duty and that in the Articles contained in his first Script he hath designedly concealed his Opinions though under the very Phrases used by the Doctors of the Romish Religion and with which they are accustomed to express their own Sentiments and that in the second which he hath sent abroad
be Saved if they will or that God hath Counsels and Decrees which may be frustrated and shall never obtain their effect nor farther can I find where he saith That God hath taken away from Men their Natural Impotency to believe and convert themselves to him nor that he reduceth the Efficaciousness of the Regenerating Spirit to a variable suasion yea I find most express Protestations to the contrary insomuch that these Gentlemen under pretence of Honouring do Defame him wronging his Name and Memory in making him the Author and Father of these wicked Doctrines But the most grievous Accusation of all lags yet behind for these Gentlemen tax me for calumniating them by attributing things unto them which they never did spoke nor thought Now although this their Complaint be unjust yet have I great reason to give thanks unto God Almighty that they be ashamed of their own Doctrine and that by disavowing these Points so clearly taught by them they make Semblance as if they were about to give Peace unto the Church which they have so very much disturbed and that they were returning once again into the good old way I shall be exceeding glad that your Holy Assembly may accept of their Explanations of their Sentiments tho' they will be hard enough and there be very little appearance of it and that their Retractation may be taken for an Explication that so their Honour may be secured provided they do re-unite themselves with you upon these conditions I would willingly suffer them to repute me a Liar so that they might be found honest men and true However that I may be cleared from all suspicions of being a Reproacher and Calumniator I have extracted with very much Faithfulness some few passages out of their Writings which I now lay open before you that you may Judge whether I have Calumniated them and whether such Doctrines as theirs may be endured For my part I am of that mind That I need not at all trouble my self about these Accusations because that many Provincial Synods and many Professors and Pastors of Foreign Churches and Vniversities do join themselves with me in making the very self-same Complaints and do also accuse them of those very Errors particularly my Reverend Colleagues the Worthy Pastors and Professors in this our City of Sedan as you will see by this Writing unanimously Subscribed by us all and sent unto you which we most humbly intreat you to take into your Godly Consideration For if you should content your selves with a meer allaying of these Controversies and an Imposal of Silence on both Parties you will leave the Spirits of Men in suspence and put Error in the same Rank and Degree of Reputation with Truth and Foreign Churches and Vniversities who have been concerned for these new Notions will take your Silence not for a condemnation of Them but of the Truth Nor can you hope that witty men who have for divers years together laboured with an incredible ardor to maintain and promote their Doctrines should be kept within bounds by a poor simple Exhortation given them in an Assembly which is no sooner broken up but they be freed and delivered from all fear and will be at liberty to speak and write whatever pleaseth them If Medicines do not cure the Sick they make them worse and do the more irritate and increase the Distemper We not knowing when or whether the Lord will ever favour you again with another National Assembly it is very needful that before your Dissolution you should make use of the most Effectual Medicines which may be useful and serve as a Warning and Example to Posterity and to such as under the Shroud and Covert of new Expressions shall attempt to bring in and set up new Doctrines When I consider how that your Assembly is composed of persons endowed with a singular Zeal for the Truth and Glory of God and who are richly furnished with Learning and Prudence and who will not suffer themselves to be surprized by little Arts and crafty Sollicitations and hearing no tidings of these Gentlemens change of Language or that they have forsook their principal Propositions I am full of hopes that God will give good Success unto your Deliberations and that he will use you as effectual Instruments in his hand to corroborate and confirm our Vnion and by the same means to establish Truth and Concord among us all May the Lord God of Truth and Peace preside in the midst of you by his Holy Spirit and power forth abundantly upon your Persons and Holy Work and Ministry his best Blessings In him I am most Reverend and most Honoured Brethren From Sedan April 27. 1637. Your most Humble and most Obedient Brother and Servant Du Moulin A Letter of Monsieur Diodati Pastor and Professor in the Church and Vniversity of Geneva unto Messieurs the Pastors and Elders of the Reformed Churches of France Assembled by Permission of the King in the National Synod of Alanson craving their Licence and Permission for the Printing of his Latin and French Translation of the Holy Bible together with his Annotations upon it Messieurs and most Honoured Brethren GOd be Praised for the meeting of your Holy Assembly from which we promise our selves an Universal Blessing to be derived down upon all your Churches and that your Holy Discipline will be preserved and the Union and Purity of your Churches strengthed Having now an opportunity presented me I make bold to communicate unto you a private Affair of mine own which hath made a great noise in the World and according to the diversity of mens minds hath been entertained with various and different Censures It is my Labour on the French Bible on which having travailed very many years I have at length by the Grace of God finished it and after divers Revisals of it and Conferences about it have brought it unto Perfection and do now only wait for a little freedom from the strong opposition of some persons made against it that I may publish it to the World These Men pretend the sole Judgment of the Synod of Alez why it may not be Printed and therefore their keenness and contradiction cannot be removed by a less Authority than that of another National Synod equal to it which may receive full information and take full cognizance of the Cause 'T is very true that this being a Labour of Pure Innocent and Confessed Orthodoxy of an unreproachable Fidelity done by a Man who never ministred the least occasion to have the sincerity of his Faith questioned and who for many years hath given unto the publick an Essay of his small Talent in this kind of Work a Labour only designed and devoted for private Uses and Studies and which being the Common Right and the Practice of the Christian Church in all Ages and Nations methinks it should not have met with so many Oppositions nor be necessitated to sollicit your Assembly for a Licence especially sith that the last
confirm the Covenant of Grace propounded to us in the Gospel Ministry Answ Yes Quest How many Sacraments do you believe that there be in the Christian Church Answ Two Baptism and the Lord's Supper Quest Do you desire to be instructed in the Nature and Use of Baptism which you now demand of this Church of Christ Answ Yes Then the Minister shall say Our Lord sheweth us in what Poverty and Misery we are all born when he telleth us that we must be born again For if our Nature must be renewed that it may enter into the Kingdom of God then 't is evident that it is universally depraved and accursed whereof he admonisheth us that we may be humbled and displeased with oar selves and by this means doth he prepare us earnestly to petition for his Grace by which all that Corruption and Malediction of our first Nature may be abolished And we are not capable of receiving it till we be first emptied of all Confidence in our own Vertue Wisdom and Righteousness that so we may pass Sentence of Condemnation upon all that is in us And look as he remonstrateth unto us our miserable Estate so also doth he comfort us with his Mercy promising to regenerate us by his Holy Spirit unto newness of Life which will be the earnest of our entrance into his Kingdom This Regeneration consisteth of two Parts First that we deny our selves not following our own Judgment Will and Pleasure but resigning our Hearts and Understandings to be led Captive by the Wisdom and Righteousness of God and so mortifying our selves and all our fleshly Members here below we do then follow the Divine Light and take up our Complacency in Obedience unto his good Will and Pleasure revealed to us in his Holy Word and subject our selves to the Guidance and Government of his Holy Spirit Now the Accomplishment of both these is in our Lord Jesus whose Death and Passion is of such Vertue that by communicating in it we are as it were dead to Sin that so our carnal Affections and the Desires of our Flesh may be mortified In like manner by the Vertue of Christs Resurrection we rise up unto newness of Live which is of God inâ—smuch as his Holy Spirit doth guide and govern us and work in us those Works which are well-pleasing to him Yet the first and chiefest Point of our Salvation is that by his Mercy he freely pardons all our Sins not imputing them unto us and blotteth out the remembrance of them that so they may not be brought in Judgment against us All these Benefits are conferred upon us when he is pleased graciously to incorporate us into his Church by Baptism for in this Sacrament he testifieth unto us the Forgiveness of our Sins And to this purpose hath he ordained the Sign of Water thereby to signifie unto us That as this Element cleanseth away the Filth of the Body even so will he wash and purifie our Souls that there may not appear the least Spot upon them In the next place it holdeth forth unto us our Renovation which standeth as was said before in the Mortification of our Flesh and in that Spiritual Life which he effecteth in us So that we receive a double Grace and Benefit from God in our Baptism provided we do not disannul the Vertue of this Sacrament by our Ingratitude First That we have a most certain Token and Testimony that God will be a propitious Father to us not imputing our Sins and Offences to us Secondly That he will assist us by his Holy Spirit that we may be enabled to combat with the Devil Sin and the Desires of our Flesh until we have won the Victory and so enjoy the Liberty of his Kingdom which is a Kingdom of Righteousness For as much then as these two things be accomplished in us by the Grace of our Lord Jesus it followeth that the Vertue and Substance of Baptism is treasured up in him And indeed we have no other Laver but that of his Blood nor any other Renovation but what is in his Death and Resurrection which as he communicateth his Riches and Benedictions to us by his Word so also doth he distribute them abroad among us by his Sacraments And in this appeareth the wonderful Love of God towards us that these Graces bestowed on us having before the Incarnation of our Lord Redeemer been as it were locked up among the Jewish People and the Partition-Wall which separated between Jews and Gentiles being broken down by his Death he hath and doth shed abroad upon Mankind the saving Waters of his Grace in such abundance that now there is neither Jew nor Greek neither Male nor Female neither Circumcision nor Uncircumcision nor any outward Condition of Men that can exclude them from that great Salvation which is in him and which the Lord Jesus will have preached unto all Nations And the Covenant of his Peace is now ratified by Baptism according to the Commission which he hath given unto his Apostles saying Go ye and preach unto all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Quest And is it not true my Brother that you desire to be Partaker of this Grace by Baptism Answ Yes Quest But forasmuch as he that entreth into the House of God must look unto his ways lest he should prophane the Sanctuary and presume according to that Saying of the wise Preacher to offer the Sacrifice of Fools and ungodly Persons and that he ought to be clean purged from all Leaven of Error and Malice do you not detest from your Heart all Errors contrary to that sound Doctrin taught in our Churches Answ Yes Quest Forasmuch as we are now about to administer the Sacrament of Baptism unto you do you not protest to live and die in the Faith of our Lord Jesus which you have now confessed before us and to adorn it with an Holy Life and Conversation and to direct all your Thoughts Words and Actions to the Glory of God and the Edification of your Neighbour and to submit your self to the Order and Discipline of our Church in Conformity whereunto this Holy Ordinance must be inviolably maintained Answ Yes This being done the Minister shall add Let us call upon God that he may be entreated to give his Blessing to this present Holy Ministration O Lord our God! The most wise and merciful God! We praise and bless thy Holy Name for that Grace which thy good Hand hath deigned to bestow upon this thy Servant who lay in the profound Darkness of the Shadow of Death but is now enlightned by thee thou having caused the Day-Spring from on high with his quickening and saving Brightness to arise and shine in upon him drawing him from a most deplorable hardness of a stony Heart to mollifie and soften him delivering him from the Bonds of Death and restoring Life unto him Lord as thou hast took away the Veil that was upon his
should be united as it hath been for divers Years last past with it this Assembly doth approve both of their Reunion with the said Province of Vivaretz and of its being incorporated with that of Bonlieu 2. In Confirmation of the promises made by the National Synods of Charenton held in the Year 1631 the Second time at that Place and of Alenson in the Year 1637 unto Monsieur Chamier this Assembly resolveth stedfastly as soon as God shall have inabled the Churches that they shall be punctually performed 3. A Decree past that the Sieurs Constant and Bellot should be effectually paid what had been promised them by the foregoing Synods as soon as ever the Churches may recover a Fund for it and it shall be returned unto the Province of Xaintonge who had advanced before-hands the said Monies 4. For as much as the whole written Will and Testament of Monsieur Scoffier the Father produced in this Assembly hath not been in the least fulfilled although the National Synod of Alanson had strictly injoyned his Executors to perform it the Consistory of the Church of Nismes is ordered once again to call before them the Widow of Mr. John Scoffier Deceased who had applied to his own private uses the Monies belonging to Jaquemine his Sister tho she was by their own Father made Joint-heir with him that so she may make Restitution of what she had unjustly taken to her self and that by a false Information brought in by her unto the National Synod of Castres And in case she refuse to Discharge her Conscience in this particular then shall the said Consistory prosecute her with all the Censures of the Church according to the Discipline 5. Monsieur du Fresne producing Testimonials from the Province of Higher Languedoc of his Godly Life and most exemplary Conversation ever since the last National Synod and out of respect to his most Humble and Importunate Petition this Assembly granteth him his Desire and restoreth him to the Honour and Exercise of his Ministry of which he had been deprived these Fourteen Years And it was farther Decreed that the Act of the National Synod of Alanson relating to him shall be Rased and whereas his Name was enrolled among the Deposed it shall be now taken off the File and he shall be sent unto the Churches of Issoire Paillac Chazelle and Gazelle to serve them as their Ordinary Pastor All which shall be signified unto him by Letters 6. Complaints being brought in against Monsieur Amyraud Pastor and Professor in Theology at Saumur for Violating the Canons of the National Synod of Alanson by Printing his Book of Reprobation and some other of his Works and the Province of Anjou and the said Monsieur Amyraud who was deputed by the said Church and University of Saumur and charged with the Delivery of their Letters having remonstrated unto this Synod many and sundry Transgressions of those very Canons by several Provinces And the Provincial Deputies of Poictou being heard and also the said Amyraud both as to the Publishing of his Books and the Doctrin contained in them this Assembly being very well satisfied with his Explications and Sense given of his Doctrin agreeable to that of the Synod of Alanson and judging it best to bury in the Grave of Oblivion all those reciprocal Complaints brought in from all Parties hath as formerly dismissed the said Sieur Amyraud with honour to the Exercise of his Professorship wherein he is exhorted to employ himself with Courage and Chearfulness Moreover this Synod desirous for the future to settle a good arid lasting Peace in all the Churches and to satisfy the Requests of all the Provinces which have unanimously demanded the strict and punctual Confirmation and Observation of the Canons of the National Synod of Alanson doth most expressly forbid on pain of all Church Censures yea and of being deposed from their Offices all Pastors and Professors to go beyond those bounds in Writing Preaching or Disputing one against another upon those points declared and explained in the said Synod of Alanson or to publish any Books on those Subjects Moreover the said Professors shall be responsible for all their Lectures Theses and Disputations and their Provincial Synods shall be accomptable for them onto the National And all Students in Divinity are most expresly injoyned upon pain of being declared unworthy of ever serving in the Sacred Ministry to raise any Stirs or Debates about unnecessary Questions as concerning the Order of God's Decrees of Universal Grace by the Preaching of Nature which may lead and bring Men unto Salvation Points only propounded and advanced by pure Curiosity and for the Exercise of Mens Wits And all Examiners of our Proposans in order to the Ministry shall proceed in that business with very much Charity exacting from them nothing but what is demanded by the Canons of our Discipline and provided they give that Satisfaction which is requisite by signing the Confession of Faith the Liturgy of our Churches and the Canons of Alez Charenton and Alenson and this present Act they shall be approved and admitted 7. After Reading of this Canon which Monsieur Amyraud promised to observe and obey he petitioned the Synod that in case his Works might be opposed by Books printed in Foreign Parts without the Kingdom to the blasting of his Reputation License might be given him to defend his own Innocency and to make use of his Natural right in repelling injury and purging himself from all Blame and Reproach An Order passed that if any such thing fell out he should demand leave to vindicate himself from the Provincial Synod of Anjou who shall consider whether it will be expedient for his Consolation and the Churches Edification 8. Monsieur Grace producing his Accompts of Monies received and distributed to the Churches of Rochel Montauban and Castres shall carry them to the next Provincial Synod of Burgundy where upon his Bringing forth of the Acquittances this Accompt shall be concluded and past by the Authority of this Assembly CHAP. XI APPEALS 1. THE Churches of Divonne and Grilby in the Land of Gex appealing from a Judgment in pecuniary matters their Appeal is according to the Discipline sent unto the Province of Burgundy And the Deputies of that Province are Ordered to take into their Custody all Papers of both Sides relating to it 2. That right may be done the Church de la Fite upon their Appeal this Assembly judgeth that the Province of Lower Guyenne hath exceeded the stated Rules First In removing Monsieur de Bourdieu from the Church in that Town unto which he was by a particular Covenant obliged and without hearing the Church as is evident from the Acts of the said Provincial Synod 2. For fixing the said Monsieur de Bourdieu absolutely in the Church of Bergerac notwithstanding the Appeal of that of La Fite 3. That when the said Church of La Fite re-demanded their ancient Pastor they provided for them Monsieur Belon a Person never
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
a long and uninterrupted Possession without any Complaint brought in against him 2. For Suspending Monsieur Fazas the Younger maintaining his Father's Right yea since he had entred his Appeal without any the least regard had unto his Father's unjust Deposal from his Office in the Eldership 3. For refusing to notifie unto the Church the Restitution of the said Monsieur Fazas unto his Office whom they had Deposed although the Provincial Synod had ordered them so to do and that according to the Canons of our Discipline Moreover this Assembly Decreeth that the Judgment of that Provincial Synod shall be fully and most effectually performed and that the Pastors and Elders of the Church of Tonneins who shall not acquiesce in it shall be Censured and Suspended from their Offices by Monsieur Brignos another Copy hath Brinol Pastor of La Parande who was ordered by the Provincial Synod to inflict the Censures on them And the Lord of St. Blancard by reason that his House is Situated on the other side of the River shall be at liberty to joyn himself unto that Church which is nearest to him And farther all Consistories are strictly forbidden to bring any Appeals of this Nature unto these National Synods and although it be not our Intention to trouble our Selves with particular Customs which have obtained in the Churches about seating of Persons in our Temples yet we do declare our Judgment that there are less and fewer Inconveniences in leaving them free to all Comers than to assign them unto particular Persons of a Private Condition who have no Right nor Priviledge to arrogate and claim unto themselves a preheminence above any others 12. This Assembly desiring to preserve those Lords who have the priviledge of high Justice and other Gentlemen in the possession of those Advantages granted them by the Edict and doing right unto the Lord of Marcassargues upon his Appeal Ordaineth that the Province of Sevennes shall yield unto his Lordship's Demand upon those Conditions expressed in his Memoirs and produced by him in this Assembly to wit that the Pastors shall come unto his House at his Charges and without prejudice to those Religious Exercises which are to be performed formed on certain Days of the Week and that there be the like Consideration had for Persons of the same Quality and Character 13. A Man going by the Name of Michael dwelling at St. Stephens de val Franscisque being Condemned by the Provincial Synod of Sevennes to separate himself from the Niece of his Deceased Wife whom he had espoused Appealed unto this Assembly who having considered the Case judged that Monsieur Sauvage the Pastor and the whole Consistory of St. Stephen's had deserved the greatest Censures for their Disrespect shewn unto the Laws of the Land and the Canons of our Discipline in publishing the Banes of the said Michael and afterwards for having given him a Certificate of their Publication The Synod also of Sevennes was justly blamed for admitting a Fellow so deep in Guilt and engaged and resolved to continue in his Sin to take an Oath in their Presence And the Sieur Ausez is ordered to appear before the Provincial Synod of Lower Languedoc and to be accountable unto them for what he hath done in this business And the said Michael and his Wife are commanded to give Glory unto God and to refrain each others Company and no more to wound their Consciences by continuing in a Life so Scandalous Condemned by the Word of God and the Statute Laws of the Kingdom And whereas the said Consistory of Saint Stephens have took upon them by their Letters to maintain the Cause of these Delinquents and that there is very much reason to suspect that the Signature of Monsieur Barjon affixed to the Lower end of the said Letters is Counterfeited they shall be all carried to the next Synod of that Province which shall inform themselves of the matter of Fact and in case the Suspicion be found to be well grounded they shall immediately proceed to censure the Person or Persons guilty of this Forgery 14. The Acts and Memoirs sent from the Sieur de Combalasse and those Joyning with him on the One Party were read in this Assembly and on the other the Deputies of the Province of Higher Languedoc were heard giving in the Reasons of that Judgment which the Provincial Synod held at Mauvezin had prononuced both against the said Sieur de Combalasse and those who had Accused him Whereupon the said Judgment was Confirmed in all its Articles and Members And forasmuch as there have been very many Defaults in the Proceedings on all Hands which deserve a Censure it was Decreed that sith the Ministry of the said Sieur de Combalasse can be no longer Edifying to the Church of Realmont he shall be removed from it and another Pastor Substituted in his Stead And whereas upon Reading those Acts produced divers Articles of Accusation appeared which were not sufficiently cleared nor proved the Colloquy of Albigeois is charged at their next Meeting as also the Synod of higher Languedoc to revise this matter and to take new Information thereupon and as things alledged shall be averred and proved to apply the Censures appointed by our Discipline 15. Monsieur Guyonnet Pastor of the Church of Chastillon upon Seine having Appealed unto this Synod that right might be done him a Decree past that he should continue to serve the said Church one Year however until the Meeting of the Provincial Synod of Burgundy upon the breaking up of which he shall be at full Liberty And the Sieur de Carouge shall be sent unto the Church of Beaune to continue there for a time and at the departure of the said Monsieur Guyonnelt he shall be settled in the Church of Chastillon as its peculiar Pastor 16. That Judgment pronounced by the Province of Berry upon the Sieur de la Galere was Confirmed and his Appeal from it disannulled yet forasmuch as the said Province and that of Anjou in which he hath heretofore exercised his Ministry have given him an Honourable Testimony this Assembly Decreeth that he shall be left upon the Roll of Pastors who are by the National Synod to be distributed among the Churches and shall be imployed in such an One as the good Hand of God shall direct him to 17. The Sieur Codure formerly Pastor and Professor of Divinity in the Church and University of Nismes having sent Letters with a Diatribe of his Dedicated unto this Assembly in which he pretends to reconcile the Differences between the Protestants and the Church of Rome concerning Justification and demanded Audience of it According to his Request he was admitted to propound the Reasons and Motives of his Design Which having done there was a most serious Remonstrance made him of the great wrong he had done First Unto the Truth of God in taking upon him to reconcile Contradictory Opinions and utterly inconsistent one with the other And then Secondly How
needful for the Peace and Welfare of the Church of Vitre in Brittain that the Sieurs Petre and Jortain its Pastors should be removed from it because of the Misunderstandings and Divisions which have been between them for many Years together Moreover the Province of Anjou requested that the Church gathered at Terchant which was only joyned for some time to that of Vitre by the National Synod held there in the Year 1583 might be reincorporated with that of Laval because the said Church of Terchant lieth and is situated in the County of Laval and was from its first Foundation United to and a Member of that of Laval The Deputies of the Province of Brittain were also heard speak on behalf of their Synod who reported how opposite the Intentions of the Lady of Montmartin were unto this Separation because the Discords between the Pastors had divided the Body of the Church of Vitre which being at length tired with their Contentions and Debates in which they have been unavoidably ingaged through their Means did entreat by Letters the Lady Dutchess of Trimouille to get them discharged from their Ministry in it This Synod Decreeth that according to the desire of the said Lady Dutchess those Two Pastors who have hitherto served in the said Church of Vitre shall be transferred elsewhere And that Monsieur Jortan shall be sent unto the Church in the Isle of Gast and Lassay provided the said Monsieur Jortane and the Church do Consent unto it and the Church of Vitre shall be provided of a Pastor adorned with Gifts and Graces meet for their Edification And as for that of Terchant and Vieuville the Sieurs Basnage and de L'Angle together with the Sieurs Guesdon and Caillard or in case of their Lawful Hindrance then two other Pastors and Two Elders Members of the Colloquy of Constantin taking with them the Memoirs and Acts brought hither unto this Synod from the Church of Vitre shall pass over to it at the Charges of the said Church and shall proceed to Censure those Persons whom they find guilty of these Divisions And they shall send Monsieur Petre to the Church of Terchant and la Vieuville and that they may effectually compose the Discords which do trouble the Church of Vitre they shall endeavour to gain the Consent of the Lady of Montmartyn for the settling of Monsieur Petre in the said Church of Terchant and to yield unto the Dismembring of the said Church from that of Vitre and dispose the said Lady to follow the Intention of this Assembly And they shall give an Accompt hereof unto the next National Synod 23. Monsieur Huron Pastor of the Church of Barbigneres sent Letters with his Appeal from the Synod of Lower Guyenne which had interdicted him the publishing of some certain Discourses of his about State Affairs because they did not conceive them to be any wise Edifying unto the Church of God This Assembly Declareth that the said Appeal ought not to be admitted nor can it be of right brought before it and farther the said Huron is injoyned to acquiesce in the judgment of his Province 24. Monsieur Charron Advocate in the Parliament of Bourdeaux and Elder of the Church of Bergerac Complained and Appealed from the Synod of Lower Guyenne by the Mouth of the Lord of Pyrarede with whom he had deposited his Memoirs This Assembly reversing the Judgment of that Provincial Synod taketh off the Censure which was inflicted on him by the Colloquy of Perigord there being an Error in it and declareth that the Consistory of Bergerac hath acted very ill in their Proceedings and that the Sieur Jacob Tourneau having carried himself so unnaturally and unhumanly to his own Father as is publickly and notoriously known to the whole World ought not to have been chosen unto the Office of an Elder in that Church of Christ 25. The Synod of Higher Languedoc shall judge finally of that Appeal brought by the Church of Saint Foy which was condemned by the Synod of Lower Guyenne to pay the Arrerages due unto the Heirs of the Sieurs Hesparian and Mizaubin their Deceased Pastors for their Work and Service in the Ministery among them 26. The Appeal of Monsieur Crane shall be signified unto the Consistory of St. Maixant and by them carried unto the Synod of Xaintonge who shall by the Authority of this Synod pass a final Judgment on it 27. Mr. Giles Marchand Advocate in the Parliament of Rouen presented a Petition unto this Assembly requesting that there might be some Alteration made in the Government of the more Populous Churches of this Kingdom and he Complained that because he had insisted on such like Proposals he was Suspended from the Lord's Supper by the Consistory of the Church of Rouen and this Sentence of Suspension was Ratified by the Authority of the Provincial Synod of Normandy Answer was return'd him in these Words that the National Synod injoyned him to abandon these his Designs and Fancies which could never be effected according to his Intentions And inasmuch as he hath promised to acquiesce in what shall be here Ordained if he do let him be again admitted to Communion with the Church at the Lord's Table 28. The Sieur de Coutures Appealing from a Judgment given by the Isle of France and not sending any Memoirs to abet and maintain it his Appeal is declared null and void 29. Le Sieur Toussaints de Roussannes Appealing from the Synod of Lower Guyenne for giving leave to the Sieur de Blancard to sit ordinarily among the Elders in the Church of la Fite which they did out of respect to his Old Age and many Infirmities and because of those considerable Services he had done the Church of la Fite and not sending any Memoirs to sustain his Appeal it was declared null 30. Those Appeals of the Churches of Navarrins and Ortez from the Judicial Sentence pronounced in the Synod of Bearn held at Lambeze are declared null 31. Monsieur Rondel who had been Deposed from his Office of Elder by Sentence of the Consistory of Vitre which also was Confirmed by another of the Provincial Synod of Brittain having Appealed from them shall declare his Grievances unto the Sieurs Basnage and de L'Angle who are Commissionated by this Assembly to remedy those disorders in the Church of Vitre and to judge finally of those matters without any Appeal from them 32. The Sieur Aymin at present Pastor in the Church of Manosques Appealed from the Synod of Dolphiny held in the Year 1642 at Nyons which had by their Decree removed him from his Ministry in the Church of Die and given him liberty to provide himself elsewhere either within or without the Province according as the good Providence of God should direct him The Assembly having heard him open particularly his Grievances and the Answers made unto them by the Deputies of that Province doth Confirm the Decree of the said Synod of Nyons and at the request of those
Appeal from a Censure which he pretended was inflicted upon him by the Synod of that Province held at Mauze July 5 1656 because he refused to Baptize the Child of the Lord of Cyre at his Castle on an extraordinary Day The Assembly considering the Terms of that Censure which he produced mentioned no Censure at all it could not be perswaded that he had any ground of complaint in the least nor that such an Appeal should have been brought into this Assembly because Pastors should in all Affairs of this nature be guided by their Consistories and the custom of the Provinces And forasmuch as this Assembly is informed that the said Gaultier hath been for a long time without a Church the Province of Xaintonge was commanded to get him some Employment 4. Mademoiselle d' Argier Widow of the Deceased Pastor of that Name complained against the Judgment of the Synod of Lower Languedoc held at Vsez in the Year 1659 which had rejected her Petition and demand of the Annuity of her Widowhood from the Churches of Cormes and Florensac but her Appeal was rejected because the matters of that nature ought to be finally decided in the Provinces 5. The Sieur Bourdieu Pastor of the Church of Montpellier having presented unto this Assembly the Evidences and Memoirs of Mr. Peter Caffarel Syndic of the Inhabitants in the City of Montpellier professing the Reformed Religion by which he defends himself from the Appeals brought by the Sieur John Guillard and Mademoiselle Colombâ— and Esther Thalodiere de Degan about a difference between them concerning Seats in the Temple These Differences were remanded back again unto the Consistory of Montpellier there to be finally determined if they are not so already according to the Ordinances established in the last and in this present National Synod of Charenton 6. There were produced in this Assembly the Memoir of Monsieur David Blanc late Pastor of the Church of Vernoux who departed this Life about Two Years since and presented by his poor Children in behalf of their Dead Father to defend an Appeal of his from the Provincial Synod of Vivaretz held at Vals in April 1650. And they complained that the said Synod had removed him from his Church of Vernoux without so much as hearing him speak for himself so that he was for sometimes altogether destitute of Employment and without any Maintenance or Care had for him or his poor Families Subsistence After that the Deputies of the said Province were heard the Assembly did very much blame the Province of Vivaretz for removing the said Mr. Le Blanc from his Church without suffering him to defend himself and for not providing for his Subsistence all the while he was out of imployment and Ordained that there should be paid in unto his Children within the space of one Year the Sum of Two Hundred Livres by the said Province and by the Churches of Vernoux and of Velay each of them One Third And the Synod of Vivaretz is charged to see that the said Sum be paid in to the Children of the said Deceased Mr. Le Blanc within the time prefixed 7. On sight of the Letters and Memoirs of Monsieur Thubert the Father Pastor of the Churches of Cassagnoles and Marnjolles appealing from a Judgment past in the Synod held at Alez in the Year 1658 against him and for refusing to restore him unto his Church of Vezenobres from whence he was removed without any valid Reason given him and that because he had a right to re-enter into his said Church they to keep him out would pay him Fifty Livres a Year for his Life After that the Deputies of Sevennes had been heard and that the Memoirs containing the Reasons and Grounds of the Appeal brought from the said Judgment by the Church of Vezenobre which was ordered to pay Fifty Livres a Year unto the said Monsieur Thubert The Assembly vacated the said Appeal and hath also vacated the Judgment past against the said Church for the Yearly payment of Fifty Livres and dischargeth it from the said Payment without Restitution of any part of the said Monies to be made by the said Monsieur Thubert in case he hath received any 8. There was an Appeal brought by the Church of Xaintes from an Act of the Provincial Synod of Xaintonge held at Cazes in June 1659 for that as they were informed they had over and besides the great Catechism which is ordinarily used every Lord's Day ordained another to be used between the Morning Sermon and the great Catechism for Children in a familiar way by Questions and Answers and yet though this be not practised in any one Church of the Province the Church of Xaintes is called upon to conform to Order and to keep to Uniformity This Assembly being obliged to commend the Zeal and Diligence of the said Church in providing for their Instruction who are committed to its care judgeth that it had been much better if the said Province had left this Church in full Liberty or that when they gave it their Advice upon the difficulty which was discovered in the Order of the said Church and that for a long time hath been upheld and maintained in it about the time chosen by them for their Catechisings the Province it self had found out some other means more meet and fit to produce those good effects and fruits which they have yielded and which might have been exempted from those inconveniencies which it hath found in the said Church and whereunto it might have conformed And therefore exhorteth the said Church and all other Churches in this Kingdom to strengthen themselves and to be incouraged in this laudable Design and to promote to the very utmost of their Power the instruction of particular Members according to that Canon made and established in this present Assembly 9. The Letters and Memoirs of the Sieurs Vulson Des Grands Prez Dâ— Bâ—â—f and Calvet Doctors of Physick Fellows of the Colledg of Physicians Fellows of the Colledge of Physicians at Grenoble and Professors of the Reformed Religion were Produced and Read in this Assembly by which they complained of Monsieur Gros Pastor of the Reformed Church at La Mure for having transgressed the 18th Article of the first Chapter of our Ecclesiastical Discipline which forbiddeth Ministers to practise Physick and that the Synod of Dolphiny held at Vegnes in September last of this Year 1659 had not took an effectual course to restrain him The Letters also of the Sieurs Gros were opened and perused and the Deputies of the Province of Dolphiny were heard speak on this matter After all Parties had been heard this Assembly not finding any proof against the said Mr. Le Gros that he had of late transgressed nor since that Act of the Consistory of Grenoble June 17 1659 he was only injoyned precisely and exactly to observe the sense and intention of that Eighteenth Article of our Church-Discipline under the Penalties therein contained 10. The Sieurs
de Billieres Crumel Codere and Durassus deputed by a great part of the Inhabitants of Montauban who stile themselves the Directors of the Heads of Families in the said City as appeared by a Letter dated the Twenty Fifth of October 1659 brought divers Complaints and Accusations against Mr. Joseph Arbussy Pastor of the Church there and other Letters against the Consistory and the Senate of that University for that he the said Arbussy and the Sieurs Le Clerc and Caussade Advocates Deputed by the Consistory of Montauban and the extraordinary Council of that University as was evident from their Letters of Commission and by an Act bearing date the Twenty Ninth of October 1659 had forbidden those Heads of Families before-named by Mr. Billieres and his Fellow-Deputies to assemble and act together The Deputies of Lower Languedoc and the Sieur Boudet Pastor of Caussade were heard all of them speak for themselves and for those Persons who opposed the Synod of Realmont and all their Assertions and Denials having been patiently heard and considered the Assembly did upon the whole appoint Commissioners to examin and make good those respective Acts which were produced by both Parties Plaintiffs and Defendants that so upon a clear and full knowledge of the Cause Justice might be done The said Commissioners having made their Report and both Parties having been heard once and again yea and divers times upon all that they had to declare and many Papers having been read over again and again in the Assembly that all the Members of which it was composed might have a full and clear Idea of the whole Affair the plain truth of the matter appeared to be thus With respect to Mr. Billieres and his Consorts they have failed in these following particulars 1. That they began their Prosecutions of Monsieur Arbussy upon very slight and trifling Accounts and by a Cabal which is expresly forbidden by our Discipline 2. And that they demanded positively in a peremptory manner of the Consistory to call an Assembly of the Heads of Families that they might bring before them their Articles of Accusation against Monsieur Arbussy without ever expecting the Judgment of the Consistory thereupon 3. That they have appeared before this Assembly by a Publick Notary contrary to our Canons 4. That because the Acts demanded by them were not immediately nor the next Day delivered to them they did precipitantly withdraw themselves from under the Jurisdiction of their Consistory by appealing from it unto the Provincial Synod 5. For that some of them seeing the said Monsieur Arbussy going into the Pulpit to Preach went out of the Church with much irreverence 6. For that among their Articles against the said Mr. Arbussy there were some which in themselves were of no moment nor worth the mentioning and others founded upon conjectures without proof and one in particular urged with that Passion and Uncharitableness as in no wise became Christians for they published a Secret to the World that was never known before and which when it was throughly inquired into it could not in the least be proved And 7. Lastly That in the management of the whole Affair they have discovered more Passion than Zeal for God's Glory For these causes the Assembly judgeth that they have deserved very great Censures and adviseth them that for the future they do not violate the Rules of our Discipline and Christian Moderation 2. As for the Consistory 't is evident they have failed in these points following First Inasmuch as they have not been so careful as they ought to extinguish the Fire of this Contention in its first eruptions by some charitable condescention Secondly And that instead of counselling the Sieur Arbussy to obey the Order of the Synod of Mauvoisin they concluded on the contrary Thirdly For that they have suffered several Scripts to be Printed which are totally prejudicial to our Liberties and Priviledges granted us by the Edicts and that when they audited their Accounts who procured the impression of those Scripts they allowed them all their Charges And Fourthly That they having given just occasion unto the Commissioners of the Synods of Vsez and Mauvoisin to complain of them Wherefore this Assembly judgeth that all these their Miscariages be remonstrated to them with Life and Power and that they be exhorted to discharge that Holy Office and Trust in which they be imployed with all requisite Charity Prudence and Integrity 3. And as for the Senate of the University of Montauban they also were found Faulty First In that when as the Ordinary University Council had deputed the Sieur Crumel to the Synod of Lower Guyenne the extraordinary Council assembleth not only without the knowledg and consent of the Ordinary contrary to the Canon of the National Synod of Alez but which is worse meerly in prejudice and out of opposition to the Rector Secondly And that this extraordinary Council did depute the said Sieur Arbussy unto the said Synod of Lower Guyenne for the self same matter for which Monsieur Crumel had been Deputed by the Ordinary Thirdly Item And for that several Scholars being armed with their Swords and walking up and down the City in this Equippage they did not check and restrain them as they ought with that Severity which was requisite And the Assembly passed the same Judgment upon their Proceedings as upon the Consistory Fourthly As for the Provincial Synods of Mauvoisin and Vsez and Realmont this Assembly saith that although that of Mauvoisin might according to the strictness and rigour of our Discipline have remanded that Affair of Monsieur Arbussy aforesaid unto the Consistory of Montauban which had neglected to judge of it yet is their Prudence applauded and all their Proceedings about Monsieur Arbussy approved But as for that of Lower Languedoc it is declared an Incompetent Judge And as for that of Realmont their Act in choosing Monsieur Arbussy for Moderator or Assessor is disallowed not only because he had no Letters of Commission to them but also for that he had business of importance in that Synod to be determined This also is disapproved that they never debated nor opined upon that opposition which was made by sundry Pastors and Elders against the Election of Monsieur Arbussy to be their Assessor And farther this is disapproved that after the return of the Opponents immediately the Affair of Monsieur Arbussy came under consideration instead of passing on to some other matters whereby they might have re-united the Spirits which were already divided and for that they chose another place besides the Ordinary for their meeting separately from those who were of the opposite Party And as for Monsieur Boudet Pastor of Caussade and the other Opponents they are blamed and censured for their departure from the rest of the Assembly their Action tending unto Schism And as for what concerns Mr. Arbussy 't is evident that he hath failed in these ensuing Articles 1. In uttering very injurious Words against those who went cut
the Members of that Flock which God hath committed unto his Charge and to forget as becomes a good Pastor all past matters And the Province of Poictou shall take care that they do not grant unto the said Mr. Bely hereafter a Liberty of Communicating in the Church of Fontenay as they had done formerly Which being declared unto both Parties they did reciprocally give each other the right Hand of Reconciliation 12. The Sieur Hesperian came unto this Assembly complaining of a Decree of the Provincial Synod of the Lower Guyenne held at Montpazier July 1659. by which because of the differences between him and Mrs. Mary Betoulle there were Commissioners assigned them who having examined their Papers did not find any reason why they should proceed to a Condemnation of the said Hesperian but rather to justifie him yet nevertheless he having been for want of a Decree in the Court of the Edict at Guienne forfaulted and having two Witnesses who were never confronted he referr'd the whole business unto the determination of the Province which had declared they saw no cause why the said Hesperian should be condemned and yet notwithstanding till a Decree should be gotten from the Chamber of the Edict he was ordered to forbear the Exercises of his Ministerial Calling untill such time as he could be justified by the Court of the Edict after which he might warrantably enter upon his Office yea and without waâ—â—ing till the sitting of another Synod and that he might be re established according to our Canons in due Form the Consistory of Bourdeaâ—x was depâ—ted by the Authority of the said Synod to take care of him in this Interim and to provide him the first Church that should be vacant and that he should like to accept of and the said Mrs. Betoulle complâ—â—â—ed of this very self same Decree by the Mouth of Monsieur Betoulle a Proposan her Brother who hath presented on her behalf a Letter unto this Assembly maintaining in it that the said Hesperian ought to be deposed from his Ministry On hearing the whole matter this Assembly confirmed the Judgment of the said Synod of Montpazier And whereas the said Hesperian complaineth of Mr. Betoulle Minister of the Church of Duras the Assembly hath dismissed those Complaints of his over to the said Province of Lower Guienne to take Cognisance of and give Judgment in them 13. Whereas the before-mentioned Mr. Hesperian desired this Assembly to interpret their Decree concerning the differences betwixt him and Mrs. Mary Betoulle and his Justification in the Court of the Edict in Guienne The Assembly declared that it was none of their Intention to tie up the said Mr. Hesperian that he must only obtain his Justification from the said Court of the Edict in Guienne but that if it should so fall out that his Law-Suit should be removed from the said Court and brought into another and there he should be absolved and justified iâ— should dâ— as well and obtain the same effect as if it had been ordained in the Chamber of the Edict of Gienne 14. On perusal of the Memoirs of the Colloquy of middle Poitou brought in to defend an Appeal of theirs from a Judgment given by the Colloquy of Lower Poitou held at Chef-Boutonne whenas their Synod was assembled in September 1659. and which refused to dismember the Churches of Collonge and Foussay that so the Colloquy of Middle Poictou might be corroborated This Assembly decreed that there should be nothing innovated on this account but things should stand as they were 15. The Committee appointed to peruse the Memoirs 〈◊〉 Lâ—tters sent by the Churches of Montendre Ozillac and Fontaâ—â—â—â— to maintain their Appeal from the Judgment of the Synod of Xaintonge held at Marans in the Year 1650. by which Mr. Hamilton was constituted Pastor of the Church of Jarnac Having brought in their Report and the Deputies of that Province having given in the Reasonâ— prevailing with that Synod to pass that Judgment which they did This Assembly disallowing the precipitate Removal of Mr. Hamilton to the Church of Jaâ—â—â— done before the time â—llotted him doth confirm the said Judgment because it is evident that the special Grounds and Conâ—â—â—â—â— it were the knowledge which that Synod had of Mr. Hamilton's indispositions And whereas the Church of Ozillac demands our Advice 〈◊〉 thâ—y 〈◊〉 remanded back unto their own Province 16. The Memoirs of the Church of Pons having been reporâ—â—l and their Letter written unto this Assembly read which was indeed a Defence of their Appeal from the Judicial Sentence of the Synod of Xaintonge held at Mauze in the Year 1656. by which Monsieur Prioleau was presented to the Pastoral Charge of the Church of Rochell and the Deputies of that Province being heard this Assembly confirming the Censure of the said Synod past on the Sieur Priouleau for his Conduct with reference to the Church of Pons doth blame the said Province for not admitting the Appeal of the said Church and for their approving of the Remittal of those Arrearages due unto the said Priouleau whereby to facilitate the Execution of their Judgment in removing a Pastor from his Church and yet notwithstanding it doth confirm the said Mr. Prioleau in his Ministry to the Church of Rochel 17. Report was made of the Letters and Memoirs of Mr. Genoyers Pastor in the Province of Dolphiny appealing from a Judgment of the said Province assembled at Veynes in 1659. which had discharged him of all Employment either within or without the Province and had took no care for his present Subsistence or future establishment Upon hearing the Deputies of the said Province this Assembly rejected the Appeal of the said Mr. Genoyers and confirmed the Judgment of the said Province yet nevertheless it recommends the said Genoyers unto the Care of that Province to provide a Church for him according to their Prudence and if it be possible and the said Genoyers is enjoyned absolutely to submit himself to the Orders of his Synod 18. The Business of Mr. Morus My Lord his Majesty's Commissioner before the Committee appointed for the Affair of Monsieur Morus had begun to debate it and bring in their Opinion upon it declared unto this Assembly that before ever this business was pleaded he had permitted both Parties to produce all Evidences that they should see fitting and needful for them and having since found in the Hands of the said Committee Writings Papers and Copies which were produced by the Sieur Papillon and which the said Lord Commissioner took notice to have been transmitted from Holland in Defence of the Synods held at Tergow and Nimeguen against Mr. Morus which said Writings and Letters he the said Lord Commissioner had left with the Committee that they might be the better enabled to make a Report of the whole matter without ever detaining any of them in his Hands although he had Order from his Majesty to suppress all Letters that were sent from Holland or from
Foreign Parts without the Kingdom and that he should not suffer them to be divulged or sold in this City of Loudun and this he did that neither the Parties concerned nor the Synod it self should complain that without those Paperâ— Pieces and Writings they could not come to a perfect knowledge of the bottom of this Affair and to judge aright of it In pursuance hereof and for these Considerations before mentioned the said Lord Commissioner declared that he did now also give full Liberty to all the Deputies who were in this Synod Judges of this matter to peruse those aforesaid Papers and Evidences as they should think meet and according to the Priviledges granted by his Majesty to his Subjects of the Reformed Religion by the Edicts and according to the Discipline received in our Churches and approved in France by the Laws and Customs of the Kingdom but without allowing them to subject themselves to any Foreign Authority Jurisdictioâ—◠〈◊〉 Judgments or to send Monsieur Morus unto any other Judges than â—â—ose of his said Kingdom to be tried by them and to undergo their Judicial Sentence this being contrary and prejudicial to his Majesty's Authority to his Ordinances and Edicts as also to the Weal and Rights and Priviledges of his Subjects All which it was his Lordships Pleasure should be inserted into the Act containing the Judgment of this National Synod upon this affair The Sieur Papillon Advocate in Parliament and Elder in the Church of Paris being admitted to produce his Arguments in defence of those Appeals brought both in his own Name and in that of Monsieur Beauchamp an Advocate and Elder also in the same Church from the Judgments given in the Synod of the Isle of France held at Ay in May last of this Year now current 1659 by which Monsieur Morus was conferr'd upon the Church of Paris to be their Minister and from those Members of the Consistory of that Church who had Ordered the said Mr. Morus to be confirmed in it notwithstanding their Appeal and for refusing to give him leave which he had demanded to pass into Holland according to his promise there to justifie himself from those Imputations laid upon him and for that they censured him the said Papillon for Appealing from them He was heard in this Assembly and the Assembly took notice of what he urg'd on behalf of his Appeal and heard him patiently in whatever he had to offer against those Judgments aforesaid And also Monsieur Morus was heard defend himself and explaining matters relating to him as were the Deputies of the Province of the Isle of France and those of the Consistory of the Church of Paris in defense of their Judgment and in their demand of the Ministry of the said Monsieur Morus And there was heard the Report made by the Committee appointed for a more exact Reading and Verification of all Papers and Writings and what Judgment had been past on the Excuses and Denials of both sides the Examination of this important business ate up several Days This Assembly having rightful Authority to judge herein and the rather for that the Synod of Nimeguen whose Act was now Read had remitted the whole unto the Prudence Discretion and Charity of this Assembly to do in it what it should conceive would most contribute to the Glory of God the advancement of the Kingdom of Christ and the upholding of that Holy Correspondence which hath always been betwixt the Reformed Churches of France and those of the United Provinces did take and retain the cognizance of this affair unto it self and declared that it found no cause obliging it to condemn the said Sieur Morus nor to blast the Reputation of his Person or Ministry but on the contrary that it had sufficient Reasons to dismiss him justified from all those grievous Slanders and Accusations which were brought into this Assembly against him Wherefore it declareth him innocent of those crimes which were imposed on him and having perused those advantagious Testimonials given him by the Magistrate Pastors and Professors of Divinity in the City of Geneva by the Pastors and Professors of Divinity in the City of Middleburg by the Burgomasters and Curators of the City and Illustrious School of Amsterdam and by divers Pastors and sundry other private Persons whose Names and Probity are celebrious and well known to this Assembly and considering the great Edification which the Church of Paris receiveth from his Ministry and their vehement desires urged with the greatest importunity that he may be continued to them this Assembly doth Establish and Confirm him in the said Church to discharge the Office and perform the Duties of an ordinary Pastor in it And making Reflections upon what hath been transacted in the Synods of La Ferte au Col and D'Ay and in the Consistory of the Church of Paris on occasion of the said Monsieur Morus it censureth that Synod of La Ferte for having judged the said Monsieur Morus when he belonged not unto them nor was under their Jurisdiction and only because an Impeachment against him had been brought before them and for that they never exacted of him in order to his Induction into the Church of Paris but a simple License of departure from the Curators of the Illustrious School of Amsterdam without making mention of his Testimonial from the Church And the Synod of Ay is censured for assuming to themselves a power of judging the competency or incompetency of the Synod of Tergou over which they had none Authority and that in speaking of that Synod they used very unbecoming Expressions and reflected unhandsomly upon their Judgment and confirming the Censures issued out by the said Synod of La Ferte against the Consistory of the Church of Paris it doth ordain that the Canons of our Discipline about the Election and Confirmation of Pastors shall be observed with greater exactness than hath been done in this Call given unto and Reception of Monsieur Morus by the Church of Paris And as for the Sieur Papillon the Assembly hath taken off the Censures inflicted on him by the Consistory of the Church of Paris and doth fully acquit him from it and declareth that there was no reason for denouncing any Censure against Monsieur Beauchamp And after grave and serious Counsels and Admonitions given unto Monsieur Morus about his Conversation which was not managed with that circumspection as was requisite and advice unto him to be more careful for the future that the mouth of Calumny which hath been wide and loud open against him may be stopped he was injoyned more particularly to look to it that he offended no Man by his Words or Writings and that he labour to the utmost of his Power to preserve Peace and to calm and reconcile the Spirits of Men of all Perswasions to himself and to regain their Love and Amity from whom he is departed 19. It being represented unto this Assembly that their Act made about Morus Mr.
with divers Slanders not only against private Persons but also against the Provincial Synod and Consistory of the said City and the last Synod of Bauge is very much blamed for permitting the Impression and Publication of a Book entituled Les Pieces Authentiques And this Assembly confirmeth the Judgment of the Synod of Saumur in what concerns the Sieur de Beaujardin exhorting all Parties to lay by all their Resentments conceived one against the other upon the score of those injurious Words and Writings and to declare that they have no Intention in the least of harbouring them any more nor of persisting in them but that contrary wise they do acknowledge one another for Persons of Integrity and Honour and exempted from all Blame and Reproach and in this Quality they shall give each other the Hand of Reconciliation And to prevent all Differences for the future the Provincial Synod of Anjou is enjoyned to proceed against the Transgressors according to the Rigour of our Church-Discipline even to the last Censures and in case an Appeal should be entred the Provincial Synod of Brittaine shall take cognizance thereof and pass Judgment in it which shall hold good till the meeting of the next National Synod And as for those differences in the University of Saumur this Assembly giveth full Liberty unto the said University of chusing its Professors in Divinity proceeding therein according to its ancient Canons and Monsieur Royer Doctor of Physick is confirmed in his Office of Counsellor to the said University and the Sieur Doul in that of Professor of Eloquence without suffering the said Nomination to be made a Precedent and on this condition that the said Professor Doul do every three Months keep a publick Act. And this Assembly hath likewise approved and ratified that Canon of Agreement betwixt the Consistory and the said University for taking cognizance of all Affairs depending upon both those Assemblies And that this present Decree may be put in Execution the Sieurs Guitton and de Bourdieu Pastors and the Sieur des Champs an Elder are deputed to pass over unto Saumur and to visit the said Church which is ordered to defray their Expences 22. The Sieur John Nicholas a Bookseller Deputy from the Company of Merchants and Burgesses Members of the Reformed Church of Grenoble having presented to this Assembly Acts and Memoirs fraught with Complaints against the Consistory of the said Church occasioned by reason of a difference risen betwixt them and the Attornies in the Parliament and Court of the Edict there about Seats in their Consistory and demanded on behalf of their Principles the Merchants afore-named that the 7th Canon in the third Chapter of our Discipline might be observed the Substance of which was That neither Deacons nor Elders should claim any Primacy or Dominations the one over another be it either in their Nomination unto the People or in their place of sitting or in their Order of Voting And the Provincial Deputies of Dolphiny being heard and the Committee having made their Report the Assembly remandeth back this Affair to the Consistory of that Church of Grenoble to judge ultimately therein according to that Power given it by the Canons of the National Synods and the said Consistory is enjoyned to see that the said Canon of our Discipline be most exactly observed and censureth those Persons who opposed the said Consistory 23. The Provincial Deputies of Berry having advised the Church of Gergeau of the calling of this present National Synod and ordered them to appear before it to support their Appeal entred by them against the Judgment of their Provincial Synod held at Blois by which the Sieur la Tanne their Pastor was licensed to quit both that Church and Province and no Person appearing for them nor sending any Memoirs in Defence of their Appeal it was declared null and void 24. The Sieur du Vals Pastor of the Church of Aimargues appealed from the Judgment of the Synod of Lower Languedoc held at Vsez about the Differences held between him and the Sieur de Richeres Pastor of the Church of Vielle Ville This Assembly not finding matters as yet ripe for a compleat Decision hath dismissed them over to the Consistory of the Church of Alez who shall judge finally therein and without Appeal from them 25. There was an Appeal brought by the Consistory of the Church of Arvel from those Judgments past in divers Synods of the Province of Xaintonge about some certain Seats in the Temple of the said Church And the Deputies of that Province were heard who declared that they never had any notice given them of the said Appeal nor that it was to be prosecuted in this Assembly And that the Synod of their Province had not any knowledge of this Affair but only the contending Parties This Assembly without demurring on those Judgments passed by the said Synod of Xaintonge remanded back again this Affair unto the Consistory of the said Church of Arvel there to be determined according to the Canons made in this and former National Synods And as for other Affairs mentioned in the Memorial of the said Consistory relating to the Lady of La Monerie and the joyning of the Church of Braize to that of Mornac and that of the Lord of Forgiris to the said Church of Braize or of Arvel this Assembly hath dismissed them over to the Provincial Synod of Xaintonge 26. Mr. James Collin having sent no Memoirs to uphold his Appeal from that Judgment of the Provincial Synod of the Isle of France held at la Ferte au Col in the Year 1657. by which the said Synod declared that they met with nothing in that Act of the Consistory of Vitry dated February the 14th of the same Year which might induce that Consistory to censure the said Collin as he imagineth that they have done or that he was the Author of those matters contained in the Memorials produced by him against the Siuer Anguenet one of the Pastors of said Church of Vitry nor could they find in the said Act any Censure against him the said Mr. Collin for which Reasons they believed that his Appeal was needless All which considered this Assembly declared that the Appeal of the said Mr. James Collin from the aforesaid Judgment of the Synod of La Ferte au Col is null and void 27. Monsieur Paullet formerly Pastor in the Church of Vsez but at present Minister in the Church of Vaux and Province of Lower Languedoc did exhibit in his own Name and on behalf of the Magistrates Consuls and Common Council and of divers Heads of Families Members of the said Church the Reasons of their Appeals brought against the Judgments of the Synods of Montpellier in the Year 1654. and of Vsez in the Year 1659. and of Montpellier in the same Year as also why they opposed the Call of Pastors and Elders here undernamed in the said Church of Vsez The Provincial Deputies of Lower Languedoc and particularly
the Sieur de Foissac Elder in the said Church of V sez Agent for the Consistory and Assembly of the Heads of Families in the said Church held in their Temple the 28th of September last were heard in their Answers unto those Appeals and Oppositions before mentioned The Committee also gave in their Report of all Matters Papers and Acts read and perused by them and which the said Parties had offered or would produce Upon the whole this Assembly confirmeth the Judgment of the Synod of Montpellier in the Year 1654. and declareth the Reasons and Grounds of that Appeal of Monsieur Paulet to be null and void and that he ought not to pretend to be restored unto the Church of Vsez unless ....... please scan all 6 occurences found he be called according to the Canons of our Discipline yet nevertheless it dismisseth the said Paulet with Honour unto the Service of the Church of Vaux unto which his Person and Concerns are recommended and the Consistory of the Church of V sez is blamed for having brought against him injurious and unproven matters as also for threatning the said Paulet with Suspension in case he should stand by his Appeal and for declaring that all other Synods were incompetent Judges in this Affair Moreover this Assembly confirmeth Monsieur Manuel in his Ministry to the Church of V sez And as for the Sieurs Lombard and Railly they shall abide in the same condition as they be at present until the next Synod of the Province which may if it please either confirm them in the Ministry of the said Church or discharge and give them their Liberty and this however without approving the Custom of the said Province of sending Pastors unto a Church destitute for a Year or a certain time only And the said Province is enjoyned for the future to conform itself unto the practice of the other Provinces and to the Canons of our Discipline And as for what concerns the Sieurs de Roche Ravanel Licon and Folheri Elders in the Church of V sez although the Consistory have been Faulty in their Call of them unto Office yet nevertheless this Assembly doth confirm them in their said Office and the rather for that since their Establishment they have discharged the Duties thereof very profitably and for sundry other Considerations not now to be mentioned 28. The Sieur Guenard formerly Pastor in the Church of Eureux appealed from the Judgment of the Synod of Alanson held in the Year 1651. by which for his scandalous Life he was deposed but not appearing to make good his Appeal it was declared null and void 29. The Sieur German Gaultier appealed from that Judgment of the Synod held at St. Lo for suspending him the Holy Ministry But the said Gaultier nor any one else appearing for him to maintain his Appeal it was declared null 30. Monsiur Girard having brought Appeals from the Judgments given in the Synods of the Province of Burgundy held at Issurtille and Bussy in the years 1649. and 1651. And whenas the the Memoirs of the said Girard were perused and the Copy of that Legacy bequeathed by Mr. Heliot a Master Surgeon deceased had been considered and the Provincial Deputies of Burgundy heard and the Committee appointed to examin and verifie all Papers produced on both sides had made their Report this Assembly by reason of the present state of the Church of Beaune doth confirm those self-same Judgments from which Monsieur Girard had appealed 31. Monsieur de Fauquembergue formerly Pastor in the Church of Senlis entred his Appeal against the Judgment of the Provincial Synod of Charenton held the 25th of April 1653. by which he was suspended from the Ministry and from another of the Committee assembled at la Ferte Col the 4th of July 1655. who met by Authority of the Synod of the Isle of France held at Charenton the 22d of April 1655 by which he was totally deposed and from another of La Ferte au Col in April 1657 which did not only confirm the said Deposition but pronounced and executed a Sentence of Excommunication against him The said Sieur de Fauquembergue was heard declare the Grounds and Reasons of his Appeal and of its Defence The Deputies also of the Isle of France were heard speak in behalf of their Synod and the Committee appointed for the examination of this Affair and all Pleas on both sides were debated and judged Wherefore upon the whole this Assembly could not approve of several irregularities which it had observed in divers Proceedings of the Synods of the Isle of France against the said Sieur Fauquembergue and above all in his Excommunication which was done without any observation of the Forms prescribed by our Discipline and declareth that the said Sieur Fauquembergue had deservedly incurred a Deposition from the Ministry for the many Troubles and Scandals which he hath caused by his disorderly conversation and for continuing the Functions of his Calling after that he had been deposed and for seeking redress from Secular Judges the Civil Magistrate whereby he upheld himself in a notorious violation of the Orders and Canons of our Discipline But forasmuch as he hath humbled himself in this Assembly and begged Pardon of God for his Offences and expressed his Sorrow for having spoken and written Calumnies and Slanders against sundry Pastors and Elders of the Church of Paris and others of the said Province of the Isle of France and elsewhere and for that he hath promised to forsake all his Law-Suits Commenced against some of those Pastors Elders and other Persons and to prevail with those particular Members of the Church of Senlis that had joyned with him to lay down all their Prosecutions This Assembly desiring to extend favour to the said Fauquembergue hath taken off from him his Excommunication and changed his Sentence of Deposition into a Suspension of Six Months at the end whereof he may return to the exercise of his Ministry bringing with him a Certificate sufficiently attested from the Places of his Abode of his unblamable Conversation of which the Synod of the Isle of France shall take cognizance or in case it should not meet within that time the Church of Rouen may do it And at present this Assembly recommends the said Sieur de Fauquembergue and his Family to the Charity of the said Synod which is intreated to forgive what is past and to express their Kindness to him by providing him a Church within their Province excepting always that of Senlis or to procure him some Employment elsewhere And as for what concerneth the Churches of Senlis and Bethizi this Assembly censuring all those who have supported the said Sieur de Fauquembergue in his before-mentioned disorders and yet nevertheless desiring to pacifie all matters hath taken thaâ— Sentence of Suspension from the Lord's Supper which had been decreed against them And that this present Act may be put in Execution the Sieurs Pages Pastor of the Church of
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